Q: I have roughly three acres of land that apparently were cow pasture before our house was built in 1985. I have been trying to reforest this property since 1988. Most of the trees and the grass have been very healthy, including a white oak that must be 150-plus years old. The varieties of trees are diverse on the property. We are only losing wild cherry, maple, ash and willow. My concern is for some trees that are 20 to 30 years old and appear to be very healthy one year, and the next spring they are just dead, dying or losing foliage at the top for no apparent reason. We have lost eight or nine in recent years, and my neighbor to the northeast has not lost any. I have been told that the culprit is a fungus that usually will not kill a healthy tree. What should I do to identify the solution? If this is not within your expertise, please recommend someone who can help. I enjoy your column. – Doug Robinson, West Harrison, Ind.<\/p>\n
A: The real experts are found at the Purdue Plant & Pest Diagnostic Laboratory (765-494-7071). They’ll help you figure out which parts of the trees you need to send in for testing, identify the problem and make recommendations for the future. There is an $11 fee for testing. You might also try your district forester. In southeast Indiana, it is John Seifert, Butlerville, IN (812-458-6978). I hope you can get to the root of the problem and save those trees!<\/p>\n
Q: My dad used to grow ‘Country Gentleman’ sweet corn some years ago. He would like to have some again. Do you know of any seed company that sells the original ‘Country Gentleman’ seed? I’d sure appreciate any help you can give me. – Pat Harmeyer, Greensburg, Ind.<\/p>\n
A: Several seed companies still carry ‘Country Gentleman’ including Seeds Blum, Idaho City Stage, Boise, ID 83706, Shumway Seedsman, P.O. Box 1, Graniteville, SC 29829, and D. Landreth, P.O. Box 6246, Baltimore, MD 21230. All three of these companies specialize in heirloom type vegetable seeds.<\/p>\n
Q: If someone has hollyhock seed -the old-fashioned type – I would like to have some. – Bob Schepke, Memphis, Ind.<\/p>\n
A: This column isn’t set up to become a seed exchange, but I’m glad to steer you in the right direction. Some seed exchanges are run through magazines, including Fine Gardening and American Horticulturist. You might find these magazines at bookstore magazine stands or the library. Both of these seed exchanges carry modern cultivars and garden crosses, as well as older varieties. The Seed Savers Exchange at 3076 N. Winn Rd., Decorah, Iowa 52101, is an organization devoted to preservation and exchange of old-fashioned varieties, especially vegetables, but they have started a flower and herb exchange too.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"