THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, September 11, 1994 TAG: 9409090102
SECTION: HOME PAGE: G2 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: GARDENING REMINDERS
SOURCE: Robert Stiffler
LENGTH: Long : 129 lines
IF YOU'RE INTO GREENS, plant mustard, turnips, kale and collards this month. Keep soil moist to ensure a good stand. Avoid planting too thick; four-inch spacing is recommended. Treflan can be incorporated into the soil before planting or Dacthal applied after planting for weed control. TREAT PEACH TREES
This is the month to tackle peach tree borers. An application of Thiodan on branches and trunks of peach trees is recommended by many universities. NEW CUT ON DAYLILIES
Gardeners previously were advised to let the tops of daylilies dry down naturally and then cut them off after a frost. At the Norfolk Botanical Garden, they would set a lawn mower to its highest level and mow over the daylilies in late October or November. That method has changed.
Now you can cut daylilies to ground level as soon as they've finished blooming. Then they'll send up new foliage that is much more attractive than the old, drying foliage. Virginia Tech extension specialist Bonnie Appleton says her tests show that cutting off the foliage does not harm the plants.
Do not mow down any ``continuous'' or ``reblooming'' daylilies. Those varieties bloom a second time, and some bloom all summer. If you don't have any of the newer varieties, plant some this fall. BUYING BETTER ROSES
Norfolk consulting rosarian Charles D. Turnbull Jr., writing in the August issue of Rose Novus, names Edmunds Roses as one of the best sources in the country for rose bushes. Its plants are guaranteed to live and bloom the first year, or it will replace them, Turnbull says.
Its catalog is free by writing to Edmunds Inc., 6235 S.W. Kahle Road, Wilsonville, Ore. 97070. Turnbull also recommends Wedgewood Garden Center, with two local locations, as another good source. Its roses will be available around March 1. SOW SOME SPINACH
Spinach is a hardy, cool-weather crop that often does better planted now than in spring. It needs a fertile, well-drained soil with a pH of 6 to 7, which means you may need to add lime. Fertilize well with a complete fertilizer before planting and add nitrogen so it will grow quickly. Fast-growing spinach is tender and better quality. STARTING FALL SEEDS
Many gardeners start spinach seeds in dampened paper towels. Fold over the towel and dampen it again, roll up in a plastic bag and refrigerate for a week. Seeds should germinate in that time and be ready for planting.
Plant seeds very shallow, 3 inches apart in the row. Keep soil moist until you can see small plants. If you don't have space in your garden, spinach grows well in containers. A half-dozen plants will provide lots of spinach salad. If you don't want to sow seed, some garden centers sell plants. SPROUT A SPROUT
Brussels sprouts are just as easy to grow and can be grown by the same method as spinach. PICK YOUR PUMPKINS
It's time to harvest pumpkins and winter squash. Pick after they've developed the proper color and a hard rind. If the rind cannot be easily penetrated by a thumbnail, the fruit is mature, say Louisiana State University specialists. In most varieties, the bottom part lying on the ground will turn from a greenish cream to orange.
Leave 4 inches of stem attached to the fruit. Store in a cool, dry place, off the ground or floor. They will keep for several months. PRUNE BERRY CANES
If you've not already done so, prune out old canes of blackberries and raspberries and burn. Clean out grasses and weeds and fertilize with a half pound of l0-10-10 per 10 square feet of bed. ORDER FRUIT TREES
It's not too early to order fruit trees for later planting. Popular varieties are often sold out when you're ready to plant. Fall planting of fruit trees is always best. BUYING BETTER BULBS
Van Bourgondien, a bulb supplier on Long Island, has a reputation for offering unusual bulbs. Quality and labeling have not always been satisfactory, but I'm told the quality has improved, and the new catalog is excellent. if you're trying to find some unusual bulbs, Bourgondien now has a ``Pledge of Quality,'' guaranteeing they'll replace the product, no questions asked, if you're not satisfied.
For a free catalog, write to 245 Farmingdale Road, P.O. Box 1000, Babylon, N.Y. 11702. Fax 516-669-1228. CARE AND FEEDING OF MUMS
Chrysanthemums may need spraying weekly to control insects and diseases. University recommendations for a beautiful display of blooms is to spray Maneb and Malathion or Diazinon until color shows in the flower buds. Feeding one more time with a garden fertilizer will help produce larger blooms. Flower size is greatly influenced by water so keep them well watered during dry periods. QUALITY OVER QUANTITY
Louisiana State University specialists encourage gardeners to get their spring flowering bulbs at once. Do not be charmed by specials. Order jumbo or No. 1 bulbs. Don't sacrifice quality for quantity. STORE CALADIUMS
It's time to dig and store caladiums. They will rot or freeze if left in the soil and not come back next season. Once foliage is gone, lift the tubers, wash and allow to dry. Pack in peat moss, dry sand or an old nylon sock and store in a cool dry place until May. Do not allow them to freeze. You can count on at least half of them coming to life and sprouting again next spring. SAVE THE SPIDERS
Don't harm the spiders, because they do a lot of good, says Pete Schultz, director of the Hampton Roads Agricultural Research Center and an entomologist. In late summer, you will see many spider webs, especially on junipers. Most spiders do no harm and will eat other insects, Schultz says. FALL FLOWER FESTIVAL
For pansy lovers, the Virginia Beach Garden Club always has a wide selection at its Fall Flower Festival on Oct. 11. It also offers bulbs, perennials, native plants and dried flowers. The festival is at the Virginia Beach Pavilion from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $1. I'll be there to answer questions from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Call 481-1566. by CNB