I ran across a good video about gardening on slopes..  It’s just over five minutes and is produced by the Extension Service in Nebraska…

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from the wildflower.org website

Just last month a new application was released  that can help you identify wild flowers while your hiking or just strolling in your backyard. The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center located at the University of Texas (Austin) released a really cool addition to their website that allows easy access to the wildflower identification features on their website to anyone with a smartphone (web access) or an iPod Touch with a wifi connection.

All you have to do is surf on over to wildflower.org/moblie and your smartphone will allow you to search their juge database and find the answer to your wildflower questions.

“This is a perfect tool for today’s mobile, tech savvy generation,” said Wildflower Center senior botanist Damon Waitt, Ph.D.  “People who want to access native plant information anyplace, anywhere, anytime–whether they have a question about how to do something in their garden, want to identify a plant or need other information.”

And don’t forget to follow them on twitter – wildflowerctr - they have some really great things going on with conservation and information.

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1. what is screened loam and compost mixture
   We have a new product this year, 50-50 Mix that is 50% all organic compost and 50% ½ inch screened loam. We created this mixture after many customer requests to mix the our loam and compost in our trucks to be mixed while dumping in previous years. The mixture is great for gardens and also for new lawns as the compost adds nutrients to the soil and helps to retain water.
2. how to cut landscaping brick
   We have a guillotine that we rent out by the full or half day or you can rent a wet saw from a local equipment rental business.
   
   
3. do it yourself walkways landscaping
   If you are interested in installing a walkway, we have a large selection of products and can walk you through the project step by step. Stop into our Goffstown, NH location and see our 2,000+ sq ft display.
4. do i need straw or blanket on grass seed
   We recommend Penn Mulch, it is a recycled newspaper product that is free of weed seeds and is biodegradable.
5. what is the best grass seed for a shady yard
   We sell “Sun & Shade” mix
6. when is the best time to plant grass seed
   Before you plant you want to make sure the soil is 45-50 degrees 24 hours per day.
7. what is minus crushed rock
   Minus is a term used to describe the size of the rock. We have 6 inch minus (rip rap) crushed granite; it is screened with a 6 inch screen that allows for 6 inch or smaller to fall through. We also have a product we call Hard Pack which is ¾ minus crushed granite. It has ¾ crushed stone all the way down to fine dust.
8. how much would a truck load of mulch cost
   At PRO Landscape Supply we do not quote mulch by the truck load, because all trucks vary in size. We sell our mulch by the cubic yard (a much easier measurement system).
9. how much is 10 yards of mulch
   Great question; if you are asking price, it would depend on the mulch blend. In 2010 our prices range from $32 – $38 per yard. If you are asking about coverage, 10 yards at 3 inches deep would cover 1080 sq ft.
10. what is garden loam mix
    Different companies have different names for their products. If you were to call us and ask for a garden loam mix we would let you know about our 50-50 mix, 50% all organic compost and 50% ½ inch screened loam. The mixture is great for gardens and also for new lawns as the compost adds nutrients to the soil and helps with water retention.
11. what is difference between 3/4 inch and 1/2 inch loam
    The difference is the size of the screen used to sift the loam. A ¾ screen would allow anything ¾ of an inch or smaller to pass through the screen, and a ½ screen allows anything ½ inch or smaller to pass through. At PRO Landscape Supply we have and use a ½ screen and our screening plant is located in our Goffstown, NH yard.

Related posts:

1. Your Landscaping Questions Answered
2. Home Composting – The Fun Way To Organic Gardening (part 2)

We get lots of how and why questions about Mulch, Pavers and all the products and we sell. I’ve gathered a bunch of them and had Matt and Pete take a stab at answering them.

1. do you sell rubber mulch
   We do not sell rubber mulch. We had rubber mulch for a short time and after getting customer feedback we discontinued the product. The rubber mulch has a strong rubber odor in the summer heat. When you try to rake leaves off of the surface in the fall you take up some of the rubber mulch with the leaves and then cannot compost the leaves because of the rubber. When you decide you do not want to have rubber mulch anymore you have a difficult time disposing of the rubber product much like disposing tires. Industry newsletters have reported that rubber mulch is also highly flammable.
2. how much mulch do i need
   Take your mulch bed measurements (length x width) add the total square footage and divide by the depth you want your mulch spread to…
   1 inch per yard = 324 sq ft of coverage
   2 inches per yard = 162 sq ft of coverage
   3 inches per yard = 108 sq ft of coverage
   Three inches is the recommended depth of coverage for new mulching areas.
3. when to mulch
   We recommend mulching in the spring and fall. Spring mulching will help retain water reducing the watering you will need and keep the soil cool throughout the summer to help your plants grow and survive the dry summer months. Fall mulching will help protect your plants by helping to retain heat throughout the cold winter months.
4. how to mulch trees
   Mulching around trees can help to maintain the moisture and reduce the amount of watering you’ll need to do. Mulch also helps to control weeds, keep the heat in during the winter and keep the soil cooler in the summer. Spread the mulch 2- to 4-inches deep and keep it away from the trunk of the tree.
5. how to use rock mulch
   Using rock mulch has different benefits than using bark mulch. Rocks will not retain water and would allow for good drainage and would help retain heat. The down side is that the rocks could retain too much heat and burn your plants.
6. 1 yard of mulch = how many square feet
   1 Yard of mulch spread 2 inches deep will cover 162 sq ft; at 3 inches deep it will cover 108 sq ft.
7. how much does 1 yard of mulch weigh
   The weight would depend on the type of mulch and water content is due to weather conditions; our mulch averages 800-850 lbs per yard.
8. how to mulch around trees
   Mulching around trees can help to maintain the moisture and reduce the amount of watering you’ll need to do. Mulch also helps to control weeds, keep the heat in during the winter and keep the soil cooler in the summer. Spread the mulch 2- to 4-inches deep and keep it away from the trunk of the tree.
9. how to stop grass from growing in mulch
   We recommend first removing all grass and roots from the area then using a Weed Fabric under the mulch and installing your mulch a minimum of 3 inches deep. We have weed fabric in sizes ranging from 3’x50’ rolls to 6’ x 300’ rolls.
10. is dyed mulch safe for gardens
    The dye used for our Color Enhanced Hemlock and Color Enhanced Black Bark is organic.

Read more about Mulch Basics and Organic Mulch

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