by Barbara Sue Schubert

“I currently live in the high desert of California….Apple Valley.  My husband was kind enough to assemble a beautiful greenhouse for me made from heavy plastic and it is about 8 x 12 and the brand name is Rion.  My problem is, it gets too hot and kills my plants.  The winds get very strong here at times and he says I can’t keep the windows open or the wind might rip the greenhouse in half.  Do you have any ideas as to what I can do?  I feel so bad – he spent all that money and time and I can’t use my greenhouse.  Thanks so much for your ideas and time.”

You live in an area (Zone 8 & 9) that certainly does pose the problems you’re faced with.  Your average temperature there is indeed hot and without opening those windows and doors in your greenhouse you will cook any plants in there that can’t withstand the extreme heat. Your Rion greenhouse uses a resin framework that makes it fairly rigid once together and it can withstand wind and moderate snow.  However, you get your share of those hefty Pacific Ocean breezes that can really put any structure to the test.  I would suggest planting or erecting a wind break of some kind close to your greenhouse that can help buffer those wind currents.  You may even have to do it on two sides.  There are numerous, attractive shrubs and fast growing trees that can slow the wind up out there and even add a more creative and interesting addition to your greenhouse area.  Sunlight is something you don’t have a shortage of there, so even a little shade from your wind break is not going to hinder your efforts.  But do you homework on where to put your wind break before you do it.  Your local extension office is going to be an excellent resource to start with, in addition to a knowledgeable commercial nursery or greenhouse in your area.  Greenhouses can be an expensive learning process, but once you conquer what appears to be your biggest problem at this point, you will indeed enjoy the fruits of your labor!

“I put my summer garden into a portable greenhouse.  I don’t know anything about growing vegetables in the greenhouse.  The portable greenhouse is like a plastic tent with a front zipper door and a back zipper door.  I open the front door and half of the back door for circulation during the day and close both doors up at night to keep the plants warm at night.  But, the tomato plant leaves and parsley leaves have turned yellow anyway, as though they were still outside. And the plants don’t look very healthy. How often should I water?  I water every morning.  Is this too often?  How do I balance the air circulation and moisture in the greenhouse so the plants can grow successfully?”

I think you might just be trying too hard Elizabeth!  If your night time temperatures are moderate during the summer, there’s no need to zip up at night. Your plants aren’t quite that touchy, and they do love the circulation of air.  My mother-in-law once told me that if you’re going to be a successful fisherman, you need to think like a fish. That same advice is good for other endeavors as well. I suspect you are indeed over watering, which is why your plant leafs are turning yellow.  Plants must be given a chance to dry out after they are watered, and despite your air circulation efforts, it’s not allowing them to dry out between watering like they should.  Pay attention to the weather and how well your soil holds moisture.  Every couple of days should be plenty.

“I’ve had moles in my yard before, but now I’ve heard about another similar varmint called a vole which they say is equally as destructive. What is the difference between a mole and a vole?”

In my opinion, the lesser of the two little evil pests is the mole. While their names are similar they are distinctly two different kinds of pests in both nature and appearance. Moles generally cause all the dirt mounds in your yard from tunneling through your landscape feeding on insects, worms and grubs. Voles on the other hand eat vegetation, feeding on plant roots and bulbs. Young trees and shrubs often will fall prey to the vole. Moles are usually black with velvety fur and are best identified b their long, pointed snouts, miniscule eyes and round front paws that turn outward for maximum digging advantages. Voles look a lot like a mouse, blackish brown to grayish brown in color, depending on the species. They have a blunt nose, small furry ears and a scantily-haired tail.

“I understand that creeping wintergreen provides great year round ground cover. Will it grow where we live?”

This plant is the source of wintergreen oil which has been used in toothpaste and other products over the years. This understated creeping evergreen plant has dark green, shiny leaves that hugs the ground and can spread throughout large areas.  It’ll be of particular interest to you if you have deeply shaded areas that you want to add low key interest to.  The young foliage is copper in color and the leaves turn reddish in autumn.  The summer pinkish white, single bell-shaped flowers of summer give way to rounded berries buried among the leaves in autumn and winter.  It also goes by checkerberry and is common in south Canadian woods and mountain valleys.  It should grow just fine in your area!

“I was visiting friends in southeastern Oklahoma recently and was given a handful of Hedge Apples at a flea market and was told that they will ward off spiders and crickets. Can you tell me what these are?  Is this just some sort of crazy voodoo fruit?”

Hedge Apples are the yellow-green fruit of the Osage-Orange tree.  The Osage-Orange is native to a small area in eastern Texas, southeastern Oklahoma and southwestern Arkansas – an area that was home to the Osage Indians, hence their name.  Early settlers planted and pruned these trees for hedge purposes because they provided an impenetrable barrier to livestock when planted close together.  They were tough, durable, transplanted easily and held up to extreme heat and wind.  They also have 1/2 –inch long thorns throughout that enhanced the natural fence. Hedge Apples are also found through areas of the Midwest and are a member of the Mulberry family, but are longer used as an alternative to fencing. People use the Hedge Apple predominately as their home remedy for pest management.  However, there is no real scientific evidence that can actually confirm its effectiveness –so I can see where you might consider it voodoo!  Still, many people swear that the fruit only works as long as it is green. On the other hand, by the time it dries out, pests are usually hibernating or gone by then. Regardless, the Hedge Apple continues to be an interesting subject for conversation.

“I was thinking about growing some catnip for my cat Max as a treat. Is it hard to grow? Can you grow it inside in a pot?”

Catnip is a perennial herb and a member of the mint family –but your cat doesn’t care about any of those facts, he just knows he loves it. However, interesting enough, around 50% of all cats are affected to differing degrees so you may want to buy some and try it out on Max first before going through the trouble. In addition, kittens that are younger than eight weeks old could care less about catnip. So if Max is a kitten and has an aversion to it, that may change as he gets older. Catnip is fairly easy to grow, inside and out.  It likes light sandy soil and grows best in full sun. To dry fresh catnip, hang it upside down in a dry, well ventilated area away from the sun.

Barbara Sue Schubert is a human resource professional, free-lance writer and a garden and plant enthusiast from southern Wisconsin.  “To me, HR and gardening have a lot in common, both feed my family!  Writing, on the other hand, feeds my soul.”