FOR RELEASE THE WEEK OF MAY 24, 1999:
To avoid food poisoning, what foods are simply better left at home than brought to a picnic?
If you arrange for proper cold storage of the food prior to serving it, you can take most any food on a picnic, says Sandy McCurdy, University of Idaho extension food safety coordinator. The key is to make sure perishable foods–such as meat, poultry and dairy products–are kept below 40 degrees Fahrenheit during transport.
So, chill the food in the refrigerator before you load the cooler. Pack that cooler with plenty of ice, frozen juices or even frozen foods like hotdogs that will thaw en route and help keep temperatures low. And don’t leave perishable foods out of the cooler for more than two hours when serving.
I love spring bulbs but would rather not wait until those long, floppy leaves have rotted before I tidy up. Can I just shorten the leaves without compromising the bulbs’ longevity?
Unfortunately, no, says Stuart Parkinson, University of Idaho extension educator. Flower bulbs rely very heavily on their leaves to channel energy to the bulb. This energy will be stored and used for next year’s flower production. If you remove--or even trim back--the leaves too early, you will short-cut this energy-storage process and adversely affect next year’s flowers and the health of the bulb.
Do cut off spent flowers with a sharp knife as soon as they lose their beauty. Removing the flowers won’t harm the bulb; it actually helps it by diverting energy to it that would otherwise be spent producing seed.
So, go ahead and let the leaves stay on the plant until their foliage has turned yellow–or, at the very minimum, six weeks. "Sometimes the unwanted foliage can be hidden among other flowers and plants where it will be less noticeable," Parkinson says.
Should I try diatomaceous earth for insect control around my home and garden?
"If you can get it on the insects, it works fairly well," says Bob Stoltz, University of Idaho extension entomologist. An abrasive dust that ruptures the waxy, protective layer on the surface of insect skins, diatomaceous earth is made from the skeletons of microscopic marine organisms. Damaged insects dry out and die.
If you’re bothered by ants, try a light sprinkling of diatomaceous earth directly on their mounds or in their pathways, Stoltz says. If you’re stalking earwigs or slugs, apply a thin, even layer underneath trap boards; not only will the boards attract pests, but they’ll keep the diatomaceous earth from clumping when it rains.
"Be careful not to breathe it because it can irritate your lungs," Stoltz says. You’ll want to wear both a dust mask and goggles during application.
If I leave my grass clippings to decompose on my lawn, how much fertilizer will they provide?
Studies in other states have found that grass clippings can supply one-fourth to one-third of a lawn’s total fertilizer needs, says Bob Rynk, University of Idaho extension waste management engineer. Not only do grasscycling citizens save fertilizer, University of Idaho demonstrations indicate that they also slice a third off their mowing time.
Contrary to popular fears, grasscycling isn’t a thatch-maker, Rynk says. Clippings are 95 percent water and decompose too quickly to contribute to thatch.
There’s simply "no good reason" to bag grass, other than composting it, says Michael Colt, a UI extension horticulturist–and if you’re going to compost them, why not do it right where they fall?
Leaving clippings lie works best when only one-third of the grass’ height is removed at a slice, which may mean more frequent–but less time-consuming–mowing early in the season.