No doubt about it. Blueberries are hot right now! And rightly so--not only are they delicious, they have many, many health benefits as well:

1. They offer the highest amount of antioxidants of any fresh fruit, which means they are excellent disease-fighters and are a prime player in the anti-aging arena.

2. Recent studies suggest that consuming blueberries helps reduce belly fat, body weight and total fat mass; this is very encouraging news for those concerned with cardiovascular health.

3. Blueberries help promote urinary tract health by helping to inhibit the growth of certain bacteria that cause urinary tract infections.

4. Consuming blueberries has been shown to prevent or delay certain age-related eye problems such as macular degeneration, cataract, nearsightedness, farsightedness, dry eye and eye infections.

5. Blueberries contribute to brain health by preventing degeneration and death of neurons; some studies even suggest they are particularly helpful in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

6. Their high fiber content, as well as the vitamins and other compounds found in blueberries help improve digestion.

7. Blueberries are an excellent dietary source for preventing cancer, because of their high antioxidant content.

8. Blueberries are considered a great, natural antidepressant--and all without the side effects of prescription drugs!

Here's more good news--while blueberry fields were once the domain of those areas with relatively cool summer temperatures, that is no longer the case. Both rabbiteye and southern highbush types of blueberries can be grown in areas that experience high summer temperatures, given the right growing conditions.

What conditions do blueberries require?

1. They MUST be grown in an acidic soil.
This requirement cannot be stressed enough--in fact, soil that is too alkaline is the primary reason for blueberry failure.

When planting your blueberries, dig a large hole (the larger, the better) and fill it with pure acid planting mix. As an alternative (many experts consider this the best way to grow blueberries in heavy and/or alkaline soils, as it is easier to control the pH of the soil in a container), plant them in a large container filled with an acid planting mix.

When it is time to fertilize your blueberries, feed them with an acidic fertilizer.

A pH meter will be helpful in making sure the pH level remains between 4.09 and 5.0. Applications of soil sulphur, as needed, will help to keep the soil acidic.

2. They need ample water, but good drainage.
Before planting in an area where soil may not have good drainage, perform the following test:

Dig your hole and fill it with water 2-3 times. If at any point, the water stands in the hole for longer than about 15 minutes, you will need to correct the drainage before planting your blueberry. This can be done by digging a deeper hole or treating the area with gypsum or soil penetrant--ask us for recommendations.

3. Grow your blueberries in full sun, if possible (although they will tolerate part shade, you may not get as good a crop).

Visit us soon for more helpful hints about getting your blueberry patch going and for variety recommendations for our area.

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Among the most beautiful of all flowers, calla lilies originally came from South Africa. They are a favorite of florists and those who like to plant a cutting bed, as they make excellent cut flowers. They also look great in containers. The larger varieties can put on quite a show planted as a focal point behind lower-growing flowers, or massed to create a large color grouping.

Although they only thrive year-round outside in warm climates, they make great houseplants, and everyone can grow them year-round inside.

They can deal with anything from full sun to partial shade, with a moist, fertile, well-draining soil. They are a good choice as a gift for someone who tends to overwater plants--but they don't like to be totally drowned, so make sure you have a pot that drains well. Make sure they don't dry out while they are blooming.

After blooming has finished, don't cut the healthy foliage off; it will gather energy and nutrients to store for the next blooming season. Leaves may be removed when they yellow.

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Azaleas are easy to love. Their amazing flowers put on an incredible display of color every spring like clockwork, helping to herald the coming growing season. Whether in a formal or a woodland garden setting, azaleas make a great addition to any garden. When these plants are in full bloom, it's almost impossible to see the foliage underneath.

For centuries, azaleas were grown only in Japanese gardens. But then native species were discovered in North America and eventually types from both countries found their way to Europe. Deciduous species (Exbury hybrids) are primarily from North America, while evergreen species (Belgian, Southern Indica, as well as Girard and Satsuki hybrids) are from Japan and Europe.

Azaleas are versatile and can be used in almost any spot in the garden provided they have good drainage. While Belgian, Girard and Kurume hybrids prefer partial shade in the afternoon, Exbury hybrids, Southern Indicas and Satsuki hybrids can be grown in full sun in all but the hottest areas. Azalea flowers come in almost every color shade imaginable, and the bushes range from dwarf shade varieties of 2-3', to the sun lovers that can grow from 4-8' high and wide.

Homeowners in mild climates can select almost any species of azalea for their garden. But in colder areas, Exbury hybrids and some of the newer winter-hardy hybrids should be used. They also reward gardeners with good fall colors in shades of orange and red. Many have sweetly-scented blooms. If you are short on space in your landscape, consider planting azaleas in containers to add another dimension to your garden.

Azaleas grow well in evenly moist and slightly acidic soil. They perform best when the soil is amended with peat moss or an acid planting mix before planting. They also like to be fed every few months with cottonseed meal or an acid plant food. We recommend feeding from the end of the blooming season through early fall.

Azaleas don't require much pruning if the proper varieties are selected for the desired mature size. If occasional pruning is needed to control size or wayward branches, prune from one month after the blooming season has ended through August. Pruning any later can remove the new blooms that are starting to set for the following spring--these can start as early as September.

Whether pruned formally into shapes or left natural to blend in with the local surroundings, azaleas make a wonderful addition to any garden, with their extraordinary offering of beautiful spring flowers.

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Over the past twenty years, commercial growers have produced tomato varieties that valued shelf-life and unblemished prettiness over taste—and the result has been an almost tasteless tomato at your local supermarket (the baskets might taste as good). Put taste back on top with heirloom varieties—some can even flourish on your patio in a 7-gallon-sized container!

Heirlooms vary in their production time, so you can sequence your varieties over the summer. A vine-ripened tomato salad can be yours for the picking! These tomatoes may not look as pretty as the ones in the local supermarket—but the taste more than makes up for it.

Planting and growing directions:

The one disadvantage to heirloom varieties is that they tend to be less disease-resistant than the hybrids. Choose the healthiest plants you can find, buy a few extras in case, and especially keep any cigarettes far away (if you smoke yourself, don't even think about tending them with a cigarette in your mouth—that's asking for mosaic virus, even with a resistant hybrid). If you've grown a few extra, and they all stay healthy, your non-gardening neighbors will probably be happy to take some of your great-tasting tomatoes off your hands.

Once you get your plants, if they are greenhouse-grown, harden them off for a week or so before transplanting (leave them outside for just a couple of hours the first day, then gradually increase the length of time, watering as needed). Before you transplant, amend your soil with a good planting mix, such as , or use a potting soil such as for tomatoes in pots. Plant them in the evening or on a cloudy day, and they will be less likely to droop. To make for a stronger plant, bury tomato stems up to the plant's second true set of leaves (they'll develop roots all along the buried stem).

Stake or cage as needed (depending on the variety), water as necessary, and fertilize with and you'll have a tomato crop that can't be beat!

A note to those growing tomatoes in pots on a narrow patio: you can espalier tomatoes! They won't produce as well but if it's the only way you'll have the room to grow them at all, try it—half a crop is better than being stuck with the tasteless 'tomatoes' sold in the supermarkets.

How often should I feed my lawn?

Answer:
We recommend feeding lawns every two months during the growing season. You can start off by applying a lawn food in late winter to early spring that contains a pre-emergent herbicide to help prevent crabgrass and other weeds from germinating.

After that, switch to a complete lawn food. If summer weeds become a problem, apply a weed and feed fertilizer.

Make sure to give your lawn a final feeding in fall, before it goes dormant, to keep it green through winter. If a lawn goes into the winter looking yellow, you won't be able to green it up much until temperatures warm up again.

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