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

DATE: SUNDAY, November 5, 1995                   TAG: 9511070004
SECTION: HOMES                    PAGE: B-1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: JOHN ARBOGAST
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

RIDDING A YARD OF WIREGRASS

Q: During the long dry spell that we had this summer, the only thing that thrived in my yard was wiregrass. I was fearful of putting anything on it at that time. Now, it is really going strong. (letter dated 9/26) Please address this problem. J.W., Salem

A: You have two choices: Spray the lawn where wiregrass is growing using something nonselective that won't linger very long in the soil, like Roundup, and then establish a new lawn free of wiregrass. It's too late for this now, since this usually requires two or more applications each about two weeks apart, requires the plants to be killed to be actively growing, and should be timed during the mid summer so that the new lawn can be established in late summer. This method involves a lot of work and there is no guarantee that wiregrass won't appear in the new turf within about five years.

The other option is to manage the lawn so that the good grass is helped but not the wiregrass. For this answer, I'm assuming you want a bluegrass or fescue lawn. This is accomplished by: eliminating all adverse conditions that weaken your desired grass species as far as possible since these things seem to be favorable to wiregrass through methods including periodic deep waterings during droughts and mowing at a two and a half to three inch cutting height; slit seed desired grass species into the thin or wiregrass infested lawn areas in late summer and water appropriately; and apply nitrogen fertilizer in the fall when it will be beneficial to bluegrasses and fescues rather than in the spring when wiregrass likes it.

Q: I'd like to know when my black raspberry can be transplanted and pruned for next year. V.W., Roanoke

A: I'm assuming that your black raspberry has grown at least two years and has fruited at least once. Transplanting can be done in midfall soon after the plant is dormant and while the soil is still warm. Prune in late winter after danger of severe cold is past but before the buds begin to swell. Remove all dead, weak and severely damaged canes, plus thin each plant until four or five of the stoutest canes remain. Shorten the side branches on these canes.

Send short questions about your lawn, garden, plants, or insects to Dear John, c/o 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.

Recruiting Master Gardeners

If you have an interest and some experience in any aspect of horticulture, like to work with people and have a desire to do something for our community that has the fringe benefit of earned respect, the Virginia Cooperative Extension Master Gardener program needs you. The Roanoke City Extension Office is looking for interested folks to enter the Roanoke area Master Gardener (MG) training program for 1996.

Making the commitment to work as a Master Gardener volunteer involves taking 48-50 hours of classroom training given locally, along with reading the MG Handbook from Virginia Tech that serves as a resource manual. You must volunteer a minimum of 48-50 hours as an Extension horticulture volunteer.

Some of the current Roanoke MG activities include operating the ``Green Line'' to answer consumer horticulture telephone calls at the Roanoke City Extension Office, working with area youth in the annual 4-H Garden Project, and working with the cities of Roanoke and Salem on upkeep of public rose gardens.

To obtain information on the Roanoke MG training program, call the Roanoke City Extension Office at 857-7915. Classes will be held on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons Jan. 16 - March 12. Applications will be available soon.

Virginia Cooperative Extension Master Gardener training programs are conducted in other local Extension units in our region, particularly in the nonrural counties or cities. So, readers interested in becoming a MG outside the Roanoke area are asked to call their local Extension office.

Daylily society to form

Home gardeners interested in forming a Roanoke-Lynchburg daylily society are invited to come to a meeting on Saturday, Nov. 11, at 1 p.m., at the home of John A. Wente, east of Bedford. Call (540) 586-0713 for directions and information.

Tree care

A home tree-care program will be presented on Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to noon at the Roanoke County Brambleton Center at 3738 Brambleton Ave. S.W.

Registration is required. Call 772-7524.

by CNB