THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, September 17, 1995 TAG: 9509150088
SECTION: HOME PAGE: G2 EDITION: FINAL
LENGTH: Long : 113 lines
I have a very large wisteria vine. It is 8 to 10 years old with limbs as large as my wrist. It has never had the first bloom. It is very hardy and healthy - just no blooms. It gets sunlight but not full sun. What's the problem?
Patsy Houtz, Elizabeth City, N.C.
Wisteria often don't bloom until they're 7 to 10 years old, especially if they're grown from seed. You can root-prune it this fall by going around the plant, 18 inches from it, and digging straight down with a spade to a depth of 12 to 18 inches. That will shock it, which sometimes forces blooms. Before doing that, ask yourself if you really want a wisteria. It can choke a small tree or trellis. Every seed that drops makes a new seedling that has to be pulled up. They require constant pruning.
For two weeks of bloom once a year, I don't think they're worth the trouble. If you can let them grow up large trees in wooded areas, they're a delight, but in a small garden, they're a nuisance. There are much better vines.
Is well water with high iron content harmful to vegetable gardens? Why are the bottom leaves on my tomato plants turning yellow and curling up? Do you cut the dead blooms off a gardenia bush?
Frank Carmines, Chesapeake
I don't believe a plant can get too much iron. One of the most common deficiencies in plants is iron, showing up as iron chlorosis. Leaves turn yellow, but veins remain green. It can be corrected by adding organic matter to the soil or to spray iron in a chelated form. I've never known of iron in water harming plants.
Specialists at the Virginia Tech Research Center say that your tomatoes have ``early blight.'' Symptoms are sudden wilting, followed by death of the plant. Pull off yellow leaves and throw them in the garbage. Spray with Bravo, Dithane or Manzate every seven to 10 days.
Gardenia bushes are ``self-cleaning,'' so I don't cut off dead blooms unless they're unsightly.
Our rose leaves are turning yellow and falling off. Before that, they got black spots. Leaves on the bottom of our tomato plants are turning yellow and dying. What should I do?
John and Patricia Campbell, Accomac
Your tomato question is answered above. Your roses have black spot, a common disease. You must begin spraying at once with Funginex on a weekly basis to get it under control and continue spraying all summer. An organic control is 1 tablespoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon Sunsprite or other horticultural oil and 1 tablespoon liquid soap in 1 gallon of water. I use Orthenex, which is Funginex combined with Orthene, so you get both disease and insect control. Meanwhile, pick off the yellowing leaves from the plant and on the ground, because one way the disease spreads is through infected leaves.
Habitat thanks you! To the hundreds of lovely people who had a wonderful Sunday afternoon stroll through our gardens, Eastern Shore Habitat says thank you. You enjoyed the flowers, herbs and warm fellowship. We of Habitat enjoyed the good feeling that exuded through the afternoon. Some who arrived as strangers (many from Norfolk and Virginia Beach), seemed to enjoy the quiet, perfumed atmosphere and left with the thought, ``We must come back next year.'' Some were second-time visitors.
We made money with our small garden tour, but Habitat made many new friends by offering something enjoyable which raised the consciousness of all who attended. Here was a worthwhile organization involved in a much-needed project, beneficial to so many. Eight families have moved into very nice, modest homes, coming from houses where substandard conditions for day-to-day living was a way of life.
Until next year, when we hope to see many of you again, we say, ``You all come back now. Ya' heah?''
Helen Miles, chaplain, Eastern Shore Habitat for Humanity, Onancock
Eastern Shore and its people have a special place in my heart, and I hope we can always help.
I wrote last summer about bugs on my mandevilla. It almost died. I tried bug sprays and everything else. Finally I started using Miracle Gro, and it's doing fine inside my home on the beach. Only I have no blooms - plenty of leaves and shoots but no flowers. Do I need to put it outside to have it bloom?
Marian Hollandsworth, Norfolk
Miracle Gro is high in nitrogen, which gives you lots of leaves and shoots - but no flowers. Because mandevilla is a tropical plant, it needs full sunshine. You need to move it outdoors in full sun and discontinue fertilizing if you want it to flower. The insects bothering it are usually white flies, which are horrible to control. If they attack again, try Neem, a new botanical insecticide, which is expensive, but it's safe and it works.
Do you have any recommendations for getting rid of white flies? They have moved from my hibiscus to the tomatoes. I have sprayed and sprayed with Schultz Insect Spray and Safer Insecticidal Soap.
Erin R. Lamstre, Virginia Beach
The letter above provides part of your answer. White flies multiply with new hatches every five days, so they are terribly difficult to control. A strong spray of water helps. Also Neem and Orthene. My tomatoes were heavily infested with them. By this time, I just give up on trying to get rid of them. They often attack gardenias and can kill them. Yellow sticky bars, which you can buy in a garden center, help reduce their population but won't eliminate them.
In response to your comments July 9, referencing new garden magazines, I would ask your readers to consider another fine publication called Fine Gardening. I have found this to be a well-done product, with exquisite photography, quality writing and garden only advertisements.
A. Nicholas Terry Jr., Chesapeake
I agree that Fine Gardening is excellent, considered by many to be the best garden magazine. I did not mention it, because it's several years old. I referred only to new magazines, because there have been several launched in the last 12 months. One requirement of Fine Gardening is that their articles must be written by the person who did the growing, which makes it more specific and practical than many others. I consider Garden Gate and Garden Design the best of the new ones. MEMO: No gardening questions will be taken over the phone. Write to Robert
Stiffler, The Virginian-Pilot, 150 W. Brambleton Ave., Norfolk, Va.
23510. Answers will be published on a space-available basis. For an
earlier reply, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope. by CNB