THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, July 30, 1995 TAG: 9507280088
SECTION: HOME PAGE: G2 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: GARDENING
SOURCE: ROBERT STIFFLER
LENGTH: Medium: 91 lines
I have read several times that rhubarb cannot be grown here. I live in Ocean View in Norfolk and have a 9-year-old patch of rhubarb. Mine is in a sunny location. I never feed it, seldom water it, and it does fine. Years ago, my husband put Sevin dust on a patch of it, because the leaves were being eaten up. The rhubarb died the next day. Since then I have never let Sevin or any chemicals near the rhubarb.
Patricia Green, Norfolk
I talked to Patricia Green and learned that she grew up in the Midwest (Iowa and Minnesota) where everyone had rhubarb. She does not have her rhubarb planted on a ridge, and it's in full sun most of the day. She cuts and cooks rhubarb all summer long, so perhaps this will encourage other gardeners to try again.
My azalea bushes, probably 20 years old, are 6 feet tall and nearly as wide, hiding the front of my house. After the spring bloom, how far can I go in trimming them back without creating an eyesore? Do azaleas have an end life? If so, when would it be smart to replace them?
Gene Nolan, Virginia Beach
Azaleas do not have an end life and will grow for years if properly cared for. Go down into each plant and cut off the tallest branches at ground level. New suckers will grow out and fill in the bush, so it is never an eyesore. The time to do this is immediately after blooming has finished.
I have a Daphne and have tried rooting it unsuccessfully. The methods that have not worked are rooting it in water or in dirt. What is the secret?
A. Higginbotham, Portsmouth
Virginia Tech authorities say that Daphne is very difficult for home gardeners to root. It's slow to root, and professionals do it under fine mist. Lewis Hill, in his book ``Secrets of Plant Propagation,'' says Daphne is easier to root if you use cuttings taken later in the season, when wood is partially mature. He adds that layering (scraping the outer bark off the bottom of a low branch and holding it against the soil with a brick) is probably the easiest method, although a year is usually required for it to grow sufficient roots for transplanting.
We recently purchased a gardenia from a local store, and the care instructions simply state temperature, water and light needs. We would like to plant it outdoors and wonder if that will be all right. Years ago people in this area had large gardenia bushes they called Cape Jessamines, growing outdoors. Was that the same plant and do you think our recent purchase will survive outside? It had buds on it when we purchased it.
We also have some herbs that we enjoy but have been unable to get rosemary to survive. Can you tell us what we need to do? We also would appreciate the tomato bulletins you mentioned last fall.
Ralph and Jeanette Nixon, Windsor
The gardenias sold by florists and greenhouses in a pot are selected just for their flowers. They are in the Cape Jessamine family but will not usually survive outdoors. You can try, and in mild winters, they may live. Normally it will not make it through the winter.
As to your rosemary, it grows on cliffs in Europe and is normally a tough plant, but it needs a dry spot. Is yours planted where it's wet or low where water collects? Try again in a dry, well-drained area and it should do well.
As to tomato bulletins, I do have a supply, so will send them to anyone who wants to send a stamped, self-addressed No. 10 envelope to this column.
We recently moved into a new home in a development. Our yard of one acre is mostly sand. The neighbors yards are also sandy. We are all having a big problem with sharp burrs in our yards. I have enclosed one of them, as well as the plant I believe it comes from. Can you identify it and do you have any advice on how to get rid of them? Also what type grass can grow well in sandy soil? Would Kentucky 31 fescue be possible without spending a lot of money?
Dana Rodrique, Carrsville
Your problem weed is sandburs. Balakrisna Rao, manager of research for Davey Tree Co., says, ``Since this plant grows close to the ground, short mowing or repeated mowing will not help manage the problem. Mowing at regular intervals and bagging the clippings might help minimize the problem. Your best option in managing sandbur is to use herbicides such as Surflan, Snapshot or Acclaim. Repeat applications as needed but make sure these products are labeled for your particular turfgrass.'' The products named are agricultural chemicals and should be available in farm stores.
On sandy soil, you can grow bermuda, zoysia or St. Augustine grass. I would not recommend Kentucky 31. You'll get bermuda seed blown in, so the easiest lawn to grow would be with that grass.
On March 5 you had a column on the Peace Rose. I would love to have the addresses of both the Conard-Pyle Co. in Pennsylvania and the American Rose Society. You must have them because of your research on that great article.
Tom Catri, Huron, Ohio
Here are the addresses you requested: Conard-Pyle Co., 372 Rose Hill Road, West Grove, Pa. 19390-0904. Phone (215) 869-2426. American Rose Society, P.O. Box 30000, Shreveport, La. 71120-0030. Phone (318) 938-5402. by CNB