| The Fayetteville Observer
As every year, this week, with the help of the horticultural technology students at Fayetteville Technical Community College, I’ll be picking out some great vegetable and garden plants for myself.
Annual sale is open Thursdays and Fridays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Horticultural Education Center at 670 Eastern Blvd. The horticultural center is located next to the Cape Fear Botanical Gardens, which should be visited while you are there. Dont miss it.
The botanical garden was particularly beautiful this year. First, take a stroll through the new daylily garden. There is a wonderful display of violas there, along with brilliant sedums and spring-flowering shrubs, annuals and perennials.
And don’t forget to return to the Botanical Gardens on Saturday for the extraordinary Gardenmania event in the Botanical Gardens. Gardenmania offers vegetables and ornamental plants. The gardening experts will teach you how to grow them and answer your questions.
There will be activities for both children and adults. Local companies with exhibitor stands offer vendors, speakers, workshops, study tables, food, drinks and fun.
The sale of the FTCC horticultural crops on Thursday and Friday will include dozens of exquisite vegetables. Some of my favorites are peppers, extra sweet and mild to super hot, and Asian-style eggplants, which are long, lean, tender and easy to cut. I also like the huge black beauty.
I need to have some of the special packs. My favorites are the salsa wrap with coriander pokey joe, early jalapeno, and salsa tomatoes, as well as the Asian vegetable wrap with Asian long purple eggplants, Thai long green eggplants, and Thai dragon chili peppers.
Other wraps are theirs, like Asian wraps of red and green perillas popular for Korean cuisine, Thai basil and lemongrass.
There are dozens of house plants, succulents, and hanging baskets.
Important summer yearbooks like petunias, marigolds and vincas will also be available in apartments and collections.
Some of my most beautiful daylilies will be available at incredibly affordable prices.
Letter to the editor
Dear Roger: I have five crepe myrtle that never flowered this summer. They have been in the ground for about 10 years and have flowered (but not profusely) in recent years.
Last winter we pruned them back, as suggested by a nursery school, but no flowers appeared in the summer, although the bushes are very leafy.
I have another species of C. myrtle that has bloomed heavily all summer, has been pruned back at the same time, and is still blooming and producing new growth. What could be the cause or cure of the non-flowering bushes? Thanks in advance for your advice. – Dee, Southern Pines
Dear Dee: Here are the main reasons crepe myrtles don’t bloom:
1. Too much shade.
2. Too much fertilizer or too little.
3. Not enough water.
4. Insect and disease attacks.
5. Too cool summer temperatures and too short growing seasons. (That never happens here.)
6. Lack of trace elements.
7. Too acidic or too alkaline soil.
8. Late damaging frosts that cause new growth from damaged tissue. Cutting off cold damaged stems cures this.
Since you describe your plants as leafy and healthy, we can eliminate insects and diseases, lack of fertilizers, lack of water, incorrect pH value, trace elements and late frosts.
That leaves shadows. Are your plants too shady? Are you sure you are getting vigorous new growth? If you aren’t, fertilizer and water will help. Does the crepe myrtle bloom in a more humid place? Is it getting more fertilizer?
It is preferable to take stock of these details and what should be done should be apparent.
Send your comments and questions to orders@mercergarden.com or call 910-424-4756. Send photos of plants and pests to this number or send samples to Roger Mercer, 6215 Maude St., Fayetteville, NC 28306. Please include your phone number.
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