HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: dmiller@theory.lcs.mit.edu (Dick and Jill Miller)
Subject: Re:Keeping Christmas tree in a pot
Organization: Laboratory for Computer Science, MIT
Distribution: na
Date: Thu, 31 Dec 1992 14:28:50 GMT

>Subject: Keeping Christmas tree in pot year-round
>
>Now the question.  I have the little blue spruce (kinda catchy.. 
>Hmmmm maybe there's a song in that....) in a 14" dia pot which is
>slightly larger than the ball.  I'm planning on keeping it in a 
>pot so that my son can bring it in next Christmas for his room.
>Should I leave it in the 14" pot or put it in a much larger pot
>now?  I'm not going to leave it simple balled-up, I'm going to
>actually plant it (you know, good dirt, gravel in bottom for 
>drainage, etc.).
>
>I suspect that after next Christmas, the tree will be too big
>for Thomas' room (might be big enough for living room...).
>
>Anybody done this successfully?  Any suggestions, comments,
>thoughts welcome.
>
>John T.

You COULD turn it into a bonsai and keep it small, altho bluespruce is not 
the best candidate for becoming a bonsai.  Check out alt.bonsai.  Post a 
query there.  Sounds like a fun project to me.  2-3 feet is a good size for 
a bonsai altho we often think of them as only inches high, the pines and 
spruces are usually quite a bit larger.

Be aware, that growing a tree in a pot is a relatively demanding project.  
You have to be very careful about watering enough but not too much, etc and 
the tree has to stay outside most of the time.

--Jill


--
A. Richard & Jill A. Miller            | Miller Microcomputer Services |
InterNet: dmiller@im.lcs.mit.edu       | 61 Lake Shore Road            |
Voice: 508/653-6136, 9am-9pm EasternTZ | Natick, MA 01760-2099, USA    |
From: Alan.Holmes@brunel.ac.uk (Alan J Holmes)
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Re: Potted vegetables, ideas needed.
Date: 23 Dec 92 14:37:56 GMT
Organization: Brunel University, West London, UK

In article <1992Dec21.153256.5860@almserv.uucp> s5uagm@fnma.COM writes:
>In article fWMPekm@quack.sac.ca.us, pharvey@quack.sac.ca.us (Paul Harvey) writes:
>>In article <BzFHG7.1D9@dale.cts.com> npm@dale.cts.com (Nancy Milligan) writes:
>>>Does anyone know if it's feasible to grow potatos in a pot?  That might
>>>be kind of fun.

>	Why go to all this trouble to grow a crop of something which is 
>readily available, stores well, and cost so little at the green grocer?

Simple, they taste better.

Regards

Alan Holmes
From: ua087@freenet.victoria.bc.ca (Peyerl Fritz)
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Re: BONSAI
Date: 3 Jan 93 01:20:34 GMT
Organization: Camosun College, Victoria B.C, Canada



Hi Tony
have fun with your plant and enjoy there slow growth.
The book to purchase is 
The BONSAI BOOK of
PRACTICAL FACTS
by Jerome Meyer
ISBN 0-945487-002
I have the book and it helps me.
The writer is the past president of the greater New York Bosai Society.
Cheers :-)
-- 
1
From: tonyq@rodeo.corp.sgi.com (Tony Quilici)
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: BONSAI
Date: 31 Dec 92 19:07:54 GMT
Organization: Silicon Graphics, Inc.

I received a Cypress bonsai along with a Sunset book on bonsai for
Christmas. The book gives a lot of helpful information on how to care for
one but it does not give many examples or ideas for shapes and styles. I
understand that a bonsai should be unique and show individual style,
however, this is my first one and it would be nice to have some examples to
go by. 

If anyone knows of other books, information, or displays in the San
Fransico area please let me know.

Thanks 
-- 
****************************
*  Tony Quilici            *
*  tonyq@corp.sgi.com      *
****************************

   
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
From: james@rchland.vnet.ibm.com (James White)
Subject: Re: Organic controls for cutworms?
Date: Thu, 31 Dec 1992 15:08:07 GMT
Reply-To: JamesWhite@vnet.ibm.com
Disclaimer: This posting represents the poster's views, not necessarily those of IBM
Organization: IBM Rochester

In article <1992Dec30.224703.5894@nntpd.lkg.dec.com>, dipirro@star.dec.com (Steve DiPirro) writes:
|> 
|> Last year, for the first time in many years of growing potatoes,
|> many were damaged by what I believe to be cutworms in the soil.
|> These 1/2-3/4", orange-ish, segmented, hard-shelled worms/larvae
|> with pinchers for mouths would burrow into my potatoes, do some
|> damage themselves and weaken the potato to allow moisture and rot
|> to set in. I had most of 60 plants worth of potatoes ruined.
|> 
|> I can only use organic controls for such things. So I do not
|> want to use diazinon in the soil, although I've heard this works
|> for cutworms. If I'm not dealing with cutworms, then I'd like
|> to know that too. If I am, I'm interested in any organic controls
|> for these beasts in the soil. Thanks. 
|> 
|> ------------
|> Steve DiPirro  


What you experienced happened to me a few years ago.  The little critters
I believe are called wire worms.  What they are looking for is moisture, and
in years of little moisture they will burrow into the potato after it.

Not sure if I would try to control it with anything.  I found that particular 
year just to be a bad one for potatoes and have not experienced the problem
since.

So my advise is to hang in there, try growing them again, (maybe in different
spot) and make sure there is adequate moisture.

-- 

James White
From: rjq@phys.ksu.edu (Rob Quinn)
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Re: help my christmas catus is dying
Date: 30 Dec 1992 11:25:20 GMT
Organization: Kansas State University
Distribution: na
NNTP-Posting-Host: bohr.phys.ksu.edu

>>Now the branches are really limp and boney, and have started to turn
>>a shade of dark purple.

 Often mine look ``wrinkly'' but it doesn't seem to effect the plant.

>Some of the older branches on mine also have gone purple.  Some went that
>way last year but they bloomed just fine this year.  I'm not sure why they
>do that though.

 The tip ``sections'' (what's the word I want?) of mine are what turn purple.
The middle is always green. So far no problem I guess, as it blooms about
every 2 or 3 months. I'm not sure if there's a pattern to the purpleness and
the flowering.


--
| "He does not _drink_ from a can like most humans...                         |
|  he slurps it out. It sounds as if he's trying                    Rob Quinn |
|  to drink it without tipping the can."                     rjq@phys.ksu.edu |
|  -anon referring to Bryan Nehl                        QuinnBob@KSUVM.BITNET |
From: Bob.Batson@mtask.omahug.org (Bob Batson)
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Re: BROCCOLI RAPE
Date: 24 Dec 92 13:30:08 CST
Reply-To: bob.batson@mtask.omahug.org
Organization: Multitasking Systems, Kansas City
Followup-To: rec.gardens

dsmith@desire.wright.edu writes:

 > I'm interested in growing Broccoli Rape or Rappini.  It's an Italian
 >  green,
 > it's wonderful and delicious and hard to find here in the midwest.  Does
 >  anyone
 > know where I can get seeds for this exotic plant.

The Broccoli Raab variety SPRING RAPINI can be purchased from the
following mail-order supplierS.

        W. ATLEE BURPEE                         [CAT. - FREE]
        300 Park Ave.
        Warminster, PA 18991
--------
        DE GIORGI SEED COMPANY                  [CAT. - $1]
        6011 N Street
        Omaha, NE 68117
--------
        LANDRETH SEED CO.                       [CAT. - $2]
        180-188 West Ostend St.
        PO Box 6426
        Baltimore, MD 21230

Founded in 1784.
--------
For ordinary Broccoli Raab, contact:
        THE COOK'S GARDEN                       [CAT. - $1]
        PO Box 535
        Londonderry, VT 05148


*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

Bob Batson                   | "Deck us all with all with Boston Charlie, 
bob.batson@mtask.omahug.org  |  Walla, Walla, Wash., and Kalamazoo!"      

Organization: Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Date: Sat, 26 Dec 1992 12:28:47 -0500 
From: Michel Fougeres <mf0w+@andrew.cmu.edu>
Subject: Help! Sprouting!

I've been trying to sprout seeds indoors to get a head start on my garden
this year but I'm having no luck.  Its not too warm around here, actually
quite cold, even inside, so *** any help on how someone should go about 
sprouting seeds would be very greatly appreciated. ***

Thank you for your time and responses in advance.
==============================================================================

                        TRISCHMANN'S PARADOX

    A pipe gives a wise man time to think and a fool something to stick 
         in his mouth.
==============================================================================

                        TRISCHMANN'S PARADOX

    A pipe gives a wise man time to think and a fool something to stick 
         in his mouth.
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
From: ramirez@julia.math.ucla.edu (Alice Ramirez)
Subject: more on leaf lettuce
Organization: UCLA Mathematics Department
Date: Wed, 30 Dec 92 18:46:02 GMT

I think it was Jim Bishop who asked for my favorite varieties of leaf
lettuce after I posted my very opinionated comment regarding the 
superiority of homegrown leaf lettuce to commercial.

Honestly I have no particular favorite varieties other than a certain
sentimental fondness for Oak Leaf.  I try always to have at least one
red variety, one pale variety and one dark green variety.  The important
thing for me is to be able to pick the leaves off as I need them, young
and tender and very fresh. (then massage them in olive oil, toss in a little
lemon juice, herbs, salt,pepper and feta cheese.  Yum!!)  It is the freshness
and youth of the leaves that really makes all the differences. You just don't
get that in the markets, not even the fancy organic specialty market where
I buy most of my non-homegrown produce.  

Where I live in L.A., lettuce is best started in late October, November
or even early December.  Doesn't do well in summertime at all here, at 
least none I have tried.  (I tried a summetime lettuce once, Kagrainer 
Summer lettuce (sp?), and the leaves reminded me of the outer leaves of
iceburg lettuce. Not good at all.)  My crop of gourmet blend, interplanted
with scallions, is doing just fine. I am already making fresh salads.

Leaf lettuce can also be very ornamental.
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
From: s5uagm@fnma.COM (Andrew Miller)
Subject: Re: spring fever
Reply-To: s5uagm@fnma.COM
Organization: Fannie Mae
Date: Wed, 30 Dec 1992 19:47:48 GMT

In article 14311@sequent.com, goose@sequent.com (Virginia Rios) writes:
>I just got my first gardening catalog in the mail today....
>The compost piles (I have 3 of them) are all doing great....
>one of which is ready to be tilled into the ground, and the
>raised beds are pretty much empty...they need to be filled
>with the stuff that I saw in the catalog...
>	    
>	    IS IT SPRING YET?!
>
>I'm tired of the cold, windy, dark, grey rainy days.  No more snow
>no more sleet or ice...
>
>	   IS IT SPRING YET?!
>
>ARRRRGGGGHHH!!!!!!
>

Yes Virginia there is a Spring Thaw,

	I too am getting frustrated just looking at the catalogs.  Hearing
that it's time for people farther south to start seedlings just makes it 
worse. However, I've found a few things to tide me over:

	1) Paperwhites - plant indoors now for blooms in Feb.

	2) I just brought my bulbs for forcing out of the cold for blooming.

	3) Just started a tropical seedling project.

	4) I took a warmer day and raked/picked-up the yard again.

	5) The local arboretum is still open and inside it's almost like spring.

	6) Don't order your seeds too early. That way you can keep looking
		at catalogs.

Just a few ideas. 

		- Andrew - 
Newsgroups: rec.gardens,alt.sustainable.agriculture
From: london@sunSITE.unc.edu (Larry London)
Subject: Re: Need alternative to chemical pesticides
Organization: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Distribution: usa
Date: Tue, 29 Dec 1992 02:33:08 GMT

In article <1992Dec28.220207.12425@aio.jsc.nasa.gov> kprender@jscprofs.nasa.gov writes:
>I planted my first garden in Texas this year. The bugs down here are voracious.
>Anyone have any good tips on some non-toxic ways to get rid of garden pests? In
>particular, I have  tomato fruit worms, and aphids. I know about the lady-bug
>solution, but is there something besides, sevin dust or diaznon. Any tips are
>appreciated. Thanks 
>
>Kelly Prendergast
>prendergast@sed.jsc.nasa.gov 


Newsgroups: rec.gardens
From: karpen@nrlfs1.nrl.navy.mil (Judy Karpen)
Subject: Re: BROCCOLI RAPE
Followup-To: rec.gardens
Organization: NRL
Date: Thu, 24 Dec 1992 21:01:29 GMT

Broccoli rabe IS wonderful, and seeds (at least here in Maryland) 
have been very easy to find. I found packets from at least 2 different 
companies in a local discount garden/crafts chain (Frank's), and have
seen it in the local hardware store, etc. Also, most of the seed
companies list it --- e.g., I got a packet of "salad raab" from
Park's, but I used it up so I can't verify the source (it was one of 
those gold packets, so I'm nearly 100% sure it was from Parks).  
I should get some catalogues soon, so email me in a couple of weeks 
if you haven't found it yet & I'll look for it again. 

Although my packets all said it was a spring crop, I grew a nice
fall crop this year. Tore it all out & ate it a week or 2 ago, reluctantly,
because it was getting pretty cold and didn't want to push my luck.
However, I'm sure with a bit more effort I could've had fresh rapini 
nearly all winter. Well, spring isn't all that far off....

Happy holidays to all you gardening addicts out there!


Judy Karpen                "pushing back the frontiers of science"
karpen@nrlfs1.nrl.navy.mil
From: gwv@eastrg2.cray.com (George Vandenberghe)
Subject: Re: Early Start Ideas
Organization: Cray Research, Inc.
Date: 22 Dec 92 14:24:33 CST


In article <1992Dec22.182034.7823@galileo.cc.rochester.edu>, ehwd@sherman.pas.rochester.edu (Eric Howard) writes:
|> In article <1992Dec22.124055.17201@kodak.kodak.com> bryant@neural.Kodak.COM (Steve Bryant) writes:
|> >
|> >>I always get a kick out of this sort of thing.  Do you know that there is
|> >>a whole large country complete with farmers and market gardeners located
|> >>to the north of you? Also, many people are very successful in raising
|> >>veggies in U.S. areas like New England, Minnesota, and Montana, not to
|> >>mention Alaska!
|> >
|> >Land north of Rochester? And you can grow things there! There may still
|> >be hope for Rochester after all. 
|> 
|> Yeah, when I was going to school in Florida I met a guy who runs a nursery
|> north of Toronto. I was slightly amazed that he spent his winters in Fl, but
|> did a thriving nursery business north of here. I had a standing invite to 
|> go see it, but as it's been a few years, and I don't remember the guy's name
|> ...
|> 
|> eric howard
|> u of rochester

   Just another strand in the thread.  I have always wanted to try 
growing a vegetable garden in a cool summer area (Duluth, Caribou)
and also wanted to try a region with long summer days (Fairbanks).
In general, (very very general) Northern gardeners get higher yields 
during the bearing season because the days are longer and the
cooler temperatures reduce the respiration of the plant so more
carbohydrates can go to the fruits.    Admittedly this only
holds for warm season plants down to mean temperatures around 68 degrees
and for cool season plants down to 55 degrees.  The 68 degree isotherm
runs pretty close to the U.S. border in summer and I must confess I have
never tried a garden in a region
with mean summer temperatures colder
than the 70 degree mean in State College PA (Central PA).   Here
in DC I usually see a little heat stress on tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, and
squash and sweet corn (reduced yields during hot weather).   In Tallahassee Florida,
it was a lot worse especially when the sun started getting weaker after July 15.
The DC mean summer temperature is 78 degrees (mean high 88 mean low 69 ..okay 78.5)
The Tallahsssee mean is 82 degrees with shorter days/longer nights.   On the
other hand winter gardening was not too difficult down there and spring
gardening was more pleasant than here in DC
From: jhb@calmasd.prime.com (Jim Bishop)
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Re: essential veggies to grow
Date: 29 Dec 92 22:03:08 GMT
Organization: -

> 
> I am going to start my FIRST garden this summer.  Santa was good and brought me
> the book entitled "Square Foot Gardening"  I am planning to try the same concepts
> but in big pots or wooden boxes.  I live in an apartment in New Orleans... long hot
> summers  
> 
> 
> The vegetables I am planning to grow are:
> 
> Any recommendations on what kind to buy and where to get them would be greatly
> appreciated.
> 
 [part deleted]
> 
> b. Lettuce.. I was thinking Boston lettuce... but I would like to try others... 
>     store bought lettuce is expensive and you end up throwing most of it away.

If you live in New Orleans, you should grow lettuce as a winter or
early spring crop.  Cover it with a blanket if a hard freeze
threatens.  You can also grow a fall crop if you can get the seed to
germinate in the heat of late summer.

Jim
From: afong@sdcc13.ucsd.edu (Krell Kraver)
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Re: Worms and Home Composting in Winter
Date: 1 Jan 93 19:00:15 GMT
Organization: University of California, San Diego

In article <1hu1d1INN7lv@gap.caltech.edu> kelly@cco.caltech.edu (Kelly F.) writes:
>>outdoor compost heap is probably working rather slowly... :-).
>
>Organic Gardening magazine had an article on this topic in the January 92
>issue, by Mary Appelhof who wrote the book "Worms Eat My Garbage". The
>issue has plans for a *very* nice wormbin that fits well on a porch and
>doubles as a bench. It also included the following sources:
>
>Worms Eat My Garbage (book) for $10.50 (includ shipping) from:
>Flower Press
>10332 Shaver Road
>Kalamazoo, MI 49002

I also have had a worm compost bin for about 9 months.  The book is
great for answering all question.  The bin I actually built was from
a NY Times article (I can post plans if interested).

The bin works like magic.  Its about 3' wide (front) by 2' high and
2.5' deep (front to back).  It has a lid and is very inconspicuous.
That size processes the garbage for 4 college-age guys (one is a
vegetarian).  I put almost exclusively organic things in (old
lettuce, apple cores, etc) but you can also put in pasta, bread,
cheese, etc. etc.  Meat is a bad idea, though.

The smell is, like Kelly said, just like dirt.  Occasionally things
get two wet or not aereated enough, but the smell has never been
detectable outside the box. 

I must add, that the garbage we send to the landfill has greatly
decreased (and don't fool yourself into thinking the garbage
disposer is any better than the landfill...).


If anyone has any other questions, post and I'll be glad to try and
answer.  But in the meantime, buy the book!
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
From: gwv@helium.cray.com (George Vandenberghe)
Subject: Re: Need alternative to chemical pesticides
Organization: Cray Research, Inc.
Distribution: usa
Date: 29 Dec 92 11:48:20 CST

In article <1992Dec28.220207.12425@aio.jsc.nasa.gov>, kprender@jscprofs.nasa.gov writes:
|> I planted my first garden in Texas this year. The bugs down here are voracious.
|> Anyone have any good tips on some non-toxic ways to get rid of garden pests? In
|> particular, I have  tomato fruit worms, and aphids. I know about the lady-bug
|> solution, but is there something besides, sevin dust or diaznon. Any tips are
|> appreciated. Thanks 
|> 
|> Kelly Prendergast
|> prendergast@sed.jsc.nasa.gov 

      My experience with aphids in the open has been that 
around the time I start noticing them, ladybugs start
noticing them too and within a week they are mostly
gone.  However if you spray, you will kill the ladybugs
and the aphids will be back in a week.  Aphids
can be physically hassled by a strong stream of water
from a hose.  You can knock the majority off into the mud
and only a few will survive.  This also works on
spider mites.
     Tomato fruitworms are susceptible to BT (Bacillus Thuringistis
or something like that).  This is a disease that paralyzes
their digestive system and kills them in a day or so.
It is sold in garden stores under the name Dipel and other
names.    I occasionally used it to control hornworms and
various cabbage worms when I was in Florida.
The tomato fruitworm, cotton bollworm, tobacco budworm and corn
earworm are all the same insect and it may help if you
separate your sweet corn and tomatoes.  My experience has
been that old harvested sweet corn harbors a lot of these
worms and that as the corn dies they move into tomatoes.
(I've never seen them move the other way).  In 
general you will have fewer bugs if you keep your garden
clean; old exhausted plants often have a disproportionate number
of bugs.
     I had a lot of trouble with stink bugs and squash
bugs in FL.  I never found a satisfactory organic control
and was unwilling to spray.
From: shirley@Software.Mitel.COM (Shirley Burns)
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: help my christmas catus is dying
Date: 17 Dec 92 17:50:00 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: Mitel. Kanata (Ontario). Canada.

I have a problem with my Christmas catus. It seems to be dying from
lack of water.  

It started to bloom in late October and has gone downhill since. The branches
went limp. So I watered and watered, but it didn't seem to help. So I
stop watering thinking I may be drowning it. That didn't help either, 
branches kept getting limper and boneier. So I moved it from it's nice
sunny location to a less sunny location. There are still two little Christmas catuses in the sunny location and they are doing fine. Then I tried repotting 
the catus with new soil (and adding some extra).

Now the branches are really limp and boney, and have started to turn
a shade of dark purple. I think the end is near. I have started some 
cutting from the plant in case it does die. The cutting are doing fine and
are filling out again. 

This is a fairly old catus that my Dad had for years. It is about 15 inches
is diameter in a six inch pot. 

Do Christmas catuses just die after a certain age? Or have I managed
to kill it?

-- 
Shirley Burns

shirley@Software.Mitel.COM
Organization: The American University - University Computing Center
Date: Mon, 28 Dec 1992 21:26:56 EST
From: William E. Hemple <HEMPLE@auvm.american.edu>
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Re: propagating bamboo

I would like to warn people of the very serious "downside" to propagating
bamboo.....................
``
F PF01 UNDEFINED
qquit
bamboo.  Based on my experience, once a grove is established bamboo is a
monster.  It will drain nutrients from surrounding soil for 40-60 feet.
It will sprout every which way and weaken and kill your (and your neighbor's)
grass, rose bushes, ornamental trees and shrubs.  It will sprout through
swimming pool liners, and its root spread is impossible to stop.  In some
states it is classified a "noxious weed," not to be sold in commerce, and
its owners can be responsible for the damage it causes to their neighbors'
gardens and property.  Commercial herbicides (e.g., "Roundup") affect it almost
not at all, and removing it may well require a hiring a back hoe.  It depresses
property values, because no one in their senses would buy a house with bamboo
in the yard, or on adjacent property.  I struggled against this "Godzilla"
for years, and, believe me, it has no redeeming qualities worth its destructiv
eness.  I lived in Japan two years, and, yeah, I know bamboo in Japanese garden
s is lovely.  But the Japanese take great care not to allow bamboo roots to
spread by digging plants up and repacing them often, by growing them in buried
concrete tubs, etc.  You never see a thick grove of bamboo in a Japanese
garden, because such a creature is a decidedly hostile  act towards one's
community.