THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, January 26, 1997 TAG: 9701240066
SECTION: HOME & GARDEN PAGE: G3 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: Gardening
SOURCE: Robert Stiffler
LENGTH: 59 lines
We have a red maple tree in our backyard that we assumed was dead. Last year, sprouts came out of the ground and, with this year's rain, the sprouts have grown almost to the height of the original tree. Should I cut down all but one of the sprouts or should I just leave everything alone and let Mother Nature make the selection of the fittest?
Mike Breslin, Virginia Beach
You should not rely on Mother Nature to make the selection of the fittest. Whether your sprouts prove to be like the original tree will depend on whether the original tree was a seedling or grafted. Select the largest, healthiest sprout and prune it to a good tree shape. Prune off all other sprouts at ground level and keep them pruned off so your best sprout can thrive.
I have tried in vain to locate a houseplant called Nun's Orchid. I wrote to Heaths Greenhouse, Chalkville, Ala., because they were mentioned in an article in Southern Living last February but that brought no results. Can you help?
B.C. Moody, Portsmouth
Virginia Beach orchid expert Tom Ward says Nun's Orchid flower ``faces down, demurely, in a pious pose with a white cap and brown edges.'' That's how it got its name. It's proper name is Phaius, Tankers Villeae. It should be available from Orchid Alley in Chesapeake.
A year ago, I moved onto my present property, which has a big grape vine that looks healthy. It has lots of round red grapes that seem to have a white coat on them, like the ones you see in the grocery store - but they don't taste the same. These seem to taste sweet/sour and near the seed have a slimy texture.
Can you let me know if these grapes are OK to eat or should I leave them for the birds? Is it OK to cut the vines back in the fall, once the leaves have fallen off? The vine seems to have gotten bigger and is spreading, clinging to a fence and trees near it. The strong winds from storm Bertha made the vine lean to one side so I tried to prop it up with the help of a large pole. I don't know how long the pole will hold it, which is why I need pruning information at once.
Yvonne M. Johnson,
Virginia Beach
Virginia Tech experts say it sounds like your grape has downy mildew, which is difficult to eradicate. You need to pick up a spray specifically for downy mildew at a garden center. The disease survives winter and is spread by wind and rain.
Grapes should be pruned in late February, and it is a complicated procedure so I am sending you a chart that explains how. From the color and taste you describe, your grape may be a scuppernong, which is native to this area and is safe to eat. MEMO: No gardening questions will be taken over the phone. Write to
Robert Stiffler, The Virginian-Pilot, 150 W. Brambleton Ave., Norfolk,
Va. 23510. Answers will be published on a space-available basis. For an
earlier reply, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope.