NEWS for North Dakotans
Agriculture Communication, North Dakota State University
7 Morrill Hall, Fargo, ND 58105-5665
October 28, 1999
Ron Smith, Extension Horticulturist
North Dakota State University
Q: I have a couple of large Weigala bushes. I pruned them after they finished blooming this summer, and then they bloomed again. Do I prune again? (e-mail)
A: Keep it to midsummer pruning after blooming. You may need to do some spring clean-up pruning to get rid of winter injured branches.
Q: Can you tell me what is causing the leaves on my hackberry to curl? The tree is planted near our lake home, and the water was really high this year. (Fargo, N.D.)
A: I suspect a change in the water table is part of the cause, along with a good dose of downy mildew and a touch of leaf-spot fungus. There isn't much you can do if the water table is rising, but you can control the diseases with any number of fungicidal leaf sprays. Cover the foliage after leaf-out, and monitor through the rest of the season. Make additional applications if it appears something is going to get started.
Q: A bush that's growing on the north side of our house seems to have an odd scent. I would like to know its name. Does it have to be taken in for the winter, and will it ever blossom? (Summit, S.D.)
A: Your plant is a mum, and it will probably never flower on the north side of the house. I suggest moving it to a sunny location, then you'll see it flower in a timely manner. Unless this was a greenhouse mum purchased and planted in the spring, it should make it outdoors. To be on the safe side you should probably mulch it with leaves or straw after the ground gets a crust of frost.
Q: Can you tell me if there are any peach tree varieties that will grow in this area? (e-mail)
A: Peach trees are not a reality in North Dakota. It is simply too cold for successful growth and fruit development.
That said, I have heard of some real peach lovers growing some as shrubs in movable tubs. They apparently allow them to "experience" the onset of our winter, then move them into an unheated garage and protect them with burlap wrapping around the containerized roots and branches or stems. They claim success.
I thought I would try a variation of that several years ago by growing them in the soil and pruning them back to become shrubs. The plants didn't even make it through the first winter--between the deer and rabbits--two factors I had not counted on, since there were so many other things for them to graze upon. Apparently they recognized the good taste of these peach branches immediately and wolfed them down! After that, I just gave up!
Don't worry, if there is ever a winter-hardy peach that will survive in North Dakota, I will let everyone in the state know about it!
Q: I have a vine with heart-shaped leaves and turban-shaped purple flowers with a yellow center, and it has red berries. What is it? (Canova, S.D.)
A: In spite of your good description, I cannot put all the characteristics you describe into a known woody plant species. Honeysuckle has the flower and fruit, but not the leaf shape; Dutchman's pipe has the leaf shape, but neither the flower or fruit, and the moonseed has the leaf shape and fruit, but not the flower. Can you send me a sample? That will help quite a bit.
Q: We have a lot of leaves in the fall. Is it better to use a mulch blade and mulch all the time or should we bag them and fertilize with a weed and feed in the spring and fall? Also, are ashes from the leaves we burn good for the garden? (Perham, Minn.)
A: The more you can mulch the clippings and leaves back into your lawn, the better it will be for the lawn. Unless you have a chronic problem with weeds, I suggest staying away from weed and feed formulations. You are better off to fertilize only and spot kill the weeds when and where they show up.
Ashes will tend to raise the soil pH. Unless your soil tests below pH 7 to a significant extent, I don't recommend their continued use.
Q: We have three apple trees that are 14 years old and still not producing. Can you tell me what we might try to get the trees to produce? (Ayr, N.D.)
A: Assuming the trees to be in good health, I suggest a little "traumatic stimulation." Take a straight-edge shovel and drive the blade vertically into the soil in 3 to 5 places around the drip line. This many times will stimulate them to set fruit.
It could be that you have the trees in a location that prevents the activity of pollinating insects -- where the wind blows almost incessantly, for example. The older trees should have begun bearing apples a long time ago.
Try my suggestion. If that doesn't work by the spring of 2001 at the latest, get back in touch. In the meantime, keep high nitrogen fertilizers away from the roots of these trees.
Q: I have several questions. We have a Rose Tree of China shrub in our yard. It's gotten pretty big--6 feet across and 4 feet high. How should I prune it? Can I trim it all around? Is it wise to till around evergreens? Can you give me a guide as to how far from the ground the bottom branches of shade trees should be? Also, we have a Russian olive tree and it's leaning away from larger trees and isn't a nice looking tree anymore. If I cut it back to about 3 or 4 feet from the ground, will it come back? (Aneta, N.D.)
A: Here are several answers. Prune your Rose Tree of China shrub selectively, removing just the oldest canes right back to the ground. Prune out no more than one-third of the entire mass at one time. Carry it out early next spring before new growth occurs. No, it's not wise to till around evergreens. Keep the bottoms of your shade trees high enough from the ground so that you can walk under them. It's probably better to remove the Russian olive.
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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