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September 2, 2004 Hortiscope
Q: I planted a small crop of strawberry plants this year and was thrilled to see new little berries forming. My 3-year-old son has been eagerly watching them as well and was disappointed when one day we had many nice berries that were beginning to ripen and the next day they were all gone! Do you have any idea what kind of critters would be feasting on them (we used an organic spray to deter deer and rabbits) and if so, what might we use to keep them away? (e-mail reference)
Q: I planted four hollyhocks this year. They get full afternoon sun. Two of them are blooming, but all seem to have spots on the lower leaves that eventually turn the leaves yellow. Do I have some type of fungus? Any other ideas as to what might be wrong? I so wanted to grow them as my grandmother used to have a beautiful garden with plenty of hollyhocks. Any help would be appreciated! (e-mail reference)
Q: What types of trees do you suggest we plant on a piece of land we acquired in Otter Tail County Minn.? We hit water about 14 to 16 inches down when we dug a hole in the back of our property (this week). It is about 36 inches from the water table in the front of our property. In the middle of our property we have a stand of old-growth basswoods. We were thinking of river birch in the back part of our property or some kind of willow, but I personally think willows are too messy. Highway 78 runs right behind our property so we would like some kind of barrier from the noise. (e-mail reference)
Q: My rhubarb is next to a large crop of raspberries. It seems to be dying out. Is there a problem here? Also, I have a vine growing in my yard that started in the neighbor’s yard and I cannot get rid of it. It’s climbing on everything and suffocating my other plants and flowering shrubs and is even climbing up my delicious apple tree now. I see sprouts coming up out in the middle of the yard. I've tried cutting the roots, etc., but nothing seems to help. (e-mail reference)
Q: I had someone call in wondering about her tomato and potato plants. She described the plants as having thick leaves that curl upward. I suggested it may be pesticide damage. She had the same problem last year. The plants did get better, but it was so late in the season they didn’t produce any fruit. She also said that about 10 plants out of 100 appear healthy, but the others all exhibit the same symptoms I described. I asked if the healthy plants were all in one area, and she said that they are scattered all over. (Carson, N.D.)
Q: I have a plum tree in my yard that is bearing plums for the first time, but every plum has a worm in it. Is there anything I can do to get rid of the worms now or stop them next year? (e-mail reference)
Q: I would like to try to fashion a fence-like structure, training the branches of three trees. Is it harmful to trim unwanted branches throughout the year? Am I able to somehow top the tree to keep it around 8 to10 feet? I know this is usually done with dwarf trees, but these were freebies, and I don't have a lot of room? (e-mail reference)
Q: Our dog was leashed to a maple tree. My children forgot to get her and she clawed some of the bark off the tree. What can I do to save the tree? (e-mail reference)
Q: I apologize for
not remembering the answer that you regularly have in your articles about
what should be used to remove clover from a lawn. I never had to worry
about clover until this year. Also, I am looking for something safe for
cats and dogs since they are around the yard a lot.
Q: I planted a Northwood red maple two years ago as a bareroot tree. The first year it seemed fine, but really didn't do much and the leaves seemed a little pale. This year the leaves opened, but are noticeably yellow with a thin line of green along the veins. Some of the leaves are turning brown. Any idea what its problem is? (e-mail reference)
Q: My fuchsia is losing all its leaves and looks terrible. The greenhouse where it was purchased said it’s the weather and told me to cut it back. I think bugs. What is your thought? (Lisbon, N.D.)
Q: About five years ago we purchased an old lake place. After much remodeling, landscaping, etc. we are now ready to tackle our lawn, which is about 75 percent weeds. What can we use to kill the weeds and fertilize the grass without harming the lake water? Our lot is sloped, so anything we put on it will likely end up in the lake. Also what grass seed would you recommend? The soil is rather sandy and there is intermittent sun and shade. (Waubun, Minn.)
Q: I have a Sansevieria plant (Mother-in-law tongue) that is the S. trifasciata Laurenti. I have had it for many years and I have never known it to bloom before, but it is blooming now. My parents and aunt, for as long as I can remember, never had one that bloomed. I took pictures to the town café to see if anyone had ever known of the plant to bloom, but all said no. Some said that it might die because some plants do that before they die. Will it die? If so, is there a way I can save it? I don’t want to lose it because it belonged to my mother who has passed away. If I propagate the plant, will it still have the stripes on the leaves like the old plant? I heard it would not. (Jud, N.D.)
Q: We moved into a house three years ago and the grass/yard was in bad shape. The previous owner had aerated the yard before we moved, but I don’t think it was fertilized. I use crab grass preventer/fertilizer in the spring, followed later with a weed and feed. Mid summer, just fertilizer, and in the late fall, winterizer/fertilizer. The front yard, facing south is very shaded so it takes some time to get going in the spring but does turn nice and green. The back yard faces north and has plenty of sunshine. The grass grows very fast and I mow it about three times per week at about 3 to 3.5 inches in length. I use a mulcher and very seldom bag it. The problem is that the grass turns yellow. The back yard, which gets a lot of sun, is now turning yellow and later in the year the shaded areas will start to turn yellow. I thought I was over-watering last year, but letting it dry did not cure the problem. Is possible that I am mulching too much and the grass is not getting enough oxygen? (Fargo, N.D.)
Q: I have a moongold apricot tree that I planted this year. I understand I need to plant another one to provide pollination. Do I need a certain variety? My first choice would be the scout, but is there another that you would recommend? (McVille, N.D.)
Q: I had a lady call about her fruit trees. We are under a frost warning for tonight and she is wondering if there is anything she can do to protect her plum tree. It has small fruit on it. Also, I had a question concerning tomatoes and potatoes. The tops froze off of the tomatoes, but the bottoms seem okay. The potatoes were in blossom and the tops froze. (Dickinson, N.D.)
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.
Source: Ron
Smith, (701) 231-8161, ronsmith@ndsuext.nodak.edu |
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