THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, November 3, 1996 TAG: 9611010091
SECTION: HOME PAGE: G3 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: GARDENING
SOURCE: ROBERT STIFFLER
LENGTH: 131 lines
My husband and I bought a home in the Ocean Park area of Virginia Beach, and it' surrounded by water oaks. We are looking forward to starting a woodland shade garden, but before we begin, we want to get rid of the grass. Because we are organic gardeners, we are not sure what the quickest way would be that does not involve chemicals. The grass is a long variety and well-entrenched. Should we rent a rototiller or cover it with plastic for a time?
Chris Solanic, Virginia Beach
Virginia Tech experts say if grass is growing where you want to plant, other plants should also grow there. You can try tilling it up and then covering the area with pine straw or pine bark. The grass may or may not come back.
Your other option is the usual organic method, which is to cover the area with black plastic for several months. That is what I would do this fall and then make holes in the plastic to plant some perennials as well as any shrubs you want. By spring, the grass should be dead and you can remove the plastic and mix in lots of bark, compost and peat moss. The soil where you live is normally sandy, so you're probably going to need to water a lot. That's why adding organic matter to the soil is important. Two books to buy and read at once are Rodale's ``Chemical Free Yard & Garden'' and Ken Druse's ``Shade Gardening.'' Any book store can order them for you.
Recently I read in your column about how to get rid of moles, but because we never have had a problem, I did not keep the article. Do I put the poison in the tunnels they have made or just how do I get them out of my yard?
Joseph L. Bailey, Norfolk
I've never known so many people with severe mole problems. The wet summer is partly to blame, because moles tunnel nearer the top in soft soils. If you get a copy of my book, ``Robert Stiffler's Gardening,'' there are two pages devoted to mole control. For now, the best answer is Mole Med, a spray based on castor oil. Apply as directed and reapply every six to eight weeks. It drives them away better than anything else on the market.
Some weeks ago, you had an article about dogwoods that had some blossoms but also had blossoms that did not open fully. Would you tell what caused the problem?
Is it possible to start an asparagus fern from the red berry seeds that form on it?
W. Conrad Weltman,
Kill Devil Hills, N.C.
Virginia Tech horticulturists report that several late spring freezes this season caused the dogwood bloom problem. Some buds were killed or damaged before they opened. Fertilize your tree after it drops its leaves this fall and next spring it should be full of blooms.
Asparagus ferns are easy to start from the red seed berries. In fact, if you put yours outdoors in summer, you'll find many little ferns starting in your yard or other pots on your deck from where the seeds fell. Plant them, barely covered, in any potting mix.
Here's what the Reader's Digest book, ``Success with House Plants,'' says: ``Growth from seed is very slow. On the whole, propagation by dividing overcrowded clumps, just as growth starts in spring, is preferred. Remove any excess mixture from the tuberous roots and separate with a sharp knife. Plant separate clumps in 3-inch pots of soil-based potting mixture.''
I would like to meet someone in the Hampton Roads area or Eastern North Carolina who knows how to graft pecan trees. The procedure I am interested in is ``bud'' or ``whip'' grafting. Do you know of anyone?
Jean A. Domingue, P.O. Box 422, Wanchese, N.C. 27981
Hampton Roads Research Center personnel know of no one in this area who qualifies. Virginia Beach extension agent Randy Jackson has a bulletin on how to graft fruit trees, and he said it should be the same for pecans. He is mailing that to you. Should any reader have experience in grafting pecan trees, please contact Mr. Domingue.
I am mailing you a vine that keeps growing in my flower bed. We have sprayed with Roundup. At one time, we dug up all the bulbs and used a tiller and raked. I would like to know how to get rid of this pest.
Martha Gilbar, Norfolk
Weed specialist Laurie Smith at the Hampton Roads Research Center identified your weed as a member of the morning glory family. She explains that with Roundup the chemical translocates to the root area to kill the plant. Often vines are very long, and the chemical runs out of steam before it reaches the roots. If you spray a vine twice, usually 10 days apart, she says you should get 90 percent control.
What are your thoughts on the quality of creeping red fescue for lawns in this area?
Lewis C. Waid, Virginia Beach
Creeping red fescue grass has been suggested for this area for years, and my stock answer has been that it will not grow here. I know some garden centers are now recommending it. Turf specialist Ron Walden at the Virginia Tech Research Station says that newer varieties are proving to be worthy of trying, but in shade only. He says it will have to be overseeded every fall with new seed, but you should do that with all fescue, if you expect to keep a strong stand. In your shady area, you might want to try it.
I've had a problem with small sections of my Japanese azaleas dying. I've sprayed with lime sulphur twice weekly but no change. I grew them from cuttings, and they are about 16 years old. I water regularly and use liquid fertilizer 30-10-10 during the cooler season and after blooming.
A.W. Newbern, Como, N.C.
The leaves you sent show no sign of azalea insect or disease problems. Virginia Tech horticulturist Bonnie Appleton said all the leaves are pale, which would indicate that your plants are hungry. They need more food. Discontinue spraying with lime sulphur and use a long-lasting azalea food after blooming and again lightly in the fall. The liquid fertilizer you're using
I recently moved to Pungo and planted my vegetable and herb garden in May. The soil is very rich and I am astounded at how fast everything has grown. I discovered small holes in the leaves of many plants, so we placed a rabbit guard cage along the entire garden. But I am quite sure it is not rabbits doing the damage. I have been out numerous times to try to catch a glimpse of whatever is eating the leaves, but to no avail. What could it be and how do I get rid of these pests?
Carolyn H. Crockett,
Virginia Beach
The leaf you enclosed shows slug, beetle or caterpillar damage. Slugs operate at night, which might be why you don't see them. Put out slug bait to eliminate them. For beetles, use Sevin or organic soap spray. There is one beetle that can strip eggplant in a matter of days, and the plant dies. For caterpillars, Bt is an organic spray that disrupts their digestive system. Keep the rabbit fence, because in Pungo, you're sure to have rabbit problems.
Don't expect your garden to flourish every year as it did this summer. The rain helped plants perform better than they often do in this area.
A few years ago I bought a house with an established garden. It has been interesting to identify the plants growing here. The enclosed plant has been quietly growing in a corner but recently volunteers have been appearing. Should I be nurturing it or hoeing it out?
Dawne Galdi, Virginia Beach
Your plant has been identified by Virginia Tech authority Laurie Smith as Chinese Sumac (Rhus chinensis). It has alternate leaves and is a loose, spreading suckering shrub growing to 24 feet in height. Foliage is bright green in summer and usually changes to orangish red in the fall. Because it's very weedy and invasive, most gardeners yank it out. That is my recommendation, but it is being used in native plant gardens because it lives in poor soil and requires little moisture. by CNB