March 21, 2002

Hortiscope

Ronald C. Smith, Horticulturist
NDSU Extension Service

Q: Would you have any information on a supplier of the Sheyenne variety of tomato? I can't seem to locate it. I have older friends that tell me how great that tomato was. ( Moorhead, Minn.)

A: I'm afraid you'll have to trust your older friends and their judgement. It was a good tomato, and still is, but is not available commercially anywhere that I know of. There might be some old-timers around who save the seed from year to year and would be willing to part with some, but I don't know who they would be. In the meantime, don't pine for the old days as there are dozens of other tomatoes readily available that are excellent in taste and disease resistance.

Q: Every year I start a number of perennials and annuals. However, I still don't know what an "untrue" leaf looks like. Do all plants have these? Sometimes my seedlings get a little spindly. Can all varieties be stem planted up to the true leaves (assuming I find out the difference)? (Maddock, N.D)

A: The untrue leaves you are referring to are known as the seed leaves, or cotyledons. Dicots have two; monocots have one. They are always the first leaves to emerge, and assuming there is enough light energy reaching these leaves, new growth takes place and the first "true leaves" appear. Yes, you can plant them up to, but do not bury, the first true leaves. The spindly character of your seedlings can be prevented in the following manner: Replace the fluorescent bulbs every year, and keep them about 10 to 12 inches above the seedlings. Lower the temperature at night by about 5 to 7 degrees, assuming you are running daytime temps at 70-72. Don't fertilize beyond what is absolutely necessary. Many potting soil or seed starting mixes already have a trace of fertilizer mixed in them, so no additional is needed for some time.

Q: I purchased two large amaryllis bulbs in October, potted them, and they grew to about 20 inches tall and each produced two stalks with four or five large red blooms each at Christmas time. Soon after blooming, the leaves began to yellow slightly, loose their structure, and fall, causing them to break off at the base. One now has no leaves left, but has a healthy root formation. The other has three sick leaves. Should I try to encourage new growth or allow them to go dormant. Do I remove them from the pot, and if so what do I do with all of the roots? (E-mail reference)

A: They are going dormant; let them be as they are. Set them out this summer and water them well. They will break new growth, and if sufficient energy is stored, they may flower again for you this December. Once you bring them inside again in the fall, allow them to die down again for about six weeks, then begin watering again to see if you get any blooms.

Q: I recently purchased my first Cala lily plant. I've read through other postings on how to care for the plant, and have one question left: What would cause the lily stems to bend? This is a fairly young plant potted in an 8.5-inch pot. The buds are new and beginning to open. New leaf foliage is sprouting. But two of the lily stems keelled over today. They are not broken, but do not appear to have the strength to hold themselves up; however, their buds look fine. The soil is moist and the plant lives directly under my cubicle lamp. The temperature exerted by the lamp is minimal and the tallest buds appear to love it. I'm just real worried about the two stems keelling over. What has caused this? And what should I do to fix it? (E-mail reference)

A: Probably insufficient light at some point in the plant's development or, it has been over-fertilized. You can tie the stalks up with a stake and cloth gently tied around them. I hope the light you are talking about is a grow-lamp and not an incandescent light.

Q: How and when is the best way to divide a cyclamen? Directions with the plant I got about five or six years ago said to discard when finished blooming. The foliage was too pretty to discard, and in a few months it started blooming again, and has been in almost constant bloom ever since. I have taken the whole plant and put it in a larger pot several times, but now have it in the largest pot I can handle. It is full of blossoms, but is very crowded and the foliage is only about half the size it used to be, and it needs to be watered at least every other day. Contrary to your advice in a recent column, I have been watering it from above. The pot is too large to do anything else. I definitely don't want to lose this plant. (Wagner, S.D.)

A: Well, you have defied the odds in two ways: watering from above and attempting to keep the plant beyond the blooming stage. Let's see how far we can go now! Try dividing the crown or tuber with some shoots attached and repot. The plant needs to go into a resting period this summer, so allow the foliage to die down, and keep everything dry and cool until fall. Begin watering again (this time from the bottom - don't keep pushing your luck!) and you should get some regrowth showing in about three weeks.

Q: I have a spider plant at work that I grew from a baby. It was having beautiful babies. My co-worker, without my permission cut the baby spiders almost back to the mother plant. Will the mother spider plant grow more or is the plant ruined? (E-mail reference)

A: Not to worry! The mother plant will produce new babies sometime this summer.

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