歪歪漫画

Q: Is the ornamental grass in the photo looking like it will come back fully this year? 鈥� Jon B.

A: When the center of an ornamental grass clump becomes bare and dead-looking, it鈥檚 an indication that it鈥檚 due for renewal by digging and dividing. In viewing the photo, your grass clump appears to be on the borderline of needing dividing. If not done this spring, it would definitely be wise to do so next year.

Spring is the preferred season for digging, dividing and resetting ornamental grasses. It鈥檚 less stressful to the plant if the operation is done just as new growth is emerging from ground level, or slightly before. If new growth becomes too advanced, there鈥檚 an increased chance of something going wrong.

To divide ornamental grass, dig the entire clump, cut it into sections with the spade or a knife, and replant the vigorous sections from the outer perimeter of the clump. A sizeable ornamental grass clump can easily yield four or more divisions. Plant at the same depth as the original and water well.

Q: I鈥檝e heard that you鈥檙e supposed to plant strawberries at just the right depth. How do you know how deep to plant them? I鈥檝e just bought some bare-root plants. 鈥� Tom M.

A: You鈥檙e right about strawberry planting depth being important, especially for bare-root plants. If planted too shallowly, they lose water and can die. If planted too deeply, leaves might not emerge and rot can ensue.

To determine how deeply to plant, locate the 鈥渃rown鈥� of the strawberry plant. The crown is the thickened portion located just above the root system. Plant the center of the crown right at the soil line, so the roots are fully buried, and the growth emerging from the crown is visible.

Q: I鈥檝e got some potatoes leftover from a bag we bought at the grocery store. I鈥檇 like to try growing potatoes in our small garden. Is it OK to plant these potatoes? How large of a chunk do you plant? 鈥� Rachel W.

A: Potatoes sold for consumption at grocery stores aren鈥檛 the best option for gardening. They鈥檙e often treated with sprout inhibitors to increase their shelf life, and the chemicals can reduce the tubers鈥� ability to produce abundant sprouts and roots.

A better choice is to select certified seed potatoes, which are sold at garden centers, farm supply stores and other retailers. Certified seed potatoes, identified as such on their tag, which is most often blue in color, have been inspected to be free of tuber-borne diseases that can infect a new potato crop.

If seed potato tubers are the size of a golf ball, the entire tuber can be planted whole. If larger, cut tubers into chunks, with each piece having two or more 鈥渆yes,鈥� which are the dimples in the tuber from which new growth arises.

Potatoes are one of my favorite crops to grow, and I always begin by purchasing fresh, certified seed every year.

If you have a gardening or lawn care question, email Don Kinzler, NDSU Extension-Cass County, at donald.kinzler@ndsu.edu . Questions with broad appeal may be published, so please include your name, city and state for appropriate advice.