THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, December 17, 1995 TAG: 9512150097
SECTION: HOME PAGE: G4 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: GARDENING
SOURCE: ROBERT STIFFLER
LENGTH: Long : 109 lines
Can you recommend a book or books to give me the knowledge necessary to grow roses in Edenton? While reading your column of Sept. 10 on roses, I realized I know so very little about a subject in which I am very interested. The term ``dead-heading'' is one I am not familiar with. I also need to know more about tools, fertilizers and growing seasons for roses.
T.P. Blanchard Jr., Edenton, N.C.
``Dead-heading'' means cutting off the expired blooms of roses and other flowers. It is important to do, so the plant won't waste energy making seed heads.
Probably the rose book to purchase is ``Successful Rose Gardening'' (Meredith Books, $16.95 paperback). It was published during the last year, and any bookstore can order it for you. Since that book was published, Meredith has published another called ``Traditional Home Rose Gardening'' by Elvin McDonald (Meredith Books, $29.95 hardcover). I've looked at both and believe that ``Successful Rose Gardening'' is probably the better one for a novice.
My book, ``Robert Stiffler's Gardening,'' also goes into considerable detail about growing roses in this area. It's available at many area bookstores.
I'm enclosing an irrepressible weed that is half a foot tall and dominates my garden. Will anything discourage it? It is near all my bushes and even in my vegetable garden.
Evelyn Hellinger, Norfolk
Your tomato bulletins have been mailed. The ``weed'' you describe is annual broadleaf signal grass. It is a pest. I have it too, especially in liriope beds where it is difficult to control. It has slender long stems and leaves with a color somewhat like Bermuda grass. I seem to see more of it every year so it may be an increasing pest in this area. Authorities at the Hampton Roads Research Center say to mow high in lawns where it appears until Sept. 5 and then begin mowing low to prevent it from making seed heads. In beds or areas that can't be mowed, pulling it up provides the best control. It doesn't make seeds until September so it is important to pull it up before then.
Can you tell me what causes Burpee burpless variety cucumber plants to wilt and die? Each year they are lush, producing plants until late July. Then they begin to wilt and die. I have enclosed sample leaves that may assist in identifying the problem.
R.C. Loomis, Virginia Beach
Don't blame the Burpee variety, because the cucumber beetles that killed your plants attack every variety with equal vigor. The beetle carries a wilt that kills the vine. Sevin is the recommended chemical control. You need to start dusting the ground and undersides of the leaves with Sevin very early. Do that weekly, and it will prevent the beetle from killing cucumber vines.
If you prefer organic gardening methods, Rodale books say to destroy the crop residue each fall and deeply till the soil in spring. During the growing season, protect plants with floating row covers (Reemay). As a last resort use sabadila or rotenone.
I did no dusting of my cucumbers last summer and in mid-August, they curled up and died.
We have a mature river birch tree that began dropping leaves in June, making the lawn unsightly. Can you diagnose the problem by examining the enclosed leaves and then prescribe a remedy?
Doris McCullough,
Virginia Beach
Virginia Tech tree experts say your tree needed more water. This past summer was extremely dry. Your tree is a river plant and needs lots of water. It should recover and leaf out well next spring but then make sure it gets 2 inches of water per week over its entire root zone.
Please identify the vine enclosed. It comes back every year. How can I eradicate it? The second sample is a vine that has thorns and tendrils that absolutely squeeze the life out of any branch it attaches itself to. What is it and how can I eradicate it?
Julia B. Hirsch, Norfolk
Your first vine is Virginia Creeper, a pest throughout this area. It looks much like ivy, but has little blue berries and the leaves turn in the fall. Roundup concentrate at a rate of 6 ounces per gallon will kill it, claims the manufacturer of Roundup. I've found this isn't necessarily so. Virginia Tech experts say you must spray every leaf and stem to ensure eradication. And you may have to spray twice.
The second vine is Greenbrier or Cat-brier, with the botanical name Smilax. It is more often called many names that cannnot be used in a family newspaper. It has triangular-shaped, glossy, dark green leaves and sharp thorns and deep roots that make it one of the real pests of the Southeast. It grows wild in the woods and will grow in any kind of soil. It's useful in some locations as a barrier. Spray it with Roundup at the same 6-ounce rate, and that sometimes will kill at least 90 percent of it. More than one application may be required. I've found the best control is to cut it off at ground level, although you'll get punctured by its thorns. Then pour a small amount of Weed-B-Gon and motor oil, mixed half and half, directly on the cut stem in the ground. That kills the roots. Then pull and destroy the top of the vine.
I am planning to plant six pecan trees on a small farm, and I need to locate a good source. Can you advise where to locate 2- to 3-year-old pecan trees for transplanting?
Charles R. Hamlet, Norfolk
Call local nurseries, and they will most likely have pecan trees in containers. Compare prices.
You can buy them by mail from J.E. Miller Nursery, 5060 West Lake Road, Canandaigua, N.Y. 14424 or Stark Bro's., P.O. Box 10, Louisiana, Mo. 63353.
Please send me the receipt for the roach killer you had in your column a few months ago.
E.T. Hitt Jr., Norfolk
Use one-quarter teaspoon boric acid, available in drug stores, with a teaspoon of honey, Place in bottle caps or small containers in areas where you have seen roaches. Check daily to remove dead roaches.
by CNB