Hello, I'm being overrun by Canadian thistle as part of my yard is wild, I think I need to start at least mowing or weed whacking the sections that contain a lot of it before it . Flowers. I read that there could be an herbicide but the Minnesota page was a little bit odd and said to contact a local resource to see which herbicide to use? Maybe there really isn't one that's adequate?

We enjoy reading Pamela Cole-Bennett's gardening articles in the Dayton Daily News. She recently wrote about the damage cicadas might do to new trees and suggested covering the trees with netting. The problem is that we can't find proper netting at any of the garden centers or big box centers. Someone suggested wrapping , at least the bottom of the tree, with cheese cloth . We are asking if that would protect the tree, and wondering where we might go to find the proper netting to cover the tree. Thank you!

I have been told that pruning my weeping Norway spruce will encourage root growth. I believe it only encourages side shoots. I do not like to have it pruned - I prefer it to be its natural shape. What do you advise?

Is it appropriate to spray for apple rust in the Twin Cities area at this time (during bloom). I have a Zestar and a Honeycrisp tree. I use Captan. Maybe there is a better chemical fungicide to use? Thank you, Bob Delain

I have a water to air heat pump which dumps water on the surface in an area that needed a retaining wall replaced.We hired a company to do this and replace a failing retaining wall with boulders.The used a excavator that had tracks but I belive it compacted the soil so much that soil will no longer handle the amount of water volume that it use to.The contractor doesn`t believe they are at fault and I am stuck on my own to figure this out.I am unsure where to turn for help and would like some assistance with this.I would like to get this fixed before the next heating season.Please help