http://www.landsteward.com

When it comes to home landscaping, it sometimes seems that life is just one
long series of problems.

Wait. Check that thought. The "positive thinking gurus" want us to replace
the word "problems" with "challenges." Apparently, it's supposed to make us
feel better if we re-think that statement as follows:

When it comes to home landscaping, it sometimes seems that life is just one
long series of challenges.

I hope that satisfies the positive thinkers. However, I'm positive that
some challenges are real problems for a lot of readers of this column,
judging by some recent e-mail I received. Here are some examples:

QUESTION: "I have a creek that runs diagonally through my back yard for
about 300 feet. The banks are 2 to 6 feet tall, steep, grass and weed
covered. They are impossible to mow and very hard to get to with a weed
eater, but if left unkempt I'm afraid the tall grass will invite snakes and
other critters too close to the house. Can you recommend a ground cover that
I could plant that would take over for the grass, protect the banks from
erosion and be more pleasing to look at? Thanks !" – Evan

ANSWER: Fescue is a very hard item to overcome. Much as I hate advocating
killing anything, in order for you to establish another type of ground cover
you will have to kill the grass. What I would recommend is that you either
spray the grass with an over the top herbicide like Roundup this next spring
(when temperatures are warm enough for the Roundup to be effective) or if
you prefer a non-chemical approach, you could cover the area with a black
plastic mulch to kill the fescue. Once the fescue is dead it will still hold
the soil to avoid erosion. Then you can begin to dig holes and place the
ground cover. The grass will go away and the new ground cover will survive.
There are several previous "Plant Man" columns about ground cover archived
at my web site. Go to www.landsteward.org and you'll find some detailed
suggestions for ground cover suitable for banks and sloping terrain!

Here's a reader who would definitely say she had a "problem" rather than a
"challenge":

QUESTION: "I planted my kwanzan cherry tree 1 year ago. It had beautiful
flowers in spring this year. Recently, I recognized its leaves didn't have
dark green color and no more young leaves came out from the branches. I
didn't use any kind of fertilizer because I don't want the tree become too
big. Then all of leaves drooped and looked dry.

"I cut some small branches and took them to two different garden centers.
The first thought the tree had got whiteflies but the other said that my
tree was suffocated and I needed to let that part of the trunk open and not
to water the tree any more.

"Another person back at the first garden center observed all the leaves and
buds and told me my tree has got fungus, and recommended giving it a lot of
water. Now my tree looks dead. Its leaves are crispy and turned reddish
brown. What can I do to save my tree? Which opinion should I believe in?" –
Chau Nguyen

ANSWER: I'm very sorry about the tree. I think you should have a person from
your soil and water conservation district come out to see the tree and the
soil that it is in. Your second "expert" could be closer to the correct
diagnosis. Sometimes when a tree is planted too deep it takes a while before
you see the symptoms of suffocation. It is also possible to suffocate a tree
when changing the landscaping by pushing soil up and around the trunk. This
can cause the tree to die, although it will often take it a while.

Here's an idea: Scratch the bark to see if still green. If it is, you may
still have a chance to save the tree by digging around it and pulling it up
to the right depth and then securing it in. Then you will have to wait till
spring to see what happens. Good luck!

Yes, dealing with your home landscape can be quite "challenging!" You're
welcome to challenge me to help you find a solution. Drop me a line and I'll
try to point you in the right direction!

The Plant Man is here to help. Send your questions about trees, shrubs and
landscaping to and for resources and additional
information, including archived columns, visit http://www.landsteward.com where you
can also subscribe to Steve's free e-mailed newsletter.