Landscaping/Gardening Thread.

[Fuzz]

Would like to get a few junipers for ground cover, will go check it out! Thanks!

[puffnstuff]

Junipers are a haven for spiders...

[Fuzz]

It's not really near an entrance or anything. Hell, if it keeps them in that area of the yard, I'd be fine with it.

[Fuzz]

My neighbour has a row of spruce trees that hang over onto my dirveway and drip sap all over our vehicles. The trees are fairly tall, and there are a lot of them, so it's more than I want to go trimming. Unfortunately she rents the place out, so isn't around much to talk to her. Before I do, I was just wondering what the best way to convince her to get rid of them would be, and if I have any rights regarding it.

[Nufy]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

My neighbour has a row of spruce trees that hang over onto my dirveway and drip sap all over our vehicles. The trees are fairly tall, and there are a lot of them, so it's more than I want to go trimming. Unfortunately she rents the place out, so isn't around much to talk to her. Before I do, I was just wondering what the best way to convince her to get rid of them would be, and if I have any rights regarding it.

My understanding is that once its over your property line you an do what you want to it.

Neighborly thing would be to discuss it with them first.

[Fuzz]

Right, but I don't want to do it myself or pay for it. Can I force them to do it? I am on good terms, so a conversation isn't an issue. I was just wondering if they are required to pay for it.

[Ducay]

They're not required to do anything. You might want to consider splitting the costs and suggesting that.
If you are to prune the tree yourself and/or get someone yourself and you kill the tree, you can be liable for replacement with equivalent tree ($$).

[Fuzz]

Well that kinda sucks. Hopefully I can convince her just to get rid of them, they are getting quite big and out of control, they certainly don't do anything for her property value.

[Wormius]

So, here is my first project to tackle for the year. Thought I would document some of it. This is the shoddy paver install that was done several years ago.

Suspicious of the constant pooling after every rainstorm, sand everywhere, and a few tombstoned pavers, I decided to finally investigate.

Basically a "before shot". Doesn't look too bad from afar, I guess. Note that the top of the pavers used to actually be lined up with the top of that 2x4 edge.
I have no idea what the cement along the side is for.





So, with the two pavers pulled out, this is what was there. Looks like very little sand.



The areas closest to the side of the house show a lot of gaps where the sand is nearly completely washed out from between the pavers.





Anyhoo. Like a bad scab, I couldn't help picking and picking away at it.











Today I peaked underneath the fabric, and discovered heaps and heaps of wavy sand. It looks like 2 to 3 inches worth in parts on top of the gravel base. It will be the kids sandbox for a while until I decide what to do here. Should I compact whatever is under there, or try to get the play sand out of there?

I don't mind the look of the pavers, but any suggestions on design ideas?

Also - the fence is leaning on the neighbours property. I don't know if I should give some distance between it and the pavers. If they ever decide to fix the fence, will it cause problems?

Or should I just say screw it, and fill it up with sand and have a zen-garden with random bouts of beach volleyball?

[Bill Bumface]

Anyone have Virginia Creepers getting ravaged by leafhoppers or whiteflies the last few years? Any tips to actually nuke the little #######s besides spraying soap every weekend?

[Schraderbrau]

We are looking to put some trees in our yard. Something that grows dense but not to big. Anyone on here ever dealt with Dakota Birch trees?

[Fuzz]

We had a Birch tree at my old place. The 1998 El Nino killed it. They don't do well when we get a hot dry summer. I would stay away from them in Calgary.

Lilac's are fast growing, dense, and you can trim the crap outa them to keep them where you want cover. They won't get super tall.

[BlackArcher101]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

We had a Birch tree at my old place. The 1998 El Nino killed it. They don't do well when we get a hot dry summer. I would stay away from them in Calgary.

You can water them eh? Birch trees love water and needs supplemental watering during dry periods.

I have Birch varieties and and a lot of others do too. Going to be buying another Dakota Pinnacle as soon as there is stock again.

[Fuzz]

Well, ya you CAN water them, they just need lots. I was in University at the time, so that probably had something to do with neglect....There were lots of Birch's dying that year though, so we weren't alone.

[redforever]

Originally Posted by Schraderbrau

We are looking to put some trees in our yard. Something that grows dense but not to big. Anyone on here ever dealt with Dakota Birch trees?

Birch trees in Calgary do best with east sun. As someone else mentioned, they don't like sustained heat. To water, get a drip hose, coil it around the tree area and let the water drip for a couple of days.

Dwarf Korean lilacs (syringa Vulgaris ‘Dwarf Korean’) are some of my favorite lilacs and grow to be about 7 feet tall at maturity with a spread of 4 feet. They require more sun but grow in a nice mound on their own without much shaping. They are also very fragrant with pale lilac flowers. The leaves of the Dwarf Korean Lilac are small and rounded. Also, this lilac does not sucker.

[BlackArcher101]

How do you properly select bushes/shrubs? Lets say I have an area where a 3-4ft shrub would work best.

Do you select plants that have a maturity of the max size you are looking for, or do you select say a 7-8ft shrub and trim it every year to keep it the size you want?

[Ashartus]

Originally Posted by BlackArcher101

How do you properly select bushes/shrubs? Lets say I have an area where a 3-4ft shrub would work best.

Do you select plants that have a maturity of the max size you are looking for, or do you select say a 7-8ft shrub and trim it every year to keep it the size you want?

Personally I consider both the eventual size I want, how fast it grows, and how well it responds to trimming/pruning. If I want something 3-4 ft, I probably want it to mostly fill that space within a reasonable timeframe so either go with a 3-4 foot shrub that is fast-growing or something that will end up a bit bigger than that but can be easily trimmed.

[rohara66]

Originally Posted by Schraderbrau

We are looking to put some trees in our yard. Something that grows dense but not to big. Anyone on here ever dealt with Dakota Birch trees?

I have one and every year it goes brown and half the leaves fall off... thought I was in the clear this year but nope. Last week it started turning brown again, woo!

It is slow growing that's for sure.

[Flacker]

Originally Posted by rohara66

I have one and every year it goes brown and half the leaves fall off... thought I was in the clear this year but nope. Last week it started turning brown again, woo!

It is slow growing that's for sure.

Could be leaf miner. An insect larva that feeds off the leaves. I had to treat my birch tree this year with a systemic herbicide, as the little #######s were devouring the leaves. If it is leaf miner, get it treated, there is quite the infestation this year with the warm/dry conditions.

[rohara66]

Originally Posted by Flacker

Could be leaf miner. An insect larva that feeds off the leaves. I had to treat my birch tree this year with a systemic herbicide, as the little #######s were devouring the leaves. If it is leaf miner, get it treated, there is quite the infestation this year with the warm/dry conditions.

That's what I've had previous years... what did you spray it with?