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 September Links
 I am having an unusual experience
with tomatoes. They are not ripening or getting red. It is already over two
weeks in heat and in the rain, they just hang on the branches, green as green
can be. One tomato started to ripen but only about one fifth red, so I brought
it in the house and it is now getting red. I would appreciate an explanation?
 Evening temperatures have
to be above 57 degrees for many tomato varieties to ripen. Some varieties
even require warmer nighttime temperatures. So you may need to bring the
fruit inside to ripen. Next year choose varieties that are more suited to
your particular climate. If the soil around the plants is kept too cool and
wet it will also delay ripening.
See Also: Growing Tomatoes in a Cool Climate
Ripening Green Tomatoes
A friend has an apple tree
that is loaded with small apples. It looks to me like the leaves are covered
with what looks like mildew. It's a grayish look on all the leaves. Also,
there are ants running like crazy over the whole tree and it is covered with
aphid. What would you suggest my friend do, beside trashing the tree?
There is no need to trash
the tree. In fact, I wonder if there is a need to try to control these problems
this late in the season. If you think it needs to be done use an organic
type insecticide/fungicide. Your local garden outlet will stock a product
that contains Rotenone and Pyrethrum or similar plant derivatives. These
are generally mixed and recommended for the control of insects and diseases.
Ask your local dealer, Certified Nurseryperson or Master Gardener for the
one they recommend. Then apply according to label instructions. Incidentally,
the aphids are a source of food supply for the ants, so they probably placed
the aphids in the tree. A band of 'Tanglefoot' applied around the lower part
of the tree trunk will help control the ants.
I recently dug some bulbs from
my Mother's yard in Nebraska, she called them 'Naked Ladies'. She never dug
them up in the winter. So my question is when do I plant them in the Northwest?
Do I plant them in the fall or should I wait until spring? In Nebraska these
bloomed in late August and September and they have a pale purple bloom. Mother
passed away last September and these were her pride and joy, so I dug some
for my garden.
The plant called 'Naked Lady'
is Amaryllis belladonna. They should be dug and divided right after they
finish flowering. They do not like to be disturbed, so divide or transplant
only on a limited basis. Flowers are rosy-pink in color and flower stalks
are generally about two to three feet tall. Plant them in a bright, warm,
sunny spot.
Can I remove the corn stalks
from my patch? Some of them did not develop ears.
Yes, by all means compost them
or till them back into the soil, so they will decompose in the soil over-winter,
and become compost humus. If you leave them they will continue to deplete
the soil of additional nutrients.
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