HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: youngt@vax001.kenyon.edu
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Re: Orchid help
Date: 9 Apr 92 22:14:46 GMT
Organization: Kenyon College

In article <ku15g6INN4p@jethro.Corp.Sun.COM>, zara@rossroad.Corp.Sun.COM (Zara Haimo) writes:
> This weekend one of my blooming phalanlopsis plants took an abrupt turn for the worse.  A full spike of open blooms suddenly withered and the two top leaves are turning yellow.  There is still one green leaf below, so I have some hope of saving this pla
nt if I can find out what is wrong.  Does anyone have any ideas on the problem or a solution?

I have read that phalanlopsis are very sensitive to temperature.  I read just
recently that plants will tolerate temperatures below 50 degrees for a very
brief period (possibly 4 hours) before damage sets in.  Im am not sure if this
applies to your situation.       Tony Young
From: machanicm@gtephx.UUCP (Mindy Machanic)
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Re: Garden sprayers, whitefly
Summary: only if you've got a few whiteflies
Date: 10 Apr 92 00:07:51 GMT
Organization: AG Communication Systems, Phoenix, Arizona

In article <92100.122657MCARR@auvm.american.edu>, MCARR@auvm.american.edu (Michael Carr) writes:
> I have found that the best way to kill whiteflies is with the Ortho Sticky
> Whitefly trap. Within ten minutes of setting up the trap, you will have
> killed at least four and in one day about 30. After a week or two, you will
> have no problems with them at all.
> 
> The trap is made of cardboard painted yellow with a sticky substance.
> Whiteflies are attracted yellow and the sticky substance keeps them on the
> cardboard. It works 1,000 times better than the leading spray.
> 
This works if you start before you have a serious whitefly infestation. However,
whiteflies have one-day lives and reproduce incredibly quickly. Once they get
going there's not a whole lot you can do with traps. BTW, any yellow surface
coated with Vaseline or other sticky surface is supposed to work just as well
as the stuff you buy. You just have to put a lot of them around to do any good.

-- 
*****************************************************************************************
Mindy Machanic  (AG Communication Systems/Quality Engineering, Phoenix, AZ)               
UUCP: ....!{ncar!noao!asuvax | att}!gtephx!machanicm       FAX: (602) 52-7111
Internet: gtephx!machanicm@asuvax.eas.asu.edu              Voice: (602) 582-7374
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
From: vmb@media.mit.edu (V. Michael Bove Jr.)
Subject: Re: illegal plants--lobelia
Summary: Moxie lives!
Organization: MIT Media Laboratory
Date: Wed, 8 Apr 1992 13:49:43 GMT

In article <1992Apr7.205033.3636@iscsvax.uni.edu>, klier@iscsvax.uni.edu writes:
> 
> BTW, a few years ago, the Tennessee legislature wanted to ban jimsonweed,
> but wrote Gentiana lutea into the ban.  That species is native to the
> Pyranees -- and is the "bitter" in bitters, and was used as one of the
> prime ingredients in Moxie, a soft drink once popular in the South.
> Oh well, nice try, guys...  The plants are only a few thousand miles 
> and a couple of orders apart...
> 
It may no longer be popular in the South, but Moxie is alive and well
in New England. It is no longer advertised as a ``brain food,'' but it
still has the finger-pointing druggist on the label and the
gentian root extract in the ingredients. And it's rather nice with rum.
From: klier@iscsvax.uni.edu
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Re: irrigation/watering
Date: 9 Apr 92 16:30:48 -0500
Organization: University of Northern Iowa

machanicm@gtephx.UUCP (Mindy Machanic) writes:
> klier@iscsvax.uni.edu writes:
>> 
>> (ca. 5000 plants), it takes me at least 3 hours to water.  (No, it's
>> not a professorial responsibility, but when someone fails to turn up
>> to water on the weekend, you either water or watch half the greenhouse
>> die...)
> 
> Why don't you hook up a dripper system with tube-end drippers like they have in
> greenhouses and nurseries around here? Put them on a timer and nobody has to
> show up to water!!! (Gee, I'da thunk you professionals woulda thoughta that...)
> 
Yep.  We thunk of it.  Only problem is a severe shortage of $$$ in the supplies
and services budget.  But student work-study wages cost the greenhouse nothing,
and it does help keep a few students from starving to death...

> What a great idea! (As long as you don't forget and use a plastic pot...) Does
> the cork also act as a water-wick? Or would it work with any kind of plug? I'm 
> growing some tomatoes in 15-gallon nursery rubber/plastic pots. Would it work in that
> situation?

Cork has no wicking capabilities, since it is suberized tissue.  You can plug
the holes with whatever you want that won't leak.  And yes, if you can sink
a clay pot in your 15 gallon pot, you'll have less problem with stress-cracked
tomatoes, and maybe even with blossom end rot.   I use 6" pots sunk into my
half-whisky barrels to help them out -- they DO need water about every other
day, even with the average of 0.8" rain/week we get in an Iowa summer.

Some year, when I have time, I intend to take another pottery class and 
make some tall unglazed cylinders (maybe 18" x 4"wide) especially for
those whisky barrels...
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
From: bobw@csg.uwaterloo.ca (Bob Wildfong)
Subject: Re: Request for Help: Lawn with house I just bought
Organization: University of Waterloo
Date: Tue, 14 Apr 1992 23:09:23 GMT

In article <73957@netnews.upenn.edu> tony@scotty.dccs.upenn.edu (Anthony Olejnik) writes:
>I`m a new homeowner with a lawn that needs work.
>	-get rid of the fungi (mushrooms and assorted stuff)

Should go away when the weather gets dryer.

>	-improve my lawn`s fertility

I'll leave fertilizing advice to others more knowledgeable than myself, but
here's a useful tip:
     If you can help it at all, don't cut your grass to less than a 1.5" 
     height; 2" is better.  The reasons are: grass can absorb more sunlight,
     weed seeds will be shaded and will not germinate as well, soil will be
     shaded and will not dry out as fast.

Bob Wildfong
From: wdl@berlioz.nsc.com (Bill Llewellyn)
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Garden sprayers, whitefly
Summary: Need to spray ash trees for whitefly, looking for good spray unit
Keywords: whitefly, ash trees, spray
Date: 8 Apr 92 20:04:39 GMT
Followup-To: rec.gardens
Organization: National Semiconductor Corporation

(Forgive me if this is a previously discussed issue -- I'm new
to rec.gardens.)

We have a couple of ash trees in our back yard which whitefly have
found. The flys are really stressing the trees -- this spring the
non-seed-bearing one (male?) has perhaps a third of its usual foliage
after two years of rather heavy whitefly infestation. The seed-bearing
tree is faring better, but still shows a lot of stress after the flys
get established in the Summer. We've had a few sprayings with Safer
Soap, but this seems to have had no real effect. Our local agricultural
extension office says we would need to spray with a dilute Ivory Liquid
in water mixture about every 2 weeks to keep the problem under control.
Thus I am looking for an affordable sprayer which can reach up perhaps
40 feet (150 PSI or so). Any recommendations? Or does anyone know of
another way to keep these little buggers down? Thanks!

=================================================================
Regards, Bill          | How is it possible
wdl@berlioz.nsc.com    | to make a vacuum cleaner? 
National Semiconductor | (The contents of this article do not
Santa Clara, Ca        | necessarily reflect the views of NSC.)
=================================================================
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
From: pab@lucid.com (Peter Benson)
Subject: hallucinogenic plants was illegal plants--lobelia
Organization: Lucid, Inc., Boulder, Utah office
Date: 8 Apr 92 10:59:46

During my drug crazed years I had some friends that experimented with
jimson weed (datura).  One friend I was with ate just the ovary from one
flower.  Not a large effect when combined with the whiskey he was consuming
that evening.  Some other friends made a paste from the
roots (apparently from a recipe described in a Carlos Castaneda book) and
rubbed it on their skin.  The idea was that the more toxic contitutents
were not absorbed through the skin.  She said it was the most intense
hallucinatory experience she had ever had.  Other descriptions indicated
that there were very realistic halucinations and after that was over they
couldn't focus their eyes very well for about a day afterward.  I never had
much interest in trying it.  Too dangerous.

It's usually pretty easy to see what plants have potential for abuse as
drugs from a seed catalog.  They always claim to be poisonous.  Usually in
much bigger letters than other truly poisonous plants.  Lots of
ornamentals will make you sick, or even kill you if you eat them, but you
wouldn't know it unless they also get you high.

My brother in law found papaver somniferum seed in a seed catalog and in big
red letters it said "All parts are poisonous!".
From: priag@NSD.3Com.COM (Pria Graves)
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Event at Filoli
Date: 15 Apr 92 18:04:02 GMT
Distribution: ba
Organization: 3Com Corp., Santa Clara, CA.


Through the Gaits at Filoli

The famous Filoli mansion in Woodside is hosting "A Horse Fair" on Friday,
April 24, and Saturday, April 25.  The celebration commemorates the 
equestrian heritage of Filoli and a number of antique carriages and 
historic riding costumes will be displayed.

There will also be demonstrations involving a wide variety of horses from 
hackney ponies to draft horses as well as demonstrations of techniques 
such as dressage and fox hunting.

And if that's not enough, the wonderful gardens will be open along with the 
Garden Shop, Tea Shop etc.  And there's even a catered luncheon with fashion
show!  

The hours are 10 - 4 both days.  General admission is $15 and 
admission-with-luncheon is $35.  Children under 12 are not invited.

You can send your money with as SASE to Friends of Filoli, Canada Road, 
Woodside, CA 94062 or call them at 415/364-2880 for more information.
From: National Wildlife Federation <nwfuw@igc.org>
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Date: 08 Apr 92 17:25 PDT
Subject: Re: HELP!!! Fuchsia mite
Nf-ID: #R:1992Apr7.100903.337@calmasd.prim:1284437412:cdp:1453300026:000:635
Nf-From: cdp.UUCP!nwfuw    Apr  8 17:25:00 1992


Jim:
You may want to try a new botanical pesticide that is just being released
this spring.  Its marketed by SAFER/RINGER and is called Neemesis(there is 
a second name that is being tested also).  This has a very low toxicity to
beneficials and I have used it indoors on thrips with fairly good success.
I recall mites being listed as a target but the label fails me now.  You
might want to call Ringer to see if its registered/useful.  Another possibi-
lity would be to use insecticidal soap, if it won't harm the fuchsias, or
predatory mites.  The latter work best in a greenhouse environemnt and are
very costly.

Good luck.
Craig
From: klier@iscsvax.uni.edu
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Re: Dandelions
Date: 15 Apr 92 20:16:20 -0500
Distribution: usa
Organization: University of Northern Iowa

dweber@ncsa.uiuc.edu (Daniel Weber) writes:
> 
> Speaking of Dandelions, I am curious about something.  Why do some dandelion
> flowers become "SUPER" dandelion flowers?  I sometimes see dandelions with
> a flower who's stalk and flower head is broad and flat, not round.  They
> look like two or three flowers and stalks all fused into one.  Anybody know
> why this happens?  Is it a mutation?  Does some parasite cause the flowers
> to grow huge?  Or are they two or more that have naturally "grafted" themselves
> together?

This is usually due to an injury to the floral meristem: viral, fungal
or mechanical...   I had a epidemic of it one summer, and realized that
the affected plants were all ones my young cousin had stabbed with the
screwdriver (instead of popping them out, as I was encouraging him to do...)

Kay Klier   Biology Dept  UNI
From: klier@iscsvax.uni.edu
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Re: Japanese Beetle Grubs
Date: 7 Apr 92 21:01:45 -0500
Organization: University of Northern Iowa

In article <3662@prcrs.prc.com>, link@prcrs.prc.com (John Link) writes:
> I just dug up my garden to allow it to dry before tilling and
> planting.  I noticed many Japanese beetle grubs upon turning the soil
> over.  A few questions:
> 
> 1- Is there anything I can do now before tilling/planting?  I don't
> 'necessarily' want to put chemicals down if I can avoid it but could
> be convinced otherwise.  Any suggestions?

Bacillus popilliae, milky spore bacteria, would be my first choice.
Very non-toxic, use it once and it should establish the disease in the
soil -- that should be all you need to do for many years.  Sold as Grub
Attack, Milky Spore Powder, Doom, and Japidemic, among other names.

> 
> 2- Unless I hear differently from the net, I plan onputting
> Spectricide down this fall.  I used this on my lawn and the grubs came
> right out of the ground.  How long does Spectricide last (i.e. will is
> be gone in time for spring?

Spectracide is diazanon, and has a soil half life of about 30 days.
(No, I don't know its decomposition products).  Diazanon is pretty toxic,
like all phosphorthioates.  Hits a lot of non-target organisms, too,
like fish, bees, earthworms....

Kay Klier   Biology Dept  UNI


Newsgroups: rec.gardens
From: GC.SUL@forsythe.stanford.edu (Sullivan)
Subject: Re: fuchsia mite
Organization: Stanford University, California, USA
Date: Wed, 8 Apr 1992 20:26:54 GMT



JIM BISHOP WRITES REGARGING      Fuchsia mite:

Does anyone know of a cure (hopefully environmental save) for
fuchsia mite?  Several of my fuchsias have been disfigured
by them.  Somehow they've even crossed the yard and ended up
in a hanging basket under the eves of the house.   I guess
they must be too small to see since all I notice is the
disfigurement and no bugs.

In this month's Sunset magazine there is an article on safe
environmental controls.  There is a matrix with a list of
plant problems and a list of cures.  In the fuchsia mite
column it lists, "buy resistant plants".  That's all it
says!  I don't have a clue what varieties are resistant and
don't want to replace the 20 or so fuchsias I have.

I'm tempted to try kelthane, though the last few times I've
used it the white flies went out of control. (Kelthane kills
most of the beneficial insects along with the bad.)  Perhaps
some sort of systemic could be used in the soil?

Any ideas would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Jim

P.S. Apparently this is a fairly new pest to California.
The 1979 addition of the Sunset Western Garden book doesn't
even mention it.

--------------------------------------------------------------
Fuchsia mite was a real problem when I was doing Hummingbird Gardens
in 1985.  Apparently it was thought that the mite was actually
brought to California by hummingbirds...
Species that I found to be mite resistant included:
Fuchsia thyifolia
F. arborescens
F. encliandra
F. Hybrida "Chang"
F. magellanica gets mite
F. magellanica molinae (light pink) is mite resistant
F. serratifolia

All of the above are great for hummingbirds. Another fuchsia which
is probably the best for hummingbirds, F. lycioides, may be a little
sensitive to the mite, but will go dormant in a cold winter, and the
new growth in the spring will be clean.

F. enlcliandra and F. thymifolia are small, flowered, cold hardy
fuchias, shrublike.

F. Chang looks more like a standard fuchsia

F. serratfolia had large leaves and long flowers.

PLEASE don't use Kelthane or any sprays-you will likely kill any
hummingbirds that visit your flowers.  To me, I would just throw out
the fuchias that have the mite, and complain bitterly to the nursery
that sold them to you since the mite has been around long enough
that the nurseries have had ample time to replace them with fuchsias
that don't get the mite.

If you absolutely do have to spray, do it when the plant is not in
flower, or keep in an enclosed area so the hummingbirds have no
access to it.

I have seen hummingbirds lying on the ground dying in nurseries that
routinely spray their plants for a variety of pests-it's just
heartbreaking.

Good luck finding other fuchsias that work.  Annabels Fuchsias in
Ft. Bragg has a large selection and might be able to suggest
varieties that are mite resistant.

Karen Sullivan
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
From: bills@sequent.com (Bill Sears)
Subject: Need recommendations on irrigation systems
Keywords: sprinklers
Organization: Sequent Computer Systems Inc.
Distribution: usa
Date: Wed, 15 Apr 92 16:31:11 GMT

I am in the process of putting in a new lawn, and I want to put in an
underground sprinkler system before I plant the lawn.  Can anyone send
me recommendations on types of sprinkler/irrigation systems?  I already
have some literature from Rainbird, but they don't seem to fulfill my
requirements very well (coverage either too broad or too narrow).

If anyone can recommend a particular brand of sprinkler system or give
me more information about Rainbird, I would appreciate it.

  thanks
    bills
-- 
--------
Bill Sears            Sequent Computer Systems            bills@sequent.com

Women and cats do as they please.  Men and dogs had best learn to live with it.
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
From: ceb@dbrus.Unify.Com (Caroline E. Bryan)
Subject: Re: SNAILS.....shudder
Organization: /usr/lib/news/organization
Distribution: usa
Date: Fri, 10 Apr 92 16:25:00 GMT

In article <MACRAKIS.92Apr8120233@next4.osf.org> macrakis@osf.org (Stavros Macrakis) writes:
>In article <15153@drutx.ATT.COM> seb1@leia.dr.att.com
>(131010000-BadianS(DR1510)43) writes:
>
>> Yes, ducks and geese eat snails.  Also hedgehogs.
>> ...horticulturalist...knows of nothing else that eats snails,
>
>Of course, people eat snails (*), too.  Maybe you ought to consider
>changing the definition of your garden from a vegetable garden to a
>snail farm...?

A neighbor had a snail farm type of garden until she bought a box turtle
from a pet shop and put it in the middle.  Now she had an enormous box
turtle, lots of flowers and veggies, and no snails.  Around here we all
assume that the box turtle has been eating the snails.


Carrie		ceb@dbrus.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: krogers@javelin.sim.es.com (K. Rogers)
Subject: Botanic sites in Dallas/Ft. Worth area
Reply-To: krogers@javelin.sim.es.com
Organization: Evans & Sutherland Computer Corp., Salt Lake City, Utah
Distribution: na
Date: Mon, 6 Apr 1992 16:08:54 GMT

I'm going to visit a friend in Denton, TX in a month.  I'd like to
check out some of the botanic scene in the extended Dallas/Ft. Worth
area while I'm there.  My Rand McNally Atlas shows that they both have
botanic gardens; what pluses and minuses do they have?  I don't think
I'll have time to visit both, especially if they're extensive.  Are
there any other places I should see also or instead?
-- 
Keith Rogers
Evans & Sutherland Computer Corp.
krogers@javelin.sim.es.com
From: Ellenb@mac.dev.upenn.edu (Ellen Bart)
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: cyprepedium
Date: 7 Apr 92 13:29:38 GMT
Organization: Univ of PA

I tried to post this earlier, but I don't think it worked, so here goes again:
Has anyone been able to successfully propagate North American Cyprepediums?
At the Philadelphia Flower Show, one of the growers displayed C. calceolus in
his exhibit.  He told me it had been propagated by root cuttings.  However,
I think I recall reading that, at this point, this was unsuccessful, and
one should not purchase these plants because they had been removed from
the wild -- and in many cases, are threatened or endangered.  

Can someone clear me up on this.
From: kimf@amaryllis.EBay.Sun.COM (Kim Foster)
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Bearded Iris source in San Jose??
Date: 13 Apr 92 16:52:38 GMT
Organization: Sun Microsystems Federal, Milpitas, CA.
NNTP-Posting-Host: amaryllis.ebay.sun.com

I was told by a lady that I met at the party this weekend that there
is a bearded iris grower somewhere in San Jose that sales the most
exotic bearded irises.  She doesn't know the name or address and said
that she has never been there but hearded that from her mother.  

Does anyone on the net know about this source?  I would appreciate
a name or a phone number of this grower.

Thanks very much,
Kim
From: klier@iscsvax.uni.edu
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Re: Recommendation for bulbs to plant in spring
Date: 9 Apr 92 22:03:10 -0500
Distribution: usa
Organization: University of Northern Iowa

In article <1992Apr6.144047.26735@cbnewsi.cb.att.com>, acura@cbnewsi.cb.att.com (james.r.feeney) writes:
> We are looking to plant some bulbs in our garden. Are there types that
> can be planted now and will do well, or must bulbs be planted in the
> fall? 

Bulbs, corms and tubers often planted in the spring in the US:
Unless otherwise indicated, these need to be lifted and stored for the 
winter in cool/cold climates


FAIRLY WIDELY GROWN/EASY TO COME BY
Lilium spp. (lily) -- mostly hardy through most of US; usually don't need
  winter storage
Dahlia (dahlia) 
Canna
Gladiolus 
Begonia 
Galtonia
Ismene (peruvian daffodil)
Hymenocallis
Polianthes (tuberose)
Tigridia
Tritonia
Montebretia
Colocasia (elephant ears)

OFTEN A LITTLE HARDER TO FIND
Acidanthera
Agapanthus
Alstroemeria
Anemone hortensis; A. tuberosa
Bessera
Crinum
Crocosmia
Eucomis (pineapple lily)
Gloriosa
Ixia
Milla
Pancratium
Sprekelia
Watsonia
Zantedischia
From: rogerv@sco.COM (Roger Vortman)
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Re: the problem with Vinca
Date: Mon, 06 Apr 92 20:06:36 GMT
Organization: The Santa Cruz Operation, Inc.



>>Help!!  What are you saying about Vinca Minor Periwinkle and pests?
>>My landscaper has suggested that I plant this ground cover in several
>>places of my yard.  Is this a bad suggestion?  Or does this only
>>apply if you have oak trees (I have no trees in my yard)?  I was
>>thinking of putting this in this weekend.

>--------------------------------------------------------------------
>What I was trying to say is that in California Vinca Minor in
>considered a pest plant because it has escaped and naturalized om
>areas of California.  Let me try to explain the consequences. Native
>plants are at the bottom of the food chain-they support insect
>populations, birds, wildlife, control erosion, in ways we don't
>understand completely.  Some of the   invasive exotics such as
>Vinca, Scotch Broom, Ivy, Pampas Grass, Pyracantha, Cotoneaster,
>Iceplant, can come into a fragile area and take over.  So, instead
>of perhaps 5 acres with maybe 30 species of native plants, you have
>5 acres of maybe Vinca that is essentially a biological
>wasteland-it will no longer support any insect or animal life.

Yes, Scotch Broom is really a pain where I live...it is very aggressive
and invasive.  It seeds really well, and can overgrow an area in a few
months.  While it is pretty (I like the look of it), due to the fact that
it cannot be controlled in my usual laid-back way of gardening, I am
trying to find ground covers that are California natives, drought tolerant,
and even more aggressive.  At least aggressive enough to keep the
Scotch Broom at bay.  We have even had to have programs to control Scotch
Broom in the state parks in my area due to the fact that it wants to
take over completely from the native vegetation, and has demonstrated
the ability to do so.

-Roger