July 8, 2004

Hortiscope

Ronald C. Smith, Horticulturist
NDSU Extension Service

Q: My sugar snap peas were hammered by powdery mildew last year. I grow my plants in raised beds and planted where I grew tomatoes last year. I prefer not to use fungicides. Are there any resistant sugar snap or sugar Ann peas available? Are there any cultural practices that will discourage powdery mildew? (Grand Forks, N.D.)

A: Sugar Ann and sugar snap are both supposed to be resistant to powdery mildew. Culturally, anything you can do to avoid water splash, increase air circulation and sunlight penetration will help.

Q: What would cause a green and young tomato about the size of your little finger to split on the bottom? (e-mail reference)

A: A sudden surge of moisture after an extended period without.

Q: Could you send me instructions on how to plant amaryllis seeds? I have several amaryllis that have seed heads on them that I would like to plant. I also need to know what type of soil to use. (e-mail reference)

A: I don't have any instructions, so just use common sense. Don't plant them too deep, just barely cover them with soil and keep them warm and moist in full sunlight or artificial light.

Q: I ran across a page of chokecherry advice that you posted on the Web. I was surprised by what I read. I had no idea that chokecherries were so troublesome. My grandpa, who recently passed away, was my supplier of homemade chokecherry syrup. He used to tell us stories of his mother's daily sourdough pancake breakfast. For as long as I can remember, he would fry up bacon, the pancakes (in the fat) and then pour on the chokecherry syrup. I never bothered to ask him where he found the chokecherries. I’m thinking of growing my own. Could he have been harvesting a wild/hardier version than what I'm reading about (black knot, suckers, etc.)? (e-mail reference)

A: Your grandpa was probably harvesting wild chokecherries from shelterbelts. What you describe sounds very familiar. Folks back then ate what they wanted without worrying about low carb, Atkins or South Beach diets and still lived to a pretty ripe old age. Black knot disease has become a real problem over the past 20 years. It is a population phenomenon; high density plantings lead to the easy spread of a very virulent fungus. That doesn't mean chokecherries will be taken off the market anytime soon. I still see them for sale. Many live a good, long life, but more and more often I see them debilitated by this progressively destructive fungus.

Q: We had our rhubarb coming along quite well, but then we had at least two nights with temperatures down to the very low 20s. Can the frosted rhubarb be safely used or should it be discarded? (Cando, N.D.)

A: Don’t use it if the stems are mushy. Otherwise, there is no problem with frosted rhubarb. Ours in Fargo is just as vigorous as ever.

Q: I have no choice but to transplant my raspberry bushes because we are building an addition where they are growing. I know from reading your Web page that this is not the best time to transplant, but I don’t have a choice. Any advice would be greatly appreciated as I am a new gardener. (e-mail reference)

A: This isn’t a good time to transplant, but raspberries are tough customers! Cut them back to short stumps about 6 inches long. Dig them out and quickly move them to the new site. Soak them with a bucket of water in which you have dissolved some Miracle-Gro. I’d be surprised if they didn’t make it.

Q: I have parsley and dill that I bought in pots. I haven't transplanted them yet. Some of the leaves are turning light green or yellow. On the dill, some of the tips are also brown.

What could be causing the problem and how do I fix it? (e-mail reference)

A: I swear I have never heard of potted dill being sold! I would throw the plant away and purchase a packet of seed. Scatter the seed where you want it to grow and stand back. Dill is one of those plants that pop up from seed so easily that it should never be sold as a potted plant.

Q: I remember seeing that in one of the national parks the mice were getting into the bird seed stores until the seeds were treated with a hot pepper wash. No more mice raids after that. I'm thinking this might be helpful for keeping squirrels out of bird feeders too. (Richardton, N.D.)

A: I have not heard that, but it might work. You'll have to come up with another idea if you see the birds spitting the seed out and running around with their beaks open looking for water.

Q: I recently inherited a jade plant that was left in the sun. New growth and many upper leaves are sunburned. I have removed many of those leaves, but don’t want to pluck all of the leaves that have a bit of brown because I may end up with a spindly plant. What suggestions do you have? (e-mail reference)

A: The problems never end for jade plants that go from too low a light to too much sunlight. Maintain it like you normally would in bright, indirect light or filtered sunlight and water as needed. Fertilize it once a month when new growth starts emerging. It should fully recover in four to six weeks.

Q: I received some moon flower seeds with no instructions or history except they are reportedly poisonous. I would appreciate knowing if they are an annual or perennial, how deep to plant them and how tall they grow. (Brookings, S.D.)

A: Moon flower is like a morning glory in growth and form, but it opens in the evening instead of the morning and flowers only in white. The seeds are toxic, so obviously should not be eaten. Make sure children do not ingest them.

Q: I have someone that wants to buy four apple trees and prune them into espalier shape. What varieties are best suited for this? I come from Sweden where making fruit tree espaliers has always been popular, especially if you don't have space for a big tree or just want a more decorative shape around a window or fence. (e-mail reference)

A: Espalier shaping of any plant is relatively easy, but you have to stay at it. Any apple tree will work. Select the branches that you want to grow in the two-dimensional network. Prune everything else out except the branches that you can put into the two-dimensions against the wall. You will need to get some holdfasts as the branches and trees mature to keep them against the wall so they don't break when they bear fruit. I think the word espalier scares people more than the process does. It really isn't all that difficult to do.

Q: My sister recently had her lawn fertilized and was told she has a lot of blue fescue in her grass and should probably top seed with Kentucky bluegrass. Is that what you would do? She lives in Dickinson which has had very little rain. (e-mail reference)

A: Blue fescue is very drought hardy. If she over-seeds with anything, I would suggest doing it with creeping red fescue or blue fescue. Bluegrass doesn't stand up well in dry conditions.

Q: My son got me three miniature rose plants for Mother's Day. They had several blooms on each of them that have since turned dark and died. Do I cut the dead roses off? How far down do I cut? I am going to repot them as they are in very small pots. (e-mail reference)

A: Cut the dead blooms off back to just above a leaf attachment. Repot, water and fertilize. You should get more blooms in a few weeks.

Q: I have two flowering crab trees we purchased in 2000. One is growing well while the other is still small (I am assuming I need to trim the growth at the bottom.). Neither tree has ever flowered, which is why I bought them in the first place. Please advise! (e-mail reference)

A: Be patient, don't fertilize and resist pruning. I promise they will flower!

Q: I know someone that is having trouble with her asparagus. The first harvest this year was fine. The rest have not been. When she comes to harvest them, the main stem is soft and the portion to harvest is wilted and soft to mushy. She starts new plants every year from seed and rotates spots. She is a very good gardener so that rules out some of the normal and obvious issues. (Steele, N.D.)

A: Asparagus can suffer from frost damage, which might be the case with her plants. It could possibly be bacterial soft rot, but I doubt it from what you have told me about her gardening expertise.

Q: Could you please give me the recipe for the pepper spray you say helps keep rabbits away from plants? How often should I use it? (e-mail reference)

A: There are many versions, so don't think of it as an exact science. Take four to six jalapeno or habanera peppers, put them in a blender and mix in enough water to make slurry. Pass the slurry through a cheese cloth to get rid of the residue and add it to a quart of water in a spray bottle. Add a drop or two of Elmer's glue, shake and apply directly on the plants. Be sure to wear rubber gloves when you are handling the peppers and the solution. Whatever you do, don't rub your eyes or any other parts of your body while making this concoction.

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

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