Boardash: ArcaMax Gardening Daily Tips for Wednesday January 20, 2010

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

ArcaMax Gardening Daily Tips for Wednesday January 20, 2010

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Q&A: Scale on Houseplants

Question: I was told I have scale on several of my houseplants. What can I use to control it?

Answer: The small brown discs attached to stems and the undersides of leaves are scale insects. The adult females have a waxy outer shell that protects them and makes it difficult for insecticides to reach them. You can wipe the scales off with a damp cloth or push them off with a Q-tip. After you've removed them all, spray the entire plant with a light summer oil to suffocate any remaining immature scale insects. Follow the label directions closely when applying. When you bring new plants into the house, it's always safest to isolate them from the rest of your collection until you're sure they're not harboring any insect or disease problems.

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Q&A: Miniature Rose Care

Question: I know nothing about growing roses. My mini-roses, planted last year, didn't do very well. They died down. Maybe I didn't give them enough rose food. Are they supposed to die down in the winter? I have one that blooms year round.

Answer: Miniature roses are 12-18 inch replicas of tea-roses and require the same care. In general, they need full sun (8-10 hours a day in summer), and good air circulation. Water them deeply, about 1-inch of water per week. Use 2-3 inches of compost or other organic matter to mulch the root area, to help protect the roots and to retain moisture. During the season remove spent blooms so more blossoms will be produced, and begin feeding in February when new growth appears. You can use an 8-12-4 or 8-8-8 formula of commercial rose food, though a rich, organic soil supplemented with occasional doses of fish emulsion is usually enough for them.
If you're interested in learning more about roses, check out the American Rose Society website at www.ars.usda.gov/is/
You have a long growing season so your roses may not go dormant in the winter, but will still need to be pruned regularly to promote new growth and new flowers. Most miniature roses can be cut back to about half their size without harming the plant. Cutting them back this far will encourage bushiness and new flower buds. Plan to prune after your plants begin putting on new leaves and stems.

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Tip: Sow Perennial Seeds

Start cool season perennials such as columbine now from seed indoors. Seed germinates best if sowed and placed in the refrigerator for 3 weeks, then germinated at 70F. Don't cover columbine seed with soil since they need light to germinate.

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Free Parenting Humor from the New Yorker

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-- From the ArcaMax editors

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Sincerely,
ArcaMax Editors

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