Boardash: ArcaMax Gardening Daily Tips for Friday October 30, 2009

Thursday, October 29, 2009

ArcaMax Gardening Daily Tips for Friday October 30, 2009

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Gardening Daily Tips
For You
Friday October 30, 2009

Snowbell, Japanese (Styrax japonicum)
Q&A: Fruit Being Eaten By Squirrels
Q&A: Transplanting Bird of Paradise
Tip: Shop at Nurseries
Advice from Carolyn Hax
Reader Photos

Snowbell, Japanese (Styrax japonicum)

Today's Featured Plant
Snowbell, Japanese (Styrax japonicum)

Read the full profile of this plant at ArcaMax.com.

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Q&A: Fruit Being Eaten By Squirrels

Question: have a peach try in my yard, and the squirrels are having a feast. I don't mind sharing, but I would like to get a few too!

Answer: Squirrels are smart and will catch on to scare tactics so you'll probably need to use a combination of them. Try alternating among scare eye balloowns, fake owls, flash tape or even old CDs (their shiny surfaces reflect light) in the branches. Depending on how low the lowest branches are, you could create an inverted cone shield around the trunk to prevent the critters from climbing. However, if the lowest branches are within squirrel jumping distance -- or if there are other trees around that the squirrels could jump from, this wouldn't help. There are commercial repellents available; read labels carefully to make sure the repellent is labelled for use on fruit trees. However, you wouldn't want to spray anything on the fruit to make it taste bad, so this may not be an option.

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Q&A: Transplanting Bird of Paradise

Question: How can I safely transplant a bird of paradise that has been in the ground over four years and is about 3 feet tall?

Answer: If you decide to dig and divide the clumps, you can do so now, but blooming will stop until the plants become re-established, which could take a few years. If you just want to transplant rather than divide, water well the day before the move (moist soil makes easier digging). Try to take as much of the root mass as possible when digging and be sure to firm the soil well around the root mass after it has been replanted. Water regularly until the plant becomes established in its new home.

Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia reginae) produce long-lasting and quite striking flowers intermittently throughout the year, but bloom best during the cool season. You can cut the spent flower and stalk down to foliage level to keep the plants looking neat and tidy. Cut off dead leaves as they appear. Bird of Paradise blooms best when clumps are crowded, and the soil is watered deeply and frequently.

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Tip: Shop at Nurseries

Check local nurseries for end-of-year sales. Many nurseries are trying to clear inventory before winter and will sell shrubs and trees at deep discounts. Before buying select the healthiest specimen without broken branches or wounds in the trunk.

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Advice from Carolyn Hax

Advice columnist Carolyn Hax is famous for her ability to get to the root of people's problems -- not just what they say, but who they are and what they're thinking.

The resulting advice is often ruthless, sometimes controversial, and always hilarious.

See for yourself what great advice Hax has to offer. Subscribe to ArcaMax's Carolyn Hax ezine, and receive her witty, helpful advice free by e-mail!

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-- From the ArcaMax editors

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Sincerely,
ArcaMax Editors