Landscaping/Gardening Thread.

[redforever]

Originally Posted by bigtmac19

Does it matter where I cut?

Personally, I would take more than one cutting, probably three. The top portion is the nicest of course, but any cutting down further will produce a new plant as well. Then you have a bushier plant rather than one tall spindly one.

Once the cuttings have taken, plant them all in one larger pot.

[brocoli]

Just wondering if anyone on here has any recommendations on electric mowers? I've been using a reel push mower for the past few years and it's time to go a step up. I don't have a large lawn, so I don't see the need/maintenance for a gas mower.

[InglewoodFan]

Originally Posted by brocoli

Just wondering if anyone on here has any recommendations on electric mowers? I've been using a reel push mower for the past few years and it's time to go a step up. I don't have a large lawn, so I don't see the need/maintenance for a gas mower.

I bought the Ryobi 40v mower to replace my reel mower. Has enough juice to do my average sized city lot a couple of times on a charge. Light, maneuverable, bags up the clippings. Does the job just fine.

[chedder]

Originally Posted by InglewoodFan

I bought the Ryobi 40v mower to replace my reel mower. Has enough juice to do my average sized city lot a couple of times on a charge. Light, maneuverable, bags up the clippings. Does the job just fine.

I've had this one for a few years too. Love it. Way more powerful than my old gasser. You can actually hear it speed up over thicker/longer sections where the gas one would bog down. Would never get a gas lawn mower again.

Bonus is it's way easier and less intimidating for teenage girls so I don't have to mow much anymore.

[Mull]

Originally Posted by brocoli

Just wondering if anyone on here has any recommendations on electric mowers? I've been using a reel push mower for the past few years and it's time to go a step up. I don't have a large lawn, so I don't see the need/maintenance for a gas mower.

By electric do you mean cord or battery? If you mean cord, with a smaller size lawn skip it, get battery.

I have a koblat 22", over sized for me.

Make sure whatever model you get comes with 2 battery's, or you factor a backup battery cost. When its not quite charged up having the back-up fully charged is important, or if you pull a lazy me and cut high wet grass very stupidity and it uses all the juice as this is a little much to ask, having the back up is important.

Biggest concern is battery life. Bought mine in 2017, leave a 2/3 charge each winter, bring inside in the winter away from cold, still work good.

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by Mull

Make sure whatever model you get comes with 2 battery's, or you factor a backup battery cost.

Some of the single battery mowers are crazy high capacity, and you can get multiple mows of of one battery.

[brocoli]

Thank you for in the input everyone. Went with the Ryobi and it already cuts like a dream. So much easier than reel mowing.

[Flames0910]

Question for people far more experienced with this than me.

Moved into a new house last fall, we have some praire grass in planter boxes in the front porch. We trimmed it down this spring because the internet said that was the thing to do.

It doesn't seem to be growing back yet (maybe too early / not warm enough) but more concerning is that it seems to have been completely invaded by quack grass. Short of digging up and replanting the whole thing, how do I fix this? Or am I dumb and what looks like quack grass is actually this year's growth of praire grass coming in? Please help lol.

[Fuzz]

Tough to say without pictures. If you do have a little bit of quack grass, I recommend Wilson Total Wipeout Ultra. If you can't spray it cleanly, don't. Use a Qtip or foam brush and paint the blades with it. I call this the "kill all the things" spray, because that's what it does. Don't get any on stuff you don't want dead. It takes a few days, and may take a few treatments.

[Barnes]

Wondering if anyone can help with a Norwegian Spruce...

The tree seems fairly healthy in that its's growing but the tips of the branches will get new growth and split off into a number of little branches and then they seem to start losing needles and they collect into a mass somewhere near the branching. Not sure if the are all getting stuck in sap or what. Doesn't seem to have any obvious bugs but this is the first spruce I've ever had soI dont know what I am looking for. Normal, not normal, call an arborist, anyone recommend an arborist?

[redforever]

Originally Posted by Barnes

Wondering if anyone can help with a Norwegian Spruce...

The tree seems fairly healthy in that its's growing but the tips of the branches will get new growth and split off into a number of little branches and then they seem to start losing needles and they collect into a mass somewhere near the branching. Not sure if the are all getting stuck in sap or what. Doesn't seem to have any obvious bugs but this is the first spruce I've ever had soI dont know what I am looking for. Normal, not normal, call an arborist, anyone recommend an arborist?

perhaps spider mite?

[Fuzz]

Anyone know plumbers who might have a supply of old PEX 3/4" I'd like to make some garden row covers, and salvaging free stuff would be ideal.

[RichieRich]

It can rain/snow now that I’ve fertilized, raked, mulched, mowed the lawn.
My 3 yr old Ryobi electric mulch mower keeps impressing me. Didn’t want it at first but then the wife went and mowed our old electric cord and refused to attempt mows any more. Not that it mattered... cos apparently it’s a “blue job” now. Ha ha.
Found a few vermin tracks in the yard from their winter munching. Gotta oversees and throw down some topsoil now.
So last fall I cut back a bunch of dead and dying junipers. The grass under where they were is dead and doesn’t seem to want to grow back. What’s the easiest way to get the grass to grow back there? It’s in the front yard so now a bit of an eyesore until it fills in.

[Fuzz]

I was power raking the other day as the property stars kid was in the neighborhood aerating. Now, I've done the rental thing before, and it's expensive and miserable. So I let the kid have at it. I'm not sure if $60 was a good price for front and back yard, but it was worth not doing it myself.

[JBR]

Originally Posted by Barnes

Wondering if anyone can help with a Norwegian Spruce...

The tree seems fairly healthy in that its's growing but the tips of the branches will get new growth and split off into a number of little branches and then they seem to start losing needles and they collect into a mass somewhere near the branching. Not sure if the are all getting stuck in sap or what. Doesn't seem to have any obvious bugs but this is the first spruce I've ever had soI dont know what I am looking for. Normal, not normal, call an arborist, anyone recommend an arborist?

Graphic Tree Service. They just completed some work on our shrubs. Seem knowledgeable and very fair pricing.

[calgarygeologist]

I'm looking for a suggestion on a plant for my front yard. Right now we have this one plant in the middle of our yard and I am thinking of replacing it with something that might add more color. I can't tell you what kind of plant it is but it has long, thin, semi-rigid leaves and it is about 12 to 18 inches across and about the same in height. It flowers for about a week or two which is why I am thinking about replacing it with something that might be more colorful. What are your suggestions?

[Fuzz]

A picture is worth 99 words...Sounds a bit like a siberian iris.



Is the area full sun all day? Do you want a plant or a bush/shrub? Tree?

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

A picture is worth 99 words...Sounds a bit like a siberian iris.



Is the area full sun all day? Do you want a plant or a bush/shrub? Tree?

That is pretty close to what I am looking to replace. I think mine has slightly broader leaves and the leaves fold over about half way up opening up the plant. I want to plant something similar in terms of size but something that is more colorful as we really don't have much for landscaping in our front yard. The yard needs a full makeover but that will probably be in two years. It is full sun.

[Fuzz]

Probably a day lily then. The thing with most flowers is they all bloom at different times, so you are better to plant a variety if you want colour. Day lily's can handle aggressive splitting, so you could remove most of it, then plant some tulip bulbs for ealry season, and find some late season lower height stuff to plant around it. My wife is more the expert on this stuff than me.

[woob]

Is there such thing as a tree removal company that will remove a tree whole and then donate it or what not? We have a tree we want removed, but I hate the idea of it just getting mulched. My google search has turned up nothing but doesn't hurt to ask. It's pine tree of sorts, not sure of exact species. Probably 40 feet tall.