FOR RELEASE THE WEEK OF MAY 7, 2000:
I’ve tried to grow watermelons several times but never get more than a few baseball-sized fruits. I’m trying to decide whether to make room for them this year. What could I be doing wrong?
It sounds like you may have a selection that is not maturing quickly enough for your garden spot, says David Maas, University of Idaho extension educator. Watermelons require a long, hot season to mature. Choose a variety that matures in 80-100 days after planting and make sure the soil temperature is above 65 degrees Fahrenheit when you transplant or sow.
While the ideal soil pH for melons is 6.0 to 7.5, they will do fine in more alkaline Idaho soils, Maas says. Water, however, is critical: watermelons have a water-stress point of 65 percent soil moisture, below which their growth can slow or even stop.
To reach their full potential, watermelons need full sun and six to eight feet between hills. They also benefit from a pre-plant fertilizer that provides two-tenths of a pound of nitrogen per 100 square feet, followed by a sidedress application of one-and-a-half ounces of ammonium sulfate per 10 row feet one week after bloom begins. Hold off additional fertilizer unless a soil test indicates its necessity.
Finally, don’t cultivate deeper than one inch: watermelon roots are very close to the soil surface.
Last weekend, my daughter, 6-year-old grandson and I stopped at McDonald’s for lunch. My grandson asked for a Quarter Pounder, a super-size order of fries and a milk shake—and ate it all. My daughter calls it a "healthy appetite," but I’m wondering if he should be eating such large portions of food?
A recent study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association suggests that, by the age of five, children will eat more food than they actually crave if they are given larger portions. Martha Raidl, University of Idaho extension nutrition specialist, says the subsequent over-eating may be related to the rising rates of obesity in children.
To keep children’s portions in line with their actual appetites, the researchers recommend that children never be forced to eat everything on their plates. Instead, they should be given children’s portion sizes and allowed to determine how much they will eat.
Near the top of our young spruce tree, we spotted what looks like a little hairy mat on the bark. When we removed it, we found tan, fuzzy caterpillars hatching inside. What’s the problem?
More than likely, the problem is the western tussock moth, which overwinters as eggs and times its hatch just as evergreen needles begin to elongate in late spring.
"The caterpillars will chew the needles down to nothing in just three or four weeks," says Bob Stoltz, University of Idaho extension entomologist. "People will be going blissfully along and then all of the sudden the top of their tree has been denuded. They need to be watching when those new bundles of needles break out."
Mature western tussock moth caterpillars are real lookers. They’re blue-gray with four prominent white tufts and many more orange ones on their backs. Their heads sport two pencil-hair black tufts. After you’re through admiring them, get busy and get rid of them, Stoltz says. Bacillus thuringiensis works, as do Sevin, Orthene, Dursban and permethrin-containing pesticides.
We used to be able to leave our infant with a babysitter with no problems. Since she’s turned 7 months old, however, she doesn’t want us go out. She cries so hard that we’ve canceled a few social engagements and stayed home instead. How should we handle this?
First of all, realize that this is a good sign and a very normal sign, says Harriet Shaklee, University of Idaho extension family development specialist. Your daughter has spent her first seven months developing a very strong attachment to you and becoming comfortable and secure in your presence. For the next three to six months, expect her to be unhappy about your leaving. "By the end of this developmental phase, she’ll trust that you’re going to come back and feel confident that she’s in good hands," Shaklee says.
In the meantime, you can ease the situation by leaving her only with a very familiar babysitter—her favorite teenager or maybe her Grandma or Grandpa. "Look for stability, even if you have to pay more to get it," says Shaklee.
Most children will get past their distress within five or 10 minutes of your departure. If your sitter reports that your child is upset the whole time you’re gone, then you may want to consider curtailing your evenings out.
When you do leave, be sure to say goodbye, Shaklee notes. "Some parents are tempted to slip out after the babysitter comes and avoid a tearful scene, but having parents who disappear by surprise is in the long run more upsetting to a child. Your baby may be upset when you say goodbye, but she’ll learn that Mom always says goodbye when she leaves—and predictability is a good thing."