Newspaper Page Text
' i Houston Urmu* 4
(LUje JJmtrtml
SUNDAY,
MARCH 6, 2005
ir&g
Tim Lewis
Gardening
timlewis@addressisp.com
' -V. v ' %
Last week the marigold
was the subject of this
space. We said that the ever
popular annual bedding
plant comes in many differ
ent varieties and in four
basic types-African
(American), French,
triploid, and signet. Today
we will look closer at the
latter three and at general
marigold culture.
The French marigold, or
Tagetes patula, is a short
marigold with small flow
ers. Plants range in height
from 5 to 14 inches. Flowers
may be single, semi-double,
or double, with colors rang
ing from yellow to orange to
bronze and mahogany. Most
flower heads are crested-the
center petals stand above
the outer petals. The single
forms are sometimes called
anemones, and are becom
ing more popular.
Some fine French vari
eties are Disco Flame, yel
low with a mahogany cen
ter; Aurora Light Yellow, a
semi-double; Janie
Primrose Yellow, a double
flowered variety; Bonanza,
Safari, Sophia Queen, and
many others.
Triploid marigolds
(Tagetes erecta x patula)
have the traits of both
African and French types
large flowers and a neat
growth habit. These hybrids
are called triploids because
each plant cell has three
sets of chromosomes
instead of the usual two.
Having three sets makes
them sterile, like mules.
Even though they bloom
they can’t produce any
seeds, so they direct their
energy into flowering-from
early in the season until
fall. One problem, however,
with triploids has been their
seed’s low viability, which
was, until recently, only
about 35 percent. Recently,
though, breeders have suc
ceeded in developing vari
eties with germination rates
as high as 70 and 90 per
cent, respective of two new
varieties.
Triploid marigolds range
from 7 to 14 inches tall.
Colors range from yellow to
gold to orange, plus combi
nations of these. Flowers
may be semi-double or dou
ble.
Least known of the four
marigold types is the signet
marigold (Tagetes tenuifo
lia). It has very small, sin
gle, yellow or gold-colored
blossoms about the size of a
penny. The foliage is fine
textured and takes on some
what of a lemony aroma.
Plants are dwarf, growing
only 8 to 10 inches tall.
They are profuse bloomers
and are good choices for
borders. They, like the
French and triploids, are
day-neutral plants (not sen
sitive to day length), so they
start blooming early in the
season and continue bloom
ing through frost.
Signets are creepers,
forming low, spreading
mats, and look good in
hanging baskets. Some good
varieties are Lemon Gem,
Tangerine Gem, and
Paprika.
See LEWIS, page 3C
Beltfstas
getting
ready
for big
show
By CHARLOTTE PERKINS
HHJ Lifestyle Editor
PERRY - One of Middle
Georgia’s most popular
spring events is less than a
month away.
The 11th annual Beltista
Spring Home and Garden
Show, featuring over 70
Southern dealers, will be
held on Saturday and
Sunday, April 2 and 3 in the
Miller-Murphy-Ho ward
Building at the Georgia
National Fairgounds and
Agricenter.
Work on the show began
over nine months ago and
all 43 members are now
selling tickets and finaliz
ing details.
This year, members will
be wearing signature silk
flowers to bring attention
to the show.
Dealers will range from
Broccoli, cauliflower do well in Georgia gardens
By WILLIAM TERRY
KELLEY
University of Georgia
Get the cheese sauce
ready. Broccoli and cauli
flower could be coming out
of the garden really soon if
you get busy.
Although these aren’t
what you’d call traditional
Southern vegetables, grow
ing great broccoli and cauli
flower in your garden is a
definite possibility in
Georgia. Throughout the
Southeast,
both crops can be grown
during certain times of the
season.
In much of the Southeast,
temperatures are too cold
in midwinter to grow them
well, since both crops can
suffer freeze damage. And
it’s too hot in midsummer,
as the heat reduces quality.
In the higher elevations,
however, midsummer is
peak production time.
In the Georgia coastal
plain and piedmont, plant
broccoli and cauliflower
from early February
through early April,
depending on where you
live. This would bring in
harvests during mid-April
through June.
For fall crops, plant them
from August through mid-
September for harvest in
October through early
December. In the higher
Spring Fashion Show brings its own splash of color
Camellias and spring fashions are
in full bloom at Massee Lane
Gardens this week. Tickets for the
Spring fashion show and luncheon
on Thursday, March 10. The gala
occasion, one of Massee Lane’s
most popular events, will be held in
the porcelain gallery at the gar
dens, located on Ga. Highway 49,
5.5 miles south of Fort Valley and 2
miles north of Marshallville.
Tables of eight are available for
groups who wish to sit together.
Elene Cook of Noell’s in
Thomaston, and her models will
show the new season’s colorful
dresses and suits. Please call
Barbara at (478) 967-2358 to make
your reservation. Tickets are
$19.50 per person and include gar
den admission, a delicious catered
lunch and the fashion parade.
Camellias are blooming in the
gardens now, in spite of suffering
hard freezes and an ice storm. Now
we know that the worst kinds of
Lifestyle
If Vm 1 k %W- wf » *I ML .yillhfc
rjt § . MSjpy 4pßßßl
tMist jsaSyKjSSyMBSRrH :■
HH«J/ Charlotte Perkins
In charge! All Beltista Club members will be working hard in the weeks ahead to get ready for the club’s annual
Home and Garden Show. Here, wearing their signature spring flowers to promote the show, are those who are
leading the effort. Seated, Show Co-chairs Harriotte McDannald and Ruth McCown; standing, from left, Beltista
President Donna Tabor; porters and staging, Iris Tedders; publicity and tickets, Peggy Jerles, Linda Loewen, Pat
Buice and Billie Sexton; finance, Genelle Horne, dealers, Sue Lott and Hazel Patton.
area nurseries, to gourmet
food outlets, to garden art
and home decor.
The show, which began in
the Perry Armory as a one
day event has grown steadi
elevations, plant the crops
in April to July for harvest
in June through September.
Many varieties of both
broccoli and cauliflower
have been shown to per
form well in Georgia.
“Packman” and “Premium
Crop” are two tried-and
true broccoli varieties for
home garden use.
Many cauliflower vari
eties are self-blanching and
don’t have to be banded to
produce a white-curded
head. “Candid Charm” and
“Snowball Y” are widely
adapted cauliflowers.
There are varieties, how
ever, that tolerate tempera
ture extremes better than
these.
Both crops can be direct
seeded or transplanted, but
transplanting is best in
the Southeast to gain time
in the growing window and
produce more uniform
stands.
Broccoli and cauliflower
can be grown on a wide
array of soil types. Both
crops require irrigation for
peak production.
Planting densities vary
between the crops. Broccoli
can be planted in double
rows on 38- to 42-inch cen
ters, with plants spaced 6
inches apart. Cauliflower,
though, is usually planted
in single rows with an in
row spacing of about 12
inches.
weather cannot stop these beauti
ful flowers showing their lovely col
ors for long! Take home a camellia
to make your winter bright and
cheerful! Choose from the many
varieties of camellias for sale at the
gift shop in the gardens. A small
booklet, Camellia Culture for
Beginners will start you on your
way to certain camellia success,
even if you have not grown one
before. Camellias are forgiving
plants and, when planted correctly,
will give much pleasure for many
years.
Visitors can also enjoy the porce
lains in the Annabelle Lundy
Fetterman Educational Museum
and explore the new Avera-
Peterson Children’s Garden.
Children of all ages will take
delight in the friendly “monsters”
there. Meet Snappy, a cheerful fish
ing turtle and other sculptures cre
ated by Dale Payne of Fort Valley in
ly through the years, mak
ing the move to the Georgia
Living Center, extending
the time to two days, and
finally moving to larger
quarters in the Miller-
w f ' iIHHk
■SHF mttmm
Fertilize broccoli and cau
liflower much as you would
cabbage, as both require a
fairly heavy rate of nitro
gen. Use rates of 6.5 to 7.5
ounces per 100 square feet
with both crops. For soils
testing
medium for phosphorus
and potassium, 4 ounces of
each per 100 square feet
should suffice.
Split the totals into thirds
and apply the first at plant
ing and the second and
third about three weeks
apart.
The most rewarding part
this special area by the lake. ('!«:>
iiw gardens arc open tn>m 1 rjff j
t .'ld each day fluring ! ■ bru&jyi M
including Sundays. A< 1 1 i■ issiognCL»E*
ACS 111• ■in 1•< i - .ad
dren under 12 free. Senior •'mdwNMjHh
discounts are honored. *# . 'pMife.
Massee Lane Gardens .imr"' lEw
(1 corgi a Highway 49. miles
nf Fart Valley and two miles norttf«RyJbi Jm
Marshallville. Open hours are
from 1 4:30 on Sunday ll ‘if ll (V- ,r ‘ 'll
h i-.ii •is 1 i. W M
dam i . a-l iic t&T s s ,s 's. :
i. • ■ 11: i: -out I am ■\ i • I' v ’-d
*!!•& ' 'dm ;
d \ al to fBWp: j. ' '
gardens a 'a :
From Perry, go to Mnrshalj^ftlMß|^WßßS»
onto 49 and the mV
are two miles on the right.
Murphy-Howard building
last year.
Proceeds go to a variety of
local services and charitable
efforts. The club makes
donations to help foster
of any garden crop is the
harvest. Handle these crops
with care, though. They’re
quite perishable and must
be cooled fairly quickly
after harvest. If you don’t
cool them quickly to 32
degrees Fahrenheit, the
quality will begin to break
down. Cauliflower is even
more tedious handle it
cautiously to keep from
bruising the curds.
Grow broccoli to a central
main head 3 to 4 inches
across before cutting it. The
plant will regrow many
smaller heads if you keep
SECTION
c
children and abused
women, to support local
food banks and help meet
special needs in the commu
nity, as well as giving to cul
tural programs.
Fop Georgia
gardeners
This is the first in a
series of spring vegetable
and flower gardening
articles from the
University of Georgia
College of Agricultural
and Environmental
Sciences. Written by 11
CAES faculty and staff
members, these stories
will offer timely garden
ing information for
Georgia gardeners, and
will appear in Sunday’s
HHJ. For more specific
information, if needed,
call the Houston County
Extension Offices at 1478)
987-2028 in Perry or
(478) 542-2020 in Warner
Robins.
caring for it. You can cut
these smaller heads as they
mature.
They won’t reach the size
of the central head, but still
make for a good second
crop. Cut broccoli with
about 5 inches of stem on it.
Cut cauliflower when the
curd is 4 to 6 inches across,
and trim the leaves.
• Terry Kelley is an
Extension Service horticul
turist with the University of
Georgia College of
Agricultural and
Environmental Sciences.)