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About The Oregon statesman. (Salem, Or.) 1916-1980 | View Entire Issue (April 16, 1950)
Thm Oragon Statesman, Salem, Oregon ii April 16. 1950 Volume 100. No. 20 n ana PC I - 9 ' " -r lis i Lots of " Plant i Br LUUe L. Madsen Garden Editor. The Statesman While you hear a lot about planting dahlias early, and you are being urged to plant them now, don't get in too big a hurry. It seems as if all of our winter may not be out of the weatherman's system yet. If you don't' get them in much before the first of May, you may ' have gained more time than you could have lost If properly cared for dahlias will flower a long time usually from July to frost. This is one ' reason lor their popularity. An other reason is the wide range of types formal, informal, semi-cactus and cactus. And you have pom-pom types and giant sorts. A. L. McCafferty, member of the Men's Garden club of Sal em, has concise directions for Dahlia culture in the delightful little "Hobby Gardeners' Guide," issued by the club. Says Mr. McCafferty: "About two weeks before planting time, spade the soil and leave the surface rough. Then broadcast a handful of; bone-meal on each hill and leave until the day of planting when it should be raked in and the ground made smooth. Elizabeth Lord, who knows, perhaps better than most any one else living in Salem, the best place to plant anything in the garden, the countryside or park, once passed this bit of gos sip on: 1 When nature experts disagree, that isn't news; but when two nationally known naturalists and wild flower experts agree, that IS news. Margaret McKenny, widely-known writer of plant and aimal life, and Cecil Solly, nationally-known garden au thority, have, Elizabeth said, agreed that; rilliumi must not be picked if you want them to con tinue to grow in Oregon wild spots. If you must pick one chose one of a clump and only pick one. ; Like many other Americans, Ullswater Pansy, one of the fin est of blue pansies, has parent age from I Europe. Ullswater's parents are from Switzerland, but she certainly has improved since she came to this country. If she is planted near a rhodo dendron or azalea, where the soil is-.sure to be acid, the color ing is even a brighter blue. Acid fertilizer will do the same trick without the rhododendron or Some shall be chosen and Valley Garden " Garden Calendar April 17 Jefferson Friendly Garden club. City hall, 8 p.m. April ze-j Dallas Garden club, 2 p-m. Hostesses: Mrs. Pearl Hughes, Mrs. E. Scovill, Mrs. James Moore, Mrs. Jack Power. Flower arrangements: Mrs . S. Sanders and Mrs. R. Mawhirter. Talks: Mrs. Robert LeFors, Mrs. Homer Bevens and Mrs. Earl Moore. j April Zl Stayton Garden club. April tZ-tt American Prim rose society show. Masonic Tem ple. Portland. April t74 Brooks Garden club, 1 pun. Hostess: Mrs. Gold Had ley. Topic: Companion plants, Mrs. Anna; Dunlavy. Time to ICDCDJQIS Dahli las "Full sun and moist, well drained garden loam : are desir able. In planting, set; the crown of the tuber four to six inches below the surface. Plant a stout stake at the same time because the dahlia will need support later in the season, particularly the larger varities; you would be apt to damage the tubers by driving the stake after the planting had been completed. "Frequent surface 'cultivation is beneficial until about the middle of July or until the buds begin to form. Then cover the ground with a two-inch layer of peat-moss, straw, grass clippings or similar material. Do not cul tivate or disturb the soil surface after the plants begin to bud or bloom. Occasional feedings of liquid manure or a good 2-8-10 commercial fertilizer lis bene ficial, particularly when the buds begin to form. . "Unless the weather Is very dry, dahlias require very little water until they begin to bloom; then water thoroughly, soaking the ground, every week or ten days through the bloom ing season." And good luck with your dahlias; it takes some of that too, you know! Gossip others will be cast out, says Carl Benson philosophically. Of his 1,00 holly trees, more; than 400 are being cast out because of the cold weather. Carl, who once gained national fame for bis pheasant farm, has been gaining wide recognition for his holly groves near Silverton. The trees are all growing on own root, so the frosted ones will j be cut to the ground to grow up again he hopes, j ! Speaking of pansies and we were a, bit ago Maurguerite Clarke, whom we all) know best for her primroses, " is showing some' of the finest Blumlisalp pansies we have ever seen. These (also coming from Swiss parent age) vary from pale pink to bright carmine-rose, with some beautiful medium shades of rose in between that variation. And for those of you who like the coppery reds in pansies, there are the Firebeacons really bril liant.' i I Did we tell you we heard about a new insecticide which you spray on your narcissus stalks and around the ground doss to them to cateh the fly before it lays the egg which hatches into the worm which is doing all this damage to the Willamette valley narcissuses? and Camellia society, YMCA, 8 p.m. j April 27 Labish Garden club spring flower show. April 29 Gladstone Garden club flower show and plant sale. April 30 Mt. Angel Garden club annual Primrose show, City hall. 1 I May S Riverview Garden club,' Scio, Mrs. David Sprague, president. May 4 American 'Begonia so ciety, Salem Branch, YMCA, 8 p..m. Maj 4-7 Portland Rhododen dron show, Chamber of Com merce Viators' Center, Harbor 3 i J K. LL 9-?x6 L.R. In VrxS'P- t TP , CIA BR, Plan as?7 U . i . i UNFETTERED BY SUPERFLUITTES, this modern fUt-roof hease e enure perimeter wa mmmm m run AB-lll ky lae American Builder, construction trade pub UcaUon, 3 Churck St., New Yerk T, N. Y. Oeaigaed fty McEaary Krmfft, Minneapolis architects, this plan was construction tested on a site near that Minnesota city. The haase shown in the photo graph was built for approximately 811,144 exelaslve ef land. The 29-feat combination living and dining room, with fireplace and wide window la a feature. The porch shelters the main entrance, kitchen and garage entrances. Space occupied by cellar stairs can serve as a atittty room If a base meat Is elimtuted. (AP Newsfeatures). Statesman j QUESTION A b o u t three years ago you gave me the name of Ian almost coreless carrot. We liked it very much, but later moved into an apartment house and lost the name. We are on ground again this year and I'm gardening. Can ybu tell me what carrot this was? It had sort of a bt root end. HA.R. ANSWER Probably the Nan tes half long. This is pxatiealiy coreless. QUESTION At a party this Week, I heard two fellow card players discusing a vegetable which sounded like "Seltus." Not wanting to display my ignorance, I jdidn't ask them what this was, but it sounded good. Can you tell me? KB. ANSWER I note in one of my seed catalogs that a "Celtuce" is advertised. This is something of a cross celery and lettuce. The cat aloger say it "combines the uses and flavors of celery and let tiice. It seems this vegetable may be eaten raw or cooked. I have never seen it grown. 1 1 . ; QUESTION At oneiof the rose shows in Portland last year, I took down the names of a rose which grows about a foot and a half tall, the blooms come in clusters with the blooms almost round. They had a funny name an4 of course I lost the list, I don't suppose you'd be able to identify the type from this mea ger description? The one I had I mad in mind was sort of orangy in bolor. , j ANSWER Am not sure of the type. It could be one of the so called Ranunculus - flowered cluster roses. In this, Carroll Ann ' isj Of a bright rust coloring. QUESTION Can you tell me Where I can get a pink buddleia aad what the name of some pink 7 H1L ':.'';.,"', "NV,y.".v.,iv. V.v Ai'0..V mi i ii " M'unri iii -mi i ii imii - - I 4 ui Li Li K Question - Answer Box Consider Soil in Camellia planting When planting camellias in clay soil where there is doubt about rapid drainage, dig the hole at least eight inchecs deep er than required and fill in the lower level with course gravel and small rocks. Then mix the soil around the plant with well rotted stable manure, peat moss and sand so that it will be of a loose, friable consistency. Poor ly drained soil with resultant lack of aeration, leads to yellow foliage and bud drop. There are a number of sprays now that give protective against root wee vils, one of the worst enemies ol camellias. ANSWER Almost any of our local nurserymen who handle shrubs will be able to supply this for you. Different growers list the pink (or nearly pink) ones under different names. In my list the pink is: called "Fascinating." Have ; you seen the beautiful new white j ones, "Peace" and "White Profu- ! sion"? These are plant patented, j QUESTION What kind of'' moss is used for planting orchids on bark or in flower pots? E.M.W.: ANSWER Osmunda fiber. You can get it from seed and garden stores and from some greenhouses. QUESTION What does one use as a spray for lilacs and what does one feed them? W.M. ANSWER Lilacs are not given to many troubles. However, when possible I like to give them a lime-sulphur treatment prior to spring growth. But dont give them that now. It is too late for any ot the dormant with wide projecttag eaves around sprays. Well decayed cowbarn fertilizer is a good lilac food. So is bonemeal. The latter, how ever, had best be fed in late October or November, in Janu ary or February, i QUESTION What varieties of ; strawberries are grown here and when; should they be planted? This is my first year here from Minnesota and I want a few plants for home use only. H.O. ANSWER Marshall is the main! commercial crop for Ore- goo. This is a large berry and the plants bear profusely. Nar clssa is one of the earnest straw ' berries and Corvallis one of the ; later j varieties. Of course there are such everbears as Rockhill, Gem i and Mastodon. Usually the plants are set out ha lata March er April. QUESTION Received a phil ) odendron for Christama. Grows very! rapidly and has outgrown i its pot and totem pole. Should I repot or what to do? AMB Dal las. ; ANSWER Philodendrona grow very rapidly. In their na tive j tropics they often climb many feet up into trees. They are an interesting house plant, however, and are used more and more; where a bit of growing greenery is wanted. May be re potted in soil mixture of 1 part sharp sand, 2 parts loam and one-third its bulk in fiber such as sphagnum moss. Need a tall er support than the one you sug gest you have. One variety of philodendrons the devansay eanum does not grow so tall. They all propagate by cutting or division of woody stems. Dim, all - night lights are sometimes used to prevent crowding of ducks ki the