Row Cover Roundup

(Page 2 of 2)

March/April 1988
By Greg and Pat Williams 
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A quick trick. A Danish horticulturist reports that clear plastic mulch can speed germination of direct-seeded onions, leeks, carrots and parsley. But be sure to remove the mulch soon after the seedlings emerge so they don't get scorched.

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Bells without blooms. University of Massachusetts researchers report that removing all flowers that form on bell pepper plants early in the growing season increases total fruit yields. In fact, the highest yields came from plants that were kept completely de flowered until July 30!

A rabbit-resistant lettuce. New Isbell buttercrunch lettuce is reportedly more resistant to rabbit predation than either Bibb or Boston varieties—as well as being better yielding and more cold hardy. Contact J.D. Norton, Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station, Auburn University, AL 36849, for information on availability.

African bee trapping. The dreaded Africanized (so-called killer) bees are still migrating up from Central America and are due to arrive in southern Texas either this year or the next. Can they be contained? The best hope now is to set out lots of inexpensive swarm traps baited with a highly effective pheromone lure.

Suds for slugs. Most gardeners know that beer set in ground-level saucers lures slugs to fall in and drown. Colorado State entomologist Whitney Cranshaw has been running trials to determine which beer works best. The winner? Kingsbury Malt Beverage—a nonalcoholic (but yeasty) brew!

Gleanings

Fragrant fake apple traps from Ladd Research Industries, P.O. Box 1005, Burlington, VT 05401, may well control back-yard apple maggot problems .... The EPA-approved protectants Frost Free 50E and Golden Frost Free (Plant Products Corp., P.O. Box 1149, Vero Beach, FL 32961) are reputedly extremely efective if applied about eight hours before a predicted frost . . . . Single copies of the booklet "Gardening in Raised Beds and Containers for the Elderly and Physically Handicapped" are free from Dr. Diane Relf, Dept. of Horticulture, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Blacksburg, VA 24061 . . . . $1.50 sent to the Indoor Citrus & Rare Fruit Society (176 Coronado Ave., Los Altos, CA 94022) will get you a good 10-page resource listing of unusual warm-climate fruits suitable for hobby growing (ask for issue 23 of the society's newsletter).

Greg and Pat Williams raise most of their food on a small farm and publish HortIdeas, a fine newsletter on gardening research and products ($15 a year from G. & P. Williams, Rt. 1, Box 302, Gravel Switch, KY 40328).

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