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May 31, 2000

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Click Here for Great Soil and Compost!

Can't Buy Time.  I'll Get Some Peonies Instead!
It is hard to believe that June is upon us and I am way behind in planting.  As I walk around outside I see so many things that still need to be done.  My front beds are now ready to be planted.  I have been waiting patiently for my tulip and daffodil leaves to fade away.  Now that they are gone it is time to replace them with some annuals.  I love to use impatiens in large quantities especially around our magnolia tree where we plant about four large flats of them each summer.  They thrive underneath the tree and will continue to bloom in big, bushy, bunches into October.  A simple flower but oh so beautiful.  Lets see... I still have window boxes that need filled, several pots for the back deck and just a few more annuals for the side garden...  All I need is a little time.  Does anyone know where I can purchase some?

Bannister Garden Center's Peony Festival starts June 1st so now is the time to start planning for next year's peonies.  Owners Neva & Tony Mistretta will display cut flowers from over 50 varieties grown in their peony fields.  If you don't see what you are looking for make sure you ask.  They are presently taking orders now for fall deliveries so plan ahead and visit them this weekend to get the latest and greatest peonies for your collection!

As I am writing this editorial the outside temperature is still 89 degrees at 11:00 PM. Have I missed a couple of months along the way?  Is it August and someone forgot to tell me?  Keep a close eye on your gardens.  I was noticing my pansies look a little sad due to the high temps and wind.  It may be time to replace them with a more summer loving plant.  As always if your plants look thirsty give them a drink!

~ Shelly               

A Fungus Among Us...
We returned from a Memorial Day weekend away and discovered a backyard full of small mushrooms.  Where did these things come from?   Although wild mushrooms tend to make their appearance just about any time in woodlands they're more likely to appear in lawns following a few days of wet weather which have been preceded by weeks of dry weather.  A rainy, cool front moves through and these funny things make their appearance overnight. 

Mushrooms, often called "toadstools," are specialized types of fungi, and can be admired for their beauty and the fantastic variety of form, color, and texture.  They grow in a variety of habitats, and generally are important as decay microorganisms, aiding in the breakdown of logs, leaves, fallen branches, and other organic debris. This important role of mushrooms results in recycling of essential nutrients.

In the majority of cases these fungi are not parasitic on lawn grass and won't cause any disease problems.  Please resist the temptation to eat them.  Many varieties of mushroom are highly poisonous and should be consumed only when absolutely certain of their safety.


Tobacco Mosaic Virus
OK, smokers feel like everyone is picking on them.  Maybe so.  Smokers take heed however.  There are gardening problems associated with smoking also.  Tobacco mosaic virus is a disease that attacks a wide range of plants, including tomato, pepper, eggplant, spinach, petunia and marigold.  It is a devastating disease that, once contracted, is controllable only through the destruction of the infected plant.

Any tobacco product including cigars, cigarettes, pipe, and chewing tobacco can be infected with tobacco mosaic virus.  Handling these items can contaminate the hands, and subsequent handling of plants results in a transmission of the virus.  Thorough hand washing after handling tobacco products is a good preventive measure.  Dipping hands in milk prior to handling plants has been reported to reduce the spread of the virus as well.  If you find this more convenient than washing please feel free to try it.


On Your Mark, Get Set, Pinch...
No this isn't a race but if you start pinching back aster, garden phlox and mums now you're sure to win later!  Pinching back the blooms will encourage bushier plants with more flowers.  After some of your summer perennials have tired out and are no longer blooming these plants will start to peak and will add that much needed color to your garden.  Soooo, no need to dust off the running shoes for this race just limber up those thumbs and start pinching!

Helpful Herb Hints...

Don't Miss the Peony Festival ! - Click Here !

There are lots of good reasons to grow herbs.  First on my list is for cooking.  Nothing compares to the taste of fresh herbs added to your favorite dish.  I used to buy pesto in a jar.  I thought it was good until I started making my own from garden-fresh basil.  There's no going back folks.

If cooking is your goal make sure you  do not fertilize your herbs too much.  The essential oils that provide flavor are more concentrated when herbs are grown in moderately rich soil with just enough fertilizer to keep them green.  Too much fertilizer encourages the plant to grow large but at the sacrifice of less flavor.  To get greater quantities without sacrificing quality simply grow many more, albeit smaller, plants.


Rose Tips by Al Karsten
Our rosarian Al Karsten has been hard at work on his roses.  With his help your roses can look as good as his!  Al has prepared a comprehensive article detailing the best rose practices for June.  Click here to read it. 

If You See Red You Might Have Mites...
What's black and white and red all over?  The newspaper I just used to squash some clover mites!  Clover mites are those little red spider-like bugs that have been calling my house home for the last week or two.  Chances are you've got them too.  Here's some facts to help you cope.

First of all, clover mites are harmless.  They cannot bite or sting; they do not carry diseases; they do not infest stored foods; they cannot attack the house structure and furnishings.  They reproduce outdoors and every mite seen indoors has wandered in from outside.  Clover mites are plant feeders only.  They feed on sap from grasses and clover, and are especially numerous in lawns with a heavy growth of succulent, well-fertilized grass.  They do not cause any apparent harm to turfgrass.

Preventing their entry into your dwelling requires a 18-36 inch band of gravel, sand, wood chips, or other non-grassy material around the house foundation.  Another approach is growing plants around the foundation that clover mites don't like.  These include chrysanthemums, geraniums, petunias, roses, salvias, yews and zinnias.  Chemical controls (following labeling directions) include Diazinon, Dursban, Orthene, pyrethrins, and insecticidal soaps.

Clover mites already indoors should be removed from fabric surfaces with a vacuum cleaner. Avoid wiping the clover mites as crushing them often creates an undesirable and durable red-brown stain.  


Thin Now, Win Later...
A bountiful vegetable patch requires thinning  when crops are grown from seed.  Vegetables behave like weeds when they are overabundant.  Overcrowding among root crops causes poorly formed roots.  A good thinning program will:
  • Reduce the competition among seedlings for soil nutrients and water.
  • Promote better air circulation around the plants thereby reducing the chances of disease development.
  • Ultimately make higher yields possible.

For a list of common garden vegetables and recommendations for their spacing click here.


What's Hot on the Hotline...
Area gardeners ask about the damage caused by recent hail storms and the story behind those Latin plant names...  Click here for more...

Finally...
"One of the worst mistakes you can make as a gardener is to think you are in charge."

~ Janet Gillespie, Author and Gardener

Click Here for Earl May Garden Centers

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