Show from July 9, 2007

And perfect it almost already is. Everything has been so lush and full this year – even the tomatoes are growing without fuss or signs of wilt disease. Some plants are into their second flush of bloom already – the sweet little Campanula Milkshake with its bell-shaped purple flowers has decided to produce a second crop. This was a new variety last year and I must say that I am really pleased with its second year performance. It's about 24 inches tall and throws out inch-long purple bells all along its stem.

And some of the roses are blooming again. Morden Sunrise has been blooming like mad since June, sending out gorgeous pink to apricot flowers. And the Morden Centennial rose is cover with perfect pink clusters of roses. My Winnipeg Parks rose is never a disappointment with its dark red flowers. And delicate Morden Blush has tender pale pink blooms that gladden the heart.

Best of all, no sign of black spot or powdery mildew this year, although I am taking Kevin Twomey's advice and spraying the leaves with a solution of Hydrogen Peroxide and water – 2 tablespoons to 6 ounces of water if you're using the drugstore variety of peroxide.

The old fashioned orange daylilies are in full bloom. I let them bloom with abandon at the side of the house where they have spread and filled in all those nasty weed infested places. My neighbour's kitchen window overlooks this space and as they do their dishes I hope it gives them joy to see these cheery orange blooms.

Stella D'oro has of course been blooming for weeks and her new cousin, Purple D'oro put forth a nice crop of blossoms even though this is her first year in the garden. The flowers are a deep purple just as promised. The rest of the daylilies are fat with promise and every day holds a new surprise as one of the blossoms unfolds. I always forget what I planted the year before so the surprises are bigger for me than they might otherwise be.

The lilies are in bloom too. Some have already finished. And that reminds me that I am to tell you that the dreaded lily leaf beetle has arrived in Winnipeg. It has been positively identified in East Kildonan, so be on the look out. The beetle is a shiny bright red with two prominent black antennae. The larvae are pink or flesh-coloured grubs that cover themselves with excrement as a protective measure. They feed on the leaves of lilies, Solomon's seal, and lily of the valley. The first sing of infestation may be a discolouration of the upper side of the leaf as the larvae feed on the undersides. Or you may see bite sized pieces of the leaf missing as the adults feed on the top side.

If you're diligent, you an control this pest with hand picking or you can spray your plants with neem oil, sold as a leaf shine as it is not registered as a pesticide in Canada. If you want neem oil, call Nicole at 940-2700 or toll free at 1-888-680-2008.

And by they way, I should add that if you like the tips and information you get on the show, you should subscribe to Manitoba Gardener Living to learn more. That way you get to see pictures of the things I talk about on the air as I carry many of these topics as articles in the magazine. Just call 940-2700 or 1-888-680-2008 to order at the same time as you get your neem oil.

Well, this morning, I have an old friend with me on the air – none other than the erudite and well spoken Mr. Tomato! Good morning Brian.

Another slug deterrent is quack grass, which damages the nerves of slugs. Chop it up and use it as mulch. Make a tea by cutting the grass up, soaking in one litre of warm water for 24 hours, then used as a barrier spray. Don't spray this directly on your hostas, either.

Really ambitious people can make a quack grass cake. Combine one ounce of corn bran, ¾ ounce of powdered milk, one ounce of cornstarch, 8 ounces of dried quack grass, and 16 ounces of beer. This should make a thick paste that will form pellets if run through a meat grinder. After the pellets have dried, they can be spread around the garden. The slugs are attracted to the beer and eat the toxic grass. The attraction begins within 30 minutes after spreading the pellets. The pellets are effective for about one week. In test results, slugs numbered 78 per square yard before treatment and one per square yard 30 minutes later.