Poison Ivy Control, a gardening tip and more

[Guest guest]

ArcaMax Gardening Daily Tips for Thursday June 12, 2008

Having trouble seeing this email? View the most recent issue or stories from previous issues.

www.ArcaMax.com | ArcaMundo.com | News | Books | Comics | Games | Subscribe | My Account

Gardening Daily TipsFor JoyceThursday June 12, 2008

Red Hot Poker, Torch Lily (Kniphofia uvaria) Today's Featured PlantRed Hot Poker, Torch Lily (Kniphofia uvaria) Read the full profile of this plant at ArcaMax.com. Interested in reading about other plants? Search through hundreds of plant profiles and helpful articles by keyword.

Q & A: Poison Ivy Control

Question: Is there any sort of shrub or ground cover which would choke out the poison ivy? Do you have any suggestions for eradicating it? I'd rather not use herbicide. Answer: Unfortunately, there is no plant that can outcompete the poison ivy. You might be able to smother at least some of it by cutting it off at ground level or digging out what you can, then covering the root area with heavy cardboard or numerous sheets of newspaper, then topping that off with a heavy layer of organic mulch. If it manages to come up through that, cut it off again, then replace the covering. Eventually the root reserves should become exhausted. There are some new, soap-based herbicides that are considered quite environmentally friendly and safe to use. Avoid using a flame weeder, however, since the smoke from burning poison ivy can be extremely irritating to lungs.

Q & A: Yellowing Leaves on Container Citrus

Question: I have several orange and grapefruit trees in containers, and they look healthy except that their leaves are starting to look yellowish--not the deep green they once were. (The leaves aren't falling off, however.) They have been in a greenhouse through the winter so I know that they haven't gotten too cold. What is causing this, and what can I do? Answer: Citrus are heavy feeders and will quickly use up nutrients in a container situation, so I suspect your trees simply need some supplemental nutrients. If you can find a citrus fertilizer at your local nursery, use that. Otherwise, any all-purpose balanced fertilizer such as 10-10-10 or an organic equivalent will be fine. Dilute fertilizer according to package directions.

Tip: Leave Grass Clippings

When mowing the lawn, leave the grass clippings. Clippings can add nutrients (nitrogen) back to the lawn, while not adding to thatch buildup. Use a mulching mower, if possible, to make smaller clippings that decompose faster.

Today's Reader Submitted Photos

Click an image above to see full size and read caption.

To see more of our subscriber photos visit our full Photo Gallery. Sincerely, ArcaMax Editors

Recent Stories

Q & A: Moldy Strawberries Q & A: Iris Not Blooming Tip: Prune Rhododendron Bearded Tongue (Penstemon digitalis) Q & A: Lawn Watering

Make sure this email gets to your inbox (and not your junk folder): just add ezines@... to your e-mail address book or safe list. Thank you!

ArcaMax Publishing, Inc.729 Thimble Shoals Blvd. Suite 1-BNewport News, VA 23606Fax: (757) 596-9731

ArcaMax Publishing is a leading publisher of family-friendly newsletters, featuring popular comics, games, feature columns and books by email. Thank you for reading the "Gardening Daily Tips" newsletter. You are subscribed with the following email address: bjoyful@...

Please feel free to forward this email on to your friends!

Advertise in ArcaMax NewslettersFamily-friendly consumer content to 4.4 million subscribersClick to learn more.

Advertiser's Directory

FAQ / Help

Contact the Editor

Manage your subscriptions, change your email address and more...

If you wish to no longer receive this newsletter only, please unsubscribe here. To unsubscribe from more than one list, go here.

Contact information for recent advertisers. Consumer Online Buying Guide: FTC Tips for shopping online

Answers to our most frequently asked questions. Contact Customer Service

Have a question or comment about an article you read in one of our ezines?

ArcaMax Publishing, Inc. and its licensors.All registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.