Regional Gardening Tips

SuperUser Account — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 15:35:36 GMT

Wonder what region you live in? See our map here or visit the “Site Specific” column in each issue of Gardening How-To.Pacific Northwest• Transplant most annuals after danger of frost has passed. Mulch beds to reduce moisture loss and keep weeds from germinating. • If your trees were infected with mites, aphids, or scale last year, spray with a dormant oil before buds open. • Fertilize woody vines and ground covers in spring or fall.Southwest• Inspect rose mallow for scale and Japanese beetles during the growing season. • Harvest herbs in the morning when their volatile oils are most concentrated in the leaves. • Place metal cans (tuna cans are good for this) with both ends cut out over seedlings to prevent cutworm damage. Crops that are particularly susceptible are cucumber, eggplant, broccoli, cabbage, peppers, and cauliflower.Midwest/Mountain• Check shrubs for branches killed by winter’s cold and prune back to healthy growth. • When planting bulbs, plant in groups rather than lines for greater visual impact. • Have lawn mowers serviced before the start of the growing season.Northeast • Spread fertilizer on cool-season grasses after you mow for the second time this season. • Scout for insects (scale, leaf miners, spittlebugs, leaf hoppers, lace bugs, spider mites) on magnolias and hollies. • Propagate sage by dividing plants in the spring or by taking cuttings throughout the growing season.Southeast• Plant snapdragon seeds eight to twelve weeks before the last frost. Pinch off the tops of the plants when they are 3 to 4 inches tall to encourage bushy growth. • Spray sour and sweet cherries with insecticides labeled for fruit flies. One or two sprays during the month before harvest should control these pests. • For an easy, beautiful hedge, plant twining vines that will mature to an appropriate size at the base of a chain link fence.

February 2008 Member Garden Showcase(2)

SuperUser Account — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 15:34:42 GMT

March member photos include a beautiful Hawaiian lei, bright Asiatic lilies, and a very special garden fairy! A giant sunflower beams in Member Nita Resler’s Weirton, WV, garden. Life Member Susan Swaroff’s Dayton, IA, garden is adorned with flaming fuchsia. A purple passion flower pops against an evergreen tree in Member Jack Winkleman’s Wallingford, CT, garden. The bright tiger lilies in Life Member Elizabeth Peek’s Lexington, SC, garden were inherited from her mother’s garden. A sweet smelling Hawaiian lei was a vacation souvenir brought home by Life Member Charlotte Downey of Myrtle Beach, SC. Member Deborah Freeman’s dog, Autumn, takes in the beautiful ornamental poppies and purple iris in her DeForest, WI, garden. A tiny tree frog makes itself at home in Life Member Becci Placke’s Hebron, KY, water garden. Member Peggy Robinett of Graham, WA, caught a glimpse of a butterfly feasting on her Asiatic lily. A thirsty morning dove takes a drink from Member Allison Scott-Eagan’s Louisville, KY, pond. The candytuft and tulips in the garden of Member Mickey Schwald of Mountlake Terrace, WA, are visited by a special garden fairy—her granddaughter Hope Elizabeth. This photo of a ‘Mr. Lincoln’ hybrid tea rose, shot by Member Barbara Page of Cleveland, NC, was mistakenly printed upside-down in the March/April issue of Gardening How-To. GHT regrets the error. To EnterIf you'd like to see your photo posted on this page, e-mail it to Jenny Thompson, jthomps@namginc.com.com. (We accept only digital images.) Please include the following information in your e-mail: 1) Name, city, and state. 2) Tell us if you are a life member or a regular member. 3) Screen name if you use the NHGC bulletin board; and 4) Provide any details about the photo -- for example, plant names and how long you've had the garden. We need this for the photo caption. Please include details about why the photo is special. NOTE: Because of photo volume, we may not be able to post every photo submitted.

Trillium(2)

SuperUser Account — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 13:44:28 GMT

In early spring, when the forest floor is a soggy brown carpet, small green spears poke up and each unfurls an elegant whorl of three green leaves. A single stalk rises at the center, and one flower with three petals opens above each leafy trio.Trillium, a wildflower found in woodlands across North America, is also known as wakerobin, wood lily, or trinity flower.The flower of Trillium grandiflorum has three large white petals; other species may have yellow, pink, maroon, or variegated flowers. Trillium likes a shady spot with moist, humus-rich soil.

National Home Gardening Club

Regional Gardening Tips

February 2008 Member Garden Showcase(2)

Trillium(2)