DATE: Sunday, April 20, 1997                TAG: 9704180197

SECTION: HOME & GARDEN           PAGE: G1   EDITION: FINAL 

COLUMN: GARDENING 

SOURCE: Robert Stiffler

                                            LENGTH:   46 lines

SOIL MAY BE WARM ENOUGH TO SET OUT TOMATOES

ALTHOUGH THE PAST week didn't hold up this promise, the weather should be warm enough now to buy tomato, pepper and eggplant plants and put them in your garden.

An old adage is never plant before April 15. Don't let warm days fool you. Check the weather forecast for the next week before putting plants in your garden.

Plants refuse to grow if nights are cool. Peppers and eggplants are sensitive to cold soils and weather. Once stunted by cold weather, they recover slowly. It's better to plant late than too early.

You can also plant green beans, cantaloups, squash, cucumbers and watermelons. If you want to warm the soil first, put black plastic over it for a few days.

Victoria editor to speak

Tovah Martin, garden editor for Victoria magazine, will speak Saturday at Maymont Foundation's annual ``Herbs Galore'' event in Richmond. It's a full day of herbal events from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Forty vendors will be selling herbs of all varieties. Admission is free, but fees vary from $7 to $12 for the seminars. Call (804) 358-7166.

Herbs for sale

Locally the St. Martha's Herb Garden Circle of Eastern Shore Chapel will hold its annual sale starting at 9 a.m. May 3 in the church yard, 2020 Laskin Road, Virginia Beach. More than 1,000 herbs from Linda's Garden in Pungo will be for sale. Call 425-9988.

Spring Flower Festival

Next Saturday will be the Spring Flower Festival at Great Bridge High School on Hanbury Road, Chesapeake. Bedding plants, herbs and perennials will be sold to benefit the Parent Teacher Student Association. There'll be 15 exhibitors with demonstrations throughout the morning and a drawing every hour for a free hanging basket. Hours are 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Call 547-7352. ILLUSTRATION: [Color Photo]

FLORASTAR

Lantana...

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