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February 9, 2006 Hortiscope
Q: A year ago, I helped scrub 75 pounds of potatoes for a pancake feed. I washed the splatter from my glasses, but not immediately from my cheeks. They became quite red. With time, the redness has reduced, but not gone away. I’ve tried to learn what potatoes are washed in before marketing (everyone says just water) or what chemical is used to fertilize potatoes. Thank you for any advice. (Waseca, Minn.)
Q: We have a small plant on the south side of our house. It gets very hot and dry there, but it seems to be doing well. The person I got it from called it a "gas plant" because it has a very strong odor. It flowers in midsummer with pink blooms. If you can, please let me know the name of this plant. (McLeod, N.D.)
Q: We have five emerald arborvitae that have been diagnosed with phomopsis twig blight and alternaria as a secondary infection. Do you know of any arborvitae varieties that are not susceptible to these diseases? (e-mail reference)
Q: We transplanted two peony bushes last summer, but something ate most of the leaves. I never saw any sign of the culprits, but they stripped the stems. What (and when) should I spray them with to protect the bushes this year? (e-mail reference)
Q: I got a croton as a wedding gift, so it has huge sentimental value. It got too cold, so its leaves are dead and the plant is barely alive (if that). Is there anything I can do? Please let me know what other details may be helpful. (e-mail reference)
Q: I have three ficus trees that we inherited with the house we bought. They have done well until recently. Two of them seem to be dying. One is very large and is forked into two main trunks about 18 inches above the pot. The branches of the trunk are about 2 1/2 inches in diameter. One of the branches is dead and the other is not doing well. Where do I cut off the dead portion of the trunk? The other troubled plant has three trunks growing up out of the same pot. One has died. Do I cut it off above or below the soil? I will probably cut one of the other trunks out as well, leaving only the tallest and best one. There is a dark discoloration from the soil up the trunk of each tree about 6 or 8 inches. (e-mail reference)
Q: I have a young, potted Norwegian spruce as a Christmas tree and wish to keep it alive. I have noticed that it is starting to drop many needles. The soil is damp. I have it indoors because I have nowhere to put it outside for the moment. It is near a window, so it gets plenty of natural light. I try to keep the room at an average temperature of 20 degrees. Is this too warm? (e-mail reference)
Q: I have numerous hackberry trees coming up between my fence and my neighbor's fence. To kill the trees, is there something I can spray on them? They are difficult to get at to cut them down. (e-mail reference)
Q: I have three birch trees within about 5 feet of my house. I bought the house two years ago and I believe the trees are about the same age. They are approximately 30 feet tall. Are birch tree roots aggressive? Can I expect damage to the foundation of my house? Thanks for your time. (e-mail reference)
Q: I recently bought an old farm with some big lilac bushes close to the house. We want to put a porch on the house, but the bushes are in the way. I don't want to kill them because I enjoy lilacs. Is there a way to move them with a spade? Thanks for the help. (e-mail reference)
Q: I cut back two plants and brought them in for the winter. The plants are doing great, but they have some very small, black flies that resemble fruit flies. These are mostly in the dirt. What can I do to get rid of them? (e-mail reference)
Q: I have three amaryllis bulbs that I purchased two years ago. They bloomed right after I purchased them. I let them grow outside during the summer. They bloomed again in July of the same year, which surprised me. I let them rest and then put them outside all summer last year. I left them out until it was very cold at night and then put them in the fridge for five weeks. I brought them out again, but they are just growing leaves without any flowers. What did I do wrong? (e-mail reference)
Q: Rabbits ate much of the bark off my sandcherry bushes. Are the bushes toast or will they come back? I know new shoots will come up, but are the mature stems gone? The rabbits didn’t eat the bark very deeply. The rabbits paid the supreme sacrifice for their actions. (e-mail reference)
Q: I have a landowner who has a newly planted one-row shelterbelt of flame willow trees. The trees are showing signs of having a high pH level (yellowing and smaller leaves). He would like to neutralize the soil. What would you recommend to amend the soil to lower the pH? (e-mail reference)
Q: I just read your answer in today’s column about nut trees in North Dakota. Are there any kinds of nut trees that will survive in western North Dakota? We live in a sheltered area. What varieties are the least likely to perish? (e-mail reference)
Q: I am moving to a new home and would like to take my 30-year-old Harrison apple tree with me. Is it possible to dig it out and transplant it at my new place? Would it work to have a tree mover move it? Would it be better to move it in the spring or fall? (Kulm, N.D.)
### Source: Ron
Smith, (701) 231-8161, ronsmith@ndsuext.nodak.edu |
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North Dakota State University |
