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BITS & PIECES FROM MY 'COLUMN IDEAS' COMPUTER FILE
I have a bulging folder in my computer titled column ideas. Here's some of the topics that have been residing there.
Asian lady beetles - Multicolored Asian lady beetles have invaded many homes. These beetles do not feed and cannot reproduce indoors, although it must seem that way to homeowners who have been inundated with them.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the beetles give off an unpleasant odor if agitated or squashed. The defensive reflex involves a yellow fluid being released from leg joints. This reaction generally prevents predators, such a birds, from eating lady beetles.
As inadequate as it sounds, a vacuum cleaner is the recommended method for dealing with the beetles. The dead beetles, if allowed to accumulate in the vacuum cleaner bag for several days, may cause an odor.
Starting walnuts - Jayme Hennek, a Master Gardener friend of mine from Stearns County, starts about 5,000 walnut trees each year from seed. His first step is to float the hulls in water in the fall. If they float, the nut is no good. Then he buries the nuts that didn't float outside in 6 - 12 inches of sand for the winter. The planting area is covered with chicken wire, tarp or rubber to prevent squirrels from digging the nuts up. In late April the nuts are dug up and washed. Nuts that have cracked and that have an exposed root are planted immediately in the garden. The rest of the nuts remain covered with wet burlap and are checked daily. Most sprout within a couple of days if the weather is warm. Hennek cares for the seedlings in the garden for one season and then sells them the following spring.
Over-wintering geraniums - There are many techniques for over-wintering geraniums. One method is to dig the plants out in the fall, shake off the soil and hang the plants from the basement ceiling (a root cellar is best, since modern basements are typically too dry). Plants can be taken down occasionally to soak the roots in water for a few hours, and then re-hung.
Another method involves cutting the plant back to about one-third of original size and repotting it. The plants will need light, water, and occasional fertilizer during the winter. Another gardener moves her pots to a light area in the basement. She waters them about once a month and moves them outdoors each spring. Most make it, she says, and while they may look spindly, they recover beautifully.
Some growers encourage winter geranium growth and blooms with artificial lights. A greenhouse manager from southwestern Minnesota says the secret to beautiful geraniums is to withhold fertilizer all winter and then bring them up into good light in March or April (depending on your facilities), then cut them back and begin fertilizing every week.
Black plastic - Laying black plastic beneath tomato plants to control weeds and reduce disease works for some gardeners. A popular method is to lay the plastic on bare soil. Dig small trenches and bury the edges of the plastic with soil. Using a knife, cut X's in the plastic for the plants. Keep plants low so water naturally runs into the plant. Slit low spots with a knife so water soaks in. Keep soil on top of the plastic to a minimum.
Newspaper mulch - Newspaper is another cheap mulch material that can provide benefits in the garden. Some gardeners lay down 4-6 layers of newspaper on bare ground after a tree has been planted, then spread wood chips or wood mulch on top of the newspaper. The newspaper provides a barrier for weed seeds in the freshly tilled soil.
Maple trunk splitting - I've answered dozens of phone questions this summer about maple trees with vertical cracks in the trunks. In most cases, the cracks are caused by sudden temperature changes in late winter as the warm afternoon sun gives way to the bitter cold that follows sunset. There is no sure-fire way to prevent the cracks on thin-barked trees like maples and the best advice is to not plant maples in the middle of yards where afternoon winter sun can heat up trunks. The International Society of Arboriculture no longer recommends wrapping tree trunks as a routine maintenance practice.
Wrapping trunks with paper or plastic may help, but these protective materials can also contribute to trunk girdling or constriction, insect damage by wasps and borers, and damage caused by excess moisture and diseases. A vertical piece of lumber secured to the southwest side of the tree with twine, while unsightly, may be the best defense.
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PUTTING DOWN ROOTS:
A Delightful Blend of
Gardening Wisdom, Wit
and Whimsy
$10 + $2 for shipping
by Cliff Johnson |
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