Q: Every year I battle blossom end rot on my tomatoes. What can you recommend? — Lenzy Bond
A: I used to recommend adding a tablespoon of garden lime to the planting hole to provide the calcium that prevents blossom end rot. However, I've realized that some gardeners add more than a tablespoonful each year. The result is that they have problems with the resulting alkaline soil, which can cause tomato plant decline. Instead, I now recommend adding a tablespoon of gypsum to the soil before planting. Gypsum adds calcium but does not raise soil pH.
Q: We keep a large vegetable garden, but we have little time for weeding. What would be a good mulch? — Mark Owen, Social Circle
A: Pine straw makes a fine mulch; it does not acidify the soil. You could use shredded leaves if you keep the mulch two inches away from plant stems. Or you could use a thin layer of free wood chips. As long as the chips are not mixed with underlying soil, they do not rob nitrogen from your plants.
Q: Could you tell me what are these little black bugs that are all over my green onions? — Shawn Hill
A: Chives and onions are famous for attracting aphids in spring. The best controls are organic: Blast them off with a strong stream of water or apply insecticidal soap. Beneficial insects will be attracted to the afflicted plants soon and will help with control.
Q: I bought a "Celestial" dogwood four years ago but it has never bloomed. It is 12 feet tall and looks very healthy. — Jennie Oldfield, DeKalb County
A: In my experience, kousa dogwoods are slow to begin flowering. Your "Celestial" is a cross between kousa dogwood and our native dogwood, so late flowering is normal. If the tree has a full compliment of leaves and seems happy, leave it alone to bloom when it wants to.
Q: I am tackling a large new vegetable and herb garden. I want your opinion on the different varieties of seeds available, particularly heirloom seeds. — Jonathan Fuss, Henry County
A: You can find heirloom vegetable seed locally and online, but remember that there are sometimes good reasons why heirloom varieties were bypassed for improved cultivars. Although tasty, they may be more susceptible to disease or insects. Keeping that in mind, try growing whatever catches your eye. With a large garden, you'll have plenty of room to find both success and failure. If your produce overwhelms you, get canning and freezing information at Gardening in Georgia.
Listen to Walter Reeves Saturday mornings on NewsTalk 750 WSB-AM from 6 to 10. Go to Gardening Georgia for details on his TV show or visit his Web site, Walter Reeves.
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