Ed Hume Answers Your Gardening Questions
Ed Hume cannot answer all of the garden questions he receives, but questions
of general interest will be answered here every month. Email your questions
to HumeSeeds@aol.com. Please
note: we do not accept attachments.
Before submitting a question, be sure to check the index
of previous questions and answers or search our
site using key words. Many questions have already been answered
here on the site.
Other August Links
 I started a single Pik Red
Tomato seed inside, and now it's about a foot tall. It is is the front window
of the house (southern exposure). Assuming that it continues to grow as it
has, how can I pollinate it, so I get fruit?
 That's not really the best
place to try to grow the Pik Red or any tomato. I would plant it outside,
maybe with the same exposure. Pollination takes place by simply tapping or
lightly shaking the plant, to dislodge the pollen. Blossom Set or similar
commercial products can also be used to set fruit.
I think the grass is called
poa ana, and It sprouts seeds even before it comes out of the ground. I have
spot killed the stuff for years and it keeps coming back. My wife now tells
me that she is tired of the lawn having brown patches every summer. I'd like
to over-seed soon, but I've got so many weed grasses, I think I'm just wasting
my time. Any ideas???
Poa anna, commonly called
'Annual Bluegrass', is very difficult to control because it seeds so early
and low to the ground. Most lawn mowers do not touch the seed heads. Herbicides
like Preen Lawn and gluten of Cornmeal are used, with fairly good results.
But if you use either one, then you cannot over-seed, as it would keep the
grass seed from germinating too.
I recently moved in to a house
and have planted my first garden. Included in my garden are peas and beans
and I have no idea how to build the vine and climbing support they need.
Will you advise or direct me, please?
There are several ways this
can be done. One way is to simply place 6 to 8' stakes every 4 to 6 feet
along the rows. Then run strings from stake to stake, run the string about
4 to 6 inches apart, keeping one or two row of string above the vines as
they grow. Another way is to use 2 X 4" or 4 X 4" posts and run chicken wire
between the posts. Or, you can simply purchase netting and run it between
the stakes or posts.
Last year I purchased and
planted several varieties of azaleas all of which flowered wonderfully. This
year four out of five produced no flowers and one had just a few. The bushes
are healthy and green. Why did this happen? Is there anything I can do?
Often Azaleas, Rhododendron
and Camellias will not flower if they are planted or mulched too deeply.
So if you have placed bark or sawdust as a mulch around the plants pull it
away during the spring, summer and early fall growing season. If they get
too much water late in the season they will by-pass their flower buds and
put on extra growth instead, so watch the watering too!
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