I am on the board at a 64 unit condo community in St. Paul, MN. We have a huge hillside with regular grass, which means weekly mowing. The hillside is eroding in some sections. The shaded areas have very little grass at all. How can this be converted to a low mow fescue? Or, what…
Eco-Answers
Eco-Answers from the Pros: Fall Food for Hummingbirds
Do you have suggestions for late-season blooming native plants in the Northeast for humming birds? The hummingbirds in my gardens have been very active on the early and mid-season monarda and annual salvias, but they will be gone in the next couple of weeks and I want to ensure a sufficient nectar source. My mondarda…
Eco-Answers from the Pros: Mulched Leaves and Drought
How are you using chopped or composted leaves to mitigate the effects of drought? How effective have your strategies been?
Eco-Answers from the Pros: Controlling Pond Weeds
Does anyone have a suggestion about controlling floating weeds in my pond (duckweed, etc.)? The problem seems to be excessive nitrates. I have tried mechanical harvesting (weeds return rapidly), and am unwilling to use herbicides as suggested by my local DEP. Is Barley straw only applicable for algae control?
Eco-Answers from the Pros: Controlling Invasive Bamboo
I live in north central Arkansas and have an issue with an invasive plant. There is a large stand of running bamboo along my back fence line that is expanding at the rate of 5-10 feet per year. It was on my neighbor’s land and he refused to take it out. I recently bought a…
Eco-Answers from the Pros: Urban Pollinators
I work on a golf course in the middle of a city, (Newark, NJ). I am always looking to put in natural areas and promote pollinator plants. My question is more with regard to bees. Does it make sense to have an all-out pollinator area in the middle of the city where there are no…
Eco-Answers from the Pros: Bee Tubes in Spring
The mason bees filled most of the tubes in the house this spring and the ends were sealed with the mud. Now in August, the mud seal is gone and the tubes are empty. I know it is too early for the young bees to emerge. Would a predator be responsible for raiding these tubes…
Eco-Answers from the Pros: Carbon-conscious Planting
I am on a landscaping committee for a community that sits upon approximately 20 acres. We want to (probably gradually) turn our landscape into one with native plants that support our wildlife, but we are also interested in planting as many carbon capturing plants as possible. So the first question is: other than trees, do…
Eco-Answers from the Pros: Poison Ivy and Bindweed
I have never used chemicals on my property and do not want to start. Poison ivy, which I am HIGHLY allergic to, is showing up in more and more places on my property – my herb garden included! Also, a very invasive strangling type of morning glory with pink flowers covers my one front garden…
Eco-Answers from Pros: Inhibiting Pond Algae
I am in search of some barley straw bales to inhibit algae growth in a pond. I have searched high and low but cannot seem to find a seller. Might you know of a source?
Eco-Answers from the Pros: Heirloom Apples
We are located in the South Shore area of Massachusetts and are looking for some heirloom apple trees. Do you know of a good source in our area?
Eco-Answers from the Pros: Using Wood Chips as Mulch
I had a pile of wood chips delivered to me at the end of last summer and want to use it as mulch in my flower and shrub garden this spring. Problem is it’s been sitting for only about five months and may have not decomposed enough to use as mulch. Can I put down…
