FOR RELEASE THE WEEK OF DEC. 20, 1999:
Is there anything we can do about a tree that has developed a definite lean?
As always, it depends, says Yvonne Carree, University of Idaho extension forestry associate. A fully mature tree that has always leaned has adapted to that position and is perfectly safe, she says: "The beauty and uniqueness of these trees should just be enjoyed as they are."
On the other hand, if a fully mature and formerly straight tree has recently begun to lean, you’d be well advised to "get out of the way," she says. A root rot is probably undermining the tree’s stability. "The best thing to do in this situation is to remove the tree."
If your leaning tree is young, healthy and under 25 feet, you can try to straighten it with pruning. Move the tree’s center of gravity to a point more central over the trunk by cutting back the leader and the lateral branches on the "downwind" side to more upright branches.
My mother and father, who are both in their mid-60s, have type 2 (adult-onset) diabetes. I am in my early 40s. Is there anything I can do to prevent getting this form of diabetes?
According to Martha Raidl, University of Idaho extension nutrition specialist, type 2 diabetes occurs most often in individuals who are overweight and more than 40 years old. A study conducted at the Harvard School of Public Health found that people can cut their risk of developing it in half by exercising moderately for one hour a day.
"This doesn’t mean you have to join a gym or run a marathon," Raidl says. Moderate exercise includes walking briskly, walking up stairs or even doing housework. "And you don’t even have to exercise all at one time: you can walk 20 minutes in the morning, 20 minutes in the afternoon and do housework for 20 minutes in the evening."
We’re really partial to acid-loving plants such as azaleas, rhododendrons and Japanese maple. Rather than continually battling our alkaline southern Idaho soils, can we just grow these plants indefinitely in large patio containers?
Azaleas, rhododendrons and Japanese maples can perform well in containers for a long time, but they’re not likely to thrive in them indefinitely, says Bob Tripepi, University of Idaho horticulturist. Because their roots are even more susceptible to temperature extremes than their shoots, successfully nurturing these containerized plants through both summer highs and winter lows can be challenging.
High temperatures stress the plants, stunt their growth and increase their susceptibility to pests and other problems. Low temperatures – below 15 degrees Fahrenheit for Japanese maples and below 0 to 19 degrees for rhododendrons and azaleas – will freeze and kill roots in above-ground pots. Include their demands for critically timed irrigation and for proper fertilization and maintaining these container plants can add up to an ambitious task.
Nevertheless, these species are so rewarding that you may well decide to persevere. If you do, choose pots that are at least 2-foot-cubed for the smaller species; plan to repot in a few years. Plant larger species into containers that are at least 3 feet tall by 4 feet wide by 4 feet long. The taller the container, the less likely the roots will suffocate in water.
To optimize drainage, use a soil mix that is high in organic matter and pots that have holes in the bottoms. A potting mix of 70 percent pine or fir bark, 10 percent peat moss and up to 20 percent garden soil – by volume – will not only drain well; it will also retain added fertilizer minerals and provide enough weight to keep the plant from being blown over by wind. Before you install the plant, test the soil mix to see how readily it accepts water and allows drainage.