Hilo resident Nick Sakovich is a professor emeritus of the University of California. He has worked in the field of agriculture for 30 years. Email your questions to Sakovich at askthegardenguy@earthlink.net.
By NICK SAKOVICH
Hi, I am going to be planting ipu seeds soon and was wondering what I can do to prevent pickle worms from damaging my plant? Also, where can I find Hawaiian bamboo, and is it the clumping or spreading variety? — Mahalo, K.S.
Early Hawaiians used no pottery. For containers, they grew hard-shelled gourds, known as ipu. Ipu also served as eating utensils and pots along with drums and rattles for their chants and dances. Migrating Polynesians used ipu during their voyages as water bottles, canoe bailers and as containers to store fish hooks, bait, medicine and food. These gourds, Lageneria siceraria and vulgaris, are in the cucurbitaceace family along with squash and cucumbers and are native of tropical Asia and Africa. In the past, more than 100 varieties were grown.
I do not have any special information regarding the susceptibility of these gourds to the pickleworm. However, the steps taken to protect gourds from the pickleworm are the same as protecting your cucumbers and squash.
1. Apply a pesticide like Sevin or Bt (Bacillius thuringiensis). This method is difficult, because the larvae spend most or all of their lives within a bloom or fruit and are well protected from pesticides. It is for this reason that numerous applications need to be made in order to keep a constant residue on the plant for both adults and larvae. The adults are not affected by Bt. Rain is also a factor in washing residues off the plant.
2. Place plants within some type of screened cage. The screen openings must be large enough to allow bees to enter but exclude the pickleworm moth which has a wing span of about 1 inch.
3. Plants can be covered with a screen, like mosquito netting, but the netting must be removed during the day when bees are active and replaced when moths are active at dusk.
The gourds are dependent on insects such as bees and beetles for pollination. This also allows for cross-pollination. Therefore when the resulting seed (of cross-pollination) is planted, the gourds may have characteristics of both parents and not run true to type. Commercial growers need to produce consistent gourds. For this reason, they will hand pollinate the flowers. If this is done, then permanent mosquito netting can be used for pickleworm protection. Hand pollination also increases seed germination rate. See “pickleworm” under insects at www.gardenguyhawaii.com for full details on the pickleworm.
Bamboo
There are two types of bamboos that are known as Hawaiian bamboo. One is Schizostachyum glaucifolium and the other is Bambusa vulgaris. Both are clumping bamboos.
1. Bambusa vulgaris, the most common, is a timber bamboo that grows to 50 feet and larger. It is susceptible to the powder post beetle and is often attacked immediately after harvest.
2. Schizostachyum glaucifolium, is a bit smaller, growing to 40 feet and has been used to make a variety of musical instruments. It is lightweight and strong, but also susceptible to the powder post beetle.
Check out the following websites for Hawaiian bamboo and other species: http://www.gaiayoga.org/nursery/index.html and http://www.whisperingwindsbamboo.com/index.html. If anyone has specific information on where to purchase Hawaiian bamboo, I will be glad to pass it on.
Taking Tomato Cuttings
By now, many of last year’s tomato plants are looking poorly. The choices are to throw some fertilizer on them and hope they will revitalize, buy more seeds or seedlings, or you can create identical plants by taking cuttings of the original.
A tomato plant that has produced good fruit is worth the effort to propagate. The method is simple: snip off a stem from the existing plant, preferably a non-fruiting, non-flowering one, and place it in a glass of water. Remove a few leaves since this cutting doesn’t have any roots yet. Within two weeks some nice, white roots should develop. Allow the roots to grow another week or so, changing the water occasionally. Cuttings then can be planted in the garden or in large containers. As an alternative, try putting some cuttings directly in the ground; make sure they are kept moist.
Hilo resident Nick Sakovich is a professor emeritus of the University of California. He has worked in the field of agriculture for 30 years. Email your questions to Sakovich at askthegardenguy@earthlink.net.