                             THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Sunday, February 9, 1997              TAG: 9702080089
SECTION: HOME & GARDEN           PAGE: G3   EDITION: FINAL 
COLUMN: Gardening Reminders 
SOURCE: Robert Stiffler 
                                            LENGTH:   67 lines

INSPECT TREES IN WINTER FOR INJURY, DISEASE, DECAY

ONE OF THE BEST and most accurate ways to inspect a tree for injury or defects is simply to look at it, say a National Arborist Association authority. Winter, when deciduous trees have shed their leaves, is the perfect time to look for injury, disease and decay. Leafless trees also reveal structural problems. Ideally, a tree's branches will be evenly distributed along the tree trunk. Angles that are tight or V-shaped where branches meet the trunk may be a sign of instability.

A professional arborist is able to identify such problems and suggest remedies. Winter is a slow time for arborists, giving them more time to devote to your trees. Often their prices are less in winter than when they get busy in spring.

To receive a list of National Arborist Association members near you, call (800) 733-2622, e-mail 76142.463(AT)Compuserv.com, or visit the NAA's home page: http://newww.com/org/naa.

Grow your own squash

Recently I was checking out at a supermarket when the woman in front of me bought a butternut squash. They were sold by the pound, and hers cost nearly $2.

You can buy a packet of butternut squash seed for $1 or less and you'll probably harvest a dozen butternut squash in October. They're prolific producers, and the squash keeps all winter in a garage. Give them lots of room, because the vines cover a lot of area.

Put paper-whites outside

This advice may be a little late for this year, but if you've not thrown out your paper-white narcissus bulbs, plant them in your garden. It takes three to four years for them to regain enough strength to bloom. Once that happens, the bulbs will bloom every year in January, performing better than when forced to bloom in your house.

Winter blooms

Poinsettias have given out by now and should be thrown out. If yours still looks good but has lost its leaves, cut some holly, cedar or other evergreen foliage and stick into the pot to provide a fresh look.

For winter blooms, it's an excellent time to start amaryllis in pots. In six to eight weeks, you'll have blooms. Put three bulbs in a large pot for the best show. Often amaryllis are sold at bargain prices now.

Garden show a success

If you weren't one of the more than 11,000 people who visited the Virginia Flower & Garden Show the weekend of Jan. 25, you missed a good show. Everyone I've talked to raved about it.

Next year's show is now being planned, so when you see it advertised, make plans to be there. I'm told the show made a slight profit, which is needed to start planning a bigger and better 1998 show.