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repellent plants

-- [ From: nonayobusiness * EMC.Ver #2.3 ] --


I saw the citronella plant for sale in Spring Valley, NY at the Matterhorn
Nursery for 2.98. It looks a whole lot like some kind of scented geranium,
and was located in the section with a lot of these.   I have used  the same
trick of rubbing a  crumpled leaf all over myself with a plant from the
mint family that is a low  creeper and perennial, and of course I can't
think of  right now.  The plant I couldn't think of a while back that they
claimed  has a nice smell, but I don't  smell was Centranthus rubrum.  When
I remember the name of the anti mosquito plant, I  will post it.   I also
heard that if you take 500 mg of Vitamin b1 thiamine, the day before you
will be exposed to  mosquitoes, and  then every a.m. you take between 100 
and 200 mg of  it (depending on your size),  you will not get bitten at
all. I heard this on the Garden Hotline.  Oh - you should repeat the dose
at noon  as well.  I haven't tried this, but there you are.  Consult a
health professional before doing this, I guess.  The worst they'll do is
laugh in that superior sort of way they have.  

Here's a problem that suddenly cropped up. Perhaps somebody will clue me in
as to what to do. I have a New Guinea  Impatiens plant that I've had since
last Mother's Day. I grew it outside all summer and it was great. (In a
sunken pot.)  In the fall I took it in and it has been doing beautifully,
blooms and all, all winter. Just two days ago, though, whole stems suddenly
got soft, and collapsed, and so did all the foliage on those stems.   This
plant is being grown in a sunny west bay window, on a shelf made of 1x1's
with a 1" space between each piece of wood.   There is no saucer underneath
it, so excess  H20 goes right down to trays below.  I had to water every
day, unless it was cloudy.  About a week ago,  I discovered some scale on
the plant and I washed it off in the sink and sprayed it with that
scalecide suggested here, of 1:1:1 alcohol, H20, and ammonia. I cut down to
firm tissue with a razor, but every time I turn around, a new branch is
collapsing.  What am I doing wrong!!??

Have you all heard about what the FCC did?  THe administration wants all 
schools to be connected to the WWW.  So, they are now going to be charging
more taxes, because they want the connection rate  to be subsidized by the
gov't.  Guess  where the $ is coming from?   Any  residence  or business
that has more than one telephone line  will foot the bill.  All additional
phone lines will  have a surcharge put on the bill. I have a feeling that I
know what is going to happen next.  They are going to say that since all
these children are  now using the WWW, it is very important that there be
gov't controls on what is on the WWW.  After all, it is to protect the
children.  So, they will get the controls that they tried to get the last
time, but were struck down as unconstitutional.   

I wonder if anybody has any advice about this:  I have a very easy time
growing scented geraniums that look like the old-fashioned rose scented one,
but the variegated lemon scented ones only last for a couple of years and
then they always seem to fade away and die.  I know I'm supposed to have
good air circulation to make these thrive, but what else should I be doing
to get success?

Also, I have a plant called a Spanish Dagger that my father put in a very
beautiful ceramic container about 25 years ago.  It has been there ever
since, and I think it would appreciate getting out already.   How can I get
it out without breaking the container or  mortally wounding the plant?  He
dug it out of a vacant lot in Delray Beach, in Florida.

Who has a suggestion for a list that is as good  as this one for outdoor
gardening questions?  I have a bunch of questions about a few plants that
are acting weird this spring.

Anybody who lives around  Rockland Cty.: If you want Stark  Bros. Dwarf or
Semi Dwarf Golden Delicious Apple Trees, they are being sold at Odd Job  
(Formerly Peddler's Mart) on Route 59 in Nanuet NY for $3.99 each!  I got
one there today, in very good condition, and there were still quite a few.

That's all for now!   Have a great weekend!  Lauren B. in New City, NY,
zone 6
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