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Food and Nutrition

• does 1 tablespoon make 2 teaspoons

Garden

• By the end of June, our apple tree looked sickly, with faded, curling brown leaves. I am wondering if the leaves look the way they do because my husband doesn't spray regularly or because the tree is not getting enough water in our arid climate. When he does stick to a schedule, it seems that the leaves don't look much better. This is a tree that is nearly twenty years old. I have never noticed an infestation of bugs. Apples have gotten smaller and smaller by the year, most have worms. The tree is in our front yard and I really would like it to look healthy, regardless of whether or not we get eatable fruit. What should we do?
• do ants eat one another?
• I am wrapping up my garden for the year. I have been looking at adding horse manure to my garden soil to boost the organic matter in it. This year I added NutriMulch (turkey manure blend) and that worked out well, but was expensive. I'm concerned about the soil quality. I notice that it's pretty hard when in big dry clods. Would I be hurting my garden to add green horse manure now, and tilling it in? I've read a little about deficiencies in the soil because of too much horse manure, so if it's safe or even a good idea to add to a garden, how much is the right amount?
• I have just discovered an ant colony in my outdoor herb pot. I noticed soil build up around a couple of the herbs, thyme and rosemary and also soil build up around the drain holes. This pot is 20 inches across and 15 inches deep. How can I get rid of the ants without damaging the herbs or poisoning my family? Thank you.
• I have some pumpkins that are still green (October 9th). Is there any way they will become ripe?
• I planted 2 plum trees several years ago. The 3rd year I had a huge crop. The next 2 years the leaves had what I think is peach leaf curl or at least that's how it made the leaves look. I sprayed both years with no improvement. This year I've also sprayed but after blossoming, the leafing is very sickly, the leaves done even really form, they just make tiny clusters of pale spikes that look like tiny curled leaves. Is there anything I can so short of digging them out? Can they be saved or I am better off just starting from scratch? How to I make sure what is there doesn't contaminate the new trees? Thanks.
• In preparing my soil for vegetable gardening, I've added too much chemical fertilizer. I haven't planted anything yet. Is it too late to fix this?
• Is there some place in the Salt Lake area where I can donate my garden snails? I read that thrushes and ducks (along with many other critters such as beetles, which I don't want to introduce into my garden) will eat snails. I know I could kill the snails using a variety of methods, but it seems like somebody (not me!) might like to eat them. Ideas?
• Moved to a new location in Riverton and started a garden. This spring I added compost and steer manure. The garden is watered using secondary irrigation. The leaves on the beans, corn, and strawberries turn yellow with a burned look on the outer edges of the leaves and then the plant dies. The tomatoes and melon plants all seem to be doing well. Any idea's?
• Should I cut back my perennials for winter? High Country Gardens says to wait until early-mid spring, but that is contrary to what I have been doing. It is true that I suffer some loss each spring.
• Should I cut back my perennials for winter? High Country Gardens says to wait until early-mid spring, but that is contrary to what I have been doing. It is true that I suffer some loss each spring.
• What are some good strawberry varieties to grow in our area? I would like both june-bearing and ever-bearing
• When is the best time to plant annual flowers outside?

Home

• Box Elder bugs have emerged already and are breeding. They get into the house and crawl all over the west facing exterior house wallsand are all over the vegetable garden beds. How do I erradicate them?
• I have termites that have dug into my wall between the drywall and the paint. They are also in the dirt outside the same area of wall. Can I treat these myself? If so, with what? And, do I need to replace the drywall? Thank you, Merrie Jackson
• I want to get rid of spiders inside my house. What do you recommend I spray inside and outside with?

Home, Garden, and Yard

• I just moved to SLC from Phx,Az and many of the plants here are new to me. I have some flowers in my yard that resemble "Blue Dicks" closely but, the flowers do not cluster -- they each form on a single stem and have been flowering since the end of April. I also have some Violet-like flowers growing in my lawn at about the same height as the grass. I would like to know what they might be and where I might be able to purchase seed or bulbs of the same type so I can plant more
• Last May, I planted my living Christmas tree (5 foot Black Hills Spruce) after wintering it in a sheltered area with mulch. It was inside for only 3 days. It grew well all summer with little green buds until the first hard frost and then it died all at once. What happened? Was it the tree or the location? I live at 7,000 ft; the planting location is a little bit rocky and I don't want it to happen again. Thanks!!!
• Last year in June or July pesticide (Ortho Home) was used all over my yard...and in my garden. I didn't realize the dangers of pesticide, until after it had been sprayed/poured all over. Is it safe to plant a vegetable garden this year, or is the pesticide still present in my garden? Is there a way to get my soil tested to make sure it's safe? Thanks, Brandi
• Last year in June or July pesticide (Ortho Home) was used all over my yard...and in my garden. I didn't realize the dangers of pesticide, until after it had been sprayed/poured all over. Is it safe to plant a vegetable garden this year, or is the pesticide still present in my garden? Is there a way to get my soil tested to make sure it's safe? Thanks, Brandi

Orchards

• Can you plant ONE apple tree and get fruit? Everyone says you have to plant two different varieties, but I only have room for one tree.
• Can you tell me the names of some good Apricot and peach trees to grow around here? Also, my space is limited so I just wanted to plant one of each kind of tree. Will they still be able to pollinate?
• Do you have an email list I can subscribe to that informs me when to spray my fruit trees?
• How do I prune cherry trees?