LADYBUG: COOL, WET WEATHER PROVES CHALLENGE TO AREA GARDENERS

This year has been as if Mother Nature could not make up her mind. Following a mild winter, there was an early and beautiful spring, then cool and wet weather and for the month of June there were storms and more wet weather. None of these latter conditions were conducive to good plant growth.

Because of excessive moisture many plants are suffering root damage from the saturated soil where air has been shut off from roots, hindering growth. In saturated soils plants often show wilting on hot days. They are not able to take up water because of damage to roots. As the soil dries out new roots will develop and many plants will again show growth.

As more and more homeowners are landscaping their properties with trees, shrubs and vines, many are looking for the bonus of edible fruits and berries. There are two new selections offered from a new full-color catalog, which is free from Hartmann's Plantation, P.O. Box E, 310 60th St., Grand Junction, MI 49056.

The two are black gooseberries and a hardy kiwi vine, both attractive landscape shrubs that offer sweet, juicy edible fruits. In fact there are two new black gooseberries, Black Velvet, a cross of two red gooseberries, and Jostaberry, a cross between a gooseberry and a black current.

For gardeners looking for a decorative vine to grow up a trellis or over an arbor Hartmann's offers the hardy kiwi vine, a relative of the New Zealand kiwi found growing wild in Siberia. White clematis-like flowers in spring are followed by generous clusters of grape-size oval fruits.

Catalogs featuring spectacular flowering spring bulbs for fall planting are arriving daily. Two, which have previously had a charge are now offered free for the asking. They are White Flower Farm, P.O. Box 50, Route 63, Litchfield, CT. 06759-0050, which has 500 listings, with 50 new introductions including 34 new bulbs, and Wayside Gardens, Hodges, S.C., which has new narcissus, tulips, amaryllis and many perennials. Brudy's Exoticas, P.O. Box 820874, Houston, TX 77282-0874 has a section on Butterfly Gardening including books, egg and caterpillar kits equipment, larval plant food seeds and nectar plant seeds.

The Daffodil Mart, owned and operated by Brent and Becky Heath, 7463 Heath Trail, Gloucester, VA. 23061, offers bulbs from more than 100 quality bulb specialists grow in England and Israel besides the United States. This catalog is possibly the largest in the United States at a $1 charge.

A new one this year is "Beauty With Bulbs" by John Scheepers Inc., P.O. Box 700, Bantam, CT 06750. The unique catalog includes a collection of spring flowering bulbs under the heading of John Scheepers Samplers.

It has been noted that these and many other catalogs containing bulbs have arrived early this year. They advise getting bulb orders in before September so shipment can be made early.

Other garden tips

This is the time to shear hardy candytuft and golden alyssum. They have long finished blooming. The seed pods should be removed to make them grow more compactly and thicker.

To have petunias blooming throughout the summer, keep the faded blooms that form seed pods, picked off. The new All-America winners for this year, Pink Chiffon and Purple Wave (the spreading one) are both great additions to the petunia world.

Most low growing annuals that flower early, such as alyssum, should be sheared off when the seed heads start to appear ragged. This will encourage and increase a second bloom.

If at all possible, do not let plants form seed pods. Faded blossoms should also be removed as both cause great stress on the plant. Pinching out the centers of annual seedlings after they are 3 or 4 inches high develops stockier and stronger plants.

Yellowing leaves on such annuals as vinca, is due to cold, wet soil. Liquid fertilizer, applied at less than recommended amounts, will help the condition. Some gardeners also recommend epsom salts, which is also good for roses and azaleas.

Here is a new trick to deter slugs -- Place gum balls around plants in small bands. Wider bands are said to deter dogs.

This is one of the many ways to deal with slugs, those slimy creatures that play havoc in flower beds and vegetable gardens. Set out heavy pieces of cardboard at night and they will congregate under them and can easily be disposed of the next morning.

There is the old beer treatment. Simply sink shallow dishes (or the aluminum pans that chicken pies come in) at ground level. Fill with beer. The yeast from the beer attracts them, and they will drown as they enter the container. A commercial product, Slug-It is no longer on the market, but there are others reported also to be effective.

~Mary Blue is a resident of Cape Girardeau and an avid gardener.