HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: starkie@eddore.trl.OZ.AU (Brad Starkie)
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Re: lawnmowers
Date: 10 Apr 92 01:34:59 GMT
Organization: Telecom Research Labs,Melbourne, Australia

In article <17478@oasys.dt.navy.mil> stoffel@oasys.dt.navy.mil (William Stoffel) writes:
>In rec.gardens, bradley@riacs.edu (Brad Christofferson) writes:
>>
>>The big drawback is the grass catcher bag.  On my electric mower, and all
>
.....

>with cord avoidance and turning than the type Brad describes. What would
>be nice would be an electric mulching mower (no bag) AND a flip handle.
>Anybody ever seen such a beast?

Yes all mowers are by nature mulchers. Every time you remove grass
cuttings you're removing nutrients. The best thing for your lawn
is not to use a bag but to let the clippings fall on the lawn and
you will save on lawn food (if you need it all).

Brad Starkie
From: dplatt@ntg.com (Dave Platt)
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Re: Garden sprayers, whitefly
Keywords: whitefly, ash trees, spray
Date: 9 Apr 92 21:12:34 GMT
Article-I.D.: ntg.1992Apr9.211234.25819
Distribution: ca
Organization: New Technologies Group, Inc.  Palo Alto CA

In article <65049@apple.Apple.COM> chuq@Apple.COM (Chuq Von Rospach) writes:

>There's currently no control for the damn things. Using a garden hose once a
>week to spray the tree and trying to drown the little buggers is about as
>effective as anything and a lot cheaper than trying to bubble-bath them to
>death, plus it won't kill off the good bugs. There is a lot of research
>going into controls, but so far, the whiteflies are winning.

The news I've heard is rather cheerier.  A strain of parasitic wasp (a
species of Encarsaria, I believe) was released as a test in Riverside
County a couple of years ago.  The test proved extremely successful...
the new Encarsaria wasps are so effective at parasitizing the ash
whiteflies, that the bio researchers had to move their whitefly
sample populations into an isolation lab to keep them from being wiped
out.  The wasps were spreading faster than expected... up to about 10
miles per year, I believe.

The most recent note I read on the subject was that starter colonies of
the new Encarsaria wasps were being released in Santa Clara County this
spring.  Researchers weren't sure whether the wasp population would
climb fast enough to keep this year's whitefly population entirely in
check, but that this should certainly take place by next year.  1992 may
or may not have a bad whitefly year, but if it does it should be the
last such year.

Unfortunately, there's another type of whitefly causing problems in
agricultural areas.  This species, known as the pointsettia (sp?) or
sweet potato whitefly, _is_ a real problem for which no good solutions
are yet available... it's resistant to most pesticides, and no effective
species of parasitic or predatory wasp has yet been identified.  As far
as I know, this strain isn't yet present in the Bay area... it seems to
prefer higher temperatures, such as are found in the Central Valley.

As far as your ash tree, Bill... the best advice I've heard to date is
to wash the tree down occasionally with a hose (this removes the sticky
honeydew, which can lead to mildew problems), and feed and fertilize the
tree regularly to help it keep its strength up.  Neither insecticidal
soap, nor chemical insecticides, will do much good... the young ash
whiteflies are pretty well protected from such treatments thanks to
their waxy cuticles.



-- 
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: dweber@ncsa.uiuc.edu (Daniel Weber)
Subject: Can anyone identify my plant?? :-(
Originator: dweber@nvs.ncsa.uiuc.edu
Reply-To: dweber@ncsa.uiuc.edu
Organization: National Center for Supercomputing Applications
Date: Fri, 10 Apr 1992 14:06:30 GMT


I recently purchased an indoor plant from our University's Hort. Club.
Unfortunately, the minimal instructions for care of this plant were lost
in the compost heap referred to as "my apartment".  The problem wouldn't
be so bad if I could remember the name of this plant, but I can't.  Here's
a description of the plant and what I can remember of the help sheet that
I lost in the hope that maybe somebody would recognize it and be nice enough
to let me know (via posts or e-mail) what it is.  Anybody recognize it?

From the sheet:
I believe it said it was sometimes referred to as a "False African Violet"
but I cannot find any descriptions of such a beast in any of the houseplant
encyclopedias I've checked.  It is *not* an "Arabian Violet" and I don't
see how it could ever be confused for an African Violet.  I don't even
want to hazard a guess at it's scientific name.

The plant:
Medium height at about 9"-12" (currently).  Can be grown in a hanging basket
    as the stems will start to droop.

Leaves grow opposite on stems like this:
                         _ || _
                        <_>||<_>
			   ||
    and are anywhere from 1" long to less than 1/4" long (immature ones?).
    They're light green (now) though I've seen them a little darker (but not
    *dark* green).  They're kinda fuzzy to the touch and the little hairs
    add a touch of white to them.

Stems emerge *in pairs* from between the leaves where they join the stem.
    See the picture of where the flowers emerge below.  The stems to the
    same thing.

Flowers are a beautiful dark purple, and are sort of cup-shaped-and-trumpet-
    like.  That confuse you?  I mean that they are about an inch long and 
    narrow, but down towards the actual opening on the front of the flower 
    there is a sort of curved cup-shaped section before it opens to the air.
    It's not as cup shaped as parts of orchids, but definitely curved.  From
    what I remember the little flower stems emerge from between the leaves near
    the stem, like this:
                       >_  ||  _<
                         \ || /   
                         _\||/_
                        <_>||<_>
			   ||
     When the purple flowers fall off, the little stems remain and turn a
     dark brown and can't be removed from the plant easily without force.

Sorry this isn't a very good description, but I suspect the plant isn't
doing too well because it hasn't flowered since I got it several months
ago and I'm getting worried about it's overall health.  Does anybody vaguely
recognize the plant I'm talking about?

				-daniel weber
				dweber@ncsa.uiuc.edu
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
From: jac61@cas.org ()
Subject: Re: Enquiry about Fungicide "Benlate"
Organization: Chemical Abstracts Service, Columbus, Ohio
Date: Fri, 17 Apr 1992 19:03:40 GMT

In article <1992Apr16.123240.2608@newcastle.ac.uk> Ethan.Hack@newcastle.ac.uk (E.Hack) writes:
>In article <92Apr15.104236edt.431@neuron.ai.toronto.edu>
>tap@cs.toronto.edu (Tony Plate) writes:
>>Does anyone know anything about this fungicide?
>
>Benomyl, the active ingredient of Benlate, is a systemic fungicide.

>Unfortunately, there is a
>catch: fungi can readily develop resistance to it.  A single mutation
>in a fungus provides complete resistance, and resistance seems to have
>no adverse side-effects, so the resistant fungus grows just as well as
>a sensitive one.  In some cases where control with benomyl was used
>intensively (and short-sightedly), it became completely ineffective
>only two seasons after it was introduced (an example is control
>of grey mould on grapes in Switzerland).
>

	This is an interesting problem and one that not much
	is heard about.

	There are a lot of data and and a lot of common sense
	that indicate that when a fungicide, herbicide or other
	form of chemical death is used, the more effective, or more
	heavily used it is, the more rapidly resistant forms of the
	target organism appear (Darwin smiles).

	Take home lesson: be careful in your use of these things.  You
	should be perhaps willing to accept some loss of plants now to
	avoid an uncontrollable problem later.

	Alec Chambers

	P.S.    Have been to a preview of Ameriflora 92 and have to tell
	you all to get over here.
From: machanicm@gtephx.UUCP (Mindy Machanic)
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Re: calamondins
Summary: whatsa?
Date: 14 Apr 92 21:31:58 GMT
Distribution: rec
Organization: AG Communication Systems, Phoenix, Arizona

In article <199214.797.5165@dosgate>, wayne.kelso@canrem.com (wayne kelso) writes:
> Just curious to know if anyone in the warmer parts are growing Calamondins 
> outdoors all year round. I'm writing from Toronto, and can only put mine 
> outside during July and August. I've had mine for eight years,{it was a 
> small bush with small fruit when I got it}, and it is now about five feet 
> high with the fruit being 2" in diameter. 
>   Just wondering how big they can get under tropical conditions.
>  
> 
What is this??  It sounds like something we might want to grow! How big are the
fruits? Can you eat them? Is the plant nice looking? Could we grow it in the ground
here in Phoenix with a drip irrigation system to keep it from getting thirsty? Should
I rush right home after work and look it up in Sunset Western Garden Book (recent
updated edition), or won't it be there?

Mindy

-- 
*****************************************************************************************
Mindy Machanic  (AG Communication Systems/Quality Engineering, Phoenix, AZ)               
UUCP: ....!{ncar!noao!asuvax | att}!gtephx!machanicm      
Internet: gtephx!machanicm@asuvax.eas.asu.edu
From: CCDH001@UTXVM.CC.UTEXAS.EDU
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: RE: pepper seeds
Date: 10 Apr 92 14:45:50 GMT
Organization: THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN

There have been quite a few requests for various types of pepper seeds
and I have a catalogue from a company in Dallas, Texas, that specializes
in pepper seeds.  I haven't had a chance to try their product so I can't
give any comments about quality or yield.  Following is their name and
address and a list of the peppers in their catalogue.  I hope this helps.

They don't list the SCOTCH BONNETT pepper which is frequently mistaken
for and more frequently passed off as HABANERO so if you are interested
in those perhaps in a year or so someone could tell us which they
really are.

                                      <@>

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Horticultural Enterprises
P.O. Box 810082
Dallas, Texas   75381-0082

ANCHO (Chile Poblano)
CUBANELLE
COLORADO (mild or hot)
MIRASOL
ANAHEIM (mild or hot)
HUNGARIAN HOT WAX
PASILLA
FRESNO CHILE GRANDE
CHERRY (sweet or hot)
JALAPENO (also TAM variety)
SERRANO
PIMIENTO GRANDE
TAKANOTUSME
SANTA FE GRANDE
GOLDSPIKE
YELLOW SWEET WAX
TOMATILLO
ROUMANIAN (sweet or hot)
JUPITER
CAYENNE
YUNG KO
TA TONG
PEPERONCINI
ITALIAN SWEET
GABANERO
FLORAL GEM
NUMEX BIG JIM
NUMEX R. NAKY
PETITE YELLOW
CALORO
HIDALGO
ESPANOLA IMPROVED
RUBY GIANT
CHIA (not the pet B-))
CILANTRO (Coriander, Chinese parsley)
TATUME
SUPER SIOUX

Terms are check or money order and no C.O.D.'s.  All seeds are $1 per
package and there's a $1 postage/handling fee.

Sorry, I can't find a phone number listed.
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
From: rich@locus.com (Rich (the Wiz) Silva)
Subject: Re: Need recommendations on irrigation systems
Keywords: sprinklers
Organization: Locus Computing Corporation, Los Angeles, California
Distribution: usa
Date: Thu, 16 Apr 1992 15:04:16 GMT


Does anyone know of a "drip system" that would work for lawns?  The usual
drip systems use emitters that mostly have to be above ground, and
from all the other discussion I gather that those that claim they
can be covered eventually clog anyway...

I was considering experimenting with buried 1/2" PVC with small holes
drilled in it (angled like RainBirds 1/4" drip tube; I'll have to experiment
with hole placement and size to get the drip rate I want) But if anyone
has other suggestions, I'd like to hear them...

If anyone wants more details on my experiment, I'll send those off too...

Rich



-- 
Rich Silva
Locus Computing Corporation		   rich@LOCUS.COM
		  {uunet,ucivax,trwrb}!lcc!rich
       {randvax,ucbvax,trwspp}!ucla-se!lcc!rich
Organization: Doctoral student, English, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Date: Wed,  8 Apr 1992 16:53:34 -0400 
From: Andy Kurtz <ak35+@andrew.cmu.edu>
Subject: Re: Orchid help

>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 a
>re turning yellow.  There is still one green leaf below, so I have some
hope of
> saving this plant if I can find out what is wrong.  Does anyone have
any ideas
> on the problem or a solution?
 
>   Did anything about its environment change?  Certain gasses, methane for
>   instance, will cause the problem you describe.  It also sounds as though
>   it could have had a temperature drop or, an outside chance, too much 
>   direct sun burning the leaves.
 
Any of these things could've been the cause.  The speed with which you
imply the changes are taking place would suggest something accute, like
too much sun, frost, too much fertilzer (a common one), maybe even
methane (do you have your orchids in the kitchen?).  Certain plastics
give off harmful gasses.  I grow under lights and lost more than a
couple of orchids to the plastic "greenhouse" I constructed.  To save
your orchid:  unpot and check to see if there are roots remaining.  If
not, trim away dead stuff and place the orchid in a clear food bag,
loosely closed, until there is some sign of life.  If there are roots
remaining, change mix and set in a low light, high humidity area for a
couple of weeks.  Do not fertilize! A drop of Superthrive might help get
some new roots started.  Oh yeah, as painful as this may sound, clip the
flower-stem near the base of the plant.  This will direct the plants
energy where it's needed most.

Remember, all orchids need good light, good humidity, and (above all)
good air circulation!!  Good luck.
From: bobkay@pnet51.orb.mn.org (Bob Kyweriga)
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Software for gardeners
Date: 9 Apr 92 20:05:01 GMT
Organization: People-Net [pnet51], Minneapolis, MN.

The following notice was found via Penn U Ag Service and
is posted here for your information.

_______________________________________________________________
1992 VERSION OF APPLE EXPERT SYSTEM AVAILABLE:  A newly updated  computer 
program, The Penn State Apple Orchard Consultant (PSAOC), is  available for 
orchardists.  It was designed and produced by a team of fruit specialists from
 
the Penn State Campus and the Biglerville Fruit Research Laboratory. It 
utilizes a new  approach to computer programming called artificial 
intelligence.

This program can be used as an site specific advisor or consultant to help
make 
decisions about the orchard.  It contains advice on horticulture, orchard 
planning, weed control, nutrient management, scouting, pest identification and

integrated pest management.


New for this year
* A pesticide record keeping system that prints records in the format required

by the  Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture.  
* A new mite management program with more predators.  
* More weeds covered in the weed control program.  
* And much more.


The program is available for MacIntosh and DOS compatible (IBM-type)  
computers.  To obtain more information about PSAOC please contact:   
     Dr. Jan McClure  Expert Systems Coordinator  
     501 Agricultural Science and Industries  
     University Park, PA  (814) 863-0604 


__________________________________________________________________________


Usual disclaimers: I am not associated with nothing, no how, anywhere.


UUCP: {crash tcnet}!orbit!pnet51!bobkay
ARPA: crash!orbit!pnet51!bobkay@nosc.mil
INET: bobkay@pnet51.orb.mn.org
From: marty@sw.stratus.com (Marty Frongillo)
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Repairing tree bark?
Date: 7 Apr 92 15:22:48 GMT
Organization: Stratus Computer, Inc.

When the builder of our new house was clearing land he damaged the bark on two
rather large oak trees.  Is there a way I can prevent the trees from further
damage by repairing or protecting the bark?  In both cases the damaged areas are
approximately 1 sq ft in size.

Someone I know suggested putting roofing cement over the damaged areas to
prevent water from getting under the bark and causing more damage.

I normally don't read this news group, so please send mail to me directly.  I'll
post a summary if necessary.

Thanks, Marty
marty@sw.stratus.com
From: pharvey@mipos3.intel.com (Paul Harvey)
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Re: Gypsum, Sulfur, pH, and clay
Date: 6 Apr 92 21:43:47 GMT

OK, how 'bout some, (one-page), simple definitions:

Basic Soils:
  
  Loam: The ideal vegetable soil, equal parts sand, clay, silt

  Sandy Loam: better drainage than loam, resists compaction

  Clay Loam: holds water and nutrients better than loam

  Sandy soils: add peat and humus, correct pH, use drip irrigation and fertilizer

  Clay soils: the worst, many claim to have this but only have a compacted,
  sun-burnt, zero humus soil, (it may even be loam!). If you have clay, you 
  can cry now. There are no miracle cures. Try lots of ground tree bark, sand 
  and humus, add drainage tiles to fix water-table problems, correct pH, and 
  cry. Working a clay soil is critical, if it is too wet, (from crying) you 
  will get adobe, if it is too dry, you will need a sledge hammer. Consider 
  raised beds with imported loam.

  Acid/Alkaline: over 20" annual rain ussually makes acid soil, under
  ussually makes alkaline. Soil and bedrock composition can effect soil pH

Basic Amendments:

  Humus: good quality compost. An alive, "organic", soil has humus of 10%-25%
  a burnt-out, chemical-fed soil ussually has 0%. Plants do not use this 
  directly, (although it does improve both drainage and areation), it is used 
  by soil organisms who in turn convert soil into plant nutrients. Nitrogen
  is consumed by humus breaking down.

  Ground Peat: increases water and nutrient holding of sandy soils, acidic

  Ground Fir Bark: great for clayey soils, consumes nitrogen

  Sand: increases drainage of clayey soils

  Ground Limestone: adds calcium, a nutrient, and neutralizes an acidic soil

  Sulfur: acidifies soil, is also a nutrient

  Gypsum: neutral source of calcium and sulfur, convices clay to give up it's
  sodium, so is known as a miracle cure in low rainfall, salt areas, (salt,
  even in ppm doses, makes clay even worse, in addition to killing most plants)

  Fertilizer: required plant nutrients. Unless you have "well-mineralized" soil,
  like the Midwest US grain belt, you will need to add these. Humus will
  provide some, but not all. Sandy soils never have enough because the
  sand will not hold them and they are easy to leach. (use peat, drip irrigation)

Newsgroups: rec.gardens
From: yen@stsci.edu (Felix Yen)
Subject: Re: Dandelions
Organization: Space Telescope Science Institute
Distribution: na
Date: Thu, 16 Apr 1992 15:07:36 GMT


Daniel Weber (dweber@ncsa.uiuc.edu) asks:
>  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?

Kay Klier (klier@iscsvax.uni.edu) responds:
]  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...)

My feeble memory indicates that the dandelion's flower is actually an
inflorescence of many blooms.  I think I read this in the entry for
"flower" in my wife's aging Encyclopedia Americana.  Also, one of the
drawings in my dictionary (Merriam-Webster's, see "inflorescence")
looks a lot like a dandelion.  This corroborates Kay Klier's response.


Felix
yen@stsci.edu
From: westendorf@iscsvax.uni.edu
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Bees
Date: 17 Apr 92 07:12:39 -0500
Organization: University of Northern Iowa

I'm not sure if this is the right group to post this to, but here goes.
We just purchased our first bees and bee hive.  Is there anyway to
keep ants  from getting into the honey?  Will it be a problem?
Thanks for your help! :)

-Mary

Newsgroups: rec.gardens
From: dwhitney@hamp.hampshire.edu
Subject: re:electric lawnmowers
Organization: Hampshire College
Date: Wed, 8 Apr 1992 20:22:00 GMT

--In checking further on lawnmower I came across an article in Organic
Gardner about mulching mowers.  They showed a rechargeable cordless
electric mower by Black & Decker.  It's a bit pricey at $533--at lease
out of my budget, but I want to add Resources Unlimited sells solar
panels that can be hooked up to recharge this baby without using house
current.  I don't know all the details on the panels, just that they go
for $8 each and that's cheap electricity!
 
Deb Whitney
From: pgleason@ncratl.AtlantaGA.NCR.COM (Pat Gleason)
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Re: Dandelions
Date: 15 Apr 92 14:06:07 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: NCR Engineering and Manufacturing Atlanta -- Atlanta, GA

In <1992Apr14.145753.4227@meaddata.com> derrick@meaddata.com (Derrick Tatem)
writes:

>This is my first time posting to this group. Being a home owner, every spring
>I tend to have the same problem, DANDELIONS! <etc>

I've had that problem in the past.  Scott's Turf Builder Plus Halts took care
of it.
From: kj@iguana.cis.ohio-state.edu (Kathy A. Johnson)
Subject: Re: Seek info. on lawn mawer.
Organization: The Ohio State University, Department of Computer and Information Science
Date: Mon, 6 Apr 1992 18:28:38 GMT

In article <bobl.32o9@bobsbox.rent.com> bobl@bobsbox.rent.com (Bob Lindabury, SysAdmin) writes:
>>In article <1992Apr5.220118.22652@u.washington.edu> pmfisher@milton.u.washington.edu (Patrick Fisher) writes:
>>>	 This is the thing about cutting grass: you really don't need
>>>to pick up the clippings as long as you cut the grass every week.  Then
>>>the clippings fertilize the grass that is growing.
>>
>>Actually, what you are talking about is a Mulching lawn mower.	Mowers
>>are designed to be "Mulching" mowers when they cut the grass several
>>times before dropping it back down on the ground.  A normal rear bagger
>>can't be used without the bag and a normal side draft mower doesn't
>>mulch correctly and you will be left with alot of thatch.
>>
>>You have to get a mower that is specifically designed to Mulch to be
>>able to leave the clippings on the ground for fertilization.  Mulching
>>mowers normally only allow cutting of about 1.5" at a time.  If you let
>>your lawn go for a couple of weeks you must then raise the height of
>>your cutting deck and then do multiple cuts at various levels making
>>sure not to cut more than 1.5" at a time or the mulching (chopping of
>>the grass into fine particles) will be negated.
>>

Any sidedraft mower can be used as a mulching mower.  For many years,
we used a non-mulching mower that blew clippings out the side and
always blew the clippings to the "inside" so that we would run over
them again on the next pass.  If the grass isn't overly long, this
works because the shortest clippings fall to the ground and aren't
picked up.  If the grass is long, then the same trick of setting the
mower high for a first pass can be used.

--Kathy



-- 
Kathy Johnson                             email: kj@cis.ohio-state.edu
The Ohio State University, Laboratory for Knowledge-Based Medical Systems
376 W. 10th Ave. Room 571, Columbus, Ohio, USA   43210