GARDENING Q&A

Q:Could you tell me how to save seeds from the tomatoes I am growing this year?

Answer: If your tomatoes are open-pollinated varieties, not hybrids, you can save seeds by allowing the tomato to fully ripen on the vine. Then scrape out the seeds and spread them out on a paper towel. Put them in a cool, dry place and allow them to dry. This will take several days to a week.

Once they are dry, place them in a jar with a secure lid. Put a tissue or small piece of a napkin inside to absorb any moisture that might develop. Then put the jar in the refrigerator until you're ready to plant them.

If your plants are modern hybrids, you shouldn't try to save seeds. These seeds will revert to one of the parent plants. Consequently, they might not produce a tomato with the characteristics you liked in the plants this year.

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Is this the result of my efforts, or is this just a down year in the beetle cycle?

Answer: Japanese beetle populations do seem to run on a cycle. Their numbers increase to a peak and then drop off to a low before they start to increase again. The complete cycle seems to take about seven years.

I'm sure the treatments you've made are helping. Of course, you also could be on the low side of a cycle.

I usually don't knock success, but you might try a September treatment this year. Most experts agree that late summer/early fall is the best time to kill grubs.

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The "parent" used the evergreen leaves to make a cocoon that hangs like a teardrop.

When I cut into it, there is a brown worm encased. I've tried insecticides, and am now cutting out the damaged branches.

Do you know what this is and what else I can do about it?

Answer: The pest you have is called bagworm. They are very damaging to conifers.

The ideal time to treat for them is June 1. At that time, they are only about ¼-inch long.

By mid-summer when the bags are more than 1-inch long, they are almost immune to the pesticides. Removing them by hand is an option, if you don't have too many.

The females lay eggs in the bags in late summer and the eggs hatch next spring.

If you still have any bags on the plant this fall, you can reduce the chances of reinfestation by picking them off.

These plants will not produce new needles where the worms have eaten them off.

If you decide to treat the worms with an insecticide next spring, Imidachloprid can be used to treat them in May. This insecticide is systemic and can be used as a soil drench rather than having to spray the entire plant.

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This year we are having a terrible problem with locust sprouts coming up all over our yard. What can we do to stop these sprouts?

Answer: Unfortunately, the sprouts will be a problem a little longer.

With the tree gone and the stump removed, there are live roots underground that know they need to produce some leaves to survive. The leaves absorb sunlight and convert it to food for the roots. By not allowing leaves to stay on the plant, those roots should go into winter with no food stored.

Consequently, most of them should die before next spring.

However, it wouldn't be unusual to still get a few sprouts next summer.

If you do, just keep cutting them down with your mower, and they will eventually die.
Richard Nunnally is a freelance writer and speaker as well as host of WCVE's monthly gardening show, "Virginia Home Grown." Questions can be sent to or P.O. Box 3690, Chester, VA 23831.