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July 21, 2005 Hortiscope
Q: I hope you can help me. We want to plant some raspberries, but I have been told that raspberry bushes like to spread through their root system. Is that correct? What’s the best way to control it? (e-mail reference)
Q: I have several arborvitae lining my patio that have been decimated by deer. It there anything I can do to restore them? (e-mail reference)
Q: I recently purchased an aloe vera plant from a gardening center. This is the first aloe plant I have owned. Do I need to repot the plant? If so, do I separate the clusters when I put them in a larger pot and separate the root system or can I just loosen the soil from the current pot and place it in a larger pot? I also have read about taking sprouts and making a new plant. How do I do this? I also would like to use the aloe for medicinal purposes when the occasion arises. What pieces do I cut off for use and how do I cut them? (Grand Forks, N.D.)
Q: This winter, ice from a storm snapped in half my Colorado blue spruce. If possible, I’d like to save the tree by grafting branches from the same tree to the point where the tree snapped. Does my spruce have a good chance of surviving? Is grafting wishful thinking or would it be better to replace the tree? (e-mail reference)
Q: Our son-in-law recently acquired some juneberry bushes from a nursery in Minnesota. Is there anything he can do prior to planting that would protect them from black knot disease that is so prevalent in North Dakota? Any information on planting/maintenance also would be helpful. I continue to depend on your knowledge related to horticulture. Thanks so much for being there for us “amateur gardeners.” (Turtle Lake, N.D.)
Q: I would love to install a lilac fence that is 30 feet long and 8 feet tall. Will Persian lilacs grow that tall? If I buy them at 3 feet tall now, will they ever get to 8 feet tall? The nursery has Ellen Wilmott lilacs in stock. Do they grow quickly? I live in zone 5. (e-mail reference)
Q: I have heard there are certain types of plants that like to grow with rose bushes and actually help them grow better. Any ideas? (e-mail reference)
Q: Two years ago, I activated a well, hoping to cut down on the water bill. Instead of saving, we lost big time. The water tested 2,300 parts sodium chloride and 100 parts sodium. You can imagine what happened. We lost 38 of the 89 arborvitae trees and close to 30 flowering plants. I replaced all the badly burned shrubs. Is there any help for the remaining arborvitae? I’ve been giving them Miracle-Gro. They are coming back, but the bottoms are still bare (where the water was hitting them). (e-mail reference)
Q: I bought a ponderosa pine and was told not to disturb the roots when planting. It is in a wooden basket-type pot. They said to take the bands off and cut off at least the top half or more and leave the rest. It should then decay and not disturb the roots. Is this a good way to plant it? (e-mail reference)
Q: We have a block retaining wall that is 36 inches high. We are looking for something that would cling to the walls or possibly hang over the walls. We want to fill it in as naturally as possible. Hopefully, the plant isn’t too invasive and it can survive our Minnesota climate. We were considering clematis, ivy or climbing roses. What would you suggest? (Prior Lake, Minn.)
Q: Where can I get winter onions? I think they also are known as Egyptian onions or spreading onions. My neighbors grew them and I was a most appreciative recipient of that early spring treat. The new owners of the property are not gardeners and have destroyed the parent plants. I can recall my neighbor giving me some while there still was snow on the ground. They seem to come up about the same time as tulips, crocuses, etc. (e-mail reference)
Q: I recently potted my scindaspus aures in soil that I dislike. How I can get rid of the soil without harming the roots? (e-mail reference)
Q: I would like some information on clematis. What varieties are hardy to southeast North Dakota? Could you also please tell me the colors of these varieties and give me hints on growing them? (e-mail reference)
Q: My husband was listening to you on the radio the other day. His ears perked up when you mentioned some products for keeping rabbits at bay. However, he couldn’t write them down at the time because he was in the car. Could you please give me the names of these products? The rabbits ate all three of my bridal wreath bushes. I’ve been cutting Irish Spring soap and sprinkling it over the ground; however, the smell is enough to drive the entire neighborhood indoors. After the sun shines on the soap, it turns white and looks like mold. Therefore, I’m out to find something else. (Fargo, N.D.)
Q: We planted our first bulbs last fall. We were just admiring them yesterday, but last night a deer ate them. Will they bloom next year or do I have to replace them? (e-mail reference)
Q: The branches on my Schubert chokecherry tree are dying. I have seen some pictures of black knot, but I don’t think that is the problem. There seem to be webs on some of the branches and the bark is peeling away in spots. Can you tell me what the problem is and how I can treat it? I’ve attached a photo of the problem. (e-mail reference)
Source: Ron
Smith, (701) 231-8161, ronsmith@ndsuext.nodak.edu |
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North Dakota State University |
