February 13, 2003

Hortiscope

Ronald C. Smith, Horticulturist
NDSU Extension Service

Q: I have a Christmas cactus that had very nice blooms when I brought it up from the basement for the holidays. Since then the blooms have died so I'm wondering if I should keep watering it. This plant is especially precious because it belonged to my mother. (E-mail reference)

A: During the winter months these plants need to be kept on the dry and cool side. In April, assuming you live in the northern part of the country, go back to normal watering and care.

Q: I have four spider plants that I took from babies off a friend's plant. I put them in water until they rooted, then placed each of them in 4-inch pots. They have been in the pots since June. While the plants are healthy, they don't seem to be growing. I water them weekly and they are in a south-facing window that seems to receive good light. My African violets are doing well in this window. Any idea's on why these plants are not getting any bigger? (E-mail reference)

A: Have patience - they will eventually grow. Winter is not a good time for growth, but you should start to see something happening by the end of this month.

Q: We have evergreen shrubs that have been in front of our house for about 40 years. We would like to move the plants but are afraid it may damage our foundation. We are also concerned that moving the shrubs might make a dry basement wet after all these years. (E-mail reference)

A: It shouldn't be a problem unless you don't have any roof overhang with gutters and the grade goes toward the foundation instead of away from it.

Q: I have a medium-sized spider plant that was doing fine but now it isn’t as green and the dirt in the pot is always bone dry. I repotted it but the problem continues. The plant had several babies but I removed them thinking they might be sucking up all the water, but that didn't help. I have other plants in the room and they don't seem to have this problem although they are not spider plants. Also, can I grow a spider plant in my shower or is it too wet in there? (E-mail reference)

A: You need not have removed the spiderettes - they are not a drain on the mother plant. I am not sure I completely understand your question - do you think the soil being dry is causing the plant to not be as green as you think it should be? This is one of the best plant species for houseplant use that is on the market. They grow slowly, tolerate benign neglect and can grow under just about any light conditions that exist in a normal house, including your bathroom shower, as long as there is some light. If you think it is getting too dry too quickly, then increase the watering frequency but the best procedure in winter is to allow the plant to dry between waterings. I think you are just a little overly concerned. The spider plant will come back with the lengthening days.

Q: What can you tell me about a grass seed called Regreen? It is a sterile cross between wheat and wheatgrass and used for reclamation as a quick growing cover crop. ( Bismarck, N.D.)

A: Basically, you couldn't select a better grass for a temporary cover or land reclamation. It is a large seed, 10,000 to 12,000 seeds per pound, that germinates at about the same rate as wheat. It does not produce a viable seed so it won't become a weed later on. Unlike conventional grass seeds, this one can be competitive when sown in the spring with all the weeds that we face as the soil thaws and warms. In a monoculture, you would want to sow about 40-50 pounds per acre, placing the seed deeply in a firm seed bed, one inch below the surface. If the site is expected to be dry, sow it deeper so that sufficient moisture will be available before germination to support the full growth of the plant. It can be applied with a drill, via hydromulcher, or simply broadcast and packed in. It can be seeded in a mixture with perennial grasses to obtain fast stabilization and minimize competition. With other permanent grasses, the rate for Regreen should be 10 pounds per acre. This is often used to help establish native grasses which are much slower to germinate. The organic residue from the skeletons of dying Regreen plants offers protection from wind and will assist in trapping snow.

Q: I have a problem with my Christmas cactus. It blooms well but now the leaves are pinkish - red and look wilted. Should I be repotting it since it looks brownish near the soil. (E-mail reference)

A: Repotting is a good idea and you should cut back on watering. When repotting, examine the roots and lower stems for rot. If it has rot, as I suspect, make some clean cuts back to the healthy tissue. This may mean that you will have to literally re-root the plant or pieces of it.

Q: I’m thinking spring and would like to know where I could find Salix planifolia or diamond willow. I have checked catalogs but found nothing. I know they grow by rivers and water but no one seems to know what they look like. (Tioga, N.D.)

A: Another go-around on diamond willow - willows are a taxonomic mess! Salix eriocephala is called the diamond willow, heart-leafed willow and the Missouri willow. It's also a botanical synonym for salix discolor, the pussy willow, glaucous willow, silver willow and for salix missouriensis. Salix missouriensis is a tree or shrub up to 45 feet tall and has pubescent branchlets and lanceolate leaves up to 6 inches long. It's native to Iowa and Nebraska, south to Kentucky and Missouri and grows in zone six. Salix missouriensis is closely related to S. rigida, and some researchers think it's no more than a form of the latter. S. rigida, also called S. lutea, is hardy in zone four but like the guy says on the commercial, "But wait there's more!" Another name for Salix missouriensis is S. cordata. This apparently is inseparable from S. lutea except for the latter having yellow twigs. To simplify things, let's assume Salix missouriensis, S. rigida, S. lutea, and S. cordata are all similar and can all be called diamond willow. So in that sense, diamond willow, in some form, will grow in North Dakota! What adds to the confusion is the common term "diamond-leaf willow" which is Salix planifolia. This is a shrub about 10 feet tall with purple branchlets and leaves up to 2 inches long. It will tolerate zone two conditions and should also grow in North Dakota. To finally answer your question, if the last is what you are looking for, then I'm sorry, I don't know where you can find this species. It isn't listed in the catalogs that I have. Try checking with a local nursery and see if they can locate it for you.

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: Rich Mattern, (701) 231-6136, richard.mattern@ndsu.nodak.edu