Dear ##firstname[Friend]##,

Crystal Rennicke

I’m sad to see the winter Olympics come to a close, but that means it’s time to start thinking spring! And what better way to get in the spirit than by talking about starting seeds. The vegetable gardening forum in our Community is buzzing with information to get you started.

We’ve had some fun entries into our February photo challenge themed, “Love.” Take a look at some entries and submit your photo for our March challenge, “New Life,” today.

Happy Gardening!
—Crystal

##\keycode.PSCopyHTML##

READ ON TO DISCOVER...

• Plant of the Month
• Yard Smarts
• Question of the Month
• Frugal Backyard Tip
• Submit Your Story

Plant of the Month

Zahara Starlight Rose Zinnia
An All-America Selections winner, this is the first rose-and-white bicolor zinnia. It resists leaf spot and mildew and is heat- and drought-tolerant. Easy to grow and a prolific bloomer, it will brighten your landscape all season long.
Botanical name: Zinnia marylandica ‘Zahara Starlight Rose’
Bloom Time: Late spring to early summer and sporadically throughout the season.
Hardiness: Annual.
Flowers: Showy multi-color blooms in rose and white, which are usually 2-1/2 inches across.
Size: 8 to 12 inches high and wide.
Light needs: Full sun.
Growing Advice: A compact grower, this zinnia can be spaced 10-12 inches from other plants since it is mildew-resistant. Grow from seed or plants.

Click here for a list of other AAS winners.

top

RDA, Inc./GID

Yard Smarts

Radish Seeds to the Rescue
Plant several white icicle radish seeds at the base of cucumber and squash seedlings. This discourages insects while providing an extra veggie crop. –Joyce Barnhart, Norwalk, Connecticut

For more great veggie tips and ideas, pick up a copy of Grow Veggies For Less! 

top

Question of the Month

RDA, Inc./GID

Iris Inquiry
Q: Last year, I lost most of my irises. The leaves turned brown and the rhizomes were soft and mushy. What caused this and how can I keep it from happening again? –Whynona Fenske, Wausau, Wisconsin

Melinda: The iris borer is your culprit. To control it, it’s best to first understand its life cycle.
    This day-flying moth lays its eggs in the dried iris leaves each fall. The eggs don’t hatch until spring, when the new leaves are 4 to 6 inches tall. The borer then enters the leaf and eats its way to the rhizome, where it feeds in early summer. The borer forms a pupa in the soil, and in fall emerges as a moth to start the process all over again.
    So the best place to start is by cleaning up the old iris leaves in fall—with any luck, this should send the moths looking for a better place to lay their eggs.
    Also, whenever you dig and divide your irises, remove and destroy any borers you find. Then cut out and discard damaged portions of the rhizome and replant the healthy portions for future blooms.
   If these methods don’t work, many gardeners have had success using predacious nematodes to control the borers. These microscopic parasites are sprayed onto the plant in spring, and they locate and feed on the borer.    

For more answers from Melinda, click here.

top

Frugal Gardener Tip

RDA, Inc./GID

Smart Seed-Starting
If you’re planning on starting your own seeds this year, save a few newspapers from the recycling bin to use instead of pricey peat pots. Roll them up and place them upright in a planting container and plant away!

For more ways to reuse newspaper, see the April/May issue of Birds & Blooms!

top

Submit Your Story

We’re looking for budget tips for our section “For Less.” Send us your best budget idea and photos by using the Submit Your Story form. If we use your tip in the magazine, we’ll pay you $25!

Submit your story»

top