HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Re: Compost question
From: jat@cs.arizona.edu (Julie A. Turner)
Date: 3 Oct 92 02:41:37 GMT
Organization: U of Arizona CS Dept, Tucson
Keywords: Grubs

In article <1992Oct2.052826.9053@fs7.ece.cmu.edu> snyder@henry.ece.cmu.edu (John Snyder) writes:
>In article <1992Sep29.132226.27157@samba.oit.unc.edu> frosty@med.unc.edu (Steve Loechel) writes:
>>In article <1992Sep24.224512.810@calmasd.prime.com> jhb@calmasd.prime.com (Jim Bishop) writes:
>>>And a compost question of mine: does anyone else have the huge grubs
>>>that are the size of your thumb in the compost pile?  (Maybe these are
>>>inch square green metalic looking beetles we get in the late summer. 
>>>what you are talking about above.)  I think they come from the one
>>>The beetles don't seem to harm much of anything, but they are somewhat
>>>annoying since they don't care where they are going and will fly right
>>>into you at full speed.  I don't think I've ever seen them anywhere
>>>but Southern California.  


We have them in Arizona too.


>>>I've tried covering my compost pile with plastic to keep them out, but
>>>they always get in somehow.  I used to throw the beetles on the


*** Lots of stuff deleted ***


Even though grubs can cause damage to your plants when found in your garden
you *should* throw them into the compost pile.  They bulldoze right through
it and help in the compost process.  When you want to use your compost,
just sift them out along with uncomposted stuff and let them keep working.
I just hate squashin' bugs.  Since the adults don't do any damage that I
know of I don't mind them.  Besides, the cats think the flying adults are
much more fun than the grubs.
Organization: Penn State University
Date: Thu, 1 Oct 1992 20:28:22 EDT
From: <SJD9@psuvm.psu.edu>
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Re: Wanted: Advice r.e. Mushroom Compost w/Clay
 <1992Apr21.205917.28059@udel.edu> <32015@sdcc12.ucsd.edu>

>>Does mushroom compost have chemicals?
> No, it's fine.

I'd have to disagree...pesticides are typically used quite heavily
in conventional mushroom production, primarily insecticides, to
control insect pests. In fact, a few years ago i was looking at
getting involved in growing and talked to a few people in the
field at Penn State. When i mentioned that i wanted to grow
organically, they thought it would not be possible to be
profitable. (though that same answer has been used for a lot
of questions about growing organically, and I try to ignore
it, it does kind of indicate the generally accepted way to grow,
by spraying).

How much toxins are used, how toxic they are, how persistent they
are, and how much transfer of toxins to other plants growing
in spent compost is, of course debatable. I'm just saying that
most spent muchroom compost probably does have chemicals, and
would not be considered acceptable in by-the-book organic
production.

Steve D.
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
From: razor@.cray.com (Ray Martin)
Subject: elephant manure
Originator: razor@ferris
Organization: Cray Research, Inc.
Date: 6 Oct 92 16:01:49 CDT


I have access to elephant manure, from the local zoo, and I was wondering
if anyone has any information on it.  Such as how does it compare to
steer manure.  I have heard people say that it is a very good manure,
but nothing specific.  Any help will be appreciated.

Thanks,
Ray

-- 
razor@oregon.cray.com (Ray Martin)	 Only 15,718 days until retirement!
From: ted.jensen@spacebbs.com (Ted Jensen)
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Intensive Urban Garden
Date: 3 Oct 92 15:16:00 GMT
Reply-To: ted.jensen@spacebbs.com (Ted Jensen)
Organization: SPACE BBS - Menlo Park, CA - 10 Lines + 4gB - 415-323-4193



In message <1ajmaeINNnk5@usenet.INS.CWRU.Edu> from
bj368@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Mike E. Romano)  Mike Romano writes:

> Any information on this would be appreciated:  basically given
> an average size backyard (20 by 50 feet?), what is the maximum
> food production year round that can be accomplished in such an
> area?

 As you stated, much will depend on what part of the country you
 are in.  I don't have a direct answer but you might check out a
 book called "Square Foot Gardening" by Mel Bartheolomew to give
 you some ideas of what could be done.  Your local library should
 have a copy as it was very popular a number of years back.

Hope this helps some!  Ted Jensen  Redwood City, Calif.


 * SLMR 2.1a * 
                
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
From: C11815@maccvm.corp.mot.com (Josette Giacobbi)
Subject: Re: does pine-bark kill azaleas ??
Organization: Motorola
Date: 2 Oct 1992 15:14:30 CDT

Samantha, I live in Columbia, South Carolina, USA. We have pine trees
everywhere, and growing azaleas all around them is what you do.
------
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
From: ljensen@ferris.cray.com (Laura Jensen)
Subject: Re: Lead paint in ground
Organization: Cray Research, Inc.
Date: 6 Oct 92 15:23:33 CDT

In article <1992Oct6.142101.9029@iccgcc.decnet.ab.com> sabat@iccgcc.decnet.ab.com writes:
>Underneath the deck is an abundance of paint chips from when the 
>house has been scraped and painted over the years.
>Does anyone know whether this may be a problem even if the paint had
>lead in it, or any good /cheap ways of testing either the ground or 
>paint chips for lead?

My husband and I bought a 100-year-old home this summer; I would guess
it has been through eight or ten painting cycles.  Thinking that I
would like to have a culinary herb garden behind the house and an
asparagus patch behind the garage, I had soil from both places 
tested for lead content at a local lab.  (I would suggest that you
call you county extension about this.)  The readings came in at
1200 mg/kg for the house and 800 mg/kg for the garage.  ("Normal" soil
levels are 20-50 mg/kg.) The tests cost about 20 dollars per site, 
and I subsequently got more tests of other sites around the yard, 
which showed that the contamination tapered off around the buildings. 

Lead from paint chips can leach into the soil and into plants that
grow in it.  I think I remember from a post a few months ago that
roots were affected the worst, followed by leaves and fruits.  The 
amount of lead in the soil depends on how old/high your house is,
how much rain you get your area, etc. etc. We still haven't found
out about how much it would cost to remove dirt from around the
house, but we _do_ know that we won't be planting asparagus! 
(And I have another bed in mind for the herbs.)

Good Luck - Laura Jensen
From: Ecology Center <ecologycntr@igc.apc.org>
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Date: 29 Sep 92 08:55 PDT
Subject: Re: Florist Chain in Canada
Nf-ID: #R:1992Sep29.122004.1159@ifi.uio.no:-600190011:cdp:1453300088:000:152
Nf-From: cdp.UUCP!ecologycntr    Sep 29 08:55:00 1992


You might try calling the Horticultural School in Niagara Falls, Ont.:
they may have an idea for a good, reliable place in the Mississauga area.

chris
From: rlafolle@apssgi.nswc.navy.mil (Robert D. LaFollette)
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Organic Orchards
Date: 5 Oct 92 12:53:46 GMT
Organization: Naval Surface Warfare Center


	Does anyone have any ideas or references for "organically" caring for
fruit trees, bushes?
From: drawson@sagehen.Tymnet.COM (Dick Rawson)
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Re: drip irrigation from a bucket?
Date: 6 Oct 92 23:13:28 GMT
Organization: BT North America (Tymnet)

>Is there an easy way to feed drip emitters from a container (bucket, barrel)?
>Does this actually work?  (Low/variable pressure, etc).

....

>Sure.  Install a fitting at the bottom of the container, hook up a
>connector (RainDrip has a boatload of different types) downstream of some
>sort of shutoff valve, and run your line from there.


I've been feeding one (count it:  one!) emitter from the bottom of an
ordinary plastic bucket for 2--3 years.  It works, but the system is
forever clogging for one reason or another.  I'm not watering plants,
just a bird bath.  Constant but slow (1 to 3 seconds a drop) dripping
from about 20 inch height uses water very slowly, but the birds like
it.  Mostly they stand on the hose and drink from the emitter; they'll
get 3 or 4 in line waiting.  Or they drink from the pan.

Some things to watch out for:

  a.  Cover the bucket or whatever to keep out dust as much as you can.
  The easiest dust to remove is the dust that doesn't enter.

  b.  Keep the light out of the bucket and tubing.  Black tubing is no
  trouble as far as I know, but garden hose and some bucket walls let
  some light through.  That will eventually grow algae, will clog
  emitters and filters.

  c.  With only a foot or two of water pressure, air bubbles may stop
  the flow.  Plan the tubing path to minimize air-lock.

  d.  I need better filtering than just the fine wire screen that the
  drip irrigation equipment offers.  I bought a bag of aquarium filter
  batting, and stuffed some in a wide section of tubing (hose) just
  before the emitter.

  e.  Hose or wide tubing, and a single emitter with low pressure, means
  that dust and loose algae settles onto the tube ... not enough
  flow to drag things along.  I flush the tube at times.  I first tried
  narrow (1/4 inch Raindrip) tubing from the bucket to the emitter,
  and had too much trouble with air-locking.

  f.  I filed the barb off of the emitter nipple, so that I can remove
  the emitter from the tube to flush it out, or to replace a hopelessly
  clogged emitter.  Otherwise I had to cut the tube.

On the other hand, I watered plants from a bucket by siphoning, using
1/4 inch drip tubing with no emitter.  Friction slowed the flow
enough.  Siphoning is a bit of a nuisance.  Next time I think I'll
cement a tubing nipple into the bucket, and if it flows too fast I'll
add some 1/4 inch tubing.

Dick Rawson
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
From: mueller@ssd.kodak.com (Steven Mueller)
Subject: When to plant Lilies and a Botanical name Question.
Originator: mueller@magpie
Organization: Eastman Kodak
Distribution: usa
Date: Sat, 26 Sep 92 15:26:59 GMT


Hi folks!  Just a few questions for you all.

	When is the "proper" time of year to plant Lilies? 
	Anyone have a good source for quality blooming size Lily bulbs?

	On a different topic, my brother in law who lives in Martinez, CA
	had a beautiful ornamental grass growing in his yard out there when
	we visited this past summer.  He said it was called Red Grass, which
	I assume is the common name.  Anyone know the botanical name for this
	plant.  Also, would it be possible to grow it here in Rochester,NY
	which has quite a different climate.  I don't suppose it would survive
	our winters here (Zone 6) but who knows.  He can provide me with some
	seed from the plants he has and I'm always ready to experiment.

	Thanks for any help.

-Steve

-- 
Steven J. Mueller
Senior Software Engineer
Eastman Kodak Company, Technology Consulting, 1-10-C, Mail Drop:39011
Rochester, NY   14653-9011	Phone: (716)25-37657  KMX: 2737657
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
From: M23133@mwvm.mitre.org
Subject: Poinsettia Question - How to Force Blooms?
Organization: The MITRE Corporation, McLean VA 22102
Date: Tue, 6 Oct 1992 18:25:27 GMT

 
I have a poinsettia plant that I would like to force into bloom for
Christmas this year.  Does anyone know the best way of doing this??
The plant is about 4 years old, and has not bloomed since I first got it.
 
Thanks...
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
From: mma@bellcore.com (Mary M Lau)
Subject: getting Kalanchoe to bloom
Reply-To: mma@bellcore.com (Mary M Lau)
Organization: Bellcore, Morristown NJ
Date: Wed, 30 Sep 92 03:09:10 GMT
Originator: mma@pegasus

I brought a kalanchoe back in April and it bloomed
for a couple of weeks indoor.  During the summer 
months, I moved it outdoor where it got plenty of
sun and it more than doubled in size.  However,
since I brought it back indoors, a couple of the
leaves fell off.  The plant also looks very 'top-heavy'.

Is my plant in trouble?  (Maybe it doesn't like the
indoors anymore?)  As a succulent, should I let it
dry out a bit to rest?  Is there anyway for me
to get it to bloom like crazy again?  Do I need to 
prune it back before it falls over?

Thanks in advance,
-Mary Lau
 mma@bellcore.com

-- 
---------------------------------------------------
Mary M. Lau
Bellcore 
MRE 2J-385     	      Email: mma@aries.bellcore.com
From: barnettj@pookie.crd.ge.com (Janet A Barnett)
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Luffa squash (sponge)
Date: 29 Sep 92 12:11:22 GMT
Organization: GE Corp. Research & Development, Schenectady, NY

A question for you gardening.experts... I've grown some luffa squash
for the first time this year in the hopes of drying them and making
sponges.  Just how does one go about this?  I've read that the squash
need to be "mature" in order to successfully make sponges.  Does a
ripe luffa turn yellow or have some other overt characteristic that
will indicate that it's mature?  How do you go about drying them?

Any advice or related experience would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance, 
Janet
--------
barnettja@crd.ge.com
From: woodley@hpcc01.corp.hp.com (Judy Woodley)
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Re: help-how do I sun-dry tomatoes?
Date: 28 Sep 92 23:25:35 GMT
Organization: the HP Corporate notes server

For three years I tried drying my San Marzano tomato crop.  The first year
worked great--took about a day and a half outside.  Last summer (and this),
however, were just too cool.  Last year, it took a week and many of them
got moldy (I read that it can be cleaned with a Q-tip and vinegar, but it
was too much work).  I used an open weave basked (shallow) lined with 2-3
layers of cheesecloth.  I covered it with cheesecloth (to keep lawn bugs
off it).  I set them on el-cheapo wire coffee tables on the lawn where they
could get sun all day and good air circulation.

I've tried slicing them in 1/4" rings and four quarters lengthwise and found
the rings are faster to dry.

This year I used a convection oven.  It worked in 6 hours, but getting them
out at the right time is difficult.  They overcooked, but I salvaged them
easily:  since I had more tomatoes than would fit on the trays, I made a
huge pot of tomato sauce and had it simmering at the same time.  When the
dried tomatoes turned out a little crispy, I put them in a colander on top
of the simmering tomato sauce.  It rehydrated them to the desired leather
consistency!.

I like putting them in a ziplock back in the fridge for a day or two so that
the moisture content is evenly distributed (typically some slices will be
drier than others) and then put in a jar with a twig of fresh rosemary and
a few halved garlic cloves.  Then I make sure the whole thing is covered with
olive oil.  Even when the tomatoes are gone, eating pasta with just the
flavored oil drizzled over is wonderful.

Drying tomatoes IMHO is well worth the effort (barring the mold).

--Judy Woodley

NOTE:  If you dry them outdoors, bring them in at night if your
nights are not dry.  
Newsgroups: rec.gardens,soc.culture.canada
From: ramirez@julia.math.ucla.edu (Alice Ramirez)
Subject: rules governing importation of plants into Canada
Organization: UCLA Mathematics Department
Date: Mon, 28 Sep 92 19:51:03 GMT

I will be visiting a friend in Wpg. Manitoba this October and
since he is a tropical fruit tree enthusiast (he has access to a greenhouse)
I had in mind to take along, as a host gift, something like a small 
starfruit, named-variety mango, or one of the more exotic citruses.
Something small enough to be tucked into my carry-on piece.

I would be prepared to transplant this into a soilless mixture or whatever
else is required.  Problem is, I have no idea what kind of objections the
Canadian government (i.e. border patrol people) might have to such an incoming
gift.  I am badly pressed for time or I'd make whatever necessary round of
phone calls and being put on "hold" that such research might require.
It occurred to me that maybe somebody who reads this group might already
know this info and be able to help me out.  Any regulations, pre-arrangements,
certificates, etc. etc. that you know please pass on.  If it is too arduous,
I'll just take a variety of interesting seeds and let him sprout his own,
but it would be more elegant, if possible, to present him with something
REALLY good, in a pot, with a ribbon wrapped around it.

It would be best if you email me directly since I have been falling behind in
my newsreading.  I can be reached at ramirez@math.ucla.edu
and I would be really grateful for some info.  Thanks.

Newsgroups: rec.gardens
From: kim@m44.unm.edu
Subject: Re: Source for Push Lawnmowers
Date: Fri, 02 Oct 92 23:32:12 GMT
Organization: UNM Cancer Center, Albuquerque, NM
Reply-To: kim@m44.unm.edu

In article <c61d6z9@Unify.Com>, ceb@dbrus.Unify.Com (Caroline E. Bryan) writes:
>In article <13358@texsun.Central.Sun.COM> dbernard@thewho.Central.Sun.COM writes:
>>You know, the manual, human-powered reel variety.
>>Who sells them mail-order?  How much do they sell for?

You might try Sears.  I have a nice Sears push mower that I got at a yard sale,
but it was originally purchased last year, so they still make them.  It has
some blurb on the carton about a new mower for today's lifestyle.  I like it.

Daniel Kim
From: langston@langston.cs.utk.edu (Mike Langston)
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Re: Cover crop merits?
Date: 29 Sep 92 17:17:20 GMT
Organization: Department of Computer Science, University of Tennessee
Distribution: world
Reply-To: langston@langston.cs.utk.edu (Mike Langston)
NNTP-Posting-Host: langston.cs.utk.edu

bruce johnson asks

> With all this talk of winter rye could someone explain the benefits of
> planting a cover crop...

you don't want much, do you :)

there are many reasons for covercropping, both in summer and winter,
and there are hundreds of reasonable crop choices 

for the real scoop, there was a section in "national gardening" a 
coupla years back replete with tables and so forth -- many product 
catalogs also have lengthy run-downs on all this too -- maybe 
someone here wants to key a lot of that stuff in...

i tried once to get ahold of specialty covers at my farmer's coop,
but only got smiles all round -- so i just keep things simple and 
go with winter rye mixed with chrimson clover in the fall, and 
buckwheat in the spring

'course i'm no official "slob gardener" like *some* people on this
net :) -- i just like to keep it simple 

-- 
mike langston <langston@cs.utk.edu>
department of computer science, university of tennessee
Newsgroups: rec.gardens,misc.rural
From: hausner@qucis.queensu.ca (Alejo Hausner)
Subject: Halogen light brightness for hydroponics
Summary: How to convert watts to amount of light?
Keywords: halogens, light, brightness
Organization: M.Sc, C.S, Queen's, Kingston, Canada.
Date: Wed, 30 Sep 1992 23:47:25 GMT

Dear world:

How can I compare the brightnesses of different light bulbs?  Does a
100-watt incandescent put out as much as a halogen bulb?  Can I avoid
buying a 300-dollar light for hydroponics by replacing it with several
smaller halogens?

I'm thinking of grwoing some tomatoes indoors and have a limited budget.
I had a quick glance at the faq and there doesn't seem to be an answer
to my question.

Please reply via e-mail.

Alejo Hausner (hausner@qucis.queensu.ca)
From: sabat@iccgcc.decnet.ab.com
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Lead paint in ground\
Date: 6 Oct 92 14:21:01 EST

We are putting in square foot gardening in place of where a deck once stood.
Underneath the deck is an abundance of paint chips from when the house has
been scraped and painted over the years.  My wife is worried that these chips
may contain lead and that we should dig out all the dirt before we begin our
garden layout.  I think that just removing the paint chips is probably good
enough.  Does anyone know whether this may be a problem even if the paint had
lead in it, or any good /cheap ways of testing either the ground or paint chips
for lead?

Ted  Sabat		sabat@iccgcc.decnet.ab.com
From: pharvey@mipos3.intel.com (Paul Harvey)
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Re: Cover crop merits?
Date: 29 Sep 92 21:43:35 GMT
Organization: noitazinagrO

In article <1992Sep29.162845.4389@news.mentorg.com> brucej@mentorg.com writes:
>With all this talk of winter rye could someone explain the benefits of
>planting a cover crop like winter rye.  I assume you get the nice 
>organic material when you till it in the spring?  Is the fundamental
>idea to stop erosion though?

1. Generation of organic material
2. Soil remains organic, alive (something is always "growing")
3. Leaching of nutrients by rain is halted
4. more water is retained in the soil, less runoff
5. roots break up subsoil
6. deep nutrients are brought up to the surface by the plants
7. no topsoil erosion
8. crop rotation
9. some crops (legumes) generate nitrogen from the air
10. prevents weed take over and weed seed generation
11. looks better than a bare fallow field

Did I miss any?

>When does winter rye go to seed?

When it wants to. Usually spring, from warmer and longer days.

>You'd want to till it before that wouldn't you?

Yes, for maximum nutrients, you till at first evidence of flowering, like
emerging flower stalks. But, if you want the crop to reseed itself, like in
an orchard application, then you let it set some seed. Also, you can use
the flowers to harbor benificial insects and polinators then cut it when you
want to force these guys elsewhere, like in your fruit trees.
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
From: isckelly@nuscc.nus.sg (KELLY CHIANG-THAM)
Subject: Carpet grass question
Organization: National University of Singapore
Date: Wed, 30 Sep 1992 08:33:10 GMT

Our carpet grass which was newly 'laid' down 2 months ago is starting to
show scattered patches of brown, like it's dried up.  Any suggestions
for remedy?

Thanking in advance,
Kelly
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
From: dadams@cray.com (David Adams)
Subject: Re: Is coffee good for a compost pile?
Reply-To: dadams@cray.com
Organization: Cray Research, Inc.
Date: 28 Sep 92 14:03:51 CDT

In article 6787@pt.com, beb@pt.com (Bruce Buck) writes:
|In article <1992Sep22.172441.15022@vax5.cit.cornell.edu> dq7j@vax5.cit.cornell.edu writes:
|>I'm in charge of making coffee for a large group of people every week and
|>usually there is a large surplus of it at the end of the meeting (I'm working
|>on reducing the surplus). My question is: can I use this leftover coffee for my
|>compost pile ? (unfortunately I don't drink coffee at home). I've read that the
|>solid waste is good for the compost and I'm already using it but I haven't read
|>about the liquid part.
|
|I routinely dump leftover coffee, the grounds and the filter into the compost
|heap.  I'm of the opinion that anything remotely organic can go into the pile.
|
|

It might make the worms a little hyper.  ;^)


---
--David C. Adams  Statistician  Cray Research Inc.  dadams@cray.com
___________________________________________________________________
       Old Sourdoughs never die.  They just ferment away.



Newsgroups: rec.gardens,alt.bonsai
From: moroney@ramblr.enet.dec.com
Subject: Re: Soft water 'poisoning' symptoms
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation
Date: Tue, 6 Oct 1992 23:53:27 GMT

In article <1992Oct6.153225.21410@mr.med.ge.com>, bartlone@gemed (Mike Bartolone) writes...
> 
>Does any one out there know what the symptoms would be if a plant
>were watered with soft water? I have several plants that are not
>at all well, and I am not sure if the water I'm using could
>be part or all of the problem. I'd rather not post the symptoms
>at this time so I don't get any 'biased' answers. Does anyone
>know what to do if you have no reliable source of hard water?

Soft water or softENED water?  Soft water itself isn't bad, if the soil used
is short of calcium or magnesium you can add some supplement such as limestone
or epsom salts.  Soft water from a water softener may be high in sodium,
as water softeners work by replacing calcium with sodium.  This isn't
good for plants, if you have such a softener you should have a non-softened
faucet somewhere, take the plant water from that.

-Mike