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    Field notes: There's no ducking intensive treatment for quackgrass - June 22, 2014 by Mr HomeBuilder

    My last column elicited several requests for more detailed information on controlling quackgrass. Following is the question from one reader and response. If you have tree, shrub or lawn questions, you may e-mail me at the address at the end of the column. I will respond directly and cover the more common questions in my column.

    Dear Doug,

    An online service is needed to view this article in its entirety. You need an online service to view this article in its entirety.

    Need an account? Create one now.

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    The rest is here:
    Field notes: There's no ducking intensive treatment for quackgrass

    In Yabbies And Cappuccino, A Culinary Lifeline For Aboriginal Youth - June 19, 2014 by Mr HomeBuilder

    hide captionAustralian celebrity chef and author Kylie Kwong (left) teaches a cooking workshop at Yaama Dhiyaan, a cooking and hospitality school for at-risk aborginal youth.

    Australian celebrity chef and author Kylie Kwong (left) teaches a cooking workshop at Yaama Dhiyaan, a cooking and hospitality school for at-risk aborginal youth.

    If you teach an aboriginal man (or woman) to make a cappuccino, can you feed his career for a lifetime?

    That's the hope at Yaama Dhiyaan, a cooking and hospitality school for at-risk indigenous young people in Australia.

    Students there are learning the skills to be cooks, restaurant and hotel workers, and caterers. The school is also helping to reconnect them to their culture, disrupted when many of their grandparents were kidnapped off the land, forced into missionary schools and denied the right to vote until the 1960s.

    Aunty Beryl Van-Oploo is an aboriginal elder who heads the school. She is from the Gamillera tribe and grew up on a reservation about 500 miles from Sydney in New South Wales.

    hide captionAunty Beryl Van-Oploo heads Yaama Dhiyaan, the first cooking and hospitality training college for at-risk indigenous young people in Australia.

    Aunty Beryl Van-Oploo heads Yaama Dhiyaan, the first cooking and hospitality training college for at-risk indigenous young people in Australia.

    "They asked me to name the school," says Aunty Beryl, "so I thought I might as well say 'hello' in my own Yuwaalaraay language. Yaama means 'hello' and Dhiyaan means 'family.' So it's 'Hello family and friends' when you come here."

    Among the skills the students learn at Yaama Dhiyaan is how to make cappuccinos and other specialty coffee drinks.

    Here is the original post:
    In Yabbies And Cappuccino, A Culinary Lifeline For Aboriginal Youth

    Police blotter, 5/26: Police: Man rubbed urine-soaked cloth on woman's face in Bethel Township - May 28, 2014 by Mr HomeBuilder

    A man has been charged with assaulting a woman with a urine-soaked cloth in Bethel Township.

    Brian M. Ulrich, 36, Lebanon, was charged with simple assault and harassment, accused of rubbing a urine-soaked cloth on the face of a woman and pinning her against a door at 679 Greble Road on Saturday, state police at Lickdale said. The police report did not indicate the time of the incident.

    RECKLESS ENDANGERING >> Richard Francis Lachance, 27, Union Township, was charged after a child in his care was found walking alone in traffic on Saturday afternoon, state police at Lickdale said.

    Lachance is accused of failing to provide adequate care for a 2-year-old boy found walking on the shoulder of Fisher Avenue in heavy traffic at 3:21 p.m. Sunday, police said. Lebanon County Children and Youth assisted police in placing the child in a safe home pending investigation of the incident.

    CRASH >> Parth C. Modi, 18, Carlisle, was charged with careless driving after his car, headed east in the right lane of I-78 near mile marker 1.6, drifted into the left lane and onto the berm, then abruptly moved across both lanes, leaving the roadway and striking an embankment and a small shrub at 6:09 p.m. Sunday, state police at Lickdale said. The car then continued and rolled into its driver's side and came to rest against a tree.

    MODI AND A PASSENGER, HIMA C. MODI, 47, CARLISLE, WERE TAKEN BY FIRST AID AND SAFETY PATROL TO THE HERSHEY MEDICAL CENTER, WHERE THEY WERE RELEASED AFTER TREATMENT, A HOSPITAL SPOKESWOMAN SAID.

    CHETANKUMAR R. MODI, 50, CARLISLE, SUFFERED A MINOR INJURY BUT WAS NOT TRANSPORTED, POLICE SAID.

    JONESTOWN'S PERSEVERANCE AND LICKDALE FIRE COMPANIES AND FIRST AID AND SAFETY PATROL AND FORT INDIANTOWN GAP AMBULANCES ASSISTED POLICE.

    CRASH >> Jonestown's Perseverance and Lickdale fire companies and First Aid and Safety Patrol responded to 2 I-78 east for a crash with reported injuries at 2:37 a.m. Monday. No police report was available.

    SEWER LEAK >> City fire crews responded to 825 Crowell St. at 2:21 p.m. Monday.

    Continue reading here:
    Police blotter, 5/26: Police: Man rubbed urine-soaked cloth on woman's face in Bethel Township

    Shredded paper not best for composting because it decays too quickly - May 18, 2014 by Mr HomeBuilder

    Photo by Jonathan Natiuk

    Shredded paper isnt the best for composting because it decays too quickly to be much help.

    Dear Neil: I have access to a lot of shredded paper. We normally send it to recycling, but Ive wondered if I could use it in the compost?

    A: I send ours to recycling. It is organic matter, so, yes it could be put into the compost. However, normal life byproducts like shredded tree leaves, grass clippings, animal manure, finely chipped wood and others are better things to put into the compost. If you do use the paper, most authorities will suggest that you not use pages with colored ink, partly because of odor and partly because the vegetable dyes may attract insects you wouldnt normally have. Paper breaks down very quickly, but youll need to wait on the other types of organic matter to decay before you can use the compost.

    Dear Neil: Can I root cuttings of my boxwood plants in water?

    A: Yes, probably so, but thats not the best way. Roots that develop in water are accustomed to having limited oxygen, and when theyre transplanted into potting soil, they often wilt away. Its better to use a mix of equal amounts of sphagnum peat moss and horticultural perlite. Water it thoroughly before you start sticking the fresh cuttings. The cuttings should be 3 to 4 inches long. Strip off the bottom leaves, and dust the stems in rooting hormone powder. Use a small stick to make each insertion hole so you dont wipe off the powder. Water thoroughly, then cover lightly with a sheet of dry cleaners plastic (not airtight). Put in a bright spot, but out of direct late morning and afternoon sun. For what its worth, if there is a lot of brand new, succulent growth on the tips of the twigs, pinch it off. It will draw water out of the cuttings before they have time to form roots.

    Dear Neil: Our son lives near Dallas, and he says his pomegranate hasnt sent out any new leaves this year. What would have caused that? Was this winter that bad?

    A: It was for some plants in some places. Many specimens of several varieties of crape myrtles, including three popular ones (Natchez, Muskogee and Tuscarora) died back to the ground. Theyll have to be retrained, starting with trimming off all the dead stems. Pomegranates would need the same treatment. They do often come back after freeze injury, as do figs and oleanders. Gardenias will not. It wasnt so much how cold it got this past winter, but more the fact that the first freeze in early December was significant, and for many parts of Texas, it was accompanied by ice. Adding to it, the last freeze/frost that happened just a few weeks ago. It was not a good winter to be a tender plant in Texas. Your son needs to see if there are any new shoots coming up from the ground. If so, he needs to nurture those back into being a shrub.

    Dear Neil: If I apply sphagnum peat moss for Take All Root Rot, how do I keep from mowing it up right away? I do bag my clippings. Also, how often will I need to repeat the treatment?

    A: First, be certain that your lawn actually does have Take All Root Rot. It causes the grass to be lethargic and slow to green up in the spring. It will show up in sweeps and patches, not uniformly over the entire lawn. The peat moss makes an acidic layer on top of the soil, and that discourages development of the fungus. You would need to repeat the treatment no more often than each spring, and sometimes you can go two or three years and never see the disease. Perhaps you should begin by trying a small bale of peat over an affected area. Put a 1-inch layer down and water it in. If TARR is involved, you should see a big improvement in the look of the grass within two weeks. At that point, you could treat all of the affected area. The peat is normally not sucked up by the mower once it has been watered onto the soil surface.

    Read the original:
    Shredded paper not best for composting because it decays too quickly

    Options abound for amaryllis care - May 18, 2014 by Mr HomeBuilder

    Question: Now that my amaryllis are about done for the season, when do I cut them back? What is the best way to keep them healthy?

    Answer: You are growing minimal-care plants with lots of options. First, many amaryllis produce seed pods at the top of their flower heads. You can leave them to develop and sow the seeds or remove them. Whether they are removed now or when the seeds mature, the thick stalks are cut close to the plant.

    Some gardeners like to remove floppy, out-of-bounds leaves and those that have declined during the winter and early spring months at this time. Now would also be a good time to divide the bulb clusters if needed. Then keep the plants growing with feedings in May and during mid-August using a slow-release fertilizer. Keep the plantings moist until October, when they can begin to dry some to encourage future blooms.

    Q: My squash are finally producing fruits and now the worms are eating them. What should I do?

    A: You deserve a share of the crop too, so it is time to take action. Regretfully, you cannot hand-pick all the worms, the immature stages of moths, from the plantings but some natural controls can help. Try the insecticide Thuricide or spinosad used by organic growers and follow label instructions. The latter product can be found at local independent garden centers under several brand names. Both products need a few days to provide effective control and most likely repeat applications.

    Q: We have a sandy hill in our backyard that needs something besides grass. What would make a good ground cover?

    A: Perhaps one of the most rapid-growing, site-tolerant ground covers is the Asiatic jasmine. It grows in sun or shade, has an extensive root system and once established is drought tolerant. It grows about 10 to 12 inches tall but does need to be edged along walkways and clipped away from other plantings. Other good choices are perennial peanut and mimosa or sensitive plant. The latter is a Florida native. Both grow best in full sun and tolerate varying soil conditions.

    Q: We have quite a large rubber plant in a container. Can it be planted in the ground?

    A: The real question should be, how cold does it get in your area? Shrub and tree forms of the genus Ficus including the weeping, fiddle-leaf and similar large-leaf figs are not very cold hardy. Yes, they can grow in our local soils and many are planted. They survive the mild winters and warm sites but are often damaged by severe cold. Many then grow back from lower trunks or buds near the ground. If you do plant a rubber plant, give it room to grow as many form large shrubs or trees.

    Q: Those large pods forming on the tabebuia trees make a mess when they shed seeds and fall to the ground. Can the pods be removed as they form after flowering?

    See the original post:
    Options abound for amaryllis care

    Tree & Shrub | Stewarts | Utah Lawn Care and Pest Control - May 15, 2014 by Mr HomeBuilder

    Tree & Shrub Programs

    Our tree & shrub programs protect your landscape from a wide variety of problems. Each treatment works like diet and exercise; the more consistent you are the healthier your plants become. Just a few applications per year can dramatically improve the health and beauty of your landscape. We have several programs to choose from. Our 5-visit service is our most popular program and provides the most complete coverage.

    If you do nothing else for your trees and shrubs, you should fertilize them! Stewart's Deep Root treatments deliver a custom blend of iron-rich fertilizer directly to the root zone of your plants. For more serious cases of iron chlorosis we will bypass the root system completely and inject nutrients directly into the trunk. With Stewart's, well bring the tools and the expertise to give your trees and shrubs exactly what they need.

    Destructive insects like aphids, borers, and beetles will feed on your landscape like an all you can eat buffet. You don't need to keep your garage stocked full of chemicals to ght them off; you just need to give us a call. Our experts will quickly identify these problems and solve them safely and effectively so that you won't have to.

    Without expert help, tree and shrub care can be overwhelming. That's why we have certied arborists on staff. We know the plants, we understand the climate, and we track the pest activity. Sign up for service and we will perform a thorough yard analysis, make recommendations and customize your program to suit your landscape. Your treatments will arrive on schedule without fail and your plants will get the care they need.

    Link:
    Tree & Shrub | Stewarts | Utah Lawn Care and Pest Control

    Tree and Shrub Care – Lawn Pro/Green Leaf - May 8, 2014 by Mr HomeBuilder

    Spring Horticultural Oil Treatment:An Ornamental Tree and Shrub treatment designed to control damaging insects such as scales, mites and aphids while in the egg stage. This material controls these pests by smothering the eggs and depriving them of oxygen. Horticultural Oils control pest by mechanical means not poisons and are considered very safe and environmentally friendly.

    Leaf Eating Insect Control:An Ornamental Tree and Shrub treatment designed to control damaging insects that chew on the leaves of desideous trees and shrubs such as canker worms, gypsy moth caterpillars, and japanese beetles. These treatments are for trees and shrubs no higher than fifteen feet.

    Arborvitae/Holly Leaf Miner: Leaf Miners are insects that damages these plants from the inside of leaf tissue. We use a systemic material that can penetrate the leaf structure and control these pest.

    Hemlock Wooley Adelgid: This scale like insect targets Hemlocks slowly destroying the tree by sucking the juice out of the needles. We use materials that can smother these insects without harmful pesticides.

    Plant Wash Treatments: A material made up from Vegatable Oil Soap that will rid your Ornamental Trees and Shrubs of harmful toxins. This is an organic treatment that is completly safe for humans and pets.

    Read more from the original source:
    Tree and Shrub Care - Lawn Pro/Green Leaf

    Moss not troublesome if trees are healthy - April 27, 2014 by Mr HomeBuilder

    Question: Our new home site has two large oaks loaded with Spanish moss. Can the moss choke the trees?

    Answer: Spanish moss and its relative, ball moss, are often of concern but normally little threat to healthy trees and shrubs. Both are epiphytes, meaning they use the limbs and trunks for support. They do not take water or nutrients from the trees and only grow attached to the bark. Both plants manufacture their own food using water and nutrients from the air and decomposing plant portions.

    When tree and shrub growth slows, both mosses can begin to overpower the plantings crowding sites normally filled with foliage. At this point, the moss is damaging. Old age, diseases or cultural conditions may cause the plantings to decline and the moss flourishes. In such cases, removing some of the moss and correcting the plant problems is necessary.

    Q. We have been told by our pest-control company our brown-patch lawn disease is due to an abundance of oak trees in the yard. What should we do?

    A. Oak trees are not directly responsible for brown patch, a warm-weather lawn disease that turns turf a straw color in somewhat circular patterns. Oak trees may, however, help create favorable conditions for the fungus. The organism likes moist, warm growing conditions and the trees could shelter the turf from the drying sun and breezes.

    Control starts by realizing brown patch, also called large patch, could be a yearly problem starting in late fall and lasting through early spring. Plan to apply a fungicide labeled for brown-patch control once in November, December and February. These treatments should help reduce or prevent the disease. Also, discontinue fertilizer applications after mid-October to help new growth mature before brown patch weather.

    Q. My neighbor from Ohio who lives here November through April is frustrated trying to grow good tomatoes. Could you suggest a variety that would grow well during the winter?

    A. Here is the problem the best fruit-setting time for all tomatoes is when temperatures are between 55 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Once November arrives, there are very few good fruit-setting days left, thus tomato production time is about over until April, when temperatures are again favorable. Maybe you could be a good neighbor and add tomato transplants to your neighbor's garden in late August or September. With your good care, the plants could set their fruits and be ripening by November.

    Q. I have several poinsettias left from Christmas. What is the proper way to transplant and grow them in the yard?

    A. Find your saved poinsettias a sunny-to-lightly shaded location. Improve sandy soils with lots of organic matter, then add the plants. Cover the surface of the soil with an inch layer of mulch and apply a slow-release fertilizer. Most gardeners also like to cut the plants back to within 12 to 18 inches of the ground. Keep the soil moist and continue light prunings after each foot of new growth through August to have plants in bloom by December.

    Here is the original post:
    Moss not troublesome if trees are healthy

    Kava and Kratom: a natural high or dangerous drinks? - April 25, 2014 by Mr HomeBuilder

    WILMINGTON, NC (WECT) - The DEA calls Kratom one of its "drugs of concern." It's legal and it's growing in popularity in Wilmington, along with another drink called Kava.

    Kava is made from the roots of a shrub that grows in the South Pacific. It can either be served as a drink or in pill form. Many people who use Kava say it helps them to relax.

    Kratom, however, is a stimulant. In the UK, Kratom is known as "herbal speedball." It comes from a tropical tree that grows in Thailand. It can also be served in pill form or in a tea.

    In some countries and a few states, Kratom is illegal.

    At Kat 5 Kava, a Kava and Kratom bar in downtown Wilmington, nearly every seat is taken.

    It's 3:30 on a Wednesday afternoon.

    The crowd includes people of all ages.

    William Fairall, a local DJ, is one of the regulars here.

    He drinks both Kava and Kratom.

    Fairall described the feeling he gets when he drinks Kratom, "It's a happy feeling. It's a happy euphoria. A pick me up."

    Read the original:
    Kava and Kratom: a natural high or dangerous drinks?

    Preventing and Treating Iron Chlorosis in Trees and Shrubs … - April 21, 2014 by Mr HomeBuilder

    Preventing and Treating Iron Chlorosis in Trees and Shrubs by Michael Kuhns, Extension Forestry Specialist, and Rich Koenig, Extension Soils Specialist

    Note: See What is Iron Chlorosis and What Causes It? (click on link) for information on causes of iron chlorosis.

    Diagnosis As noted above, go to What is Iron Chlorosis and What Causes It? for more information on what iron chlorosis is and its causes. Briefly, iron chlorosis is a yellowing of plant leaves caused by iron deficiency, usually in high pH soils (pH above 7.0). Other causes of yellowing need to be ruled out first, however. For example, leaf yellowing can be due to insect or disease problems (pathogenic diseases caused by fungi or other organisms), herbicide misuse, or a history of over watering. Some tree cultivars have even been developed to have yellow foliage on purpose -- an example is the 'Sunburst' honeylocust ('Gleditsia triacanthos' var. inermis 'Sunburst').

    Pin oak with severe iron chlorosis.

    The same pin oak 6 weeks later after injection with ferric ammonium citrate.

    Soil application of ferrous sulfate and granular sulfur.

    See original here:
    Preventing and Treating Iron Chlorosis in Trees and Shrubs ...

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