
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, September 24, 1995                   TAG: 9509270002
SECTION: HOMES                    PAGE: E-1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: JOHN ARBOGAST
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

CASTOR OIL AND PLANTS HELP REPEL MOLES

Moles are active in the fall, and their tunneling can spoil the looks of a beautiful lawn. For years, it has been known that castor oil as well as castor plants are repulsive to moles. Organic recommendations have included planting a border of castor plants around the garden or yard (note: this plant has poisonous seeds and leaves) or making a castor-oil emulsion to sprinkle over the area where moles are at work. Now, there is a new Mole-Med castor-oil repellent that folks might see in organic catalogs or advertisements.

This is not a suggestion for those who experience mole problems to spend hours of time and a lot of money looking for and using Mole-Med. To my knowledge, no one at Virginia Tech has done any research on this repellent. However, the ingredient and method of applying this repellent to the soil sound logical to me.

Q: What is the best way to store elephant-ear bulbs for the winter? Last year, I stored them in a burlap bag with vermiculite, and most of them completely dried out. How much of the roots and dried-out outer layers of the bulb should be removed prior to storage? L.B., Salem

A: The tubers of elephant ears should be dug after the foliage is killed by frost, dried off and stored over winter just like a tuberous begonia. This means in a somewhat humid, cool, dark spot where temperatures will remain between 40 and 50 degrees F. A refrigerator would be slightly too cold for storage. It sounds like your storage spot last winter was not humid enough, because the tubers dried out even with a covering of vermiculite. Only damaged, decayed or very loose parts of the tubers should be removed before storage.

Q: I need some advice on rooting rhododendrons from cuttings. I am having very little success. H.K., Troutville

A: Fall is the usual time to take cuttings from broadleaf evergreen rhododendrons with the rooting to occur in a warm, lighted spot over the winter. Cuttings should be 4- to 6-inch long shoots taken from growth made during the just completed growing season rather than from older woody parts. Treat the base of each cutting with a rooting hormone and provide bottom heat by placing the propagating container on top of a radiator, if the heat is on, or use one of those rooting devices with heating cables in the bottom. Root the cuttings in a dampened mixture of vermiculite and milled spaghnum peat moss.

Q: I would like help with a very difficult situation in which I have not been able to get anything to grow - the area under a huge gum tree. It is heavily shaded. I've now decided to try to create a shade garden of plants that will survive in shade. I would like to have something that would be attractive all year. Can you suggest anything? C.S., Salem

A: The history of no growth here in the heavy shade and possibly dry soil would make it difficult for anyone to suggest a landscape solution without seeing the site and possibly getting some other clues from neighboring plants and anything else that might cause competition or problems for things growing under the gum. So, a nonliving garden of mulch with physical items like boulders or benches would be my only idea.

Send short questions about your lawn, garden, plants or insects to Dear John, in care of The Roanoke Times, P.O. Box 2491, Roanoke, Va. 24010-2491. We need your mail, but this column can't reply to all letters. Those of wide appeal will be answered during the weeks that the subject is timely. Personal replies cannot be given. please don't send stamps, stamped envelopes, samples or pictures.

by CNB