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February 2, 2006 Hortiscope
Q: During the last growing season, I had blades of grass in my lawn that turned yellow. I fertilized in the spring and fall, but that did not make a difference. Any idea as to what might be going on? I am trying to stay organic with my lawn care. (e-mail reference)
Q: My house is infested with boxelder bugs this winter. I have been killing them with a mixture of water and dish soap. I cut down the tree that had the bugs. Is there anything else I can do to get rid of the bugs? If not, will they continue to enter my house in future years? (e-mail reference)
Q: I have several arborvitae that need to be cut down a bit. Would it be OK to cut them in half? If so, what is the best way to do it so they will survive and look nice? (e-mail reference)
Q: In preserving flowers with antifreeze, do you mix it with water or use it straight? (e-mail reference)
Q: I’m going to plant some eastern red cedar on my property as part of a larger wildlife planting. I also have several apple trees of various varieties on my land. The apple trees would be a quarter-mile from the cedars. Do you think I should be concerned about cedar apple rust? The cedars would be southeast of the apples. There are very few cedars in our area. (e-mail reference)
Q: I have a beloved 35-year-old jade plant. My nephew and daughter knocked the plant over one day and broke off quite a few branches. The pot was broken in half and the roots definitely were disturbed. I repotted it in the only pot I had that was big enough. It is struggling, but I thought it was going to make it. It has quite a few new leaves, but some of the branches have started to shrivel and fall off. The inside of the branch is slightly brown (in the center circle of the branch). The plant fell over at least three months ago. (e-mail reference)
Q: My brother has just moved here from Illinois. He is a gardening enthusiast. He would like to know what the average date of the last frost is in the spring and the average date of the first frost in the fall. (Leeds, N.D.)
Q: We planted a 150-foot row of bare-root common lilac along the sidewalk on the back of our lot. We hoped it would grow to be a hedge and provide some privacy. Eight years later, the tallest lilac is about 4 1/2 feet tall, but many are less than 2 feet. They have bloomed every year since the first spring after we planted them. The soil is regular Red River Valley clay and the lilacs are not in a low spot. I've tried watering, pruning and fertilizing, but nothing seems to make the plants grow faster. After eight years, we thought we would be pruning them regularly to keep them at about 8 feet. I have thought of sending in soil samples, mulching or using more fertilizer. Is it possible there was a mix up at the nursery and these are some sort of miniature lilacs? (Fargo, N.D.)
Q: I would like to plant blueberries on my property adjacent to Lake of the Woods. The plants would be about 300 feet from the lake. Do you have any suggestions on variety, elevated planting, peat moss, distance between plants, etc? (Warren, Minn.)
Q: I was given a jade plant as a gift about six months ago. The plant thrived through late summer and fall. I kept it in a location that was at 65 to 70 degrees and watered it every week or two. I moved it about two months ago to a spot where it doesn't get as much light and one side was turned toward the wall, so it probably wasn't getting any light. It was still thriving for a month and a half. I decided that wasn't the best place for it, so I moved it back near a window on the west side of the house. All of a sudden, all the leaves on the side that was once turned toward the wall began to shrivel and fall off. The stems on that side are getting very flaccid and rubbery. I don't know what to do. Please help! (e-mail reference)
Q: I have a friend who wants to plant lilac bushes. I told her she could have clippings from mine. I have looked at different Web sites and books for information. Some say to dig up the suckers and others say to get leaf or stem clippings. The bushes in my yard have white decorative stone around them for drainage and weed prevention. My bushes are very healthy and I’ve had them for more than 40 years. What would be the best way for me to give my friend some of my bushes without damaging the plants? (e-mail reference)
Q: Does cloudberry, also known as bakeapple, grow in North Dakota? If so, would you know where I could obtain some seed or plants? (e-mail reference)
Q: I planted a weeping willow in my front yard about four years ago. It has gotten large really fast. I am thinking about heavy pruning or removing it. It is planted about 15 to 20 feet from my water supply and sewage lines. Is this a safe distance or should I take it out before things get ugly? (e-mail reference)
Q: I recently snipped off a spider plant baby and put it in water to root. The baby has developed a small clear spot near the base of one of its leaves. What does this mean? (e-mail reference)
Q: I have a question about my ficus plant (weeping variety rather than a rubber plant). It's an indoor plant and is in a bright, but north-facing room. Over the last couple of months, the plant has started to get yellow spots on its leaves. Otherwise, it seems healthy and there's plenty of new growth. It isn't losing an undue number of leaves. I've had the plant for about 15 years, so it really is part of the family! What could be the problem? (e-mail reference)
### Source: Ron
Smith, (701) 231-8161, ronsmith@ndsuext.nodak.edu |
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