Master gardener answers Frequently asked quesions
Published Saturday, September 15, 2007
Bev Johnson
Q: My lawn has a better tan than I do, except for the nice green weeds. Do I mow it, spray it or both?
A: If it is "crispy" tan, water it well before you do anything. Then you can mow it very high, 3- to 3 1/2-inches and spot spray the weeds. A dry lawn can't tolerate the stress that weed killer would give it.
Q: If I take an apple into the Extension office, can they tell me what variety it is?
A: No. Keep the tree label.
Q: How can I tell if my gourds and/or winter squash are ripe?
A: If you can't make a mark with your fingernail on the skin, it’s ripe.
Q: How do I tell if my muskmelon is ripe?
A: Most muskmelons are what is called slip stem. That is, when the melon is ripe, a very gentle tug on the fruit will instantly detach it from the stem.
Q: What are those brown lumps on the leaves of my oak trees?
A: They are galls. A small insect has laid eggs between the tissues in the leaves early this spring. The resulting lumps are actually a sort of incubator for her eggs. If it is a small tree, cut off the infected leaves and dispose of them before the eggs hatch. A mature tree can tolerate the loss of leaf area.
Q: My spring flowering shrub is not flowering very much or only on the top branches. What should I do to make it bloom again?
A: If it is too tall, most shrubs can be cut down to about 6 inches tall. If it is just scraggly, cut out a fourth of the older branches each year. This will ensure more blooms.
Q: My clematis has "bare legs" only blooming on the top.
A: Cut out half of the vines after it loses its leaves. No matter which type you have, at least half of it will bloom next year and it will fill in on the bottom.
Q: My grandpa always painted the wounds on trees. Why is this a bad thing now?
A: Paint actually slows healing and it traps moisture. You want the wound to dry so it can heal.
The only exception to this is if you must trim an oak or elm tree because of damage in the spring or summer.
You put a light coat of latex paint on that wound to prevent the disease carrying beetles from infecting the wound.
Q: When can I prune the trees that "bleed," — maples, birch, walnut and ironwood?
A: These trees are best pruned after they are fully leafed out, in late spring or very early summer.
Q: My maples have funny lumps on the leaves. What should I spay them with?
A: The lumps are galls and will not hurt the tree.
A spray can only hurt your pocketbook, and will not reach the well protected eggs in the galls.
You will have to live with your lumpy leafed tree.
Other gardening questions happily answered by Master Gardeners at the Extension office. Call 218-998-8760.
Bev Johnson is a master gardener for West Otter Tail County.
Comments
The Daily Journal is happy to host community conversations about news and life in Fergus Falls and the surrounding area. As hosts, we expect guests will show respect for each other. That means we don't threaten or defame each other, and we keep conversations free of personal attacks. Witty is great. Abusive is not. If you think a post violates these standards, don't escalate the situation. Instead, flag the comment to alert us. We'll take action if necessary. It's not hard. This should be a place where people want to read and contribute -- a place for spirited exchanges of opinion. So those who persist with racist, defamatory or abusive postings risk losing the privilege to post at all.Post a comment
(Requires free registration.)