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About Spilyay tymoo. (Warm Springs, Or.) 1976-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 26, 1983)
Spilyay Tymoo AUGUST 26,1983 PAGE 9 Light pruning helps trees Extension Many home gardeners have the mistaken impression that pruning of fruit trees should only be done in the spring. This is not necessarily the case, says Ray McNeilan,' Oregon State University Extension home gardening agent. “A light summer pruning will help many fruit trees produce better next year, but the home gardeners should keep in mind that this pruning should be light,” McNeilan says. “Heavy pruning fruit trees should always be done in the spring.” M cN eilan also reminds home orchardists that summer pruning in most cases should be restricted to healthy, vigorous fruit trees. Pruning a slow growing fruit tree during the summer months may severely stunt the tree. One of the primary goals of summer pruning is to eliminate to,” McNeilan explains. “In water sprout growth on the pruning to train the tree, weak fruit tree. Water sprouts are limbs and those limbs growing sm a ll b r a n c h e s g r o w in g in undesired directions should upward from the tree’s main be removed.” limbs. Cutting this excess tree The gardening specialist growth out enables the tree adds that this will cause the to channel its vigor into fruit other branches to experience bearing tree limbs. more growth than usual and as “Home orchardists should a result, it may be necessary to remember that pruning a tree head them back once or twice later in the growing season during the summer. lessens the likelihood that The g o a ls o f sum m er regrowth will occur,” says pruning are the same as those McNeilan. “This means that of spring pruning: to help the water sprout growth pruned in tree develop as deisred and to August will have little chance Control its size. But the home to grow back because the tree gardener should keep in mind will soon be dormant.” that any pruning done now should be light and selective, Another important goal of M c N e ila n n o te d . M ajor summer pruning is the training pruning activity should be of the fruit tree. “Training is reserved for the early spring forcing the tree to grow the way when fruit trees are still the home orchardist wants it dormat. irises more room Iris in the home landscape that don ’t look quite as vigorous and healthy this year as they did last may be suffering from overcrowding. After four or five years of growth, iris may lose their vigor because the root system or clump becomes dense and overgrown with individual roots crowded together, says Ray McNeilan, Oregon State University Extension home gardening agent. Iris plants can be revived by removing them from the ground, cutting the large root clump into several smaller pieces and replanting them. As soon as the iris flowers begin to fade, remove the clump carefully from the ground with a spading fork. Wash the soil from the roots and trim the healthy leaves or fans to a 4 to 6 inch length. Remove all the dead flowers stalks and shriveled leaves. Discard or burn any stalks and leaves that show signs o f iris borers. Cut the fleshy outer roots away from the center root. Each cutting should have two fans or iris leaves. After cutting away all the outer roots, the center root can be discarded. Cut out any areas of the freshly cut roots that contain iris borers. Dust all cuts with a fungicide to prevent rot. Each root division should be planted in a hole - made by sinking a garden trowel to its hilt into the soil and then pulling it toward you up gradually. Hold the cutting to the hole’s straight side with the surface of the rhizome one inch below the surface of the soil. Fill the hole in until the soil is level and firm the area around the cutting gently. An organic fertilizer such as bone-meal or a fertilizer with a 5-10-5 combination works best for iris, says McNeilson. Work the fertilizer into the ground around the iris after planting. Notes from Lee Hamilton and Doris Brackett Pick vegetables regularly yellow. Small cucumbers make P ic k in g v e g e ta b le s is good sweet pickles, medium probably the gardening chore sized cucumbers make good home gardeners enjoy most dill pickles. Large ones are best and that’s fortunate because when eaten fresh. If cucumbers regular h a rv estin g is as are too bitter to eat fresh, use important to garden perfor them for pickles and relish. mance as it is fun. Tomatoes— Size is not an With fruiting vegetables such indication o f maturity with as squash, cucumbers, bush beans, tomatoes, peppers, egg , tomatoes. Look for proper color. Tomatoes taste best if plant and broccoli, regular ripened on the vine, but can be picking encourages the plants picked at any degree of to greater production, notes ripeness. Green tomatoes are Ray McNeilan,'.Oregon State used for relish or pickling; firm University Extension home ones are best eaten fresh; and gardening agent. Even a few fruit left to oVerripe ones can be processed. Broccoli—The stalks should mature on a cucumber plant will stop new fruit from setting. be firm but tender. Buds at the top o f the stalk should be McNeilan explains. compact and not showing the Once a zucchini starts going color that would indicate to seed, the plant thinks its life the plant is flowering. Cut the is over and it will not develop large central head just before it any more squash. One way to separates into several heads. halt an overabundant zucchini harvest— short of taking the A fter that, cut the side plant out o f the. ground—is to sh o o ts that develop into smaller heads. let it go to seed. Bush beans—They should be McNeilan suggests looking for these ready-for-harvest picked when at least three indicators on the following inches long and when the beans veeetables: are just beginning to make the Cucumbers— They should pod bulge. be picked before they turn Wasps can be controlled Yellow jackets are one o f Mother Nature’s more potent insects in terms of ability to in flic t pain on hum ans through a powerful sting. “Yellow Jackets are most likely to sting people when they get too close to a nest entrance. But they also are strongly attracted to cooked meat, especially salmon and can be n u isa n ce at p icn ics and outdoor meals,” says Ray M c N eila n , O regon S ta te University Extension home gardening agent. These pests often sting people without any provoca tion or warning, he cautioned. Yellow jackets make nests in trees, large bushes, under caves or in attics, or in underground cavities. Control of yellow jackets) can be accomplished through use of insecticides or traps. Insecticides registered for yellow ja ck ets— and other w a sp s — u s u a lly c o n t a in c a r b a r y l, d ia z in o n , or pyrethrin. “Several o f these products are sold in pressurized cans, Other ere available as wettable powders or liquids from which a spray can be prepared,” says McNeilan. Nests'should be treated after dark when the yellow jackets have retired for the night. Be careful if using flashlights or lanterns because yellow jackets may be aroused by the light and leave the nest. Treat the nest following the directions. o n the* insecticide label, McNeilan stressed. . He adds that if the nest can’t be located, (raps containing an attractant may be next best c o n t r o l . - C o m m e r c ia lly prepared traps’qdn be found in m ost nursery and garden shops. Traps should be placed around the periphery of human activity so they draw wasps away from the area. Oregon Statë Fair Salem, Oregon Spilyay tym oo photo by Shewczyk Indian dancing at the Jefferson County Fair is always a big attraction. Reggie Winishut dances with his daughter Renita. August 26-September 5
