THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, February 5, 1995 TAG: 9502030134
SECTION: HOME PAGE: G2 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: GARDENING REMINDERS
SOURCE: Robert Stiffler
LENGTH: Medium: 59 lines
THIS MONTH on the newsstands you'll find Organic Flower Gardening, a special newsstand issue magazine aimed at eliminating chemicals from most forms of flower gardening.
Rodale Press, the publishers, say the book is filled with how-to-do-it information and photographs. Features include fragrant flowers, easy-grow orchids and butterfly gardens. Cost is $2.95 on newsstands, from now to May 30. SOURCE FOR CALCIUM CARBIDE
Reader Frank McFadden, who teaches pistol shooting, says he and his students use calcium carbide to blacken their sights. Local gardeners have been trying to find calcium carbide, because some experts recommend using it in mole runs to help eliminate those pests. The fumes from calcium carbide, released by moisture in the soil, kills moles.
McFadden says it is available from The Gun, P.O. Box 502, Natick, Maine 01760. A 4-ounce container costs $4.90, and a 2-pound can costs $12.95. Add $2 for packing and shipping. POWERFUL PRUNER
Later this month is the ideal time to prune everything from trees to roses. If your hedge trimmer shuts down when you try to cut medium-sized branches, Black & Decker may have the answer.
It is introducing the Hedge Hog electric hedge trimmer that cuts branches up to 3/4 inches thick. Most electric hedge trimmers are limited to branches 3/8 inches thick. The Hedge Hog is available at hardware stores and home centers, retailing for around $60. SPECIALTY FLOWERS AND CROPS
If you're interested in growing specialty cut flowers or specialty crops, such as tomatoes, asparagus or other fruits and vegetables, you may want to sign up for a seminar at Oxford, N.C., on March 3. The program is sponsored by the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service. Cost is $25, which includes lunch. For a copy of the program, map and a list of local motels, contact Carl Cantaluppi, Granville County Extension, P.O. Box 926, Oxford, N.C. 27565. Call (919) 603-1350. GARDENING UNDER COVER
Cold February days are an ideal time to enjoy a hobby greenhouse, which allows you to garden all winter.
Simpson Strong-Tie is introducing an easy-to- assemble lean-to greenhouse kit for gardeners with limited space. Its 4-by-8-foot redwood frame attaches to the wall of a house, garage or other structure.
The kit retails for around $880 at garden centers or home improvement stores. For the name of a dealer near you, call (800) 937-7922. by CNB