
DATE: Sunday, July 6, 1997                  TAG: 9707040100

SECTION: HOME                    PAGE: G1   EDITION: FINAL 

                                            LENGTH:  166 lines

SAVE SEED FOR MORE FOXGLOVE NEXT SPRING

MANY SNAPDRAGONS and foxglove have gone to seed. Once they do, you have these options: Prune off the seed head and throw it away; leave it to drop its seeds wherever it chooses and you'll have new plants for spring; or prune off the seed heads, put them in a plastic or paper bag and store indoors. In mid-August, plant the seed in a cold frame or any deserted spot in your garden where there's good, soft soil. In the spring, you'll have dozens of little plants to put wherever you want in your garden.

Leaving the seed heads in the garden to reseed themselves will work, but the plants will be wherever the seed happens to drop.

I prefer the third option, because you place plants where you'd like to have them. I do this every year and have more foxglove blooming each time.

Remember, they have to grow one year and bloom the second season. That's why they're called a ``biennial.''

There are some hybrid perennial foxglove that are supposed to come back year after year. They usually are available in nurseries or by mail. RESCUING YOUR ANNUALS

If you bought annual flowering plants early at one of the multitude of plant sales held throughout the area, you may have lost many of them because of cold winds and spring weather. That happened to me.

You can replace them, but it's expensive when one potted zinnia costs $1 to $2. What's best now is to prune off all blooms, straighten the plant and water it regularly.

Cosmos, snapdragons and zinnias thrive by keeping their blooms cut off. The more you cut them down to the first leaf joint, the more they'll bloom. Cut them regularly, give them some Miracle Gro once a month and they should straighten up and be fine in a couple of weeks. BUDDLEIA IN A BOUQUET

Another plant that thrives from pruning is buddleia, the butterfly bush. Cut the fragrant blooms and use them in a bouquet. The bush will throw out new growth and bloom even more.

Check carefully for spider mites, because once the weather stays hot a few days, spider mites can take over. Several sprays can be used including insecticidal soap, horticultural oil or chemicals, sprayed every five days. SPIDER MITES ATTACK

Last week I reminded readers that hot weather stresses plants and brings on insects. Unfortunately, spider mites have arrived in droves. They go together with hot, dry weather.

I thought daylilies were immune to everything but suddenly mine have yellow, scarred leaves. They're infested with spider mites.

Spider mites are tiny green, red or brown spiderlike creatures that cause yellowed, curled leaves with fine webs on the undersides. They especially like azaleas, tomatoes, marigolds, roses and a multitude of other plants.

Recommended sprays are kelthane and cygon. Organic gardeners say to spray leaf surfaces in early morning with a jet of water for three days or use insecticidal soap or ryania. DAYLILY DISPLAY

Sterrett Gardens, near Craddockville on the Eastern Shore, will hold its last open house of the season Saturday. This garden is one of only six daylily display gardens in Virginia. For directions, call (757) 442-4606. ``WATER WORKS'' PROGRAM

The Norfolk Botanical Garden education department will help you get all wet next Saturday as part of a ``Water Works'' program. It includes hydroponic displays, tips on saving water, boat excursions and water games for all ages. Brownie Scouts can earn their Water Everywhere Try-it badges. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call 441-5838. GREEN UP YELLOW SPOTS

If you have a female dog, you're used to yellow spots in your lawn. It's a small price to pay for the love of a wonderful pet. But there is a new product formulated to correct the problem. The organic product, called Dogonit, was developed by a researcher in Greece, who was, believe it or not, looking for ways to increase the juice yield of oranges.

I have tried the product and found that it works. Two applications were required, but it's inexpensive. A 32-ounce trigger spray bottle costs only $12.95, plus shipping. You spray it on the damaged area and then flush it with water. Healthy, fresh grass returns in a few days.

To order, call (800) 337-5241 or send a check for $12.95 plus $5 shipping to Dogonit, P.O. Box 2247, Nixa, Mo. 65714. CAGE CAMELLIA ROOTS

Curator Kunso Kim at the Norfolk Botanical Garden has designed the ultimate vole control. It's a cage you put around a camellia's roots. Voles have destroyed 14 valuable camellias from the garden's excellent collection.

Kim needs volunteers from 8:30 a.m. to noon Saturday to help dig and place these cage-like devices around the remaining camellias. Meet at the Hofheimer Camellia Garden. Bring a bag lunch if you choose, and drinks will be provided.

Tell the gatekeeper that you're there to work, so entrance is to the Garden will be free. Call 723-4502 or 727-9434. CALL-IN QUESTIONS

Need a garden question answered in a hurry? If so, tune to WHRV-FM radio (89.5) at noon Thursday for an hour-long gardening call-in show. I'll be answering questions, along with gardening columnist Kathy Von Mullekom of the Newport News Daily Press. NEW SPRAY FOR NUTGRASS

Nutgrass plagues many gardeners in this area. Officially, it's nut sedge (yellow or purple), but homeowners call it worse names than that as they try to eliminate it.

Pulling it up only bring temporary relief, because each nut has smaller nuts around its base that resprout and haunt you later.

Manage, a new product from Monsanto, was introduced last year to golf courses and professional lawn services.

This year, it's been put in a small package for homeowners. It sells for about $13 and treats 1,000 square feet. You use one package per gallon of water. It must be used within 24 hours after mixing. Within one day, the nutsedge stops growing. In two weeks, it will begin to yellow and in 30 days, it's gone.

Manage is labeled safe for all turf in this area. John Parrish, Turf & Garden distributor, says there are no reports of injury to grass.

It can be sprayed around but not over the tops of shrubs and small trees. It is not approved for use in flower or vegetable gardens.

If you can't find it, call 543-2071 to obtain the name of a local retail outlet. TREATED TIMBERS

Readers often ask what kind of wood is safe to use for building raised beds. Here are the ground rules:

Avoid wood treated with pentachlorophenol and creosote. Both give off fumes that are toxic to plants.

Wood treated with copper naphthenate or copper arsenate will not harm nearby plants.

Unfortunately, few timbers are labeled. Insist that a sales person provide accurate data. PRUNE AND FERTILIZE MUMS

Don't forget to pinch out or prune the tops of your chrysanthemums so they branch out and become fuller and more attractive plants. Do this by July 15.

They also will appreciate some general-purpose fertilizer, such as 5-10-5, 8-8-8 or a special flower fertilizer. Water it in thoroughly. MEDICINAL HERB INFO

``Use caution with medicinal herbs,'' warns Virginia Tech's Elissa Steeves. ``Never before, even during the heyday of botanic medicine, have so many expressed such interest in using herbs to maintain health and treat diseases. They are under the mistaken belief that herbs are healthier and safer than over-the-counter drugs. Nor have so many herbs been so widely available. Most packages bear no indication for use, lest the seller run afoul of the Food and Drug Administration. In general, the literature available is used to sell the product, not to provide sound information based on scientific evidence.'' TESTED FOR SAFETY

Penn State College horticulturists say to avoid homemade insecticidal soaps. Although there are recipes for such concoctions, they say the commercial insecticidal soaps have been tested for strength of dilution and safety for plants and gardeners. ``You may cause more harm than good by experimenting with your own formula,'' they say.

Also remember to read and follow label directions carefully, they note. A pesticide label is a legal document. To disregard the label is to violate the law. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo

Polemonium ``Brise d'Anjou,'' commonly called Jacob's Ladder, is an

outstanding perennial imported from England's Bressingham Nursery.

It has attractive, variegated fern-like foliage and blue blooms. It

is available at White's Old Mill Garden Center in Chesapeake.

Photo

DOGONIT

Dogonit is an organic spray for use on lawns to get rid of yellow

spots caused by pet urine.