Winter is here, but gardening questions keep coming in to Ask an Expert, an online question-and-answer tool from Oregon State University’s Extension Service. OSU Extension faculty and Master Gardeners reply to queries within two business days, usually less. To ask a question, simply go to the OSU Extension website and type in a question and the county where you live. Here are some questions asked by other gardeners. What’s yours?
Q: Last November, I visited the Sierra Mountains gold town of Quincy, Calif., to do family history research, and I took some cuttings from two historic apple trees there. One set of cuttings is from a Gravenstein that was planted (according to the history museum director) in 1876. The other cuttings I took from an unknown kind (but with yellow apples, not Gravenstein) in the backyard of my great-great grandfather's house, so it could date back to the late 19th century.
I dipped the cuttings in rooting compound and stuck them all in pots of a moist peat/compost/soil mixture. I put tomato cages on each one and hung dry cleaner's bags over the cages to create little greenhouses. They have been inside my house since then, and I have kept them very moist. They have leafed out a little – one even sent out a little blossom – but now the bud areas look kind of fuzzy. I'm not sure if they're molding or getting ready to leaf more. I haven't wanted to disturb them to see if they are rooting. I am not sure how to proceed at this point. Should I plant them in larger pots and set them outside and then put them in the ground later? I am going to be giving them to various friends and family, but they won't be able to get in the ground until March or even May. – Lane County
A: You may have difficulties getting the apples to root from a cutting. Apples are usually propagated by budding or grafting onto a hardy rootstock. Typically, cuttings (scion) are taken in January, refrigerated, and then grafted onto rootstock in the early spring. However, that doesn’t mean it is impossible to get an apple tree to root from a hardwood cutting, but the success rate will be low and it may take up to six months for the cutting to root.
I suspect you will need to give these cuttings a little more time to root (make sure the soil is kept moist but not soggy). Leaves should be removed from the bottom half of the cutting, and remove any blossoms or fruit as well, so that it puts all of its energy into producing new roots. In late March or April, check to see if the cuttings have rooted. If they have sent out 1- to 2-inch-long roots, then you can re-pot them into individual pots with a sterilized potting soil. Keep them growing in a protected area for another year and then plant them in the ground the following spring. Here is a little more information on propagating from cuttings.
With regards to the fuzzy growth on the blossoms, I suspect that there may be a little powdery mildew growing, which is most likely caused by the humid conditions. Remove and destroy the blossoms, and try to reduce the humidity (open up the plastic covering to increase aeration). – Erica Chernoh, OSU Extension horticulturist
Q: How do I rid my flower gardens of horsetail? The plant has literally taken over just about all of my gardens. Pulling them doesn't work since I can't get all the rhizomes out of the soil. I don't really want to use a chemical herbicide to get rid of them. Do you have some suggestions? I suppose I could simply gather them, cook them and eat them, but I'd just a soon get rid of them. – Yamhill County
A: This plant has persisted for thousands of years, so don’t assume you can control or eliminate it. But here is an Extension article with suggestions. – Kris LaMar, OSU Extension Master Gardener
This Asian pear tree is espaliered along a brick wall. File photo
Q: I have moved to a property with established columnar apple and espaliered fruit trees. I would like to know when to fertilize, what to use, and how much at each application. I am strictly an organic gardener. – Multnomah County
A: Fertilizing Fruit Trees, an article from OSU’s Steve Renquist, includes the basics. For soil tests in our area, Western A & L labs is recommended. – Jacki Dougan, OSU Extension Master Gardener
Many species of privet are considered invasive.OSU Extension Service
Q: We moved into this home a year ago. This plant is growing in the yard; the main plant is tree height but there are several small starts of this plant on the ground near it. Do you know what it is and whether it is invasive? We are trying to have native or beneficial plants in our yard. Also, our front yard had grass but as of this winter has been completely taken over by moss. Is there a benefit to leaving the moss? This part of the yard is well shaded in the summer and grass grows without watering. What is the healthiest way to treat moss and promote grass if we do so? – Lane County
A: The plant in your pictures looks like a species of privet (Ligustrum sp.). It could be L. sinense, L. japonicum or L.vulgare.
There are several species of privet that are commonly planted as landscape hedges in the U.S. None of them are native to North America. Some species of privet are considered invasive. This is of most concern in the eastern U.S., but the city of Eugene lists common privet (Ligustrum vulgare) as an "invasive plant species discouraged from use.”
If you would like to narrow down the plant you have to the species, the links above may be helpful, or I would suggest bringing a sample of a small branch and a bunch of berries along with a photo that is zoomed out to show the entire form of the plant to your local Master Gardener help desk.
If you are interested in native or non-invasive ornamental plant ideas for Oregon, I recommend this guide as a good start: GardenSmart Oregon.
Great Plant Picks is another, more extensive, resource of plants that do well west of the Cascades:
Shade is one of the main reasons moss invades lawns – moss loves shade while grass thrives in the sun. This OSU extension publication called “Managing Moss in Lawns in Western Oregon” should get you started with some ideas on what to do about it. – Chantal Tumpach, OSU Extension Master Gardener
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