Is it safe to use redwood shavings for mulch or to till into soil? A woodworker in my neighborhood has an abundance of shavings to give away. I'd love some free garden supplies.

It's OK to use the redwood shavings as a mulch around your ornamental plants. Do not till into the soil without composting them first.

All sawdust and wood shavings can be used this way unless they are from pressure-treated lumber. Almost anything organic will decompose and feed your plants and, if you like the look, can be used for mulch. Some examples: “gumballs” from sweetgum trees, broken up twigs or dry stems and pine needles. Make sure not to use any diseased tissue or weed seeds, though.

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I've noticed some slimy-looking dead patches in my lawn recently. The grass is matted but more beige than brown. Do I need to worry about this?

The lawn fungus known as red thread, possibly combined with pink patch, has a mature stage that is noticeably pinkish.

It's associated with wet conditions in late winter and early spring or fall and sometimes snowmelt in March and April. Though grass roots are not killed, the fungus thins turf and provides an opening for weeds.

Perennial rye and fine fescues are most susceptible.

Nitrogen helps turf outgrow the damage, but since nitrogen fertilizers applied in spring can also encourage more serious fungal problems, stick with an optional reduced-rate application in late May/early June and do the primary fertilization in fall. Search “red thread and turfgrass maintenance calendar” on the University of Maryland Extension website below.

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University of Maryland Extension's Home and Garden Information Center offers free gardening and pest information at extension.umd.edu/hgic. Click “Ask Maryland's Gardening Experts” to send questions and photos 24/7.