| I moved into a new home in November. There are very young lilacs being choked by tall grass. I would like to get rid of the grass, then mulch and fertilize the lilacs (good idea/bad idea?). How can I get rid of the grass without damaging the lilacs? |
| Lilacs do wonderfully well with just a little bit of Tender Loving Care! You're way ahead of the game with the concern you're already showing them. Break out your hoe and hoe the grass out. Grass in this case is a weed! Anything that grows where it's not wanted is to be considered a weed. Try to hoe in a shallow manner so you don't damage the roots. As soon as you have soil all around (without the grass), cover it with a thick layer(4-6 inches) of mulch. If you use well rotted compost, you can dig it in a bit, trying to avoid the roots. A mulch of hay or leaves would go a long way in keeping the grass from regrowing. Then next year you can just dig it into the soil, and add a fresh layer of mulch. |
