FOR RELEASE THE WEEK OF JULY 2, 2000:
When we bought our burning bush a few years ago, we were told it was a compact variety–but it’s not. It’s elbowing its way across our sidewalk, but it’s so beautifully shaped that we’ve been reluctant to cut it back. Can we make this shrub all-around smaller without destroying it aesthetically?
Fortunately, Euonymus is easy to shape and lends itself well to hedging, says Danny Barney, University of Idaho extension horticulturist. In late winter or early spring before bud break, use electric or hand hedging shears to shape the bush as you wish. "With regular pruning, you should not have to cut stems much larger than a pencil in diameter," he says.
However, if the burning bush is already seriously overgrown, you can actually cut it to the ground and it will resprout. Plan on it being a foot high at the end of the first summer and double that at the end of the second.
If it’s not quite overgrown enough to merit pruning back to the ground, try thinning out some of the largest canes and heading back others. "It will look a bit ratty for a year or two, but with some tender loving care, you can revive it," Barney says.
Then, make sure your regular maintenance plan includes shearing your Euonymus once or twice in the summer for a neat-and-trim look, keeping it well-watered but not water-logged, and applying a 4-inch-deep bark mulch around the base if it’s growing in a hot, dry site.
My husband and I eat out once a week at a cafeteria buffet. We always end up feeling stuffed. Do you have any suggestions as to how we can control our food intake and not overeat? It’s just so tempting.
"You’re not alone if you overeat at an all-you-can eat buffet," says Martha Raidl, University of Idaho extension nutrition specialist. "Most people eat more because they want to get their ‘money’s worth’," she says. "But keep in mind that you pay the same amount of money no matter how much–or how little–you eat, so there’s no opportunity to save money once you’ve paid your entry fee."
However, there’s still plenty of opportunity to save calories. Start by looking over the entire buffet and limiting your selection to those foods that appeal to you most. Fill about one-third of your plate with a protein food–such as meat, fish, poultry, eggs, cheese or beans–and two-thirds with vegetables, fruit and complex carbohydrates like potatoes, rice, noodles or bread.
"Think about the amount of food that you usually put on your plate at home and take in only enough to satisfy your hunger," Raidl advises.
Why do the lower leaves of my tomatoes curl up or turn yellow?
This very common problem has several possible explanations, says Bob Forster, University of Idaho extension plant disease specialist. The first and most frequent is moisture stress, which can curl leaves upward. The leaves of moisture-stressed plants can even roll themselves into leathery tubes–especially on the lower half of the plant. "Some varieties seem to be more inclined to this condition than others," says Forster, "but overall growth and fruit production usually are not impaired."
Leaves can also curl and twist from exposure to herbicides like 2,4-D–which would affect all leaves–and lower leaves can become yellow from nitrogen deficiency. Yellowing in oldest leaves can simply be produced by shading: if they are so densely shaded by the upper leaves that the plant no longer benefits from their presence, these older leaves will often die.
The fungal disease Fusarium wilt also causes yellowing, curling and drooping of lower leaves, but the curling is downward rather than upward.
"The best things gardeners can do to ensure a good crop of tomatoes are to plant healthy, vigorous plants in good soil with adequate fertility and to irrigate them regularly, but not excessively," Forster says.
This time of year, we often have additional expenses due to weekend or vacation travel. We like to take advantage of the season, but we don’t always have the cash to pay off our bills. Should we consider payday loans?
"If you want the lowest cost credit available, avoid payday loans," says Marilyn Bischoff, University of Idaho extension educator. In Idaho, payday loan borrowers are being charged rates from $6 to $40 for every $100 they borrow, Bischoff says. Some loans disclose annual percentage rates, or APRs, of more than 3,000 percent!
Since you’re already financially stretched, you’d be far better off shopping for the lowest-cost loan, she says. Investigate options provided through your credit union, your employer or your family. "Even cash advances on your credit cards will cost less than most payday loans."
Compare your options based on their APR–a measure of the cost of credit, expressed as a yearly rate. Also compare finance charges, which include loan fees, interest and other credit costs. "A small difference in APR or finance charges can result in a big difference in what you have to pay back," Bischoff says.
If you do decide to get a payday loan, borrow the minimum amount you need and pay it off with your next paycheck if at all possible.