THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, November 12, 1995 TAG: 9511100090
SECTION: HOME & GARDEN PAGE: G2 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: Gardening Reminders
SOURCE: Robert Stiffler
LENGTH: Medium: 100 lines
LOIS TRIGG CHAPLIN, former garden editor of Southern Living magazine, will talk about ``Inspired Gardening'' at the Norfolk Botanical Garden at 7:30 p.m. Thursday. Her most recent book is ``A Garden's Blessings.''
She will share her personal reflections on practical gardening and the spiritual nourishment that comes from tending one's garden. Her husband, Van Chaplin, is senior garden photographer for Southern Living, and they have three children. Lois is a pro, so this is a lecture you should not miss. It's free to members of the Botanical Garden Society; $5 to others. Call 441-5839.
Dinner will be available at 6 p.m. at the Garden House Cafe for $8.99. For reservations, 855-3176;
Virginia's own daffodil
I'm fortunate to be selected to grow the first daffodil named for our state. The Virginia Nurseryman's Association has selected a Dutch variety and named it ``Virginia Sunrise.'' It was chosen by daffodil expert Brent Heath and is being grown in Holland. More than 50,000 bulbs are expected to be available in the fall of 1996. Virginia Tech expert Bonnie Appleton says it has white petals and a pinkish-orange corolla. It will also be grown at the Virginia Tech Research Center on Diamond Springs Road and at the Norfolk Botanical Garden. I'll take a picture next spring, so you can take a look at it.
Battling more moles
Whether you use milky spore or Mole-Med to eliminate moles in your yard, occasionally one creeps back. I kept them away for 20 years using milky spore. When they creep back, the best control for those few is castor bean seeds, 2 sticks of Juicy Fruit gum rolled up (using rubber gloves to keep human scent off the gum) and several poison peanuts (sold at garden centers), each dropped into the run about two feet apart.
I've said many times, I don't know which one works. Many who've used only Juicy Fruit gum say it doesn't work. People laugh, but this combination has worked for me. In the past, you couldn't find castor bean seeds except in the spring, but I've been informed that they are always in stock at Norfolk County Feed and Seed, 1110 Airline Blvd., Portsmouth, and at all three locations of Virginia Beach Feed and Seed.
When you see a mole run, it usually means there are at least two of the pests around, so don't delay treatment.
Buy a live Christmas tree
Those who know and have worked with Dan Milbocker at the Virginia Tech Research Center respect his skill and knowledge. Milbocker recently retired and has started a nursery in Pungo specializing in unusual trees and shrubs. He currently has for sale an improved variety of Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria) in a 6-foot size. They'd be ideal to use inside as live Christmas trees and then plant in the yard after the holiday.
The trees are being sold both wholesale and retail. Call Milbocker at 499-0740. They can be seen at Robb's Garden Shoppe at the Virginia Beach Farmers Market. Call 427-6335.
Glean from your own yard
Many plants in your yard and garden have attractive seed pods, fruit or foliage that can be used and enjoyed by your family. Check your own landscape before the weather worsens and collect items that can be used indoors all winter, including okra pods, magnolia pods, dock, cheat or barley, pine cones, sedge, cattails, branches of winged elm and sweet gum. You can spray paint them, if you want a shiny holiday look, or just enjoy them in their naturally beautiful form.
The word on native plants
Native plants are in vogue, and the only native plant book I've found written for this area is ``Gardening with Native Plants of the South'' by Sally and Andy Wasowski (Taylor Publishing, $29.95 hardback). The book has never been widely distributed in this area, but Prince Books, 109 E. Main St., Norfolk, now stocks it. If you want a good native plant book, this is the one to buy.
Less red, more delicious
The new crop of delicious apples is in stores now, but you may agree with Cheryl Long, who wrote in the November issue of Organic Gardening: ``While some are delicious, others taste like, well, cardboard. I've personally run into those duds frequently enough that I never buy delicious apples at a supermarket anymore. New research at the University of Idaho says there is a direct connection between the rich red color and the compounds that give the apples their flavor. The redder the fruit, the less flavor it will have. Striped or blush varieties actually taste much better. The original Red Delicious is superb tasting but not particularly attractive. It's striped, not fully red and was discovered in Iowa in 1879.'' Organic Gardening magazine is available on newsstands for $2.95.
Fast-growing trees
Fall is a great time to plant, so consider planting trees that grow fast in a home landscape. These include bald cypress, red maple, sycamore, sweet gum, tulip poplar and river birch. Fast growing oak tree species include nuttall, sawtooth, pin, cherrybark, laurel, water and willow. by CNB