NEWS for North Dakotans
Agriculture Communication, North Dakota State University
7 Morrill Hall, Fargo, ND 58105-5665
October 14, 1999
Ron Smith, Extension Horticulturist
North Dakota State University
Q: We had beautiful tomato plants loaded with fruit, but once they began to ripen the bottoms turned black and seemed to rot. This happened to about half of the tomatoes on every plant. What could be the cause of this? We do rotate the vegetables when seeding in the spring. (New Town, N.D.)
A: This is known as blossom end rot, caused by poor cell wall formation at that location. This, in turn, is brought on by surges in growth from excess moisture. Some cultivars are more resistant than others. Mulching the plants will often help nullify the problem.
Q: Can you tell me what variety my Canada Red or Schubert chokecherry is? Also, the flowers drop almost immediately and it never produces any fruit. Why is this happening? (Cando, N.D.)
A: The full botanical name is Prunus virginiana Schubert. It could be flowering too soon and getting the buds nipped by frost.
Q: Is there something that I can do this fall to prevent continuation of my slug problem in my garden and yard? They were extremely destructive in the garden this summer. If I can't find a way to control them, there's not much point in putting a garden in. (e-mail)
A: Don't give up! Keep fighting the good fight against the slimy bounders. Here is what I suggest:
- Clean up the garden area well this fall. This involves removing the plant debris, raking off mulch material, picking up old boards, stones or anything these critters can crawl under.
- Next, turn over the garden soil to disrupt any that may have nestled in for the winter. This exposes them to the elements, as well as possible predators.
- Next spring, plan a diverse ecosystem garden. Mix up the species: tomatoes and cabbage, carrots and lettuce, etc. Try to space the plants a little more than usual since it appears we are going to be in a wet spell for some time yet. If you have a source of wood ashes, sprinkle it around the garden next spring after planting. On plants that are targets, get diatomaceous earth or egg shells and spread it around the plants.
- My organic sources indicate that a wormwood tea used as a soil drench will also control them. You also must know of the old trick calling for shallow containers of beer to attract and drown them.
That's about it! I would hate to have you capitulate to these slimy crawlers by giving up the joy of gardening!
Q: The leaves from my linden tree are telling me it has a problem. Will it kill the tree? (Parkston, S.D.)
A: It looks as if your linden is suffering from a fungal leaf blight and environmental stress. Control the blight next spring with a spray of bordeaux mixture, ferbam or zineb at bud break, again when leaves are half grown, and finally when fully expanded. Don't allow the tree to become drought stressed. Water deeply once a week if there is inadequate rainfall.
Q: We have a field windbreak of blue spruce, and the needles on some of the trees are turning yellow. Some appear to be dying. Can you tell me what to do to save these trees? The sick trees are mixed in with the healthy trees, with no apparent pattern. (Kensal, N.D.)
A: I suspect either a root problem or a nutrient deficiency. One concern can be put to rest easily: have the soil tested. Collect a pint of soil from around the affected trees, and a pint from the normal trees. Send both into our soil testing lab at: NDSU Soil Test Lab, Waldron Hall, Box 5575, Fargo, ND 58105. Request a pH, organic matter content, soluble salts, and N,P and K test. The cost should be about $24 per sample. If the soil test results don't show a significant difference, then suspect root decay or damage of some sort.
Q: Last year I received a free packet of seeds labeled "Solanum guineese; Garden Huckleberry." The plants are beautiful with huge, dime-sized fruit that I would like to make jelly out of. My neighbor told me they were poison and a noxious weed. Is this true? Also, can a weed in the nightshade family cross-breed and make huckleberries poison? (Carrington, N.D.)
A: Tell your neighbor that potatoes are poisonous if they are green, but not if they aren't green. The same is true of garden huckleberries. Unripe, they are poisonous, but when ripe, they are not. They will not spread like weeds unless you allow the fruit to drop; they are annuals and will be killed with a hard frost. There's nothing to worry about concerning cross breeding.
Q: There are many spots throughout the south side of the house that have dead grass (large and small patches). A friend of mine said that we have grub worms under the grass and that is what is killing it. Is that right? What do you think it is and what can I use to restore the grass? (Fort Ransom, N.D.)
A: The only way to be certain of a diagnosis like that is to peel the grass back around the leading edge of dead patches of grass. I have not seen grubs as the cause of dead grass for the past several years. In most instances it has been a disease like pythium, Necrotic ring spot or one of the snow molds.
Q: The leaves of my trees were scattered with translucent coloring this year. What's wrong? (Jamestown, N.D.)
A: Mostly, nothing to worry about. The colors indicate cool conditions that cause a breakdown in chlorophyll and the expression of the colors red and yellow within. Now, if these same colors show up next spring, there is likely something to worry about!
Q: Can you tell me how to mix packages of Tempo insecticide with water? Also, I bought a Mandevilla vine last spring and it has been doing wonderful. What do I do with it for the winter? Do I need to cut it back? (Minot, N.D., e-mail)
A: Concerning the Tempo insecticide, the label does not give specifics: "Mix one 50-gram packet of TEMPO 20 WP in sufficient water to adequately cover 5,000 square feet." I would suggest nothing less than 5 gallons of water, but I also suggest spraying the area with water first to see how much will be required to cover the area to the point of runoff. Be sure you handle the water-soluble packets with dry hands or gloves.
Concerning the Mandevilla vine, if it has stopped flowering, then cut it back now and repot in the spring. It will need bright, indirect light to keep it going through the winter. Do not overwater during the winter months, but mist it often when the air is dry from heavy interior heat use. Don't let it experience temperatures lower than 55 F.
Q: I planted dwarf dahlias this year that were sold as annuals. When I went to pull them up today I noticed huge tubers. Can I store them over winter as I do perennial dahlias and plant them in the spring? (e-mail)
A: Yes, dig them and store as you would any other dahlia. In North Dakota, the "perennial dahlia" is rare and comes about only because of good protection. We generally treat all dahlias as annuals.
Q: I purchased a hibiscus this spring and enjoyed having it flower all summer long. Now that winter is upon us, I need some advice on how to care for it though the winter months. Should it be brought inside and placed with the other houseplants, or should it be placed in a dark basement closet for a period of time? (e-mail)
A: The hibiscus needs to be kept in a bright location, with temperatures above 55 F. You may continue to get more flowers through the winter. Cut it back hard in the spring prior to moving it back outside. That way, it will retain a compact, bushy form, rather than a lanky, open one.
Q: We want to plant a couple of backyard shade trees next spring, probably basswood or ash. In a recent column you spoke of Autumn Blaze maple. I am not familiar with this tree. How might it compare overall with ash or basswood?
Also, last fall I put in a grape. It really grew this year, but no blossoms. Do you need two? Should I cut it down for winter? (Aneta, N.D.)
A: The Autumn Blaze maple has striking fall color--red to orange,whereas the ash has yellow only and the linden has none. As far as dependability goes, you won't go wrong with any of them.
I assume you planted a Beta grape. If so, there is no need to do anything. Anything else needs protection by laying the vine over in a trench.
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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