Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, August 8, 1993 TAG: 9308090293
SECTION: HOMES PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
A: The weather this growing season, particularly the hot, humid conditions our area has experienced, has caused some problems in vigorous growth and production of some plants. However, I know some tomato gardeners who have had good harvests this year, though tomato ripening was delayed by a few days from prior years.
So, if your tomato-growing results or those of your friends have been less than adequate, take soil tests from the garden in the fall to see if the pH or nutrient levels need adjustment.
The rotten spots on the bottom of your tomatoes sounds like the nondisease problem called "blossom-end rot." I discussed this briefly in the Dear John column on July 25.
Q: I have two bleeding hearts, one red, one white. They bloomed beautifully this spring, but now all the foliage is yellow. I cut back the red one, but now I'm afraid that I did the wrong thing. Is this how they're supposed to do in the summer? J.M.F., Salem
A: There are different species of bleeding hearts, and you did not mention which one(s) you have. That yellow foliage is not necessarily normal, although the foliage of Japanese bleeding heart is known to get shabby in hot or dry climates. Otherwise, I would suspect your yellow bleeding heart foliage to be the result of either a moisture problem - either too much moisture if you water a lot, a site that receives too much sun or some kind of sucking insect pest. Bleeding hearts like a humus-enriched loam soil and a partially shaded site. Thus, you should look at the care and site of your bleeding hearts for clues to the problem.
You did not necessarily do the wrong thing by cutting back one of the yellowed bleeding hearts. Leaves that should be green but have lost their color will no longer be making food for their plant so they have already lost their usefulness. The cut bleeding heart should come back if there was no root JOHN ARBOGAST damage that caused the yellowing leaves in the first place, and if the leaves were green for enough weeks to make food for that plant.
Q: How does one eliminate (kill) a perennial plant that resembles a desert yucca sometimes called rock lily in Virginia? I have tried for several years to get rid of them in the yard of a former residence in Salem. I have seen these plants along Interstate 81 outside Christiansburg and in various other places.
The leaves are slender, long, dark green, pointed sharp, and too tough to be torn by hand as the fibers all seem to run parallel. It forms a large, white tuber in the ground instead of roots. It produces many small, black, hard-coated seeds from the single flowering stem which arises from the center of the leaves in late May-June, showing white flowers about two feet or more above ground level.
The flowers have a slight, pleasant aroma which attracts bees. The plant seems immune to insect damage. It seems immune to every kind of potential enemy including man and herbicides. Cold weather around here has no effect except to slow down the growth of the leaves temporarily without any other apparent damage. It may be in the process of taking over the world. Help! B.L., Roanoke
A: The plant you are referring to is a yucca. It is definitely tough, as you have found out.
I can't recommend a product that is guaranteed to kill yucca, because you don't want to use any chemical that may poison the soil for a length of time or spread into adjacent soil.
However, I would suggest that the yuccas to be eliminated be cut close to the ground while actively growing. Then you should immediately apply a stump treatment with the chemical triclopyr. This is sold as Brush-B-Gon Brush Killer. To kill out the "roots" of each yucca and thus prevent regrowth, apply this product undiluted with a paint brush to the entire freshly cut stump and any remaining trunk section left above ground. Read and follow all chemical label details.
Q: For the three years that we've owned our house, we've been battling wild grape, morning glory, mimosa and locust trees, stinkweed, and various unwanted vegetation. We've tried common defoliants and nothing seems to work. What can we do to eliminate these weeds? We've even considered napalm. E.A.M., Roanoke
A: If these unwanted plants are coming up in an area where you don't want to damage desirable plants, such as a lawn or hedge row, try the stump method suggested above in the answer to B.L. of Roanoke.
However, if the unwanted plants are coming up in an area where you don't have desirable vegetation, treat the foliage of the weed plants with the nonselective plant killer chemical known as glyphosate. This is sold as Roundup and Kleenup.
The objective of either method is to kill the roots and shoots of the plants treated. However, these products will not prevent new growth of weedy plants from seeds that may be present.
short questions about your lawn, garden, plants, or insects to Dear John, c/o the Roanoke Times & World-News, P.O. Box 2491, Roanoke 24010-2491. We need your mail, but this column can't reply to all letters. Those of wide appeal will be answered each week. Personal replies cannot be given.
John Arbogast is the extension agent for Roanoke.
by CNB