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July 27, 2006 Hortiscope
Q: I have a weeping birch tree that's about 32 years old. It has some rows of holes in the main trunk that I think are caused by a sapsucker. I don't think that they are D-shaped enough for them to be a birch borer problem. The top looks good, with no dying branches, but there are some weak or dying branches on the lower part of the tree. Sapsucker holes are typically lined up in a row. Are birch borer holes lined up in a row? (e-mail reference)
Q: We chopped down a chokecherry tree and would like to know if the wood can be used in a meat smoker. Someone told us there is something unsafe about using chokecherry wood because it will put a residue in the meat that is poisonous. Is this true or an old wives’ tale? (New Rockford, N.D.)
Q: I have never used chemicals in my garden and never want to, but this was my last resort. My garden was almost gone! I used Ortho's Isotox Formula IV on my garden (all plants). The smell was horrible. It still smells bad after three days and some of my plants are wilting or turning brown. Is this product killing my plants? Can I do something before I lose all my perennials? (e-mail reference)
Q: I have two red oak trees that were planted last spring. They only are a few feet tall, but are nicely leafed out. I am concerned about the fact that the leaves are turning a very yellow-green color, especially on one tree. The leaves are not curled. There are some signs of insect feeding on the leaves, but it is very minimal. The leaves look healthy, but I thought oak tree leaves were supposed to be a dark color. I'm hoping there isn't a problem with these trees. Any ideas? (e-mail reference)
Q: Was it you who recently spoke on TV about the sticky cottonlike problem with maple trees? Upon checking, my maple and my next-door neighbor's tree have this problem. Both of us are kicking ourselves for not listening closer to your talk about what to do. Help because we want to save our maple trees. (e-mail reference)
Q: My husband and I recently bought a house with a very large grape vine growing in the alley. Is it too late to prune it? When can we expect to have grapes? The previous owners cut it down last year, so they have no idea if it will produce fruit. (e-mail reference)
Q: I'm working with new fruit trees that aren’t doing well. The trees are apple, crabapple, plum and cherry. The trees were planted a few years ago and had recycled rubber mulch mats placed around them. The trees also were getting a lot of water through drip irrigation. Based on advice, we pulled up the mats because they were covering the grafts and discontinued the drip irrigation. This spring all the trees leafed out some, so I thought we were on our way to recovery. Now it seems ants have stripped off the leaves on two trees. Is there any hope for these trees? (e-mail reference)
Q: This is my second attempt at planting tomatoes in my yard. I have been able to produce nice plants and fruit, but the skin is so tough that you can hardly eat it. What the heck can I do to avoid this situation? (e-mail reference)
Q: My hollyhocks grow great, but there are not a lot of stalks. The stalks are very long and look gangly. Is there a way to prune them early to get more stalks? I'd rather have the stalks fuller and not as spindly. (e-mail reference)
Q: Do you know what weed is cloverlike with small, yellow flowers that have been taking over lawns lately? What is best to spray on them? (e-mail reference)
Q: We are on our second snow mantle dogwood tree in four years. The tree starts out looking beautiful in the spring, but then the leaves curl and droop, producing a very unsightly tree. Is there any hope or should we find another species of tree to plant? The tree is in heavy, clay soil and is on a slope. We thought is was getting too much moisture, so we amended the soil and covered the area around it with plastic before replacing the rock to prevent excess moisture, but this has not helped. Any suggestions will be most appreciated. (Forest Lake, Minn.)
Q: We have a silver maple tree that has all its leaves covered with green pimples. (e-mail reference)
Q: I have some Lombardy poplar trees that are dying or dead. Can the trees be used for fire wood? (e-mail reference)
Q: I have a willow tree with a large hole in the base of the trunk. Should I remove the tree or do you think it can be saved? The tree is about 35 years old and about 50 feet tall. I'm concerned about it possibly falling on my home. (e-mail reference)
Q: In your column there was a question from a reader about where to find wildflower mixes and native grass seed. You mentioned two good companies, but I thought you might like to hear of another located in Brookings, S.D. Millborn Seeds has been in the native grass and wildflower market for more than 19 years. We access seed from across the U.S., but primarily in the upper Midwest, which makes it very suitable for your readers. If you would like more information, go to www.millbornseeds.com. (e-mail reference)
Q: I have an oak that is dropping little, beige/yellow balls that look like tiny seeds. Sometimes (I swear) the little balls are jumping. We are fighting gypsy moths with this tree (we lost three ash trees last year to ash bore) and I don't want to take a chance on losing any more trees. I have five other oak trees in front of the house, but they don’t have (or I can't see) these tiny seeds. Please tell if I need to do something. Thanks for your time and information. I appreciate it. (e-mail reference)
### Source: Ron
Smith, (701) 231-8161, ronsmith@ndsuext.nodak.edu |
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