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Questions and Answers:Q. I am having trouble finding organic garden fertilizer. Can you help? A. Organic fertilizers are experiencing the same price increase as everything else and many garden centers simply stopped carrying them. You might try getting delivery from an internet site. But, shipping fees could make this purchase very cost prohibited. Q. I’ve got gophers making large mounds in my yard and pulling my small plants, especially peppers, into the ground and eating them. How do I control them? A. The most effective control for gophers is to trap them. You will need two traps. Simply follow the directions but first you will need to find the tunnel, and it’s not located directly under the mound. A stiff wire such as an extended coat hangar can be used to find the tunnel by pushing it into the ground around the mound until you can feel it give. The gopher is smart enough to know that if his tunnel was directly under the mound, he would be easy pickings for a coyote or other predator. There are various baits available, but the cheapest and most effective way to control gophers is with traps. Keep in mind that one gopher can make 800 feet of tunnel under your yard, so what may seem like a serious infestation may only be one gopher. Q. I would like to know how to care for a closet plant I received from a funeral service I attended recently. A. Closet Plants, also known as Peace Lilies, or Prayer Plants, are easy to care for houseplants. Be sure the plant is in a well-drained pot and is removed from the basket it probably came in when you received it from the funeral service. The baskets most florists supply do not drain in order to protect the carpet and furnishing of the funeral home. After repotting, put the plant where it is out of direct sunlight, such as 8-10 feet from a sunny window. Water frequently, keeping the plant moist but not wet. Mist with water once or twice a month as the closet plant also likes high humidity and too wash off dust accumulations. Feed with half-strength water soluble fertilizer such as Peter’s or Miracle-Gro once a month. Don’t feed any more frequently as the plant is susceptible to the fertilizer salts contained in the fertilizer product that can build up over a period of time. The buildup of fertilizer salts are the number one reason that I’ve seen this plant die. Because of that, be sure to take it outside to a shady place once every few months and give it a deep soaking to wash out any accumulated fertilizer salts. You can often see the fertilizer salts build up on the side of terra-cotta pots if you fertilize frequently with one of the mentioned products. Q. My Bradford Pear tree has entire limbs that have turned black and wilted. I’m afraid the entire tree is going to die. Is there anything I can do to save it. A. Bradford Pears, although not a fruiting pear such as a Kieffer pear, are susceptible to fire blight just like their fruiting cousin. It will jump from a regular pear tree to your Bradford pear if there is one in close proximity. You will need to trim the entire affected branch out. Sterilize your cutting tool between cuts with a Clorox or Lysol solution. The Bradford pear known as “Aristocrat” is less prone to fire blight and has a more pyramidal shape. Be sure the tree is mulched, fertilized and watered well. A deep soaking once a week will help the tree recover after cutting. Do not wait until fall to cut the diseased branches and be sure to dispose of them away from your garden.
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