DATE: Sunday, April 6, 1997                 TAG: 9704040093

SECTION: HOME                    PAGE: G8   EDITION: FINAL 

COLUMN: GARDENING REMINDERS

SOURCE: Robert Stiffler

LENGTH: 104 lines

ORCHID GROUP'S SPRING SHOW AND SALE STARTS FRIDAY AT PEMBROKE

THE TIDEWATER Orchid Society will hold its spring show and sale at Pembroke Mall on Friday, Saturday and next Sunday. The show, ``Jewels from the Jungle,'' is always a beauty, and it's free. Hours are 12:30 to 9 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and 12:30 to 5:30 p.m. Sunday. Call 489-1825. CHECK HYDRANGEAS

If you pruned your hydrangeas during the fall or winter, you've probably noticed that many branches now have a long dead section at the end. This is typical of hydrangeas. Go back and prune off any dead areas showing.

Remember that hydrangeas bloom on this year's growth, which branches out of last year's growth, so don't prune your plants severely. Just prune to control size. BUDDLEIA NEEDS PRUNING

While you have the pruning shears out, your buddleia (butterfly bush) needs a clipping. Most have lots of deadwood this time of year. Cut out those branches and prune as severely as you want.

They bloom on this year's growth, so you can even prune them off at ground level to control size. If you don't have a butterfly bush or two, you should plant some now to attract butterflies. GARDEN CLUB FLOWER SALE

The Virginia Beach Pavilion is the place to be Wednesday when the Junior Virginia Beach Garden Club holds its 17th spring flower sale. Famous for geraniums, it also will have impatiens, zinnias, penta, snapdragons, herbs, vines, perennials, orchids and art.

Proceeds benefit the Norfolk Botanical Garden and the Marine Science Museum. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call 437-0376. HOLD OFF ON FERTILIZING

May is the time to fertilize your lawn. If you have fescue, a light fertilization is all that is needed. Too many homeowners fertilize their lawn too early, causing lush, soft, mushy growth. If you have warm-season grass (zoysia, Bermuda, St. Augustine) feed it once a month, May through August.

Louisiana State University experts say to use turf fertilizers with a high first number, low second number and medium last number such as 25-5-15. ``Or you may start with a complete fertilizer like 8-8-8 if you know the phosphorus in your soil is not too high. If you have centipede, university officials say you need fertilize only twice during the season. CHESAPEAKE PLANT SALE

Mark down Friday, April 18, for the Master Gardener Plant Sale in Chesapeake. It will be held at the agricultural trailer off of Holt Drive near the Planetarium and Great Bridge Community Center. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Call 382-6348. HERB EDUCATION DAY

Herb Education Day of the Herb Society of America will be May 3 on the campus of Tidewater Community College in Chesapeake. Five seminars are planned, some free, some with a fee. More than 7,000 herbs of 250 varieties will be available to buy. Seminar registrations are requested before April 25, because space is limited. For a form, call 481-2041. ALL ABOUT TREES

The Norfolk Botanical Garden and Arbor Tree Experts will offer two days of ``Tree Topics'' on Friday and Saturday to commemorate Arbor Day. Topics include tree installation, pruning, mulching, recycling wood waste and fertilization.

Cost is $45 for both days. Call Carol Chewning at 441-5948. During the same two days, the garden will hold its spring plant sale and Stihl Chainsaws will hold its Timbersports event. SET MOWER CORRECTLY

It's important to choose the correct mower settings as you begin to mow for the 1997 season. Unfortunately, universities give settings in inches, but few lawn mowers provide settings in inches. In fact, most mower blades are difficult to raise or lower.

Here are mower settings recommended by Louisiana State University: common Bermuda, 1-1 1/2 inches; hybrid Bermuda, 3/4-1 inch; zoysia, 1-1 1/2 inches; centipede, 1 1/4-2 inches; tall fescue, 3 inches; St. Augustine, 2 1/2-3 inches. FAVORITE MOWER

Speaking of mowers, I think I've mowed with almost every brand made in the last 50 years, and my favorite is Husqvarna. A bright orange mower built in Sweden, it's easy to adjust and is the most dependable mower I've ever owned. It's not available at many dealers in the area, but Cape Henry Hardware on Great Neck Road in Virginia Beach carries it. CHERRY TREES IN BLOOM

Many of those beautiful cherry trees in full bloom are Yoshino cherries. They're the variety planted along the Tidal Basin in Washington, D.C. They float like pink clouds in the sky for two or more weeks each spring. Every garden should have one.

The more popular cherry in this area is Kwanzan, which is a good tree with a double flower that blooms later. It must be in full sun, or you'll get few blooms. I prefer Yoshino, which can be found in garden centers for planting now. ILLUSTRATION: Photo

An array of orchids can be seen this coming weekend at Pembroke

Mall.

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