THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, November 13, 1994 TAG: 9411110118
SECTION: HOME PAGE: G2 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: GARDENING
SOURCE: ROBERT STIFFLER
LENGTH: Long : 119 lines
I have one of those plants that is years old, but I never knew what it was. Your mention of eleagnus was one of the first things I have ever read about it. Can you please tell me where I can buy another? The fragrance each fall is something to anticipate, and something you don't forget.
Elizabeth Millirons, Norfolk
The larger local nurseries should carry this wonderful plant. I found out with a phone call that Atlantic Garden Centers have it. Readers should be aware that it gets very large and is thorny, but the fragrance this time of year when it is in bloom makes up for its bad points.
Flower arrangers love it for its long graceful arching branches. It's foliage reminds you of the olive family, because it is silver-gray. There is a variegated version, Eleagnus pungens, that is especially beautiful and does not grow nearly as large or as fast. Atlantic also has that one.
Every year it seems we have a few moles in our yard, but this year they have really ruined our yard and are still going strong - even in the flower beds. We've tried chewing gum, pellets and a few other remedies but no luck. What are your suggestions?
Jimmie George, Portsmouth
Yours is not an easy task, but first you must eliminate their food, which is insects in the soil. Go over the entire area with granular diazinon, Dursban, Oftanol or Dylox. The non-chemical milky spore is best, but it is currently not available. What these products do is eliminate grubs and insects in your yard for four to six months. That will drive the moles out of your yard and into your neighbors. Then mash down all their runs.
When you see a run again activated, that means moles are using it. Put on some rubber gloves and in those active runs, punch a hole every two feet. In one hole, drop in castor bean seed, in the next poison peanuts and in the next, two sticks of Juicy Fruit gum, unwrapped. Carefully cover the holes.
I've written many times that I'm not sure which works or maybe all three, but the combination will keep moles out of your yard. If you find that milky spore comes back on the market, use it, because it lasts for 20 years.
In your beds, you might try planting gopher purge, which is a euphorbia plant that is said to keep moles away. Good luck and don't give up. It takes time.
I seeded some dahlias this past spring and they bloomed this fall. I have read that dahlias do not like to be crowded. That has become evident now that the plants have developed to their full size. When and how should I go about thinning and separating the plants without harming the developing tubers? Should I do this immediately after the first frost or wait until next spring?
Arlene A. Kilgore, Norfolk
Dahlias will usually winter over here if they are mulched and the soil is well drained. My suggestion is to wait until after a frost and dig them up. Carefully remove the soil, then hose them off until they are clean. Let them dry thoroughly and store in dry peat moss or sawdust for the winter in a cool dry place. If you see any sign of insects or disease, dust with Sevin and/or a fungicide.
Next spring, replant them and you should be able to leave them in the same location for several years without digging and separating again.
Can you tell me where I can purchase elderberry and kiwi plants? I have had success growing rhubarb for three years but have had to plant it in complete shade to survive this far south. I used semi-submerged containers of beer to keep the slugs at bay, but the container has to be put a distance from the plants. I made the mistake of transplanting the rhubarb this spring and lost all my plants. When I dug them up, they were infested with termites and ants.
I am also looking for readers who have small perennials they would be willing to donate to my school for a courtyard, which the students and teachers take care of faithfully.
Maureen Humphreys, P.O. Box 4837, Virginia Beach, Va. 23454
The local source for the widest selection of small fruit is Rob's Market at the Virginia Beach Farmer's Market. If Rob doesn't have what you need, he'll know where you can get it. Call 427-6335. A good mail-order source is J.E. Miller Nursery, 5060 West Lake Road, Canandaigua, N.Y. 14424.
I'm sure readers will be interested to know you can grow rhubarb in this area using your methods.
Readers who have perennials they would like to donate to this Virginia Beach schoolteacher should write her at the address above. Please tell her what you have, in what quantity and the best way to contact you. Thanks.
Here's an update. The requests for hyacinth bean seeds was overwhelming to me. So far, 40 requests and still dribbling in. For reader information, Park Seed carries many more varieties than others, including hyacinth beans (Dolio lablab). I ordered from them and begged beans from a fellow subscriber to Organic Garden magazine to fulfill my obligations to your readers.
The response was greater among older gardeners, judging from their handwriting and sentiments. Some have generously sent me seeds of their favorites, including a gift of yellow hibiscus seeds from the Eastern Shore. Your column touches us all and brings us together in an almost immediate friendship. Thank you for years of information, instruction and inspiration.
Cynthia Erskine, The Seward House Inn, Surry
Thanks for your kind letter. One thing about gardeners - they love to share, as your letter proves. Hyacinth bean was one of Thomas Jefferson's favorites, so those readers who still want seed can order it from Park Seed. It's very easy to grow as a summer climbing annual vine. It often will reseed itself to come up again next year.
Enclosed you will find a copy of a flier on how to control pesky mosquitoes with a Citronella plant. Have you ever heard of it? Does it work and can it be bought locally? Is there any alternative that is effective? Is there any effective spray you can use on your arms and legs to stop these critters from biting?
Denis O'Hare, Virginia Beach
I am acquainted with the Citronella plant and wrote a column on it when it first was marketed one or two summers ago. I checked with reliable sources who said it would keep mosquitoes away within an area 4 feet from the plant. At that time, McDonald Garden Centers carried the plant, but it was not cheap. Small plants cost $5 to $10.
Since then, universities have said that no plant will keep mosquitoes away. The repellent is in the form of an odor from the plant. The Citronella plant is a geranium that has foliage that smells like citronella oil, which repels mosquitoes.
Some of the new sprays now available do a good job of repelling mosquitoes. Ask your pharmacist which product is best. I think you'll find they do a much much better job than those you used a few years ago. by CNB