NEWS for North Dakotans
Agriculture Communication, North Dakota State University
7 Morrill Hall, Fargo, ND 58105-5665
August 12, 1999
Ron Smith, Extension Horticulturist
North Dakota State University
Q: I was composting some food scraps, and I disturbed an apparent nest of hornets or bees. One got stuck in my hair and stung me on the scalp. How can I get rid of them? Will I have to use chemicals and ruin the compost? (Bismarck, N.D., e-mail)
A: I've had enough experience with insect stings to know how much they can hurt! Been stung off of an extension ladder, off a tractor, and while hand cultivating my raspberries--with dozens of stings each time.
They are actually beneficial insects, preying on some of the plant destructive pests. They are also short-tempered beasts that need to be approached carefully, either in the evening or early morning, when they are all back in their nests.
First of all, wear protective clothing if you are planning to undertake this task yourself. This would include protective bee veils and long sleeved, thick clothing. Be sure your pant legs are also tucked into thick socks or high boots, and of course, wear gloves. Line the inside of your pants legs with paper shopping bags to keep the insects from stinging through your clothes while you're kneeling.
Here is a list of suggested, environmentally sound ways of removing these stinging insects:
-- Insecticidal soap can be used; it is completely safe environmentally. To be effective, it must make direct contact with the wasp or yellowjacket.
-- A portable vacuum can be used to remove the insects from the nest. This is really a job for two people who have the ability to remain calm while swarms of angry, buzzing insects land on clothing and face nets. One person digs away at the nest with a trowel while the other holds the end of the vacuum hose near where the insects are coming out. Once there are no more insects flying out of the nest, take turns vacuuming insects off one another's clothing. Then dig the nest out completely, looking for combs of larvae. Place them in a freezer bag. Next, take both the swarm of yellowjackets and the larvae combs and place them in a freezer until they die. If you are entrepreneurial, you can take the frozen insects and sell them to a venom preparation company. If this interests you, let me know, and I'll send you some company names and addresses.
-- Finally, perhaps the simplest and most effective way is to use an aerosol containing pyrethrin and rotenone. The carrier has a "freezing" effect on the insects while the toxins do their work. It would not compromise the value of your compost.
If you live in the country, raccoons or skunks may do the dirty work for you, if you are brave enough to approach the nest in the evening with some honey. Just pour some over the opening, and if any of the aforementioned mammals are in the area, they will smell the honey and dig up the nest for you.
When all is said and done, you may want to hire someone out to do the job. It depends on how much such activity frightens you. It does me, because of my past experiences, so I would opt for hiring someone else to do the work while I watched at a safe distance!
Q: A plant is growing in my garden, and it kind of looks like an ivy. It is climbing along the fence, and the blooms are quite pretty. What is it? I also would like to know how I can get rid of moss and toadstools from a rotted chokecherry. (Valley City, N.D.)
A: Your plant is known as a fleece flower. It makes an attractive ground cover--and fence cover, obviously.
Moss and mushrooms are the result of high soil moisture. With moss, the problem is one of poor surface drainage. Correct that, along with limiting watering, and the moss should disappear. The mushrooms or toadstools will come and go--as long as there is organic matter present that is rotting in the presence of moisture. There are no sprays that one can use.
Q: Can you tell me what is wrong with my spruce tree? I think it might be needle cast, but I am not sure. (Pollock, S.D.)
A: Your spruce does indeed have needle cast. I suggest trying Black Hills spruce instead of Colorado, and perhaps planting some pines, like Ponderosa, Scotch or limber. It is a sound ecological practice to diversify plant material to prevent disease breakouts.
Q: I read in your column about someone wanting to get rid of slugs. To prevent slugs, I use a powder called Sevin Gardening Dust. Just dust the plant and the ground around it, and it will keep slugs and snails away. (Montgomery, Ala.)
A: I learned something new. Sevin is an effective insecticide, and it must be a good enough irritant to deter slugs as well.
Q: When is the best time of year to aerate a lawn? We mow the grass with a mulcher mower, but it seems like there is a lot of old grass starting to kill the grass in places. (Carrington, N.D.)
A: Core aeration can be carried out anytime the lawn is in active growth, as long as sub-freezing weather is not around the corner. Generally, it is done in late May or around Labor Day, but if you have an irrigation system, you can do it now. I just completed aerating my field just three weeks ago.
You are smart to recycle your grass clippings back to the turf. It is an environmentally sound practice that saves time and benefits the grass plants.
Q: I have found five types of weeds growing in my garden/flower beds. What are they? As someone who recently moved to Fargo and is now learning the nuances of gardening in the upper Midwest, I find your column of great interest. (Fargo, N.D.)
A: I'm glad the weeds have provided you with such a full welcome to our fair city! Here's your list of the weeds: barnyard grass, an annual; white cockle, an annual; false strawberry cinquifoil, a perennial; sweet clover, a perennial; and broad-leaf plantain, a perennial.
Q: Is there any way of killing this plant or weed I have? I have tried Roundup, Weed Be Gone and systemic weed killer. It turns yellow and shrinks up, but as soon as I think it is gone, it comes back. I've also tried digging out the root, but it is too hard and won't budge. (Wahpeton, N.D.)
A: Your products are OK, but the timing is off. This weed--creeping Charlie--is a tough one to control. It is best to apply an herbicide like Trimec around Labor Day weekend, a time of year when the weed will translocate the herbicide throughout the plant, and kill it--roots and all.
Q: I have a perennial phlox that has never bloomed. This spring I divided it, but still no blossoms. What type of fertilizer should I use on it? (Thief River Falls, Minn.)
A: First, be sure it is getting plenty of sun--at least four to six hours of direct sunlight. Then try fertilization with Miracle-Gro. We use it once a month on our plots to maintain vigor and bloom-ability through the growing season. If it doesn't show any flowers next year, dump it and start over.
Q: Can you tell me what is wrong with my spruce trees? Someone told it might be needle cast, and that it would take two applications of Bravo, which can be very expensive. They are part of a farm shelterbelt, and we really want to save them. (Carrington, N.D.)
A: I'm afraid you have little choice if you want to save the trees, as it is needle cast. Spraying with Bravo is the only way.
Q: I have a vine from the clematis family. It has little white flowers that are very fragrant. Every year at this time a white mold (fungus?) appears at the base of the plant and creeps up the whole area, shuts off the blooming, and leaves die. Any suggestions on how to prevent this problem? (Cresbard, S.D.)
A: It sounds like a bad attack of powdery or downy mildew, which is a fungus. To control, use a copper-based spray like bordeaux mixture. My bet is it is downy mildew, as this is the more destructive of the two fungi.
Be sure to destroy all affected foliage this fall. Avoid overhead watering and get the spray down before the symptoms appear.
Q: All of my squash, gourd, pumpkin, melon, and cucumber plants have begun to die. It begins with one runner wilting and yellowing and then proceeds to the entire plant. There are no bugs, ground rodents etc. visible. Plants have been sprayed and fertilized. The plants are scattered throughout the garden and were not previously planted in current locations. Any ideas? (Avon, S.D., e-mail)
A: It sounds like Verticillium wilt to me. This is a fungus of the root system that attacks plants under the right environmental conditions, and we are seeing a lot of it this year--on cukes, squash, flowers, trees and shrubs. All you can do is remove the dead plants this year, and plant resistant cultivars next year--looking for the initials VFN after the names, which indicates Verticillium, Fusarium, and nematode resistance.
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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 .
NDSU Agriculture Communication
Source: Ron Smith (701) 231-8161
ronsmith@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Editor: Dean Hulse (701) 231-6136