DATE: Sunday, May 18, 1997                  TAG: 9705170067

SECTION: HOME & GARDEN           PAGE: G1   EDITION: FINAL 

COLUMN: Reminders 

SOURCE: Robert Stiffler 

                                            LENGTH:  141 lines

LEAVE GRASS CLIPPINGS ON LAWN OR USE AS MULCH IN GARDEN

``THAT SIGN of spring, the roar of the power mower, has arrived,'' writes Virginia Tech's Diane Relf. ``As you emptied the catcher bag of grass clippings, did you wonder what to do with them?''

She suggests you mow often and let the grass clippings fall back on the lawn. They add nitrogen to the soil and will not cause thatch build up. Grass clippings, mixed with ground up leaves, make good mulch around your shrubs or in your vegetable garden. Do not use them if you sprayed your grass for weeds.

If you bag your grass and do not have a compost pile, ask a neighbor or friend who composts. They'll probably be happy to have the clippings.

Yard trimmings are the second largest component of solid waste, about 18 percent or 35 million tons. They run second only to paper and paperboard products. Do your part by not sending them out with the garbage. The agricultural extension office in your city can give you free information about composting and mulching. Gardening with Dr. Duane

Thursday night is your chance to see and hear everyone's favorite weatherman - Dr. Duane Harding. He'll be speaking at the Norfolk Botanical Garden at 7:30 p.m on ``Weather for Gardeners.'' Harding, a Master Gardener, will share secrets, including how he gets ripe garden tomatoes before June 1. The lecture is free to Norfolk Botanical Garden Society members; $5 for others. Call 441-5839. Keep broccoli green

The Brooklyn Botanic Garden newsletter reports that placing freshly cut broccoli heads in water containing sugar for several hours will delay yellowing during storage at room temperature. Use 2.6 ounces of sugar per quart of water. This is based on experiments conducted in Australia. Guide to orchids

The American Orchid Society recently published a 64-page book titled ``Your First Orchid: A Guide for Beginners.'' For a copy, send a check for $7.95 to AOS Book Shop, American Orchid Society, 6000 S. Olive Ave., West Palm Beach, Fla. 33405. Sharpen mower blade

There's nothing worse this time of year than to need lawn mower service and be told it will take two weeks before you get your mower back. All the time the grass is getting taller. Renn's Lawn Equipment at 1760 Independence Blvd. in Virginia Beach provides prompt service and will sharpen your mower blade while you wait. It's located near the intersection of Independence and Pleasure House Road. Call 460-4601.

When your mower blade is dull, it doesn't cut grass - it whips it to death, leaving ragged edges. Try to sharpen your blade two or three times per season. Best of Buddleia

With interest in butterflies at an all-time high, Buddleia (butterfly bush) has become a very popular shrub. In severe winters, it freezes to the ground, usually coming back from the roots. Its real enemy is the spider mite. If it's planted in an area that does not have good wind circulation, it can look very bad by mid-August and sometimes will die because of these sucking insects.

The University of Georgia has been trying to find species that will be resistant to the mite. There are none that are completely spider-mite proof, but there are cultivars that show resistance. Buddleia davadii cultivar ``Ile de France''; the nanhoensis forms such as ``Nanho Blue'' and ``Nanho Purple'' are the most resistant. The Buddleia species, B. fallowian and B. yunnansis, also show resistance.

When buying Buddleia this spring, insist on the varieties named above that are the most resistant to spider mites. Fight crabgrass

If you use the Internet, perhaps you can solve your crabgrass problem there. The manufacturers of Dimension crabgrass preventer have set up a Home Page to assist homeowners. The Web site (http://www.crabgrass.com), includes helpful hints for maintaining a healthy lawn. Careful where you edge

Edging, the practice of going around trees, sidewalks and beds with a power tool that trims the grass and leaves a nice edge, is popular today. The Brickman Group newsletter warns gardeners that you can cause stress to a tree with such edging, particularly if you use a heavy spade to edge.

Edging deeper than 2 inches may cut major tree roots and cut off the supply of water and nutrients. Newly planted shallow-rooted trees such as cherry, crab apple, Amelanchier (shadbush), hawthorn and dogwood are particularly susceptible to severe damage if their newly expanded feeder roots are injured. Source for safety

Lowe's Companies, one of this country's largest home center retailers, has founded The Lowe's Home Safety Council, a non-profit organization dedicated to home safety. Topics include safety with power mowers, hand tools and lawn chemicals.

You can call a 24-hour information line at (800) SAFE HOME. A free safety packet can be obtained by calling that number. Visit Lowe's home page on the World Wide Web (http://www.lowes.com). Festival in South Carolina

Park Seed Co. opens its trial gardens to the public on June 21. Park is located in Greenwood, S.C., 125 miles southwest of Charlotte, N.C. At the same time, the South Carolina Festival of Flowers is held in Greenwood.

This is an all-day festival. If you've never attended, you'll enjoy tours of the seed houses as well as the gardens. Wayside Gardens, next door, is part of Park Seed. Call (864) 223-7333. Fence deer out

Across America, deer are becoming the No. 1 threat to gardening and home landscaping. One of the best solutions appears to be a mesh fence from Benner's Gardens. It's a virtually invisible mesh barrier that is 7 1/2 feet high and 100 feet long. You tack it to the trees on the outer perimeter of your lot. It must work, because it's selling like hotcakes.

For information and literature, contact Benner's Gardens, 6974 Upper York Road, New Hope, Pa. 18938. You can also call (800) 753-4660 or fax (215) 477-9429. Buy a strong cage

It's time to cage your tomatoes. Those funnel-shaped devices in garden centers are not of much use with large tomato plants. They're OK for bush tomatoes but are not tall enough or strong enough to house a Better Boy tomato.

Go to a hardware store that makes its own and buy a cage made from concrete reinforcing fencing. They'll cost up to $5 each but last for years. Mine are at least 15 years old and still usable.

One source is Abner's Hardware on First Colonial Road in Virginia Beach. Call 428-8577. Check with your favorite hardware store. They may be making them too. Salt-tolerant grass

Here's a tip from Greg and Pat Williams, publishers of HortIdeas newsletter, that might interest those living along the beach. ``Salty'' alkali grass is a fine-textured cool-season, perennial turfgrass with a high tolerance for salt. It is recommended for use along roads and sidewalks to which salt is regularly applied for ice control in winter. The grass can be mowed to a height of between 1 and 3 inches or can be left unmowed. For information, call Loft Seed, (800) 526-3890. ILLUSTRATION: Photos

Sharpen your mower blade two or three times per season.

Placing freshly cut broccoli in water containing sugar will delay

yellowing.

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