produces big yields of firm, meaty tomatoes, ideal for fresh use at your table or for canning. It has foliage cover and the famous fla vor of many Harris hybrids. The Good’N Early Hybrid VFT tomato is a multiple disease resistant variety, an important fea ture for the home gardener who uses the same plot every year. Bears a prolific crop of 7-ounce fruits in 62 days, and continues producing through the summer. Tomatoes are excellent quality with very small blossom-end scars. The snowdrift marigold is the result of 30 years of white mari gold research by Burpee. This new introduction is larger flowered than its predeccessors, and can be used both as a bedding plant and for cut flowers. The 3'A -inch flowers bloom from mid June until September. The Madness series petunia combines the great size of the grandifloras with the prolific bloom and weather tolerance of the multifloras. These petunias bloom densely and bounce back rapidly even after a heavy rain. Available in coral, pink, plum, white, laven der, and salmon red. PLANTING PROCEDURE Before replanting your green house plants, water them well and keep them in the shade. If possible, plant early or late in the day or on a cloudy day so they won’t dry out before their roots are well enough established to transport water effectively. Remove each plant from its con tainer, root ball intact, keeping as much of the soil mix around the roots as possible. Either gently squeeze and push up on flexible plastic containers, or tip and tap pots to loosen each root ball. Indi vidual peat pots can be planted pot and all. Plant deeply enough so the top of the root ball is at the soil line. Break up and cover the top edges of peat pots, so they won’t dry out and act as wicks, drawing water away from the roots. Always water plants thoroughly after planting. Thereafter, deep infrequent waterings are better than frequent sprinkles, to encour age deep root growth. Gauge watering frequency according to rainfall. When your lawn needs watering, chances are your flower beds do also. Adding 2 to 3 inches of mulch J V *T * will discourage weeds and con serve moisture' while adding a decorative touch. The best mul ches are organic materials such as bark chips, pine needles, shredded leaves or peat moss. Take care not to pile mulch against plant stems. After planting, you may want to give your flowers a dose of “star ter” fertilizer, such as 10-52-17, which is high in phosphorus to help give roots a good start Once k» * Fischer ivy geraniums flower proliflcally. or twice during the growing sea son, another dose of the same 5-10-5 or 10-10-10 fertilizer you used to prepare your beds will keep your shady show-offs going strong. For sunny spots, let the sun do its job. All you need to add is water. Deep infrequent waterings are better than frequent sprinkles, since the former encourages deep root growth. Gauge watering fre- Lancisttr Farming, Saturday, quency according to rainfall. Educational resource gardens such as National Arboretum, Dumbarton Oaks, Brookside Gar dens, Longwood Gardens label plants that are available in com mercial garden centers, so walk through with a pad and pencil and take notes. Establishing lawns The best time to seed lawns is in late August to early October. March is second best. April and May seedings lead to weed com petition, particularly crabgrass. Young turf exposed to summer heat is more susceptible to disease and drought. If you seed in the spring, apply a pre-emergence herbicide such as Siduron and use a turf-type tall fescue seed such as Adventure, Finelawn I, Houndog, Jaugar, Mustang, Olympic, Rebell, Apa che, Arid, Bonanza or Falcon. The seeding rate is 5 to eight pounds mixture per 1,000 square feet. Also reduce soil acidity with lime as recommended by a soil test. Fertilize at the proper time with the right amount. When irrigating, apply water when turf begins to wilt. Water deeply by wetting the soil to a four to six inch depth. Deep watering encourages deep rooting. For salads, sauces or soups, nothing beats the tomato. Where tall, upright flowers are needed in midsummer, balloon flower Is an excel IS, 1989421
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