When should I harvest pears?
Pears should not be allowed to ripen on the tree. If the fruit are left on the tree to ripen, stone cells develop in the fruit, giving the pears a gritty texture. Tree-ripened fruit also will be poorly flavored. Harvest pears when the color of the fruit changes from a deep green to yellow green. The fruit will still be firm, not soft, at harvest.
Pears should be ripened indoors at a temperature of 60 to 70°F. The ripening process should take seven to 10 days. To speed up ripening, place the pears in a tightly sealed paper bag. The fruit give off ethylene gas, which accumulates in the bag and promotes ripening.
For long-term storage, refrigerate the unripened pears at a temperature of 30 to 35°F. Pears may be stored for approximately one to three months. Remove stored fruit about one week prior to use.
The ears on my sweet corn are poorly filled. What are possible causes?
Poorly filled ears are often the result of poor pollination. Hot, dry winds and dry soil conditions may adversely affect pollination and fertilization and result in poorly filled ears. Water sweet corn during pollination if the soil is dry. Improper planting also may affect pollination. Corn is wind pollinated. Plant sweet corn in blocks of four or more short rows to promote pollination.
How can you tell when a muskmelon is ripe?
The fruit of the muskmelon or cantaloupe is mature when the stem slips easily from the melon with slight pressure. The melon is not ripe if the stem has to be forcibly separated from the fruit. Other indicators of maturity are based on touch, appearance and aroma. When ripe, the flower end (the end opposite the stem) of the melon should be slightly soft. As the fruit matures, the skin between the netting turns from green to yellow. Finally, a ripe melon produces a strong "muskmelon" aroma.
Do goldenrods cause hay fever?
Hay fever problems in August and September are mainly caused by ragweed pollen. Ragweeds (Ambrosia species) are found throughout Iowa in roadside ditches, pastures, cultivated fields and wasteland. Plants produce small, inconspicuous flowers from late July until the first hard frost. Their flowers produce large quantities of wind-borne pollen in late summer, causing discomfort for allergic individuals.
Goldenrods (Solidago species) are often falsely blamed for hay fever because they bloom at the same time of the year as the ragweeds. The small, inconspicuous flowers of ragweeds go unnoticed, while the showy, bright yellow goldenrod flowers stand out in the landscape. (Goldenrods are native to Iowa. Their bright yellow flowers are commonly seen in fence rows, pastures, roadside ditches, prairies, open woods and gardens in late summer.) While the pollen of goldenrods may be carried by the wind, plants are primarily insect pollinated. Goldenrods do not contribute significantly to hay fever problems in late summer.
Why does my turfgrass appear more orange than green?
Rust on turfgrass is a common problem this time of year. This fungal disease can be diagnosed by walking across your lawn in white shoes. The bright orange spores of the rust fungus rub off the grass blades and onto shoes, giving them an orange appearance.
Warm days, moderate night temperatures, high humidity and long dew periods are optimal conditions for rust infection. Rust is most severe when lack of water, low fertility or soil compaction reduces the growth of turfgrass.
Rust is best managed with a balanced fertility program and regular mowing. If possible, irrigate early in the day to reduce drought stress. Core aerate if soil compaction is a problem. In most situations, fungicide sprays are not necessary.
What are the tiny ants in my kitchen?
Grease ant is a name commonly used for one of the smallest ants found in homes in Iowa. These ants are technically known as thief ants. They are very small; only 1 to 1.5 mm (1/16th inch) long. They are smooth and shiny and may be yellow to light or dark brown. Though they will eat almost anything, these ants prefer to eat grease, fats and meats. Grease ants form a trail from the food to the nest and the moving columns of ants can be noticed upon careful inspection.
Most available ant baits must be mixed with a grease or oil (vegetable, corn, fish) to make them attractive to grease ants. Start with a 1:1 mixture and see if the ants are attracted to the bait, if not try more oil, or a different kind of oil. Once mixed, the bait can be placed on small squares of paper or the non-sticky side of masking tape strips. Use baits with care. Make sure the bait is out of the reach of children and pets. When ant activity has ceased, carefully dispose of the remaining bait.
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