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April
21, 2005
Hortiscope
Ronald C.
Smith, Horticulturist
NDSU Extension Service
Q: I’m looking
to landscape the front of my home with native shrubs and flowers. Do you
have any ideas? (e-mail reference)
A: In North Dakota,
we try to encourage sustainable landscaping. It is more popularly known
as xeriscaping. Go to www.ext.nodak.edu/extpubs/plantsci/landscap/h957w.htm
for a circular on xeriscaping ideas. I soon will have a more extensive
Web site available that uses a broader approach and has ideas that you
might consider using.
Q: Last summer I set
my Easter lily outdoors, but didn’t get it planted. Last fall, I
brought it in and set it by a south window. It got tall and lanky, but
looked rather pretty with the other plants. Now it is getting scraggly,
but it has several bulbils at the roots. Would they grow if I planted
them? In addition, last year I bought a miniature rose. I knew they didn’t
last long, but thought I’d try to save it. It shed its leaves after
blooming. I cut it down, but it grew again. That happened several times.
In the spring, I repotted the rose and set it outdoors. It bloomed through
the summer, with delicate pink flowers. In the fall, I brought the pot
in and set it in the window next to the lily plant. It bloomed all winter
and it’s ready to bloom again. Now the flowers are white. I’m
not going to worry about it, but if it survives until summer, I’ll
put it out again. (McHenry, N.D.)
A: Yes, the bulbils
will grow into plants that eventually will flower for you, so plant
them and enjoy! Thanks for the uplifting story about your miniature
rose. I am sure some of our readers will follow your procedure.
Q: With the lovely,
warm weather we’ve been having, the hyacinths and daffodils on the
south side of my house are coming up. Should I start watering them or
pretend I can’t see them and leave them alone? (e-mail reference)
A: Pretend for right
now. Bulbs are good at extracting moisture out of the soil. You could
have problems with the bulbs if you water too much. It is better to
err a little on the dry side.
Q: Instead of using
regular tap water on my spider plants, would boiling the water be just
as safe as distilled water? (e-mail reference)
A: Do not use cooled
boiled water because it will concentrate the salts. A mixture of 50
percent distilled water and 50 percent tap water should be OK. Experiment
with different combinations to find the one that works best.
Q: Where would I find
the seeds on my amaryllis plant? I have heard that they are on the pod,
but I honestly do not know where the pod is. I have removed the last flower
from my plant and thought the pod was the bulge immediately below where
the flower starts. That part is now shriveled and dried. Is this where
the seeds are contained? If so, am I too late to harvest them? (e-mail
reference)
A: You are right
on target. The shrunken pod is where mature seeds are harbored. Open
the pod over white butcher (or similar) paper and then plant the seeds.
Expect to wait three or more years before the seeded plants will be
mature enough to flower.
Q: Some years ago,
we lived in a cottage that had a large rhubarb patch. We happily harvested
rhubarb for many years. We now live in town, but I would dearly love to
grow rhubarb again. The problem is space restriction and cats. Is it possible
to grow rhubarb in a container? (e-mail reference)
A: Rhubarb easily
should grow in a container. The container needs to be big enough to
accommodate plant expansion. I wouldn’t put it in anything smaller
than a 12-inch diameter pot, if possible. In this case, the larger the
better. Be sure to put the container in a full-sun area. The more sun,
the better. Use sterilized or pasteurized potting soil. I have never
known cats to be attracted to rhubarb. If you want to make sure, plant
a container full of catnip at the same time. I guarantee you they will
go right for the catnip!
Q: We built a home
in a new development that used to be farmland. I have a three-clump birch
tree that my husband planted in September 2003. In the spring of 2004,
one of the trunks did not leaf. The branches were dry and brittle. The
other trunks had leaves, but not many. Is there something that can be
done to help the dead-looking trunk? If not, what do you recommend to
save the remaining trunks? One tree farmer told us the soil here has too
much clay to grow birch trees. Others have told us the opposite. Does
a container-grown transplanted tree take more than a year to adapt to
a new site? Any recommendations are appreciated. We have a sprinkler system
that sits on an elevated area and slopes away from our home and foundation.
Does it make a difference? (e-mail reference)
A: Birch can grow
in clay soils, as long as the soil is not compacted or kept too wet.
I suggest replacing the tree. This time, dig a wide hole and don’t
plant the tree any deeper than where the roots and stem meet. Planting
too deep and then overwatering are common problems. Mulch the area with
bark mulch at least 2 to 3 feet out. Monitor your irrigation system
so you are not watering your lawn more than is needed. Most grasses
can get along on 80 percent of the evaporation-transpiration rate. This
is data available from your local weather station or Extension Service.
Most people overwater their turfgrass by more than 30 percent to 40
percent.
Q: We planted two
European strains of variegated dogwoods back in 1994. They’ve done
well until the past few years. The leaves, which are variegated green/cream,
would shrivel up, fall off and look terrible. Last fall, I got carried
away and pruned both of them back to about 9 to10 inches. I hope I haven’t
discouraged them from growing back. (Minot, N.D.)
A: You haven’t,
so don’t worry. They should sprout and grow with a vengeance in
a few weeks.
Q: Have you heard
of a weeping fig going dormant? Would Superthrive help bring the plant
back to life? (e-mail reference)
A: It could go dormant,
but that usually only happens when they are in their native tropical
or subtropical habitat. Because they were treated as houseplants, the
likely cause of the leaf drop is overwatering or a cold/hot, dry draft.
Superthrive, or any fertilizer for that purpose, only works when the
plant is in active growth phases. Otherwise, “bringing it back
to life” would be like trying to feed a cadaver a meal to resurrect
it.
Q: My son has to bring
a potato to school that has sprouts on it. Is there a quick way to make
this process happen? (e-mail reference)
A: About the quickest
way is to find a neighbor who grows potatoes in his garden to see if
he has any that are sprouting. Most potatoes sold in supermarkets have
been treated with growth inhibitors, such as maleic hydrazide, around
harvest time to prevent sprouting. Organic growers would not use such
chemicals, so you might try locating an outlet that specializes in organic
produce to see if it has any. I’m willing to bet the teacher who
gave this assignment does not know about sprout inhibitors.
Q: I have four crepe
myrtles in a large bed on the north side of my house. Every year, starting
with the crepe myrtles, a black, soot-looking substance starts forming
on the trunks, then covers the leaves and somewhat spreads to the larger
leaf shrubs in the bed. You even can see it in places on the ground. It
almost looks like something that has been on fire. Is this a fungus? Do
you know how it can be treated? (e-mail reference)
A: That black, sooty
stuff is aptly described as “sooty mold.” Sooty mold is
a charcoal black fungus that appears as a black coating on the surface
of leaves, fruits, twigs and the branches of many deciduous and evergreen
shrubs and trees. This fungus is not pathogenic to plants, but obtains
its nourishment from insect honeydew. Honeydew is a sweet, clear, sticky
substance secreted by insects, such as aphids, mealybugs, scales and
whiteflies. The honeydew drops from the insects to the leaves and twigs.
Wind-blown sooty mold spores (seeds) that stick to the honeydew then
have a suitable medium for growth. When spores germinate, they send
out black fungus strands (mycelial threads) that bring about the discoloration.
A heavy coat of black mold may build up on twigs during more than a
growing season. To control or prevent sooty mold, control the insects
causing the honeydew deposits. The insects have to be in large numbers
somewhere, on the infected plants or tree branches overhead. They will
not disappear without some intervention on your part. I suggest you
contact a pest control specialist in your community to come in and get
after whatever insect is causing the problem. Be sure the specialist
is licensed.
Q: My sister teaches
in Dickinson. She has access to the school greenhouse and is planning
on using it this spring. She hopes to take her seedlings there at the
time she transplants them. To her knowledge, the greenhouse has never
been cleaned. She remembers that last year she had some insects when she
brought her seedlings home. What is a good way to clean the greenhouse?
She also says that dandelions and weeds are growing there. What should
she do to kill them? (e-mail reference)
A: As far as cleaning
up a greenhouse, been there and done that! Without using chemicals,
physically get rid of all the weeds. Dig or pull them out. I am fearful
of residual from any herbicide that could be used for control being
carried over to the intended crop. Next, tell her to put on rubber gloves,
protective mask and goggles and mix up a 10 percent bleach solution.
Scrub or wash every surface possible, then seal up the greenhouse for
a week with the heat on. After a week, rinse the surfaces with plain
water and then start planting, but use pasteurized soil. Try to follow
good hygiene through the entire planting and management process. She
may want to hang up yellow sticky traps to monitor insect activity.
That way she won’t get any nasty surprises, such as a sudden outbreak
of plant munching-bugs!
Q: I live in Seattle.
Next door is a lovely lilac bush that hasn’t been cared for in the
last 10 years. The house has been sold and the building will be bulldozed
down, including the lovely lilac. The neighbors and I were wondering if
we might be able to take a cutting. The tree has started to leaf out,
though the leaves are not fully open. Any ideas you have would be greatly
appreciated. I believe the bush is too large for us to dig up and transplant
without considerable cost. (e-mail reference)
A: Try digging up
some suckers from the roots. They would have a very good chance of surviving
if you get to it right away. Cuttings do not root very well.
Q: I have started
several tomato plants and herbs indoors in preparation for planting outside
later this spring. The plants grow very fast, but the stems are spindle-thin
and don’t seem to thicken up. What is wrong? (e-mail reference)
A: You very likely
made the same mistake most people make in starting seed indoors, insufficient
light. They need light and lots of it! This can be accomplished by the
use of fluorescent bulbs. Use a warm white and a cool white bulb placed
inches above the seeds and developing seedlings. Keep the lights on
for 12 to 13 hours a day. Using this technique, you will get thicker,
healthier plants. Also, don’t keep them too warm. Temperatures
in the low 70s or upper 60s work best.
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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