Gardening Questions and Answers Archive

It is fall here in the north east. I have a huge horseradish plant and am wondering if now is a good time to harvest the roots. Any advice?

• Re: Harvesting horseradish - Judi 00:09:26 10/13/99 (0)

  Fall is the perfect time to harvest horseradish roots as this is when they have the best flavor and are most potent. The peak time to harvest is after 2-3 hard frosts. Enjoy!

Could anyone recommend some types of cherry trees I could grow in zone 7? I am interested in the sweet cherries. Standard, dwarf or semi dwarf. It doesn't matter to me what size they are.

• Re: Cherry tree varieties - Farmer Bob 10:06:09 10/10/99 (0)

  Bings are hard to beat, and the Rainiers are pretty good too. Thing is with cherries, they must have good drainage or they will not survive friend!

I have a relatively steep hillside that separates two terraces in my yard. I wish to use the whole of it as a perennial garden. I know you need to plant trees vertical so you must dig deeper on the upper side of the whole in order to properly plant BUT as far as plants and bulbs, etc. must you compensate for the hillside or will the plants natuarlly right themselves vertical toward the sun. I want to be sure to get the right depth on all sides for the new plants. Anyone know the proper technique?

• Re: Planting perennial borders on hillsides - Kayla 18:05:40 10/09/99 (0)

  You would want to plant the perennials as you would the trees. The bulbs will right themselves.

we're moving into a house where the neighbourhood cats use the garden as a litter box. Does ammonia/water work? do you spray it on the plants or the ground? what about chemical repellants? we appreciate any suggestions or experiences.(not mouse traps. not yet anyway.)thanks.

• Re: unwanted cats in the garden - Veronica 10:38:35 10/03/99 (1)

  I haven't had the best success with this problem myself, but I can tell you that ammonia or ammonia based products will make your beds smell more like a litter box. When you clean up after cats inside the house you are always told never to use ammonia because the trace odors are similar to the cats urine. I don't see why it would be any different outside.

  • Re: unwanted cats in the garden - Judi 17:40:15 10/04/99 (0)

    In general those chemical repellants just don't seem to work on cats. Some people have told me that by spraying a 50/50 solution of lemon juice and water on the soil repels cats. Since the lemon juice is acid you don't want to spray it on your plants. What has worked for me is to lay down chicken wire on any bare soil in the beds and then to cover it with some mulch, just enough to hide it. Cats can't dig so they will go elsewhere.

PLEAS TELL ME HOW AND WHEN TO PRUNE CLIMBING ROSE BUSHES. ALSO HOW MUCH DO I CUT OFF OF THE BUSH.

• Re: HOW AND WHEN TO PRUNE CLIMBING ROSE BUSHES - Judi 00:13:12 10/07/99 (0)

  For once-blooming and most climbing roses, always prune after their first full bloom flush in the spring or early summer. This can be as late as May or June for many climates/zones. It is the main canes that produce the sideshoots which in turn produce the flowers. If you prune them before the roses bloom, you’ve pruned away most of the year’s blossoms as most climbing roses bloom on last year’s wood or to put it another way: they bloom on one year old wood. Once they have finished the first bloom of the season we want to cut the shoots back to within 6 inches of the main cane. Now when a main cane becomes very old, damaged or diseased it should be cut back to the ground. This will stimulate the growth of a new cane for the framework. Pruning of the canes is done during the dormant season. Here is a tip on climbing roses too. By training or tying the canes to keep them more horizontal will force them to produce more flower bearing growth.

Judi,

First of all, thanks very much for answering my last question.

This question deals with separating Nandina plants. Concerning those same plants from my previous e-mail, can I separate those stalks and plant them in a row? If so, how do I do it.

Thanks again.

Barry

• Re: Another Nandina Question for Judi - Judi 00:46:06 10/02/99 (0)

  Barry, As far as I know it is not recommended to divide nandina clumps. You can propagate by taking hardwood cuttings in spring. However if you want to give dividing them a shot do it in early spring. Dig up as much of the rootball as you can. Then pry it apart in a few sections and plant right away in their new spot. Keep them well watered until you see them becoming established with new growth. You also might consider treating the roots with a transplant solution like EcoSane which is available from Digital Raingardens or a seaweed powder. I have found by using transplanting aids like these that we can transplant a lot of things successfully that we otherwise may not have been able to do.

I have a scale infestation on my prurple autumn ash tree. They are on a few limbs and not too bad yet. The tree is 7 years old and otherwise seems in good health. How can I control them organically? I would also like to ask if it would be advantageous to give the ash a deep root feeding? Thank you!

• Re: Scale on ash tree - Judi 18:41:14 9/29/99 (0)

  While the tree is still leafed out you can use safely treat the scales with either a spray of neem oil or a light horticultural oil. If you want to treat them later use a dormant oil which is much heavier in weight and must be used when the tree is dormant. Since the scales are more localized you can use a paint brush to apply the treatment by brushing it over scales. This gives you a very controlled application ensuring that you have gotten sufficient coverage to smother the scales.

  Yes a deep root feeding can be beneficial for any tree. To feed this fall you want to wait until the tree is dormant as we do not want to encourage any new growth while the tree is shutting down for winter. After that you can go ahead with the feeding. I don't recommend the use of those tree feeding spikes as they tend to burn the roots more than anything. Find a good granular formula specifically for trees and shrubs instead. Most formulas will feed the tree for one year and will help the roots grow strong during the winter.

Our raised beds have red spider mites crawling all over the straw. They so far, are not appearing to danmage the potato and various herb seedlings on the beds, but can we reduce the infestation organically and with no cruelty to animals? Thanks!

• Re: red spider mites - Judi 18:31:22 9/29/99 (0)

  You sure can! There are many organic methods for dealing with spider mites. Neem oil is an excellent miticide. Also here are some homemade concoctions that you can use either one of these to spray directly on the straw. The glue spray sounds strange but it works quite well. They both work by suffocating the mites.

  Glue spray: Take 2 quarts of water, mix in 4 ounces of glue (like elmers) and let it stand for 12 hours. Sprayed on infected plants this will glue the mites as it dries and flake off doing no harm to the plant. Do this in the evening, not in the hot sun during the day Clean out sprayer!!!

  Buttermilk Spray: Combine buttermilk, potato flour and water to make a fairly thin mixture. Spray plants to suffocate the mites. This also will not harm plants and you may rinse it off after a few hours if you desire. Another buttermilk recipe uses 2 cups of wheat flour, 1 cup of buttermilk which you mix with 5 gallons of water. Use as above.

  • Neem Oil

We are planning and are actually in the process of re-locating a large nursery stock of 1-gallon Kentia palms (howea forsteriana) in the shade of a large Brazilian Pepper tree. I am concerned that there might be a toxicity problem.

Would the leaves, peppercorns, etc. that drop from the trees into the containers affect the palms?

Thank you for your help.

• Re: Brazilian Pepper Tree toxicity to understory plants - Judi 18:17:42 9/27/99 (1)

  That is a darn good question and I don't have an answer. Anybody out there knowledgeable on Brazillian Pepper trees? If I find something out I will post it.

  • Re: Brazilian Pepper Tree toxicity to understory plants - Judi 00:58:48 10/01/99 (0)

    I did a little digging and it would seem that the leaves and peppercorns should pose no threat to the potted Kentia palms that you are relocating.

I came across a short article talking about a new natural product that says it will repel bees. I don't know if it is on the market yet but the link will take you to the article. The product is called "Bee Safe" and I wanted to share what I found for those of you who are allergic to bee stings like Jana's mom. Could be a great help to people.

• Bee Safe Repellant

• Re: Bee Repellant - Jana 23:26:12 9/26/99 (0)

  Thanks Judi! I just sent the link to my Mom so she can know to look for it.

I have a couple of Nandina "clumps" in my yard that have gone without attention for 14+ years. There might be a dozen stalks in each clump, some being as tall as 8' and 1-1 1/2" in diameter. Most are leggy with only vegetation at the top. I live in zone 7/8.

I'd like to separate these guys and possibly trim them back, but I don't know the proper way or time of year to do it.

Any help will be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

• Re: Nandina Questions - Judi 00:31:58 9/26/99 (0)

  Prune Nandinas in late winter-late February or by mid-March. To rejuvenate the old clumps first, prune to the ground about a third of the older crowded inside stems and a few at the outside throughout the plant. Then prune about 25% of the remaining stems at one-third the height of the plant. Next, prune about 25% of the stems two-thirds of the height of the plant. Leave the final 25% of the stems uncut. In your case since they have about 12 stems per clump you will have to be very selective in the ones you choose to cut and to what level you want them. Having done this you will have a much more bushy attractive plant next spring.

I have these huge wasps that are hanging around the main trunk on my willow tree. They are a good 2 inches long including the stinger. They have balck and yellow stripes with very large, bulbous eyes. Quite the wickwd looking things. Does anyone know what they might be?

I have been watching my white pine trees grow for 17 years and have never seen a worm on them. Last week I found literally "bundles" of 1/2"-1" long creamy white worms with 4 rows of black spots down their backs. Most all were congregated on the lower branches and there were areas where they had eaten the needles to stubs. Almost all were in bunches. Any ideas what they are?

• Re: Worms on white pines - Judi 00:20:59 9/23/99 (0)

  They could be sawfly larvae, which have many color variations. They do stay in groups and in some cases prefer older needles to new growth. If the infestation is causing a lot of damage you can spray the pines with BT.

Howdy folks. I'm having a tough time with thrips this year, can you'all share your vast wealth of experience with me and the little lady out here on our humble quackgrass farm? Hey, thanks a bunch.

• Re: thrips - Judi 18:00:51 9/23/99 (0)

  Well Farmer Bob those nasty little thrips are darn hard to deal with. They emerge in spring and by summer they are in full gear puncturing plants and sucking the juices out of them. Garlic sprays can be quite effective in repeling them. Green lacewings are predators and there are nematodes available from insectaries that will kill them. The nematodes are a "preemergent" that attack the larva in the soil. Also there are predatory mites that attack the larval and egg stage. Specifically they are: Ambylseius cucumeris and Amblyseius mckenziei. However in your situtation you need something with a bit more of a kick. A biological poison called avermectin is actually fermented from soil dwelling streptomyces organism. Very potenet against thrips but harmless to us and the beneficials. It also works for mites and loopers.

My mom is deathly allergic to bee stings and I'm wondering what type of plant might deter them from her yard. Any suggestions?

• Re: Plants that repel bees? - Judi 00:26:07 9/23/99 (1)

  I don't know of any plants that actually repel bees. What your mom might try is to mask the scent of the plants (flowers) that are attracting the bees with something like a garlic spray.

  • Re: Plants that repel bees? - Ohiorganic 11:34:56 10/02/99 (0)

    Bees are attracted to sweet things such as flowers, humming bird feedser, fruit etc. About the only way to repel them is to get rid of anything that might produce either necter, pollen or sugar.
    Bees are not aggressive creatures despite what the media claims. They are gentle by nature and onlt sting whem threatened. A threat to a bee includes wildly waving arms about, swatting at it wearing lots of perfume (big time attractent) or wearing white. In the spring when there is little to eat both bees and wasps are much more cranky because they are hungry-feed them some sugar water and they get a lot nicer about life.
    Bees are essential for pollination of most fruits and vegetables. Wasps are great hunters in the garden and should be encouraged.

    Oh yeah, if there is a hive in evidence (in a tree or perhaps in the attic) call the extension office to get the name of the Bee inspector in your county (all counties in the US has one) and he or she will come and remove the swarm.
    Swarming bees do not sting unless heavily provoked (killing the queen will get them mad but other than that they most likely will not sting when swarming) so if you see a ball of bees on a branch don't worry about them stinging you.
    
    

What causes rose leaves to have black spots, turn yellow and then fall off? What can be done to prevent this from happening?

• Re: Rose Leaf Damage - Judi 18:51:37 9/13/99 (0)

  That is actually black spot disease of roses. The spores overwinter in the soil and debris. When it rains or we water the spores are splashed onto the leaves where they germinate and cause the spotting and death of the leaves. It is important to make sure there is good air circulation around the rose bushes and to clean up any debris and dead leaves. Next spring you can treat them with sulfur or neem oil to prevent the disease. We have had great luck with neem oil for this disease.

Regarding box elder bugs. Is Cygon safe for use around pets?

• Re: Cygon - Judi 17:18:42 9/11/99 (0)

  No. Cygon is highly toxic to all animals, birds and fish. It is also a systemic.

I have the worst infestation of whiteflies in my greenhouse I have ever seen. Anyone have advice or tips for me? Please. Organic of course. I really need help.

• Re: Whiteflies! - helen 06:04:06 9/20/99 (1)

  To combat your problem air flow is important if your G/House is small a fan will probably help.They do not like air moving around them,and you will find if you can get good ventilation they will leave smartly.Good luck helen

  • Re: Whiteflies! - Laura 13:03:05 9/23/99 (0)

    If after impoving the ventilation you still have a problem, try spraying with a solution of rubbing alcohol. About 1/3 cup regular isopropyl alcohol to one quart of water is safe for most plants (alcohol is a natural by-product) and will get rid of whiteflies. You may have to spray daily; light sprays more often seem to work best for me. I also add a scant teaspoon of tobacco juice to the spray for tougher plants such as citrus, but be careful with greenhouse plants. The alcohol is safe for food plants, too. Good luck! Laura

Last evening I found a large green caterpiller (?) stripping the leaves on my Moon Plants. The caterpiller is about 1/2" diameter and 3 1/2" long. The color is leaf green all over and has a segmented body, like ripples. The rear enr seems to have a black sharp pointed tail pointing upwards. Can anyone give me some info on this type of caterpiller. Is it harmful? If I wanted to keep it what type of environmental conditions does it like?
Thanks

• Re: caterpillers - Judi 15:57:16 9/09/99 (0)

  What you have there is a tomato horn worm. They do get huge like yours and can devour a tremendous amount of foliage. They will turn into a sphinx moth which likewise is very large. I consider them to be extremely harmful when they attack my garden and I do destroy them.

I have 2 acres in S. Wyoming of the most awful clay. It is the red colored type and so non-porous that when you dig it up it just sits there unchanged through rain etc. Can anyone recommend some winter cover crops I could grow to start making some kind of improvement to this awful soil? I truly do aim to get it workable if possible. I am open to any suggestions. I should also mention it is a zone 5 here and quite arid. I also have a trusty JD tractor with all the add ons to aid me in all this.

• Re: Clay & Cover crops - Steve 09:20:14 9/09/99 (1)

  Get yourself a good soil sample with organic recommendations. We also have a heavy clay soil here. We are in a zone 7/8 tho, but we have had great luck with annual covercrops of bell beans, vetches, winter peas and any type of cereal grains. Hey Judi, what are good covercrops for cold climates, like yours!

  • Re: Clay & Cover crops - Judi 00:56:16 9/11/99 (0)

    We are just about a 20 minute drive from the S. WY border here. We are much colder than Steve's zone 7/8. For cover crops or green manures on bare clay soil you could use overwintering crops like fall rye, hairy vetch, Russian wild fescue, alsike clover or crested wheatgrass. For the hairy vetch you need to plant early enough to get established and then it can take below zero temps.

This is rather dumb but here goes: I have driplines running to a lot of my crops and I do use the t-tape. Can I run a dilute fertilizer through it or am I asking for trouble?

• Re: Irrigation System and Fertilizer - Sarah 23:53:59 9/10/99 (0)

  : This is rather dumb but here goes: I have driplines running to a lot of my crops and I do use the t-tape. Can I run a dilute fertilizer through it or am I asking for trouble?
  You should be able to but first contact the folks at dripworks (dripworks.com) or another drip irrigation supply place.

Just wondering if anyone knows how to get rid of a multitude of potato bugs, non-chemically. They are the bugs that when you touch them, they roll into a little ball. I used to play with them when I was a kid, lots of fun.

They ordinarily don't bother me, but they are getting into the house in mass quantities and are "bugging" the heck out of me.

On a side note, is there any benefit to keeping them around?

• Re: Potato bugs - Judi 00:49:40 9/07/99 (0)

  They are isopods actually a crustacean related to the shrimp. They aren't beneficial and will eat seedlings, stems and roots. Their preferred habitat is under leaves and debris. They also love to be under sidewalks, in wood piles and like damp places. To keep them from coming in the house try spreading a barrier of wood ashes or shredded oak leaves. Some baits that work to trap them are corncobs and potato halves. For the potato place the cut side down on the soil. Collect them from the traps and dispose of them. For severe infestation you can spray them with rotenone. They produce one generation a year. I still get a kick out of them rolling into a ball. They are quite interesting but I wouldn't want them in my house either.

My bay tree has developed very brown leaves and looks dead, there are also a lot of marks and holes on the leaves, is it dead or can I do something to save it ??

• Re: Bay tree with very brown leaves - Judi 18:38:02 8/31/99 (0)

  Sounds like it had some sort of bacterial disease. It would be best to get rid of it- soil and all. Sorry to hear about it!

Hi everyone! Does anyone know of a site that lists materials, products etc. that are approved by OMRI for growers? I should say that OMRI is the Organic Material Review Institute. Thanks!

• Re: Certified Organic Materials - Steve 09:03:27 8/30/99 (0)

  Don't know for sure, but you could try the CCOF web site www.ccof.org . They abide by the OMRI standards, and if nothing else, you could buy the CCOF handbook which has a list of approved materials.

I have 2 1/2 acres in the high (3500') desert of So. Calif. The little black ants are especially terrible this year. In this 1 particular area there are zillions of ants with ant holes every 12 inches. You can't walk thru the area without being covered with them on your feet and legs. I have rabbits in hutches under trees in this area. Are the ants wanting the rabbit manure, the water, the food in the shed? These ants crawl up the legs of the hutches and crawl all over the rabbits. I have lost several bunny due to ear infections that I think came from the ants. It is not feabible for me to try and rid this huge area of ants. I want to repel them from the area near the rabbits. Cannot be dangerous product due to children, pets. Please email. I see recipe with castille soap, orange peel liquid. Where can I buy castille soap liquid?

• Re: ants - Judi 00:37:49 8/26/99 (0)

  You might want to try a physical barrier to keep the ants from coming into the hutches. You can smear vaseline or tanglefoot around the hutch legs as a barrier. Take it one step further by using pie pans. Cut out a hole in the center of the pan and fit it onto the hutch leg. Caulk around the hole so there is no access. Next smear the undersides of the pan liberally with vaseline. We have used this in the greenhouse to keep ants from herding their aphids onto the plants.
• Re: ants - Ohiorganic 17:59:37 8/25/99 (0)

  You can buy a soap called Dr bronner's Soap- that is a liquid castille soap, at any decent healthfood store.
  Boric acid is your best bet to get rid of the ants. Mix 1 part boric acid (borax) with 1 part bacon grease and 1 part sugar and place on the ant trails. The ants will eat the BA mix and carry it back to the colony as well. BA kills ants but is non toxic to kids, pets etc. The reason you mix both sugar and graese into the mixture is because ants eat eith sweets or fats and this mix gives you both so the ants should be attracted to the bait.

How and when do we prune sunflowers? Some of the flowers wilt and die once pruned, others do just fine. Could somebody please give us some advice. Thanks

• Re: pruning - Judi 22:14:09 8/25/99 (0)

  I don't quite understand your question. Are you pruning them for cut flowers to display? If so they do have woody stems and would benefit from slitting the stems upwards so they can take up water.

We have a large unheated warehouse that is used to store theater costumes and props. In the winter the squirrels some in and nest in boxes and stored clothes. I've heard tha oil of peppermint keeps these little critters at bay -- anyone ever heard or tried this?

• Re: squirrel prevention - Wendy 11:25:51 8/24/99 (0)

  You might want to try Hot Pepper Wax Animal Repellent, designed to keep squirrels and rabbits away from plants, shrubs and flowers. Some of my friends have used it outdoors on their decks and say it works well.

  The repellent is made from cayenne pepper, wax and other natural stuff.

there are fat, yellow, somewhat hairy larvae looking things all over my bean plants. I've been squishing them and putting safer soap. suggestions, please, these were very nice plants and i'm not ready to lose them. thank you so very much

• Re: mexican bean beetles?? - Judi 22:10:19 8/25/99 (0)

  Here are a few suggestions to help get rid of those bugs. If they are Mexican bean beetles thay will have black tipped spines on their backs.

  Make a tea from cedar chips, cool and spray on foliage. Using diatomaceous earth as a dust will kill the larvae. For adults use pyrethrum or a rotenone and pyrethrum mixture as a last resort. A dusting of finely milled wheat bran on moist foliage will entice the beetles to eat it, swelling up and exploding them. Using a few drops of essential oils of basil, eucalyptus or peppermint in a gallon of water as a spray on the plants can work quite well.

Howdy folks. For many years now I've been fightin those darn root aphids. They attach themselves to the roots of primarily lettuces, stunting their growth. If at all possible, we're talkin farm scale solutions here folks. Thank you friends, and keep on farmin organically!

Farmer Bob

• Re: Root aphids - Judi 18:58:34 8/19/99 (1)

  For those who don't know these are the signs of root aphids on lettuce plants. Roots become covered with a whitish waxy secretion. Lettuce has difficulty forming a head, leaves become yellow and the plant may wilt and die.

  Farmer Bob, if you it would be possible for you to plant black or white mustard as a cover crop in the infested area it can be a great help in reducing the root aphid population. Controls nematodes too.

  If you have any poplars on or near the farm the aphids overwinter in the egg form in bark cracks and crevices. A heavy dormant oil spray on the trunks and limbs would make a good dent in the population. One sign that a poplar has been harboring the root aphids is you will see a gall on the petiole at the branch tip.
  

  • Re: Root aphids - Farmer Bob 08:39:33 8/20/99 (0)

    Thanks Ms. Judi for the advice. I kind of worry about the mustard, as it is the favorite food source for those dern slugs!@*&^#! Thats ok tho, as my duck pals will be visitin this quackgrass farm again this winter!

Help, please, anyone!! All of my daisy-shaped plants have l/2" long, thin, brownish worms crawling out of the centers. I first noticed this on the shastas and now several other flowers have same problem. I can't see them when I cut them, but when I bring them into the house they crawl out a few days later...YUK! When I look very closely at some of the plants in the garden, a few are visible. Needless to say, I don't have beautiful bouquets around the house..... Help!

• Re: unidentified crawling objects (worms) Part 2 - Laurel 23:41:37 8/19/99 (1)

  Judi, Thanx for trying to help. No, no legs and they aren't wire worms either--much thinner. Actually, today I notice they weren't all brown either and some took on the color of the flower--in this case yellow from the flower. Would anything lay eggs in the center of the flower -- if so, what?? Seems the eggs could be inside and hatch after I bring in the flowers. It's truly unpleasant anyway.

  • Re: unidentified crawling objects (worms) Part 2 - Judi 17:46:21 8/22/99 (0)

    Laurel, I can't find a thing that comes close to these worm like critters you have. If I come up with something I will post it.
• Re: unidentified crawling objects - Judi 18:06:21 8/19/99 (0)

  All I can think of is that they might be wireworms which fit your description. However wireworms reside in the soil. Another possibility would be thrips but they are really tiny. Thrips do attack flowers and buds and are fond of the white shasta daisy flowers.

  Do they have legs? Like centipedes?

  Anyone have a guess out there?

Help! Just found blossoms on one kind of winter squash full of small beetle type bug. Am tempted to just pull up plant so wont infest other plants.
What should I do?

• Re: squash blossoms full of bugs - Judi 20:03:09 8/14/99 (0)

  If they are tiny, like 1/10 of an inch and hop sort of like a flea and they have a brown or black body (some with yellow stripes) then it must be flea beetles. Don't pull the plant up yet. Most plants like your squash plant can withstand an invasion of those flea beetles and do okay. One thing you can do is to mist the plants in the morning and early afternoon as flea beetles hate moisture. Dusting the area with diatomaceous earth can help too. As a last resort you could spray them with rotenone. Go to this link for some more flea beetle controls. Hope this helps you out.

  • Natural Insect Control

   

A few days after spraying 2 Alberta Spruce trees with an insecticidal soap for spider mites, 2 nearby Azaleas turned completely brown. I believe I sprayed when it was too hot (In the 90's). My question is, if this is leaf burn, is the plant dead? How do I know? It's been 2 weeks and there is no sign of growth. I'd appreciate any info. Thanks

• Re: Leaf Burn??? - Judi 18:32:01 8/12/99 (0)

  90's is too hot to spray. Azaleas are also sensitive to insecticidal soap. Try this: nick one of the stems with a knife and if you see any underlying green tissue there might be some life left in them. Keep them watered and hope for the best. Good luck!

I am fairly new to organic gardening. Can anyone recommend a good book to help me get my feet wet? Thank you so much!

• Re: Organic Gardening Book - Judi 18:28:09 8/12/99 (1)

  A good, comprehensive book for beginning organic gardeners is the old standby:

  "Rodale's Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening"

  Another we have found very useful is:

  "The Organic Gardener's Home Reference"
  Author: Tanya Denckla
  Publisher: Garden Way Publishing

  Any of the Louise Riotta books are great too. Like the classic "Carrots Love Tomatoes"

  • Re: Organic Gardening Book - Farmer Bob 00:58:34 8/13/99 (0)

    If I might add my two cents worth...don't know if it's still in print, but my all-time favorite is 'The Self-Sufficient Gardener" by John Seymour, Dolphin books, Doubleday and Company.

my four year old son and i would like to know when and how to harvest our sunflowers for the birds.

• Re: harvesting sunflowers - Laura 15:13:48 8/08/99 (0)

  When you see the seeds have formed and the edges of the flower disk have started to dry out, tie a brown paper bag over the flower head to avoid losing the seeds to gravity and squirrels. Check one or two heads in a week or ten days. When the seeds have started falling out by themselves they are ready for harvest. Bypass hand pruners or heavy-duty scissors are best; sunflowers are tough. Cut the heads from the stalks and store in paper bags (new ones will probably be necessary). Serving the heads whole tied in the trees with attractive sturdy ribbon is a pretty way to feed them later in the season.
  
  

I have just discovered this site and am much impressed! I have a question that I hope Judi can answer as she is the arborist. I have just identified what I thought was some kind of elder as poison sumac. Identification confirmed by lots of itching and calamine lotion! It is a proper tree, about ten feet tall and (unfortunately) now pruned into a nice broad-headed shape. How in the world am I going to get rid of it? It suckers like crazy already and I haven't even disturbed the main trunk. It is pretty, but...Help!

• Re: poison sumac tree - Judi 13:29:58 8/08/99 (0)

  A comment here on trees that sucker: one thing that can help is too deep water them. This will help the roots to grow deeper in the soil and help alleviate the suckering. Root pruning can also help to a degree.
  

I have a fairly well-established bog garden in my Zone 8b Florida garden. I have been using mainly purchased plants, such as yellow and blue flag, variegated corkscrew grass, and other mail-order goodies. I love them, but am interested in collecting Florida native bog plants from the wild. I do not want to break any conservation laws or harm the environment. Does anyone have any suggestions on what, where, and how I might obtain some "wild things" for my garden? Thanks!

• Re: bog plants - Judi 00:18:08 8/07/99 (0)

  Many states will issue a "collector's permit" which will allow you to legally gather wild plants within specific guidelines. Here in Colorado we have to go to the forestry department to get one. Check it out. I bet you can do the same in Florida. It would be a great way to add new specimens to your bog garden! For the bog area of my pond I have used all purchased plants so far.

I have purchased a cardamon plant and cannot find ANY information anywhere about how to care for it and and witer it over indoors. Can anyone help?

• Re: cardamon - Judi 00:09:48 8/07/99 (0)

  My knowledge is limited on this plant but perhaps I can help. Cardamom is a member of the ginger (Zingiberaceae) family. It is tender tropical perennial that likes shade and rich moist soil. They can grow 6-10 feet high and have large fleshy creeping roots. They are native to India and S.E. Asia. They flower in mid to late spring with low growing yellow flowers. The flowers are followed by 3 celled green pods that contain the red-brown seeds.

This is the second year my daylillies have been plagued by yellow leaves. What am I doing wrong? I can't figure out if am overwatering or underwatering, or if there is a nutrient deficit. My soil quality is poor (mostly sand), but I garden in a raised bed that has been amended over the past 7 years with peat, compost, topsoil, and licorice mulch. Even from the beginning of the season, the leaves looked a little tore up and stragly as I left them alone - should I cut the leaves after Summer or before they start to grow next Spring? I always dead head the flowers. The only other problem in this garden is some yellowing/browning of some hosta leaves - but, that is not as severe as the daylilly leaves. I am in zone 7. Any tips would be greatly appeciated. Thank you.

• Re: yellow leaves on daylillies - Laura 19:33:14 8/06/99 (0)

  : I am in Zone 8b so I think we're in similar boats. There is an insect pest, I don't know exactly what the little things are, but if you look closely at the bases of the fans, you may see little bitty white aphid-like critters. I had them on some of my daylilies, and sprayed with insecticidal soap and alcohol solution. It worked like a charm. I use two tablespoons liquid dish soap and about a quarter of a cup of rubbing alcohol to a quart of water. I only spray after five p.m. here in Florida to avoid burn. I also never cut my daylilies back at all; I just remove dead leaves and deadhead. I do cut them back by about a third if I divide, but many of the prettier hybrids seem to resent division more than every three years or so. Soil is probably not a problem unless it is extremely acidic; test the pH. I have beds in dry shade all the way up the spectrum to clumps standing in an inch of water in my full sun bog garden. Look for the bugs! Hope I help...Laura

This year we ended up with spottily filled out ears. We had a really wet spring, followed by dry weather, but faithfully watered weekly. Could soil lack nutrients or WHAT?! How do producers insure each ear fills out perfectly? PS What a great site this is!

• Re: Why didn't my corn ears fill out properly? - Green Acres 11:48:39 8/06/99 (1)

  I'm no expert, but I'll venture a guess: insufficient pollination. How many rows of corn do you have? I seen suggestions that you plant at least four rows of corn to insure good pollination. (Planting the rows so they form a square is good, too.)

  • Re: Why didn't my corn ears fill out properly? - Judi 18:40:37 8/06/99 (0)

    I agree with Green Acres. Lack of pollination is what usually causes this. Along with how you planted the corn it could have been that you have had hot dry winds. This can really mess up the pollination too, even with your faithful watering. Damage to the silks from corn earworms or grasshoppers can result in poorly filled ears.
    Other than that I know corn is a very heavy nitrogen feeder.

I know a number of people on Prince Edward Island who are now, in August, seeing signs of chinch bug infestations in their lawns. Do you have any practical advice about dealing with the problem without the use of synthetic insecticides?

• Re: chinch bugs - Judi 16:53:27 8/04/99 (0)

  One of the best controls for chinch bugs is the beneficial nematode; Neoaplectana carpocapsae. It will not harm beneficial insects or earthworms. They come in a powder which can be stored for 3 months in the refrigerator. You will see control with these in 5 days but it takes 2 months for maximum control.

  Insecticidal soap can also be used. For heavy infestations you spray the lawn every 2-3 days for 2 weeks.

  Aerating the soil can help. Chinch bugs like excess thatch, dry soil and nitrogen imbalances- too much or too little. Correcting these conditons can help. Big eyed bugs are a predator of chinch bugs.

what could this be, and how can I control it organically?

thanks for any advice

• Re: something's eating the buds on my rosebush - Judi 19:54:23 7/31/99 (0)

  It is possible it could be rose curculio (rhynchites bicolor) which is a red beetle with a long black snout, very distinctive looking. If you find these guys you want to cut off all the infected buds and either burn them or seal in a plastic bag and throw it out. Rose midges can also cause similar damage but you would also see it on the leaves. You deal with them the same as the rose curculios. Neem oil would also be a good thing to use for disease or bugs on roses.

  A third possibility is the roses have botrytis blight whcih affects the buds and flowers as you describe. For this you want to be sure to cut out any unhealthy looking canes and infected blooms. Then you spray them weekly with a sulfur based fungicide until the situation is under control. Sulfur is an acceptable organic fungicide. You also might try some companion planting by planting garlic about 6 inches from the base of the rose plant. You can plant from 2-4 garlic cloves per rose. The natural sulfur in garlic can be of benefit to the rose in resisting disease. Can't hurt!

  Hope this helps you out!

Does anyone know the best way to split an overgrown african violet? I have one that has outgrown itself and needs to be made into 2 plants. Do you root one in water? I don't have a clue. Help!

• Re: African Violets - Judi 19:48:44 7/31/99 (0)

  Go to the link I am lsiting for an excellent description on how to split African violets. This is from the African violet society website: a great source for help with your violets. I have learned so much from this website. By the way you can root a leaf in water but they will do much better if you start them in soil. I might mention that it can take a long time to get a new plant started this way.

  • Splitting African Violets

   

Something is eating our peaches. We think it is birds. How do we control them so that we still get to harvest our peaches?

• Re: Peach Tree Problems - Judi 19:46:25 7/31/99 (1)

  For birds you can try to cover the trees with netting. There are some other tricks that work until the birds catch on like using mylar "scare" tape or hang some of the junk cds you get in the mail from the branches to scare them off. Good luck!

  • Re: Peach Tree Problems - Judi 00:53:40 8/01/99 (0)

    Just wanted to add this. There is a new product called Vigilante Helikite for bird control. It is available form Bio Control Network. It sounds very interesting. Check it out at this link.

My daughter found a catterpiller and wanted to keep it and take care of it until it is a butterfly, just like at school. It is a green one with antennas. We are feeding it leaves. Any suggestions.

• Re: caterpiller, how to raise one - Judi 19:58:27 7/31/99 (2)

  Put the caterpillar and a handful of whatever foliage it was eating when you found it into a large jar and cover with cheesecloth held in place with a rubber band. Replace the leaves every day, adding a stem of fresh foliage. Caterpillars do eat a tremendous amount, don't let it run out of food. You want to be sure you use the same kind of plant material each time you feed it. They get their water from the moisture in the plant leaves. If condensation should start to fog up its' home it is very important to wipe the moisture out of the jar with a paper towel. Do this daily if needed. If the droppings (poop) pile up to much in the jar it would be good to clean these out too.

  If it stops eating and sits still or hangs upside down for a day or so, don't worry. It's just resting while it prepares to shed its skin to make room to grow. It may also be getting ready to move to the next transformation: a chrysalis if it's to be a butterfly, a cocoon if it's to be a moth. Most caterpillars take two to three weeks to reach this stage.

  Now you have to wait until it reaches the final stage of its transformation. Some moths and butterflies will stay in their cocoons or chrysalises for the whole winter! But many more of them hatch into their final stage in just another couple of weeks. Check the jar daily. When your moth or butterfly hatches, admire it, take a picture and set it free.

  • Re: caterpiller, how to raise one - Jean Link 16:16:48 8/13/99 (1)

    Many of the little girls in our home-school group are interested in raising their caterpillers to be butterflies, but we can't find any really good photographs of caterpillers. These girls want to know what they have, how long they will take to turn into a butterfly, and what kind of butterfly will come out. These seem like reasonable questions that all the mothers are trying desperately to answer, but many of these caterpillers are not identified anywhere we have looked. Is there somewhere the experts go to identify caterpillers that I wouldn't know about? We mothers are also having the same kind of trouble with some of the stranger garden bugs we come across. We thought we'd identified one caterpilleras a black swallowtail's larva until it decided to make a cocoon instead of the chrysalis the book said it would make.

    • Re: caterpiller, how to raise one - Laura 16:06:55 8/14/99 (0)

      The National Audubon Society Field Guide series are some of the best references for these things. Find one specifically for your area; it will have more of the insects you are finding and less "exotic" bugs that you aren't likely to find. Most bigger bookstores now have a local nature section and this would be a good place to find a reference book such as this. If you are still stumped, call your nearest major university. They may have an extension center with an entymology lab. If they do, you can explain to them your project and someone will probably be more than happy to help, maybe even come for a visit. This would also be good exposure for your girls to real college-educated people doing real college-type jobs in the sciences. Good luck!

We now have peaches on my farhers farm and ready to pick, My father is incompasitated at this time, I would like to freeze as may as i can How would i go about this Many thanks I think you message board is great. Glen.

• Re: Peaches - Judi 01:00:14 7/30/99 (0)

  Here is several methods to freeze peaches or other fruits. Glad you like our board.

  Sugar pack
  To each quart (1 1/3 pounds) of prepared fruit, add 2/3 cup sugar and mix well. To retard darkening, sprinkle ascorbic acid dissolved in water over the peaches before adding sugar. Use 1/4 teaspoon ascorbic acid in 1/4 cup cold water for each quart of fruit. Pack into containers leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Seal, label and freeze.
  
  Water pack
  Pack peachesinto containers and cover with cold water containing 1 teaspoon ascorbic acid to each quart of water. Leave 1/2 inch headspace. Seal, label and freeze.
  
  Crushed or puree
  To loosen skins, dip peaches in boiling water 1/2 to 1 minute. The riper the fruit, the less scalding needed. Cool in cold water, remove skins, and pit. Crush peaches coarsely, or, for puree, press through a sieve. Heat pitted peaches 4 minutes in just enough water to prevent scorching and then press through a sieve. With each quart (2 pounds) of crushed or pureed peaches, mix 1 cup sugar. For better quality, add 1/8 teaspoon ascorbic acid to each quart of fruit. Pack into containers, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Seal, label and freeze.

Hello everyone,
I recently moved house and have a nice apple tree in my garden. It already bears lots of apples. some have already fallen on the ground, some are already reddish, most are still green but pretty well formed.
My question is : when do I pick the apples?
Do I wait for them to be red? Are there any signs that should prompt me to pick them?

• Re: Apple tree : when to pick the apples?? - Farmer Bob 09:41:14 7/29/99 (1)

  Apples already eh?, shucks that's early. Out here we usually check for ripe apples by giving them a slight lift while holding them in the plam of our hands. If they're ripe, they will "slip" into your hand.

  Good luck to you.. it's time for me and the little woman to get back to quackgrass farming.

  • Re: Apple tree : when to pick the apples?? - Judi 12:52:19 7/29/99 (0)

    Hey Farmer Bob it's good to see you are back! We know you and the little lady are busy with that quackgrass farm. We all appreciate your wisdom and advice!

I am a new gardener, this is my 2nd year with an urban mostly shade garden. I am concerned that I have a virus or bacterial wilt invading my garden. One azalea had all its leaves dry up, wilt & die, then a blue corydalis did the same,now another azalea is suffering. In addition, a cloumbine & a lobelia are beginning to turn yellow, have large brown (rust) areas on their leaves and are drying up as well. I do not see any insects on the front or back of these leaves. I have dug up and thrown out the azalea and corydalis as well as my enitre window box due to this problem but I really do not think the solution is to get rid of all of the plants. Thank you for any help that you may have.

• Re: Viruses & bacterial wilt - Judi 12:55:20 7/29/99 (0)

  I highly recommend you get a soil analysis done. There are quite a few soil viruses that could be causing these problems. It would be the best way to pinpoint what you need to do to correct the situation.

I have ants everywhere in my yard, brown bodies with black bottoms, all black, all brown and red ones. It's like the United Nations of Ants! Someone told me that if you mix powdered clothes detergent, an equal amount of sugar and equal amount of water the ants will take it back to the nest and it will kill the queen. Does anyone know if this is true or of any other homemade remedy? Thanks, Shawn

• Re: ANTS!!!! - Laura 19:37:52 8/06/99 (0)

  Good luck! I have yet to find a natural remedy that works. If you hear the one about the grits, don't even bother. I sprinkled quick-cooking grits around my ant beds, the theory being that they would take them to the queen who would explode from eating raw grits. I read it somewhere, really! All I ended up with was fat happy fire ants. They like grits. A lot.
  
  
• Re: ANTS!!!! - Judi 23:45:43 7/27/99 (0)

  I haven't heard of the remedy you mention but it sounds viable. For some more homemade remedies and other possibilities for ant control check out this URL.

  • Natural Ant Control

   

I live in Illinois (zone 4) and can't seem to find a nursery that can sell me a Russian Olive Tree. Is that because they're not supposed to grow in cold climates? I have seen a few in our town and they seem to be thriving. Is there a good mail-order house that sells them? Many thanks in advance to anyone replying
.
Mary

• Re: russian olives - Judi 19:24:42 7/27/99 (0)

  Russian Olives have been classified as a "noxious weed" as they are taking over natural wetlands in many parts of the country. Many states will not allow them to be sold, it is illegal. This must be the case in Illinois. If it is then you would not be able to mail order them.

  As for them being a noxious weed: I know this for a fact as I can see them taking over what little wetlands we have in Colorado.

I dont really have a garden question but here it is about 8 weeks ago we bought a lizard and for the bottom of the cage I took 4 litres of dirt to put in the bottom of the lizards cage. Now there seems to be
a lot of tiny white bugs in the dirt the seem to be getting larger. I first noticed them about 4 weeks ago the lizard had died and his body looked like it was covered in a powered mold but it was the bugs. Now the bugs are the size of a pin head. There are alot of bugs. We feed the lizard crickets, worms, sow bugs and ants. Can you help me do you know what these bugs could be and is in harmful to my vegetable garden since I got the dirt from my garden. ( I placed a slice of bread in the cage and it was completely gone in 6 days. )

Doreen
amey@globalserve.net

• Re: tiny little white bugs in the soil - Kayla 17:57:07 7/28/99 (0)

  Poor lizard! I would say they are maggots of some sort but the size of a pinhead is awfully small! Certainly it does not sound like a good thing for your garden!

How do I preserve the seeds left on the stalks?

• Re: Hostas -- Elegons (sp?) - Judi 18:09:04 7/25/99 (0)

  If the flowers are fertile and produce seeds they will grow quite well if you plant them immediately after they ripen. Hosta seeds should germinate in 15 to 20 days at 70 degrees. Plants grown from seed will bloom during their second year. To save them you would again want to let them ripen and then store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator until you are ready to plant them. They need a dormancy period of at least 6 weeks at temps below 40F before being planted.

  A little hosta trivia here: Did you know that the flower stalks of hostas are edible? They are considered a delicacy in Japan.

We planted many heirloom varieties this year- tomatoes, peppers, zuchini, corn, pumpkins, lettuce, and more. Is there any special procedure for harvesting and drying the seeds? Does it vary according to type of vegetable?

For example, I've been just scraping the seeds out of peppers as we harvest them and spreading them out on a paper towel to dry. Is this correct? And what about something like a zuchini- there aren't really any seeds to speak of. Should I let one or two get really big and old on the vine?

Any advice or pointers to additional info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

• Re: Saving seeds from heirloom varieties - Laura 20:10:28 8/06/99 (1)

  I have read some of the other good advice already posted but would like to add one hint I learned working at the ag research center for University of Florida. Build yourself some seeding screens. They will save time; all you have to do with larger seeds such as melons, squash and even cucumbers is scoop in the pulp and wash away everything but the seeds. They look much like window frames with screens on them. The easiest way to make them is to sandwich a section of fine metal screening between a box-like frame made of 1x4 material. You can seed vegetables in them and leave them on the screens to dry, speeding up drying time and avoiding mold or mildew. If you want more detailed instructions, I can try to scan a picture and email it to you. Let me know!

  • Re: Saving seeds from heirloom varieties - Judi 17:21:24 8/08/99 (0)

    That is a great tip! Thank you for sharing it with us.
• Re: Saving seeds from heirloom varieties - Judi 16:38:20 7/22/99 (1)

  Yes, there are many diffent techniques for saving various heirloom vegetable seeds. Way more than I can get into here. For tomatoes I isolate all the different varieties and go through the fermentation process to ensure the finest quality seed is all that is saved.

  Here is a good link that will give you all sorts of information. There are amny good books on the subject well worth your money.

  • Heirloom Seeds

   

  • Re: Saving seeds from heirloom varieties - Ohiorganic 16:02:38 8/01/99 (0)

    The Book "Seed to Seed" is a great resource for seed saving. Okay to answer some of your questions;
    Zukes need to grow big and turn yellow/orange before taking seed to save. make sure you are growing ONE TYPE ONLY or you will have crosbreeding. Zukes cross with pattypan, pumpkin, and crook neck squash. peppers you save seed from, only the ripe (colored) not green peppers.You must have at least 6 to 8 plants of any one type to insure proper pollination and genetic diversity.You must isolate the type you are saving for seed-this varies by kind of vegetable. Zukes and melons need 1/2 mile of isolation but tomatoes only need 25 feet for example.There are several hard and fast rules you must follow to be successful but they are easy to learn.
    Seed saving is a facinating hobby and once you get proficient at it the next step is breeding (hybridazation)

I have read your comments about fungus gnats in house plants. My question is wether or not you can get fungus gnats around a tree outside. I have a 4 year old Hybrid Elm, and every year around late September to October I have this huge infestation of gnats around the base of this tree. They don't seem to hurt the tree just gather at the base, at times 5" to 6" deep. I've spray Sevin, Dursaban, even hairspray and though they slow down, by the next day they're just as deep and just as lively.  It's almost as though they thrive on the stuff. Can you help?
Susie in Georgia

• Re: Gnats - Judi 17:56:47 7/21/99 (0)

  There are over 2,000 species of gnats that come under the heading of fungus gnats. They can be indoors or outside. The adults live an average of 3 weeks. They do multiply like crazy. The larva live on any type of decomposing organic matter.
  Your best bet to is to get rid of the larvae. We recommend Gnatrol Biological Larvicide to break the breeding cycle. It can be used outdoors.

  To kill the adult gnats we use pyrethrum.

  • Gnatrol Biological Larvicide

HELP!!! I have found it necessary to move my peonies during the heat of July or risk losing them to the people who buy my house (which is up for sale). Should I (a) leave them in a nursery pot with soil and keep moist until fall (b) leave in pot, but put in ground until fall (c) fully transplant now?
Should I cut back the badly withered foliage which is still green?
These plants are the product of a 15 year cultivation and I would hate to lose them.
Thanks!
Please send any replies to the e-mail address above

• Re: moving peonies - Judi 17:59:34 7/21/99 (0)

  You want to dig them up and plant them permanently into their new location as soon as possible. Don't cut back the foliage until it has all died back.

My nephues have a project of planting a peach and a plumb seed have you any suggestions how to? thank you very much. Glen

• Re: planting peach, Plum seeds - Kayla 00:14:55 7/20/99 (0)

  Peach seeds are more likely to produce good fruit trees than are plum seeds. A friend of mine had success simply planting several fresh Elberta peach seeds in cultivated garden soil, then transplanting the most vigorous one. The tree is now seven years old and started producing in '97. The peaches are sweet, but small. All she did was to keep them moist until they sprouted.

I have a bed with 30 iris plants. Last week, I noticed the leaves on about 5 of them had wilted, and the tubers were rotting. I then found inch long whitish bugs in the stems and tubers, which I think are iris borers. What should I do at this stage of their life cycle. I need help quickly. Thanks.

• Re: Iris borers are killing my irises! - Judi 19:51:17 7/19/99 (0)

  Destroy and dispose of the infested/rotted rhizomes. If you find any more rhizomes that have borer holes in them: stick a wire into the hole to kill the borer. Keep on monitoring them. You might get some neem oil and use it to drench the rhizomes with.

I have seen several gardeners that cut the flower stems off and wondered why they do that. Does it help the root base or what could the reason be? thank you.

• Re: hosta - Judi 19:46:33 7/19/99 (0)

  We cut spent flowers off of plants so they won't waste their energy forming seed pods from the spent flowers. For hostas we want the energy going to the leaves when the flowers are done blooming.

I am trying to establish areas in my yard with rocks and plants that require less water than lawn grasses. I was wondering if you know any sites that promote this type of gardening. Thank you.

• Re: xeriscaping - Judi 00:57:25 7/19/99 (0)

  Here in Colorado we are big fans of xeriscaping! This place is (usually) very hot and dry in summer. Here is a jump page that lists some good books and sites to visit. We have been a member of Xeriscape! in CO for many years and are always glad to hear of someone wanting to do this type of landscaping!

  • Xeriscape Resources

   

This is what a stink bug looks like. This insect is a pest of many vegetable and fruit crops. Adults and nymphs suck plant juices from buds, blossoms, fruit, and seeds. Very destructive bug! Feeding often causes shriveling and/or distortion such as catfacing in fruit. These insects overwinter as adults. Barrel-shaped eggs are laid in clusters in June. From two to four generations per year.

• Re: This is a stink bug - Gerda Savino 20:03:34 8/22/99 (0)

  How can I do away wth the stink bug? They have ruined my tomatoes and now they a feasting on the eggplants, plants and fruits.

Help! I don't know what is happening! My zucchini plants are suddenly starting to wilt - they almost look like they are not getting enough water, but it's only happening to some plants. I looked for squash borer holes, but I can't see any. Any idea as to what is happening and what I can do?

• Re: My zucchini plants are wilting! - Judi 00:52:43 7/18/99 (0)

  There are several things to look for that may be causing the wilting if you have not found borers. Cucumber beetle larva will eat the roots and stems below the soil line causing the wilting and death of the plant. See the cucmber beetle link for more info. Squash bugs (black-brown ugly bugs) cause rapid wilting of the leaves which will then turn black. They suck the sap and at the same time inject a toxin into the plants. For squash bugs use sabadilla or rotenone to kill adults. Bacterial wilt, spread by cuke beetles, may be the problem. One sign is the wilted leaves may revive at night but wilt again in the heat next day. If this is the case pull up and destroy the infected plants. Don't compost them. Last possible cause could be nematodes. The only way to find out if you truly have nematodes is to have a soil test done. Good luck.

  • Cucumber Beetle Control

If you have a certfied organic farm with a conventional (pesticide user) farm right next to you- will the unavoidable pesticide drift affect your status as a certfied organic grower. The convential farm in question is a very heavy chemical user and relocation for the OG farm is out of the question at this point in time. Do our good practices out weigh the bad ones? Does it even have a bearing on our status? I am in a real quandry over this. Thanks everyone!!!

• Re: Organic grower next to conventional grower - Ohiorganic 16:10:59 8/01/99 (0)

  Any certified farm must have a buffer zone between themselves and the conventional farm. In Ohio it is 25 ' . Most farms also put up fencing or trees or some other vertical thing to help keep the drift out. We have a fence and have planted trees in our buffer zone. We also us a lot of row cover during spray season and have an understanding farmer that is extremely careful when he sprays near our gardens.
  Our world is polluted so there is no way short of gardening under glass and using purified water and air within that environment to have absolutely chem free produce. The rain and air hold lots of ag and industrial chems now but organics is a lot healthier than conventional farming

I have four 30 foot rows of sweet corn planted. The stalks are haelthy and about 6 foot high. The tassles have been out for 2 weeks and loaded with pollen.
The problem is that there is not one ear on any of the plants!
Anyone heard of this??

• Re: No Ears on Corn Stalks - Georgeb Fallon 17:52:06 7/16/99 (1)

  I have never seen pollen loaded tassles with no silks! Must have been a mutated seed strain? You should get a county extension agent to take a look at it. How can there be pollen at all with no silks? Strange indeed!

  • Re: No Ears on Corn Stalks - Kayla 00:29:10 7/17/99 (0)

    My first thought was lack of pollination. If you do have someone take a look at this please let us all know. What a mystery!

  Re: No Ears on Corn Stalks - Judi 23:56:19 7/15/99 (2)

  If the weather has hot and dry and/or you have had hot dry winds this can really mess up the pollination. That is all I can think of.

  Try handpollinating them by shaking the tassles onto the silks and see what happens. Worked for me one year when I was getting no ears.

  • Re: No Ears on Corn Stalks - chuck burilla 08:51:06 7/16/99 (1)

    But that is the whoe point: There are NO ears and therefore No silks to pollinate!

    • Re: No Ears on Corn Stalks - Judi 12:18:56 7/16/99 (0)

      I have ever heard of or seen anything like that.

I have in my yard what someone told me was a "swamp" maple. It is a beautiful tree. Its bark has fallen off one section of the trunk near the ground. Beneath this bark there is what appears to be a root growing back up the tree. This root has since broken from exposure or possible insect activity. There is some insect activity on the exposed wood. I don't want to lose this tree. Does anyone have suggestions?

• Re: "Swamp Maple" Bark problems - Judi 14:56:55 7/14/99 (2)

  First I suggest that you cleanly cut the wayward root off below the soil line. Second it would be a good idea to identify the insects. Many insects live under the bark of trees and cause serious damage. Obviously they had been under there for awhile to have caused the bark to fall off. Third carefully trim all loose bark on the tree back to healthy, attached bark. You want to eliminate any more insect living areas. This also helps to stimulate the cabmium to start healing over the wound.

  Monitor the damaged area and look for any changes good or bad. Be aware of any holes in the trunk that are exuding sap or sawdust. This would indicate the presence of borers, extremely destructive insects.

  • Re: "Swamp Maple" Bark problems - Veronica 20:45:33 7/17/99 (1)

    I removed the bark that came away easily. Looks like the tree was in the process of healing. I know this usually takes quite awhile. There were borers. Ants. I flushed them out with a hose. They haven't made a reappearance. At least I haven't seen them on the surface. Is there something I can use to ensure that. There are a great number of birds and squirrels that feed in the area of the tree. I could use chemicals but I don't want to harm any of the critters.

    • Re: "Swamp Maple" Bark problems - Judi 19:36:09 7/18/99 (0)

      Watch the ants and see if they are "herding" aphids on the tree. If it is a young tree and you do find aphids then you can treat them with insectcidal soap. This won't hurt the birds or critters. If the tree is more mature don't worry about aphids as older trees can withstand aphids.

      Probe the borer holes with a wire to make sure they are gone. You can also inject BT ( a safe biological control) into the holes to kill any borers that might be in there. Borers can kill trees pretty quickly. When I treat for borers I plug the holes with plumbers putty so they are not an open invitation. Do keep an eye out for new borer holes.

I need help! For the last two years in Montréal we encountered an infestation of earwig. We want to get rid of them without the use of commercial chemicals. Does anyone have a proven receipe? Regards.

• Re: earwig infestation - Judi 00:29:46 7/14/99 (0)

  It is hard to remember that earwigs are benficial insects when they are spilling out of every nook, cranny and crevice. Not to mention strolling all over the kitchen counters at night. Here are a few tips that might help you out. If anyone has got something better we are all ears!

  One possible control in dealing with earwigs is to mix insecticide soap with isopropyl alcohol and spray the infested area every two to three days for two weeks. To make this spray add 1 tablespoon of the alcohol to each quart of insecticide soap.

  Another method is to trap earwigs in pieces of old hose or rolled up newspapers. Check these during day and shake the insects into a bucket of soapy water.
  
  A very successful method to get rid of earwigs is to take a shallow, straight-sided container and fill it half full with vegetable oil. Clean out the bodies every day and you may reuse the oil as often as you like. We have found that this works particularly well in a greenhouse situation.

  
  
  

I have gravenstein, jonathon and winesap apple trees. We have had a big problem with fireblight this year. Anyone have some suggestions that might help the trees now? Should I prune out the infested limbs at this time? I live in Northern Utah. I should mention our orchard is certified organic. Thanks!

• Re: Fireblight on Apple trees - Steve 08:10:41 7/12/99 (1)

  Sure, prune out the fireblight, cleaning your pruners with alcohol between cuts. Didn't help my Asian pears tho this year. Just yesterday I had to cut down 15 of 40 trees. The blight was that severe. I was dreaming about those trees all night. All I can say is good luck.

  • Re: Fireblight on Apple trees - Judi 18:12:43 7/14/99 (0)

    I will add that you should make the cuts below the fireblight damaged area at about 6 inches into healthy wood. When it is as severe as in Steve's case removal of the trees is all you can do.

Would anyone know if there is one manure soil amendment that is better than the others? Like cow, horse, sheep etc. Do they have different nitrogen contents?

• Re: Soil Amendments - Judi 17:52:03 7/09/99 (0)

  Here is a very simple breakdown on manures for you:

  Chicken manure: nitrogen rich: use for heavy feeders such as corn, tomatoes and squash.
  Cow Manure: potash: use for root crops.
  Rabbit manure: promotes strong leaves and stems.
  Horse manure: leaf development.

  I don't have any info on sheep manure...yet!

SENDING OUT A S.O.T. = SAVE OUR TOMATOES!
our tomato plants are just curling up and dying, one plant at a time. water regular. see no bugs, leaves stay green (no brown patches, nor any mold...that we can see). clerk at the store sugested seven, no help. then they told us to try a fungicide, still nothing. whatever it is, it's spreading. HELP, a summer without tomatoes, I don't know what we'll do.

• Re: What's happening to our tomatoes? - Judi 23:57:40 7/05/99 (0)

  Are the top portions of the plants getting "curly" looking? When you remove the dead plants do you see knot like formations on the roots?

anyone know of a repelleant or plant or whatever, that will discourage cats digging up flower beds and urinating wherever?
we constantly find dead birds as a result of their presence.

• Re: cats - Kayla 01:09:24 7/07/99 (0)

  Here is one for ya: Try spraying full strength lemon juice directly on the soil where they get in the garden. It works well for me. You don't want to get the lemon juice on your plants foliage though as it is somewhat acidic and could cause damage. Let us know if you try it!
• Re: cats - Judi 23:55:05 7/05/99 (0)

  Try planting the herb Rue interspersed here and there. Anywhere I have planted Rue my cats really steer clear of.

I am growing sweet and white corn from seed. The stalks are presently about 12 inches high and, suddenly, some of the plants are beginning to fall over. I did pull one and it is still rooted. Yet, I can't imagine this falling over is normal, but don't know where to start in analyzing the problem.

Thanks for any help out there.

• Re: problems growing corn - Judi 23:52:57 7/05/99 (1)

  Does it look as though the base of the corn plant was chewed? If so then cutworms chopped them down. Just sink a nail in the soil next to the base of the plant. The worms will be unable to wrap themselves around and fell the corn.

  • Re: problems growing corn - Kayla 17:34:06 7/15/99 (0)

    The problem could also be corn root worms or possibly nematodes. Check the roots of the plants for any kind of feeding damage. I lost some corn last yera to cutworms and root worms too. I didn't notice until it was too late.

the county has put sewer lines in and we agreed to allow them 10 feet along the property line and 20 feet through the middle of the back yard (we have 2 acres) they took 26 to 46 feet along the property line and took out 3 gardens that had been organicaly gardened for 34 years , when they were allegedly repairing the yard to it's previous condition they tried to use bulldozers to remove the clay , it didn't work and then when they had agreed to replace the soil and the trees they had destroyed (the trees were replaced with small ones of the same species ) but the soil was replaced with 7 truckloads of a sand/clay/rock mixture that looks like desert soil , I tried buying topsoil and digging large holes that I filled with the topsoil to plant in , granted I had a few choice words during the process , but that's digressing the plants all died , but my nose burned for at least 6 hours afterward, from a petroleum/burnt rubber smell, I sent a sample to the extention agent to be tested (they only test for nutrients in the soil) and called the EPA they took a sample but haven't gotten back to me either, I did find out that the soil is allegedly top soil from the sewage treatment plant, but not sewage sludge. My question is what else can I do to make them take this soil away, I've had to dig trenchs in clay soil and fill them with bagged top soil at this point 3200lbs that I've hauled in my car and with a wheelbarrow to try to save the 200lbs of gladioli bulbs, they destroyed the asparagras that had been growing for 20 years, and I now have soil that nothing will grow in and I can forget about growing anything organiclly in that area again it needs to be removed , I ask for 1 inch of sand and 6 inches of top soil so I could at least plant flowers in it for a few years while I worked on improving the soil to the organic point again, Weeds wont even grow in the soil now. Any ideas on how to deal with them and any other areas to persue would be appreciated.

• Re: top soil to clay - Judi 16:47:45 7/08/99 (0)

  Sharon, that is terrible what they did to you! It will be surprising if you get any response from the EPA at all. Let us know if you do. Legally I have no idea what you can do. Have you tried finding any "real" environmental groups in your area that might be able to help you? The destruction of your wonderful organic gardens is or should be an absolute crime!!!

  I have a customer who bought land to build on that was once an organic farm and had tons of beautful soil they were so happy about. Before they moved in the builder stripped it all down to clay subsoil, hauled it off and sold it. They returned to dump pretty much desert like soil like you what got. What I recommended to them was to till in alfalfa meal, lots of it. It has helped improve the soil a great deal to where they are able to grow things.

Dylan & Nicole found several black spikey haired caterpillers on our pussy willow tree. They are about 1-2 inches long. In between the hairs on the back there is reddish-brown spots. They also have red suction-type feet on the back half of their bodies. We live in Saskatchewan, Canada. Can you help to identify them? What will they change into?

• Re: Caterpiller Identification - Jean 16:32:34 8/13/99 (0)

  Green leaf eating tomato caterpiller - Tomato Hornworm - Drop all of them in soapy water
  except the ones you find with funny white balloons on their backs. Those you should
  take off your plants(no more food for them) and let the parasites in the balloons eat
  them. This makes more parasites that will help you keep your garden hornworm free.
• Re: Caterpiller Identification - judi 12:55:31 7/09/99 (0)

  My guess from your descripttion is the caterpillar is a the larva of the Mourning Cloak butterfly. It is common throughout North America and loves to feed on pussy willows, elms and poplars. the butterfly is a rather somber looking creature thus the name Mourning Cloak. Looks kind of like weathered wood. Thecaterpillar can be quite detrimental to trees.
• Re: Caterpiller Identification - Julia Elliott 20:20:08 6/30/99 (0)

  My son and I found a catterpiller on our house in North Texas. It has gold/copper colored spikes (like the color of jewelry with a body that looks like gold fabric paint. Would you tell us what kind it is and what it will become?

I have a sego that is getting big in the palm area I would
like to keep the palms from growing so tall,
How do you prune one of these things ?

• Re: Sego palm - Laura 19:43:04 8/06/99 (0)

  You cannot prune a sago palm! If you cut out the growing tip (on the top) it will die. Are you pruning the bottom fronds to make it have a trunk? Quit doing that if you are. I have seen 150 year old sagos that are no more than four feet tall. They will spread, however, and if you are not prepared for an eight-nine feet spread, move the sago to a better location. Good luck!

I saw reference to hydrated lime in a post about cuke beetles. I am new to most of this stuff,and I hope someone can tell me where I can find this? Does it come in a bottle? Is it liquid like the name implies?

• Re: hydrated lime - Laurel 11:41:37 8/18/99 (0)

  Any good gardening center should sell this in a powder form. Not hard to locate.

In an eariler post I called the creatures in the pool caterpillars- After searching around the net trying to figure out what these things are I think they are in fact some type of centipedes. They do not have pinchers in their tail end. Can anyone offer any insight as to how to stop them? The pool is surrounded by mulch could that be where they are breeding ?
Can I spray ? I have 2 small children and don't want to use any bad chemicals. I live in NC will their season end soon ? Any help would be appreciated. THANKS

• Re: mistaken idenity - Judi 15:37:06 7/02/99 (0)

  Sounds like you do have some sort of centipedes. Yes they will hide in the mulch and come out at night. Your best course of action is to pull the mulch back from the swimming pool and see if that doesn't help.

- Teri 17:03:08 6/26/99 (1)

We live near a lake in Dallas and are over run by swarms of mosquitoes. It worse in our backyard for some reason. What can we do to repell them. We have pets and want something that will not be harmfull to them.

• Re: mosquitoes - Judi 15:43:41 7/02/99 (0)

  Best thing you can do is get mosquito "bricks" which are made from bacillus thuringiensis v. israelensis. You put them in any standing water that you can find where mosquitoes are breeding. It will kill the larva, very safe too. Obviously you can't treat the whole lake but may be able to reduce the problem in your backyard. BTI bricks are commonly available.

I have found squash bugs (beetles?) in my pumpkins and squash plants. I have also found some of their eggs. It doesn't look like they have done too much damage, but I think it is early. What is the best way to get rid of them? I want to take care of this quickly, can anyone give a novice advice? Thank you.

• Re: Squash Bugs - Judi 15:46:16 7/02/99 (0)

  You bet! Squash those eggs, everytime you find some! Gross but effective.
• Re: Squash Bugs - Holly 18:50:13 6/27/99 (1)

  I found a bug today that I don't know what it is. I think it's a squash bug, but it doesn't have the orange that the borer has on it. It is shield shaped and my old bug book refers to it as a stinkbug. It does smell when you kill it. I found eggs on my pumpkin plants today. They are small, brown and oval shaped. Are these squash bugs? What can I do for them? Last year I lost all of my cucurbits to this bug. I did put down beneficial nematodes earlier for the grubs. What else can I do? I'm desperate.

  • Re: Squash Bugs - Barbara 10:39:26 7/10/99 (0)

    Holly, I posted the first message about Squash bugs on 6-25. I have learned quite a bit since then about these bugs. According to Rodales Organic Gardening Encylopedia there are indeed also called stink bugs....something I recall from my childhood. They lay eggs that are orange/red and Rodale recommends you hand pick the bugs and eggs. They will cause the leaves to wilt and blacken if left alone.....eventually wiping out your squash plants. These little critters have taken a liking to almost every neighboring plant to lay their eggs. I am busy several times a week hand picking them and cutting out the eggs where ever I find them, unless I happen to find another beneficial bug eating them :-)....I leave them alone to their feast! Good luck and I hope you don't have as many as I do.

I am having a dreadful time with a squirrel who seems to want to dig up my flowers. I live on the 2nd floor of an apartment building. She has nested over the winter and destroyed much property. I have no desire to harm her, just want her to stay away and out of my flower pots. Moth balls work to a point. Tried blood meal and dried chilies.

• Re: SQUIRRELS!!! - Judi 18:58:04 6/24/99 (0)

  The people that make Hot Pepper Wax insect repellant now have a hot pepper wax animal repellant that is supposed to work well for squirrels and rabbits. I haven't tried it. They do have a website where you can read about their products. Might be perfect for your situtation. What about putting out some feed for her???

  • Hot Pepper Wax

   

There are black worms eating all of my strawberries. I have tried several products to rid them, nothing seems to work. Any suggestions?

• Re: Strawberry Worms - Judi 16:40:57 6/24/99 (0)

  Sounds like they are wireworms. Very hard to get rid of as you have found out. The best tip I ever got for dealing with them is to set out pieces of cut up potatoes in the strawberry patch. The worms will feast on the potatoes. Put the infested potatoes in the trash and keep repeating the procedure until you have the worms under control. Good luck!

Can someone tell me what would cause an Aspen tree to bud (hard buds) but not bloom. I have a total of 3 planted together and two of them have bloomed but the other will not. It seems to have some yellowish marks aroung the trunk that I do not see on the other 2? It is soft when you bend the twigs and green when one is broken off. These 3 trees where planted for the first time last August or so.

Any information would be appreciated.

• Re: My Aspen tree budded but is not blooming - Judi 15:16:48 6/23/99 (0)

  It is rather late (depending on where you are located) for the tree not to have leafed out. However if the cambium is still green and the limbs flexible the tree should still leaf out. There are different types of aspens and it is quite possible that you have mixed varieties. Some leaf out quite a bit later than others.

  If the yellow marks aren't oozing or doing anything it is just a normal marking the tree is developing. Many aspens can get a yellowish cast or markings to them.

  Are the yellow marks doing anything? Where are you located?

   

I have a conventional grower friend from my farmers market struggling with cucumber beetles. He wants to use organic controls, if possible. Any ideas Judi from your vast wealth of knowledge? Thanks!

• Re: cucumber beetles/diabrotica - Judi 18:53:45 6/24/99 (1)

  Well Steve........I have a few suggestions. If the beetles are in full swing (when they are observed eating the pollen on the flowers) I would say at that point you need to go ahead with a spray of rotenone or pyrethrin. Parasitic nematodes can offer some control over the larval stage and lacewings and ladybugs will eat the eggs. Of course you know the old floating row cover routine. Using a very deep straw mulch seems to prevent the adults from commuting from plant to plant. Common marigolds can be used as an effective trap crop or French, African and Mexican marigolds help to repel them. For some reason planting white radishes around cuke and other plants seem to help a great deal. I don't know why.

  Here is homemade spray they could try: Mix a spray of 1 ounce wood ashes, 1 ounce hydrated lime and 1 gallon water. Spray upper and lower leaf surfaces. The lime seems to dehydrate the beetles, killing them.

  The striped beetles do more damage than the spotted ones. They are ALL nasty devils to deal with!

  • Re: cucumber beetles/diabrotica - Steve 08:50:22 6/26/99 (0)

    Thanks for the info, I'll pass it along to my grower friend!

I have aphids (not green but reddish) all over my tomatoes. have sprayed with neem oil and used soapy water spray. Nothing seems to work. any ideas????

• Re: APHIDS!!! - Judi 00:38:59 6/26/99 (0)

  Neem oil works on aphids for me. I have said this before and here I go again. Get some of the product called Hot Pepper Wax. It is completely natural and knocks out aphids like you wouldn't believe! Great stuff! Why the state of Colorado won't approve it for sale here is beyond me! You can't get more organic.

I have mature oaks in my yard. Initially, we noticed a few small catepillers around the deck (next to an oak).
As the weeks have gone by, these caterpillers have grown to about 3and 1/2 inches, and 1/4 to 1/2 inch wide.
They have about 8 blue spots on the front half and about the same number of red spots on the back half.
They have also mutiplied tremendously. I am afraid they will destroy my plants as well as the trees. What are they and what can I do?
Thanks for any help you can give me.
A

• IMPORTANT! - Judi 18:08:40 6/23/99 (0)

  It just dawned on me that those caterpillars with red and blue spots as you describe are the larvae of the gypsy moth. They are an incredibly destructive insect! Get some BT and spray those trees as soon as possible! Don't delay. Oaks are the favorite food of gypsy moth caterpillars and they can defoiliate a whole tree in 2 weeks. I do mean to be alarming in this statement!!!
• Re: caterpillers! - Judi 18:02:11 6/23/99 (1)

  I don't know what kind of caterpillar that is...what is the main color of the body? If they are devouring the trees and plants you can treat them with BT, bacillus thuringiensis. Make a foliar application of BT every 10 days until they are gone. BT is safe and effective.

  • Re: caterpillers! - Jean 16:39:36 8/13/99 (0)

    :Here's another example of a time really good photos of bogs and caterpillers would help.
    http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov  has great photographs of butterflies (few catterpillers).

I have another problem with my oleander plant. Now it has hundreds of tiny yellow bugs on it! Plus the leaves have a white powderey substance on them. Help! What are they and how do I treat them?
Thanks,
Pam

• Re: little yellow bugs/white on leaves - Judi 15:09:39 6/23/99 (0)

  What other distinguishing characteristics do the yellow have? There are many, many little yellow bugs.

  The white powder on the leaves is powdery mildew. It generally shows up in hot dry conditions. Sodium bicarbonate commonly known as baking soda has been found to posses fungicidal properties. It is recommended for plants that already have powdery mildew to hose down all the infected leaves prior to treatment. This helps to dislodge as many of the spores as possibly to help you get better results. Use as a prevention or as treatment at first signs of powdery mildew.
  To make: Mix 1 tablespoon baking soda, 2 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil with one gallon of water. Shake this up very thoroughly. To this mix add 1/2 teaspoon of pure castille soap (or Ivory)and spray. Be sure to agitate your sprayer while you work to keep the ingredients from separating. Cover upper and lower leaf surfaces and spray some on the soil. Repeat every 5-7 days as needed.

I have heard that diatomatious earth is useful in killing slugs around hostas. Has anyone else used this method and if so, does it work? Are there any other remedies for riding our hostas of slugs?

• Re: Slugs and hostas - Judi 22:29:40 6/22/99 (0)

  DE does work quite well against slugs but must be reapplied after rain. Also any product containing yucca extract works well. Check out the slug tip page for all kinds of remedies.

  Hopefully one day the slug killing nematodes will be available in this country!

  • Ugh...Slugs!

I live in N. California and would like to plant strawberries to sell at the local farmers markets. I do things organically, always. However this is my first venture as a "truck" farmer. Can anyone suggest some of the everbearing strawberries that do well? Our zone is 7.

• Re: Strawberry varieties? - Steve 09:10:07 6/19/99 (1)

  Where about in No. CA? I'm in the foothills east of Sacramento. Have been growing three varieties of strawberries. Quinalt, excellent flavor, yield, but doesn't handle well. We've been selling them in 1/2 pt baskets to keep from smashing the berries on the bottom. Tristar, good flavor, yield, handles well. No where near the taste of Quinalt tho. Oglala, great taste, small berries. Handles well, but the size makes them a lot harder to justify picking. Tried Chandler before, with horrible results.

  That brings up the question; who's going to pick them? It's hard for me to justify picking berries myself or with my helpers, as it is insanely labor intensive. When the plants are loaded with the spring flush of berries, it does pay to pick them. But after that initial flush, it takes more time. If I feel we have the time we'll do it, but lately it hasn't been getting done! We're open on Sat. mornings locally, letting the local folk do a u-pick at $1 a pint basket. I'm sorry, but I'm not into picking berries for hours at a time anymore!

  Keep in mind, according to CCOF, a strawberry plant is considered a transplant and berries legally can't be sold the first year as organic unless your plants are organic. BTW, if you find organic plants, let me know!

   

  • Re: Strawberry varieties? - Judi 22:37:58 6/22/99 (0)

    I have often wondered how anyone makes money filling those pint baskets with any kind of berry! There are a lot of u-pick places around here.

    I grow strawberries for my own enjoyment and i agree with Steve that Quinalt is a superbly flavored berry and good producer! I also have Fort Laramie which is quite good but a smaller fruit. Still a good yielder.

    I don't know of anyone that sells organically grown strawberry plants either!

Last year, the columbine had a not too serious case of leaf miners making trails in the leaves. This year, they are rampant! -- in nasturtiums, in bean plants as well as the columbine.

Any ideas about getting rid of this problem would be appreciated.

• Re: leaf miners - Judi 17:33:47 6/16/99 (0)

  Yes, the best control for leaf miners is Bacillus Thuringiensis or BT. You should be able to buy it at any nursery center. It is a biological disease that will kill the leaf miners yet is not toxic to humans, animals or the birds, that may eat the treated leaf miners.

I have a 4 year plant.It has developed a head on it with hundreds of seeds in it.I was told to break head off and take seeds.....Can you tell me how to handle this problem and how to save the seeds and plant them.......Thank you.......

• Re: sago palm - Lynn McKamey 19:55:40 6/14/99 (0)

  Everything you ever wanted to know about growing Sago Palms from seed can be found at http://rarepalms.com  -- take the sago palm article link.

Help the racoons are destroying my garden. Does anyone know how I can keep them away from my plants

• Re: Racoons in my Garden - Judi 00:53:43 6/14/99 (0)

  Racoons drive us crazy here and there seems to be no true solution other than an electric fence. This following method gave us a pretty good success last season. Soak old corn cobs in vinegar. Place them around the plant to be protected. Supposedly once they chew on these they will not come back. We found that last season this worked on both skunks and raccoons for about 2 months. Apparently after that they got wise and were up to their old tricks. Howver the 2 months it was effective were great! This year we are going to try soaking the corn in a solution of Neem oil which is incredibly bitter. We'll see what happens. Good luck to you.

My father-in-law wants to know about some little black bugs that get into our strawberry and raspberry patches. Even though they do not eat much, they are kinda an ugly surprise in my cereal. Can anyone tell me what these are and what to do about them? We live in Southern Minnesota. Thank you, Annie

• Re: Strawberry Bugs - Judi 01:02:59 6/14/99 (0)

  Sounds like you may have fungus gnats. Probably the best trap ever for these annoying bugs is to put out small containers filled halfway with cider vinegar in areas where you are having problems with them. They dive into the vinegar and drown. Strain and reuse the vinegar until you have gained control of them.
  You can also use Gnatrol a biological pesticide to naturally kill off the larvae of fungus gnats. Just a few applications will break the breeding cycle.
  If the bugs look like a small beetle then you have flea beetles.

  • Gnatrol Biological Larvicide

   

I have 3 different variety's of clematis and I am wondering what I do when they die back in late fall. Do I cut them back? It was suggested to me to make a "trellis" of bird netting attached to wooden stakes and then just "roll them down" and mulch over them for the winter. I was unable to find any bird netting when I needed support, so I now have metal trellis'.
Thanks in advance, Annie

• Re: Clematis Questions - Judi 00:43:29 6/14/99 (0)

  It depends on what type of clematis you have. The jackmanii and viticella types bloom on new or old shoots. These you prune hard in early spring back to 1 foot above the ground. The florida, lanuginosa and patens types bloom on old shoots in spring and new shoots in summer. For these you remove only dead or damaged shoots in early spring. After they have done their spring blooming you then would do the main pruning back to force the new blooming shoots.

  I would not recommend rolling them down as the wood is very delicate and brittle. Best to let them be on their support for the winter. They should always have a mulch to shade the roots. They are very hardy once established.

I'm new to gardening... are peonies to be pinched back when the flower is done blooming?

• Re: peonies - judi 00:46:21 6/11/99 (0)

  Yes. When they are completely finished blooming you cut the stem down to a point right above a leaf.

My sego flowered about 6/8 months ago now a new crown or leaves are forming. I've found in the flower large seed pods the size of 1/2 dollars. Can I plant these seeds to grow new plants? Do I just need to cut the Pups off the sides an transplant? If so HOW? Please help.
Thanks Uncleiicky

• Re: Sagos - Jana 07:52:47 6/08/99 (0)

  Was your female sago pollinated? The seeds may or may not be viable. Listed below is a link to an article on growing cycads from seeds.

  • Cycas Revoluta -- How to Grow Them from Seed

   

Farmer Bob what breed of duck would you recommend for slug control? I have about a 2 1/2 acre natural farm and grow all sorts of things...including slugs!!! Help!

• Re: Duck breeds & slugs - Farmer Bob 08:47:30 6/09/99 (0)

  I'll tell you what, those darn Pekin breed ducks I've been herding this year have worked out just fine. I've heard the Muscovy breed is the best for slug patrol, but I've never used them before. I got the Pekins as day-olds, something I recommend very strongly! Picked up some adults around the same time, boy howdy, they had some mighty bad habits in that puny little pea brain of theirs (reminds me of a few politicians around these parts...)

  Put the young ducklings out to work around six weeks. Feed them a little cracked corn at night as you pen them up (gotta pen them up around here...coons, coyotes, you know). They learned to follow the old tractor every time I went tilling or discing. Slug bodies flying every which way as I worked this tired old ground. I can't stress enough, start with young ducks, as the adults are more concerned about breeding season than anything else, and that includes eating! Also, be sure to have AT LEAST one female for every male...if not, you'll have a bunch of beat up females and frustrated, fightin males. And hey, if they're fightin or bummed out, they ain't eatin slugs!

  Good luck friend, and let us know how ducks work out for you.

Reading up on last year's tips on this subject, I came up with the idea of using sheets of coarse sandpaper to protect single-stem plants like vines and young bushes. (My male arguta (kiwi) vine has been stripped every night by slugs.) The sandpaper works! You just slit the sheet to the middle and slip it around the plant stem. And nobody dies.

• Re: slugs - Judi 16:31:02 6/05/99 (0)

  Great tip Grace! It sure does work.

Recently got an 8ft Alexander palm to go in my open atrium. (dimensions 5ft wide by 10ft long by 12-13ft high) I reside in the Houston TX area and we prepared the old dirt by roto tilling in a half yard of soil mix. This atrium is viewed from 4 rooms and as I am horticulturally challenged I need all the advice I can get. ............. thx andi

• Re: the Alexander palm and the horticulturally challenged-help - Jana 20:39:58 6/01/99 (0)

  The native habitat of an Alexander palm is a rainforest or swamp. When you say "open atrium," does that mean it has no roof? It will be eager to breathe in all that Houston humidity. If it does well, it will grow taller than 13 feet.

I would like to find a way to keep deer from eating my crops.

• Re: Deer - Judi 00:09:07 6/02/99 (0)

  Here is a repellant spray you can make at home to try. It is like the deer-away products such as Ropel of Hinder. For more tips on dealing with deer go to the link I am posting.

  Egg spray: mix 5-6 raw eggs in 1 gallon of water and spray. This will cover approximately 17,00 sq. feet. The smell of decomposing eggs keep the deer away while being too faint a dilution for humans to detect. The U.S. Forest service has used this for years. Also including some antitranspirant in this mix will extend the benefits. An alternative is to use wettable sulfur which gives off that rotten egg smell. Mix according to directions and spray as a barrier.

  • Critter Control

   

I am located in the Seattle are. I have (had) a lovely strawberry ptach that is now crawling with slugs! Help! Anyone have some specific suggestions for dealing with the #!!%%##!! slugs in the poor old strawberries?

• Re: Slugs in the strawberry patch - Judi 19:06:34 6/01/99 (3)

  Probably the best slug strategy for strawberries is to use a pine needle mulch spreading it under your plants. Also any type of gardening product that contains a Yucca extract really helps to repel slugs. Check out this slug tip page for all sorts of ideas.

  ugh....Slugs!

  • Re: Slugs in the strawberry patch - Judi 19:10:44 6/01/99 (2)

    Perhaps we can get a few slug tips from Steve when/if he has a spare moment. Maybe we will even hear from the mysterious Farmer Bob in North Colorado. An interesting character....

    • Re: Slugs in the strawberry patch - Farmer Bob 09:45:11 6/03/99 (1)

      I believe it was the summer of '47, yep, that was the year. Slugs the size of baseball bats. Well I'll tell you all this, we became serious duck farmers real quick! Heck, let em eat a few strawberries, a small price to pay for long term slug control. Time to weed the quackgrass, talk to you all later.

      • Re: Slugs in the strawberry patch - Lucy Ohiorganic 13:21:17 6/11/99 (0)

        We have started to get lots of toads and snakes in out strawberry patch (one toad hopped over my foot while I was picking on its way to a slug snack) this season and have had very few slugs. If you have raised beds put copper srtips all the way around the bed. hand picking also works wonders-pick and put the slimers in a bucket of wood ash or DE. Early morning is the best time to pick

Would anyone know if there is a certain type of tree leaf that makes the best compost? How about some which do not work well? I have heard that oak leaves are difficult to breakdown. TIA

• Re: Leaves for compost? - Judi 18:23:32 6/02/99 (1)

  Oak leaves are one of the slowest types of leaves
  to break down because of a waxy coating on the leaves. Their carbon/nitrogen ratio is something like 80:1 compared to maple leaves which are more like 25:1.

  For leaf mold or compost the best leaves are from willows. Any kind of willow. They are the absolute best humus builders there is. Ash leaves and locust leaves break down rather nicely too.

  • Re: Leaves for compost? - Laura 19:50:25 8/06/99 (0)

    I have a hard time breaking down oak leaves, too. Here in Florida we have mostly live and water oak, and their leaves make an absolutely wonderful mulch. The fact that they are so slow to decompose is a plus for me; I use them extensively as mulch around my shrub borders and on paths. I do need an acidic soil, though; I grow mainly ericacious plants so the acidifying effect is desirable to me. I do not use them in my perennial borders, but then I prefer not to mulch my perennials. Try it this year; instead of raking and bagging, do yourself and the landfill a favor by using leaves as a mulch!

Hi everyone! I am an organic grower in Indiana. I grow all kinds of strawberries and would like to put them on a drip irrigation system. Would this be alright for strawberries and can anyone recommend a good brand of drip system? Thanks guys!!!

• Re: Strawberries & Drip Irrigation - Steve 08:23:08 5/27/99 (1)

  I use t-tape here in our arid Northern CA climate. The strawberries seem to get plenty of water. I use the 15 mil 12 oc , high flow t-tape. With t-tape, I can remove the tape from the fittings in about five seconds for weeding or whatever. Great stuff, if only someone nearby would recycle it, as t-tape will start to degrade after about three years, unless it's buried. BTW, it's shaping up to be an excellent strawberry year!

  • Re: Strawberries & Drip Irrigation - Judi 19:08:34 5/27/99 (0)

    I'll second Steve's recommendation. That t-tape is great stuff!

Is there a safe and easy way to be rid of aphids which are infesting my oleander plants?

• Re: aphids - Judi 19:15:52 5/27/99 (0)

  Check out the aphid tips on the link I am posting for some methods.

  You might also consider using Neem Oil or Hot Pepper Wax for aphid control. Both are botanical derivatives and quite safe to use! Many times just washing down the plants with a forceful stream of water can be a great help.

  • Natural Insect Control

   

I've read that cayenne peppers should not be planted near sweet peppers due to cross-pollination. But I do not know how far I need to plant them from the sweet peppers. Any suggestions?

• Re: pepper placement - Judi 19:22:13 5/24/99 (0)

  Peppers are self-fertile yet they do cross pollinate easily. You will need 20-30 feet betweeen the varieties to ensure that there is no cross pollination to get a pure seed strain. Others recommend 500 feet! In the interest of space constraints: you can also "hand pollinate" the peppers or fashion a cloak of floating row cover to isolate them from pollinating insects. Just use s tomato cage or chicken wire and cover it with tha fabric. You can take it even a step further by fitting some nylon netting or the ever versatile panty hose around individual trusses before the flowers open. I often do this with my heirloom tomatoes so I can keep track of the fruits I will specifically save seed from.

  An interesting fact is that when sweet peppers cross with hot ones it generally results in the seeds producing plants that bear hot peppers. Hot peppers are generally dominant.

What would be the best cover crop to grow to increase general soil fertility? I have a small farm which is in the precess of converting to organic and getting certification. I am not too knowledgeable when it comes to cover cropping and could use some advice. Thank you.

• Re: Cover crop for soil fertility - Steve 09:24:22 5/24/99 (0)

  At this time of year in Northern CA, buckwheat is an excellent summer cover crop. It blooms real early, attracts beneficials, and brings up available phosphorus. Try and till or mow it before it goes to seed, as it will reseed freely. If your looking for a cover crop that fixes nitrogen this time of year, try soybeans, cowpeas, pinto beans, or just about any other warm weather legume. Be sure to inoculate the seed, it's cheap and really helps. Most of the cover cropping on our farm is fall planted, mowed and tilled into the soil the following spring. I use a mix of field peas, bell beans, vetch, and some sort of cereal grain, usually CA red winter oats. Most organic farm supply places carry it with names like soil builder mix, green manure mix, etc. Hey Judi or anyone else, any other cover cropping advice in other parts of the country?

I have a dwarf reliance peach tree planted last year that has a problem. The leaves on one very good branch are curling and look like they are blistered. All the baby peaches (about a million of them) have fallen off. I've sprayed with "fruit tree spray." The other branches are just beginning to be affected, and my other Hale Haven seems to be ok so far. Any idea what to do? Do I remove the whole branch or just the leaves? Is this going to kill my whole tree?

• Re: peach tree problem - Judi 19:15:11 5/23/99 (0)

  The "blisters" AND the leaf curl point to the peach leaf curl disease.

  I will repost the answer I have given to the other peach leaf question as it is the same. Your previous post led me to think of a different problem. If your Halehaven looks OK you could treat it with a sulfur spray as a preventative.

  What you have is a disease called 'Peach leaf curl" or Taphrina deformans. Once it has started there is nothing you can do to stop it this season. The good news is that it takes several seasons of this fungus attack to actually kill a peach tree so it is not too late. You will need to start this fall on a preventative maintenance program to control the disease and salvage the trees.

  What you want to do is use a lime-sulfur spray versus a copper base spray which can be injurious to the soil and plants. Copper is also alkaline and tends to accumulate in the soil, so it is a bad to use if you have clay soils. Sulfur based sprays are acidic in nature thus the plant and soil are able to use it. Sulfur is also a pretty decent miticide on it's own.
  
  Timing is most critical in controlling peach leaf curl disease. Begin by thoroughly spraying the tree starting this fall in October or November after leaf-drop but before heavy rains or snow start. Please be sure to clean up and dispose of all debris from the tree. Apply again when the tree is fully dormant in January of February before the buds begin to swell. The treat again in the spring just when the buds are beginning to swell and showing a little color. By following this spray program you should be able to get the disease under control and work on getting the trees into good health again.

  Another thing we highly recommend is using a kelp based type foliar fertilizer to build up the tree's immune system so it can naturally fend off the disease. Cultural practices should always be examined when trees or plants become subject to disease.

  Please don't do any pruning on the tree until you have been able to treat the peach leaf curl. Pruning will make the tree much more susceptible to other problems at this time.

  Good luck and I hope this helps you out!

Birds are pulling up my corn just after it comes through the ground, I have tied pie pans on sticks..Plastic stremers But this dose not help. I put tomato cages over one row and this worked but now I need them for my tomatos.

• Re: Birds eating my corn - Judi 00:48:31 5/21/99 (0)

  Why not make circles of chicken wire for a cage to protect them? You could also use floating row cover, like reemay, to protect them until they are big enough to withstand the bird assault.

I have one peach tree and the leaves have what I assume is a fungus. The whole leaf is not affected but what is, has a rosey red crinkle to it. What is it and what should I do to correct the problem? Thanks for any help.

• Re: Peach leaves - Judi 19:20:33 5/23/99 (0)

  What you have is a disease called 'Peach leaf curl" or Taphrina deformans. One of the symptoms is the reddish coloring on the foliage that you describe. The infection actually starts when the buds are just beginning to swell in the early spring. Once it has started there is nothing you can do to stop it this season. The good news is that it takes several seasons of this fungus attack to actually kill a peach tree so it is not too late. You will need to start this fall on a preventative maintenance program to control the disease and salvage the trees.

  What you want to do is use a lime-sulfur spray versus a copper base spray which can be injurious to the soil and plants. Copper is also alkaline and tends to accumulate in the soil, so it is a bad to use if you have clay soils. Sulfur based sprays are acidic in nature thus the plant and soil are able to use it. Sulfur is also a pretty decent miticide on it's own.

  Timing is most critical in controlling peach leaf curl disease. Begin by thoroughly spraying the tree starting this fall in October or November after leaf-drop but before heavy rains or snow start. Please be sure to clean up and dispose of all debris from the tree. Apply again when the tree is fully dormant in January of February before the buds begin to swell. The treat again in the spring just when the buds are beginning to swell and showing a little color. By following this spray program you should be able to get the disease under control and work on getting the trees into good health again.

  Another thing we highly recommend is using a kelp based type foliar fertilizer to build up the tree's immune system so it can naturally fend off the disease. Cultural practices should always be examined when trees or plants become subject to disease.

  Please don't do any pruning on the tree(s) until you have been able to treat the peach leaf curl. Pruning will make the tree much more susceptible to other problems at this time.

  Good luck and I hope this helps you out!

  • Golden Harvest Organics

   

Can anyone tell me what to do with a dwarf reliance peach tree with leaves on one very nice limb that look like they have been too close to the fire? They are covered with blisters. I have used a dormant oil spray to no avail. Am I going to lose my tree? It was planted last year.

• Re: Peach tree problem - Kevin 15:04:34 8/25/99 (0)

  What time of your do I trim back my Peach tree. I live is Southern California. The tree is a very early producer with fruit starting in April.
• Re: Peach tree problem - judi 17:55:45 5/19/99 (0)

  From your descritptions of "blisters" it sounds like you have galls on the leaves. It is just about impossible to treat for the insects that cause galls. Trust me on this one. The galls are unsightly but will do no harm to the tree. You won't lose it.

Does anyone happen to know where I can either get schinus molle seeds or small trees..
-Jason

• Re: Schinus Molle - Judi 00:52:52 5/22/99 (3)

  This is a place in Germany that deals in some very unusual tree seeds. They do have schinus molle aka peruvian pepper tree, california pepper tree etc.

  Exotic Tree seeds

  • Re: Schinus Molle - Jason 08:43:55 5/24/99 (2)

    Thank you so much for your help...
    -Jason

    • Re: Schinus Molle - Judi 18:17:18 5/24/99 (1)

      You are most welcome. If you should be looking for any other types of exotic trees Digital Raingardens does have quite an offering online.

      The schinus molle seeds/trees seem to be a very elusive variety.

      • Re: Schinus Molle - jason 08:26:31 5/25/99 (0)

        I agree.. Im trying to create a bonsai with one.. the last one I was growing my cat ate.. and well thats the end of that one and also my last seed..

We're putting in a small vineyard and I've used 2"x2"x8' pressure-treated wooden posts for the vertical support stakes for the grape vines. A co-worker just mentioned the possibility of chemicals from the wood leaching into the soil, and eventually ending up in the grapes we eat or the wine we make. I hadn't thought about this. Is this a concern? Should I replace these with galvanized pipe as he recommended?

Thanks in advance for any info!

• Re: Chemicals leaching from pressure-treated lumber? - Green Acres 09:15:53 5/19/99 (0)

  Judi-

  Thanks very much for the reply. I asked some other gardening aficionado co-workers after I posted my original query, and the concensous was all the same. (Guess it was kinda a dumb question to begin with:-)

  I also asked them about the galvanized pipe, and none thought this would pose a problem. Two already use galvanized pipe in their own vineyards. (And, for what it's worth, these are chemists and chemical engineers.) They said that any iron oxide or zinc that might break down into the soil shouldn't pose a health risk. (unlike the arsenic in the PT lumber)

  Cedar sounds like a good option, too. Guess I need to make another trip over to Home Depot...

  Thanks again!
• Re: Chemicals leaching from pressure-treated lumber? - Judi 19:34:30 5/18/99 (2)

  You don't want to use the pressure treated lumber. It is treated with CCA which is chromium, copper, aresenic. It will leach into the soil for years and your grapes will take it up. Galvanized pipe is either iron or steel that is coated with zinc. The only thing I can tell you in regards to the pipe is that you don't want to weld it as it will give off a poisonous gas.

  Why not use cedar or yellow pine which is naturally rot resistant. It would last a long time.

  Steve grows grapes, perhaps he has a comment on this?

  • Re: Chemicals leaching from pressure-treated lumber? - Steve 09:49:52 5/19/99 (1)

    I agree with Judi's comments, you do not want to use pressure treated post. Any usage of pressure treated wood is prohibited from certified organic production systems. This has stirred quite a debate amongst the organic community, specifically with grape growers. The evidence is there, treated post do indeed leach into the soil and eventially to the crop. What scares me half to death is the "treated wood manufacturers" like to talk about building raised garden beds made from treated wood! I use standard galvinized grape stakes for my vines. I've used cedar post in the past, unfortunately they only lasted for about three years before rotting at the base. The old timers up here slightly burn the bottoms of cedar post. I've pulled these old post out of the ground, loaded with the old style cut nails. These post have to be at least fifty years old! If you could find recycled or second growth redwood, heart cedar, locust, or any other decay resistant wood, go with that. Plus, I think wood post look nicer than metal!

    • Re: Chemicals leaching from pressure-treated lumber? - Judi 00:57:56 5/21/99 (0)

      Steve brings up a very scary fact. Those PT lumber manufacturers have been inundating the public with all that hype of using the treated lumber for gardening beds. I think it is terrible! There ought to be a warning posted on the PT wood products that it should not be used around any sort of food production gardens! Master gardeners here recommend it to people!!! Truly the stuff is meant for foundations.

Do you know of any sellers of "Lumbricus terrestis" worms? They are for your garden, not composting. Thanks. Please reply to compuhorsy@worldnet.att.net

• Re: Worms for the garden - Judi 16:34:42 5/18/99 (0)

  You might try the worm farm at:

  http://www.wormfarm.com/

  They do sell a "european nightcrawler"

  Or try uncle Jim's worm farm which has dealt in many types of
  nightcrawlers (Lumbricus terrestis):

  http://www.unclejim.com/

  • Uncle jim's Worm Farm

  
  

Please suggest the best type of peach trees for me to plant in central Indiana.

• Re: Midwestern peach variety - Judi 19:39:24 5/18/99 (0)

  These are freestone with yellow flesh: Reliance, Harbell, Stark Frosting, Sunapee. Also you could try Stark Surecrop which has white flesh and is a clingstone. Very tasty!

I just received a Arabian Coffee plant
and I am not sure what it needs to be a happy plant.
Can anyone help? Thanks.

• Re: How do I Care and Feed a Coffea Arabica (arabian coffee)? - Judi 00:28:30 5/18/99 (1)

  They do best in filtered sunlight and like night temps in the lower mid 60s and day temps of 70F or higher. It needs to be kept on the moist side. It will do better with fertilizer but can do without it. Fertilize every 2 weeks from March to October. Fertilize monthly from November to February.
  
  The flowers form in the leaf axels maturing into shiny red berries and the plants may start bearing fruit in 2 years if conditions are favorable . They will grow to about 10 feet but can be pruned if it is too big for it's space and for easier harvesting. Pests that may bother it are fruit flies and green scale.
  Propagation can be done from seed.

  • Re: How do I Care and Feed a Coffea Arabica (arabian coffee)? - Stacy 10:43:20 5/18/99 (0)

    Thank you!! Your help is much appreciated, Judi! Hopefully, I won't kill this poor plant. : )

Has anyone tried the product called "Sluggo"? I am wondering if it works. It sounds pretty safe. Any comments folks?

• Re: Slugs and the "Sluggo" product - Steve 07:38:15 5/15/99 (1)

  Just bought some myself, have yet to try it. It has not been approved by the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI)as of yet. In fact, the manufacturers haven't even submitted it yet! Hopefully it can be used by certified organic growers in the near future. If not, there's always ducks! I was sent the following site from Peaceful Valley Farm Supply here in Northern CA.

  http://www.westernfarmservice.com/wfs_sluggo_ag_alert.htm

  • Re: Slugs and the "Sluggo" product - Julie J. 01:20:29 6/07/99 (0)

    Tried it and it didn't work for me...went back to egg shells and Corry's

Any suggestions on keeping birds from eating all my strawberries?

• Re: Keeping Birds Out of the Strawberries - Marijo 20:22:14 5/20/99 (0)

  I use a very realistic rubber snake or two (from the dime store) and also bird net. This works pretty good, although I also caught a robin UNDER the netting and had to set it free.
• Re: Keeping Birds Out of the Strawberries - Judi 00:10:21 5/16/99 (0)

  You can put a chicken wire cage over them. Make the cage high enough so they can't pick through it to get the goodies. You can use a floating row cover material like Reemay to protect them. Be sure to secure the material so they can't pull it off. They will try.

  Here is a trick you can play on the birds. Take some small stones, paint them bright red and put amongst the strawberry plants. Birds will hone in on them and find out this is no yummy fruit! They seem to remember this and should leave the berries alone.

I inherited a bay leaf tree in a huge pot and would like to know how to care for it. Help! :o)

• Re: Bay Leaf tree care - Gardener 18:15:00 6/12/99 (0)

  Do you know how tall these plants typically grow?
• Re: Bay Leaf tree care - Judi 18:35:49 5/12/99 (0)

  Bay leaf trees are cool to warm climate plants, they are moderately frost hardy and do best in sheltered positions in sun or part-shade in fertile, well-drained soil. Depending on where you live you can probably leave it outside for the summer.
  They are highly resistant to pests and diseases.
  For pruning you want to clip and shape them.
  They are pretty easy to take care of.

I HAVE ABOUT 6 SMALL(ABOUT 6 FT NOW) LILAC BUSHES THAT I TRANSPLANTED ABOUT 3 YEARS AGO AND 1 LARGER ONE THAT'S BEEN HERE AT LEAST 15 YEARS, AND I GET VERY FEW BLOOMS ON ALL BUT ONE. THE TRANSPLANTED ONES CAME FROM MY MOTHERS YARD, HERS ALL BLOOM BEAUTIFULLY EVERY YEAR. WHAT DO I NEED TO DO TO HELP THEM?

• Re: LILACS - Judi 00:45:30 5/13/99 (0)

  If your soil is very acidic add some limestone to it. Lilacs like a fairly neutral soil but can tolerate a pH between 4.5 and 7.5. Be sure that the few blooms you do have are removed when the blooms are done. You don't want them forming seed heads which will detract from further bloom. Cut out the suckers that grow at the base of the shrub. Lilacs need pruning every 3 years to develop a good blooming sequence. Prune to remove canes and let more light into the center of the shrub. Always remove diseased and dead wood.

  Fertilizing them can help a great deal. Use a good foliar fertilizer with seaweed extract once a month for a total of 3 months after the last spring frost. In addition working some compost into the soil around the drip zone every 2 years will help too.
  They will give the best bloom when planted in full sun.

I am trying to do companion planting in my garden I have motherswort that is growing quite well andgiving me ample new plants, however it's growing near my garlic and I have other vegetable plants that I would like to move to that section, my question is what are plants that are compatable with it , so I can relocate it to where it will do the most good, I have read that mugwort needs to be planted away from other plants because of the secretions from the roots, and although I know the plants are not the same, I wondered if it had a similar problem, It definately attracts bees.

• Re: motherswort - Judi 18:47:55 5/09/99 (0)

  The name mugwort is applied to several members of the plant genus Artemisia in the Composite (sunflower) family and is a botanical relative of tarragon. Motherwort was once known as the "mother of herbs."
  
  As far as companion planting goes motherwort does need to be off by itself. It really is not a companion for anything as it too does give off the growth inhibiting toxins. However if you can plant it in a spot by itself near the border of the garden the scent it gives off will confuse insects and help somewhat to deter them from the garden. You can make a pretty potent insecticide tea from motherwort.

  By the way one of the best books I have ever read on companion planting is a small hardbound book called "Good Companions" by Bob Flowerdew. That is really his name. Published by Summit books. It is hard to find.

I am looking to get my small (very) farm certified organic. I am just finding out about the process. Does anyone know if there is an actual standard for the transition period? I am told here it takes 2 years. I am curious as to what other folks have gone through. Thnak you..... Oscar

• Re: Organic Certification - Steve 09:18:19 5/08/99 (2)

  Here in CA, transition period is three years. If your land has been fallow or managed organically, certification can be as little as a year. Check out CCOF's web site, it can be helpful to new applicants. www.ccof.org

  • Re: Organic Certification - Judi 18:52:15 5/09/99 (1)

    It is 3 years here in CO too. I don't know if there are any exceptions to shorten the time for CO residents...it would be interesting to find out.

    The CCOF website Steve mentions is an excellent source of info. So is Steve! He is also a friend so I am biased;-).

    • Re: Organic Certification - Lucy Ohiorganic 13:27:34 6/11/99 (0)

      I believe that 3 years is the current standard though the USDA wants to take that to two. Check with your certifyer-you do have one I hope. Certifyers do suggest you start the process of inspections a year or two before you will qualify for certifacation so you can work out the kinks. Ohio requires 3 years as well

      The Ohio Ecoloigical Food and Farm Assoc.

does any one know a manufacturer/distributorof a non toxic oil i can use on my landscape ornamentals? i think i used to use strollers natural oil? thanks for your feedback.

• Re: help me find cotton seed/ soy horticultural /dormant oil with out chemical additives - Judi 18:45:06 5/04/99 (0)

  Look for a brand called "Natur'l Oil." It is made with cottonseed and soybean oils. It contains no petroleum.

  You can make your own too.

  Mix 8 oz of vegetable oil of your choice with one teaspoon of a natural soap like Dr. Bonners.

  Use 2 1/2 teaspoons of this to 8 oz of water as a spray.

  
  
  

I am going to try and grow a few different types of bananas from seed, MUSA acuminata cv. "Dwarf Banana", MUSA Ensete "Abyssinian banana", MUSA zebrina "Blood banana". I was wondering if anyone knows how long it will take for the seeds the germinate once sowed...

Thanks :)
Bananas and other Tropicals

• Re: Germination of Banana Seeds - Gary (South Texas) 06:13:29 5/22/99 (0)

  : Thanks :)
  Dennis:
  Growing Bananas from seed requires lots of bottom heat, and can take months to germinate. The best way of propagation is by obtaining pups (suckers) or small plants or even corms. Much faster and more reliable. You sould first soak your seed in clean warm water for 24 hours before planting, keep soil warm 90F and moist but not wet. Good luck!

  

  99 Tropical Image Gallery

My spider plants have been subject to brown bumps that look like tiny brown ladybug shells. I don't know if it's an insect or a disease, though they don't move and seem to cluster on the stem of the baby hanging spiders. I have seen them on some of my other house plants such as my jade plant. What is it and what do you recommend as a remedy?

• Re: brown things on my spider plants - Judi 00:57:08 5/03/99 (0)

  The brown bumps must be a scale insect. They start (clutser) at one point and move on from there. They won't move until the mother scale gives birth and the new scale will crawl out from under her shell just far enough to attach itself to an unoccupied area of the plant tissue. Sounds like the infestation is not too bad. To get rid of them you can either use a fingernail to scrape them off or dip a cotton swab in isopropyl alcohol and rub it directly on the scale.

I have white styrofoam-like pieces all over my hemlocks. What is it and what can I do about it? Will it kill and spread to all my trees?
Thanks
AW

• Re: hemlock problem - Judi 01:06:15 5/03/99 (0)

  I am not sure what you have going on there.
  Does it look something like this picture?

There are caterpillers crawling all over my garden, walls, carport. I have noticed a number of tents in the trees on my property and wonder if they are the home for the caterpillers that are invading my land.

• Re: caterpiller tents and general infestation - Judi 17:38:02 5/01/99 (0)

  The tent caterpillers usually stay on the host tree coming out of the tent to feed on the tree's foliage. They are very damaging to the tree. You really need to get rid of them.

  The caterpillers crawling all over the other areas are another species.

  You can use BT (bacillus thuringiensis) to get rid of the caterpillers. It is non-toxic to humans, animals and other insects.

Looking for alternative (non chemical) method of preventing spruce bark beetle infestation.

• Re: Spruce Bark Beetle - Judi 00:02:12 5/01/99 (0)

  I highly recommend using the botanical treatment Neem Oil to prevent bark beetle infestation. It can be sprayed on the ground, tree needles, limbs and trunk. It is a good natural repellant and antifeedant. If there are any larva present it will disrupt and stop their development. A thorough wetting of the bark would be important.

  • Neem Oil

I have heard of using quack grass as a slug repellant and that it might kill them. Does anyone have any experience with this? Do you need to dry it out? One more dumb question: how can I be sure I have quack grass? This invasive grass is coming in from a field to my yard and I do believe it is quack grass.

Thanks all! I sure enjoy this board.

• Re: Slugs and Quack Grass Repellant? - Judi 00:17:56 4/30/99 (1)

  Quack grass (agrypon repens)as a slug killer does seem to work. Quack Grass damages the nerves slugs use for feeding, they stopp feeding and die. Make a tea by cutting it up, soak in 1 quart of warm water for 24 hours, then use as a barrier spray on soil. Don't spray directly on plants. Could be why we don't have much of a slug problem here in N. CO. We have quack grass everywhere!

  To protect established perennials in your yard, sprinkle dried and finely chopped quack grass leaves and roots around the area. Apparently the roots are more toxic to the slugs than the leaves! Use no more than 2 ounces of dried quack grass per 10 square feet. Too much could inhibit the growth of your plants. Note: quack grass does have some herbicidal properties to it.

  This picture should help you ID the grass in your yard. Quack grass has a very tight, hard seed head and the leaves have a rough, slightly hairy upper surface. It spreads by underground stolens that go on and on.

  Perhaps if Steve sees this he can relate some of his experience with trying QG for slug control.
  Steve, are you out there?

  

   

  • Re: Slugs and Quack Grass Repellant? - Steve 08:56:27 4/30/99 (0)

    A certain friend of mine made me a batch of QG bait to spread around my greenhouse. The joy to see the first slug shriveled up dead was a pleasure indeed! Considereing all the slugs we've had here lately, I'd say the QG bait was a real help. Thanks Judi! Gee, maybe Judi can tell us all her secret recipe for QG bait, I know it includes the local ale, right?

I bought 10 packages of moss rose seeds to plant outside. The packages did not say how many seeds were in them so it was purely guesswork. My garden is approx. 9'x10'. It was reccomended that I mix the seeds with dry sand since they are like pepper. (very fine). I created a shaker with an empty coffee can and sprinkled the mixture over my garden. I must be doing something right as they are beginning to come up. Thick. I just reread the package today and found that the moss rose plants are supposed to be placed 12-15 inches apart. Now this seems to me like i'm going to have to do an awful lot of thinning. Any suggestions?

• Re: moss roses - Kayla 23:53:46 4/24/99 (0)

  Take a hoe and scrape the seedlings out of approximately the area the package indicates for the spacing. It will be easiest to do while they are small.

I have a majesty palm and the leaves are turning brown. The tree is in moderate light and I keep the soil moderately wet. The tree is indoors. I would like to keep the tree alive, but my thumbs are not very green and need help.

• Re: Majesty palm - Judi 19:34:56 4/23/99 (1)

  My guess is that you have a build up of salts in the soil. Palms are very sensitive to salts and browning of the leaves is usually an indication of this condition. Try flushing out the soil very well with water several times.

  I don't know very much about palms. If it is feasible you might want to try replacing some of the soil with fresh dirt also.

  Perhaps Jana has a suggestion?

  • Re: Majesty palm - Jana 14:54:18 5/07/99 (0)

    The natural habitat of majesty palms is next to riverbeds. They like lots of water and lots of light. The professional growers like them too because they grow fast and are frequently grown in full sun. I hear a lot of people lament the appearance of their majesty palms after they are brought home and placed inside. They have an adjustment period during which their leaves will turn brown and yellow and need to be removed. The plant won't look good again until it grows new leaves. The majesties I've seen look much happier outdoors. During the winter, they will get damaged by frost. See more about how much cold they can take outside, see our winter damage report.
    Winter damage report

Hello everyone! Would anyone have a suggestion on how to keep birds from getting all my cherries? I have used the scare tape which the birds thought was great fun. Thanks!

• Re: Birds and Cherry Trees - Judi 17:31:29 4/23/99 (0)

  I don't have any great answer for you other than using the netting to put over the trees.

  If you have lots of cd's from AOL etc. try hanging those in the tree. Might fool em for awhile.

I grow quite a few house plants and am usually very sucessfull. I have an Aralia. I hope that's the correct spelling of it. When I first brought it home within a week or so, just about all the leaves very quickly turned yellow then just fell off. I thought I had let it get too dry. I've managed to bring it back considerably. But I just noticed another leaf turning yellow and dropping. Do you have any idea what might be causing this? Basically, how do you care for this type of plant? Thankyou,

• Re: My Aralia - Judi 19:45:03 4/23/99 (0)

  There are many types of aralias but in general:
  Aralia's need plenty of warmth and humidity when growing indoors. Night temperatures should be in the upper 60's, and days at least in the 70's. Keep soil constantly moist and the air humid. Feed them with half strength fertilizer every other week from spring through fall when they do the bulk of their growing; don't feed them at all for the rest of the year.

  A problem with these plants is that the lower leaves have a tendency to yellow and drop if they don't have proper humidity and warmth. Also, they are susceptible to red spider mites and scale.

I would like to know if any one could tell me what kind of insect that is tiny and light green that gets on the new growth of my rose bushes every spring. Thanks for any info.

• Re: rose bushes - Judi 00:42:06 4/17/99 (0)

  Those are aphids. They like the succulent new growth on the roses in the spring.

We have a terrible grub problem the last few years. They have distroyed our lawn. We have used the hardware store solution, but it didn't work. We've checked into having the lawn sprayed, but we aren't comfortable with the toxic solution either. We have heard about milky spore and beneficial nematodes. Where can we get our hands on these natural solutions in Canada. Is there any negitives to these?
Thank you, any advice would be appreciated.
Ann Young

• Re: grubs eating the roots of our grass. - Judi 18:21:38 4/17/99 (0)

  The milky spore disease (BT) is an excellent biological pesticide however it does take a 2-3 years to get complete control. I don't know where you can get it in Canada. The spores infect the grubs and multiply. When the grubs have been destroyed the spores stay in the soil in a dormant state until new grubs come along then the cycle starts again. I have checked with customs and any infectious biological insect control may not be shipped to Canada. This is actually posted at their website. Milky spore disease is toxic only to the grubs and nothing else.

  The predatory nematodes have a much faster knockdown rate on the grubs compared to the milky spore disease. They are also completely safe to use. It takes one pint of nematodes to treat 10,000 sq. feet of lawn area.

  Milky spore disease works on the best on grubs of Japanese beetles and will also treat about 40 other types of white grubs. Predatory nematodes work on grubs of Japanese beetles, June beetles and sod webworms.

I have a transplanted (from Florida to Missouri) palm that the needles are beginnin to yellow. My friend in Florida says it needs manganese...however, I cannot find any in St. Louis. Any suggestions on what I should do or what I could treat it with to get it back to normal?...it has been inside so far this year and is in a large pot with good, sandy soil. Thanks for your suggestions.

• Re: Sago palm - Judi 18:24:16 4/17/99 (1)

  Manganese deficiency symptoms first show up on younger leaves as an interveinal chlorosis with brown spots scattered on the leaf. Manganese is necessary for the formation of chlorophyll and often occurs along with an iron deficiency. To treat a manganese problem buy some manganese sulfate. Mix 2 ounces of it with 3 gallons of lukewarm water and a few drops of a surfactant. Spray the plant and soil to the point of run off. Repeat this 2 or 3 times at at 2 week intervals.

  Go to the URL below for a chart on identifying nutrient deficiencies.

  Nutrient Deficiencies

  • Re: Sago palm - Judi 18:36:45 4/17/99 (0)

    For identification purposes here is a picture of a manganese deficiency on a potato leaf.

    

Anyone have some ways to deal with those darn corn borers? Organically of course!

• Re: Tips on corn borers? - Lucy Boulder Belt CSA 10:07:03 4/16/99 (0)

  Sure do: Get Bt and mix that with insecticidal soap and water (as per directions) and go out and spray the whorls with this mix when they are ankle high and again when knee high. When the corn tassles turn brown go out again with a mix of Bt and corn oil (I believe it is 15:1 oil to Bt) and brush about 3 drops onto the silks of each plant. There is an article in the June 1998 edition of Growing For Market that gives all the details on this proceedure.
  Boulder Belt CSA

  
  

I have had trouble with nematodes in several areas of my fields where I grow vegetables for market. I am a certified organic grower.

Is there any soil management techniques I can do to reduce the population? I don't know of anything to actually treat the nematodes........ They are a tenacious lot. TIA

• Re: Nematodes - Steve 09:23:20 4/16/99 (1)

  If I might add to Judi's helpful comments; shrimp shell meal, sold as a slow release N-P-K fertilizer, has also been widely used in Asia and other places for it's nematocididal properties. Shrimp shells contain a lot of chitin and increase populations of beneficial chitin-feeding microbes in the soil. When the microbes have consumed the shrimp meal, they move on to nematode eggs and adults, which are also primarily composed of chitin. Nematode reduction takes 4-8 months and can be helped by warm, moist soils and the addition of a high N fertilizer. Can't say for certain if your organic certifier would allow this, but looking at my CCOF handbook, it is not listed. I would think it would allowed, don't know why it wouldn't be. Best check with your certifier or materials supplier first before using.

  • Re: Nematodes - Judi 18:31:52 4/18/99 (0)

    I am glad Steve posted this! I forgot about the shrimp meal. Now my memory has been "jogged" another great way to fight nematodes is with yucca extract. You want a yucca extract that is specifically from the Yucca schidigera plant. A study cites that yucca extract was applied in concentrations of 280 ppm on test fields infested with root knot nematodes at the Plant Pathology Research Institute in Cairo, Egypt. The results on one season was an 85% percent reduction in nematode activity.

    To add further to this yucca extracts have a lot more incredible properties to them that aid in farmong and gardening.
• Re: Nematodes - Judi 00:41:03 4/16/99 (0)

  Generally speaking when nematodes are a persistent problem the soil is lacking in microbial activity. The best thing would be to add some good healthy aged compost to it. Also humic acid products can be used as a spray directly on the soil to stimulate the soil dwelling microbes. It is pretty good stuff.

  You might consider getting a soil test too. It can aid you in finding out just what your soil might be lacking.

  Growing Mexican mariglods (tagetes minuta) can also help as the roots secrete a substance that is toxic to bad nematodes but nothing else.

  Hope this helps@

Last season I had wonderful peaches however when they were just perfectly ripe I went to pick them. Pulled them off the tree and earwigs were all around the stems and had started to burrow into the fruit. It really blew me away!

Is there anything I can do to keep the earwigs from the peaches this year? Has anyone ever heard of this happening? Thanks all!

• Re: Peaches & Earwigs???? - Steve 09:36:26 4/09/99 (1)

  I also had earwigs in peaches this past season. Seems they were only in the really ripe ones, though. Those were the ones we ate, the rest went to market! Luckly, it wasn't enough of a problem around here for me to worry about. Maybe wrap a small portion of the lower trunk with cardboard and tangletrap type stuff to keep them from climbing into the tree. Do you have chickens?, they do a nice job of scratcing around bases of trees, if nothing else, exposing the earwigs. Hey Judi or anyone else, any other wonderful ideas?

  • Re: Peaches & Earwigs???? - Judi 18:29:30 4/09/99 (0)

    Steve, Howie, I wish I had some great ideas for earwigs!!! I will say that I am relieved I am not the only one who had this problem! The earwigs would not stay away from my peaches last year either. I tried everything, rolled up newspaper trap, vegetable oil in a tuna can etc. The vegetable oil usually works like a charm. Nothing would stop those earwigs. Plus I don't have a real orchard like Steve, so had no peaches to spare I'm afraid.

    I did the same as Steve...I cut out the damage and ate what was left. We seem to have a real earwig problem here in CO.

    Can anyone help us?

Can I use my little propane torch to "spot" flame weeds?

• Re: Flaming weeds - Judi 18:33:37 4/09/99 (0)

  You sure can! They work fine for "spot weeding." Though I would recommend not running them for any length of time.

S.O.S. Suddenly, little fruit-fly bugs are around the houseplants, am trapping them by the hundreds with sticky bug traps. More recently, on the plate beneath my wonderful fuschia Ti plant, a multitude of very tiny black bugs. They look like black pepper.. Probably a thousand per day. Thank you for any advice.

• Re: tiny black bugs - Judi 00:50:50 4/07/99 (0)

  You have fungus gnats and they do breed like crazy.

  I don't usually recommend my own products on the board but in this case......

  I would recommend Gnatrol to get rid of them. Gnatrol is a strain of Bacillus thuringiensis v. israelensis (BT's) that specifically controls the larva of fungus gnats and helps break the reproductive cycle to get rid of them for good. It is very safe and effective to use.

  Click on the included link to find out about the product.
  Gnatrol Biological Larvicide for fungus gnats

Would the duck's excrement be useful as a soil amendment like other manures? We use our rabbit manure in the garden but weren't sure about our ducks.

By the wat we also bought some adult ducks and they seemed lazy too! Our youngsters are by far better "sluggers!" They are a fun bunch.

• Re: Ducks once again - Steve 10:18:04 4/04/99 (0)

  I sure hope the duck poop is good, I have enough of it scattered around by now! I would think it's fine, tho it might be a little too hot to use immediately. Question is, how do you pick it up? It's so, well, waterey! I could see scraping up the poop with the straw bedding I use in their nighttime house. Maybe throw that whole pile on another active ongoing compost pile.

  Glad to hear I'm not the only one with lazy adult ducks! I must admit, the adults have been working a little harder lately. I spent the last couple of days weeding overwintered garlic and onions. They figurered out to follow my work pattern, as I was exposing a lot of slugs. They also figurered out to follow the tractor while I'm tilling, just as the "teenagers" had. Come May or June though, the first ducks to leave this farm is going to be the adults! Good luck, and please keep us informed with your duck stories.

I live in the city and am having problems with squirrels digging up my garden. I bought fox urine, which was supposed to repel them. No one told the squirrel, who jumped right over it to dig. A squirrel repellant recommended contains napthalene and gypsum. Does anyone know where to get these or have any other ideas? I've also tried Ropel and Get Away.

• Re: squirrel repellant - Steve 10:28:59 4/04/99 (0)

  How about bird netting or chicken wire suspended over light weight wire hoops, the type used for suspending row covers? I believe some garden supply outfits sell a fancy version of hoops premade. Cheaper way to go, make your own. They sell it by the foot around here, it's a 9g chain-link fence tension wire. Most hardware or feed stores should have it.
• Re: squirrel repellant - Judi 01:11:45 4/04/99 (0)

  The fox urine company needs to do some public relations with the squirrels regarding their role as per the intent of the product. Seriously I have heard that the predator scent of these products work wonders but the hype came from the companies that sell it. Now we have some real feedback!

  For the gypsum/napthalene repellant: you can use talcum powder for the gypsum. Napthalene flakes are available as "moth flakes" which I did find at Walgreens. Napthalene is derived from coal tar. What you don't want is any moth flakes that contain paradichlorobenzene.

  The people that make Hot Pepper Wax insect repellant now have a hot pepper wax animal repellant that is supposed to work well for squirrels and rabbits. I haven't tried it. They do have a website where you can read about their products.
  http://www.hotpepperwax.com

  Anybody else have some suggestions for Roberta?

I have been reading some of Steve's experience with his ducks in previous postings. Steve, how much do ducklings require in the way of feeding?

I have a terrible slug problem and am thinking of going the same way with ducks for control. No way will I use any chems!

• Re: Steve: How much to feed ducklings? - Steve 21:33:56 3/30/99 (0)

  Definately go with ducklings instead of adult birds. All the adults think about is social/mating affairs, and not slugs! Really cool thing happened today, as I was tilling with the tractor, the youngest ducks (10 weeks now) figured out to follow directly behind me, as I was bringing up slugs and probably (unfortunately) earthworms. They are completely fearless of the tractor, they live but only to eat! The adults on the other hand, just move out of the way of the tractor and either go back to sleep or start harrasing one another. Go for the ducklings, you will be impressed!

I have heard of teas made from Quassia for insect control. Does anyone know if it is of much value? What plant does it come from?

• Re: Quassia for insect control? - Judi 00:45:52 4/02/99 (0)

  Quassia comes from the chips and shavings from a Latin American Quassia tree. Quassia produces one of the "safest" botanical pesticides and has been used medicinally by herbalists. It will not harm ladybugs or bees. Quassia chips can be purchased at natural food stores.

  To make Quassia tea: Crush, grind or chop 1/4 cup of Quassia chips and add them to 1 quart of boiling water. Allow the mixture to cool. Strain and use as is to spray slugs, aphids and soft bodied pests. Can be used as often as twice a week.

  It is fairly effective but it is hard for me to give you a good answer as I have used Quassia very little. Really you would just have to try it out and see if it would meet your needs.

The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening, published by Grove's Dictionaries, is now available in a deluxe paperback set. It answers the questions and needs of all gardeners, from the amateur to the professional grower, the collector to the designer, the specialist, the student of horticulture, or the custodians of the greatest gardens.

The 4-volume publication covers:
- Over 50,000 plant entries
- Over 4,000 botanical line drawings
- 400 biographies of botanists, horticulturists, collectors, and landscape architects
- Unique Coverage of Cultivars
- Illustrated botanical glossary
- Index of popular plant names
- Extensive cross-references
- Comprehensive bibliography
- Glossary of pests, diseases and disorders
- Glossaries of horticultural terms, and botanical names

The original hardback is also available at a discount of over 40%.

For more information or to reserve your set, please visit:

http://www.grovereference.com/Science/RHSDictionary.htm

Therese
The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening

If one wants to use cow manure as a soil additive when farming organically must the manure come from cows that are raised without pesticides, hormones etc?

My question may sound rudimentary but quite a few people have been unable to give me a straight answer.
Thanks!

• Re: Manure and Organic Farming - Steve 10:36:03 3/29/99 (2)

  Seems strange, but here in California and I assume elsewhere in the US, you can use manure from non-organic, conventionally raised cattle, with some restrictions. Of the different types, processed manure products are formulated from raw manure which has been heated to a temperature of at least 150° for an hour or more, dried to a moisture level of 12% or less, preserved or frozen. Because these products are highly soluble and have reduced biological activity, they should not be used as a primary source of nutrients. With raw manure that has not been composted with temps over 150°, your crop cannot be sold as organic for human consumption within sixty days of application. (This per CCOF growers handbook.)

  With all manures, and especially cow in my opinion, composting is recommended to stabilize nitrogen, kill pathogens and degrade chemical contaminants. With the whole e-coli scare, please compost your raw manures first!

  I'm not trying to discourage you or anyone wanting to use manures. I just believe they are best used as an ingredient in compost made with primarily plant-based materials. I myself use 10 yards a year of a dairy cattle-based compost. This same compost however is from a highly respected, and CCOF certified manufacturer of a well-finished compost. If you can find manure from OG cattle, go for it, you will be better off!

  • Re: Manure and Organic Farming - Judi 00:58:19 3/30/99 (1)

    I will second Steve's opinion that you truly would be better off using manure from OG cattle. Personally my compost is all plant based, I rarely use manure.

    • Re: Manure and Organic Farming - Lucy/Boulder belt CSA 09:54:49 4/16/99 (0)

      In Ohio you cannot use manure from non organic sources without composting it first and they do not allow the use of manure from factory farms even if the poop is composted.
      OEFFA requires that the fresh manure be applied 4 months before harvest and the prohibit this use on crops such as lettuece, spinach or radished because they touch the manure and pathogens could be passed. The reccoment that all manure be composted before use.

I have a plant that, locally, is called a PAGODA plant. Its flower head is a very large bell shape, made up of many small flowers. Butterflys love it. I am told it is one of several flower forms of the CLERODENDRUM. Local nurseries and Landscape Architects do not recognize either of these names. Can anyone furnish me information about the PAGODA and/or the CLERODENDRUM plants?

• Re: PAGODA PLANT - Robert Lee Riffle 14:23:59 4/04/99 (0)

  Fred, pagoda plant is Clerodendrum paniculatum. It is a tropical shrub from Southeast Asia. It needs nearly constant warmth, full sun if you can provide, and copious amounts of moisture ina rich soil. It will bloom in cycles most of the year if planted out in frost free regions.

  Robert Lee Riffle, author of the award-winning book, THE TROPICAL LOOK
  
  
• Re: PAGODA PLANT - Judi 17:23:18 3/27/99 (0)

  
  There are many types of clerodendrum. Maybe the one in this picture is yours? There is one is called a butterfly plant(Clerodendrum ugandense). Here is some general info on clerodendrums. Hope this helps you out!

  C. thomsonae (glory bower) Clerodendrums are large plants well suited to big pots and tubs, but they may be kept at a height of 2 to 3 feet by pinching off the tips of stems. All species bear large clusters of 1- to 2-inch flowers. C. fallax blooms in summer, bearing bright red blossoms. C. fragrans pleniflorum, with hyacinth-scented blush-white blossoms, blooms intermittently through the year. C. thomsonae trails beautifully from hanging baskets. It bears snow-white flowers, balloonlike at the base, with flaring scarlet petals; the flowers bloom in spring and summer, sometimes into winter if given enough warmth.

  Culture: Clerodendrums do best in bright indirect or curtain-filtered sunlight, night temperatures of 60° to 65° and day temperatures of 70° or higher. Keep the potting mixture well moistened while the plants are growing, and on the dry side while they are resting. Fertilize every two weeks during the growing season only. To produce more flowers, which are borne only on new growth, prune the plants after they have stopped blooming. Propagate from stem cuttings in spring.
  
  
  

I am looking for suggestions on ways that I can enjoy the whitetails and their young and my vegetables that they seem to like! I recently bought a book called, gardening in deer country. Was very helpful, but didn't include vegetables. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. We love the deer!

• Re: whitetail deer and gardening - Doris Larson 21:00:56 4/02/99 (0)

  I use dial deodorant soap or other smelly soap, hung on stakes throuout my rose garden. I suppose that would work for any garden.I place them 6-10 feet apart. In the past, I laid bird netting on lettuce they were eating and they stopped, I think it tickled their noses. It was easy to lift for gardening and harvesting. Good luck and enjoy the dear deer, Doris
• Re: whitetail deer and gardening - Judy 22:31:20 3/28/99 (0)

  We also live in the whitetail deer zone and love it. I grow all kinds of things, both in enclosures and out in the "zone." If fencing an area for veggies is not an option, try wrapping 6 foot chicken wire around your beds. I do this successfully. In case you haven't discovered it yet, the deer pretty much leave most herbs (except basil) alone, so you can plant them in the "zone" without a problem. My herb gardens get walk throughs on an continual basis, without but not eaten, rarely even a nibble.

  Hang in there. We CAN live with the deer and grow the things we want to (with a little thought).

  Good Luck,
  Judy

  
  
  

Help! I love ladybugs; I know they're beneficial in the garden, and good luck too, but they're invading my house! I've tried caulking arund the windows but they're still foinding their way in. Anyoneknow of any natural deterrents?
thanks, Laura

• Re: Ladybugs in the house! - Judi 17:26:28 3/24/99 (0)

  I have heard of this happening before! Honestly i don't know of anything to deter ladybugs. Here is another idea: get some ladybugs lures, stick some on plants around and farther away from the house to entice them back outside where they belong.

  These lures emit the scent of aphids and other bugs that are the ladybug's favorite food. You should (?) be able to find them at nursery centers. Good luck!

i just started caring for a garden that has an orange tree which the owner says is not sweet this year. We are in the Carpinteria area of CA, near Santa Barbara. We are finall getting some rain, trees have lots of fruit this year. There is some coastal influence, fog. The soil is reddish clay sand mix.

• Re: oranges not sweet - Judi 17:39:20 3/26/99 (0)

  If the weather has been cool and overcast the oranges will not be as sweet. Oranges really need heat to have a high sugar content. We can't do much about what the weather does but perhaps they could use some fertilizer? You could also work in some compost around the tree's dripline to give tham a boost.

I have a lot of ashes saved from my wood stove. How can I use that in my garden?

• Re: ashes - Judi 00:57:14 3/23/99 (0)

  If you have acid soil (pH below 6.0) ashes can be used to make the soil more alkaline. Wood ashes will raise the pH of acid soil very quickly. If your soil is alkaline (pH above 7.0) please don't put ashes in it.

  Wood ashes can also be used as a barrier that slugs and snails won't cross. Sprinkle it around the base of cauliflower and onions to control maggots. Trees that are susceptible to borers can be painted on the trunks and limbs with wood ash and water. This is an effective borer repellant.

  If your soil is lacking in calcium ashes applied once in spring will add calciun to the soil. Signs of calcium deficiency are blosson end rot in tomatoes, tip burn in lettuce and black heart in celery. Ashes will also correct potassium deficiencies.

  You might consider having a soil test done to see what kind of shape the soil is in.
  
  
  

Can anyone tell me what tent caterpillers turn into? Are they beneficial as are butterfly and moth caterpillers? They make webs in the crotch of my wild plum tree and come out at sometime and eat all of the tree leaves. I want to get rid of them to save my tree but only if they are not beneficial.

• Re: Tent Caterpillers - Judi 18:06:17 3/18/99 (0)

  Tent caterpillars turns into a moth. They are not considered beneficial in any way. In time they can kill your plum trees via the defoliation you describe. You can treat them with Bacillus Thurengiensis to kill off the caterpillar stage. Another recommendation is to cut out the crotch that contains the web and burn or dispose of it.

I have had a problem with peach leaf curl. It is early spring here in Nebraska right now. What is an organic product I can use to prevent this and when should I treat them? Thanks for any help from anyone!

• Re: Peach tree leaf curl - Steve 10:19:13 3/21/99 (0)

  I've had good luck using a lime-sulfur spray, ideally starting in fall at leaf-drop, again at full dormant, then at bud swell. Some folks have had good luck with copper-based fungicides, although both copper and sulfur are pretty toxic fungicides, especially to soil life. Both are approved for use by most organic certifers, although they are considered restricted use and should be used with great care, and if possible, with other methods.

  Some growers have had good luck with kelp-based products, with the idea of building up the strength of the tree to naturally fight off leaf curl. Another grower friend in rainy Washington state covers his peach trees with old tarps and such during rainy late winter, early spring, and doesn't get any leaf curl! A good program of kelp-based foliars is probably your best defense this late in the season. Check out the sponsors' Golden Harvest fertilizer at the start of this message board. I don't say this just to plug the sponsor...after many attempts at finding the right mix of products for foliars, I think she has got it down!

HELP!! I have a Dracaena Marginata that I rooted from a cutting found in a floral arrangement. It has grown to be a proud specemin in just a bit more tham a year. Until just this weekend it has thrived amazingly well in my apartment. Back in November I moved it to a slightly darker part of the apartment to winter and go dormant. It did so just fine. Then I bought a new plant stand for it this weekend and began to reintroduce it to the sunroom where it spends the warmer months. The result has been almost a total collapse! All the leaves except for the very top few have just dropped straight down, though they are still connected and show no discoloration. We are in the 3rd day of ailing. What can I do to save it?

• Re: Dragon tree - Judi 00:33:33 3/18/99 (0)

  Is it posssibly getting too much sun? They like semi sunny to shade conditions. With the leaves drooping like that all I can think of is that it is in shock. You might try enclosing it in a large plastic bag and see if it perks up in a few days.

  Let us know how it does.

I have heard from many sources that French tarragon, one of my favorite culinary herbs (Artemesia dranunculus, I believe), does not grow true from seed and must be propagated from cuttings. Why is that? Thanks.

• Re: French Tarragon - Judi 00:30:01 3/17/99 (0)

  That is correct, it is A. dranunculus. The Latin dranunculus means "little dragon." The majority of the time the seeds produced from French tarragon are sterile. Apparently the absolute correct growing conditions must be met for French tarragon to produce fertile seeds. This is why we propagate from cuttings or divisions.

How tall can I expect a ravenea rivularis to grow in a sub-tropical/temperate garden?

• Re: Palms - Jana 12:29:50 3/15/99 (0)

  In its natural habitat of Madagascar, majesty palms can reach 15 to 20 feet high with a trunk of 10 to 12 feet high. It can be stunted by poor limy soil. The height of your tree will probably depend on the conditions. As suggested by the name rivularis, its natural habitat is alongside rivers, so give it lots of water.

  Majesty palms are very fast growing and they can take a little bit of cold. The picture shown here was taken last month. It shows a bit of leaf damage from the cold, but it is already putting out new leaves and recovering quickly.

  

I have a fly problem outside my front door. they come back every year and just circle for hours , til it starts to get cold. my neighbor has same problem. i have tried several traps, stickies, nothin works. i read that flys hate mint and other herbs. i got some mint i'm going to try.need help bad . tired of flys!!!!

• Re: flys - Judi 19:52:04 3/16/99 (0)

  There is plant called the "shoo-fly" plant that is suppossed to do just that.

  Bacillus thurengiensis v. israelensis (BT) is an excellent biological pesticide that will kill off the larva of black flies, fungus gnats and mosquitoes.

  There is a different kind of sticky trap that flies are quite attracted to. It is white with a pattern of black dots on it. I am not sure where you can get it so keep an eye for it.

  You might try a Victor flying insect trap. They are a really neat design. For flies you put a little water in them and some raw meat or fish. Flies go for the bait and can't get out. They are disgusting to empty but quite effective. You should be able to get them at a local nursery or probably a Kmart.

Help!!! Please!!! I've just recently started my own business and am having a difficult time finding organic seed starting and potting soil suppliers. I am located in Salt Lake City, Utah, and have seen some organic soil brands when I used to live in the Seattle Wa. area, but cannot recall their names. I would greatly appreciate any suggestions. T.I.A. Carrie

• Re: Organic seed starting and potting soil suppliers - Judi 19:14:43 3/13/99 (1)

  Congratulations on your business! There is an organic potting soil mix called "Uncle Malcolm's Organic Potting Soil."

  Check around and see if there isn't a local business that supplies organic soil mixes. We have several businesses here that do. Very reasonable prices too!

  For seed starting and soil amendment Coco Peat is a natural/organic organic choice. Good luck to you!

  • Re: Organic seed starting and potting soil suppliers - Lucy/Boulder belt gardens CSA 10:01:24 4/16/99 (0)

    Check with you state's organic certfyer (you need to be certified in most states to sell "Organic" products) to find out who supplies what the rules are. you will probably be selling to certified growers so you want to be well within your states (or soon The USDA's) requirements for certifacation inputs so you can sell to these folks.
    Boulder belt CSA
    

I live in south Florida and have a huge Sego Palm cluster in our back yard. Over the past 4 months it has contracted a white yellow scale on the base of the palm fronds. It has begun to kill some of the plants. Is there anything we can do to save the tree?

Thanks for any help,

• Re: Scale on Our Sago Palm - Judi 00:36:24 3/13/99 (1)

  Yes there is. If it is practical you can scrape the scale off. Once they are removed from the host they will die. I use nylon pot scrubbers or a plastic card would work. Use just enough pressure to disloge them. Take your time and be very careful to get them all.

  You could also spray them with a lightweight horticultural oil to smother them. Also neem oil is an excellent miticide and should be safe for your Sago palm.

  Good luck and let us know how your palms do!

  • Re: Scale on Our Sago Palm - Judi 14:29:48 3/13/99 (0)

    Oooops!!! I should have said that neem is an excellent scalecide not miticide!

Has anyone got any input on Entice the product that you combine with organic pesticides to stimulate the bug's feeding? I was thinking of trying it with pyrethrin as a target application IF I need to. TIA

• Re: Entice and organics pesticides - Judi 00:19:04 3/13/99 (0)

  Actually using Entice with pyrethrin won't do any good as pyrethrin is an instant knockdown for bugs. In other words it kills them immediately. It has no residual action or effects on the feeding insects or plants.

  I have used Entice with BT's and really didn't notice any difference without it. If the bugs are already happily eating away the host plant I don't think they need to be "enticed." As for use with other sprays for insect control it is hard to say whether it has any value or not. I'd say save your money. Just my opinion;-).

I have a Sapphire Dragon Tree. I planted it in the summer of 1997. It is time to prune the lower branches off this year. When is the best time to prune? Do I use a sealant to seal where I prune? Also right now it has several branches at the top that have clusters on them that resemble buds. Are these the blooms or the seed pods which they say need to be cut. The information I received when I ordered these trees were very minimal. I love them but have not been able to find very much information about them. Please help me. :-)

• Re: Pruning my Sapphire Dragon Tree - Judi 00:25:19 3/13/99 (0)

  Go ahead and prune the branches now and please don't use a sealant. Sealants actually do far more harm than good. Be sure that you leave the branch collar intact when you make your pruning cut (don't make a flush cut).

  The clusters that you see are the flower buds. I have more info on this gorgeous little tree that I will organize and try to post this weekend.

I have some young apple trees that produce allot of leaves but no buds. I think I may have a nutrient imbalance but I am not sure which nutrient. Any help would be greatly appriciated. Thank you.

• Re: Apple Tree Bloom (NOT) - Judi 00:45:16 3/09/99 (0)

  Standard apple trees can take 6 years to begin producing fruit. Dwarf and semi dwarf varieties should bear within 3 years. Most all apples need another variety within 40 to 50 feet of them that blooms at the same time for cross pollination.

  Low levels of potassium, calcium or boron could be a factor. Foliar sprays of seaweed would help your trees a great deal. Also it would be a good idea to get a soil test done.

  Go to the link below to take a look at a nutrient deficiency chart.

  Good luck!

I am hoping to get my small orchard certified organic. What are some organic funicides that are acceptable for leaf spot and the like? Is bordeaux mix ok to use?

• Re: Organic Fungicides - Steve 10:46:34 3/08/99 (0)

  Get ahold of your certifier and ask for a materials list. I'm sure they will be happy to help. I'm also sure they will be pleased to see another grower is coming on board!

  Don't know what certifier you might be going with, but here in CA we're certified by CCOF. We can use (and in my opinion), a whole bunch of nasty fungicides, including a bordeaux mix. I use lime-sulfur for leaf curl, but I don't like using it. Anytime I have to wear protective clothes I have to question it! Still, we are having another wet wet late winter/early spring here, and I did have a minor problem with leaf curl last season.

  I believe most fungus problems can be overcome with preventive methods, and simply maintaining a healthy orchard the best you can (easier said then done...) I'm trying my best to maintain a healthy orchard through covercropping, compost, rock powders/minerals, and kelp based foliars. Not to plug the sponsor, but I am very excited to see that Golden Harvest Natural fertilizer has come up with an excellent foliar product. It uses materials I have used in the past with my own foliar mixes, and then some, but has combined it all into a dry powder. Good luck!

Anyone have some suggestions on how to battle those darn coddling moth larva organically? Any suggestions will be most appreciated!

• Re: Coddling moth in Apple trees: Help - Steve 09:58:35 3/08/99 (2)

  If you don't have too many trees, mass trapping of the males with pheromone traps works really well, although it is a bit expensive this way. Another method is to try and maintain a certain amount of your growing area with beneficial habitat plants, to provide shelter, pollen, nectar, etc. to the good insects. One such beneficial, the Thrichogramma wasp, is an excellent predator of most moth and butterfly (Lepidopterous) larvae, including the codling moth. You can also buy beneficial insects and release them at your place, but unless you provide habitat for them, and not just a food source, they will leave!

  If you can figure out the correct timing, a spray of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) has proven effective against codling moths. Here in Northern CA, the codling moth makes anywhere from 3-5 flights per season. Our local county Ag department monitors the flights, and provides the info to our local growers (these same growers aren't using Bt though!)

  Probably the most exciting research has been done with Pheromone confusion lures. They use pheromones to flood the orchard with female scent, keeping the male from locating a female and mating. Problem is, you need a minimum of 3 to 5 acres of trees for it to work well. Also, a fellow local Certified organic grower has had marginal success on the high points of his orchard, I guess because the scent, like most everything else, flows downhill. Still, on a large scale, it seems to be a good way to go, and at a price of $120.00 an acre, cost effective. Good luck, and let us know of your results.

  • Re: Coddling moth in Apple trees: Help - Judi 00:48:03 3/09/99 (1)

    You can make some traps to catch them during the season. Make your trap a circular shape as moths are attracted to round shapes. I have no idea why. Paint them a bright orange and coat with taglefoot, pine tar, something like that. They are also attracted to to blue and red but not yellow. Hang the traps during blossom time. As they fill up you can scrape them off and recoat them.

    Another trap is to take 1 gallon plastic milk jugs, cut a circular entrance in them. Mix up some molasses, water and sugar. Pour about a pint of this into your traps. Hang them by the handle and empty as needed.

    • Re: Coddling moth in Apple trees: Help - chris gilcrest 21:30:04 6/01/99 (0)

      release trichogramma parasite wasp, very tiny insect that lays its eggs insdie the coddling moth eggs.
      chris
      Applied Bio pest
      800 787 2847
      biopest.com

I am looking for comfrey to plant in my herb garden any Ideas on where I could find the seeds? t

• Re: Comfrey - Judi 16:38:13 3/06/99 (0)

  Go to the digital raingardens online seed catalog which is the icon on the page of this board. They have the "common" type of comfrey plant seeds which have the best qualities of all the comfreys.
  I think it is listed under the medicinal herbs section.
• Re: Comfrey - Michael 00:32:23 3/06/99 (0)

  If you want faster results Richters Herbs sells several varieties of comfrey plants. Organically grown too!

  Richters Comfrey Plants

I have approx. 2 acres I want to eventually get certified organic. I have some really excellent organic compost/manure mix I can get from a local place. My question is: how many yards should I incorporate for 2 acres? I am sure I need a lot. The existing soil isn't too bad. Some clay but drains reasonably well. I am in N. Wyoming. Thanks so much for any advice.

• Re: Amending soil - Steve 10:27:13 3/01/99 (1)

  If your compost is completely broken down, farm rates are generally 4 to 6 yards per acre. This depends on soil type, mineral content, what you might be growing, what's been growing on the site, etc. If I may also suggest; if you haven't done so already, get a full soil audit/sample with organic recommendations.

  • Re: Amending soil - Rick 18:42:44 3/02/99 (0)

    Thanks Steve! I will get an organic soil audit. 8 to 12 yards I can handle!

He have millions of em. Evevery day I find at least 30+.
It's horible please help.

• Re: Maple Bug infestation how to get rid of? - Boyd 16:47:28 2/26/99 (2)

  If you are talking about "boxelder" bugs which feed exclusively on maples.....nothing gets rid of them. I know I have tried.

  • Re: Maple Bug infestation how to get rid of? - Linda 09:56:23 3/20/99 (1)

    I think you are talking about box elder bugs. They fly and are black and red, right? Anyways, I got online here for the same reason...to find out how in the world to get rid of them. I have found a couple of suggestions that I am going to try as soon as I get offline. One says to try 3 tablespoons of dish soap to one gallon of water and spray. Won't keep them away but will kill them. Another suggests an organic substance called pyrethrum or rotenone. Says to use 3 times once a day at 3 day intervals. All agree you must plug all holes including "weepholes" around your windows. I hope one of these works because I am going to try them in a matter of minutes. These bugs are absolutely disgusting and in every single room of my house. We kill at 30 a day. YUK!!

    • Re: Maple Bug infestation how to get rid of? - Judi 00:30:09 3/21/99 (0)

      Linda, The pyrethrin spray will kill them on contact. I have yet to come upon any substance that will repel them.

Hi everyone, I am having a steadily worsening problems with thrips in my greenhouse. So far DE hasn't done me much good. Any answers out there on how I can get rid of them? Thanks!!!

• Re: Thrips in the greenhouse - Judi 17:03:39 2/26/99 (1)

  There is a thrips parasite (thripobius semiluteus) a beneficial insect that preys on larvae of greenhouse thrips. Obviously this won't control the adults. Diatomaceous Earth has always worked for me. I know thrips can be difficult to get rid of.

  • Re: Thrips in the greenhouse - Steve 09:01:04 2/27/99 (0)

    I have had problems with thrips in the heat of summer on lettuce and beans. I achieved limited control with blue sticky traps (one trap per 100 sq. ft.) Seems thrips are attracted to the color blue. Also tried neem, with very limited, if any, control. Finally, as a last resort, I tried a soap/pyrethrin mix; knocked them out completely. Problem is, it probably knocked out my beneficial insect population as well. Also, as I understand it, thrips are attracted to plants that are grown in soils high in nitrogen.

    If you can get the current adult population under control, by all means use the thrip parasite as mentioned by Judi. The Minute Pirate bug is also recommended for thrips, and is considered a predator of nasty insects in general.

We have a small stand of Aspens approx. 12 -15 feet in height. We have found clumps of oyster shell scale on them. What is the best way we can get rid of the devils? I use no chemicals...well I wouldn't be at this board if I did!! Thanks Judi!

• Re: Scales: Question for Judi - Judi 00:48:03 2/23/99 (0)

  This is kind of a messy job but your aspens will be ever greatful! Keep an eye out for any new scales and scrape them off.

  As far as spraying the scales we use dormant horticulture oil when trees are dormant and a light oil when they are leafed out. I also recommend neem oil which makes a great scale killer.

I am looking into getting some ducks for the slug problems around here. How much on average do ducklings require in daily feed? My daughter and I will be tending to their needs. We are planning on going with the muscovy breed. Thanks Steve!

• Re: Feeding ducks: Question for Steve - Steve 22:58:29 2/22/99 (0)

  A dozen day old ducklings will eat about 50# of non-medicated game bird starter in about three weeks. For the next two or three weeks, feed requirements will at least double if not triple. At four weeks I switched to game bird developer, and at six weeks about 50/50 developer and cracked corn. After six weeks, put them out in the fields and let them forage!

  I've had problems keeping the ducklings supplied with enough water. From three weeks on, a dozen will go through two gallons a day at least! We finally set up an automatic waterer, similar to auto dog waters. Big time saver. They are real messy, and need a bit of room. We had 25 ducklings in a 12x50 hoophouse. This gave them plenty of room, and the hoophouse wasn't in use at this time either.

  I've been using chain-link dog kennels in the fields for safe night time enclosures. I've recently had to wrap the sides and tops with chicken wire, 1" if possible. Just last night, what I believe was a raccoon reached it's paw in through the chain-link while the ducks were sleeping and ripped the wing off of a duck, and left half of the poor things side torn open.

  Once you've put the ducklings out in their field home, leave them confined inside for 7-10 days to let them know this is now "home". I let the first group of our now-seven week old ducklings out of their new home for the first time this past weekend. They loved it, and hopefully ate a few slugs! I also have 13 adults, which I only feed at night with about 5# of cracked corn for the entire group. I only feed them in the evening, and only in their nightly enclosure. I also ring a cow bell each time I feed them. They usually come running back home, single file, waiting for the cracked corn. Usually. The 13 adults have over three acres of slug infested half eaten legume/cerial grain covercrop to eat during the day. I don't believe I'm depriving them of food or a good life!

  Let us know of your experiences with the Muscovy breed. Our ducklings have all been Pekins, only because that was the only breed available fron hatcheries in January. Our adult ducks came from a local source. No doubt, ducks are an excellent resource on small acreage farms for slug control. Funny thing, you could never have convinced me a year ago that I would be a duck farmer...but after last season's 5 per sq. ft. slug infestation something had to be done, or I was out of business. Good luck!
  
  

I have a houseplant and I don't remember the name of it but I think it is a persian violet. The plant has some type of desease or insect that is affecting it. The symptoms are little webs within the branches, sticky coating on the leaves and I think there are little white gnats on it. What home recipe would you recommend to get rid of this problem?

• Re: houseplant disease - Judi 00:50:02 2/22/99 (0)

  I am guessing you have spider mites and whiteflies on the plant.

  I would do a test first to see if either of these will have a negative reacion on Persian violets.

  Lime Spray Target insects: Cucumber beetles, mites and general purpose.
  To make: Mix 1 ounce of hydrated lime, 32 ounces of water and 1 teaspoon of castille soap. Use up to twice a week.

  Combine buttermilk, potato flour and water to make a fairly thin mixture. Spray plants to suffocate the mites and whiteflies. Bu sure to spray under leaves thoroughly. This also will not harm plants and you may rinse it off after a few hours if you desire.

  Keep the plant misted or on a pebble tray to keep humidtiy up and mites away. Good Luck!

We recently bought a piece of property with several apple trees. These trees need to be trimmed back. I know we need to do this soon but we are not sure how much we should cut them back. Can you help???

Thank You!!

• Re: Pruning Apple Trees - Judi 00:54:02 2/22/99 (1)

  For older apple trees you want to thin the crowns to let more light in, remove any crossing or rubbing branches and diseased or dead branches. One rule to follow is never remove more than one third of a trees canopy at any given time.

  Now and early spring is an excellent time to prune apple trees.

  • Re: Pruning Apple Trees - Judi 01:00:31 2/22/99 (0)

    I should have mentioned these tips also:

    
    Cut off water sprouts (shoots rising upward) growing on the trunk and main branches.

    Cut off the suckers that may be growing at the base of the tree. They are useless.

    Remove the weakest of any closely parallel growing limbs.

    Remove limbs growing toward the center of the tree. They generally originate on scaffold limbs. You can easily see them when you stand next to the trunk and look upward.

Is there any cure for cankor of Aspen trees? The truck and bark are getting a pinkish, redish color to them, where it should be white. Thanks for any solutions.

• Re: Cankor of Aspen trees - Judi 00:40:39 2/22/99 (0)

  There is no cure for cystospora cankers but there are things you can do to help your aspens out.

  When injured by pruning, hail, mowers, trimmers or insects , Aspen may become infected with a fungus called Cystopora canker which i suspect is the type of canker your apens have. Prune out cankers in October, late winter or very early spring during dry weather only. It would be best to remove branch cutting to at least 6 inches below the canker to a new branch or to the tree trunk as needed. If the wound is older and trying to heal itself, just remove loose bark pieces. It is important not to cut, remove or damage callus that may be forming at the canker edge. Callus will look like swollen bark growing across the dead area. Scrape the wound surface clean of loose bark.Be sure to sterilize your saw with denatured aclohol between each cut. Also for each new cut you make treat the exsposed wood from the cut with Lysol. This is an arborist trick from way back. The reason for doing so is self explanatory.

  If there is a large canker on the main trunk of the tree I suggest you consult an arborist who may be able to trim out the canker. The process for doing this is too detailed to go into here. Has to be done just right especially on thin barked trees like aspens.

  For prevention: spray trees thoroughly at least twice with copper materials such as bordeaux 12-12-100 or Microcop. The first application should be before fall rains begin or in early October. The second spraying should be in early January.

  I will also add that contrary to popular belief aspens do like to be fertilized ocassionally. Keeping the soil around them aerated will help them tremendously as they suffer terribly in compacted soil.

  Good luck and let us know how you make out.

I often get basal rot in my leaf lettuce. They just turn to slime. Anyone have a suggestion for dealing with this? Would a muclh around them help?

• Re: Basal rot in lettuce - Steve 03:51:50 2/20/99 (1)

  I don't know much about basal rot, but I do have problems with scleritinia (soft-rot)in my lettuces. They also turn to slime! I completely remove the affected plant from the field, and follow rotations of at least three years (the sclertia spores from affected plants can overwinter in the soil.) Certain plants are overwintering host to scleritinia, unfortunately these same host plants are used in my winter covercrops. Vetches, and winter field peas, to name a few. (Not all legumes, including favabeans, are host plants though.) In scleritinia affected areas, I've been using more of the cerial grains instead of legumes for winter covercropping. Also, high nitrogen levels creates an appealing temptation to invite scleritinia.

  • Re: Basal rot in lettuce - Anne 00:06:10 2/21/99 (0)

    Sounds like sclertinia is what the problem is. "Basal" rot was the name I gave it. Thank-you Steve for the good advice!

This is a rather ignorant questtion. I have read the disscussions on ducks and slug control. Will they also eat snails? I thought perhaps with the hard shells they (ducks) might not find them platable.

While I am at it: will diatomaceous earth kill snails?
Thanks!!!

• Re: Snail Control - Steve 03:54:08 2/20/99 (0)

  I haven't had any experience myself with ducks eating snails, but with all the research I've been doing with ducks and slugs suggest that they will eat snails also. If you can find them, the muscovy breed seems to be the most voracious mollosk eater of all duck breeds. I currently have Pekin, Indian Runner, and Khaki Campbell breeds, and they all seem to share similar eating habits. I let them out of their safe-from-critters home each morning, and they will actively eat for up to 1/2 hour. Then they kind of lay around for the rest of the day, with short eating periods. Also, only 10% of their diet is supposedly protien, as such a lot of what they are eating is vegetable based. Depending on the size of your area, my guess would be about 10-20 ducks per acre, minimum.

  Diatomaceous earth claims to be effective against snails, but it'e useless once it gets wet. It is also possibly harmful to your local population of earthworms. There are new slug/snail killing products out in the marketplace now. They are an iron phosphate based product, with names like Sluggo, or Escar-go.

  Good luck, and let us know of your results!

I am fairly new to organic gardening. I have an acre that I want to grow in cover crops to enrich the soil. The soil is brown, dense clay. So far I have tilled in about 20 yards of compost. What would be some good cover crops I could plant to help the soil along?
Any help appreciated...I am a novice!

• Re: Cover crops to enrich poor soil - Steve 05:45:49 2/14/99 (1)

  Sounds like an ewxcellent start with all the compost. Your soil type sounds similar to mine. I've had good luck with fall planted (mid sept.-mid nov.)cover crops of bell beans, winter peas, vetch, and about 20% cerial grains (I perfer California red winter oats). Many Organic farm dealers offer a pre-bagged mix, usually sold as a green manure or soil builder mix. Be sure to inoculate the legumes, it's cheap and easy. In vegetable production areas, I first mow then till in the cover about late march or early april here in No. CA, depending on El Nino! Supposedly the best time to do this is after 10% bloom of the legumes. If anything, till sooner than later...if you wait too long, the bell beans especially get too viny and will become a real mess to encorporate! I only mow the cover crop in the orchard. With mowing, the legumes will die back, but the grains will continue to grow as long as there is some soil moisture. With this method, each time I mow, I'm creating a mulch in effect, which will almost completely smother local annual weeds (like star thistle!) I use buckwheat in the summer, but be sure to mow or till it no more than a couple of weeks after flowering, as it goes to seed and will become your new weed next year! Cover cropping is an extremely important input here, for the sake of soil erosion, and with our soils, building organic matter. I would also get a full soil audit/soil sample done, with organic recomendations. This will give you an idea as to mineral excesses or lack thereof. Good luck!

  • Re: Cover crops to enrich poor soil - Judi 18:30:35 2/15/99 (0)

    I will add one thing to Steve's knowlegable advice: alfalfa makes a great cover crop for enriching the soil.

I raise a good size tomato crop and have been having a bad time with root knot nematodes. I do grow organically and use a no till system. Is there a soil amendment I can use that would help to reduce the nematode population or any suggestions? Please. TIA

• Re: Nematodes: not the good ones! - Judi 18:26:08 2/15/99 (0)

  If you can purchase neem granules to incorporate into the soil it can really reduce the nematode populations. Yucca extracts also have the same effect.

  Plant marigolds, they can really help to reduce
  nematode populations! French Marigold (T. Patula) has the ability to kill nematodes. Mexican marigold (T.  minuta) is the most effective and may also overwhelm weed roots such as bind weed! Be careful it can have an herbicidal effect on some plants like beans and cabbage. Marigolds do attract spider mites.

I grow (among many things) varities of heirloom and hybrid carrots. I can't seem to beat the carrot flies! I have tried the progressive hilling technique, garlic sprays etc. Any advice for me?

I will add I am a certified og grower...small place.  Thanks!!!

• Re: Carrot Flies - Lucy 12:42:16 2/09/99 (0)

  Paula,
  have you tried covering the carrots with row cover? The covers will shut the flies out so they cannot lay eggs. You will have to make sure the soil isn't already infested with pupating larva before covering, other wise they emerge under the covers and are trapped inside where they cheerfully lay eggs. Good fall clean up will take of this.
  Put the covers on right after planting the seeds and leave them on through out the growth, unless temps get above 90F, than remove the covers until the temps cool off. I have done this for one season and it cut the damage a lot though some always seem to get in.

  I also found there was less damage with the later crops that were not covered.
  
  
• Re: Carrot Flies - Judi 18:33:55 2/05/99 (0)

  Place sprigs of wormwood around the plants crown. This masks the scent of carrots and the flies will leave them alone.

  These plants may work as repellants: Black salsify (oyster plant), coriander, lettuce, onion family, pennyroyal, rosemary, sage.

I have a large certified organic garden where I grow all sorts of herbs, flowers and vegetables for farmers markets. I have had an awful time with grasshoppers the last 2 years. I have used Noseum locustae for these 2 years and it hasn't made too much of a dent in the population.

My question is: I am wondering if ducks would help to keep the hoppers down? I don't know if the hoppers are a preferred food of their's or not. We are kind of on the fence over the use of neem oil, but I have heard some good reports in using it against hoppers.

Are there any certified growers out there who do use neem?

Can anyone help me out?

• Re: Ducks for insect control - steve 22:43:26 1/31/99 (0)

  I'm attempting to use ducks for slug control on five acres. They are very efficient workers, when they are actually working! They will actively feed for twenty or thirty minutes, then take the rest of the day off! It seems 90% of their diet is plant based, with the remainer in slugs, insects, etc. Ducks seem to prefer to have someone nearby, as they appear to feed more actively as I'm out with them working. The Muscovy breed is supposedly the best as far as slug and insect eaters, but I have yet to find a hatchery that sells them this time of year.

  We are in a rural area, and the ducks absolutely need to be enclosed in critter proof housing. We feed them only during the evenings, and only in their nightly enclosures. I do believe ducks could provide major control with hoppers, if one is willing to spend the time with them and provide for their simple needs.

  I am also a certified organic grower, and have had poor results with neem. I had an outbreak of thrips; the neem didn't help at all. I switched to a pyrethiun based botanical insecticide, and that took them out. Probably took out most of my beneficials too though! I'm sorry to hear that nosema lucustae didn't work for you. We had had excellent control with it, although our hopper problem hasn't been too severe. Good luck!

I had a lot of trouble with potato scab last year. I mainly grew yukon gold and pontiac reds. Anyone have a suggestion for preventing scab? Thanks so much!!!!

• Re: Potato Scab - Steve Martin 09:20:14 1/27/99 (3)

  I also suffered from scab this year, and I'm convinced it was from lack of water during tuber formation. My growing beds are three-feet wide, with two rows of spuds per bed. I water with T-tape, using only two lengths per bed. One length of T-tape is placed between the two rows, and the other is placed on the downhill side of the lower row. The lower row had only a slight incident of scab, whereas the upper row, which didn't receive nearly as much water, had severe scab.

  Keep your ph down, cover crop with cerial grains with mimamal amounts of legumes, and water those spuds! Good luck!

  • Re: Potato Scab - Stan 17:01:46 1/30/99 (2)

    Thank you for your advice Steve! I am sure i will have better now for the coming season.

    • Re: Potato Scab - Lucy Goodman-Owsley/Boulder Belt Gardens/CSA 14:36:49 2/02/99 (1)

      Actually Eliot Colman reccomends planting soy beans just before planting spuds. Keeping the Ph below 6.5 will also do the trick

      • Re: Potato Scab - Judi 18:29:58 2/05/99 (0)

        When planting your potato sets put some wilted comfrey leaves in with them to prevent scab. Also I have heard that keeping the soil for your potato patch with a pH of 5 or below or a pH of 7 or above helps prevent scab. Guess that is up for grabs...

Would someone PLEASE tell me, how to trim a peach tree !!!

• Re: Peach tree - Judi 00:19:52 1/22/99 (0)

  That is a lengthy subject to get into. The URL I am listing will give you a basic understanding of how and why we prune peach trees. Don't be intimidated by pruning fruit trees. Once you understand the basics it is easy to do.

  Here is a neat trick:
  Make a small nick low in the peach tree's trunk this forces it to grow a new shoot this spring from the "wound" you have created. More shoots, more peaches.  Pruning Peach Trees

I grow phormium (New Zealand Flax). At times we have problems with phytophra, and glomerella. I really hate the idea of chemical fungicides as most of them are shocking health risks for all people and animals in the immediate area.
Please if anybody knows of a organic fungicide that deals with either or both these fungal diseases,let me know, i would be extremely grateful.
thankyou............ :0)

• Re: phormium - natural fungicides - Judi 00:40:13 1/21/99 (0)

  For glomerella the use of neem oil is quite effective for preventing it. It is also helpful in treating an existing condition.

  There is some debate as to whether neem oil is acceptable organically. I do use it on occasion and feel that it has remarkable properties!

What can I do to treat or prevent fireblight on my apple and crabapple trees. They get it every year.  Thanks so much!

• Re: Fireblight on apple trees - Judi 14:56:30 1/20/99 (0)

  We have had excellent results using the following formula as a fireblight prevention on apple and crabapple trees! You can add a little pure soap like Castille soap as a surfactant to make this treatement stick better. 1/2 teaspoon per quart of hydrogen peroxide.

  Hydrogen Peroxide Treatment
  To prevent bacterial and fungal problems on outdoor plants use hydrogen peroxide! Hydrogen peroxide will prevent the disease spores from adhering to the plant tissue. It causes no harm to plants or soil, however don't use on young transplants or direct seeded crops until they have become established.
  Spray plants with undiluted 3 percent hydrogen peroxide that you can buy most anywhere. Be sure to cover tops and bottoms of leaves. Do this once a week during dry weather and twice a week in wet weather. This works as a preventative. If you already have problems use this as a direct treatment.

   

we are looking to make fertilizer from fish carcasess that normally get dicarded after filleting. should thhhey be dryed & ground or wet processed ? dont waant to atract coons and bears.

• Re: making fertilizer from fish - Judi 17:32:54 1/10/99 (0)

  Dried and ground would by far be the best way to go. We store the dried meal in 5 gallon buckets with 15 ml plastic liners, tops hammered securely on. Helps with the smell too.

I have heard that there is a type of geese that can help with weed control. Anyone know what kind or have any info on this subject? I have a small organic farm in Kansas and thought this would be a good way to go for us to help with weed control. The weeds are not terribly out of hand during the growing season.

Thanks and seasons greetings to everyone!

• Re: Geese and weed control - Judi 16:45:53 12/27/98 (3)

  Geese are certainly great for sustainable ag management and are voracious grass eaters dining on such invasive species as Bermuda grass, crabgrass, johnson grass and adversely will eat puncture vine. They have to be controlled so they won't destroy desirable vegetation. Geese are being used more and more for alternative weed control by tree nurseries, organic farms and fruit orchards.

  All geese will weed to a certain extent, but the best choice is white Chinese weeding geese. The Chinese specifically bred this goose to be a weeder over 2,000 years ago. Imagine that!

  A goose at 6-7 months of age will eat consume an amount of grass equal to their weight everyday! One goose is adequate to weed an urban garden. For larger areas with an abundance of weedy grasses you would require 3 to 5 geese to get things under control. If you have a pond or waterway on your property your geese will appreciate a swim and they will keep the water free from grasses!

  A source for weeder geese and information is:
  PINA (Permaculture Institute of North America)
  4649 Sunnyside Avenue N.
  Seattle, WA 98103
  Phone: (206) 547-6838

  • Re: Geese and weed control - Barbara 10:45:09 4/03/99 (0)

    We have five Chinese geese at the present time (one is in the midst of laying eggs right now). Two are brown and the other three are white. They do keep our weeds down, both in the yard and in the pond. They are extremely talkative and will come when I call "goosie, goosie." One is a bit aggressive and may try to chase us when we turn our back on him, but a stomp of my foot on the ground backs him up immediately. If you don't mind the noise and the constant "company" (they follow us all over the yard, as they relate humans to food), you can't find better weed control anywhere.
  • Re: Geese and weed control - Boyd Stahl 17:03:25 1/07/99 (0)

    Thank you Judi! I will check it out. This is the first place I have gotten an answer to my question. Maybe the geese can help us get rid of some of this awful quack grass!

I live in Lima East Victoria Australia and am researching how to grow the Gingko Biloba tree.
I have heaps on it's medicinal uses but at what age and when does one harvest the leaves and how is it presented for sale? dried or green?
love to hear from you Margaret.

• Re: Growing ginko biloba - Gingko Gardens 12:53:57 5/24/99 (0)

  Hi Margaret, We live in Northern California and have a small Gingko farm for about 10 years. If you are still interested in information and the purchase of gingko seeds, e-mail me back and I will reply.

• Re: Growing ginko biloba - Celia 08:39:25 3/18/99 (0)

  Hi Margaret,
  I am interested to know how a Gingko Tree and the fruits look like.
  I would really appreciate if you could send me the pictures.
  Thank you very much and waiting for your reply patiently.
• Re: Growing ginko biloba - Jamie Duncan 06:27:14 2/19/99 (0)

  I am doing a report on Growing Ginko Biloba in nursary type conditions.
  Does anybody know where I can info on the temperature likes, soil preferneces, or other growing info?
  All I can find is where to buy it and how to use the extracts! Please HElp!
• Re: Growing ginko biloba - Judi 16:42:35 12/27/98 (18)

  I am not sure at what age you could begin to harvest ginkgo trees, but this should help you out somewhat. The leaves are harvested in the fall just as they begin to turn from green to yellow. They should ideally be hand picked so the leaf veins, which contain the turpene compound, are disturbed as little as possible. The newest growth on the branch tips are what is harvested. After the leaves are harvested, they are dried in warm warehouses where the air temperature is controlled. All debris is then separated from the dried leaves like twigs, stalks etc. So you could either sell them after you harvest them or after you go through the process of drying them.

  Chinese herbalists use the seed rather than the leaves.

  I would like to add my comment that ginkos are an excellent tree to grow, being very hardy and disease resisitant! The male trees are preferred for landscaping versus the females which produce very smelly blossoms and fruit. Ginkgos are the oldest living species of tree dating back some 250 million years and are known as the living fossil! The trees are hardy from zone 3 south and can grow to 100 feet in height.

  • Re: Growing ginko biloba - Kayla 16:15:11 12/28/98 (2)

    Best time to harvest leaves for high flavonoid content is in the fall,after they begin to turn color. Flavonoids, which may be the most active anti-oxidants in ginkgo and exhibit a vessel-toning effect, reach their highest levels in the leaves at this time. However, the most important active constituents in ginkgo leaves (the ginkgolides and bilobalide) reach their highest levels around Aug. or Sept.,in late summer or early fall, before the leaves start to turn color. If youare interested in getting max. levels of these constituents, you shouldharvest the leaves when they are a dark, rich green, because these constituents drop the their lowest levels after the leaves have turned yellow and begin to fall off the tree. Considering all of the above, the optimum time for harvesting ginkgo leaves may be harvested just about the time they begin to turn color, or alittle before in Sept. After picking the leaves, shade-dry them on a screen, allowing good air circulation from the bottom and the top. Best condition is one that will dry the leaves quickly (in 2 to 3 days) but not overheat them. Never dry leaves in the sun. To test that the leaves are thoroughly dried, "snap" a leaf stem to make sure. When the leaves are dried, put them in a paper bag inside a plastic bag, and store them in a cool, dark place---in a tinted glass jar is best.

    • Re: Testing of Leaves after harvesting - Geoff Eaton 00:44:48 3/07/99 (0)

      Thanks for the good information on harvesting gingko biloba leaves. I have just bought a property with two large trees (males I think) and am now looking forward to harvesting the leaves.(now end of summer here in New Zealand) But the next question is: Is there a laboratory where I can get the leaves tested for their flavonoids, gingkolides and bilobalide, after they are dried?
      Regards
      Geoff Eaton
      eatongp@clear.net.nz

I live in a rural part of Nebraska: zone 5. My question: what can we do to stave off onslaughts of grasshoppers? They were awful this last season. I know they are cyclic and if I am right next year will be worse. I mean they were eating everything! I would prefer to use a botanical or biological control of some sort, that is if there is anything that will help.

• Re: Grasshoppers: what to do? - Judi 18:04:09 12/08/98 (5)

  Here again for those disgusting grasshoppers I highly recommend neem oil. If you spray neem while the grasshoppers are small you will make a sizeable dent in the populations as neem works as an insect growth regulator (IGR). When plants are sprayed with neem the grasshoppers will land on them but will not eat them! I have had consistent results with neem as an antifeedent spray for several years now. It is the best hopper control i have found. For more grasshopper control ideas go to the URL I am listing. Good luck!Grasshopper Control

  • Re: Grasshoppers: what to do? - Steve 11:02:18 12/17/98 (2)

    : I have had good results with Nosema Locustae, a predacious protazoa, specific to most species of grasshoppers. It is also on the allowed list of materials for commercial organic growers. Cost is $10-20 per acre.

    • Re: Grasshoppers: what to do? - horacio sanchez 12:37:13 3/30/99 (1)

      we have had severe infestations of grasshoppers in san luis and we would like to test nosema in san luis. i would like to know if you can give me some information on the use of this product.

      • Re: Grasshoppers: what to do? - Eric Acosta - Director of Biocontrol Network 13:21:29 6/26/99 (0)

        You will find a full description of Nosema Locustae on the Biocontrol Network website, as well as links to university sites that have published research.

         

        • Nosema Locustae