Thursday, October 21, 2004
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

GARDENING: As weather cools, some fall crops get ready to blossom

The temperatures have cooled off, but that doesn't mean gardening comes to a halt. It's time to think about fall crops and getting Christmas cactuses and poinsettias ready for the holiday season.

Q: How do I tell when to harvest gourds?

A: Skin toughness is the signal. If you can crease the skin with your thumbnail, the gourd is not ready to harvest. After harvest, punch the end closest to the stem with a needle to allow air inside. Then hang in a well-ventilated place, such as the garage, until the seeds rattle in the gourds. To make containers, cut them with a sharp saw and scrape out the insides and clean the rind with a pot-scrubber. Finally, cover inside and out with several coats of shellac.

Gourds are a true gardening curiosity. Unusual in shape, color and markings, gourds defy predictable results as they cross with one another. Just for fun, keep some seeds and see what you get in the next few years.

Q: I planted string beans that are growing fine, but why won't they produce any beans?

A: It is the heat that inhibits them. As temperatures fall, the beans will set.

Q: Why won't my jalapeño peppers set fruit? The flowers open, only to drop the next day.

A: You are not doing anything wrong. Peppers and tomatoes are in the same family and respond the same way. Translated, once temperatures stay below 90 degrees, they will start setting again.

Q: I recall you saying to put poinsettias in the dark to get them to rebloom. When do we start that?

A: Now. Cover it with a box or place it in a cool closet, so it gets at least 15 hours of uninterrupted darkness. Continue this until the bracts, or the flowers, start to show color. This will be sometime in late November, provided your plant was not exposed to light during those dark hours. If they do become exposed to light, then you must start the process over. But first, groom the plant back by snipping off the ends of all branches. This stimulates new growth and dozens of shoots where the colorful bracts develop.

For those with a Christmas cactus, here's how to get them to bloom: This month only, water it weekly and stop feeding it. In November, place the cactus in a dark, cool closet for 15 hours each night and water about twice a month. In December, discontinue the dark treatment, but maintain even soil moisture and protect the plant from drafts. If flowering does not start, drop the temperature to 50 degrees for a few nights.

Q: I keep hearing reports that oleanders are bad allergy producers. Is that true?

A: I have contended for years there is no way an oleander produces damaging pollen to humans. Now I have support from Tom Ogren, author of the article "Allergy-Free Garden," which appeared in September's Southwest Trees and Turf magazine.

"...The sticky leaves of oleander collects a great deal of pollen and that little pollen is shed by the oleanders themselves," writes Ogren. "The pollen-trapping ability of oleander leaves is very good, and is normally only a problem when you are brushing up against them or are pruning them and have to handle the leaves. But then ... because the leaves do trap considerable pollen, it is a good idea to plant oleanders away from where people will be gathering."

Q: How and when do you prune a desert spoon (Dasylirion wheeleri) plant?

A: First, wear heavy leather gloves and a long-sleeved shirt when working with this plant because of the sharp thorns. As the leaves turn brown at the base of the plant, pull them off. If it develops a flower stalk and finishes flowering, reach down in the bush to make the cut and hide the stump.

Q: Is it a good idea to trim off the brown sections of houseplant leaves?

A: Yes, but don't just cut sections off. Follow the contour of the leaves to keep it looking natural.

Q: Is it true stale beer will control snails in your garden?

A: Yes. They really find it to their liking. Place a pie pan level with the ground so the snails have easy access to it. Fill the pan with stale beer and they will invite all their friends to the party. Once in the beer, it is more than they can handle, and the party's over.

Q: Can we grow Jerusalem artichokes in Las Vegas?

A: You bet, and they produce heavy crops of nonstarch tubers. They spread rapidly, so plant them in a far corner of the garden where you can forget about them except to water, harvest and eat.

Q: When do we stop watering pomegranates to prevent the fruit from splitting?

A: Stop now and allow the fruit to shrink. Later waterings cause skin to expand and split. The more chilling they are exposed to, the sweeter the fruit will be.

Q: How do I get rid of ants in my bathroom without using chemicals, including organics? I don't like to kill anything.

A: If you don't want to kill any bugs, consider moving to the South Pole. Insects are a way of life in this valley. In your case, clean up all food scraps and dry up the moist areas. Then get out your magnifying glass and follow their trail. Watch for where they enter and exit your premises. Seal these openings off with caulking compound.

Q: Why did my tomatoes take such a nose-dive and die?

A: Most likely your soil is infested with root knot nematodes. They are microscopic worms. They weaken plants. Solar sterilization is one way to stop these critters without chemicals. However, it must be hot to do the job. To do this, loosen infested soil with a spade or tiller and then thoroughly soak the soil. Cover the area with clear polyethylene plastic for month. Clean up tools after working soil to avoid carrying the pest over to next year.

Q: Why don't more people use night lighting in Las Vegas?

A: A good question! The outside of your home can be just as beautiful at night as it is during the day, thanks to outdoor lighting. Add a few lights to special places and the rising curtain at nightfall instantly brings new drama and warmth to entryways, paths and landscaping. It isn't hard to wire nor do you have to dig trenches to put in lighting. Give it a try!

Linn Mills writes a garden column each Thursday. You can reach him at lmills@reviewjournal.com or at the Gardens at the Springs Preserves at 822-8325.