Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, April 4, 1993 TAG: 9304050267
SECTION: HOMES PAGE: E-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: John Arbogast
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
SPINACH PERFECT FOR EARLY PLANTING
Spinach is a productive crop for early planting, and the time to plant it is now, or as soon as the soil is dry enough. It needs to grow to harvestable size before hot weather of late spring or early summer causes the plants to bolt (flower).Because spinach is a leafy vegetable, not one grown for seeds or fruits, it can tolerate part shade but needs at least six hours of good sunlight a day. It is considered a medium-heavy feeder, so scratch in one pound - about two cups - of 10-10-10 garden fertilizer per 25 feet of row just prior to seeding. Mix the fertilizer thoroughly with the soil before sowing seeds in a furrow no more than a half-inch deep.
There are spring and fall varieties of spinach, so look on the seed pack to select the right one before you plant. Spring varieties tend to be slower to bolt than fall varieties. Virginia Tech has mentioned a variety called Melody, which is supposed to tolerate heat fairly well and should be ready to harvest in about 50 days.
Q: I would like to know when to pick damsons to make preserves. Last summer I used some that had not fallen off the tree, but the skins were so tough that we can eat hardly any of the preserves. What went wrong? Did I pick them too early, which was in August, or cook them too long? I don't want to make the same mistake this summer. Mrs. C.S.W., Roanoke
A: The damson is a variety of European plum that also may be known as the Shropshire plum. Generally, plums increase markedly in both size and sugar content as they near maturity, so the best idea is to match appearance with taste to determine the best stage for harvesting. Apply gentle pressure to the plum fruit with the thumb and determine if the flesh is beginning to soften.
If so, the fruit should be ready for consumption. That may be what you found last year. However, for cooking purposes, pick plums when they become covered with a waxy white coating, which is called bloom, and are firm yet springy to the touch.
Sorry, but I do not have enough expertise as a cook to comment on your question about length of cooking.
Q: I have a spot under a pine tree that I would like to use to plant flowers, but several people have told me it would be difficult to grow anything there because the pine needles have probably made the soil very acidic. Can you give me some ideas or advice as to what to do to be able to plant anything around a pine tree? Should I use a special kind of fertilizer to make the soil usable? I was considering planting some Fernleaf Bleeding Hearts because they supposedly grow well in the shade. I also considered some type of ground cover around the tree, such as Carpet Bugle or Creeping Myrtle. Do these sound like good choices? Should I use a particular kind of flower/plant? Also, can you tell me anything about the Michigan Bulb Co.? P.D.G., Salem
A: The biggest problem I am aware of that can affect landscaping under mature pine trees is dry and/or tight soil. Since I have not seen your site, I can't comment on the plants you mentioned. But, regardless of the plants you select, consideration should be given first to the quality and moisture in the soil.
Look at whatever is growing under your pine tree. If nothing much is growing there, you may have a good indication that the soil won't support growth of most shade-loving plants without regular irrigation and soil amendments. Dig a couple of holes under the tree to get an idea of how much root competition will be encountered. Take a soil test to see if the site is acidic. Some may think pines tend to cause acidic soil, but that is not always the case.
Virginia Cooperative Extension cannot recommend or even appear to endorse any company or service. So, you should check with the local Better Business Bureau to find out how reputable the company you mentioned is. The local BBB will have records of any unanswered complaints against that company or its products. They also can check with the BBB in the hometown of the mail order company if necessary.
Got a question about your garden, lawn, plants, or insects? Write to Dear John, c/o the Roanoke Times & World-News, P.O. Box 2491, Roanoke, Va. 24010-2491.
Gardener's checklist
Jobs for early to mid-April:
Don't be in a hurry to remove the foliage of spring flowering bulbs after the bulbs bloom. The leaves manufacture food, which is stored in the bulb for next year's bloom. If the foliage is removed prematurely, the bulb may not flower next spring.
For more compact pyracantha bushes, pinch back the new growth now. This will avoid the risk of losing the crop of berries by pruning after flowering.
When pruning forsythia, do not shear as you would a hedge. Thin out the oldest branches as close to the ground as possible. Than, reduce the size of the excessively long branches using hand pruners. This should be done immediately after blooming.
John Arbogast is the agriculture extension agent for Roanoke