FOR RELEASE THE WEEK OF FEB. 20, 2000:
We have an undesirable old elm in our yard and plan to remove it in a few years. To eventually take its place as our dominant shade tree, we plan to install a white ash about 30 feet from it this spring. Could the elm interfere with the growth of the ash at that distance?
It certainly could, says Yvonne Carree, University of Idaho extension forestry associate. "When you plant a small tree under a large one, the large one will be more successful in competing for available light, nutrients and water."
Your mature elm's roots are already extending far beyond its leaf canopy. Carree says. They've likely outgrown your yard and are already well into your neighbors'.
To prosper under the elm, the new ash will need six or more hours of sunlight each day. It will also need help becoming established: proper planting, deep watering during the first few years, fertilizer applications once it reaches age 3-5, annual pruning to improve its form and to enhance its overall health and vigor, and vigilance in detecting and treating insect and disease problems as soon as possible.
I am 65 years old and recently found out that I have diabetes. The doctor has put me on a special diet, but I really miss an occasional piece of cake. I've tried baking cakes with saccharin and Equal, but they don't taste right. Do you have any suggestions on how to make a good-tasting sugar-free cake?
Martha Raidl, University of Idaho extension nutrition specialist, agrees that sugar substitutes fall short in baked cakes. That's because sugar provides not only sweetness to cake recipes but tenderness and browning enhancement. "When you use a sugar substitute, the cake is not going to taste the same," she says.
Fortunately, you're in luck. A new, FDA-approved diabetic sweetener has just come onto the market. Called DiabetiSweet, it can be used on a cup-for-cup basis as sugar. So, if the recipe calls for one cup of sugar, then you use one cup of DiabetiSweet. "It's safe, but it's not cheap," says Raidl. An 8-ounce jar costs between $6 and $7.
Last year, my peach leaves became distorted and puckered, turned reddish-green and dropped. What happened and can I prevent it from recurring this year?
It sounds like peach leaf curl, says Michael Colt, University of Idaho extension horticulturist. "Recognizing the disease is fairly simple, since it only occurs on peaches and nectarines and has very definite symptoms."
The fungus that causes peach leaf curl survives in bark crevices and bud scales and infects buds as they begin to swell in the spring. You can easily control the disease with a single fungicide application in the fall after leaf drop or in the early spring before bud swell.
Be sure to use a fungicide that is labeled specifically for peach leaf curl and spray thoroughly and according to directions.
We just started a neighborhood association and so far our biggest challenge has been keeping volunteers. They come to one or two meetings and then we never see them again. How can we convince them to stick with it?
Retaining volunteers is not an unusual problem for groups, but it can be especially frustrating for new groups in their formative stages, says Linda Webb, University of Idaho extension 4-H/youth specialist.
"Some people give up early if they feel an organization is 'directionless' and not getting anything accomplished," says Webb. "That's why it's so important to develop a mission statement and goals that everyone can agree on. People are more willing to give of their time when an organization's purpose relates to their personal goals and needs and when they can see actual progress."
Volunteers also quit because of unorganized, boring or needless meetings. "If your meetings are basically social events or listening to committee reports, recognize that this will only appeal to a percentage of your members," says Webb. "Instead, plan meetings that actively engage every member in discussing future projects, reaching collective decisions and dividing tasks. Try to include an educational topic and to start and quit on time."
Find creative ways to allow busy people to help with projects. Develop clearly defined job descriptions, outlining tasks and timelines, and split tasks into smaller chunks that can be shared. And never ask people to give their time when plenty of help is already available. "Nothing can be more frustrating for a volunteer than coming to an event to help and finding not enough work to spread around," says Webb.
For more information on volunteer management training, call your county extension educator or contact Webb at (208) 459-6365 or lwebb@uidaho.edu in Caldwell.
[READERS: Do you have a question about your home, yard or garden? Send it to HomeWise, University of Idaho Ag Communications, Moscow, ID 83844-2332 or email it to homewise@uidaho.edu. Mention of proprietary products or firms does not constitute endorsement by the University of Idaho Cooperative Extension System or imply approval to the exclusion of other suitable products or firms.]