Q: I have a big pile of old grass clippings, and I would like to know if I can till them into my flower beds. Really enjoy your column!
A: Thank you for being a faithful reader. You certainly can use the clippings. This is especially good if the pile has already started to decompose. This method of reusing organics has been done by gardeners for centuries. The clippings will add good organic matter to the beds, as well as help to condition the soil. Grass clippings contain about 4% nitrogen, 1/2 to 1% phosphorus, 2-3% potassium, and smaller amounts of other essential plant nutrients. This is basically a 4-1-3 fertilizer.
Fresh raindrops are seen on creeping bellflower plants in Mill Creek Ravine Park in Edmonton in this 2020 file photo.
Q: Your column always provides us with timely answers. Thank you. I have a problem with a plant I added to my rock garden a few years ago. It is a creeping bellflower (Campanula). It is taking over the whole rock garden and threatening to move into other areas. Is there anything I can do to kill it without killing the other plants I want to keep?
A: Thank you for your kind words. Creeping bellflower spreads via rhizomes, making it very difficult to control. There are no effective chemical controls registered for the selective control of this problem. I might have suggested using gardening strength vinegar, but the proximity of the bellflower to your other plants makes this impractical. The only measure I have found successful is continuous and consistent hand digging. If you have this weed, never give anyone a plant from the same area where the bellflower is growing. This sneaky little plant survives as small pieces of root, which are then transported to friends’ and neighbours’ yards. Dig hard and dig consistently, and you will be rewarded.
Pruning back the number of developing apples on an overabundant tree can help the larger apples thrive.
Q: My apple tree is loaded with apples this year. Some branches have 30 or more developing apples on them. I am wondering if I should be eliminating some of the apples, or if I should just leave them alone
A: I have had the same situation in the past. Removing some of the developing apples is a good idea. Take off any of the apples that are smaller than the others, leaving the large ones to develop. In a cluster of four, for example, you should leave one or two apples. By culling out the smaller apples, you will allow the larger apples to get even bigger as the tree can expend more energy on the remaining apples. From first-hand experience, I can tell you that this culling method does result in larger fruit.
Every week, Growing Things Outdoors runs online at edmontonjournal.com or, if you prefer an epaper format, epaper.edmontonjournal.com
Learn more by emailing your questions to filipskigerald@gmail.com, reading past columns or my book Just Ask Jerry. You can also follow me on X (Twitter) @justaskjerry01.