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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Police say man admits to 50 vehicle thefts in Rogue Valley ... Sterlingville Cemetery cleanup will include insight into pioneers' hard lives ... Suspected Ashland upskirt photographer arrested ... Police say man admits to 50 vehicle thefts in Rogue Valley ... Sterlingville Cemetery cleanup will include insight into pioneers' hard lives ... Suspected Ashland upskirt photographer arrested ... Carol Link: Eradicate weeds completely, use edgers to help keep thrift on slope Comment By Carol Link More Content Now MailTribune.com By Carol Link More Content Now Posted Mar. 9, 2015 at 10:47 AM By Carol Link More Content Now Posted Mar. 9, 2015 at 10:47 AM » Social News Q: Years ago, before we bought our place, thrift was planted on the short slope in front of our home. It was beautiful in the spring and I would like to plant it with thrift again. Right now, the slope is a mess of grass and weeds. How do I go about removing the weeds and covering the slope with thrift again, and how do I keep the thrift from washing away before the roots take hold? A: Before planting the slope, all of the weeds must be removed completely, roots and all. If you are not opposed to using a weed killer, purchase a chemical product with a good reputation. Wait until a hot. dry day for the product to work effectively. Mix and apply the chemical by following label directions. To completely eradicate all the weeds and grass, several applications may be required. If you prefer gardening organically, you will have to shovel and hoe, and toss weeds out of the bed, over and over again, until all the unwanted growth is removed. When you are certain all the unwanted growth is dead or removed, till the soil. In accordance with the length and steepness of the slope, you will need to install some type of retainers to hold the plants and soil in place. When planting the slope in front of my home, I purchased several rolls of black plastic edgers to hold my plants in place. I dug a shallow pocket-shaped trench and installed the flexible plastic edgers, filled the pockets with soil and then set the plants in place. Three or four feet below the first edger, I followed the same procedure several times, setting several rows of plants in place. I did this for as many times as necessary to cover the slope. Afterward, I applied a light sprinkling of slow release fertilizer and then applied a heavy layer of mulch, covering all of the soil in the pockets. I watered the plants well at the time of planting and continued watering them on a regular schedule, never allowing the plants to dry out. I left the edgers in place for a couple of years until all of my plants were well established. Since you will be using the thrift as a ground cover, I suggest that you leave the edgers in place until the slope is completely carpeted with thrift, or if the edgers do not show, you may leave them in place permanently. I hope this answers your questions. Carol (Bonnie) Link is an Etowah County, Ala., Master Gardener and an experienced garden writer. Send questions or comments to [email protected]. By Carol Link More Content Now MailTribune.com By Carol Link More Content Now Posted Mar. 9, 2015 at 10:47 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501