Large clusters of vanilla-scented flowers of royal purple, fading to lavender. An old-fashioned favorite loved for its fragrant flowers. 15 to 18 inches high

Pentas prolifically produce lovely five-petaled flowers and bloom year-round. The flowers may be red, white, lavender, purple, or shades of pink - there are even some two-toned flowers. All colors attract butterflies, but the red and dark pink varieties are especially delightful to hummingbirds.

The following tomato varieties are expected on Sunday the 28th, subject to availability:
Sieletz, Oregon Spring, Moscow, Galina Cherry, Glasnost, Kotlas, Manitoba, Siberia, Silvery Fir Tree, Polar Baby, and Polar Star

Nematodes are especially active in warm weather. These microscopic worms bore into roots of susceptible plants, causing galls and knots and weakening the plants. Here are two ways to significantly reduce large populations of nematodes.

Solarize the Soil:

Solarization - using the effects of the sun's rays - is the method to use only when nematode and fungus problems are acute and unbearable. It kills useful organisms, including worms and beneficial fungi, along with the bad ones. (This works best where summer days are hot.)

Pull out all the plants, including the roots, and thoroughly soak the soil with water. Cover the area with clear polyethylene plastic 1 to 4 millimeters thick. Prop up the top layer with wire hoops or bamboo frame, peg it down around the outside, and bury the loose edges.

Solarization works in the same way as a greenhouse where a transparent covering, in this case the plastic sheeting, traps the sun's heat. After several days of sunshine, soil temperatures rise to as high as 140 degrees at the surface and over 100 degrees as far down as 18 inches - hot enough and far enough down into the soil to sterilize it. It takes four to six weeks of sunny weather to pasteurize the soil at these temperatures.

Plant marigolds:

Many people think marigolds repel nematodes, but the truth is they attract them. Root knot nematodes entering marigold roots are killed by a natural plant chemical before they have a chance to reproduce. Marigolds can be used to rid the ground of these pests. In spring, solidly plant the area to be treated with French marigolds, placed in a 7-by-7 inch pattern. Leave marigolds in place for a full 120-day season of growth.

With either method, nematodes will gradually return, but they'll be discouraged if you regularly add an organic soil amendment such as Dr. Earth Planting Mix. They don't like humusy soil.

This Week's Question: According to Ellwood Cooper, in a speech made in 1875, what were the best reasons for planting eucalyptus in California?

This Week's Prize:  5 gallon canna

Looking for some trees that bloom in late summer? Here are a few suggestions:

Crape myrtle is an elegant drought-resistant tree for small-space gardens in interior valleys. (It gets mildew along the coast.) It blooms in white and electric shades of pink and red from July through August. Its lovely gray-brown bark peels off yearly to soft pink. Look for the plants while they're in bloom. (People either love or hate some of the colors.)

Among the cassias that can be grown here in Southern California, the gold medallion tree (Cassia leptophylla) is the most dramatic. It's best in a warm, sheltered spot and when watered deeply and infrequently, but it will grow in lawns if it has excellent drainage.

Along the coast flame eucalyptus (Eucalyptus ficifolia) can grow in the teeth of the wind and still bloom magnificently. Pick out the color now, if possible. (Young trees often won't bloom in the can.) The orangey red is beautiful viewed against the sea. Grow it with a single trunk, or, if desired, cut it back to make a huge, multi-branched shrub. It blooms on and off all year. The eucalyptus beetle prefers gum eucalypts and usually doesn't attack this unless it's under stress from drought.