HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: carnes@ico.isc.com (Steve Carnes)
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Re: pressure treated lumber
Date: 18 Aug 92 18:40:55 GMT
Organization: Interactive Systems Corp., Boulder CO


	John Davis Raborn <jr3w+@andrew.cmu.edu> writes:
>Me? I think the OG article smells of panic and it make me angry that OG
>had the ability to affect me that way.

Would you rather find out several years from now that Organic Gardening had
gone overboard and that you'd taken needless precautions, or that the industry
"experts" <sic> had been careless with their testing (or had outright lied)
and that your kid has tumors or cancer or is dead?

It's gotten to the point where I almost automatically disbelieve industry
spokespeople -- a case of "guilty until proven innocent," especially
where my health or my family's health is at stake.  But, believe what
you want -- we'll eventually learn the (possibly sad) truth.
-- 
Steve Carnes       carnes@ico.isc.com        uucp: {ncar,nbires}!ico!carnes
   "Rock gives reality to the otherwise abstract notion of transhuman
    time." - Edward Abbey
From: greeven@clipper.ingr.com (John Greeven)
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Wisteria
Date: 17 Aug 92 18:00:14 GMT
Organization: Intergraph Advanced Processor Division - Palo Alto, CA

My Wisteria has done very well since it was planted last year.  Although
it didn't flower this year, it grew about 8 feet in length.

My question is whether these plants are sensitive to overwatering or
continuously damp soil?  My plant has lost many of its leaves and it's
still summer here (northern california).

John Greeven
greeven@clipper.ingr.com
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
From: buckc@ucsu.Colorado.EDU (Carolyn Buck-Gengler)
Subject: Tomato update: two ripe ones! & a question about covering them
Organization: University of Colorado, Boulder
Date: Wed, 19 Aug 1992 15:16:11 GMT


I got several helpful responses from local tomato-growers to my post
last week (thanks again!), and wanted to report that the Sweet 100
(cherry) had its first two ripe tomatoes yesterday!

As my respondants pointed out, it has been cool and damp this summer
in the Denver area, and we often have cool nights.  (I guess I tend
not to notice the cool/damp as much as the hot, since I grew up near
Seattle; to *me* this summer has been quite hot!)

At least two recommended putting some type of cover (tarp, blanket)
over the beasts at night, to keep the air warmer right around the
bushes. I've done this a couple nights now, but it brings up more
questions.  I'm using clear plastic, and the moisture in the air is
condensing on the inside, so this isn't keeping them dry; is that a
problem? I thought they don't like to be wet.  Also, one bush is so
large that the plastic won't even cover it all the way, so there is
a huge opening; is it doing any good?  and then, even the bushes
covered such that I can get the plastic all the way to the ground
still seem quite cold in the morning when I remove the plastic; my
husband said that maybe while they are still getting cold, they
stay warmer for longer before getting cold, so it still helps. Is
this true?

This group has been extremely helpful, and I've been enjoying
reading it, and I've learned lots about gardening from you all!
Thanks in advance for advice on this current question!

Carolyn
-- 
Carolyn Buck-Gengler		Department of Linguistics
buckc@ucsu.colorado.edu		University of Colorado, Boulder
From: lll@snow.NSD.3Com.COM (Ly Loi)
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: hollyhocks perennial?
Date: 13 Aug 92 01:53:58 GMT
Distribution: ba
Organization: 3Com Corporation

Are hollyhocks perennials or annuals in Northern California (East Bay to
be more specific)?  Or which varieties are perennials?  Some catalogues
feature them as perennial plants but some nurseries here claim they are
annuals.  Thanks for any info.

- Ly
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
From: drl@sol.acs.unt.edu (Dianna Laakso)
Subject: Need advice on asian jasmine.
Organization: University of North Texas
Date: Sun, 16 Aug 1992 13:16:58 GMT

I've been using asian jasmine as a ground cover around my shrubs and
in my flower gardens, and it looks pretty and grows like a weed,
practically. I'd like to know if it's possible to start new plants
from cuttings. I've tried starting cuttings both in water and in soil,
but I didn't have much luck...the cuttings dried out after a few days
inspite of plenty of water. I'd appreciate advice on this....I have
a large area I'd like to cover, but can't afford to go out and buy
dozens of pots of asian jasmine on a grad student's salary.

Thanks in advance!
Dianna.
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
From: zbear@leland.Stanford.EDU (Stewart Kramer)
Subject: Re: Starting Hemerocallis From Seeds
Organization: DSG, Stanford University, CA 94305, USA
Date: Wed, 19 Aug 1992 15:04:09 GMT

In article <1992Aug19.030500.11860@credence.com> steveh@or.credence.com (Steve Holder) writes:
>  I phoned a nursery about how to start them.  The guy there said that
>  the seeds need a dormant period and need to be stored moist.  He
>  suggested that I place them in a ziplock bag with a damp paper towel
>  and place the bag in the fridge for the winter.  
>
>  After checking them periodically for mold the gentleman said that
>  around Febuary to start them under my halide light.  He said that the
>  seeds are not photo sensitive and that they are not particular about
>  how they are germinated.

They take about 2 months to start sprouting.  Unfortunately, they don't 
transplant very well until they've been growing for a while.  If you just 
put a sprouted seed in the ground it will probably shrivel up or be eaten.

I've had much more success growing them briefly in small pots, or even just 
starting them in a jiffy pot (in a plastic bag in the fridge).

Also, they take a while to get to blooming size, even in the best growing 
conditions (on the order of 2 years or more).

---
Stewart Kramer
From: myahgula@questor.wimsey.bc.ca (Michael Yahgulanaas)
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Huckleberry transplanting
Date: Mon, 17 Aug 92 23:51:53 PDT
Organization: Questor|Free Usenet News|Vancouver, BC: +1 604 681 0670

I also have a 100 % success with huckles, although I transplant them from 
the edges of disturbed sites back into my garden. Gravel pits are a great 
supplier of the small naturally seeded plants. Does anyone have any ideas 
on how to grow Devils Club ?/s


--
  Michael Yahgulanaas (myahgula@questor.wimsey.bc.ca)
    | QUESTOR:  Free Dial-in Public Access to Usenet Health, Medical News |
    | & AIDS forums, and Info on Global Environment at  +1 604  681 0670. |
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
From: sweiger@sequent.com (Mark Sweiger)
Subject: Re: HELP ME! California Redwood
Keywords: sequoia, redwood
Organization: Sequent Computer Systems Inc.
Date: Fri, 14 Aug 92 21:00:04 GMT

In article <55701@olivea.atc.olivetti.com> elefante@flash.ATC.Olivetti.Com (GUEST Luigi Elefante) writes:
>Thanks everybody for the advices,
>
>but I've another question:
>my plants are grown in big pots, now I'd like to plant them in the soil..
>I think the best period seems october before snow because I'll plant
>in a locality 26 feet high on Italian Alps.

Get them out of the pots about a month before the ground freezes, mid
September or later, and plant them fairly close together in a sunny
spot.  If they have made a root ball in the pots, separate the
rootlets so that the trees will not become rootbound in the ground.
Add some mulch to the soil before planting.  A little fish fertilizer
might help with transplant shock.  A neutral to slightly
acid soil is OK.  Water a lot.  As I said in my previous posting,
redwoods *like* water and like to grow close to one another in groves.
Don't worry much about them, redwoods are easy to grow if you give them
enough water!

>I'd like to know book titles about the argument.
>
>Could anyone help me?
>
>Best Regards,
>
>Massimo Barontini
>ITALY: maxb@king.ICO.Olivetti.Com
>USA: elefante@flash.ATC.Olivetti.Com


-- 
phone: (503)578-4329    fax: (503)578-5730   internet: sweiger@sequent.com
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
From: pharvey@mipos3.intel.com (Paul Harvey)
Subject: Re: ORGANIC lawn care???
Organization: Intel Corporation, Santa Clara, CA USA
	<1992Aug18.214245.17687@HQ.Ileaf.COM>
Date: Wed, 19 Aug 1992 19:28:47 GMT

In article <Bt5BEM.23H@nntp-sc.Intel.COM> 
pharvey@mipos3.intel.com (Paul Harvey) writes:
... Dandelion (Dent de lion, lion's teeth) is one of the 
first flowers of spring and makes good greens, (Arugula), and wine.

In article <1992Aug18.214245.17687@HQ.Ileaf.COM> 
bcking@HQ.Ileaf.COM (Christine King) writes:
Dandelion is a composite.  Arugula (rucola, roquette) is a mustard.
Plus dandelion is yucky, and arugula I'm actually starting to like :-)


Did I get the name wrong? Dandelion greens are grown commercially and are
available in many markets and fine restaurants. Mesclun (sp?) or mixed
salad greens often contains dandelion greens. Early Europeans brought
dandelions over to America from Europe as reminders of spring time in Europe. 
Anyway, there is good money in dandelion greens, many people do like them. I 
thought they were being marketed as arugula, but maybe I'm wrong. What is the 
market term for dandelion greens?

Newsgroups: rec.gardens
From: pharvey@mipos3.intel.com (Paul Harvey)
Subject: Re: African Violets
Organization: Intel Corporation, Santa Clara, CA USA
	<1992Aug13.164106.9746@tamsun.tamu.edu>
Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1992 19:10:43 GMT

In article <1992Aug13.164106.9746@tamsun.tamu.edu> 
emily@azariah.tamu.edu (Emily Glass) writes:
<The water in College Station/Bryan Tx is *extremely* salty (I learned
<the hard way with my plants when I first moved here), so I use only
<bottled water or rain water.  

That bottled water is distilled or de-ionized water, right?

<But is fertilizer really salty?  If so, are all brands?  How do you tell which 
<ones have salt?  

I'll let someone else tackle this one, I'll just say mostly yes.

<I have taken great care not to water my plants with salty water, and, now, I 
<may be introducing salt via my fertilzer???  
<(I had an african violet once, and it did extremely poor. I followed the 
<directions about watering it from the bottom, and keeping it humid, by 
<placing it on a tray with pebbles and water.  I have good luck with other 
<plants.)

Just follow directions on the fertilizer of your choice, don't exceed the
amounts in the directions, if anything maybe cut them in half. Also, when
you water, water from the top and apply enough water so that some flows out
the bottom of the pot. Dispose of the excess water in your garden or lawn. If
you bottom water, you will have to do this flushing by top watering or you
will have to periodically submerge the entire pot and plant in a bucket of
distilled or rain water to flush accumulated salts. As for having difficulty
with AV's but good luck with other plants, I don't know, there are too many
variables. AV's are either easy or hard, just keep trying and try different
experiments. You will not be 100% succesful, some plants just die no matter
what you are or aren't doing. It's not as hopeless as it seems, the plants
only ask that we keep their genes in circulation, in use. So, in the process
of learning you may kill some, but if you stop trying because of that, then
you are really failing. Keep trying, it's the only way to learn, you have to
work with the plants, it's more art that science.

Newsgroups: rec.gardens
From: shan@niwot.scd.ucar.edu (Val Shanahan)
Subject: Re: worms on brocoli
Organization: Scientific Computing Divison/NCAR Boulder, CO
Date: Mon, 17 Aug 1992 17:07:18 GMT


	My mother pours soured milk on her brocoli heads to keep the
bugs/worms out. It is organic and seems to work well.

Val
From: Ecology Center Fund <ecologycntr@igc.apc.org>
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Date: 19 Aug 92 08:40 PDT
Subject: Re: Huge green bugs eating my tomatoes
Nf-ID: #R:1992Aug5.211639.11361@csd-newsho:1224235141:cdp:1453300074:000:658
Nf-From: cdp.UUCP!ecologycntr    Aug 19 08:40:00 1992


Hey, if you carefully kill every tomato hornworm in your garden, what are the insects that parasitize hornworms going to eat?  Don't tell me you're never
going to go on vacation; accepting a small population of "pest" insects is
good insurance against getting huge outbreaks of them when you let your
guard down, which you will, eventually.

Anyway, i have had some incredible hornworm infestations (3 worms each on
40 plants, one year!); each of those "bad" years I still had more tomatoes
than I could eat, can freeze or sell.  Compared to the real threat to tomatoes,
Homo sapiens cv. "Enthusiastic overwaterer", hornworms are a negligible threat.

chris
From: MWORKMAN@vm.cc.purdue.edu
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Harvesting Potato(e)s :-)
Date: 20 Aug 92 00:30:36 GMT
Organization: Purdue University

My husband and I experimented this spring and planted a few pieces of
potatoes to see if they would grow.  Well now we have about 5
plants that seem to be thriving.  I was wondering when we should
dig them up.
Thanks,
 
Maggie
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
From: rek@sei.cmu.edu (Bob Kubiak)
Subject: Pinon and Juniper (outside native area)?
Organization: The Software Engineering Institute
Distribution: usa
Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1992 16:34:25 GMT


I'd like to plant some pinon pine and monosperm juniper - two trees common to
New Mexico but not to my region (Pittsburgh, PA) - outside. I was wondering if
someone could tell me

 - Are there any nurseries anywhere that will ship one or both of these types
   of trees?

 - If this seems feasible at all, what kinds of things can/should I do to
   help them survive outside of their native zone? Obviously the soil here
   is less sandy, we get more rain and the winters generally get colder (or
   at least, colder for longer periods).

Worst case, I'd like to get the juniper as a large indoor tree. Thanks for
any info/ideas people might have.

_bk


_Bob Kubiak___________________________________________________________________
 Macintosh Systems Engineer				     412-268-6860
 Computing Facilities					     412-268-5758 FAX
 Software Engineering Institute				     rek@sei.cmu.edu
 Pittsburgh, PA 15213					     Alink: CMU.SEI
______________________________________________________________________________


Newsgroups: rec.gardens
From: bcking@HQ.Ileaf.COM (Christine King)
Subject: Re: ORGANIC lawn care???
Organization: Interleaf, Inc.
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 92 21:42:45 GMT

In article <Bt5BEM.23H@nntp-sc.Intel.COM> pharvey@mipos3.intel.com (Paul Harvey) writes:

>... Dandelion (Dent de lion, lions teeth) is one of the 
>first flowers of spring and makes good greens, (Arugula), and wine.

Dandelion is a composite.  Arugula (rucola, roquette) is a mustard.
Plus dandelion is yucky, and arugula I'm actually starting to like :-)
-- 
  Christine King
    Internet: bcking@hq.ileaf.COM
    US Mail:  Interleaf, Inc. / 9 Hillside Avenue / Waltham MA 02154 USA
From: neville@cs.washington.edu (Dorothy Neville)
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Re: ORGANIC lawn care???
Date: 17 Aug 92 19:53:42 GMT
Organization: Computer Science & Engineering, U. of Washington, Seattle

In article <keXz6jm00Uh7Q3ZlR5@andrew.cmu.edu> "Sandra J. Harris" <sh4d+@andrew.cmu.edu> writes:
>Does anyone know of an organic treatment for lawns?  My grass is in dire
>need of treatment - it's full of clover, dandelions, lots of
>unidentified weeds, and some grass.....
>
>IMPORTANT:  I have dogs and want them to be able to do their normal
>things in the yard, including "grazing" as they often do.
>
>Any SAFE products on the market?

You might not need any PRODUCTS, safe or not.  Answers don't always
come in a bottle at a price, sometimes it is simply a matter of
understanding the principles of grasses and broadleaf weeds so that
you can manage the lawn in ways that favor the one over the other.

your first step should be getting to a library and looking up lawn
care or home landscaping books.  Something from Rodale Press would be
appropriate.  Make sure that whatever it is it handles organic
solutions.  It should explain things like how often to mow, how
high to mow, how and when to water, when and why you should leave
grass clippings on your yard, why and when you can add some
fertilizer and why you should not add too much (or any if you
can avoid it)  what types of grasses there are and how good they
are at holding their own in the presence of dogs, drought and
broadleaf plants.

You might also consider not worrying too much about some of the
"weeds".  Clover fixes nitrogen, the dandilions with their
deep taproots bring nutrients closer to the surface, some weeds
are actually tasty and nutritious to eat...   I can also
understand wanting to get rid of *some* of the weeds, to give
the grass a fighting chance.  We have some large dandilion looking
weeds (cat's ear and hawkweed?) that are good and choking 
everything else out :-(.  But I also rescued a lambs quarter
from my neighbor and planted it near the garden.  It is going to
seed now, I hope lots of plants come up next spring, yum.

the answer is not go-out-and-buy-a-chemical, but to educate
yourself on lawn care and re-evaluate your current practices.


good luck
From: CCDH001@UTXVM.CC.UTEXAS.EDU
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Re: Any experience with New Mexican Locust?
Date: 14 Aug 92 14:46:05 GMT
Organization: The University of Texas at Austin

It took me three years to finally identify the New Mexico Black Locust in
my yard.  None of my friends knew what the heck it was.  It was identified
when my neighbors visited the Wildflower Research Center outside of Austin.
 
My tree stands within a foot of my tin-roofed garage and is about 20' tall.
When I moved in it was being sawed in two by rubbing against the tin roof.
I installed some rubbing blocks to keep it from the tin and this has had a
marked effect.  The tree is much healthier looking and gets far more blooms
and seeds.
 
I think it is a very nice tree with sparse foliage.  It permits sunshine
through but has a cooling effect; a trait of most lupines I suppose.  When
it blooms they have a very nice though faint fragrance.  The sheer number
of blossoms produces a nice perfume near the tree.  About mid summer the
seeds (which are black, about 3/8" in diameter and similar to pinons)
ripen and then bring on the squirrels.  The squirrels just love the nuts
and the sound of dropping shells and nuts on the tin roof is constant.
The blossoms tend to attract butterflies.
 
I don't think you could classify this as a fast-growing tree.  In the last
couple of years a few of the dropped seeds have sprouted and the new trees
appear to grow between 3 and 5 feet per year.  I guess as a testament to
the tree now when I moved in there was just the one and after my repair
there are now half a dozen or so.  I'm letting them all grow for the time
being.  As for watering, we get ~30" a year and it does fine with that.
 
One thing I've read about Black Locust trees is that they produce a very
strong wood that is prized for fence posts (I think).  Since it doesn't
get very thick (mine is about 9" in diameter) it would be tough to get
enough for furniture.
 
This information is primarily from personal observation and actual
botanical verities may differ.
 
                                     <@>
From: spears@bobcat.lmc.edu (Gene Spears)
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Re: Butterfly Weed
Date: 17 Aug 92 17:33:47 GMT
Distribution: rec.gardens
Organization: Lees-McRae College, Banner Elk, NC

In article <VSUMMERS.92Aug17115937@polaris.cv.nrao.edu> vsummers@polaris.cv.nrao.edu (Vince Summers) writes:


>     I have only one Butterfly Weed on my property, although I planted a
>few dozen seeds this spring.  A partly bright-colored bug was at last 
>spotted as the culprit who makes a meal of the flowers before seed can set.
>Does anybody know what this is (probably)?  Sorry I can't be more definite
>as to description.  Also, does it take two years for the plant to germinate?

>Vince Summers
>(a member of Virginia Native Plant Society)
>vsummers@polaris.cv.nrao.edu

When we grew Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa) in NE North Carolina, our 
plants were pretty popular with caterpillars of the Monarch Butterfly, a 
species that specializes on the milkweeds (Asclepias).  The caterpillar gets 
quite large and has black and yellow stripes transversing the body.  The 
Monarchs have had a rough year, due to a late and hard freeze in Mexico, 
where lots of the eastern US monarchs overwinter.  Hundreds of thousands 
probably froze to death last winter.

If you can't stand watching your plant get munched down (and they will do 
some damage), try to locate another milkweed nearby - another species should 
be ok - and move the larvae.  However, we usually left the larvae alone; it 
would destroy the flower buds and several leaves, but then pupate.  Many of 
our butterfly weeds would then regrow flower buds and produce late flowers.  

Gene Spears
spears@bobcat.lmc.edu
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
From: matth@progress.COM (Matthew J. Harper)
Subject: Re: brown/black spots on rose bush
Organization: Progress Software Corp.
Date: Wed, 12 Aug 1992 18:05:25 GMT

bcking@HQ.Ileaf.COM (Christine King) writes:

>Black Spot: Yeah, I have it too, on my 60-year-old "Dorothy Perkins"
>climbing roses.  It seems to be the worst on those shoots that have
>come up from the stock, a simple white rose, but also on the pink
>scions.

>I've never done *anything* about this in the 9 years I've been living
>with these roses, except ask my Mom what to do and store the toxic
>chemicals she gave me in the back of the garage...  Just exactly how
>worried should I be about Black Spot?
>-- 

  Well, if it gets real bad it can completely defoliat the bush and kill it.

  How worried you get over this is up to you. :-)

  I'm battling it myself.  It got real bad during the past few weeks since I
have been working a lot and haven't had much time to tend the yard:-(  

  For what it's worth to anyone, Ortho makes a product called Funginex which
seems to be working quite well.  You have to apply it every couple of weeks
for a while though to keep the fungus from coming back.  

  Black spot tends to appear more on bushes that sit in soil that stays 
pretty damp.  To help prevent spreading clean up any fallen afflicted leaves
and trim off any affected leaves as they turn yellow.  
 

  I've also been told if it's a small bush you can dig it up and put it in the
fridge for a while to simulate a dormant period.  The fungus dies off due to the
temp.  I don't knwo about you but I don't have that kind of space in my fridge.


  Best of luck to all.  It's been a bad season for this in a lot of NE.  

-Matth 
--
          Matthew J. Harper ! Progress Software Corp. ! {disclaimer.i}         
   God created heaven and earth to grow barley and hops. Now he homebrews !-)  
Newsgroups: rec.gardens