My question has to do with the fall/winter foliage of bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum). A friend trimmed the bracken to the ground. Will the bracken grow back next spring? This led to other questions. Does bracken lose only its leaves in the winter or does the entire plant die off? Does it spread through its roots or spores? Any information you have would be appreciated.
Bracken is deciduous, that is, the fronds die to the ground in winter and then regrow from the rhizomes in the spring. If your friend cut her bracken down to the ground late in the year there would be no problem. Even if it was earlier in the year, the bracken would probably survive. According to the fern books I read, people have tried mowing to remove their bracken with no success. The books also warn that bracken is very invasive and not recommended for small gardens. It spreads by underground rhizomes, maybe by spores as well, and can take over a large space in a very short time.
It might be a good idea to take a look at some pictures either in books or online (just enter the name in Google and select Images above the search box) to make sure this is what your friend has. Any deciduous fern (and even some evergreen ferns) can be cut to the ground in fall, but generally it is better to wait until the new fronds appear in spring to cut out the old fronds of evergreen ferns.
The USDA Plants Database provides further information.
Sources consulted:
The Plantfinder’s Guide to Garden Ferns (by Martin Rickard, 2000)
Ferns to Know and Grow (by F. Gordon Foster, 1984)
What can you tell me about the weed killer “Concern Weed Prevention Plus”?
This product is corn-gluten based, and it is not meant to work on weeds which are already growing, but on those which have yet to emerge (pre-emergent). Corn gluten meal has been promoted as an environmentally safer alternative to conventional herbicides, but there are still certain issues that bear considering. Research at Oregon State University showed that corn gluten meal did not prevent weed seed germination. Here is an excerpt from the study’s findings:
“Corn gluten meal did not control any weeds in any trials under any circumstances over a two-year period. They found no evidence of pre- or post-emergence weed control in any of their trials. Because it contains 10 percent nitrogen, corn gluten meal proved to be a very effective fertilizer, causing lush, dense growth of turfgrass and of weeds in shrub beds.”
Although corn gluten meal presents far fewer risks to human and animal health than conventional herbicide, a gardener who is attempting to use only organic methods might consider the source of the corn in these products, which is very likely to be genetically modified. A webpage no longer available from University of Wisconsin Master Gardeners addressed this question:
“Up to 60% of the commercial corn and soybeans in the United States is grown from GMO seed. Corn gluten sold as a preemergent herbicide may indeed contain GMO corn, but it has not yet been tested. Here’s the twist. Corn gluten can reduce the need for traditional herbicides that have environmental side effects. It likely now contains GMO corn. It could be produced from non-GMO corn, but would likely be more expensive.”
Washington State University professor of horticulture Linda Chalker-Scott has also written about “The Myth of Weed-Killing Gluten,” and states that no research suggests this is an effective method of weed control in the Northwest. She recommends sub-irrigation, mulch, and soil solarization instead.
Is there a preemergent to use on Poa annua grass in the lawn and if so what is the name and when should it be applied?
According to The Lawn Bible by David R. Mellor (Hyperion, 2003), your best defense against Poa annua (annual bluegrass) is to mow high (2 inches, usually) to shade out weed seedlings; aerate the soil to improve drainage, because weeds thrive in waterlogged soil; and let the surface of the soil dry out between waterings. If one were to apply preemergent herbicide, this would be done in late summer to early fall, but we strongly recommend that you avoid use of herbicides and pesticides in lawn care due to environmental and health concerns. There are effective non-toxic approaches to weed management. Northwest Center for Alternatives to Pesticides has useful information on maintaining a lawn without chemicals.
For another good discussion of this issue, you might want to refer to the book, What the Experts May Not Tell You about Growing the Perfect Lawn by Tom Ogren (Warner Books, 2004).
The University of California, Davis Extension has a document about the management of Poa annua, including specific information on the various herbicides that have been used to treat it but, as mentioned before, it is best to avoid the use of toxic chemicals in the garden.
Here is the situation: I have six inches between the cement wall and the septic drain field. I want a green screen between myself and the neighbors on the other side of the short cement wall. What can I grow that will give me a green screen and not invade the septic system pipes? All I can think of is some sort of climbing vine, but I am not familiar with which root systems could be a problem.
You have a real challenge with your situation. Most of the literature says that you should not plant any large shrub or tree within 30 feet of a septic system drain field.
Roots growing into the drain field is a serious concern. They recommend consulting an expert if you do want to plant near a drain field.
Instead, you might consider installing an attractive fence and/or using containers to grow plants in. For example, Camellias can be grown on a trellis from a container. They are evergreen, and will also flower.
Another vine-like plant is star jasmine, Trachelospermum jasminoides. It is evergreen with fragrant white flowers.
Can you suggest any larger growing conifers (ex. Lawson’s cypress) whose root systems are not invasive? The area I’m interested in planting is near water lines.
There are a number of conifers listed on the locally developed web pages of
Great Plant Picks.
I would suggest looking at some of these, and then checking the web page of
SelecTree, where you can select trees for low root damage potential.
For instance, if you are interested in planting a fir tree such as Abies
grandis or Abies pinsapo, you would find out from SelecTree’s full tree
record that both of these have moderate root damage potential. Calocedrus,
Picea orientalis, Sequoiadendron and Cryptomeria are also rated as moderate.
Cephalotaxus fortunei is rated low, as are Pseudotsuga menziesii, and
several Chamaecyparis species. The following conifers rated as having high
root damage potential:
Picea abies NORWAY SPRUCE
Picea brewerana BREWER’S WEEPING SPRUCE
Pinus cembra SWISS STONE PINE
Pinus nigra caramanica CRIMEAN PINE
Pinus taeda LOBLOLLY PINE
I have a start from a large hen & chicks (Echeveria). I have seen these plants grow up to 6 feet tall like a shrub. My start is over two years old. It takes off and seems to thrive, but never gets tall or hardy. It seems to go a year and then the outer leaves wilt. Once it got big enough to tip over, so I am wondering how to give it the right pot and correct soil to allow it to grow. It is located in our west sun room here in the great northwest. Is it alright outdoors in the summer?
I wonder if you have information about the particular species of Echeveria you are growing. Usually, ‘hens and chicks’ is the common name for Echeveria glauca. The larger growing Echeveria are the ones with “loose, cabbage-like rosettes which reach a foot or more in diameter on heavy stems” (from The Book of Cacti and Other Succulents by Claude Chidamian, Timber Press, 1984).
I consulted Victor Graham’s book, Growing Succulent Plants (Timber Press, 1987) for some general guidelines on the best growing practices for Echeveria. He says that the soil you provide should be gritty and on the poor side (for good drainage), and they should not be overfed. In The Succulent Garden: A Practical Gardening Guide by Yvonne Cave (Timber Press, 1997), the recommendation for areas with wet winters such as ours is to grow them in containers on a covered porch or in any sunny spot with overhead cover. In the warmer, drier months they can be placed or planted in the garden without cover. Your sun room sounds like a fine place to grow them during the winter here, although they may prefer morning sunlight and afternoon shade to bring out the best color in their leaves.
The Brooklyn Botanic Garden has a page on growing succulents that may be useful.
Some of my Prunus lusitanica (Portugal laurel) shrubs are changing the color of the foliage and stems. Normally the leaves should be dark green and the stems are a dark cranberry red. The soil here at the coast is very sandy. I have put composted manure (the type from bags), fertilized them, and added a bit of lime to the soil around the trunk and close to the root zone. I have not seen much of a response. Do you know what is the optimal pH for Prunus lusitanica? I am concerned about these shrubs because I just planted them last summer.
Prunus lusitanica tolerates a wide variety of pH and moisture levels in soils. See California Department of Forestry SelecTree webpage about this plant.
According to the webpage of a local Seattle garden writer, the leaves do change color slightly, acquiring a bluish tinge in late fall to winter. She also says that Prunus lusitanica does not like wet feet.
What colors are the leaves turning? You might consider testing the soil, to make sure things are not out of balance. Here is a link to the Miller Library website’s links about soil testing.
Is it possible that the bagged manure was still hot, that is, not fully aged? If so, that could cause problems.
You might also bring in photographs or sample leaves to a Master Gardener Clinic for diagnosis. You can locate a Master Gardener Clinic within Washington State at this website.
My fuchsias have gall mites. Will a horticultural oil control them? I would prefer not to use a more toxic pesticide.
Several resources I consulted confirm what you thought about using horticultural oil to control the gall mite problem. The Organic Gardener’s Handbook of Natural Insect and Disease Control (ed. by Ellis and Bradley, 1996) says to spray dormant oil or lime-sulfur on dormant plants.
University of California, Davis’s Integrated Pest Management site has a page about this gall mite, recommending that gardeners “plant only resistant fuchsias and consider replacing susceptible plants. Prune or pinch off and destroy infested terminals. If damage cannot be tolerated, pruning may be followed with two applications of a miticide, applied 2 to 3 weeks apart. Soap or oil sprays provide some control, but cannot kill fuchsia gall mites enclosed in distorted plant tissue.”
According to a May 2004 article from the American Fuchsia Society, “to be effective, [horticultural oil] must come in contact with every live gall mite and smother every gall mite egg. The only way oil products can be effective in killing gall mites is for you to remove the leaves.” Link to this article.
I have noticed Candytuft spreading to different places in my yard. Is it considered an invasive or is it okay?
Candytuft (Iberis sempervirens) is not normally considered invasive. It may be especially happy with the conditions in your garden, and it should be fine to continue growing it, unless you dislike its proliferation.
Here is an information page about this plant from the Missouri Botanical Garden website. Note that it says: “Stems may root where they touch the ground creating new plants which can be left as is or transplanted to other areas.”
I have a medium size cedar in my yard. Squirrels have been stripping the bark off – it is reddish and seems to come off fairly easily in flexible strips a few to several inches long. I wonder if I should be concerned about this affecting the health of the tree and if so what I should do to protect it.
It is possible that the bark-stripping may cause lasting damage to your cedar tree. Here is a document on managing squirrel damage from the British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture and Lands. Here is an excerpt:
“The location of bark damage on a tree varies among tree species and is probably related to the ease of bark removal and bark thickness, and hence to the growth characteristics
of different species. Basal damage (within 1 m of the ground)is the most common type of damage in beech (Fagus sylvatica). Crown damage frequently occurs in the main canopy of
oaks and many conifers, while stem damage usually occurs between the base and canopy in, for example, sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus), beech, birch (Betula spp.), larch (Larix spp.), and lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta). […] Crown damage affects the growth and appearance of the tree; severe crown damage kills it. Damage to the base and stem is cumulative occurring over a number of years. Wounds tend to callous over, hiding the damage until the tree is felled. Trees girdled by excessive stem or basal damage
will die.”
There are various methods of discouraging squirrels, but nothing is a fail-safe approach. The book, Outwitting Critters, by Bill Adler, Jr. (HarperPerennial, 1992) suggests dried blood fertilizer, ultrasonic devices, or live-trapping with peanut butter and small fruit as bait.
Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife’s website has a page which includes suggestions on how to protect trees from squirrels.