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SuperUser Account — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 17:50:41 GMT

testplant in full sun; annual vines; bird baths; cranberry highbush; deadheading roses; grape leaf anemone; hanging plants; lemon balm; mint; rose mallow; walkers low catmint; malabar spinach; http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1416062029http://www.brightcove.com/channel.jsp?channel=1409006909

New Varieties 2008

SuperUser Account — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 17:27:16 GMT

In the January/February 2008 issue of Gardening How-To, we gave you a sneak preview of the year’s best new plants. Here’s a larger list of recent introductions. Try a few in your garden this year! (If you’re searching for more information and don’t find a particular plant on the Web site we’ve given, don’t despair: Some varieties are so new they’re not even listed in catalogs yet. Check again in a few months.)ANNUALS Solenostemon scutellarioides ‘Chocolate Mint’ The dark leaves of this coleus show off a rich chocolate color; each mid-sized leaf is finely edged in mint green. Grows 12 to 14 inches tall; best suited to shade gardens and large containers. Source: Local garden centers. Pentas lanceolata Starla PinkThis tough, tropical-looking plant tolerates cool nights and hot days. Vibrant, pink, star-shaped flowers on plants 14 to 18 inches tall. Source: Local garden centers. Viola cornuta Rocky Violet Blue Multitudes of 1-inch flowers on robust 4- to 6-inch plants. Loads of color in spring or fall. Part of a series of 18 colors and three mixes. Source: Local garden centers. Bergenia ‘Solar Flare’ The bold, evergreen leaves of this bergenia are edged with cream borders that turn brilliant pink during the winter, making it an excellent winter container plant. Color appears on new growth in the spring and fades to green in late summer. Vigorous growth to about 12 inches tall. Source: See Terra Nova Nurseries store locator at www.terranovanurseries.com. PERENNIALS Hibiscus moscheutos ‘Pink Elephant’ Pink ruffled flowers with overlapping petals and a deep red eye open to a full 12 inches wide. Grows 5 to 6 feet tall. Zones 4 to 9. Source: See store locator at www.perennialresource.com. Polemonium ‘Heaven Scent’An attractive, robust mound of ferny green leaves with deep purple highlights. The small blue flowers on this Jacob’s ladder are fragrant. Grows 18 to 24 inches tall. Zones 3 to 7. Source: See store locator at www.perennialresource.com. Iris ‘Raven Girl’Tall 39-inch stems each display up to 10 buds that develop into deep black flowers with slightly ruffled petals. This tall bearded iris has a vigorous growth habit; needs winter dormancy to bloom. Zones 3 to 9. Source (from January 2008): Schreiner’s Iris Gardens, 800-525-2367, www.schreinersgardens.com. Lavandula angustifolia ‘French Perfume’ Rich flushes of plump, velvety, deep purple flowers produce an intense, unusually sweet lavender scent. At 12 inches tall, this Dutch-bred lavender is compact and hardy to Zone 5 with protection. Source: Renee’s Garden Seeds, 888-880-7228, www.reneesgarden.com. Chrysanthemum × morifolium ‘Monica’In a league of its own in the mum world, this large, two-tone yellow anemone has a perfect sphere habit. From Yoder Brothers’ European Collection of Prophets series. Source: Local garden centers. Lantana Luscious Lemonade This brightly colored low-maintenance annual blooms nonstop through heat and drought. Best in full sun; 10 to 14 inches tall. Source: See Proven Winners store locator at www.provenwinners.com. ROSES Rosa ‘Ausrover’ Tea Clipper Apricot flowers with informal rosette shapes give off a fragrant scent of tea, myrrh, and fruit. Large, bushy shrub with very few thorns. Grows 4 feet tall. Zones 6 to 8. Source: David Austin Roses, 800-328-8893, www.davidaustinroses.com. Rosa ‘Ausrumba’ Gentle HermionePure pink flowers pale to soft blush toward the outside, offering a warm, classic “old rose” scent with a hint of myrrh. Round, medium-height shrub with slightly arching stems. Excellent disease resistance. Grows 4 feet tall. Zones 5 to 9. Source: David Austin Roses, 800-328-8893, www.davidaustinroses.com. Rosa ‘Baigirl’ My GirlRound, deep pink buds are held in clusters of five to 30 and open to ruffly, full blossoms. Compact, upright habit with good repeat blooming. Own root. Zones 4 to 9. Source: See Bailey Nurseries store locator at www.baileynurseries.com. Rosa ‘Meibedull’ Apricot CandyThis hybrid tea from Star Roses has a delicate, spicy rose scent, petals with ruffled edges, and soft green foliage. A good performer on both coasts, where it showed above-average disease resistance. Zones 5 to 9. Source: See store locator at www.starroses.com or contact Regan Nursery at 800 249-4680, www.regannursery.com.No photo available Rosa ‘Radwin’ Winner’s CircleA floriferous climber with fire-engine red color that won’t fade and can take the heat. Foliage turns deep burgundy red in fall, and bright orange hips appear. Grows up to 15 feet tall; hardy to Zone 5. Source: See store locator at www.starroses.com or contact Regan Nursery at 800-249-4680, www.regannursery.com.No photo available EDIBLES Pumpkin ‘Rockafellow’ A small pie pumpkin with a long dark green embedded handle that’s great for kids to carry. The hard, smooth shell is perfect for painting. Harvest in 95 days. Source: Local garden centers. Winter squash ‘Blue Magic’Miniature 4- to 6-pound blue-gray winter squash with the shape and flesh qualities of the Hubbard family, but in a small, family-friendly size. Harvest in 100 days. Source: Local garden centers. Tomato ‘Country Taste’ Dark red 1-pound fruits offer all the flavor of an heirloom with the hassle-free growth of a hybrid. Indeterminate plants have good disease resistance. Staking required; harvest in 90 days. Source: Park Seed Co., 800-213-0076, www.parkseed.com. Pepper ‘Explosive Ember’ A beautiful addition to landscapes or containers. This ornamental pepper boasts deep purple leaves, stems, and flowers. Small 1-inch peppers appear in abundance as dark purple and mature to bright red. Grows 10 to 14 inches tall. Source: Tomato Growers Supply Co., 888-478-7333, www.tomatogrowers.com. WOODIES Genista lydia ‘Select’ Bangle Waves of electric yellow flowers in early spring are a showy addition to containers and perennial beds. Full sun for best performance; thrives in drought. Grows 2 feet tall. Zones 4 to 8. Source: See Proven Winners store locator at www.provenwinners.com. Grape, ‘Frontenac Gris’ A grape for fresh eating or winemaking, suitable for growing in cold climates. Bears coppery-peach grape clusters with the aroma of apricot, peach, tropical fruit, and citrus. Excellent disease resistance. Zones 4 to 8. Source: J.W. Jung Seed Co., 800-297-3123, www.jungseed.com, and other mailorder companies. Pear (European), ‘Ubileen’ This early-ripening, disease-resistant pear yields abundant crops of large fruit in late July to early August. Pears are yellow with a red blush. Sweet, buttery, aromatic flesh. Needs a second European pear tree for pollination. Zones 4 to 7. Source: J.W. Jung Seed Co., 800-297-3123, www.jungseed.com, and other mailorder companies. Buddleia davidii ‘Evil Ways’Golden foliage provides a perfect foil for the dark purple flowers that cover this 4-foot-tall butterfly bush from early summer until fall. Zones 5 to 9. Source (from early January 2008): Plant Delights Nursery, 919-772-4794, www.plantdelights.com. Loropetalum chinense ‘Chang Nian Hong’ Ever Red Sunset Vivid red flowers and dark chocolate-burgundy foliage provide a stunning contrast for beds and borders. Grows 6 feet tall and wide. Zones 7 to 9. Source: See Monrovia store locator at www.monrovia.com.

Year-Round Hunting

SuperUser Account — Tue, 04 Sep 2007 13:15:23 GMT

I remember the good ol' days well. You know, those years when we had well-defined hunting seasons and those of us who live to hunt could actually catch up on our sleep and reacquaint ourselves with our families during the off season.Those days are as long gone as two-dollar-a-gallon gasoline. These days, the serious hunter can find plenty of adventure if he's willing to travel and explore new possibilities.The following are North American Hunter's picks for some of the finest hunting trips you'll ever encounter, regardless of the time of year. Some are bowhunts, some gun hunts. But please, before you jam the switchboard and crash the e-mail servers here at Club Headquarters by telling us how dumb we are for overlooking one of your favorites, understand that we know we missed a lot of great hunts. With a guideline of listing only a first choice and a runner-up each for each month, that was bound to happen. We also know that some of the hunts we listed overlap into adjoining months. Further, we also know there are many outfitters who offer good hunts for some of the species listed, it's just that when recommending an outfitter is appropriate we've limited ourselves again by listing only those outfitters we know and have hunted with personally.If you read the following and only dream, we've done our job. But we hope instead to get you thinking about how, someday, you might extend your own hunting season. Now go get 'em!ARTICLE PHOTOS April: Wild TurkeysApril: Coastal Alaska Black Bears September: Elk October: Pre-Rut WhitetailNovember: Rut-Crazed Whitetail January First Choice: Bowhunting Arizona Muleys And Coues Deer It might be snowing in much of the country, but during January in Arizona the sun is shining and the deer are rutting. Both muleys and Coues whitetails are available to hunt in good numbers, there is a ton of excellent public land and both a nonresident hunting license and any buck archery deer tag are available over-the-counter for a season lasting the entire month. Quail season is still open, and the bird shooting is terrific, too. Try the southern tier of the state with the desert muleys found at lower elevations, and the Coues deer found in the mountains and foothills. DuWane Adams ((520) 385-4995; arizonabiggamehunting.com) is the best glasser I've ever hunted with. He guided me to my first-ever Coues buck, and he's still one of the state's best at finding quality bucks of both species.Runner-Up: Deep South WhitetailsThe rut might be over in Minnesota, but not in Mississippi where the bucks are feeling spunky and the hunting can be excellent. There are lots of excellent lodges and outfitters, but it's hard to beat Giles Island ((877) 944-5374, gilesisland.com). Located only 15 minutes from Natchez, Mississippi, 2,000 of the 9,400 acres here are designated as “bowhunting only” and this management program has resulted in the average buck scoring near 140 Boone & Crockett Club or Pope & Young Club points. Both firearms and archery hunting are available and a big bonus is that the food and accommodations are deluxe.February First Choice: Mountain Lions When it's bitter cold and you're bored to death, why not limber up those legs and follow the sound of the hounds in pursuit of a big mountain lion in the snow-covered Western mountains? Lion hunting is poo-pooed by some as a slam-dunk, unsporting hunt, but I've been three times—taken one cat—and been physically tested by the steep terrain and deep snow each time. As a bonus, lion meat is some of the best I've ever eaten. There's good cat hunting in many Western states like Montana, Colorado, Utah, and Idaho, as well as farther south in Arizona and New Mexico. My friend Rick Wemple ((800) 725-4306; huntinfool.com/rickwemple) is one tough cookie and all about adventuring. He's a hunting fool who guides for elk, muleys, black bears and pronghorns, and he also knows how to catch cats for his clients.Runner-Up: CoyotesCoyotes are found coast to coast, in big numbers. In much of the country the “song dogs” kick last year's pups out of the pack about now, meaning there are a fair number of young, uneducated dogs running about. That's good news for those hunters who want to try and call them in. A bonus in some areas is the fact that many times landowners who are shy about letting newcomers hunt their land have no problem with sportsmen trying to thin out coyotes. Check with your local game and fish department for regulations and recommended hunting areas.March First Choice: Musk Ox Oomingmak is a prehistoric beast inhabiting the frozen arctic, drawing the adventuresome sportsman back into time. March is a great time to pursue them, as the winter days are lengthening, hide quality is superb and the hunting excellent. Expect temperatures anywhere from minus 10 to minus 50 degrees—not as bad as it seems with the right clothing, which is often supplied by the outfitter. While some musk ox hunting occurs in Alaska, the best bet for the nonresident is Canada's Northwest Territories. Fred Webb & Sons ((250) 577-3708; http://fordinfo.com/fredwebb) has been conducting highly successful arctic hunts for decades. My musk ox bowhunt with Fred was one of the most exciting trips I've ever made.Runner-Up: Florida Wild HogsIn addition to great whitetail, Osceola turkey and exotics hunting, Cracker Swamp Hunting Preserve ((386) 328-6111; crackerswamp.com) offers incredible spring hunting for wild hogs ranging between 250-450 pounds. These folks will make you feel right at home—and the hogs are big and mean!April First Choice: Wild Turkeys With more turkeys in North America than ever before, the hunting opportunities are almost endless. For current conditions and population updates, check with both your local fish and game department and the National Wild Turkey Federation (nwtf.org.) Brian Gilliland of Smoky Ridge Outfitters ((270) 885-8141; huntingkentucky.com) has 6,000 acres overrun with wild turkeys, with both greenfields to draw strutting toms to your blind and decoy, or oak-studded hills to chase them around.Runner-Up: Coastal Alaska Black Bears This is a pure spot and stalk adventure based from a comfortable boat with a near 100 percent chance you'll stalk at least one big bruin with a 7-foot or better hide. Add the great food and you can't go wrong. I think so much of this hunt that I often guide here myself, just for the excitement! My friend Jim Boyce (Baranof Expeditions, (907) 747-3934; baranofexpeditions.com) has been doing it for more than a decade with near-100 percent success.May First Choice: Alaska's Giant Brown Bears There is nothing in North America that compares to the adrenaline rush of stalking to within spitting distance of 1,000-plus pounds of fang and claw. There are many excellent Alaska brown bear guides and one who I recommend highly is Tracy Vrem of Blue Mountain Lodge ((907) 688-2419; bluemountainlodge.com). Vrem hunts near Becharof Lake on the Alaska Peninsula and has a superb track record of producing excellent bears and near-100 percent success.Runner-Up: Baited Black BearsIn many areas of Canada baiting bears is still legal, and many outfitters take it quite seriously. I love to hunt over bait, and for the nonresident a trip north of the border will help cure spring fever. To help sort the wheat from the outfitter chaff and find a small outfitter who specializes in personalized service and very high success rates in a two-bear area, contact booking agent Wade Derby ((925) 679-9232; crosshairconsulting.com) who works hard for his clients and has personally checked out all the outfitters he recommends.June First Choice: California Barley Field Wild BoarsThere are more free-ranging wild hogs in California right now than ever before, and while the season is open all year, when the barley crops begin to emerge in late May and June the hogs swarm the central California fields, making it possible to often see more than 100 hogs a day. Two-day guided hunt packages run anywhere from $500-$800 and on the best operations success is near-100 percent. I've hunted with Doug Roth at Camp 5 Outfitters ((805) 238-3634; e-mail droth@charter.net) near Paso Robles (halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco) since he first began guiding during the late 1980s, and have never been disappointed.Runner-Up: Bowfishing Tired of shooting 3-D targets and hitting golf balls? Maybe it's time that you tried your hand at some bowfishing, which can be much more fun and challenging than you might originally think. It doesn't cost a lot to gear up, and most states offer some sort of bowfishing opportunity. Check with your local game and fish department for regulations and recommended bowfishing areas.July First Choice: Yukon Territory Dall's SheepSummer hunting is never more exciting than when stalking a majestic Dall's sheep ram in the Northwest Territories. Clients hunting with South Nahanni Outfitters have been scoring at virtually 100 percent on rams averaging about 38 inches for a maximum of 12 clients a year. Though this is a backpack hunt, helicopters are used to access the area, and most hunters find these hunts relatively easy, physically. It's an awesome hunt, and Wade Derby of Crosshair Consulting ((925) 679-9232; crosshairconsulting.com) does the booking and can fill you in.Runner-Up: Prairie DogsHot summer days were made, it seems, for honing your long-range shooting skills on prairie dogs, rock chucks and ground squirrels. Many ranchers and farmers will grant you permission to shoot these pests, and there are also many commercial hunting operations catering to those who prefer packaged deals. Bring lots of ammo!August First Choice: Caribou There's so much good hunting to choose from in August, yet if I had to pick just one hunt it would be stalking caribou bulls across the tundra. While good, Quebec can be a hit-or-miss affair—one reason I prefer Alaska. The huge Mulchatna herd hasn't started migrating yet, meaning you can often fly around and find thousands of animals that aren't going anywhere anytime soon. Both guided and unguided drop-off hunts are popular. Gary, Louise and Steve Pogany (Osprey Lodge; alaskahuntfish-osprey.com; (907) 688-1511 or (696) 2390) run a super program featuring both guided and unguided hunts from a spacious lodge located less than 2 hours by small airplane from Anchorage. The price of their trips includes bush plane service, which is a hidden savings.Runner-Up: Western PronghornsPronghorn are awesome to bow hunt. I love sitting in a blind waiting for the right pronghorn buck to arrive, trying to sneak within arrow range of bedded bucks – a huge challenge! -- and decoying rutting bucks into early September. Any way you cut it, it is great fun.September First Choice: Elk When the leaves begin to turn in the Rocky Mountain West, is there a better place to be than trying your hand at seducing a mature bull elk into bow range? There's absolutely nothing like it anywhere in the world! With tons of public land available and more elk than at anytime since the turn of the century, the chances for do-it-yourself success are as good as ever. However, far better odds occur on the right guided hunt—especially those conducted on private land or on public land where tags are limited. Van Hale's Trophy Outfitters ((928) 333-5290; trophyoutfittersonline.com) is a small outfit specializing in arguably the top two trophy states in the West: Arizona and New Mexico. He can help you apply for the very best tags as well as with some private land hunting.Runner-Up: Moose Like elk, moose are rutting in mid- to late September, and if you think calling an elk in is something, try keeping it together when 1,500 pounds of love-crazed Alces charges toward you! While you can hunt moose on your own in Alaska, if you have no experience in moosing, hiring a guide is highly recommended. And if you're going moose hunting, why not try your hand at the continent's largest bulls? My friend Terry Overly of Pioneer Outfitters in Chisana, Alaska ((907) 734-0007; e-mail pioneer-outfitters@worldnet.att.net) has a long track record or producing nice bulls and high success rates on horseback moose hunts. October First Choice: Mule Deer The thing about mule deer hunting is, unless the deer live in an area conducive to making a successful stalk, they might as well be living on the moon, and that eliminates much of their home range. Chad Schearer of Central Montana Outfitters ((406) 799-7984; centralmontanaoutfitters.com) specializes in elk and muley hunting and prides himself in personalized service—but best of all, the ranch he has leased is ideal for locating, then stalking, quality mule deer bucks. Chad's hunters seem to always get shots with either bow or rifle. Runner-Up: Pre-Rut Whitetails It's starting …. and we all want to be in a tree when the bucks begin their rutting ritual. Near the end of October is the time to break out the deer calls and rattling horns and begin sitting in those stands along traditional rub lines and among dropping acorns. Need I say more?November First Choice: Rut-Crazed Whitetails Most of America's hunters live for the whitetail rut, when those nocturnal monsters finally show themselves during legal shooting hours. Where will you be this November? If you're looking for an outfitter who's dedicated to quality, keeps hunter numbers low and has some truly monster deer, Dick McCormick's Central Illinois Outfitters ((217) 452-7945; centralillinoisoutfitters.com) hunts The Grigsby, located 25 minutes northwest of Springfield in west-central Illinois. His area comprises 12,860 total acres and is the largest contiguous privately owned tract of land in the state. I've been there, and I will be back. It's that good.Runner-Up: Oregon Blacktails Speaking of nocturnal, no deer is more so than the Columbia blacktail of the northern California/western Oregon and Washington state coast. The biggest bucks of all come from near Medford, Oregon, where my friends Doug and Janet Gattis of Southern Oregon Game Busters ((541) 770-5050; blacktails.net) have produced some monsters for both firearms and archery clients. The best hunting occurs from mid-November to season's end in early December when the deer can be hunted from a treestand, by spot and stalk or by rattling and calling. It's extremely challenging—and incredibly fun.December First Choice: Texas WhitetailsIf you haven't been to Texas, you owe it to yourself to make at least one pilgrimage to a land where the deer hunting is a world unto itself—and where it can be superb during mid- to late December when the bucks are starting to rut and the big boys show up. Much of the hunting is done from a treestand set over, or near, a feeder—a turn-off to many, but something I have found both fascinating and not as easy as it sounds. The Perlitz Ranch ((210) 494-6421; perlitzranch.com) has been featured often on the “Realtree Monster Bucks” video series for a reason—it's awesome!Runner-Up: Winter Rabbits In snow country, both cotton-tailed rabbits and snowshoe hares are romping about, leaving tracks to follow and making spot and stalk hunting a great excuse to get out of the house and get some shooting in. Bunny hunting is also a super way to introduce a young or novice archer to bowhunting; the fact they make an awesome stew is a bonus. Check with your local game and fish department for regulations and recommended hunting areas.

Web Links January February 2008

SuperUser Account — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 21:17:11 GMT

January-February 2008 Web Resources Site Specific, page 18Resources for the Southeast region:Edible Landscaping, www.ediblelandscaping.com.Park Seed, .parkseed.com.Possum Creek Herb Farm, .possumcreekherb.com. Resources for the Northeast region:Nourse Farms, .noursefarms.com.Territorial Seed Co., .territorial-seed.com. Resource for the Midwest/Mountain region:Johnny’s Selected Seeds, .johnnyseeds.com. Resources for the Pacific Northwest region:Forestfarm, .forestfarm.com.Raintree Nursery, .raintreenursery.com. Resources for the Southwest region:Tripple Brook Farm, .tripplebrookfarm.com.Dill’s Greenhouse, www.dillsgreenhouse.net. New Varieties 2008, page 30 Nurseries, retailers, mailorder sources:B&D Lilies, .bdlilies.com.Garden Crossings, .gardencrossings.com.Harris Seeds, .harrisseeds.com.High Country Gardens, .highcountrygardens.com.J. W. Jung Seed Co., .jungseed.com.Jackson & Perkins, .jacksonandperkins.com.Johnny’s Selected Seeds, .johnnyseeds.com.Klehm’s Song Sparrow Farm and Nursery, .klehm.com.Park Seed Co., .parkseed.com.Plant Delights Nursery, .plantdelights.com.Renee’s Garden Seeds, .reneesgarden.com.Seymour’s Selected Seeds, .seymourseedusa.com.Stokes Seeds Ltd., .stokeseeds.com. T & T Seeds Ltd., .ttseeds.com.Thompson & Morgan Seedsmen Inc., .tmseeds.com.Tomato Growers Supply Co., .tomatogrowers.com.Wayside Gardens, .waysidegardens.com.White Flower Farm, .whiteflowerfarm.com. Store locators:If you’re looking for a plant from a particular company, use the Web sites below to find local garden centers that carry plants from that company. Look for the store locator (sometimes called retail locator or simply “where to buy”), type in your ZIP code, and browse through a list of garden centers near you that are likely to have the plant.All-America Rose Selections, www.rose.org.Bailey Nurseries, .baileynurseries.com.Blooms of Bressingham, .bobna.com.Forever & Ever Hydrangea, .foreverhydrangea.com.Hines Horticulture, .hineshort.com.Monrovia, .monrovia.com.Novalis, .novalisinc.com.Perennial Resource, .perennialresource.com.Proven Winners, .provenwinners.com.Simply Beautiful, .simplybeautifulgardens.com.Terra Nova Nurseries, .terranovanurseries.com. Early Bloomers, page 38For information on winter-blooming shrubs:Arnold Arboretum, Harvard University, http://arnoldia.arboretum.harvard.edu/pdf/articles/1019.pdfUniversity of Illinois Extension, www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/shrubselector/For information on ground covers:Cornell University,www.entomology.cornell.edu/extension/woodys/cugroundcoversite/groundcovermain.html For information on early-spring perennials: Iowa State University Extension, www.extension.iastate.edu/Publications/RG318.pdfUpClose, page 68Orchids Limited, .orchidweb.com.

National Home Gardening Club

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New Varieties 2008

Year-Round Hunting

Web Links January February 2008