
                         THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
                 Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, June 26, 1994                    TAG: 9406220060 
SECTION: HOME                     PAGE: G1    EDITION: FINAL  
SOURCE: ROBERT STIFFLER 
DATELINE: 940626                                 LENGTH: Short

WINTER AND SUMMER DEAL PLANTS 1-2 PUNCH

{LEAD} PLANTS SUFFERING from last winter's severe weather will surely die if you don't keep them watered. The last two hot weeks finished off many weak plants. Supply all your plants with at least 1 inch of water per week. Those suffering from winter damage will likely need watering every other day.

\ RAISE MOWER HEIGHT\ Summertime is here, which means blade height on mowers should be at least 3 inches, and 3 1/2 inches is better. The more grass blade there is, the more it shades the soil, which means less evaporation of ground moisture. When grass is thick, there is less chance of crabgrass invasion in late summer.

{REST} \ THE NAME GAME\ Several readers say I misidentified Touch-Me-Nots as impatiens in a recent reader letter. They say that in the country, balsam was called by that name. Impatiens constitute a large family and they are called, according to my reference books, Busy Lizzie, Touch-Me-Nots, Snapweed, Shady Lady and Impatiens. They are all member of the balsam family. Sultana is also a member of the family.

by CNB