DEL.ICIO.USWALTER REEVES
Insects give compost piles healthy dose of proteinFor the Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 06/26/08
Q: We put peelings, coffee grounds, egg shells, etc. in our enclosed compost bin. There are a whole lot of gnats in it that swarm up when I open the top. Are these gnats OK?
Carolyn Gaik, Habersham County
 Walter Reeves / AJC Special | ||
| Composting kitchen scraps is a great idea, but be prepared to bury it if insects are worrisome. | ||
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A: Various gnats and flies are attracted to vegetable peelings because they typically contain lots of protein and sugars. The insects don't hurt the composting process. In fact, they help it along by introducing fungi that consume the other things you have piled up. If the fruit flies bother you, keep a small shovel by the pile and bury kitchen waste under the tree leaves and grass clippings.
Q: I applied 16-4-8 granular fertilizer to my lawn. The bag states not to touch it and to keep it out of reach of pets and children. Is it really dangerous to my pet Yorkies?
Vicky T., e-mail
A: The fertilizer is only dangerous if they eat it from the bag. Some dogs like the salty taste, but most do not. After spreading the fertilizer on a lawn and watering it in, I foresee no ill effects.
Q: We are considering planting an almond tree next spring. Will an almond produce in Georgia?
Leigh Brookes, Lawrenceville
A: You can try to grow almonds in Georgia, but only if you have a high capacity for heartbreak. Almonds are close kin to peaches, so they have the same multitude of diseases and pests. They require hot, dry summers but plenty of soil-applied irrigation. An almond fruit looks like a miniature peach, about the size of a golf ball. In late summer, the fruit splits open to reveal an inner shell, which contains the almond nut. If the weather is rainy or if there is high humidity, the fruit will rot without opening. With luck, you may get a few almonds each year but probably not enough to make it worth the trouble. Fruit expert Gerard Krewer says the best home orchard variety is "Halls Hardy." It is late-blooming, self-fertile and hard-shelled.
Q: My crossvine is producing its annual pods. I wondered whether these can be used to produce new vines and, if so, how?
D. Osea, e-mail
A: Crossvine can be easily propagated from seed. Just wait until the pods are brown and then open them to collect the seed. Depending on when that happens, you can either keep the seed dry and cool in winter and plant next May or you can try to plant some immediately to see what sprouts.
Q: If I plant a bay leaf plant next to my kitchen window, do you think it will it help repel roaches from the area?
Jodi Bradley, Atlanta
A: I'm not aware of any research that shows that bay leaves repel insects. While some plant leaves are mildly repellent to bugs, there must usually be a heavy concentration of the oils present in the air to make an insect go elsewhere. I doubt the light scent of a bay tree would do anything to repel roaches. Get some of the insect bait stations designed for large roaches and place them near doors and windows in your house.
Listen to Walter Reeves Saturday mornings on NewsTalk 750 WSB-AM from 6 to 10. Call 404-872-0750 to ask questions. His Web site, www.walterreeves.com, contains thousands of answers to lawn and landscape questions. Watch "Gardening in Georgia" each week on GPB. Details at www.gardeningingeorgia.com.
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