Landscaping/Gardening Thread.

[Ducay]

I used the below insecticide on some bushes that had really bad aphid problems. I had no luck with a few different types of insecticidal soaps and pyretherin insecticides. This is basically going nuclear, and has systemic properties in certain plants as well.

Worked like a charm, but you've got to be really damned careful where you spray it, as these are the pesticides you want to keep away from bees, so can't get it anywhere near an active flower.

http://www.amazon.ca/Bayer-Cropscien...ords=bayer+bug

[EverfresH15]

Looking to get a retaining wall built, anyone have any recommendations?

[Wormius]

For the aphid problem, don't the garden stores sell ladybugs? For some reason I thought you could buy a large colony of ladybugs to clean up the aphids.

[Ducay]

Originally Posted by Wormius

For the aphid problem, don't the garden stores sell ladybugs? For some reason I thought you could buy a large colony of ladybugs to clean up the aphids.

You can order ladybugs online, (homedepot.ca, costco.ca, but all ship from the same place), ~$15 for 1000. I've done ~3,000 over the last 2 years without much luck. I do back on a large forest, so I have a feeling they might work better in a traditional yard with solid fences on all sides. Most of mine just take off.

[Bill Bumface]

Has anyone ever defeated leaf hoppers? They are decimating my creepers.

[Sr. Mints]

Originally Posted by Wormius

For the aphid problem, don't the garden stores sell ladybugs? For some reason I thought you could buy a large colony of ladybugs to clean up the aphids.

I saw them at Golden Acres. They're in the indoor house plant section, in a fridge next to the information window.

[blueski]

Originally Posted by EverfresH15

Looking to get a retaining wall built, anyone have any recommendations?

You could do it yourself if you have the time. We built this one last year for 3,500 all in. It is two levels and spans 85 feet. Total height is about 5 feet. It took about twenty days. We were quoted 16 and 33k by two different landscape companies. Traditional 6x6 timber beams would have cost us 9k.

http://www.familyhandyman.com/landsc...-wall/view-all

I would say this method is probably twice as labor intensive.

[blueski]

Originally Posted by Sr. Mints

I saw them at Golden Acres. They're in the indoor house plant section, in a fridge next to the information window.

If you have aphids, check to see if you have ants! Ants farm aphids and turn them into their slaves. Easiest way to get rid of ants is to use a borax, water and sugar recipe. We had no problems with aphids after the ants were eliminated.

[photon]

I didn't use my underground sprinklers at all this year (never had to, always had rain at the right times!), do I still need to get them blown out? Does rain seep down into it anyway?

[return to the red]

Originally Posted by photon

I didn't use my underground sprinklers at all this year (never had to, always had rain at the right times!), do I still need to get them blown out? Does rain seep down into it anyway?

Did you charge the system at all? if you had any water in it at all you should blow it out, if you didn't you should be fine but make sure someone hasn't accidentally turned the wrong valve open in the basement and filled the mainline. If that happened then again yes, you should blow it out.

[photon]

Hmm good point, I think I did turn on the valve to the system just didn't turn on the computer ever, but yeah that'd mean there's water from the house to the values. I'll confirm that though. Thanks!!

[Ducay]

Any ideas on why my Colorado Blue Spruce might be undergoing some pretty severe yellowing? Appears to be afflicting mostly the older growth needles, but appears to be spreading outwards on some branches.

Strikes me as odd because its happening to 2 trees side by side, both about 28 years old. They survived Snowmageddon fine, so I dont think it was the cold snap we had (perhaps), and they're well watered with all the rains we been having....

Im used to some branches/needles going red/brown and falling off, but this going yellow / rust is a first.



edit: and a better pic of the end of a branch almost all yellow'd

[Wormius]

Any ideas how to reign in a rose bush that seems to be sending out roots and popping up everywhere?

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by Ducay

Any ideas on why my Colorado Blue Spruce might be undergoing some pretty severe yellowing?

We had a similar thing happen but you could see fine webbing on the problem spots. Had them sprayed for a couple years by Best Pest control and watered them more and they're ok now, although super scraggly because we waited too long.

[Ducay]

Originally Posted by Bill Bumface

We had a similar thing happen but you could see fine webbing on the problem spots. Had them sprayed for a couple years by Best Pest control and watered them more and they're ok now, although super scraggly because we waited too long.

I'll check again, but for the life of me I couldnt see any webbing or mites when I looked yesterday for them.

I'm starting to lean toward overwatering/nitrogen deficiency due to all the wetness we've been having, just given the amount of mushrooms in my lawn nearby.

[DoubleK]

Ducay: That looks like Needle Cast Fungus to me.

[Ducay]

Originally Posted by DoubleK

Ducay: That looks like Needle Cast Fungus to me.

Perhaps; my issue with that is the needles, once yellowed, are uniform in color. From my research, most Fungi infections or mites will leave spotting of some sorts where the needles were infected or died first.


Talked to a couple arborists over the phone and sounds like they're getting lots of calls on this, and it is likely just fall needle drop, exacerbated by the weather we've been having.

[DoubleK]

Originally Posted by Ducay

Perhaps; my issue with that is the needles, once yellowed, are uniform in color. From my research, most Fungi infections or mites will leave spotting of some sorts where the needles were infected or died first.


Talked to a couple arborists over the phone and sounds like they're getting lots of calls on this, and it is likely just fall needle drop, exacerbated by the weather we've been having.

Ok. Don't trust a forester....

[Darby]

Is it too late to overseed?

Originally Posted by Suzles

I've been asked for it many times (I work in a garden centre) and I've never been able to find any in Calgary. Let me know if you do find any. Thanks

I ended up buying from Amazon. I got 4 gallons because the price for 1 gallon is atrocious. $80 for 1 gallon vs. $100 for 4 gallons...at least it was free shipping :/
http://www.amazon.ca/Pure-20-Vinegar...bxgy_200_img_y

[calgarygeologist]

Should I mow my lawn again? It was fertilized for the fall/winter about three weeks ago and the grass is around 3 inches now. I wasn't planning on mowing again but my neighbor mowed his lawn today. What is the best practice for preparing the lawn for the winter?