NEWS for North Dakotans
Agriculture Communication, North Dakota State
University
7 Morrill Hall, Fargo, ND 58105-5665
May 13, 1999
Hortiscope
Ron Smith, Extension Horticulturist
North Dakota State University
Q: Can you tell me what the enclosed growths are on my Canada Red Cherry tree and what I should spray to get rid of them? Also, should I take the tree down, will it spread to my other trees? (Detroit Lakes, Minn.)
A: First, one word answers your questions: yes.
- Spray any trees with a light infection of this fungus, known as black knot, ASAP, again at petal fall, and shuck fall, with lime sulfur or tribasic copper sulfate.
- Get rid of the tree—burn it if possible.
- This fungus has become so wide spread on cherry and plum trees that I have difficulty suggesting them any longer for landscapes.
Q: In response to the person wondering about a sheepnose apple, the Whitney crab sheepnose has blossoms that looked like a sheep nose. (Geneseo, N.D.)
A: Thanks for the educational information on the Whitney crabapple—the sheepnose apple. I learned something today!
Q: Can you tell me what kind of insects I have enclosed in the alcohol filled jar? (Moorhead, Minn.)
A: The insects were millipedes. They are primarily munchers of decaying organic matter, and easily controlled with removal of food source and insecticidal soap sprays. Thanks for the good sample!
Q: We are having a problem with our tomato leaves curling up, turning yellow and dropping off in the middle of July and August. Is there something I can do to stop this? I am also wondering what does lime do for the soil? Should I put some lime in my garden? (Mott, N.D.)
A: It sounds like verticillium wilt to me—a soil-borne disease. Your only defense is to purchase tomato seed with some letters after the names, like V, F, N (Verticillium, Fusarium and Nematode resistant varieties).
Lime is pretty much of little use in most of North Dakota. It is a soil "sweetner"—that is, it elevates the pH to more alkaline levels, something most soils don't need. I strongly suggest a soil test before any extensive fertilizer use. At this point, I do not recommend the application of any lime.
Q: I am writing in regards to a flowering crab tree that we are having problems with. The leaves start to turn yellow with brown spots on them. Can you please tell me what is wrong with it and how to correct this problem? (Callaway, Minn.)
A: Sounds like an apple scab infection to me. The basics for controlling this fungus are:
- Good leaf litter clean up every spring.
- Spray with captan or benomyl at bloom period and three more times at 10-day intervals.
- Reapply fungicides if late afternoon showers and still air in summer prevail.
Q: Enclosed is a sprig from one of my evergreen trees. As you can see it has some kind of "white scale" on it. Can you tell me what it really is and how to get rid of it? (Pelican Rapids, Minn.)
A: You correctly identified the problem as a scale insect.
Since the time for spraying with a dormant oil has passed (March), you can spray the trees with Malathion, diazinon, acephate or chlorpyrifos this next month when they become more active and vulnerable.
Q: To the lady having trouble with her sheepnose apple grafting, she might try winter banana apple interstem. Also, how to tell an Easter cactus from a Christmas cactus: the leaves are shorter and fatter and trimmed with a red tint. (Bemidji, Minn.)
A: Thank you for writing and providing this interesting information. I am sure our readers will enjoy it!
Q: In my yard there is a sink hole where a basement used to be, but it was filled in with dirt many years ago. Through the years it has settled and now it is hard to go over with the lawn mower. I was wondering if we could fill up the hole with drift dirt (dirt that has drifted from fields on a fence line)? I know that dirt is really hard and I was wondering if it would be any good for growing grass. (Battle View, N.D., e-mail)
A: Normally the "drift dirt" or blow sand, is made up of some very fine material, and as a consequence can pack down quite hard. It should be fertile, and you can use it, but I would suggest that you incorporate some organic matter into that spot in the form of peat moss or composted barnyard manure. This will soften it somewhat and improve the tilth of the soil overall.
That done, it should produce a good looking turfgrass for you!
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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