NEWS for North Dakotans
Agriculture Communication, North Dakota
State University
7 Morrill Hall, Fargo, ND 58105-5665
January 21, 1999
Hortiscope
Ron Smith, Extension Horticulturist
North Dakota State University
Q: I think there is something wrong with the soil in my garden. The tomatoes get black spots on them, nothing grows underground, not even beets. My rhubarb wants to grow, but it has little branches that get yellow. What do I need to do to get my garden to grow? (Harvey, N.D.)
A: It sounds like your soil could stand a little work. Without knowing anything else, I'd suggest working some sphagnum peat into the top 6 inches or so. The best approach would be to have the soil tested to determine where it is from a nutrition standpoint. Once known, you can make corrective measures accurately.
Q: I need help saving my Cala Lily! When I received the plant eight months ago, it was beautiful, blooming with many leaves. Now only three small leaves remain, and they are yellowing and starting to shrivel. There are two new leaves starting to emerge, so I think that with the proper care, the plant will survive. (Woodworth, N.D.)
A: You are fighting a losing battle with Mother Nature! Cala Lilies go through dormant, or drying out, periods. In native habitats these plants thrive in swampy marshlands, which tend to dry during the summer.
Simply allow your plant to go dormant for about 90 days, keeping it dry and at room temperature. Begin watering again around the first of April, keeping the plant well hydrated for about three to four months, making sure it gets some direct sunlight during the day. Allow it to dry down again after flowering, and then in late September or October repot in a compost-rich media and begin the cycle again. Good luck!
Q: I've been reading your column for quite some time, and now I need your help. I purchased some new potting soil recently and I have been plagued with these enclosed tiny white flies. I have tried spraying them, but I can't seem to get rid of them. (Jamestown, N.D.)
A: Thank you for being a faithful reader! The problem is that your potting soil was not pasteurized, and the little flies, known as fungus gnats, can be quite prolific in their reproduction efforts.
Your best solution is to repot again with a better quality soil. If you can locate Scott's potting soil or something similar in quality, that should do the trick. Just be sure to rinse the roots and container completely.
Q: I have enclosed some leaves from my two plants, and I am not sure what is wrong with them. On my pine the tips turn brown, then completely brown and fall off at the stem. Pretty soon the whole plant is bare. The other leaves have dark areas on them, and I am wondering if it is a bug that is doing it because they also fall off. I really enjoy reading your column and I receive a lot of help from it. (Valley City, N.D.)
A: Your pine is losing leaves due to low humidity, which is very common at this time of year. Spraying the plant with distilled water should solve the problem. The foliage of the other plant is showing salt accumulation burn. Repot in a free-draining container and water through the winter months with distilled water.
Q: Please find enclosed some leaves from my corn plant, it is over 6 feet tall and 10 years old. The leaves have started getting brown and turning yellow, then brown and leathery. The stem turns to a bark looking covering from the bottom where most of the leaves turn brown. I have it in a large pot, and I try to keep it moist. Should I repot, or what should I do? (Cleveland, N.D.)
A: Refer to NCR publication No. 274, "Home Propagation." I want to suggest that you may wish to propagate this if the plant does not recover from repotting.
The cause of your plant problem could either be too much water during the winter or the plant has been exposed to too many cold drafts. When you repot, make sure it is into a free-draining container and that it can be located where cold cannot reach it.
Q: I am looking for new trends or ideas for 1999 vegetable gardening. Are there any new ideas so far as mulching, fertilizers, and weed and pest control? I would appreciate any help you can give. (Webster, S.D.)
A: We are big believers in organic approaches to veggie gardening using peat, compost, leaf mold etc., but it sounds as if you've already graduated and moved on! Perhaps some of our readers can come up with something.
Q: I built a new house on an acreage in Great Bend, N.D. I want to establish some fruit trees. What type of trees do I even have a remote chance of establishing and enjoying the fruit from? Also, I understand there are some interactions between trees that can cause disease in one tree because the "pest" completes its life cycle in another tree. (e-mail, Great Bend, N.D.)
A: Apple trees are going to be your best bet! Anoka, Beacon, Haralson, Northern Lights and Rescue are the hardiest. The only disease cycle that can bedevil these trees is the Cedar-Apple Rust fungi. If there are junipers in the immediate area (within a half mile) of your apple tree, the two plant species will act as alternate hosts to complete the life cycle of the fungus. It is harder on apples than it is on the junipers.
Other possibilities are plum and some cherry. These species are known to sucker extensively and can be a pain in the neck where a well-tended landscape is wanted. I think overall, though, you would be happiest with the apples. Have fun and enjoy!
Q: I am looking for information on how to seed a cedar tree. I have watched birds do so on our land along our shelterbelt, and I would like to try it myself. (Academy, S.D.)
A: I am delighted to have your question as it lends credence to a recent book purchase of mine on seeds! "Cedar," unfortunately, is a common parlance given to three distinctly different genera of evergreen woody plants: "true" cedarsCedrus spp, arborvitae; Thuja spp, northern white cedar and western red cedar, depending on the species; and Juniperus spp, usually rocky mountain red cedar, which I believe is the one you are making reference to.
What you are seeing are the female "cones" or berries. Both those on the ground and on the trees can be grown. To substitute for bird digestive juices, take the pulpy berry and soak it in lye-enriched water solution for two days to soften the pulp. Then macerate the seeds and place on a screen for rinsing. The actual seeds are hard and will go undamaged for the most part. Dry the seeds completely.
Stratification of seed is necessary for 30 to 120 days at about 40 F. A vegetable crisper in the refrigerator works best for this. Plant outdoors this spring and hopefully something will come up!
For my time limitations, asexual propagationtaking cuttingsis a heck of a lot easier!
Q: Why can't I get my petunias to bush out when I plant them in pots? I also would like to know how much manure I should add to a 6-foot x 6-foot raised bed? What is the best way to keep worms off of cabbage? (Litchville, N.D.)
A: Petunias need to be pinched before they will bush out to any degree. Do this at planting time. Use peat moss as a mulch around the vining plants and keep it moist. That should eliminate the drying. A five-gallon pail of manure worked into the top 9 to 12 inches of soil should not pose a problem. Use Bt or Dipel (same active ingredient) about every five days when the moths first appear. The material is harmless to humans.
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Do you have a gardening or houseplant question? Write to Hortiscope, Box 5051, NDSU Extension Service, Fargo, ND 58105 or e-mail to Ron Smith at ronsmith@ndsuext.nodak.edu.
Source: Ron Smith (701) 231-8161 ronsmith@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Editor: Dean Hulse (701) 231-6136