Questions & Answers

A. The easy answer is spray. There are many products on the market today that you can simply spray over your entire grass, which will only kill the dandelions. One such that I have used for years is Ortho's Weed-B-Gon. One is always a little hesitant about spraying with a hose-end sprayer over the entire lawn, but I have never had problems with the grass dying. I also have a hand-held garden tool called the Hound Dog that really works! You place the prongs over the individual dandelion, push the metal prod into the ground and pull up. Voila, the dandelion comes up roots and all. Of course, the only problem being is that's it is time consuming. When you think about it, though, take an hour to rid your lawn of dandelions the first time and then just maintain it a few minutes a week after that.

Q. I've had a cactus/yucca or flax-like shrub in my garden for 10 or 12 years. This past year was the first time it ever bloomed. It had this huge stalk that came right out of the middle of the plant, which is only 2 feet high with slender, long blades of leaves. It bloomed much like a century plant, but this plant is much smaller with skinnier, softer foliage. Do you have any idea what this plant is and why it hasn't bloomed all this time?

A. Yucca is a member of the Agavaceae family, so similar looking plants should fall into this same category. Some of the plants in this family have sharp, stiff leaves, while others are softer and friendlier to have around. The blooming cycle differs with each and depends upon plant maturity, soil conditions and sunlight. It sounds like all these factors contributed just right for your specimen to finally bloom. An excellent book to help you determine the precise identity of your yucca-like plant is, "Succulents -- The Illustrated Dictionary," by Timber Press, Portland, Oregon. ISBN#0-88192-398-2.

Q. I've been noticing an extraordinary number of little gnats flying around inside my home. After a little investigating, I finally found the culrpit: the soil around one of my houseplants. Have I been keeping the soil too wet? What can I do to get rid of these flying gnats?

A. Those are probably fungus gnats. They lay their eggs in potting soil, and the soil-dwelling larvae of most species feed on decaying organic matter. Some may also feed on plant roots, but the majority won't cause serious damage. Of course, having them flying around the house is bothersome. You were on the right track when you asked about keeping your soil too wet. Control fungus gnats by allowing the soil to dry out between waterings. You can also place sticky yellow traps horizontally on the pot rims to capture the adults. Such sticky traps can be found at most garden centers. For heavy infestations, drench the soil with a special Bacillus thuringiensis (B. israelensis) called Gnatrol. The latter can be found from Gardens Alive. Request a free catalog by writing them at: 5100 Schenley Place, Lawrenceburg, IN., 47025.

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