February 2006

Edible

While leafing through your garden catalogs for the latest and greatest tomato, take a close look at the letters after a variety name. Letters such as Vt , F1 , TMV or EB refer to the tomato varieties’ ability to resist disease. Vt and F1 refer to verticillium and fusarium wilt, which are soil borne diseases of tomatoes. TMV refers to tobacco mosaic virus and EB refers to early blight, which is a tomato leaf disease. Choosing varieties with built-in resistance to disease will reduce or eliminate your use of fungicides.

Watch for tiny fruit flies flying around your home. These tiny flies breed in seldom-used drains or in areas with dripping pipes. A slimy layer of organic matter builds up in the drains providing a perfect breeding ground for the flies. To eliminate the slime, pour boiling water down the sides of the drain or use bacterial drain treatments that will biodegrade the slimy organic matter.

Did you know that many insects  are dormant during the winter? When temperatures drop below 45 degrees F many insects stop eating and moving until warmer temperatures occur. This dormancy allows insects to live through very cold winter weather. Insects also have their own built in anti-freeze like compounds to prevent ice from forming inside their bodies.

Make some compost for your vegetable garden by attending the free Home Gardening Series class, Worm Composting 101. Learn about all the basics of indoor worm composting. The class will be held at the University of Illinois Extension office at 8751 South Greenwood on February 7 at 1 pm. and on February 9 at 7 pm. A worm bin with worms will be given away at each class. Call 773-768-7779 to register.

Ornamental

Choose branches from flowering shrubs and trees for http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/forcing/. Select branches with plump buds. Split the cut end of the branches two to four inches and place the branches in a container of warm water. Branches cut closest to their normal bloom time will open first.

Valentine’s Day cut flowers should be placed in water immediately to prevent wilting. Cut the stems back one to two inches while they are underwater. This practice will prevent air bubbles from stopping water uptake. Change the water in the container everyday to reduce possible odor and decay

Plan to plant the Perennial Plant Association’s 2006 Perennial Plant of the Year, Dianthus gratianopolitanus ‘Firewitch’. ‘Firewitch’ is an evergreen perennial with bluish-gray foliage that grows to three to four inches in height with magenta-pink to purplish-pink flowers that have a spicy, clove-like fragrance on eight-inch stems. After flowering peaks in the spring, cut back the old blooms for another flush of blooms in the summer. Following the summer bloom shear back the old blooms for a final flush of flowers in the fall. ‘Firewitch’ does best in full sun to light shade.

Choose the perfect rose for your Valentine’s Day sweetheart. Did you know that most red roses sold in the United States are grown in Columbia? Roses are graded into three categories: Grade 1, a tight rose bud; Grade 2, the bud has begun to open; and Grade 3, open cut. The American favorite is Grade 1, but that is the stage that is least likely to open. Choose roses with a bud that is slightly cracked open. Do not purchase roses with blackened petals or wilted foliage.