A Greener View from Creators Syndicate

Be Careful when Dealing with Wasps During the Summer Season for 08/27/2008

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Wasp populations begin with a single female each spring, but by this time of year a wasp hive can have thousands of individuals.

Some wasps make hives like bees and others are solitary. The inside of a wasp hive is similar to a beehive with individual cells for the young to grow in, but there is no honey; the hive is typically abandoned over the winter and is almost never used again.

...

Updated: Wed Aug 27, 2008

Dig a Trench with Barriers to Control Growth of Bamboo Trees for 09/03/2008

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0700

One of the reasons I enjoy writing this weekly column is being able to correspond with people from all over the country. Many times a question will come in from one region that will still apply to gardeners in other regions. For instance, today we have questions from California and New Jersey about bamboo and plum trees; it is great that the bamboo question is from New Jersey.

As some of ...

Updated: Wed Sep 03, 2008

Catch Borers Before They Develop and Try to Reach the Stem for 09/10/2008

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Q: I read your answer to a reader regarding his dying zucchini plant, and I wanted to ask what we as gardeners can do to eliminate this pest. For the past two years, I planted pumpkins and have been frustrated with this bug. I read one article that said to make sure the garden is clean: I burned, raked and organized the garden. Then I planted barley in the fall, turned it under in the spring an ...

Updated: Wed Sep 10, 2008

Timing is Everything When it Comes to Bringing Outdoor Plants in the House for 09/17/2008

Wed, 17 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Q: Last fall, I think I brought my houseplants indoors too late. They lost a lot of leaves and languished for weeks before recovering. I almost didn't take them out this summer, but I enjoy them on the patio; they probably grow better with the summer sun rather than indoor lighting. What can I do to make this work better?

A: Most people wait until the last minute before bringing in the p ...

Updated: Wed Sep 17, 2008

Watch out for Several Fruit-Eating Pests this Fall for 09/24/2008

Wed, 24 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Q: My apple tree has fruit that are the right size, but the few remaining apples look awful. There seems to be many problems. Some of the fruit have worms in them, some contain brown tunnels and others are odd shapes. There are bumps and bruises on the surface of some, while others are smooth. A few appear shriveled and black; leaves and fruit are falling off regularly.

What can I do bes ...

Updated: Wed Sep 24, 2008

Throw, Eat or Decorate Your Pumpkin This Halloween Season for 10/01/2008

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700

It is the start of pumpkin season as they are ripening in the home gardens and being found at the stores. A mature, ripe pumpkin with an undamaged rind and a few inches of attached stem can be stored between 50 and 55 degrees until next spring. It must not be exposed to a frost. After harvesting, a pumpkin should be kept at around 80 degrees for a week, before moving it into the low humidity co ...

Updated: Wed Oct 01, 2008

Try Decals, Move Bird Feeders or Buy Nets to Reduce Window Collisions for 10/08/2008

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Q: Recently, we have had several birds fly into our windows. It has been very sad; some of them have not survived. We took the bird feeder down, but that didn't help. What can we do?

A: Due to the timing of the question, I suspect the birds are migrants. They are not your usual backyard birds — they don't know all the right and wrong places to travel.

The placement of bird f ...

Updated: Wed Oct 08, 2008

Tips for Saving Geraniums and Other Potted Plants During the Winter for 10/15/2008

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Q: My geraniums grew really well this summer, and I have some pretty ones that I want to keep for next year. How do I go about doing this?

A: There are several kinds of geraniums, including some perennials that survive without coming indoors, but I assume you mean the zonal geranium that has a slightly two-toned leaf and a big cluster of flowers on the end of a stalk. These plants grow i ...

Updated: Wed Oct 15, 2008

New Devices Help Control Outdoor Insects and Pick up Fallen Leaves for 10/22/2008

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700

I have been using some products that were sent to me for testing. The first is a group of devices from the Schawbel Corp. that repel mosquitoes. I tried the ThermaCELL Patio Lantern, the Mini Lantern and the Olive Appliance, which also comes in white and camouflage. If you want to work or play outdoors, but don't want to apply deet, this may be a good alternative.

All three products use ...

Updated: Wed Oct 22, 2008

Proper Pruning Method Needed for Making Evergreen Wreaths for 10/29/2008

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Q: I enjoy making wreaths for fall and winter to hang on my door. I use parts from all kinds of plants in my yard, but I was recently told that I shouldn't cut the evergreens; I would harm them this time of year. I have removed evergreen branches for years and haven't noticed any problems, but I also don't want to hurt my plants.

Where do all the evergreen wreath branches come from &mdas ...

Updated: Wed Oct 29, 2008

Hawks at Feeder and Raspberries for 11/05/2008

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Q: I love birds. Two years ago I started with two birdbaths in my backyard. Today I have five bird feeders, including a squirrel feeder, for the different kinds of birds that visit my yard. Little by little the doves arrive to feed as well. I didn't mind; there is always plenty to go around. Two months ago, one hawk arrived and started killing the doves. This past week there were three hawks ci ...

Updated: Wed Nov 05, 2008

A Greener View Book Reviews for 11/12/2008

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Call me old-fashioned if you want to, but I like books. I would rather read a book than look at a light-emitting screen. I hope it is a long time before there is a New York Times list of the best-selling computer screens, even though the Times itself is already available electronically.

I have been reading some wonderful books lately and I think you may want to put them on your holiday s ...

Updated: Wed Nov 12, 2008

Tree Staking and Proper Mulching for 11/19/2008

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Q: We recently had a couple of trees planted in our yard by a company. When they were done, they did not stake the trees. My husband called them and they said that they don't stake trees anymore. We want an outside opinion and were wondering what you think they should do. And one other thing: They only put down a few inches of mulch. How much is proper?

A: Well, my suspicion is that they ...

Updated: Wed Nov 19, 2008

James Bond and Other Bird Questions for 11/26/2008

Wed, 26 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0800

There is a new James Bond movie in theaters and I am not going to review it for you. I am going to give you some trivia that may help you at the office water cooler. There was a real James Bond. He wasn't an expert in terrorists or women. He was an expert on the birds living on Caribbean islands. He was a bird watcher; more than that he was an ornithologist.

He was born in 1900 in Philad ...

Updated: Wed Nov 26, 2008

Live Christmas Tree, Rodent Fencing and Hawks at Feeder for 12/03/2008

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Q: We were thinking of using a live Christmas tree this year instead of cutting one down. After the new year we want to plant it in our yard. Is there anything we should know about how to do this?

A: There are many tree species that can be used as a Christmas tree depending on where you live. Pick a tree that is appropriate for your landscape in terms of size and growth requirements like ...

Updated: Wed Dec 03, 2008

Forcing Bulbs for 12/10/2008

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Q: I bought several kinds of spring flowering bulbs. I intended to plant them outside, but didn't get around to doing it and now the ground is frozen. I noticed on the packaging that some of them say they are "good for forcing." I am not sure what that means, but I think I can grow them indoors. I would rather do that than throw them away. What do I have to do?

A: I am not sure ...

Updated: Wed Dec 10, 2008

Binocular Purchase for 12/17/2008

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Q: The choice of the right pair of binoculars seems overwhelming. How do I choose the best one for me?

A: This is a great question because many people will be giving binoculars for gifts and they will often give the wrong kind. Binoculars make good gifts for any bird watcher or nature lover, but can also be useful to gardeners.

The construction of binoculars involves many compromi ...

Updated: Wed Dec 17, 2008

AAS Winners for 2009 for 12/24/2008

Wed, 24 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Winter has slipped and slid its way into all the Northern states during the past couple of weeks. After the power comes back on and everyone gets back to normal, it will be time to start looking ahead to the next growing season. Anything that starts the mind thinking of summer will help to warm me up.

For me, there isn't much better than fresh fruits and vegetables from the garden. OK, i ...

Updated: Wed Dec 24, 2008

Don't Go Green, Go Clear for 12/31/2008

Wed, 31 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0800

With the beginning of the new year we have the opportunity to begin new things. For instance, we can make resolutions to try to be better people. Sometimes it takes outside forces to cause people to stop and look at how they are doing things. With a new economic situation, many people will begin this year by taking stock of their situations to see how they can live more affordably. They might a ...

Updated: Wed Dec 31, 2008

Garden Catalogs for 01/07/2009

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0800

January is National Mail Order Gardening Month. Have you been getting your garden catalogs in the mail yet? If you haven't received enough gardening catalogs, or need more of them specific to a type of plant you want to grow, go to www.mailordergardening.com for a list of companies that offer catalogs of plants and gardening tools. You will get a direct link to the company's e-mail or web page ...

Updated: Wed Jan 07, 2009