THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, July 9, 1995 TAG: 9507080114
SECTION: HOME PAGE: G4 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: GARDENING
SOURCE: ROBERT STIFFLER
LENGTH: Long : 131 lines
A recent trip through North Carolina brought us to the intersection of N.C. State routes 24 and 58 in Carteret County. We were surprised and delighted to see several acres of wildflowers on each portion of the intersection, with really a spectacular planting of California poppies - red and yellow. We were told this is state property and is plowed, with different flowers planted every year. The money comes from ``vanity'' license plants, those made up for individuals. Five dollars is taken from the price of each license to provide funds for these and other plantings throughout the state. Would that Virginia could do the same.
Elizabeth Sykes, Norfolk
North Carolina has done a much better job than Virginia in beautifying its highways with wildflowers. Throughout that state, you'll find cosmos, coreopsis, poppies, cannas and other flowers used in medians, which makes highways much more interesting to travel. It's a pity Virginia does not do better. The Virginia Native Plant Society keeps pushing state officials to do more.
Please tell me how much Epsom salts to use around tomato plants.
Mrs. Margie Cook, Norfolk
The recommended use of Epsom salts is 1 tablespoon around each tomato or pepper plant. Water afterward, or use 1 tablespoon per gallon of water and pour on the soil around the plant.
I have twice lost your sugar-borax-and-whatever-else recipe to get rid of crickets. Enclosed are two live crickets that tried to assassinate me as I was writing this letter. Please send me a replacement - the recipe - not a cricket.
Mary Todd, Virginia Beach
Fortunately Mary Todd did not include two crickets with her letter. Animal nutritionist and cricket assassin specialist Lynn Christian in Virginia Beach again offers this organic control for crickets: Mix one-eighth teaspoon boric acid with one tablespoon honey and put in bottle caps wherever you've seen crickets. Boric acid is available in Wal-Mart and many other discount department stores and drug stores.
To keep crickets outdoors in the fall, put Borax, the laundry powder, around shrubs and entryways.
You recently published a letter from Harold A. Tyler, in which he described a camellia with a white and pink striped bloom but with a limb of solid pink blooms. This sounds very much like Camellia Japonica Kickoff, which frequently sports solid pink blooms. The sport even has been named Touchdown. Last year I air-layered the pink sport on my bush. It has not bloomed but when it does, I'll bet it will be another Touchdown!
Winston Gouldin, M.D., Norfolk
Thanks to Dr. Gouldin, an active member of the Virginia Camellia Society, for explaining the mysteries of the camellia.
What is Sunspray and where can it be found?
Valentine Mazzanti, Norfolk
Sunspray oil is the horticultural oil Cornell University recommends for preventing blackspot on roses. Use 1 tablespoon per gallon. Add 1 tablespoon baking soda and a squirt of liquid soap to the water and spray roses every week. Sunspray is sold by Abner's Hardware in Oceana and other home and garden centers, but any horticultural oil, including one called Sunsprite, will do the job. My suggestion is to use any horticultural oil you can find.
The beautiful Golden Rain tree is being appreciated by more and more gardeners. I have free seedlings at no cost, on a first-come basis. What a wonderful way to start your young child or grandchild on caring for plants. They can plant it in a special place, as my grandchild did, and watch its rapid growth year after year. This tree originally came from China and is highly disease- and drought-resistant. A flowering ornamental, it grows to a height of 40 to 60 feet. I also have yellow daylilies at $1.50 each and variegated hosta at $3 per plant. I take pride in propagating these plants and giving them T.L.C.
Alan C. Pocta, 2945 Bray Road, Virginia Beach Call 340-4414
The Golden-rain tree (Koelreuteria paniculata) is a good home landscape tree. Several are in front of Great Neck Middle School and, although 20 years old, they've reached a mature height of around 25 feet. The only problem with this tree is that every seed that drops seems to sprout and become a new tree. Because it grows fast, it is a good tree for a child to plant.
Enclosed is more information on boric acid that may help your readers. Quoted from Country Living magazine, July 1995: ``Prepare a mixture of 2 cups of boric acid, 1/2 cup shortening, 1/2 cup sugar and 1/4 cup chopped onion. Blend well. (This mixture has almost no odor.) Spoon a dab onto a small square of aluminum foil. Place it anywhere you suspect is an entry for bugs (but out of sight and reach of children, please!). This works! I haven't had an exterminator spray for four years. The water bugs (cockroaches) consider the mix a feast, but by the time they return to their nest, the boric acid kills them.''
Lynn D. Christian, Virginia Beach
Thanks to animal nutritionist Lynn Christian, our local boric acid authority, who uses natural products to control insects.
We know you are not fond of Bradford pears, and we learned the hard way to agree with you. Several years back, we were advised by more than one nurseryman that it was ``the ideal suburban tree.'' We planted two of them.
Once they grew to a good size, a windstorm took a good third of the first one and deposited it, along with our fence, in a neighbor's yard. A large section of the second came down on another neighbor's truck. We were not too popular in the neighborhood. We had the trees cut down, but then another neighbor's tree blew into our pool. Luckily, through all of this, no significant damage was done.
The stump in the backyard was ground out. We tried stump rot on the one in front with no luck and now will try the sodium nitrate method you suggested. In the meantime, we have roots over a goodly portion of our yard and Bradford pear shoots keep appearing. We spray them with Roundup but that is just a temporary fix. If we don't control the problem, we're going to be living in a Bradford pear grove. Is there any hope for us?
Arline Schulze, Virginia Beach
Virginia Tech authorities say Bradford pears are often grafted onto root stock of wild pears, and you will continue getting those shoots as long as they're alive. The method I use was taught me by retired Norfolk Botanical Garden Superintendent Bob Matthews. Take a small watering can, like you use for houseplants, and fill it half full of Weed-B-Gon or 33 Plus. Fill to the top with motor oil. Cut off each pear shoot at ground level. Then place just a drop or two of the oil-herbicide mix where you cut off the shoot. You'll eventually kill all the roots.
This should be a warning to homeowners with Bradford pears. We're in the midst of hurricane season. Thin out your Bradford pears or cut them down before a hurricane does it for you.
I am sending an insect called a ``Boxwillier.'' They came last fall and gathered in patches around the windows in my garage. They appear when the sun is shining in that area. Can you tell me what to use to get rid of them?
Janice B. Davis, Conway, N.C.
Your bugs are box-elder bugs. They hang around box-elder (Acer negundo) trees. They love the warmth around the sunny windows of your garage. They're harmless except they're a nuisance. Any household spray, such as Raid, will eliminate them. There is a box-elder tree somewhere near your home and until it is cut down, you'll probably have the bug problem. The box-elder is considered a weed, because it seeds itself everywhere, is weak-wooded and splits easily in storms. Much better trees are available.
by CNB