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Our knowledgeable staff here at Garden-Ville are available to answer many of the questions you might have about gardens, landscaping, and trees. Many problems with plants, however, cannot be responsibly diagnosed other than in person. We're located in central Texas and may not be familiar with the details of gardening in very different climate or soil zones. One of the guiding principles of organic growing is adapting methods to the particularites of local soil and climate. With that in mind we'll do our best to answer your question, but if we can't we'll be happy to help you find the appropriate resources or professionals in your area.

Feel free to browse the topics below to see if we've already answered a question similar to yours. If you can't find the information you need, the question submission form is located at the bottom of the page.

  • I set out a grafted pecan tree a few years back as a pollinator for older trees. A wind storm broke the crown out above the graft. I now have about 4 large shoots above the graft with one being larger than the others. The height is about 8 feet. Is the tree ruined? Should I leave it as is? Should I prune all but the largest one?

    12/22/20089:20:20 AM Link 0 comments | Add comment

    Sick Tree Treatment, Tree Questions

    You can do whichever you prefer, although I would probably recommend leaving all the shoots in place. I'm not sure if the total height of the tree is 8' or if that's where the break occurred and the sprouts are coming from. If you want the tree's canopy to begin there then you should leave it as is. If you want a higher canopy you should prune to the single shoot. Bear in mind that shoots of this kind are often more weakly attached than a typical branch, so if you grow one of these shoots into a single trunk it may be more prone to failure in the future. Also, the tree will probably look more normal if its allowed to develop its canopy from this place rather than off a single shoot that will result in a offset trunk. I would also recommend putting down some of our Sick Tree Treatment, which is a blend of biosolid compost, lava sand, and greensand. It helps damaged and stressed trees to recover. You can buy it at any of our stores or order it from our website.

  • I have planted two weeping cedar atlas in NC possibly two years ago. They were doing fine until I noticed that the needles from one had all fallen off. I examined the base and saw a deep wound at the base just above the soil with a lot of sap coming out. Today I found a similar wound on the other, same results. What is causing it and what can I do?

    12/22/20089:07:32 AM Link 0 comments | Add comment

    Tree Questions

    You'll want to have a certified arborist out to inspect the trees to be certain, but my initial guess would be some kind of root rot. Root problems typically manifest with leaf drop and die back from the tips of branches, and bleeding cankers on the lower parts of the trunk can be caused by phythophthera (one kind of root disease). Root rot is caused by poor drainage and water logged soils, possibly as a result of overwatering. Both of these symptoms can have other causes, however, so I recommend having a qualified professional look at the trees. You can find an arborist at www.isa-arbor.com.

  • I have 2 Italian Cypress that do not have green on one side of the tree. What can I do to nursse it back to health?

    12/15/200811:27:29 AM Link 0 comments | Add comment

    Sick Tree Treatment, Tree Questions

    Without more information its hard to say exactly what is wrong with these trees. Italian cypress are susceptible to a variety of problems. Make sure you aren't overwatering. Italian cypress are a Mediterranean species, which need good drainage and a chance to dry out between waterings. Also check for environmental factors that might be causing death on one side of the tree only. Spider mites are a common problem on these trees. Vigorously shake some of the brown branches above a sheet of white paper. If you see tiny little specks--smaller than a pinhead--moving around on the sheet you have mites. Regardless of the problem we recommend our Sick Tree Treatment for stressed trees. It's a mix of Greensand, lava sand, and composted biosolids that improves the soil and provides the micronutrients that the tree needs to improve its health.

  • What fertilizer or other product may I apply in December to make my st. augustine grass greener and stronger??

    12/11/20089:13:29 AM Link 0 comments | Add comment

    Lawn Questions, St. Augustine

    This is a good time of year to apply our 7-2-2 fertilizer as well as to top dress with compost. We recommend our Alamo Gro for that purpose. You'll apply the 7-2-2 at a rate of 10 pounds per 1000 feet and the Alamo Gro at a depth of 1/4" to 1/2". This will help to green the lawn for the spring as well as reducing watering needs and improving the quality of the turf. Come by any of our retail locations in Austin, San Marcos, or San Antonio for either of these products. We can also ship the fertilizer and set up deliveries for bulk quantities of the Alamo Gro.

  • We planted six Texas Mountain Laural bushes in our yard 5-years ago and they are not much larger than when we planted them. We were told not to fertilize them but only water. What can we use to encourage them to grow?

    12/11/20089:07:48 AM Link 0 comments | Add comment

    Fertilizer, Tree Questions

    Texas Mountain Laurel are a slow growing species. They're also very drought tolerant and require well drained soils, so be careful that you aren't overwatering. Too much water can stunt or kill them. There's no harm in applying an organic fertilizer such as our 6-2-2 Soil Food. Incorporating compost into the soil around the plant can also help encourage growth.

  • Does liquid fertilizer or systemic fungicides applied to dormant turf foliage work it's way to the root system of the turf? Or do I need to soak the soil under the turf?

    12/11/20089:00:05 AM Link 0 comments | Add comment

    Fertilizer

    Proper rates and application techniques should be described on the label of the fungicide or fertilizer. You should always follow those. They'll vary from product to product.

  • I am looking for a way to keep these inch type worms off my patio. They come up one step onto the patio and then die there. So they get dried onto the patio floor and are hard to get off. Is there something I can spray around the patio step?

    12/6/200811:09:57 AM Link 0 comments | Add comment

    Insect Control, Sick Tree Treatment, Soil Questions, St. Augustine

    Once you've established where they're coming from and how they're getting in you can treat their access point with any kind of spray that will serve as a deterrent. Our Orange Oil diluted to a rate of 1-2 oz per gallon should deter them; a garlic and pepper spray will do the same thing. A couple drops dish soap in either of those will help the spray to adhere to the surface. Spray it directly onto the surfaces they are crossing to get onto the patio.

  • How can I remove or kill Bermuda grass in the winter that is dormant. I want to expand my garden for this spring but would like to kill the bermuda grass rather than remove the top soil that contains the bermuda grass. Any suggestions?

    12/6/200810:46:03 AM Link 0 comments | Add comment

    Lawn Questions, Weed Control

    It's trickier to kill grass that's gone dormant. You could try our Natural Weed Killer, but it works best when the plant is active and transpiring. Probably your best bet is to either smother it with cardboard or tarps all winter or to cover it with black plastic and solarize it. You'll want to put a layer of mulch on top of the cardboard/tarps if that's the route you go.

  • What tree does molasess come from?

    12/6/20089:31:04 AM Link 0 comments | Add comment

    Molasses

    Molasses actually doesn't come from a tree. Most molasses comes from sugar cane, although sugar beets are occasionally used to manufacture it as well. It's useful in agricultural or gardening applications as a food for beneficial microorganisms and as a soil conditioner.

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