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DURKEEI ATWOOD PAGE 9 - PLAINDEALER - WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2S. 1980 How to protect your roses from disease and elements Community gardens such as this one are popular throughout the U.S. Nearly 2 million Americans are involved in this type of activity. A recent survey showed the average community garden measures 750 square feet, costs about $25 to start and yields about $375 in savings on food bills. There are pitfalls to be avoided if you want to start a garden and have it be successful. One of the biggest obstacles, according to Ortho's new book "Award-Winning Small-Space Gardens," is the quality of the soil. If the soil is not good, the problem can be overcome by using raised beds. Community gardens... Economically advantageous, they are also educational Nearly 2 million Americans are involved in community gar­ dening, according to a recent poll. One reason is that community gardens have compelling economic advantages, lite av­ erage home or community veg­ etable plot nationwide in 1977 was 750 square feet, cost about $25 to get started and yielded $375 in savings on food bills. These figures come from the California Council for Com­ munity Gardens. In addition, community gar­ dens are educational, have a re­ vitalizing effect on tired neighborhoods and provide nu­ tritional, as well as psychologi­ cal, benefits. Community gardens take many forms. At one project, the gardener rents a plot of land about 15 by 25 feet on the grounds of a local elementary school. The charge is $15 a year and the program is coordinated by the city parks and recreation department. In another project, funded by the Federal Government, teen­ agers and senior citizens are brought together. The heavy work is done by the teen-agers and the harvest is used by the senior citizens. If you are interested in start­ ing a community garden you can write to: Gardens For All, Box 371, Shelburne, Vt. 05482. This is an information clearing house on community gardens. Locally, contact your Cooperative Extension Service. Look in your phone book under county listings. There are pitfalls that should be avoided if you want your community garden to be a suc­ cess. One of the biggest obsta­ cles to a productive community garden is the quality of the soil, according to Ortho's new book "Award-Winning Small Space Gardens." Soil in urban areas is com­ monly poor, the book points out, because in many cases top- soil was removed years before. So soil building should be high on the priority list, and the cooperative extension agents can be particularly helpful in this regard. Consider installing perma­ nent raised beds. One garden used 12-inch-high raised beds filled with good soil mix. Path­ ways between the beds were mulched with tree chips. The plants grew beautifully, and the weed problem, which can often be demoralizing, was greatly reduced. Have a plan for growing your vegetables. A good book on vegetable gardening, such as Ortho's book "All About Veg­ etables,'.' can be very helpful. Make certain that there is an adequate water supply availa­ ble. Good vegetables fleed plenty of water. Finally, good organization is important. New gardens need at least one person willing to be responsible for coordinating work days and making sure help is available when necessary. It's not hard to understand why the rose is our most popular flower. No other plant produces so many flowers over as long a period of time. No other plant family grows under so many dif­ ferent climatic and soil condi­ tions. Best of all, they're easy to grow and you don't have to wait years for results, because most roses bloom the first year they're planted. Shakespeare probably spoke for many gardeners when he wrote, "Of all the flowers, mie . thinks a rose is best." While the rose is basically a hardy plant, it still requires pro­ tection.* It will not demand a great deal of your time to give rose plants the care that willen- able them to survive the ele­ ments and help them cope with disease. TheOrtho book "All About Roses" offers some basic tips on how to protect roses. Keep in mind that any strong wind is bad for roses. A hedge of protective shrubs provides an excellent shield. If the wind is hot and dry, shrubs are particularly good. They not only slow the wind down, they contribute moisture as it passes which is a big help. Allow at least 10 feet between your shrubs and the rose bushes. Also, select deep-rooted shrubs that will do well in your, climate. Hot weather fatigues a rose plant. At temperatures above 90°F., the plant uses food faster than its leaves can manufacture it. So if you live in a hot climate, don't prune roses as much as you would in a cooler environ­ ment. During the winter, prune only enough to shape the plant. That way the plant will be big when spring comes and photosyn­ thesis will have a chance to build the plant up before sum­ mer heat arrives. e Cool nights or dark, damp days can cause "balling," or half-opened blooms. Cut these blooms off when they start to ball to allow for better new growth when weather condi­ tions improve. Sudden changes in tempera­ ture in the fall, before'the plant has hardened off for winter, can be disastrous. Early freezes kill more canes than much colder winter freezes. If you live in an area where there is a chance of an early freeze, avoid late sum­ mer feedings and hold back on water. Freezes in late winter or early spring kill shoots that have been forced during warm winter days. Don't prune until all danger of frost is past. In extremely-warm regions, prune in winter and remove by hand all leaves from the plants, forcing a period of dormancy. In addition to protecting your rose plants from the elements, be on the lookout for any signs of disease. If you see early indi­ cations of trouble such as wilted foliage, deformed flower buds or spots on leaves, don't jump to the conclusion that your garden is disease ridden. Don't forget that not enough water can cause wilt, too much water can cause rot, alkaline soil can cause yellow leaves. Make sure the problem is not a cultural one before you decide to spray. However, if it does turn out your roses are suffering from black spot, powdery mildew or rust, a new liquid fungicide has been developed which will con- - trol these major diseases. Or­ tho's Funginex Rose Disease Control is quick-wetting which gives excellent coverage on hard-to-wet foliage, such as new growth on roses. This is particularly good for powdery mildew control where the unprotected new growth is usually attacked first. It also leaves no unsightly residue on the foliage or blooms. The fun­ gicide can be easily applied with Ortho's Spray-ette 4 hose end sprayer. You can enjoy your roses in a number of ways. They offer a rainbow of color and an endless variety of sizes. They can be formed into trees, trained into pillars or planted alone. TRADE FAIR MARCH 28,29 & 31 McHmr Encme Co, IK. Invites You! Visit With Us- Booth 32 As a ground cover, nothing beats versatile and popular sedum Learn about our quality products for electric motors - related products - tools Featiriig: GENERAL ELECTRIC MILWAUKEE ELECTRIC TOOLS OURKEE ATWOOD - BELTS I PULLEYS 20% Discount On All Milwaukee Tools Ask For Details One of the more versatile and popular types of ground covers is sedum. There are hundreds of vari­ eties to choose from. They vary from tiny sedums which form a one-inch high mat to others which can grow to a height of two feet. Sedum is defined as a rock plant, but its use isl>y no means confined to rock gardens. There are a number of species that are effective on slopes, as a mass planting and as container plants. According to the Ortho book "All About Ground Covers," sedums are especially effective when blended with other ground covers, such as the prostrate junipers. Many varieties remain green through the coldest winters, such as the hardy sedum acre and sedum sarmentosum. In genera], sedums require lit­ tle water and will root easily from cuttings, often propagat­ ing themselves from broken leaves. While the true beauty of sedums are in the shape and color of their leaves, a few va­ rieties flower abundantly. Since they are ^enerally aot particular abput soil and water,. andseed ^ jeas$y,s#Hnsj£9 4 be effectively used by ojthe* -- The versatile sedum, as shown here, is ideal for filling in against rocks. With hundreds of varieties to choose from, it's not dif­ ficult to find a sedum ground cover that will work well in any garden situation. AccordiRRg to the Ortho book "All About Ground Covers," sedums require little water and will root easily from cuttings. In fact, they will often propagate them­ selves from broken leaves. weekend gardener or the laad- scapt. professional to»brirg<«oir or, variety and mcMKMy afltfif."