Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, February 27, 1994 TAG: 9402280294
SECTION: HOMES PAGE: B-5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
The Roanoke Extension Office is working on a special project to help lawn owners have a great lawn and avoid contributing to water pollution. Two outdoor "field days" will be held at the shelter at Fishburn Park on Brambleton Avenue in Southwest Roanoke (across from Shenandoah Life Insurance Co.).
The spring field day, 9 a.m. Saturday, April 16, will cover "Mowing for a High Quality Lawn" and "Backyard Composting to Deal with Lawn Clippings." On Saturday, Sept. 10, the fall field day will cover fertilizing and seeding.
Here are two important lawn tips for use now that are necessary to achieve that great lawn: Sharpen your mower blade now because even a somewhat dull blade will weaken the grass and affect the appearance. And be ready to start mowing just as soon as part of the lawn begins growing (have the mower serviced now, new spark plug, etc.) so you are not forced to cut tall grass later. Failure to do either can weaken turf roots.
Q: I plant a small garden and the seed packages that are available contain more than twice the seed that I plant. What is a good method to store the remaining seed to keep them to the next gardening season? J.W.R., Radford
A: To save leftover garden seed, leave the unneeded seed in the original envelopes, fold over the open part several times and secure with staples or clip. Place all envelopes in a container with a tight lid, such as a jar; and store in a cool, dry environment with temperature below 50 degrees but above freezing. Label the envelopes with the year the seeds originally were packaged so you'll know at future planting times which ones to try or toss.
I have found that a refrigerator provides a nice cool spot for seed storage, but the humidity in a full fridge may be a little higher than desirable for best storage. This can be overcome by placing a drying agent in the seed-envelope jar.
A homemade drying agent can be made by placing a couple tablespoons of dry milk powder on a tissue, which is then gathered up to make a pouch. Replace the homemade drying agent a time or two during the winter to keep it absorbing moisture in the air inside that jar.
Because some vegetable seeds just don't remain viable very long, do a simple germination test on saved seed before spring planting so you'll know whether to buy new seed, plant a little thicker or garden as usual. To test for germination, place a certain number of seeds between layers of moist paper towel, which is to be opened and observed daily for a reasonable length of time.
Q: When can one move a large firethorn bush? I need to move one to make use of the bed it's now in. P.H.S., Roanoke
A: Your firethorn (pyracantha) as well as many other plants to be moved bare-root can be transplanted in either late winter (mid- to late March) or in mid-fall (late October in the Roanoke area) when the plant is dormant and the soil temperature is between summer hot and winter cold. Before you go to all the work necessary to transplant a large firethorn, scratch the bark in small scattered locations to see if your plant was injured by our January freezes and should be pruned before digging.
Send short questions about your lawn, garden, plants, or insects to Dear John, c/o the Roanoke Times & World-News, P.O. Box 2491, Roanoke 24010-2491. We need your mail, but this column can't reply to all letters. Those of wide appeal will be answered each week. Personal replies cannot be given. Please don't send stamps, stamped envelopes, samples or pictures.
Gardening celebrities to visit
Jim Wilson and Lucinda Mays, hosts of PBS' "Victory Garden" program, will be in Roanoke to present expert gardening advice on herbs, butterflies and wildflowers at Virginia Western Community College's Whitman Auditorium on April 9.
Topics for the morning session will be: "Gardening to Attract Native Butterflies" (9:30 a.m.) and "Landscaping with Wildflowers" (10:30 a.m.).
The afternoon session will include "Herbs for Kitchen Use and Landscaping" (1:30 p.m.) and "Plants for Color in Southern Gardens" (2:30 p.m.).
This program is being sponsored by Blue Ridge Public Television. A donation of $10 to Blue Ridge Public Television is requested for admission to the morning or afternoon session. For reservations or information call 344-0991 or 800-221-0991.
Gardeners' checklist
(Jobs to be done in later February, early March:)
Dogwoods and magnolias should be moved only in later winter or early spring. Magnolias, in particular, have a fleshy root system with few side roots and root hairs. Dig them so that a ball of soil as large as you can manage remains around the roots to protect them.
Resist the urge to fertilize your bluegrass or fescue lawn at this time of year.
With the onset of longer days, brighter sunlight and new growth, indoor plants will benefit from periodic fertilization.
Gardeners who wish to start their own pepper plants to transplant to the garden in May should sow them now in order to allow eight to 20 weeks of growth indoors or in the greenhouse.
John Arbogast is the agricultural extension agent for Roanoke.
by CNB