820-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, April 1, 1995
UNIVERSITY PARK, (Center
Co.)-If you’re planning a flower
garden this summer, start getting
your soil in shape now. Soil prepa
ration can save you time, labor
and money as well as rewarding
you with beautiful plants.
“Preparing the soil is the most
important step in gardening,’’ says
Dr. J. Robert Nuss, professor of
ornamental horticulture in Penn
State’s College of Agricultural
Sciences. “Have your soil tested
this spring, and use the test results
and recommendations as a guide.”
A. soil test measures nutrient
amounts and pH, or level of acidi
ty. Soil pH is measured on a scale
of 0 to 14. with 0 being the most
acid, 14 the most alkaline and 7
neutral. Most soils naturally have
pH levels ranging between S and
8. “Many flowers do well in a
range between 6 and 7, so chances
are you won’t need to change your
soil’s pH much,” says Nuss.
Don’t guess when it comes to
fertilizing and changing pH. Over
applying chemicals can harm soil
and plants as well as pollute
groundwater and streams.
“Excess lime raises the soil’s
pH above what plants can tolerate,
makes it more difficult for them to
draw nutrients from the soil and
slows growth of beneficial soil
microorganisms,’’ says Nuss.
“Some flowers perfer a more acid
soil and can suffer from iron defi
ciency if you apply too much
lime.”
Soil test kits are available at
Penn State Cooperative Extension
county offices and larger garden
centers for a nominal fee. County
extension kits include instructions
for collecting soil samples as well
as the address of Penn State’s soil
testing laboratory. Samples cah be
mailed or delivered to the
laboratory.
You will receive test results in
about two weeks. Results include
levels of potassium, calcium, pho
sphorus and magnesium, along
Etc. With, Clean,
Kenneth Stauffer (717) 539-8365 Sqfe, Efficient
RDI Box 307 Mt. Pleasant Mills Pa. 17853 Wood Heat
Beautiful Flowers Begin With The Soil
with the soil’s pH. Also included
are recommendations for the kinds
and amounts of fertilizer to apply
and how much lime if any to add
to the soil.
“If you’re planning to grow
rhododendrons, azaleas, laurels or
other flowers that prefer acid soil,
you may need to apply a chemical
such as sulfur, which lowers pH,”
says Nuss. “Apply no more than
the recommended amount”
Till the recommended materials
about S inches into the soil. While
working the soil, remove stones,
sod clumps, weed and debris.
“Work in several inches of
organic matter,” says Nuss.
“There’s little danger of adding
too much. Composted kitchen
scraps, well-rotted manures, lawn
clippings and decayed plant
Herb And Geranium Sale To Be Held
LANCASTER (Lancster
Co.)-The 16th annual Herb and
Geranium Sale, sponsored by the
Susquehanna Unit of the Herb
Society of America, will be held
on Saturday, May 6 from 9 a.m.
until 1 p.m. at the Farm and Home
Center, 1383 Arcadia Road,
Lancaster.
A wide variety of herb plants
will be offered for sale including
those used for cooking, fragrance,
dyes, wreaths and other arrange
ments, repelling insects, and her
bal tea. Specialty plants potted
from members’ gardens will also
be available as well as a selection
of wildflowers and scented gera
niums. This year the Unit is fea
turing native American plants as
well as plants which attract hum
mingbirds and other birds, honey
bees, and butterflies. Each of these
will be clearly identified.
This year’s educational exhibit
features Bloodroot (Sanguinaria
canadensis). Noted Marietta artist
Henry Libhart has donated an
original botanical watercolor of
material all are good forms of
organic matter. They help retain
water and supply nutrients for
your flowers.”
After tilling, your soil is ready
for seeds or transplants. Feed
transplants with a starter solution
containing 2 tablespoons of high
phosphorous fertilizer diluted in a
gallon of water. Pour 1 cup of the
solution around the roots of each
new transplant.
“Phosphorous is critical for
getting new flowers off to a good
start,” says Nuss. “Without it,
roots will develop slowly and
plants will be weak.”
Add 2 to 3 inches of organic
mulch on top of the soil around
your plants. Mulch helps keep soil
moist, prevents erosion, discour-
this native American plant to the
Susquehanna Unit Matted prints
will be available at the sale.
Susquehanna Unit members are
quite Imowledgeable and eager to
assist patrons in their selection of
plants and will be happy to share
their tips for planting, growing
and usage. One member who spe
cializes in raising scented gera
niums will be available to discuss
the cultivation of these interesting
plants. Garden leaf carriers will be
available as well as herb books
and gardening items and “cook
booklets” compiled by the Unit
and including many favorite herb
recipes.
To help both the novice and the
experienced gardener, all plants
are identified by tag which
includes the botanical name, com
mon name, growth habit, usages
and planting instructions.
It is suggested that patrons
arrive early for the best plant
selection. In an effort to encourage
recycling, it is suggested that par
tons bring their own baskets and
dSP
Leola Produce Auction, Inc. will open the 1995 season
on Tuesday, April 4. 1995. Sale will begin at 10:00
A.M.
The Produce Auction will be having sales every
Tuesday and Thursday at 10:00 AM until further
notice.
Leola Produce Auction, Inc.
M wtTT mS Wholesale Auction of Lancaster Co. Vegetables
Brethren Church Road
II {lfllff l *- Leola, PA 17540
Lie. #AHOOOO2B-L
ages weeds and builds up the
soil’s organic matter. “Mulch also
tends to be more attractive than
bare soil in a ornamental garden,”
says Nuss. “It keeps mud from
splashing on your flowers and
gives the ground’s surface uni
form color and texture.”
Several kinds of mulch are
available at garden centers,
including wood bark chips, shred
ded bark and peat. If you use grass
clippings, leaves or well-decayed
compost, periodically loosen them
with a hand cultivator or hoe to
prevent surface crusting.
When your plants begin to
flower, sprinkle 2 tablespoons of
high-nitrogen fertilizer on the soil
about 6 inches away from the base
of each plant. This will enhance
flowering and give plants a boost
boxes to carry purchases.
Geraniums will be available in
a wide variety of colors. These can
be ordered ahead of time by call
ing (717) 768-3071.
The 58th anniversary of the
organization of Lancater County
Rural Youth will be celebrated
with a banquet at the Hershey
Farm Restaurant on the Strasburg
Pike on May 6.
Former members and friends
are asked to bring pictures and
items of interest to share at the
5:30 p.m. fellowship hour. Dinner
will be served at 6:00 and the cost
is $14.50 per person.
Reservations should be sent to
Mrs. Carl Diller, 2112 Soiith View
Road, Lancaster, PA 17602.
Phone (717) 464-2233. They must
be received by April Islh.
ATTENTION
Vegetable, Greenhouse
and
Nursery Growe
Operating April Through November
Rural Youth Reunion
for tiie rest of the summer. “If you
fertilize too soon, however, you
will delay the plants’ maturity and
decrease the number of flowers,”
says Nuss. “Wait until the first
flowers open.”
Finally, retest your flower gar
den’s fertility and pH levels each
year for several seasons. If reports
remain similar, you can reduce
sampling to every 3 to 4 years.
“Nutrient levels and pH gradually
change over time,” says Nuss.
“It’s important to keep monitoring
the soil to keep levels optimum.”
Soil test kits may be purchased
for $6 at Penn State Cooperative
Extension offices or in 111 Agri
cultural Analysis Services Labor
atory, Tower Road. University
Park, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-4:30
p.m.
Proceeds from the sale help
support the Herb Garden at the
National Arboretum in Washing
ton. D.C. and the scholarship fund
of die Herb Society which is used
for research.
The program will consist of aer
ial views of Lancaster County
farms by the Lancaster Alliance
for New Directions. Also on the
program will be a short skit from
an early play ‘The Campbells Are
Coming” and group singing.
The Lancaster County Rural
Youth was an active group of rural
young people who met monthly.
They enjoyed square dancing and
educational speakers. Some were
members of an orchestra, some
performed plays, and a monthly
newspaper was published. There
were at least 20 couples who met
and later married from this group.
Office 717-656-9592
656-9580