THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, April 14, 1996 TAG: 9604120104
SECTION: HOME & GARDEN PAGE: G1 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: Reminders
SOURCE: Robert Stiffler
LENGTH: Long : 137 lines
WHEN YOU PLANT roses, take off that tiny wire that holds a metal tag with the name of the rose. The wind whips those tags around and often kills the branch. Use some other form of identification for roses and all shrubs, because eventually those aluminum tags and wires will harm the plant.
For attractive name tags with stakes, write to the Harlane Co., 266 Orangeburg Road, Old Tappan, N.J. 07675 for a brochure and order form.
Build a bentwood trellis
``How to Make Romantic Bentwood Trellises for the Garden'' by Jim Long (Long Creek Herbs, $6.95 paperback) includes plans and directions for garden trellises, fences and
gates. All can be ``easily made from tree trimmings or downed limbs from storms,'' says the author. To order, write Route 4, Box 730, Oak Grove, Ark. 72660.
Grow flowers to cut
If you want to grow flowers for cutting this season, plant them as soon as the soil warms. A cold spring has delayed that somewhat, but plants should be in the ground by mid-May. Choose a location that includes good garden soil and a minimum of six hours sunlight.
Virginia Tech's Diane Relf says that since you plan to cut these flowers for your own use, you don't want the bed in public view. A section of your vegetable garden may be ideal.
Some easy flowers to grow from seed are zinnias, marigolds, cosmos and cleome. Don't forget gladiolis and easy to grow perennials.
If you want to start with plants instead of seed, there are many available in garden centers now.
Roses for partial shade
If you want to grow roses and don't have much sunlight, miniature roses are more shade tolerant than others. No rose will bloom well without at least six hours of sunlight daily. The plants will live, but you won't get many blooms.
Floribunda roses perform especially poorly in shade, while hybrid teas do a little better, but miniatures are your best bet. They can be found in garden centers.
Heirloom tomato seeds
Fetzer, the organic vineyard in Medocino County, Calif., has a five-acre organic garden where it grows 1,000 varieties of fruit, vegetables, herbs and edible flowers. Last year they grew 115 kinds of rare, heirloom tomatoes.
From those plantings, they are offering three varieties of seed: Stupice from the former Czechoslovakia; Black Krim from Russia and Georgia Streak from Georgia, USA. Fetzer says these three were selected for their beautiful color, shape and flavor.
To order the kit of three packages of seed, call (800) 949-4035 and charge $5.30 on your charge card.
Perennials organically
``Gardening with Perennials,'' (Rodale Press, $27.95 hardcover) includes 14 fully illustrated garden plans from expert landscape designers, ranging from a butterfly garden to a perennial herb garden. Rodale publishes organic gardening books. Any bookstore or garden center can order it for you.
``Blue hollies'' are back
``Blue hollies'' were introduced in 1970 and are being publicized again. They have lustrous blue-green foliage and red berries, but be aware that they do not grow well in the South. If you want a holly, it's best to choose a variety other than one of the ``blues.''
Dire fungus forecast
There's bad news ahead, fungus-wise. A ``Fungus Forecast'' predicts increased potential for lawn and garden fungal disease problems this summer. Optimal weather for fungal disease is a wet spring followed by a dry summer with daytime temperatures in the upper 80s, nighttime lows above 70 degrees and humidity above 80 percent, it says. Fungus also is a problem in areas where summers are dry and nighttime humidity is high, and roses, lawns and gardens are irrigated.
Application of a systemic, preventive fungicide is recommended to prevent fungal damage. This forecast comes from Spectracide Immunex, a new fungus spray.
Master Gardeners plant sale
Mark your calendar for the Virginia Beach Master Gardeners annual plant sale at Pembroke Mall on Saturday, April 27. Plant donations and volunteers are needed. Call 427-4769.
All about herbs
``The Herb Gardener: A Guide for All Seasons'' by Susan McClure (Storey Communications, $49.95 hardcover) is an all-inclusive new book for anyone growing herbs. Emelie Tolley, author of ``Gardening with Herbs,'' says, ``Anyone interested in growing herbs should have this enormously informative book in their library.''
Any bookstore can order it for you or you can buy direct by calling (800) 441-5700.
Classes at Monticello
Monticello is holding a series of classes most Saturday all season long on subjects ranging from old roses to the history of trees. There is a $5 charge for each event. Call (804) 984-9822.
Get those mowers ready
Mower blades should now be sharpened and balanced, belts checked, oil changed, spark plugs cleaned or replaced and the engines started to make sure everything works. Set your mower at 2 inches for these first mowings and as the season progresses, gradually raise it to keep the sun from ``burning'' the turf. If we have a wet spring or you have heavily irrigated or fertilized turf, grass will surge forward in growth, and you may want to jump up to the highest setting on your mower, advises The Brickman Group Landscape Memo. Brickman is the country's largest professional landscape group.
Sweet canteloups
If your canteloups tasted dull last season, it may have been caused by too much rain. About four days after a heavy rain, the sugar in the melon is used for metabolic needs, and sweetness drops off noticeably. Melons harvested within a day or two after a downpour are still sweet, as are melons harvested a week or more after a downpour, when sugar concentrations have had enough time to build back up, reports the USDA Agricultural Research Service.
Window box kits
In my story last Sunday about window boxes, I forgot to mention that Jackson & Perkins offers sun or shade window box kits. Each kit includes a 30-inch window box, mounting brackets, soil mix and eight easy-care plants to fill the box. Cost is $64.95. Call (800) 292-4769. ILLUSTRATION: Color Photo
Cosmos like this Purity White are hardy flowers that can be planted
now. Either sow seed on top of the ground and rake it in or cover
slightly.
by CNB