• Height/Habit: Bushy, compact
• Bloom Size: Medium
• Foliage: Medium green
• Petal Count: 11
• Fragrance: Slight
• Disease Resistance: Excellent
• Uses: Hedges, Borders, Ground Cover

Massive clusters of fuchsia-pink scented blooms open wide and flat on this new landscape shrub rose. The deep glossy green foliage is stunning against the mauve blended blooms. The disease resistance, very small size and compact rounded habit makes it an easy plant to incorporate into almost any landscape.

57 days. Indeterminate. Once voted the sweetest tomato ever by discerning English gardeners. A positively luscious, bite-size golden beauty. The plant over-flows with an abundance of fruits; thin-skinned, with a juicy flesh that holds its sweet-fresh-from-the-vine flavor. Golden orange, small, round, very early, and a heavy cropper both indoors and in greenhouses. Cascading trusses are smothered in fruits that remain ripe and ready for picking over long periods of time. Steve Goto says: "This one is a must in your garden. I love these for an afternoon snack right off the vine."

When designing a garden, focal points are an important concept. A focal point is a feature that draws the eye. This can be anything from a tall tree to a colorful grouping of plants, to a strategically placed statue. Having a focal point (or several) in your landscape or garden gives the whole area a more orderly look.

You can create an eye-catcher by something as simple as planting a tall, colorful plant in the midst of smaller plants in a flower bed. If you already have a naturally imposing feature, such as a large tree, consider placing colorful perennials around it.

Another way to draw the eye is to use bold contrasts. A grouping of bright red or white flowers in the midst of an expanse of green lawn will draw attention. Even a bright color amidst pastels will work.

One of the most popular methods is to use statues and other garden decor, such as fountains, birdbaths or bird feeders. Used as a centerpiece of a design, these are a great way to create a focal point. A driveway or path with brightly colored borders is another popular way to draw attention. Both solid colors and mixed colors can work well here.

A driveway or path with brightly colored borders is another popular way to draw attention. Both solid colors and mixed colors can work well here.

If you are lucky enough to have a naturally good view, use it as a backdrop for a grouping. If you have the sort of yard that lends itself to paths, consider a flower-covered arch trellis as an entry way. Come in and look around; you'll find plenty of good ideas!

Downy mildew (fungus - Peronospora sparsa) is a highly destructive disease. Although best known as a rose disease, downy mildew will attack vegetables, other ornamentals, and fruit plants. It can completely defoliate a plant in 4-7 days and can kill the plant.

In general, high humidity and moderate temperatures favor downy mildew. Moist air from puddles, rain, or overhead watering is enough to allow the pathogen to germinate. The optimum temperature for downy mildew to spread is 65 degrees, but the spores are killed at 81 degrees or higher.

Downy mildew will first appear on upper surfaces of leaves as patches or spots. On the underside of the leaves directly below each spot, a downy or furry growth is produced. The fungus is made up of numerous branched stalks with spores on the end. Downy mildew needs a film of water on the leaves for spores to germinate.

Regular watering from overhead, and thick growth from close spacing create ideal conditions for this disease, which can spread very quickly under such conditions.

Control:
Remove all infected leaves and dispose of carefully, in closed containers so the spores cannot spread.
Spray infected plants with Monterey Aliette .
Avoid overhead irrigation at the end of the day. Try to leave enough time for the plants to dry off before nightfall.
Thin out undergrowth of plants if necessary.

This Week's Trivia Question:

Name two of the three major fruits native to North America.

This Week's Prize: 2 gallon blueberry

Postemergence herbicides target visible weeds. They are used primarily against broadleaf weeds, perennial grasses, and sedges. The chemicals 2-4d, dicamba and mecoprop are broadleaf herbicides. The have been combined in many products that control many broadleaf weeds. Look for these active ingredients in products such as Green light Wipe-Out Broadleaf Weed Killer or Monterey Spurge Power.

Guidelines for Using Postemergence Herbicides

When choosing an herbicide, make sure that it will control the weed and that it is recommended for your turf. Before using, read the entire label and follow it precisely. The following tips will help you achieve optimum control in the spring or fall when air temperatures are between 65 and 85 degrees F. In hotter temperatures, turf damage is more likely.

At the time of treatment, soil moisture should be adequate. When drought stressed, weed control is poor and turf damage is more likely.

Mow a couple of days before or a couple of days after application. Mowing lessens the amount of surface area that the herbicide contacts.

Treat weeds when no rain is expected for at least 24 hours.

If it is windy, wait to apply herbicides of any kind. They can and will injure ornamental plants. Best results occur when weeds are young.

For acceptable control, repeat applications, 10-14 days apart, may be required.