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by Rett Davis | |
Gardening Q&A by Rett Davis appears in
Alamance County's daily newspaper, The Times-News,
every Sunday in the Accent section. Each week's installment is
posted to this
website, beginning with January of this year. Scroll to the bottom of
this page to navigate to other Gardening Q&As. Please contact
Rett via e-mail with questions
or
comments in regard to this column.
Question:
I was not able to attend your seminar on moisture and mildew control. Can you tell me if the green and black mold on my floor joists under the house is harmful?
Answer:
The green and black mold is not wood decay. It is a surface mold that does not destroy the integrity of the wood. However, the presence of these molds indicates that the moisture level of your wood floor joists is on the increase. After a summer like this, it is no wonder! Mold and mildew will grow on the surface of wood when the moisture content of the wood begins to increase above 20%. Wood decaying fungi will become active at 25% and above. The presence of the mold you are now seeing warrants an investigation of the wood's moisture content. Several local pest control companies offer this service. Your objective is to take the necessary steps to reduce the moisture in the wood to below 20%. There are many strategies to follow. I will be glad to send you a checklist to follow if you call our office at 570-6740. I will also tell you that once the level of moisture is reduced the mold will still be visible but it will be dormant and not active.
Question:
I have received conflicting advice on when to open and close vents on my house. Can you clear this up?
Answer:
There may be some value to closing your outside vents to your home during the summer months when the outside air is warm and humid. When this warm humid air enters beneath your home, the cooler temperatures under the house increases the condensation of moisture on air conditioning ducts and water lines. This condensation adds more moisture to the air. This practice may not be advisable in all situations but may be worth a try. Reopen your vents in the fall and keep them open during the rest of they year unless low temperatures warrant closing them for a brief time.
Question:
Our new home will not be finished until late November.
What kind of grass can I sow then that will keep me out of the mud all winter?
Answer:
Your choices are few. This is a case where sod is a very viable alternative. Sod can be laid almost year round as long as the soil is not frozen. Personnaly I don't like the middle of summer either. However, seeded fescue and even ryegrass will not germinate in late November. The seed will just lay there and germinate in the spring. Depending on the size of the lawn and the current traffic pattern, you could sow part of the lawn now in fescue before the 15th of October. Then put up a barrier to keep all construction traffic out. This may work if the plumber,electrician, and utility people have all finished their installations. What is left could be sodded when the home is complete.
Question:
How soon can I dig my peonies, iris, and daylilles?
Answer:
Lets wait another month. I like to have a few frosts first. Cut the tops of peonies back to ground then, trim iris to within 4 inches of the soil, and cut all leaves off of daylilles. Dig them up, divide, and replant. We are about 4 weeks away from our first frost.
4-H ANTIQUE APPLE TREE SALES
Once again this fall, 4-H members are selling 10 varieties of antique
apple trees. These once popular apple varieties were spread throughout
North Carolina and the south. For $16 apiece you can grow at home a
piece of our history. The trees are one year old and grafted to
dwarfing root stock. Call the Cooperative Extension Service at 570-6740
to place your order. Quantities are limited.
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If you have any horticultural questions, please direct them to Rett Davis