HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: dmiller@theory.lcs.mit.edu (Dick and Jill Miller)
Subject: Re: Improving clay soil
Organization: Laboratory for Computer Science, MIT
Distribution: na
Date: Tue, 28 Jul 1992 13:36:20 GMT

bab@icd.ab.com (Brian A. Batke) asks:

> I'm looking for advice on how to improve our clay soil to make
> it suitable for annual/perennial/shrub beds and a vegetable garden.
> 
> I've read in this newsgroup that ground fir bark is ideal.
> Unfortunately, none of the garden or landscape suppliers in
> the area (greater Cleveland) have even heard of it. Is this
> something that's just available out west? The local suppliers
> all say to use peat moss, which I don't think will help the 
> drainage problem.
> 
> So what can we do? We're thinking maybe we can add a mixture of
> sand and peat moss. Any other ideas? 

Any organic material added to clay will help immensely.  Compost would be 
ideal, especially not-quite-finished compost.  Peat moss is very good also.  
It really does help the drainage by keeping the clay particles from 
glombing together so much.  Sand is good and what is often recommended, but 
by itself will only help a little.  Organic material and more organic 
material is what you want.  And keep adding it every year.  Dig in all your 
leaves.  Mulch with leaves in the fall and the worms will carry a lot of 
material down into the soil.

--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    | 

Newsgroups: rec.gardens
From: todd@unislc.uucp (Todd Williams)
Subject: Re: Growing Oregano 
Organization: Unisys Corporation SLC
Date: Wed, 22 Jul 1992 18:29:36 GMT

exumart@exu.ericsson.se (Martina Hughes,xt-df,0634) writes:

>Does anyone out there have experience growing Oregano!....

Yes:  I bought an oregano plant in a 2" pot 4 years ago, and have
giving the stuff away by the pound for the last three years.
The little plant grew to about 12" x 12" the first year and bloomed
nicely - ever since the original plant gets over 24" tall and about
30" around, and I have oregano coming up in every bare spot in the
area - it doesn't come up in the lawn.  The original plant was
getting kind of ragged looking this year so I divided it - just
chopped out a section with a shovel and gave it away.  Both plants
thrived.
  After it gets established here I don't think I could kill oregano
if I tried.
  BTW - this is borderline zone 5/zone 4,  it is planted in 3/4 sun
  we get good water in the spring, but very dry summer
  the oregano gets watered in summer with other herbs and flowers
  but stands drought very well

I have seen several different types of "oregano", don't know if
they were different varieties or different species or what.
I haven't tried any others - I have plenty...
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
From: yen@stsci.edu (Felix Yen)
Subject: Alternative Commercial Landscaping
Organization: Space Telescope Science Institute
Distribution: na
Date: Tue, 21 Jul 1992 20:33:41 GMT

Like so many others, I grew up in a family that desperately tried
to grow a single variety of grass (Kentucky Bluegrass) in a climate
which bordered on being hostile.  Our neighbors were similarly
occupied (with the exception of the ones who didn't seem to mind
a "little" crabgrass).

While driving down 880 from Oakland to San Jose recently, I noticed
an office park surrounded by a large lawn of green grass.  The grass
in the hills was brown so I inferred that this company was watering
their grass and it looked like they were watering it fastidiously.

It occurred to me that the homogeneous lawn was my parents' goal
partly because of lawns like the one at this office park.  It also
occurred to me that in many parts of the country, it makes good
economic and environmental sense to grow things that need less water.

My guess is that this office park could maintain a meadow of plants
native to the region with lower water and labor costs and that such
a meadow would attract free, positive publicity.  The occasional
newspaper, magazine, or television story about the transition away
from grass would in essence advertise the benefits of this approach
while those who work at the office park would become accustomed to
seeing something other than grass and thus become more receptive to
growing native plants at home (thus reaping the same savings as the
office park).

Here's the catch: the office park lawn is not going to change unless
the company responsible has an estimate of how much it would save and
a reasonably specific plan for converting its lawn and we should not
expect such a company to generate this estimate or the conversion plan.
The obvious candidates for these tasks are:

    +	non-profit organizations interested in promoting
	this sort of endeavor, e.g. the National Wildflower
	Research Center (?).

    +	nurseries specializing in native plants.

I don't know how to proceed at this point.  It's conceivable that
people are already trying to implement this idea.  If so, I would be
interested in learning who's doing what.  If not, I hope someone will
read this and, ideally, take action.  For example, if you know of an
organization that might make use of this idea, please contact them or
email me their address so I can write them.


Felix
yen@stsci.edu
From: sfinfroc@beta.tricity.wsu.edu (Scott H. Finfrock)
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Re: earwigs
Keywords: Earwigs
Date: 29 Jul 92 03:58:29 GMT
Organization: Washington State University Tri-Cities, Richland

In article <luwsm.5.712330309@lehigh.edu> luwsm@lehigh.edu (Wayne S. Mery) writes:
>In article <1992Jul27.215720.3555@leela.cs.orst.edu> chrisda@jacobs.CS.ORST.EDU (David Christensen) writes:

>I agree with David about the Tomatoes being generally invulnerable to 
>earwigs.  But this doesn't necessarily translate to other plants.  

Well, earwigs really went after my tomato transplants (I know
it was earwigs because I went out at night and watched them do
it), one of them was stripped clean of leaves.  They all
recovered though, and after they toughened up a bit they seemed
to loose their appeal to the earwigs.  

My dalhias, on the otherhand, were pretty well wiped out by the
little buggers.


Scott Finfrock
sfinfroc@beta.tricity.wsu.edu
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
From: Jack.Honeycutt@f52.n105.z1.therose.pdx.com (Jack Honeycutt)
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: PPitcher Plant Addendum
Date: 22 Jul 92 14:29:48 GMT
Article-I.D.: therose.711843698.F00003

Hello Jeffrey!

22 Jul 92, Jeffrey A. Del Col writes to All:

 JADC> In my previous posting about pitcher plant genera I inadvertently
 JADC> omitted Chrysamphora californica, the so-called Cobra Lily, a
 JADC> North American native.

Thank you.  I was beginning to feel left out.  I see it now and again on walks
down at the cost.  We also have a native sundew in Oregon, Drosera
rotundifolia.

Jack
From: dplatt@ntg.com (Dave Platt)
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Re: Tomatilloes
Date: 21 Jul 92 19:38:16 GMT
Organization: New Technologies Group, Inc.  Palo Alto CA

In article <1992Jul20.211707.18712@b30.ingr.com> mordes@b30.ingr.com (Tony Mordeszewski) writes:

>                                             Some cookbooks insist
>that you wear rubber gloves while handling the peppers; I think this is
>a bit extreme.  Do be careful, though.

Depends on the pepper.  A couple of years ago, I cleaned and chopped my
season's harvest of manzano amarillo (a.k.a. rocoto) chiles.  I wore
disposable plastic gloves... some hotstuff got through a pinhole in the
back of the left glove, and a spot on the back of my hand felt as if it
was glowing medium-orange for about an hour afterwards.

If you're working with manzanos or habanero / Scotch Bonnet peppers,
gloves are a very good idea.  They're so hot that even if you wash your
hands thoroughly afterwards, your hands can still sting for some time
(and you'll be at risk of frying your eyeballs out for a day or more
afterwards).

-- 
Dave Platt                                                VOICE: (415) 813-8917
              Domain: dplatt@ntg.com      UUCP: ...netcomsv!ntg!dplatt
 USNAIL: New Technologies Group Inc. 2468 Embarcardero Way, Palo Alto CA 94303
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
From: reynold@binah.cc.brandeis.edu
Subject: Re: Circles of 'shrooms ?
Reply-To: reynold@binah.cc.brandeis.edu
Organization: Brandeis University
Date: Wed, 29 Jul 1992 14:39:34 GMT

In article <6829@bigbird.hri.com.hri.com>, blamb@rodan.hri.com (Bill Lambert) writes:
>
>I have the strangest thing on my lawn, and I wonder if anyone
>can tell me how or why it happened. There's an almost perfect
>circle of wild mushrooms, around 15ft diameter in one area.
>- Bill Lambert

I'd say pixies and fairies live in your yard. Definitely! :-)

Susan

From: ajp@hpopd.pwd.hp.com (Andy Pearce)
Date: Wed, 29 Jul 1992 15:50:23 GMT
Subject: Re: "Gelder Roses" ID?
Organization: HP Software Engineering Systems, UK
Newsgroups: rec.gardens

Jeffrey A. Del Col writes ==========>
> Lately I have been reading parts of Thomas Jefferson's garden journals
> and came across a reference to "gelder" roses.  I am not able to find 
> anything like this term in my rose reference works.  Can anyone on the
> net help on this?  I assume it refers to a gold or yellow color.  

Our (UK) guelder rose is not a rose at all.  Its a species of viburnum
also known as "snowball tree", and I think another name for it might
be "wayfarer's tree".  As far as I remember it has white flowers, and 
grows quite tall - 9 or 10 feet.

--ajp
From: ceb@dbrus.Unify.Com (Caroline E. Bryan)
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Re: Circular Dark Patches on the bottom of my tomatoes !
Date: 31 Jul 92 15:52:12 GMT
Organization: /usr/lib/news/organization

In article <1992Jul30.192250.10466@aero.org> macheske@aero.org (Richard M. Macheske) writes:
>In article <1992Jul30.152537.7359@athena.mit.edu> chasman@athena.mit.edu (David Chasman) writes:
>>My tomatoes have once again started to get these ugly brownish circular
>>rot on the bottom.  Last year I was advised to get this spray that you
>>apply directly to the plant (apparently, once this starts you have to 
>>bypass the root system and go in through the leaves).  My question is:
>>what exactly is in this stuff and if I have a chemistry stock-room 
>>available is it easy to make.  E-mail responses are encouraged, since I
>>don't spend the whole day reading news - but I am usually near a workstation.
>>
>Please tell me too.  It sounds like my plants.  I was always told this
>was called blossom rot and the only way to get rid of it was to water
>more often.  It would be great if I could spray something to fix the
>problem.
>Rick

If it is blossom end rot, you can mix H2O with water in your spray apparatus
and give the plants a good strong dose 3-4 times a week.  H2O is pretty 
easily available; a 10% solution ought to do the trick.


Carrie		ceb@rechenau.unify.com	x6244     ----------------------------+
| ... one of those cliches that are always lying in wait to fill a vacuum in  |
| the brain.		- H.W. Fowler					      |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
From: vsummers@polaris.cv.nrao.edu (Vince Summers)
Subject: Gold Bug
Organization: National Radio Astronomy Observatory
Distribution: rec.gardens
Date: Mon, 27 Jul 1992 13:16:12 GMT

     The other day I was checking my native wild plants, cultivated plants,
etc. when I had a beetle land on a dish I was holding.  I am a gold plater,
but I never saw such a beautiful gold as this.  Solid Gold outer wings with
no immediately discernible pattern, and about 1/4 inch round. Magnificent!
     Can you identify it?  Should I seek treasure?

Vince Summers
vsummers@polaris.cv.nrao.edu
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
From: vsummers@polaris.cv.nrao.edu (Vince Summers)
Subject: Antique Plant Availability
Organization: National Radio Astronomy Observatory
Distribution: rec.gardens
Date: Tue, 28 Jul 1992 18:04:22 GMT

     A fellow worker inquired of me as to the availability of catalogues
specifically devoted to Antique Flowers, such as the rose.  Since I 
discovered a Plume Poppy at an abandoned housing site in the woods once,
I too have become interested in these.
     Any good catalogues available?
Vince Summers
vsummers@polaris.cv.nrao.edu
From: brs@canctr.mc.duke.edu
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Flea Beetle
Date: 30 Jul 92 18:45:57 GMT
Reply-To: brs@canctr.mc.duke.edu
Organization: Duke U. Med. Ctr., Durham, NC

Does anyone know a very effective organic control for flea beetles?  They are dessimating my eggplant plants and seem to like nothing else.  Any information on these pesky critters would be appreciated.
Does anyone know a very effective organic control for flea beetles?  They are dessimating my eggplant plants and seem to like nothing else.  Any information on these pesky critters would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance,

David
post
From: swk004@muvms3.bitnet (CONNIE LEINEN, SWK004@MARSHALL, HUNTINGTON, WV)
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Re: Japanese Beetles everywhere
Date: 28 Jul 92 11:31:20 GMT
Article-I.D.: muvms3.112096
Organization: Marshall University

In article <l78np5INNuu@utkcs2.cs.utk.edu>, langston@langston.cs.utk.edu 
(Mike Langston) writes:
> connie leinen writes:
> 
>> I, too, have been waging war with Japanese beetles.  Since I am really
>> loathe to use noxious chemicals, I mixed up a really strong soap
>> solution (heavy dollop of Ivory liquid soap in a pint sprayer filled
>> with water).  Well, it works like a charm.  First the little buggers
>> are sort of paralyzed, then the writhe a bit and then they fall off.
> 
> be careful, connie
> 
> soap is not known to be effective on hard-bodied pests such
> as japanese beetles (at least not in concentrations safe for
> widespread use on plants) -- even the label on safers does
> *not* mention japanese beetles
> 
> one must be very cautious with anecdotal data -- i fear that
> you are either
>    1) mixing much too strong a formulation for general use,
>    2) mistaken somehow about your formulation's effectiveness, or
>    3) have made a major discovery that the pros have missed ;-)


O.K., let's clarify here.  I certainly don't mean to lead anyone 
astray.

I most definitely am doing number 1.  I am spraying, for the most
part, just the beetles.  They die.  I rejoice.

Thus far, the beetles have attacked only my roses.  We're getting
fairly frequent showers, so any stray soap solution that dripped
off a writhing beetle is not staying on the plant for any length
of time.  

I have been informed that the strength of this solution would 
seriously damage a tomato plant and perhaps kill some others.

I apologize if I've caused someone to burn up a prized plant.  As 
with any remedy, test on a small area before proceeding.  *MY*
roses are doing fine, sending out new growth and buds.   My
earthworms are alive and happy and revelling in all the rain we've
had recently.   

It was also pointed out that hand picking would also be just as
effective.  This is, no doubt, true.   

Connie
From: moroney@ramblr.enet.dec.com
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Re: Circles of 'shrooms ?
Date: 29 Jul 92 02:53:13 GMT
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation

In article <6829@bigbird.hri.com.hri.com>, blamb@rodan.hri.com (Bill Lambert) writes...
>I have the strangest thing on my lawn, and I wonder if anyone
>can tell me how or why it happened. There's an almost perfect
>circle of wild mushrooms, around 15ft diameter in one area.
>I say almost perfect, because the circle is only about 3/4
>complete at this time. The mushroom growth is thick enough to
>be almost contiguous around the circle, but else where there
>are only a few mushrooms scattered about on the property.

>Could someone tell me if this is a common occurance, or should I
>try alt.talk.ufo ?

While this seems mighty bizarre it's not that uncommon.  This phenomenom is
called a 'fairy ring', and what it is is a single fungus that starts growing
from a point outward in all directions.  Soon the fungus consumes the food
in the central portion and the center portion starts dying but the outside
portion continues growing outward, so the fungus underground obtains a ring
shape.  The ring keeps getting larger as the fungus grows.  When conditions
are right, the fungus sends up fruiting bodies (mushrooms) to reproduce.
Since these appear only along the living part of the fungus, they come up
in a circular shape if the fungus grew evenly and wasn't interrupted.

You may find the grass inside the ring greener since the fungus converts
organic material in the soil into fertilizer.

The ancients thought these things were deliberately created by fairies or
other woodland beings for dances or something, hence the name.

-Mike
From: jean@verdix.com (Jean C. Jaiswal)
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Re: Japanese Beetles everywhere
Date: 24 Jul 92 18:45:00 GMT
Article-I.D.: verdix.4578
Reply-To: jean@verdix.com (Jean C. Jaiswal)
Distribution: na
Organization: Verdix Western Operations; Aloha, OR

Just as an additional note about the kerosene method.  We use to use
this exclusive in North Caroline.  But we put just an inch of kerosene
in a jar and then added water.  It worked great since kerosene
floats on water.  Probably you can use less kerosene this way.
From: jhb@calmasd.prime.com (Jim Bishop)
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Re: WALNUT TREE STRUCK BY LIGHTNING
Date: 31 Jul 92 00:21:40 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: -

In article <7950@dirac.physics.purdue.edu>, ns@gibbs.physics.purdue.edu (Nancy M. Schnepp) writes:
> 
> Our big walnut tree (~75 years) was struck by lightning
> this morning.  We are wondering what its chances of survival
> are and how soon can we tell?  It entered high in the tree
> at a fork, exiting out the other side of the tree (black
> hole about the size of a donut), blowing out several small
> pieces of bark.  It also came out the other side---you can
> see a line clear down the tree, and see where it went into
> the ground splattering mud up into the leaves of the
> tree.  It was a very loud, single POP.  What a way to wake up.
> Anyway, if anyone has had experience with lightning strikes
> e-mail me.  Thanks.  It also zapped the amp on our tv tower
> since it was nearby!!
> 
> -Nancy S.

I don't know what your tree's chances are, but it doesn't sound good
considering the amount of heat that lightning generates.  As long as
none of the burns made a ring all the way around the tree, part may
survive.  Also, lightning goes from the ground to the clouds, not the
clouds to the ground.  So the mud wasn't splattered, it was sprayed.

Jim

Jim
From: ed@fhouse.UUCP (Ed Felton)
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Re: What Happened to my Tomatoes ????
Date: 23 Jul 92 22:22:15 GMT
Organization: Summa Technology, Inc.

KJB6@psuvm.psu.edu (David Adams @ Penn State University) once wrote....
>I had some beautiful tomatoe plants last week, and then we got some rain, some
>more rain, and yes even some more rain. Some were heavy downpours. My garden
>does not have the best drainage, and because the soil is somewhat clayey (sp),
>the water has a tendency to lay in puddles until it seeps into the ground. With
>so much rain, the ground was saturated. I went out to look at the garden, and 2
>of my tomatoe plants were wilting, almost like a frost got them. I do not think
>they will survive. I had some green tomatoes on these 2 plants and some blossom
>s, but the blossoms are now falling off. The leaves are limp and have no textur
>e to them. What happend?

  Not sure what happened, but I can report that with similar soil and weather
  conditions, I had the same thing happen to my tomato plants (all 13) this
  year, about 4-6 weeks ago.  The cherry tomato plants basicallyseem to have 
  died back to just stems, but all the fruit that was on them got pushed to
  ripeness very quickly, no matter what size it was. (BTW, the 1/2 inch
  cherry tomatoes that resulted were incredibly sweet!).  The Roma plants
  are starting to recover, and other than looking extremely "leggy" are doing
  ok. The first ripe roma came off this morning...   The beefsteak plants
  seemed to take it pretty much in stride, wilting down, and recovering in
  a week.  They did loose all green fruit to a "blackening" though...  
  All in all, the plants seem to be coming back.


>
>My peppers were pretty much the same way, but they look like they are starting
>to come back.
>
>Did the tomatoes receive too much water, and just rott? What can be added in
>the fall (or spring), to help the soil, again it is very clayey?
>
>Thanks for any suggestions and reasons why the tomatoes are dying.
>
>
>Ken Bauer
>Pennsylvania State University - Behrend College

----
--
Ed Felton              |  Opinions expressed do not reflect the views of
Senior Analyst         |  management (or mine either for that matter).
Summa Technology, Inc. |
(205) 922-4058         |         Vote early, and vote often.
From: jhb@calmasd.prime.com (Jim Bishop)
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Re: AmerifloraREAD/NEW/FOLLOWUP
Date: 30 Jul 92 05:50:10 GMT
Organization: -

In article <CMM.0.90.2.712435049.saari@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu>, 
saari@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Susan J Saari) writes:

[Great review of Ameriflora deleted.]

If you would like to see more of Ameriflora, I believe it will be
featured on this week's Victory Garden on PBS.

Jim
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Geraniums as in Pelargoniums
From: Pandora@kcbbs.gen.nz (Dawn Scotting)
Date: 28 Jul 92 23:49:32 GMT
Organization: Kappa Crucis Unix BBS, Auckland, New Zealand

All of a sudden I'm into Pelargoniums in a big way and unfortunately 
there doesn't seem to be a Pelargonium/Geranium Society here in NZ that 
I know of (any kiwi reading this may like to correct me on this). I 
desperately want to grow some of the different colours rather than the 
pink, red and mauves that I see in most gardens. I have seen some wonderful 
coloured pictures in the books in the library which also mention that 
they can be grown from seed. However, geranium/pelargonium seeds do 
not seem to be available in NZ so I'm looking for someone to put me 
onto a place that would be prepared to post overseas and if possible 
to be paid for through my Visa card. Any help in this direction would 
be appreciated,  please email to pandora@kcbbs.gen.nz
PS The geraniums mentioned are NOT the Crane's Bill variety.

Newsgroups: rec.gardens
From: stngiam@athena.mit.edu (Shih-Tung Ngiam)
Subject: Something's eating the Brussel Sprouts
Organization: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Distribution: usa
Date: Mon, 27 Jul 1992 17:30:47 GMT


  One of my Brussel sprouts' leaves have wilted and grey eggs(?) have
appeared on the sick leaves.  In addition, small green things which I
think are aphids are present on the leaves.  What should I do?  What
laid those eggs?

  My gardening book suggests spraying the aphids off with a strong hose,
but won't that just spray them onto the other plants around it?
Rotenone was mentioned as an insecticide.  Are there any disadvantages
to using that?

Shih Tung
Chem E
Best l'il Tech School
in Cambridge