Garden Dilemmas, Delights & Discoveries, Ask Mary Stone, New Jersey Garden blog
the sun below a cloud in a golden yellow sky

The How-to of Soil Solarization

Hello fellow readers, Last week, we spoke about George’s weedy invasion resulting in the need for a garden do-over. Thankfully, he opted for a more organic approach, including a non-chemical remedy called soil solarization. Here’s how. Preparing your garden for planting is
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Mary Stone, Garden Dilemmas, Ask Mary Stone,Gardening tips, Garden Blogs, Stone Associates Landscape Design, Landscape Fabric

A Landscape Fabric Intervention!

Hello fellow readers, Landscape fabric with mulch on top may seem to work in the short term, but eventually, it will result in an intervention. I look forward to sharing mine :^) ‘Here’s my dilemma,’ wrote George of Blairstown, NJ, in early spring. ‘It’s
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a white nest of Eastern Tent Caterpillars in the crotch of a tree.

Diehard Campers -Tent Caterpillars

Hello fellow readers, It’s the unofficial start to summer which brings on outdoor activities and vacations including tent camping for diehards. Ben from Bangor asked what to do about the wormy things building tents in the crevices of his cherry tree right above his grill. Easter
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The invasiveness of wisteria suffocating and old tree

Managing Wisteria

Hello fellow readers, I visited Kathleen and Andrew in Summit and witnessed first-hand the strength of their dilemma devastating their deck. The wrist-thick woody vine climbing from the ground to their second-story deck was strong and impressive. It wasn’t in bloom as yet, and t
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a pink flowering weeping cherry tree with reverted white flowering straight branches

Mixed-up Cherry

Hello fellow readers, Marcia from Columbia writes, ‘our pink ornamental cherry tree is trans gendering, crossdressing, or something. There are two large boughs with pure white blossoms. What the heck?’ The picture she sent the tree looks like it has a spikey haircut with lots of produ
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Mary Stone, Garden Dilemmas, Ask Mary Stone,Gardening tips, Garden Blogs, Stone Associates Landscape Design, Fawn, fawn in the garden, wildlife rehabilitator

Spring Babies

Hello fellow readers, Mother’s Day ends the risk of frost which triggers our time to plant veggies and annuals plus it’s the time for spring babies. From mid-May through June fawn are born and they are so darn cute; though they grow into our biggest garden dilemma ever! Still, I have
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Mary Stone, Garden Dilemmas, Ask Mary Stone,Gardening tips, Garden Blogs, Stone Associates Landscape Design, Daffodils

A daffy sunset

Curt snagged this shot of the rock garden with his phone on Saturday. If I recall the plant I planted in front of the daffodils is Spiraea japonica ‘Golden Elf’ / Golden Elf Japanese Spirea Hardy in zones 4-9. This yellow leaved cutie only grows to 6-8 inches high and has
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Skunk-Cabbage-Emerging-in-marshy-water

Skunk Cabbage Appeal

Skunk cabbage's unusual chemistry creates heat, melting the snow around itself. It's one of the first things to sprout and serves a role long ago as well as today.
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two hands holding soil preparing for testing soil pH

Fun Ways to Test Soil pH

Hello fellow readers, Last week, we spoke about the importance of testing your soil’s pH before adding supplements, as lawns and plants require different pH levels. John from Bangor asked how to test his soil. Sure, you can buy a pH test probe, and the tried and true soil tests are of
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Mary Stone, Garden Dilemmas, Ask Mary Stone, Gardening tips, Garden Blogs, Stone Associates Landscape Design

Lime or Not to Lime Lawns

Hello fellow readers, To lime or not to lime lawns, that was the question from Craig of Andover, NJ. His brother, Chris of Blairstown, then asked if there was a moss killer he could use. True, there seems to be a routine among perfect lawn enthusiasts to lime every spring and fall wit
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