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Garden Tips: Gardeners have taste for heirloom tomatoes

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New garden catalogs are arriving daily, telling me that it is time to start planning this year’s garden. Spring must be around the corner!

Of course tomatoes are at the top on my list of vegetables to grow. There is nothing like a homegrown tomato fresh from the garden. If you plan to grow your own veggie transplants, now is when you ought to be ordering seeds and getting ready to plant. Tomato seeds should be planted about six weeks before the anticipated date of planting outdoors.

When perusing seed catalogs, notice modern hybrid varieties, such as Burpee’s Better Boy or Big Boy, are not as popular as they once were. Today’s gardeners are clamoring for heirloom varieties because of their full flavor and attractive fruit of various colors and shapes. Specialty mail-order seed companies and even mainstream companies are offering an expanding list of heirloom tomatoes.

Modern hybrid tomato varieties were bred primarily for commercial field production. Breeders sought firm, uniform, deep red fruit and resistance to soil pathogens. They did not focus on flavor. As a result, some of the flavor we desire in a fresh tomato was lost during their development.

Heirloom tomatoes are older varieties that have been passed from one generation to another. Unlike modern hybrid tomatoes, heirlooms are open pollinated. The prime reason for the “growing” interest in heirlooms is their flavor. Many folks feel that heirlooms have more of the robust tomato taste.

Specialty mail-order seed companies that specialize in tomatoes are a good place to look for tomato varieties to grow. Totally Tomatoes (totallytomato.com) is offering a new series of tomatoes called the “Wild Boar Series” that are new introductions from a small organic farmer and breeder. The series is the result of crosses the farmer made from his favorites among hundreds of heirlooms and hybrids, and selecting the resulting crosses for their extreme flavor, interesting appearance and coloring.

Tomato Growers Supply (tomatogrowers.com) offers more than 500 varieties of heirloom and hybrid tomatoes, peppers and eggplants. Tomato Fest (tomatofest.com) only offers organically grown heirloom tomatoes with a list of a 600 varieties including paste, dwarf, determinant, heart-shaped and, of course red, orange, yellow, green, striped, brown, purple and even blue varieties.

Many seed companies, even the big-name seed catalogs (like Burpee), are offering grafted tomatoes. A grafted tomato is one that has been fused together via the propagation method of grafting. This involves placing a desirable variety (scion) on top the roots of a different variety (rootstock). The scion grows into the upper part of the plant and produces fruit of the desirable variety. The rootstock grows into the root system and imparts that variety’s characteristics to the roots.

While heirlooms may have better tasting fruit, the plants lack resistance to certain soil pathogens bred into most modern hybrids. Grafted tomatoes allow tomato growers to grow tasty heirloom tomatoes on rootstock that is resistant to certain soil diseases. Many of these rootstocks also improve plant vigor and productivity.

So do not procrastinate, decide what to you want to grow and order your seed or grafted plants now.

— Marianne C. Ophardt is a horjticulturist for Washington State University Benton County Extension.

Home and garden show to feature national stars – The Virginian

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By Staci Dennis
Virginian-Pilot correspondent
© February 1, 2014

HAMPTON

Beat the winter blues by planning for spring with a visit to the Hampton Roads Home Garden Show next weekend.

This year’s event, presented by the Peninsula Housing and Builders Association, features flying dogs, national home-and-garden celebrities, an interior design competition and a $10,000 garden giveaway.

The event kicks off at 10 a.m. Friday and runs through Feb. 9 at the Hampton Roads Convention Center.

“Exhibitors will be on hand to offer recommendations that will refresh and renew the inside of your house, plus save you money, energy and improve the air quality in your home,” said Linda Jenkins, president of the Peninsula Housing Builders Association.

Chip Wade will be one of the main speakers. He has been featured on the Atlanta team of HGTV’s “Designed to Sell,” as well as that network’s “Curb Appeal: The Block,” “Showdown” and “Design Star.”

Don Engebretson, also known as the Renegade Gardener, will cover topics such as “Crafting Cool and Creative Containers” and “Top 10 Gardening Blunders – and How to Avoid Them.” The Minnesota native is a field editor, writer and garden scout for Better Homes and Gardens magazine, writes for other publications.

“Virginia is for lovers, and I love Virginia,” Engebretson said. “It will be good to be back in coastal Virginia and share my ideas with gardeners.”

This is Engebretson’s first time at the home-and-garden show, but he has made multiple appearances in the Hampton Roads area for other events. If there is time, Engebretson hopes to do “on-the-spot” landscaping consultations after some of his presentations. Attendees are asked to bring a picture of their current or potential landscape for the consultation.

Back by popular demand will be Habitat for Humanity’s ReStoration Challenge. Three local, professional interior designers will create a room using items from the Habitat ReStores in Newport News and Williamsburg.

The designers can repurpose the items by reupholstering, repainting or reconfiguring them. Each designer will have $1,000 to decorate a 10-by-14-foot room.

Janet Green, executive director for Habitat for Humanity Peninsula and Greater Williamsburg, said Habitat’s ReStores focus on recycling, and the challenge will allow show attendees to see how used items can be made to look fresh again.

“We divert tons of stuff away from landfills every day,” Green said.

All items used in the redesigned rooms will be available for purchase after the show, and the proceeds will help fund Habitat’s local building projects.

In addition to the decorating and gardening events, show-goers can watch the high-flying antics and demonstrations from the pets in John Misita’s K-9s In Flight.

Show-goers from the Peninsula have a chance to win a $10,000 garden giveaway from Landscapes by Eric Bailey. The prize includes a hardscape feature, lighting, plant material, mulch and tree care, as well as outdoor furniture. Entry forms are available during the show.

Staci Dennis, sdennis@cox.net

____

If you go

What Peninsula Housing and Builders Association’s Home Garden Show

Where Hampton Roads Convention Center, Hampton

When 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Feb 7-8, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Feb 9 

Cost $10 for general public; 12 and under are free. Active-duty military and seniors receive a $2 discount. 

Parking Free

More info 757-305-9029 or visit www.hamptonroadshomeshow.com

 

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What’s Happening for FEBRUARY (Updated FEB. 1)

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Send events of community interest in South Mississippi to mynews@sunherald.com or fax to 896-2104. Please label “What’s Happening.”

TODAY

In Her Shoes giveaway: 8 a.m.-1 p.m., Walmart, U.S. 90, Ocean Springs. Hosted by the Daughter of Faith International Ministry. Sponsored by Victory International Christian Center. Details: 875-3131.

TatoNut 17 mile family bicycle ride: 9:00a.m., Marshall Park, 1000 Washington Ave, Ocean Springs. Raffle and donuts. Details: 348-1635.

Long Beach Farmers Market: 9 a.m.-noon, Feb. 1, 8, 15 and 22, 125 Jeff Davis Ave., Long Beach. Sustainably grown, seasonal local produce, artisan breads, dairy, honey, eggs and more. Live acoustic music by the farmers market band.

Ohr O’Keefe Museum of Art’s preschool clay class: 10:30-11:30 a.m. and 12:30-1:30 p.m., Ceramic Studio. 386 Beach Blvd., Biloxi. Ages 2-7, Cost: $10, Details: 374-5547.

Hope Haven second annual Oyster Throw-Down: 11 a.m.-4 p.m., 720 U.S. 90, Waveland. Teams will compete in cooking categories of grilled oysters, soups and stews. Live entertainment and silent auction. Cost: $12 adults, $6 ages 8-12 and free for ages 8 and under. Details: 466-6395.

“Period of Adjustment” auditions: Noon, Bay St. Louis Little Theatre, 398 Blaize Ave. Roles available for four adult males ages 20s to 60s and four adult females ages 20s to 60s. Show opens March 21. Details: 216-4906.

Ohr O’Keefe Museum of Art’s Mardi Gras clay class: 2:30-4:30 p.m., Ceramics Studio, 386 Beach Blvd, Biloxi. Ages 12 and older, Cost: $20, Will design masks of clay with feathers, jewels, and ribbons, Details: 374-5547.

American Legion Post 33 grand opening: 6 p.m., 1126 Judge Sekul. Biloxi.

Arts Under the Dome: 7 p.m., First United Methodist Church, 15th Street and 24th Avenue, Gulfport. Mithril will perform traditional Celtic music, American folk and rock, classical, East European and Middle Eastern. Tickets: $15 adults, $10 students. Details: 229-6851.

Third annual Mardi Gras Gala: 7 p.m.-midnight, Bay St. Louis Community Hall, 301 Blaize St. Featuring music by Pat Murphy The Jumpin’ Jukes of Mississippi, and Dave Mayley on DJ. Art contest, cooking, auctions and more. Benefit for the Court Appointed Special Advocates of Hancock County. Cost: $40. Tickets and details: 344-0419.

Fleur De Lis Society Club dance: 8 p.m.,-midnight, The French Club, 182 Howard Ave., Biloxi. Entertainment: Nick Mattina and the Checkmates. Cost: $8 single, $15 couple. Details: 436-6472.

“The Boys Next Door”: 8 p.m. Feb. 1, 2 p.m. Feb. 2, 8 p.m. Feb. 6-8, Biloxi Little Theatre, 200 Lee St., Biloxi. Cost: $15, $12 seniors, students, active duty military. Details: 432-8543.

Belles and Buoys Square Dance: 8-10 p.m., Lyman Senior Citizen Center, 14592 County Farm Road, Gulfport. Callers: Tony DiGeorge and Oscar Sill. Details: 596-5362.

SUNDAY

Ocean Springs Elks Lodge 2501 breakfast: 9-11 a.m., 2501 Beachview Drive. Menu: Eggs, bacon, sausage, grits, biscuits and gravy. Cost: $6. Details: 872-2501.

Chinese New Year celebration: 11 a.m., Phu Hau Vietnamese Buddhist Temple, 8900 Daisy Vestry Road, Biloxi. Traditional dance and sing along with a dragon dance and fireworks. Details: 547-1049.

MONDAY

AARP Smart Driver Class: 9 a.m., Orange Grove Library. Upon completion of the for hour class, seniors may be eligible for a discount on their automobile insurance. Details: 432-7816.

Blood Drive: 1-6:30 p.m., Belk entrance, Edgewater Mall, 2600 Beach Blvd., Biloxi. To schedule an appointment, use sponsor code EWMALL, Details: redcrossblood.org,

Fleur De Lis Society Club’s Women Auxiliary meeting: 6 p.m., 182 Howard Ave., Biloxi. Details: 436-6472.

TUESDAY

At Ease Gang meeting: 7 a.m., Infinity Buffet, Treasure Bay Casino, 1980 Beach Blvd., Biloxi. Guest speaker: Sandra Andrade, senior counselor with Department of Mississippi Rehabilitation Services. Details: 214-6018.

AARP Smart Driver workshop: 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Ocean Spring library, 525 Dewey Ave. Completion of class may qualify each participant for discounted auto rates. 50 years and older, Cost: $20 nonmembers, $15 members. Details: 861-3199.

AARP Smart Driver workshop: 9:30 a.m- 1:30p.m., Pascagoula library, 3214 Pascagoula St. Completion of class may qualify each participant for discounted auto rates. 50 years and older. Cost: $20 nonmember, $15 members. Details: 861-3199.

Beaded Jewelry Class: 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Mary C. O’Keefe Cultural Center, 1600 Government St., Ocean Springs. Create unique jewelry pieces from an assortment of fine crystals, cultured pearls, natural stones and sterling silver. Cost: $25 members, $35 nonmembers. All supplies and tools are provided. Details: 818-2878.

Orange Grove Kiwanis meeting: Noon, Golden Corral, 12255 U.S. 49, Gulfport. Speaker: Diane Bennett, site coordinator for Gulf Coast Christian Women’s Job Corp. Details: 860-3311.

Second annual Diamondhead Birthday celebration: 5:30-6 p.m., 5000 Diamondhead Circle. Mayor Thomas Schafer will present the 2014 State of the City at 6 p.m. city council meeting.

Science Cafe — The History and Science of Bagpipes: 6-7:30 p.m., dining hall, Gulf Coast Research Laboratory, 703 E. Beach Drive, Ocean Springs. Presenter: William Muzzy. Details 872-4213.

Thai Cooking Class: 6-8:30 p.m., Lynn Meadows Discovery Center, 246 Dolan Ave, Gulfport. Menu: Thai silver noodle salad, green curry chicken and dumplings in coconut milk. Cost: $30 members, $35 nonmembers. Details: 897-6039.

NAACP Gulfport Branch meeting: 7 p.m., Isaiah Fredericks Community Center, 3312 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Details: 868-1268.

WEDNESDAY

Gulf Coast Symphony Guild’s meeting: 10 a.m., St. John Episcopal Church, 705 Rayburn Ave., Ocean Springs. Program of vocal, piano, and violin selections by Emily and Jayne Edwards. Details: 872-2936.

Ohr O’Keefe Museum of Art’s class for seniors: 10:30-11:30 a.m., 386 Beach Blvd, Biloxi. Cost: $3. Instructor: Marge Michoud. Craft of the creations of cards, origami, envelopes, and paper. Details: 374-5547.

Ohr O’Keefe Museum of Art’s glass mosaics: 1-3 p.m., Creel House Studio, 386 Beach Blvd, Biloxi. Ages 15 and older, Cost: $145, Four week class using the Smalti technique. Learn the basics of working with mosaics, tile, design, layout, application, Details: 374-5547.

Jackson County Utility Authority meeting: 4 p.m., Witchen Administration Building, 1225 Jackson Ave., Pascagoula.

Mississippi Federation of Council for Exceptional Children conference: 5 p.m. 3k sunset walk, conference Feb. 5-7, walk begins at IP Casino Resort, 850 Bayview Avenue and ends at Mardi Gras museum, 119 Rue Magnolia, Biloxi. Details: 332-0256.

Gulf Coast Italian American Cultural Society Bocce Night: 6 p.m., Armed Forces Retirement Home, 1800 Beach Drive, Gulfport. Learn, practice or play bocce on indoor regulation-size court. Cost: $5 for pizza and soda. Advance reservations required. Details: 539-4571.

THURSDAY

Ohr O’Keefe Museum of Art’s Valentine clay carving: 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Ceramics Studio, 386 Beach Blvd, Biloxi. Cost: $10. Details: 374-5547.

Business 101 series: 5:30-7:30 p.m., 1636 Popp’s Ferry Road, Biloxi. Topic: Think Like an Entrepreneur. Sponsored by the Gulf Coast Small Business Development Center. Details: 396-8661.

Third annual Words and Music Community Culture Series: 7 p.m. Pass Christian Public Library, 111 Hiern Ave. Storytelling presentation “Robert Johnson at the Crossroads”. Presenters: Wendy Garrison and Rebecca Jernigan. Details:452-4596.

“Fences”: 7:30 p.m. Feb. 6-8, 2 p.m. Feb. 9, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 12-15, 2 p.m. Feb. 16, 240 Eisenhower Drive, Biloxi. Cost: $16 adults, $13 students, seniors, and military. Details: 388-6258.

FEB. 7

AARP Smart Driver workshop: 12:30-5 p.m., Moss Point Library, 4119 Bellview Ave. Completion of class may qualify each participant for discounted auto rates. 50 years and older. Cost: $20 nonmember, $15 members. Details: 861-3199.

Finally First Friday: 5-7 p.m., Rue Magnolia and Howard Avenue, Biloxi.

First Friday: 6-9 p.m., 1804 Nicholson Ave., Waveland. Food, drink and artist. Details: treasuresofthebay.net.

Ohr O’Keefe Museum of Art’s acrylic painting: 6-8:30 p.m., Creel House Studio, 386 Beach Blvd, Biloxi. Ages: 18 and older, Cost: $35. Wear appropriate clothing. Instructor: Susan Vaughan. Details: 374-5547

Ohr O’Keefe Museum of Art’s date night: 6-8:30 p.m., Ceramic Studio, 386 Beach Blvd., Biloxi. Ages: 18 and older. Cost: $25. Throw pots on the pottery wheel, keep two and instructors will glaze and fire them. Pots will be ready in two weeks for pick up. Details: 374-5547.

Ocean Springs Elks Lodge 2501 dinner: 6:30-8:00 p.m., 2501 Beachview Drive. Choice of steak or dinner. Details: 872-2501.

Belles and Buoys 36th annual Mardi Gras Festival: 7:30 p.m. Feb. 7-8, Woolmarket Community Center, 16320 Old Woolmarket Road, Biloxi. Callers: John and Deborah Carroll-Jones. Cuer: Pauline Angress. Early Rounds. Details: 596-5362.

Amour Danzar Friday night dance: 8-10 p.m., 9355 County Farm Road, Gulfport. Casual dress. Cost: $10 per person. Details: 324-3730.

AARP Tax Services: 9 a.m.-12 p.m., Pass Christian Library, 111 Hiern Ave. Service is free to low-moderate income taxpayers 60 years and older. Details: 452-4596.

FEB. 8

Tops of the Hops Beer Festival: Mississippi Coast Convention Center, Beach Blvd., Biloxi. Unlimited sampling of the craft beers from around the world combined with food, music and games. Cost: $35 general admission.

Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church Fifth annual Heart Walk: 8:00 a.m. registration, 9 a.m. walk, 4007 Suzanne Drive, D’Iberville. Details 392-6899.

AARP Smart Driver workshop: 9:30 a.m- 1:30p.m., St. Martin Public Library, 15004 Lemoyne Blvd., Biloxi. Completion of class may qualify each participant for discounted auto rates. 50 years and older. Cost: $20 nonmember, $15 member. Details: 861-3199.

Keep Waveland Beautiful meeting: 10 a.m., Central Fire Station, third floor Training Center, U.S. 90, Waveland. Felder Rushing will share ideas about landscaping, gardening approaches and insight on the coast with knowledge of cultivation on locally-adapted plants. Donation: $10.

Engineering is Elementary: 10 a.m.-noon, Lynn Meadows Discovery Center, 246 Dolan Ave, Gulfport. Hands on activities and home kit provided. Recommended for third through fifth grade. Cost: $10, Details: 897-6039.

Adventure Games Day: 10 a.m.- 9 p.m., Gautier Community Center. 2101 Library Lane, Gautier. Details: 249-6782.

Omega Psi Phi Fraternity annual blood drive: 11 a.m.-4 p.m., next to Belk, Edgewater Mall, 2600 Beach Blvd., Biloxi. In honor of Dr. Charles Drew. To schedule an appointment, use sponsor code OMEGAS. Details: redcrossblood.org.

Introductory Creative and Experimental Drawing Workshop: 1-4 p.m., Pass Christian Public Library, 111 Hiern Ave. Local artist will be teaching young adults an introduction to drawing, no experience required. $5 per person for supply costs, Class size is limited. Details: 452-4596.

Jerry Jenkins concert: 2-3 p.m, Lynn Meadows Discovery Center, 246 Dolan Ave., Gulfport. Drummer presents West African music. Made possible by a grant from MS Arts Commission and The MS Humanities Council. Details: 897-6039.

Second Saturday Artwalk: 4-8 p.m., Bay St. Louis. Sponsored by the Old Town Merchants Association. Art, music and food. Details: 463-2688.

Dickey’s Barbecue eating competition: 5:30 p.m., 3821 Promenade Parkway,, D’Iberville. Sign up prior to the event. Details: 831-224-5615.

Mary C. O’Keefe Winter Wine down: 7-10 p.m., Gulf Hills Hotel, 13701 Paso Road, Ocean Springs. This wine tasting competition will focus on Pinot Noir. Teams will bring their favorite Pinot Noir to be entered in the competition. Cost: $140 per team of 4.

Fleur De Lis Society ladies auxiliary Mardi Gras Ball: 7:30 p.m.-midnight, 182 Howard Ave., Biloxi. Entertainment: Undercover. Proper attire/ no jeans. Cost: $10. Details: 436-6472.

The House Katz concert: 8 p.m., 100 Men Hall, 303 Union St., Bay St. Louis. Cost: $15. Details: 342-5770.

FEB. 9

“Three Generations of Paint” reception: 2-4 p.m., The Side Porch Gallery, 953-A Howard Ave., Biloxi. Featuring Abraham Frey, Herb Willey and George Rothering. The exhibit will be open for the public until March 29. Details: 374-9504.

Jazz Society Jam Session: 2-5 p.m., Gulfport Elks Lodge 978, 12010 Klein Road, Gulfport. Adults only, casual dress dance, Cost: $6 nonmembers. Details: 392-4177.

Champagne and Chocolate: 2-5 p.m., 1501 Beach Blvd., Pascagoula. Presented by the Anola Club. Silent auction, door prizes, chocolates and champagne. Money will allow the club to provide scholarships to graduating seniors from local high schools. Details: 769-6718.

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Gulf Coast Alumnae Chapter 101st Founders Day Celebration: 3 p.m., Victory International Christian Center, 8401 Ocean Springs Road, Speaker: Maxine Conway. Theme: Uncompromising Commitment to Communities. Details: 596-4265.

feb. 11

Blood drive: 2-7 p.m., cafeteria, Pass Christian High School, 720 W. North Street. To schedule an appointment, use sponsor code PASSHIGH, Details: redcrossblood.org.

Mississippi Business Women/ Gulf Coast’s annual state meeting: 6 p.m., Gulf Coast Myofascial, 2429 W. Commerce St, Suite C, Ocean Springs. Details: 238-1529.

Chase the Valentine’s Crush cooking class: 6-8:30 p.m., Lynn Meadows Discovery Center, 246 Dolan Ave., Gulfport. Menu: Tastings of various olive oils and vinegars, roasted fresh gulf Shrimp, and raspberry and dark chocolate Artisan marshmallows. Cost: $30 members, $35 nonmembers. Details: 228-897-6039.

feb. 12

Ohr O’Keefe Museum of Art’s creative storytime: 11 a.m.-noon., 386 Beach Blvd, Biloxi. Instructor: Julia Reyes. Students will create Valentine’s Day cards. Details: 374-5547

Blood drive: 11 a.m.-4 p.m., bloodmobile, 1303 S. Market St., Pascagoula. To schedule an appointment, use sponsor code STATEFARMPASC Details: redcrossblood.org.

Fleur De Lis Society men’s meeting: 7 p.m., 182 Howard Ave., Biloxi. Welcoming new members to join French descent. Details: 436-6472.

feb. 13

Parents and Caregivers of Children with Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities meeting: 4:30-6 p.m., Mississippi Center for Autism and Related Developmental Disabilities, 4061 Suzanne Drive, D’Iberville. For parents, caregivers, interested family members and individuals. Details: 396-4434.

2014 Gulf Coast Orchid show: 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Feb. 14, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Feb. 15, noon- 4 p.m. Feb. 16, Gautier Convention Center, 2012 Library Lane. Exhibits, art competition, children’s activities, orchid class and raffle. Details: 474-2500.

Gulf Coast Risk Managers Association luncheon meeting: 11:30 a.m,, Infinity Buffet VIP room, Treasure Bay Casino, Biloxi.

Business 101 series: 5:30-7:30 p.m., 1636 Popp’s Ferry Road, Biloxi. Sponsored by the Gulf Coast Small Business Development Center. Topic: Starting a Business- First Steps. Details: 396-8661

Ocean Springs Chamber of Commerce annual banquet: 6 p.m., Gulf Hills Hotel and Conference Center Banquet Hall, 13701 Paso Road. Tickets: $35. The presentation will recognize outstanding Chamber members within the community. Awards, music and refreshments. RSVP required. Details: 875-4424.

Ohr O’Keefe Museum of Art’s oil painting class: 6:30- 9 p.m., Creel House Studio, 386 Beach Blvd., Biloxi. Ages 16 and older. Instructor: Frank Janca. Six week class about the fundamentals and advanced techniques. Cost: $235, Details: 374-5547.

Ohr O’Keefe Museum of Art’s wheel throwing: 6-8:30 p.m., Ceramic Studio, 386 Beach Blvd., Biloxi. Ages 15 and older. Six week class learn the basics of throwing on the pottery wheel. Instructor: Stacey Johnson. Cost: $175. Details: 374-5547.

Amour Danzar St. Valentines Day pot luck dinner and dance: 7 p.m,, 9355 County Farm Road, Gulfport. Dance will follow dinner. Bring a covered dish. Dress casual, Cost: $20 per person. Details: 324-3730.

Dinner with a Duo: 7:30 p.m. Feb. 14-15, Oak Crest Mansion Inn, 5267 Menge Ave., Pass Christian. Gulf Coast Symphony Guild’s fundraiser, featuring soprano Kate Sawyer and tenor Richard Sawyer. Spirits auction, raffle, dinner and concert. Tickets: $75. Details: 896-4276.

FEB. 14

AARP Tax Services: 9 a.m.-12 p.m., Pass Christian Library, 111 Hiern Ave. Service is free to low-moderate income taxpayers 60 years and older. Details: 452-4596.

84th annual Valentine Silver Tea: 3-5 p.m., E. Scenic Drive, Pass Christian. Hosted by St. Monica Guild of Trinity Episcopal Church. “Trinity’s Tried and True Cookbook for Body and Soul” will be sold while tea, wine, and coffee will be served with homemade dishes featured in cookbook, cocktail attire. Details: 452-4563 or 216-4714.

“Legally Blonde-The Musical”: 7 p.m. Feb. 14, 3 and 7 p.m Feb. 15, 3 p.m. Feb. 16, Lynn Meadows Discovery Center. 246 Dolan Ave. Gulfport. Cost: $13 general admission, $10 seniors and military, $7 students. Details: 897-6039.

A Valentine Evening to Remember: 7 p.m., Bay St. Louis Little Theatre, 398 Blaize Ave. Songs performed by Lex Mauffray, Jim Duggan and Larry Clark, accompanied by Cathy Henley and Soctt MacDonald. Music, poems, and readings, skits, including dinner. Gulf Coast Writers Association is conducting a love poem contest. To enter, email poem to writerpllevin@gmail.com Entries must be submitted by Feb. 10. Cost: $95 a couple. Details: 467-9024.

Dinner with a Duo: 6:30 p.m. social hour, 7:30 p.m. dinner and concert, Feb. 14-15, Oak Crest Mansion Inn, 5267 Menge Ave., Pass Christian. Featuring Kate Fleming Sawyer, soprano; and Richard Sawyer, tenor, accompanied by Michaelle Harrison, pianist. Cost: $75 per person. Details: 896-4276 or 832-4588.

feb. 15

Arbor Day disability run: 8 a.m.,-noon, Disability Connection, 700 Pass Road, Gulfport. Details: 870-7775 or 597-7000.

Blood drive: 9 a.m.-2 p.m., bloodmobile, Nutrition Solutions, 2198 Bienville Blvd., Ocean Springs. To schedule an appointment, use sponsor code NUTRITIONSOLUTIONS. Details: redcrossblood.org,

Ohr O’Keefe Museum of Art’s Adopt-a-Bowl fundraiser: 11 a.m.-3 p.m., 386 Beach Blvd, Biloxi. Art, food, pets, music pet adoptions, doggie kissing booth and games. Half price admission to museum during event. Details: 374-5547.

Soiree on the Bay: 7 p.m., Longfellow Civic Center, 122 1/2 Court St., Bay St. Louis. A live silent and live auction hosted by Holy Trinity Catholic School. Food, drinks and dancing. Details: soireeonthebay2014.com.

Fleur De Lis Society’s Saturday night dance: 8 p.m.-midnight, 182 Howard Ave., Biloxi. Music: by Nick Mattina and the Checkmates, Cost: $15 couples, $8 singles. Details: 436-6472.

FEB. 16

Blood drive: 8 a.m.-1 p.m., Parish Hall, St. Clare Catholic Church. 2365 Beach Blvd., Waveland. To schedule an appointment, use sponsor code STCLARE. Details: redcorssblood.org.

FEB. 17

Mississippi Business Women Connections’ meeting: 6 p.m., Ocean Springs Library.

FEB. 18

Blood drive: 8 a.m.- 12:30 p.m., bloodmobile, Chris’ Beauty College, 1265 Pass Road, Gulfport. To schedule an appointment, use sponsor code BEAUTY. Presenting donors will receive a coupon for a free haircut. Details; redcrossblood.org.

Negrotto’s 10th annual African American Art and Heritage Celebration: 5:30-7:30 p.m., 2645 Executive Place, Biloxi. Fusion exhibit includes artists, musicians, dancers, writers, poets and others. Details: 388-8822.

Mississippi Business Women’s connections meeting: 6 p.m., Ocean Springs Library, 525 Dewey Ave. Details: 238-1529.

Seafood cooking class: 6-8:30 p.m., Lynn Meadows Discovery Center, 246 Dolan Ave, Gulfport. Instructor: Kenneth Jones. Menu: Barbecue shrimp, Trout saltgrass and bananas foster. Cost: $30 members, $35 nonmembers. Details: 897-6039.

FEB. 19

Blood Drive: 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Medical Office Building Atrium, Memorial Hospital, 4500 13th Street, Gulfport. To schedule an appointment, use sponsor code MEMORIALGPORT. Details: redcrossblood.org.

Third annual Cocktail Classic: 6 p.m., Carter Green Steakhouse, Island View Casino Resort. Presented by Gulfport Chamber of Commerce and Island View Casino Resort. Money raised support Gulfport Chamber of Commerce’s Small Business grant program and scholarships for graduating seniors. Details: 604-0014.

FEB. 20

Blood Drive: 9 a.m.- 2p.m., gym, St. Vincent de Paul Elementary School, 4321 Espy Ave., Long Beach. To schedule an appointment, use sponsor code STVINCENT, Details: redcrossblood.org.

Blood Drive: 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m., bloodmobile, Triton Systems, 21405 B Ave., Long Beach. To schedule an appointment, use sponsor code TRITON, Details: redcrossblood.org.

Business 101 series: 5:30-7:30 p.m., 1636 Popps Ferry Road, Biloxi. Topic: How to Develop a Business Plan. Sponsored by the Gulf Coast Small Business Development Center. Details: 396-8661.

Blossom Family YMCA’s Second annual father-daughter dinner: 6 p.m., Gulf Hills Hotel and Conference Center, 13701 Paso Road, Ocean Springs. Ages 5 and older. Reservations include buffet dinner for two, Photobooth pictures, corsage, limo ride and spa time. Cost: $55 a couple for members, $75 nonmembers, $25 additional child, Details: 875-5050.

Sixth annual Taste of Jackson County: 6:30-8:30 p.m., The Grand Magnolia Ballroom and Suites, Pascagoula. Seventeen restaurants will be featured with a variety of food and beverages. Entertainment: Sicily Swing Trio. Cost: $35. Details: 762-3391.

FEB. 21

AARP Tax Services: 9 a.m.-12 p.m., Pass Christian Library, 111 Hiern Ave. Service is free to low-moderate income taxpayers 60 years and older. Details: 452-4596.

Private Applicator training: 1 p.m., Harrison County Office building, 2315 17th St., Gulfport. Training for private pesticide applicators who wish to obtain certification. Must be 18, Cost: $10. Details: 865-4227.

Blood Drive: 8 a.m.- 1:30 p.m., gym, D’Iberville High School, 15625 Lamey Bridge Road. To schedule appointment, use sponsor code DIBERVILLEHS. Details: redcrossblood.org.

Family cooking class; 6-8:30 p.m., Lynn Meadows Discovery Center, 246 Dolan Ave, Gulport. Pete the cat presents cooking with the letter ‘P’. Menu: Parmesan bread sticks, pepperoni pizza and pineapple upside down cake. Cost: $25 one parent and child, additional person $5. Details: 897-6039.

FEB. 22

Pete the cat visit: 11 a.m., Lynn Meadows Discovery Center, 246 Dolan Ave, Gulfport. Enjoy singing, dancing and photos with Pete the cat. Cost: $2 members and $11 nonmembers. Details: 897-6039.

Blood Drive: 2-6 p.m., bloodmobile, Papa John’s Pizza, 15258 Crossroads Parkway, Gulfport. To schedule an appointment, use sponsor code PAPAJOHNS,

Mardi Gras Mayhem in the Park: 2:30 p.m. bicycle parade registration, 3:30 p.m. parade begins, 2250 Jones Park Drive, Gulfport., Family movie with refreshments and jambalaya cook-off competition. Details: 868-5881.

FEB. 24

Blood Drive: 1-6:30 p.m., Belk entrance, Edgewater Mall, 2600 Beach Blvd., Biloxi. To schedule an appointment, use sponsor code EWMALL, Details: redcrossblood.org.

FEB. 25

Greek cooking class: 6-8:30 P.m., Lynn Meadows Discovery Center, 246 Dolan Ave. Gulfport. Menu: Greek fried cheese, cucumber dip, beef and potato moussaka and coconut delight. Cost: $30 members, $35 nonmembers. Details: 897-6039.

FEB. 26

Blood Drive: 8 a.m.,-2 p.m., gym, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, 2226 Switzer Road, Gulfport. To schedule an appointment, use sponsor code MGCCCJD, Details: redcrossblood.org.

FEB. 27

Blood Drive: 8 a.m.- 2 p.m., library, St. Martin High School, 11300 Yellow Jacket Road. To schedule an appointment, use sponsor code STMARTINHS. Details: redcrossblood.org.

Blood Drive: 9 a.m.- 2 p.m., bloodmobile, Virginia College, 920 Cedar Lake Road, Biloxi. To schedule an appointment, use sponsor code VCBILOXI, Details: redcrossblood.org.

Business 101 series: 5:30-7:30 p.m., 1636 Popp’s Ferry Road, Biloxi. Topic: Cash Flow Projections for your Business Plan. Sponsored by the Gulf Coast Small Business Development Center. Details: 396-8661.

Canvas and Mocktails; 6-8 p.m., Beau Rivage Casino and Resort, 875 Beach Blvd., Biloxi. Presented by K J Foundation and Linda Lang Ishee of Canvas and Cocktails. Money raised will go towards purchasing driving simulator to be used by Harrison County School to enhance driving education program. Tickets: $50. Details: 328-3833.

FEB. 28

AARP Tax Services: 9 a.m.-12 p.m., Pass Christian Library, 111 Hiern Ave. Service is free to low-moderate income taxpayers 60 years and older. Details: 452-4596.

Lynn Meadows Discovery Center free Friday night: 8 p.m., 246 Dolan Ave. Gulfport. Details: 897-6039.

Officials see UO designs for fire stations

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Architectural students from the University of Oregon unveiled designs and enthusiasm Friday for three new fire stations in Medford.

Kiana Motahari, a 21-year-old student from Iran, said her design of Fire Station 4 at the corner of Table Rock Road and Berrydale Avenue attempted to create a comfortable living space for the firefighters.

“They call them fire stations, but in the U.S. it’s really the firemen’s house,” Motahari said. “The firemen spend so much of their time living in these buildings.”

Motahari was one of 26 students who showed off plans to city officials and firefighters at the Carnegie Library. They prepared cardboard mock-ups to show what the existing fire stations look like, along with the new design.

The students and professors Virginia Cartwright and Jim Givens have joined with the city as part of the Sustainable City Year Program.

The city has approved spending $10.6 million to rebuild or remodel three aging stations: Fire Station 2 on West Eighth Street, Fire Station 3 on Highland Avenue and Fire Station 4 on Table Rock Road.

Motahari said she was interested in listening to the firefighters to get a better idea of how to refine her drawings over the next six weeks.

Her design features a central courtyard that would act as a buffer between the public spaces in the front of the station and the living quarters in the back. The courtyard also would bring light into the center of the building.

Deputy Fire Chief Gordon Sletmoe looked over the dozens of drawings prepared by the students.

“I’m impressed for being halfway into a term,” Sletmoe said.

He said the challenge for the students is to have a better understanding of the day-to-day activities of firemen.

Some of the drawings depicted too tight of a turn radius for fire trucks. Also, the Rogue Valley climate would be too dry to support many of the students’ landscaping ideas, Sletmoe said.

Firemen perform their own landscaping, so they want to keep the upkeep to a minimum.

Sletmoe said he thinks many of the components of the drawings could be used in the final designs of the buildings.

Shikha Subramanian, a 23-year-old architectural student from the San Francisco area, said she’s worked on other projects, but was impressed by the uniqueness of designing a public building.

“This is much more than just a fire station,” she said. “This is a chance to make a difference in a community.”

Subramanian, who was designing Fire Station 4, said she wanted to build a running track behind the building for the firemen.

Her design also calls for large glass doors that would make the fire engines visible from the street.

Subramanian has been thinking about the design for a while but said she spent two nights without sleep to get it ready for the presentation.

Givens said the students were designing buildings to last more than 40 years and were looking for ideas from the local community.

“So much of what the student does is theoretical,” Givens said. “They are hoping to get practical feedback.”

Allen Chung, a 21-year-old architectural student from Portland, said he’s learned that designing a fire station is much more complex than he first thought.

“Overall, it’s been a fun project,” he said.

Reach reporter Damian Mann at 541-776-4476 or dmann@mailtribune.com. Follow him on Twitter @reporterdm.

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Trowel & Glove: Marin gardening calendar for the week of Feb. 1, 2014

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Marin

• West Marin Commons offers a weekly harvest exchange at 1:30 p.m. Saturdays at the Livery Stable gardens on the commons in Point Reyes Station. Go to www.westmarin commons.org.

• Kurt Timmermeister discusses “Growing a Feast” at 3 p.m. Feb. 2 at Diesel at 2419 Larkspur Landing Circle in Larkspur. Free. Call 785-8177 or go to www.dieselbookstore.com.

• The Novato Independent Elders Program seeks volunteers to help Novato seniors with their overgrown yards on Tuesday mornings or Thursday afternoons. Call 899-8296.

• Volunteers are sought to help in Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy nurseries from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays at Tennessee Valley, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesdays at Muir Woods or 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays or 9 a.m. to noon Saturdays in the Marin Headlands. Call 561-3077 or go to www.parksconservancy.org/get-involved/volunteer/.

• The SPAWN (Salmon Protection and Watershed Network) native plant nursery days are from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Fridays and weekends. Call 663-8590, ext. 114, or email jonathan@tirn.net to register and for directions.

• A Marin Rose Society class on “The Ins and Outs of Rose Pruning” is at 10 a.m. Feb. 8 at Sloat Garden Center at 401 Miller Ave. in Mill Valley. $5. Call 388-0365.

• Marin Master Gardeners and the Marin Municipal Water District offer free residential Bay-Friendly Garden Walks to MMWD customers. The year-round service helps home-owners identify water-saving opportunities and soil conservation techniques for their landscaping. Call 473-4204 to request a visit to your garden.

• Marin Open Garden Project (MOGP) volunteers are available to help Marin residents glean excess fruit from their trees for donations to local organizations serving people in need and to build raised beds to start vegetable gardens through the MicroGardens program. MGOP also offers a garden tool lending library. Go to www.opengardenproject.org or email contact@opengardenproject.org.

• The Marin Organic Glean Team seeks volunteers to harvest extras from the fields at various farms for the organic school lunch and gleaning program. Call 663-9667 or go to www.marinorganic.org.

San Francisco

• The Conservatory of Flowers, at 100 John F. Kennedy Drive in Golden Gate Park, displays permanent galleries of tropical plant species as well as changing special exhibits from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays. $2 to $7; free on first Tuesdays. Call 831-2090 or go to www.conservatoryofflowers.org.

• The San Francisco Botanical Garden Society, at Ninth Avenue and Lincoln Way in Golden Gate Park, offers several ongoing events. $7; free to San Francisco residents, members and school groups. Call 661-1316 or go to www.sf botanicalgarden.org. Free docent tours leave from the Strybing Bookstore near the main gate at 1:30 p.m. weekdays, 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. weekends; and from the north entrance at 2 p.m. Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Groups of 10 or more can call ahead for special-focus tours.

Around the Bay

• Cornerstone Gardens is a permanent, gallery-style garden featuring walk-through installations by international landscape designers on nine acres at 23570 Highway 121 in Sonoma. Free. Call 707-933-3010 or go to www.cornerstonegardens.com.

• Garden Valley Ranch rose garden at 498 Pepper Road in Petaluma is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays. Self-guided and group tours are available. $2 to $10. Call 707-795-0919 or go to www.gardenvalley.com.

• Don Landis teaches “How to De-Bitter Olives” from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Feb. 2 at Jacuzzi Family Vineyards at 24724 Arnold Drive in Sonoma. Free. Reservations required. Call 707-931-7575.

• The Luther Burbank Home at Santa Rosa and Sonoma avenues in Santa Rosa has docent-led tours of the greenhouse and a portion of the gardens every half hour from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays. $7. Call 707-524-5445.

• McEvoy Ranch at 5935 Red Hill Road in Petaluma offers tips on planting olive trees and has olive trees for sale by appointment. Call 707-769-4123 or go to www.mcevoy ranch.com.

• Wednesdays are volunteer days from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Occidental Arts and Ecology Center at 15290 Coleman Valley Road in Occidental. Call 707-874-1557, ext. 201, or go to www.oaec.org.

• Quarryhill Botanical Garden at 12841 Sonoma Highway in Glen Ellen covers 61 acres and showcases a large selection of scientifically documented wild source temperate Asian plants. The garden is open for self-guided tours from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. $5 to $10. Call 707-996-3166 or go to www.quarryhillbg.org.

The Trowel Glove Calendar appears Saturdays. Send high-resolution jpg photo attachments and details about your event to calendar@marinij.com or mail to Home and Garden Calendar/Lifestyles, Marin Independent Journal, 4000 Civic Center Drive, Suite 301, San Rafael, CA 94903. Items should be sent two weeks in advance. Photos should be a minimum of 1 megabyte and include caption information. Include a daytime phone number on your release.

Craftsman turns ‘garden debris’ into furniture, woodworks

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David Hughes, a Doylestown, Pa., landscape architect with an affinity for native flora and natural landscapes, often finds himself ripping out dead, overgrown or otherwise undesirable plants to make way for new.

But he doesn’t haul that nasty Japanese honeysuckle, Chinese white mulberry or Norway maple to the dump, curb or chipper. Hughes is that rare soul who prizes what other designers and gardeners despise, more so if it’s scarred by deer browsing, insect damage or disease.

That’s because, in addition to designing ecologically responsible landscapes in the Philadelphia region, Hughes, 46, is a skilled woodworker who makes rustic furniture from garden “debris,” a kind of plant-world Dumpster diver.

“To me, it’s a nice marriage, landscaping and woodworking,” says Hughes, whose 5-year-old business, his second, is called Weatherwood Design. It comprises about 70percent landscaping and 30percent woodworking.

Storm-felled trees and gnarly vines make good raw materials. So do pruned branches, old barn boards and stuff plucked, with permission, from the side of the road.

An arborist friend scouts out intriguing branches and discarded trunks. Hughes helps the Natural Lands Trust and local preserves thin out invasives or dead trees. And every July Fourth, again with permission, he rescues unwanted driftwood from death by bonfire at a public beach on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.

The wood might sit for years on the one-acre property Hughes shares with his widowed dad, Merritt Hughes, a retired English teacher. Logs, planks, oddball sticks and scraps are stacked along the driveway, in the yard and in and around Hughes’ densely packed, unheated 8-by-12-foot workshop.

“It’s hard to throw anything out,” he says a bit sheepishly of the jars of nails, screws and bolts, the bits of this or that and the saws, planes and other tools of his trade.

Drying wood outside is challenging. But if rain and snow are his nemeses, water is also a friend. “My best ideas come in the shower,” he says.

Those ideas — for chairs, tables and benches, garden gates and screens, trellises, arbors, railings and birdhouses — are time-consuming. A simple-looking chair can take 35 hours to make, at $45 an hour, not counting time to find and dry the wood and do research.

“It’s like putting together a big jigsaw puzzle. There are no square edges to anything,” says Hughes, who is itching for some land of his own so he can grow hedgerows of the native trees — alder, sassafras, Eastern red cedar, black locust, Osage orange — he likes to work with.

He also wants to live off the grid and build native plant, meadow and woodland demonstration gardens. Four acres, at a minimum, would do it, though so much real estate would involve a lot of deer-fencing.

But fenced it must be; deer are plentiful and Hughes has had Lyme disease 14 times since the early 1990s.

That he has worked through such a scourge reflects a lifetime of loving plants.

Growing up in Glenside, Pa., Hughes was “always out playing and getting muddy and dirty,” often in Baederwood Park. Foreshadowing the landscape architect he would become, he spent hours in the attic constructing vehicles and buildings with Legos and Lincoln Logs.

As an 8-year-old, guided by his handy grandfather, Sylvester “Cookie” Cook, Hughes built metal cladding to reinforce a toy castle and carved sticks to support a leather-covered tepee.

“I loved the outdoors,” he says, including time spent at his family’s vacation home outside Wellsboro, Pa.

Hughes is a graduate of Abington High School and Pennsylvania State University, where he knew almost instantly “I was doing the right thing” in studying landscape architecture. He also did graduate work at the University of Massachusetts.

His resume includes jobs at plant nurseries, landscape architectural and planning firms and the U.S. Forest Service. He has restored wetlands and woodlands and worked on suburban subdivision landscapes, meadows and residential projects, including a highly idiosyncratic Bucks County, Pa., second home belonging to New Yorkers Todd Ruback and Suzanne Schecter.

The couple’s 2½-acre property, overlooking the Delaware Canal in Upper Black Eddy, Pa., features a converted century-old barn that backs up to a gravelly 200-foot red shale cliff that was choked with exotic vines. Hughes cleared the cliff and literally carved a landscape into it, choosing wildlife-friendly plants such as Eastern prickly pear cactus, the region’s only native cactus, that grows almost exclusively along the high cliffs of the Delaware River.

“He’s not bringing in eucalyptus trees,” Ruback says. “He’s making use of what local, Bucks County nature is giving us.”

And much of what Hughes takes away from “Bucks County nature” goes toward his rustic furniture. The results, says a mentor, Daniel Mack of Warwick, N.Y., are both sturdy and playful and demonstrate “a poetic sensibility.”

“Nobody actually needs any of these chairs. There are plenty of chairs in the world already, thank you,” says Mack, a rustic-furniture teacher and author. “You’ve gone beyond need and you’re into another realm.”

It’s a realm, Mack says, that “engages us with the landscape in a way you don’t see with more-anonymous furniture.”

Classic Gardens brings out the ‘Landscape Impossible’ in Colorado

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Fri, 31 Jan 2014, 06:59:03 EST
Edited by Christopher Simmons

MONUMENT, Colo., Jan. 31, 2014 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Classic Gardens Inc., in Monument, Colorado, has recently been credited for taking the missions that many other landscapers simply cannot accept. As a landscape specialist in Colorado, the company has been asked to take care of and – in some cases – fix some pretty ‘impossible’ situations for some of the largest and most intricate landscaping scenarios in Colorado – one of America’s most outdoor and scenic-oriented states.

Colorado landscaping

MONUMENT, Colo., Jan. 31, 2014 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Classic Gardens Inc., in Monument, Colorado, has recently been credited for taking the missions that many other landscapers simply cannot accept. As a landscape specialist in Colorado, the company has been asked to take care of and – in some cases – fix some pretty “impossible” situations for some of the largest and most intricate landscaping scenarios in Colorado – one of America’s most outdoor and scenic-oriented states. The company also has been known for their efforts to “take the time” to give their clientele exactly what they are looking for, by locating the necessary materials.

Recently, the company has been given the nickname “Landscape Impossible” as a result of some of these highly difficult projects. One job involved the removal of a fully grown 30-foot-tall Blue Spruce with a 90-inch tree spade, as well as the company’s ability to properly rig and lift up to 20,000 pound boulders, up to 10 feet in diameter. The company also has been utilized for the construction of several high profile features for clients such as the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, the Olympic Training Center, and several very large residences throughout Colorado whose amazing dynamic vistas appear as if “Mother Nature put them there.”

“The thought was to create a unique gardening and landscaping company that not only can give you the serenity of a classic English garden in a Rocky Mountain environment, but to create an environmentally concerned landscape company, that will take into consideration the existing vegetation, structure, wildlife, and water requirements,” stated Glenn Cope, President of Classic Gardens Inc. “In the state of Colorado, this sometimes requires finding a way to do the impossible – and make it seem easy.”

Classic Gardens is a full service commercial and residential Colorado landscape company serving the Rocky Mountain region since 1985. From concept to completion, all phases of design and construction are handled in-house. Their staff of highly trained employees pays strict attention to detail and quality, enabling them to becoming one of Colorado’s premier landscape companies.

If you would like to learn more about Classic Gardens Inc., or have any questions about your specialized project, please visit http://www.classicgardensinc.com/ or call toll free at 866-597-4341.

To contact Classic Gardens Inc. directly, email sales@classicgardensinc.com.

NEWS SOURCE: Classic Gardens Inc.

Send2Press® is the originating wire service for this story “Classic Gardens brings out the ‘Landscape Impossible’ in Colorado” and content is Copr. © 2014 Classic Gardens Inc. with newswire copy Copr. © 2014 Send2Press (a service of Neotrope). All trademarks acknowledged.

TERMS OF USE: rights granted for reproduction by any legitimate news organization. However, if news is cloned/scraped verbatim, then original attribution must be maintained with link back to this page as “original syndication source.” Resale of this content for commercial purposes is prohibited without a license. Reproduction on any site selling a competitive service is also prohibited. Information is believed accurate, as provided by news source or authorized agency, however is not guaranteed, and you assume all risk for use of any information found herein/hereupon. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License.

Gardening Tips: How plants cope with cold and snow

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Posted: Friday, January 31, 2014 11:20 am

Gardening Tips: How plants cope with cold and snow

By Matthew Stevens

The Daily Herald, Roanoke Rapids, NC

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With a couple snow events in the past two weeks, we find ourselves in a bit of an unusual situation here in the Roanoke Valley. Many gardeners are wondering how the snow and cold weather might be impacting plant life.

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Friday, January 31, 2014 11:20 am.

This week’s gardening tips: lawn weeds, watering tips and cool-season annuals … – The Times

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Cool-season weeds will grow in lawns even in the cold. Since the grass is dormant and mowing is not needed, the green weeds are noticeable against the turf. Do not use weed and feed (weed killer combined with a fertilizer). It is far too early to fertilize warm-season grasses. Just mow the weeds down occasionally. If you feel you must control them, use a lawn herbicide labeled for use on the type of grass you have. Apply during a mild spell, when daytime highs are above 60 degrees, and follow label directions carefully.

During this cold winter, water coming out of the tap can be really chilly. When watering your indoor plants, don’t just turn on the cold water faucet. Turn on both cold and hot and adjust the temperature of the water until it feels tepid or barely warm. This is healthier for tropical houseplants and will prevent spotting on African violet foliage.

There are several short-lived perennials that are commonly used as cool-season annuals in Louisiana. Although foxglove, delphinium and hollyhock may be reliable perennials in cooler zones, they have a hard time surviving our summers. Early planting is a key to success here. Transplants should be planted into the garden in February for bloom in April through early June. After flowering, foxgloves and delphiniums should be pulled up and composted. Hollyhocks are almost always infected by rust by the time they finish flowering, and should be disposed of in the trash rather than compost.

Tips on introducing your dog to your new baby

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You’ve spent nine months getting ready for the arrival of your new baby, but don’t forget about your furry family companion.

Your dog is used to being the center of attention and can have a hard time relinquishing that spot. Making gradual changes to your dog’s routine along the way can help ease the transition and before long, your pup and your baby will be the best of friends.

To help dog owners in this exciting time, the American Kennel Club offers the following tips for introducing your dog to your new baby.

n Gradually alter your dog’s routine. Start making changes to your dog’s daily routine months before your baby is born. Will his walk be in the afternoon rather than the morning? Start getting him used to what life will be like when the baby comes home.

n The nose knows. Before you bring the baby home, introduce a blanket with the baby’s scent on it to your dog. Let him sniff and become used to it.

n The first meeting. Make sure your dog is well exercised before you introduce him to the baby. Have one parent hold the baby while the other controls the dog on leash.

n Make it a family affair. Include your dog whenever you can. Make sure to give him attention and affection while the baby is around. Take your dog along with you on walks with the baby.

n Always supervise interactions between children and dogs. You should never leave an infant or toddler alone with a dog. Even the most trusted family pet can be startled by a sudden scream or cry from your child.