HomeWise

FOR RELEASE THE WEEK OF JULY 1, 2001:

We have a tree, which I think is an elm, next to our driveway. All spring and summer, it drips a clear, very sticky substance from the leaves. It's almost like a fine mist or rain, and it can become quite a downpour. I don't see any bugs. What causes the dripping? Is there something we can spray on the tree to prevent this? Barbara Olsen, Moscow

More than likely, the problem is aphids high in the tree, says Bob Stoltz, University of Idaho Extension entomologist. For control this summer, spray the tree with Orthene or try such organic remedies as insecticidal soaps or neem.

Bayer Advanced Garden Tree and Shrub Insect Control, a new systemic with the active ingredient imidicloprid, controls aphids, scales, leafhoppers and "hopefully box elder bugs," Stoltz says. It's used as a trunk drench, is "very safe" around the home, and a single application remains effective all year. Stoltz prefers fall applications for larger shrubs and trees, because it takes several weeks for the insecticide to spread through a good-sized woody plant. But you can also apply it in the spring.

I bought a plant called Autumn Monkshood at a local nursery this spring. My neighbor says she heard on the news that there is some kind of problem with it. Do you know what it is?

The problem is that Autumn Monkshood--like all monkshoods--is poisonous, and the original label mistakenly provided by Canadian grower Valleybrook Gardens Ltd. indicated that "All parts of this plant are tasty in soup"!

According to the Food and Drug Administration, all parts of the plant instead contain the natural toxin aconitine, which remains poisonous despite cooking. Symptoms include burning or tingling in the mouth or tongue, tingling in the four limbs, generalized muscular weakness, gastrointestinal distress and cardiovascular complications. Monkshood poisoning can even kill by prompting irregular heartbeats or paralyzing the heart. It demands immediate medical attention.

The Autumn Monkshoods in question were the variety Aconitum carmichaelii 'Arendsii', a late-flowering selection that blooms deep violet-blue.

According to Valleybrook Gardens' president Kelly Schroeder, all of the plants sold into the U.S. have been accounted for and relabeled. Schroeder says they were shipped into British Columbia, Washington and Idaho beginning in mid-April and only one Idahoan--a nursery employee--purchased the plant before the error was caught.

So, go ahead and leave your Autumn Monkshoods in your perennial border. Just don't put them in your soup or salad bowl.

My power bill has increased dramatically. How can I reduce it?

Practicing energy conservation will help you save money on your power bills--and it will also help Idaho prevent brownouts, says Marilyn Bischoff, University of Idaho Extension family economics specialist. She recommends these no-cost strategies:

• Turn your air-conditioner's thermostat to 78 degrees Fahrenheit while you're home and 85 degrees Fahrenheit while you're away. (If you have a heat pump, however, leave the thermostat at a steady temperature.)
• Clean or replace your air conditioner filters monthly or whenever you can't see light through them.
• Use your ceiling or room fans to circulate air and to help your air conditioner work more efficiently.
• Close window drapes and blinds on hot days.
• Unplug second refrigerators or freezers if they're not full; they can cost $5 to $9 a month to operate and don't work at peak efficiency unless they're full.
• Keep external refrigerator and freezer coils free from dust and lint.
• Open refrigerator and freezer doors as seldom as you can--certainly less than the average 22 times a day for American families!
• Use a microwave, barbecue grill or small cooking appliance instead of the stove.
• Completely turn off the television, VCR, computer, printer and other equipment when you're not using them. ("A computer left on all night may waste more power than lights used all day," Bischoff says.)

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[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 e-mail it to homewise@uidaho.edu. Mention of proprietary products or firms does not constitute endorsement by University of Idaho Extension or imply approval to the exclusion of other suitable products or firms.