January 17, 2002

Hortiscope

Ronald C. Smith, Horticulturist
NDSU Extension Service

Q: How do you get rid of those pesky little fly or gnats that come in with your plants when you bring them in from outside? Mine have been bothering me all winter. (Redfield, S.D.)

A: Those gnats and fruit flies can be a problem at times, driving the owner crazy and doing little harm to the plants directly. A couple of remedies: you can use the no-pest strips to get rid of them. Simply enclose the plants in a clean garbage bag with the strip overnight and "poof," they are gone. Or, fog them with insecticidal soap (available anywhere houseplant supplies are sold) or a neem-containing product. The soap or need will take several attacks to accomplish what one treatment with the first suggestion will do.

Q: Are you able to answer more questions about the Ohio buckeye? As a child I was told it was lucky to rub a buckeye. Do you know anything about the origin of this superstition? I'd appreciate any further information. I am considering writing a children's article about the buckeye. (E-mail reference)

A: I am not familiar with the lore you mention, but I do know as a kid we used to collect buckeyes (and horsechestnuts too) and wax them to a high shine. Then we would drive a nail through the "buck's eye" to make a hole, then take an old sneaker shoe lace, slip it through the hole, tie an oversized knot in the end, and play the game "kinger." For example, I would have a collection of buckeyes or horsechestnuts hanging from my belt and I would come to you who also had such a collection. One of us would challenge the other: "My ‘two kinger’ can smash anything you have on your belt!" and the other would accept the challenge. So you would take your favorite buckeye and hold it in front of you, dangling from the sneaker lace, and I would take my "kinger" and see if I could smash yours by striking it with mine while still attached to the sneaker lace. If I failed, then you had equal right to strike mine. If by chance yours smashed mine, then you gained the "two kinger" status that mine had held; if I smashed yours, then I gained another kinger! We would proudly flaunt our buckeyes, bragging which one had the greatest status. Some of us would "cheat" and shellac our best kinger to make it harder. All of this was "guy stuff." The girls would stand around and watch this foolishness. We would occasionally ask our "girl associates" (too young to be classed as girl friends) to kiss the buckeye prior to going into "battle" for good luck. It sometimes worked and sometimes didn't, of course!

That's about all I have to contribute that would be of kid interest. Hope it helps!

Q: How much wood ash can a person put on a garden? It seems to me that we have a lot of soluble salts in our soil here, and more in the water, so that the addition of ashes would compound the problem. What's your opinion on this one? What about using a combination of manure and ashes? (Beach, N.D.)

A: Adding wood ash is OK as long as the soil is acid or low in potassium. Wood ash itself is highly alkaline, and I suspect that the soils in your areas are as well, so adding wood ashes to your soil would be a redundancy and inhibit micronutrient uptake by plants as well as micronutrient activity. The salts would come mostly from the manure source; adding wood ashes to manure piles would contribute to controlling odors, increase the calcium and potassium content and the pH to possible toxic levels.

Q: I recently purchased a Norfolk Island pine for our Christmas tree. The pot has four of the little trees in it. I have been told to separate them and transplant into separate pots, or one may strangle the others. I have also been informed that these pines do not like to be transplanted. What should I do to have a healthy plants? (E-mail reference)

A: They definitely should be transplanted, even though they don't cotton to the idea too well, as not doing so will eventually spell doom for all of them in that one pot. Using a soil-based commercially available potting mixture, replant each one in 5-inch pots this spring and water well, along with a dilute solution of fertilizer. Spread newspapers over a table or floor, gently knock the plants out of their present container, and repot at the same depth in the new containers. Gently firm the soil with your hands and water in. Allow the water to firm the soil around the roots. Be sure the new pots are free-draining. Be sure they get plenty of indirect light from a window or else the plant will lose needles.

Q: In July my daughter brought me a gardenia plant from Houston. Since bringing it into the house in October, it has had aphids. I have been using an insecticide but am still finding some insects on the plant. While there is some new growth on the plant, it doesn’t seem to be progressing and the plant is losing some leaves. I have been watering the plant three times a week using Miracid and I do spray the leaves daily. What more can I do to save my plant? (McLaughlin, S.D.)

A: You picked a tough plant to perpetuate! Gardenias and their care are for florists with expertise in that area. I suggest spraying with insecticidal soap to kill off the aphids, mites and whiteflies. Keep fertilizing with the acidifying material and keep your fingers crossed that your plant makes it into spring planting. Also, mist spray the leaves with distilled water two or three times a week.

Q: I have looked into planting Kentucky bluegrass seed, but I am unsure about how to choose from the many different varieties that are out there. Do all brands of Kentucky bluegrass take seven to 14 days to germinate, and how much care and attention do they require?

A: Basically, the common Kentucky bluegrasses have lower cultural requirements--less water and fertilizer--than the elite ones. If there are no cultivar names on a package containing Kentucky bluegrass, then assume it to be an unknown common collection. When buying seed, look for the highest germination percentage and purity percentage to get the greatest number of PLS (pure live seed).

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. Note to e-mail correspondents: please identify your location (city and state) for most accurate recommendations.

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Source: Ron Smith, (701) 231-8161, ronsmith@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Editor: Gary Moran, (701) 231-7865, gmoran@ndsuext.nodak.edu