The Garden Club May 18, 2007

Abundant Blooming, Richly Fragrant and Compact Growing - What more could you ask for?
Mockoranges have been used in weddings for centuries; one small whiff of the powerful citrus scent and you will see why. But the old varieties of mockorange left a lot to be desired as garden plants.

With its richer scent, more abundant fully double blooms (even as a young plant), and neat compact habit, 'Snowbelle' is a major improvement on your grandmother's beloved mockorange. I fell in love with it the first time I saw it. Philadelphus 'Snowbelle' is a gardeners’ dream come true.

The blossoms of 'Snowbelle' are fully-double, 1 inch across and pure white - blooming earlier, but just as heavily, in warm climates as in the cool north. The blooms are abundant, reliably covering the bush in late spring every year and perfuming the entire yard with their rich citrus-like fragrance. 'Snowbelle" was bred in Ottawa, Canada, so it has terrific cold hardiness - one zone hardier than other mockoranges. 'Snowbelle' is also deer resistant and will bloom for you its first year planted.

'Snowbelle' is remarkably easy to grow and more forgiving of imperfect growing conditions than older mockorange varieties. It makes a wonderful specimen planted in masses, along a pathway or driveway, in a large planter on a pool deck, patio or anywhere you wish to enjoy the beauty of its flowers and the aroma of it’s incredible citrus scent. The ultimate height of this small wonder is about 4 feet tall and 4 foot wide.

Planting and Care

Hardy in Zones 4-8.
Plant in full sun to very light shade in a rich, well-drained soil.
Water regularly until established.
Fertilize in early spring and late autumn with Plant-tone.

$28.85 from 2 gallon pots. Buy three or more $25.00 each.

'Snowbelle'

Garden Club Questions and Answers

Question: A number of years ago I sprayed my lawn with liquid lawn weed killer. The results were really poor at best. Most of the weeds survived. I now live in a new place with several acres of really weedy lawn. I know you recommend liquid over granules. Do you have any tips so that I can have better success this time?

Answer: Yes I do. First: The new weed killers like Weed Beater Ultra and Speed Zone are quicker acting and much more effective on a broader range of weeds than the old types (which are still widely available). Second: Actively growing weeds are much more susceptible to lawn weed killers. Therefore, about a week before you apply the liquid lawn weed killer spray the weedy areas of the lawn with an inexpensive liquid lawn fertilizer such as Miracle Gro. Third: Apply the weed killer about 3 days after cutting the lawn. Then skip a cutting so that the lawn will be two weeks between cuttings. This will assure that the weed killer makes the greatest leaf surface contact over the longest period of time.

Question: For years I have made my own insecticidal soap with soap from the kitchen. This year I really burned the leaves of my plants and damaged them very badly. Do you have any idea what could have happened?

Answer: There are two possibilities that I can think of.
1. You applied the soap when the temperature was too warm.
2. More probable is that the soap that you used this year has different ingredients than the soap you used last year. Because so many of the soaps are changing their formulations in several ways, especially including a chemical to control bacteria, I suggest you use an insecticidal soap labeled for horticultural use.

Question: Weed Beater Ultra did a really good job on the weeds in my lawn but my flower beds are still a mess. Can I use Weed Beater Ultra without killing my flowers?

Answer: Weed Beater Ultra is a lawn weed killer and should not be used in flower beds. Short of manually pulling out the weeds, I suggest you hand paint them with a paintbrush dipped in Remuda. If you carefully apply the Remuda to the foliage of the weeds and protect the foliage of the surrounding desirable plants, you will kill the weeds without harming the desirable plants. As I stated in one of the previous questions, weed killers work best on tender new growth. So, cut large weeds to the ground and spray the new shoots as they emerge. Also fertilize the weeds with a fast acting liquid fertilizer about a week before you apply the Remuda.

Question: I applied Round-up to control the weeds between the bricks in my patio and I am convinced that it killed the lawn around the edges of the patio. I am absolutely certain that I did not overspray the Round-up into the lawn. What do you think?

Answer: Do not feel like the "Lone Ranger." I have had several reports of the exact same situation. Evidently one of the formulations of Round-up is subject to washing off patios and pavers and killing the surrounding vegetation without making contact with the foliage. I would not have believed this without seeing it for myself.

Question: I have read about all of the honey bees dying. What impact will this have on my vegetable garden?

Answer: I suspect some of the fruit bearing vegetables like tomato, squash and peppers may be less productive than normal. Thus, you may have to do some hand pollination with a q-tip or an artist paintbrush. Also, I encourage you to plant a few extra vegetable plants to make-up for any possible deficiency in crop production.