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September
8, 2005
Hortiscope
Ronald C.
Smith, Horticulturist
NDSU Extension Service
Q: Much to my dismay,
I have read that there is no solution to quackgrass in northern lawns.
I regularly mulch when mowing. Does quackgrass spread faster if you mulch
compared with bagging the grass? (e-mail reference)
A: It makes little
difference whether you bag or mulch. Mowing high (3 inches) will help
sequester it somewhat. Unless you want to dig up an entire colony and
resod, there is no legally effective way of getting rid of quackgrass.
Roundup stops it temporarily, but the blasted stuff returns before the
end of the year.
Q: I have lilac bushes
that apparently are planted too close to the foundation of my house. I’ve
been told to move the bushes so they don’t cause a problem when
they get bigger (with the drain tile and the foundation). How do I remove
the bushes? Can I replant them in another location? When is the right
time to do that? I look forward to reading your column each week. I enjoy
it immensely. (Fargo, N.D.)
A: I doubt the lilacs
will be a problem to your drain tiles or foundation. If you still want
to move them, now is not a good time. Early next spring or late this
fall, after the foliage drops, would be better. Thank you for the nice
comments about the column. Glad you are a faithful reader!
Q: I recently put
in a privacy fence that at the sloping end of my property does not give
much privacy. My plan is to plant a row of arborvitae along the back fence
line. The lawn where these will go is well-established and I have read
that a couple of inches of mulch is a good bed covering for these trees.
What should I do to the grass before planting and mulching? Should I lay
down plastic to keep the grass from growing through the mulch? Should
I use a sod cutter to remove the grass? The bed for these trees will be
about 5 feet off the fence. Is this far enough away from the fence for
healthy growth? (e-mail reference)
A: A 5-foot spacing
away from the fence is very adequate for normal, healthy growth. As
for the turf area where they are to be planted, the best procedure is
to kill the grass with Roundup. Dig the holes for the trees and cover
the entire area with 2 to 3 inches of mulch. Don’t cover anything
with plastic or any other weed barrier before putting the mulch down.
The fact that the turf area was killed and not disturbed, other than
for planting, will result in a good weed barrier. Weed seeds blow in
and are deposited by birds anyway, so there is no such thing as being
100 percent weed-free.
Q: My hollyhocks bloom
great, but the foliage looks like lace. What is the problem? Pests? (e-mail
reference)
A: Yes, you have
pests in the form of the hollyhock weevil or some other insect. Spray
with Orthene for control because it has contact and residual effects.
Q: Is there a weed
control that I can use in my flowerbed that won’t kill my flowers?
(e-mail reference)
A: Use a product
called “Preen,” which is available anywhere in the U.S.
and Canada. The area needs to be cleanly cultivated and then the material
applied according to the directions.
Q: I had my yard seeded.
The grass is coming up fairly well, but we have some spots that need more
seed. My lack of experience brings some questions to mind. We have many
weeds, so what is the best method to get rid of the weeds? When can we
fertilize and what type should we use? In a nutshell, I just really need
to know what I am doing and am hoping you can educate me. (e-mail reference)
A: There are basic
steps to take to have a decent-looking, low-weed count lawn. Assuming
it has been mowed at least three times this spring, apply “Weed-B-Gon”
herbicide because it will take care of the broadleaf weeds. Fertilize
again around the Labor Day weekend. Mow high and alternate mowing patterns
to spread out compaction and to get a nice, dense turf. Overseed again
in the fall to increase density to the optimum level.
Q: We have a crabapple
that is too large. I know you are not supposed to prune in the summer,
but it is blocking the light to my flowerbeds. Is there anything I could
put on the parts I cut to avoid disease, or would you be totally against
pruning at this time? Please help. (e-mail reference)
A: I am never totally
against pruning anytime the tools are sharp and there is a realistic
need to do so. The risk of disease is greater during the growing season
than when dormant pruning. Prune whatever you need for satisfactory
growth in the flowerbeds. Dip your pruning shears and saw in alcohol
prior to pruning and between each pruning cut. No wound dressing is
necessary or recommended.
Q: I have a peace
lily that I got at my father-in-law’s funeral. All the leaves are
relatively small compared with the ones I’ve seen at other places.
The leaves also are wrinkled. We transplanted the plant about six months
after we got it because it was too big for the pot. It seems to droop
a lot even though I water it after the top is dry. (e-mail reference)
A: Allow it to go
dormant once a year for two to three months. Withhold enough water to
dry the plant down. After that, dig out and repot (divide if necessary)
the plant in fresh potting soil and give it a good dose of water. When
new growth emerges, keep the soil evenly moist and fertilize it about
every other week. Place the plant in strong, indirect light and everything
should be fine.
Q: I used regular
cedar mulch to place around my tomato plants to prevent rain splash. I
had thought at one time that might not be good because too much nitrogen
might be sucked from the soil, but the person at the outlet store said
that it would take longer than a season. (e-mail reference)
A: Unfortunately,
the person at the outlet store is wrong. The mulch can tie up nitrogen
in a matter of weeks and would soon be evident symptomatically on the
plants growing within. This easily can be offset by adding nitrogen
to compensate for the tie-up in the soil microbes.
Q: I have an African
violet that has a stem approximately a foot long and overhangs the pot
terribly. The head is at least a foot in diameter. It’s beautiful,
green and healthy in appearance, but very top heavy. It now has a baby
that’s halfway between the base and the head, with no stem of its
own. How do I disconnect the baby? How do I shorten the main portion of
the stem without killing the mother plant? I’ve retrieved several
small plants from a main plant in the past, but nothing like this one.
It has not bloomed in some time because of its delicate condition. Would
I be able to cut the portion of stem between the head and the baby and
place the stem in water until small roots begin and then transplant? Please
help. (e-mail reference)
A: As African violet
plants grow older, the lower leaves eventually die and need to be removed.
When enough leaves are gone, the plant takes on a “stemmy”
or “necky” appearance that is unattractive to most growers.
Changes take place with humans as they age and the same is true of African
violets. In other words, this is normal with older plants. According
to Mel Roby, who wrote the book on African violet culture, everything
will be fine if you follow a few steps. Cut off the main stalk of the
plant at the soil surface. Trim the stalk so that about 2 inches remain
below the rest of the plant. Scrape the stalk with a knife or some other
sharp object to rough up the plant’s tissue. This will encourage
root formation. Allow the stalk to dry for about 20 to 30 minutes and
then place the stalk in water, vermiculite or perlite until new roots
form. Transfer the rooted plant to a pot filled with African violet
potting soil. Wait a couple of weeks and begin applying a high P and
K fertilizer. This will encourage flowering. Be sure the plant is in
bright, but indirect light.
Q: I have an earthworm
infestation in an area of my lawn that I regraded and seeded last year.
The seed grew well, with no apparent worm issues. This year, the grass
is substantially thinner and you can see a lot of earthworm mounding (I
dug them up to verify it was worms). Once I treat the area with Sevin,
how long should I wait to reseed the thin areas? Do earthworms eat the
seeds? It seems like a waste to try to seed if they eat them. (e-mail
reference)
A: Earthworms do
not eat seed, so you don’t have to worry about that. You can reseed
anytime, but I would suggest going over your lawn with a power rake
to even out some of the humps. This will create an ideal environment
for your seed to become established.
Q: I would like to
know if you’re the one who I would talk to about planting asparagus
and rhubarb together. I would like to know because I grow a lot of both,
but I’m thinking about condensing my garden. (e-mail reference)
A: I certainly would
account for space needs, especially with the rhubarb. One plant can
spread and grow to 4 feet by 4 feet in just a few years. In our garden,
we have 4-foot by 4-foot spots for both the rhubarb and asparagus. I
find that the rhubarb leaves constantly encroach over the asparagus
patch, requiring that the rhubarb be the first to be harvested.
Q: I have a peony
bush that is 15 years old. It has bloomed once during that time. I have
added all kinds of fertilizers and lime. I dug it up and reset it, thinking
that I had it planted too deep. What should I do? Remove it and start
over? (e-mail reference)
A: You have to be
one of the most patient people on earth! Not having the plant in direct
sunshine could be the problem, but then I’m sure you already know
that. I would pull the nonbloomer out of the ground and get another
one. Life is too short to wait for a nonblooming peony to get around
to doing its show!
Q: I have mushrooms
all over my backyard. At first, a couple of years ago, they were in a
small patch under an old tree stump. Now they are spreading everywhere.
I have used some chemical applications, such as Trimec (when I was spraying
the creeping jenny). Someone told me to sprinkle soap powder on the mushrooms,
but that didn’t help. (Starkweather, N.D.)
A: You can do little
about mushrooms. They are visible responses to the decay of the tree
roots taking place in your soil. The only alternative is to dig everything
up and get all the rotting roots out of the ground, which not too many
people choose to do. They are not hurting anything and usually disappear
or are reduced with warmer, dry weather. Once the decay is complete,
the mushrooms will cease.
Q: I have a gigantic
willow tree that is 45 years old. There are big roots or growths above
the ground around the base of the tree. Would it be detrimental to the
tree if I had some of those chipped away to make the ground level and
mowing easier? It’s hard mowing around the base. (e-mail reference)
A: Don’t worry
about hurting a willow that age! Do what needs to be done to make mowing
easier.
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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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