Search Tags:  mike mcgrath

Growing fruits and nuts not for the faint of heart

All you need to know about edible plants, and getting ready for the region's cold weather with these gardening tips - but watch out for acorns.

Tags: fruit trees, cold weather, ticks

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Why you need to get rid of acorns

White-footed field mice consume acorns, and those mice are known for carrying Lyme disease.

Tags: acorns, michelle basch, Garden Plot, gardening

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Tips to keep squirrels from destroying pumpkins

WTOP Garden Editor Mike McGrath recommends using everything from hot peppers, to deer repellent and dog hair.

Tags: pumpkins, squirrels, Halloween, gardening, kristi king

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Garden Plot: The best trees, the worst trees

Not all trees are created equal. WTOP's Garden Editor Mike McGrath tells you which are which and answers your gardening questions.

Tags: casey trees, Garden Plot, trees

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Garden Plot: Bamboo lawyers and bare spots

Wayne in Charlotte Hall has a question that's frequently asked this time of year over how low to trim his lawn before winter.

Tags: bamboo, Garden Plot

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Don't prune anything now - especially spring bloomers

This is the worst time of year to prune anything. Doing so will stimulate new growth and interfere with the plants successfully going dormant for the winter.

Tags: Garden Plot, gardening

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How dog urine can kill city trees

The next time a dog is tugging on its leash, headed for a solid-looking pine to "water," WTOP's Garden Editor Mike McGrath says that small territorial claim could kill the tree.

Tags: dog urine, trees

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Garden Plot: Thatch, new lawn, bamboo

Tips for taking care of a neglected lawn and dealing with bamboo.

Tags: Garden Plot,

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Fall lawn care, the order of the chores

Without a doubt the No. 1 chore for those of you with cool season lawns is a big fall feeding. Cool season lawns like fescue, rye and bluegrass need their biggest feeding of the season right now to help them recover from that brutal summer we all endured.

Tags: Garden Plot

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Garden Plot: Keeping dogs from damaging outdoor decor

Jim in Alexandria has an all-too common problem. He writes, "I have several Boxwoods along the walkway at the front of my house, and neighborhood dogs love to urinate on them (and it doesn't appear that their owners care.) This is slowly killing the Boxwoods. Almost half of the leaves are brown and dying. Any recommendations on how to keep the dogs away?"

Tags: Garden Plot,

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