Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, September 4, 1994 TAG: 9409090010
SECTION: HOMES PAGE: E-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOHN ARBOGAST
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
A: First of all, one can't rely on this type of organic material to reduce soil pH significantly. Agricultural sulfur or aluminum sulfate are the recommended materials to lower pH.
The need for a pH change must be based on a current soil test; soil test results tell how much reduction if any is needed in the soil pH and may suggest future testing to see if additional applications of sulfur are needed. As you might know, the yellowing and dying of your azaleas could well be due to a cause other than soil pH, even though improper pH definitely puts a stress on plants.
Q: What can I do to eliminate crown vetch from areas where it isn't wanted? My small backyard has a planted area, mostly holly bushes, along a board fence. The developer planted crown vetch on the other side of the fence as the land drops steeply away. It has taken over the hillside and is now encroaching under the fence into the garden area. The yard caretakers have bush hogged the hillside (will that really help?) and pulled up the growth on my side of the fence (I'm sure that the roots are still there). Access to the other side of the fence is difficult and dangerous. I am mostly interested in keeping it out of my yard. V.C., Roanoke
A: The nonselective plant killer glyphosate, which is sold as Roundup, Kleenup, and by other brand names, could be sprayed at this time of year onto clumps of unwanted crown vetch to slowly kill the crow vetch plus any other plants whose green parts absorb the chemical. Glyphosate works by entering plants through green parts rather than through their roots or soil activity, but it is still inappropriate to use in an actively growing vegetable garden and risky to use near ornamentals in landscaped beds.
Bush hogging is used to temporarily lower the amount of vegetation on a site, but you're right in thinking that regrowth will occur, especially where established root systems of certain plants are present.
Q: Please tell me how to discourage or eradicate voles. There are small holes here and there in my yard. Mrs. A.M.K., Roanoke
A: Voles, which also may be referred to as the meadow or field mouse for the type that makes trails in thick grass, or pine mouse for the type that burrows under ground, can be controlled in home ornamental plantings and flower gardens with standard house mouse traps baited with small slices of apple that include part of the skin. Since it sounds like you have pine voles, place the trap at right angles to the line of the tunnel in an area that has been dug out to allow the trap to rest flush with the bottom of the tunnel. Get details on vole trapping from the garden or farm supply or hardware store where you buy traps.
Q: What could have happened to my petunias? They were beautiful all spring. I fertilized them once a month; I watered them faithfully all spring and early summer. Suddenly, it rained a good shower the last week of July and in a few days they were all entirely dead. E.S., Penhook
A: Quick death of a plant can be due to a root rot problem. This might make sense in your situation if the petunia roots had already begun to rot from poor drainage or too much moisture during spring and early summer. The rain in late July could have depleted most of the little remaining oxygen from the petunia soil, thus finishing the roots off. This is just a guess, of course.
If any of the petunias are still there, call your local Franklin County Extension Office at 483-5161 to arrange for diagnosis of a sample so you'll know for '95. Keep in mind, though, that diagnosing plant samples that have been dead for a while can be difficult, since extra organisms including decay organisms can invade dead tissue.
Q: We have several junipers which have grown steadily in a raised bed for years. This spring half of the branches in each plant suddenly turned brown. We have not applied any chemicals or done anything to the plants except mulch around them. What could have caused them to turn brown and how can we try to save them? L.S., Roanoke
A: This was probably caused by winter injury to the junipers, specifically damage from the ice. If you have not already done so, prune out the brown parts of the junipers as soon as possible. Refresh the 21/2-inch thickness of organic mulch in the raised bed to enhance the appearance of the bed after pruning. Be sure the mulch does not accumulate against or over parts of the junipers. Do not fertilize these evergreens until next spring, if you had thoughts of promoting new growth.
Send short questions about your lawn, garden, plants, or insects to Dear John, c/o the Roanoke Times & World-News, P.O. Box 2491, Roanoke, Va. 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. Please don't send stamps, stamped envelopes, samples, or pictures.
City clinic
If you want to have an attractive lawn but are concerned how lawn additives affect local water quality, you might want to attend the fall lawn care/water quality field day clinic sponsored by the Roanoke City Extension Office. It will be held in the shelter of Fishburn Park on Brambleton Avenue in Roanoke on Saturday from 9 until 11 a.m., rain or shine.
The park shelter can be reached by taking the path down the hill from the parking lot. Topics scheduled to be covered are ``Turf Seeding and Renovation'' and ``Lawn Fertilization & Soil Testing.''
Space in this free outdoor program will be limited, so call 857-7915 to register. People with a disability who wish to participate but will require auxiliary aids, services or other accommodations, should call immediately and identify that need.
by CNB