VOLUME 14 N0.4 April 1967 25¢ A GARDEN MAGAZINE FULL OF PEOP.LE .{; ~o-t<++++>l<+++++++++++++++++++il<+++++++++++++ofo++ofo>Jooloofoofoofoofoofo++lf<~++++o{<oi<ofo++>I'+~+ : Ozark Gardens suBscRIPTioNs-! year s,. 25 EDITH BESTARD ~ + ~2 . 50 per year , 2 years --- + : R.D. 1, 101 227 $4.50. Sample C'opy 25¢ - • Associate Etlltor : : FAIRVIEW, PENNA. 16415 : + DISPLAY ADVERTISING hreh Sprl111 , Arh1sas 72632 + : Plbllshtl Mo1t.ly rates will be sent : on request. *+ + + : T. C. LEOPOLD Entire Contents ~ + ADVERTISING DEPT. T >I• Etlltor ••II Plbllshr " COPYRTGIIT c T. C. LEOPOLD 1967" : + ' CAROLINE JOHNSTON + ~+"'~~~~~iroRts~tt8E~~~~"'~"'"'+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++~++~+++++~ Welcome to the April issue of Ozark plant! Oh , how I wish I had her pep! Gardens. I would like to say Thank You Many of you have written asking to see to those that renewed their subscrip- her again,and if all goes well we might tion this month and also for the many get a peek at her planting her seeds. gift subscriptions that were given tc She has ordered the 1¢ pkt. For kids flower friends. only from Gurney's and is counting the If you are a sample copy reader, I days ~ill planting time. As most of us ask that you read our magazine thru. know, we are not in the gar den long be­ You will find our magazine Friendly and fore the kids come r unning out asking a informative to everyone that loves million questions about why are the Flowers or enjoys Gardening. Ozark beans black and how come they have a Gardens is a monthly publicat ion where white spot on them,and why does it take Gardeners from every where meet once a so long for t he peas to come up, "we month to write and read about the ex- planted them yesterday" what's the mat­ periences of other Gardeners. You will ter with them! find enough helpful hints in just one We want to start a page for the issue that will save you more than the cqildren next month. The age fimit will cost of your subscription. Our ad pages be from 6 to 12 years old. Do you have are loaded with values, please do your a boy or girl in this age group that shopping by mail from our advertisers. loves to garden or grow potted plants? We are honored this month to have If so have them write in what they are both Dr. Arnold and Dr. Gunn. The Book growing for our new page. If they are Garden will be Dr. Gunns' headline and too young to write their story, help will be a capsule form of book reports them. Photos of the children and what that should interest each one reading they are doing would be of interest. his column. Dr.Gunn works for the U.S. Beautiful flowers and healthy gardens D.A. as Research Plant Taxonomist, new do not just happen, they are well plan­ crops research branch. Dr. Gunn can ed ahead of time as to variety of the identify plants by it's seed and the plants and also to their sun and shade photo of him shows some of his work. r equirements. If you are not sure as to "Meet Our Contributor" has been the requirements of the plants you wish brought to you the readers so tha~ you to grow this year ask your nursery man would understand each contributor a or your greenhouse owner, they wi ll little better and appreciate their ef- help you to choose the correct plants, forts to write for you every month. for your conditions. Prepare your gar­ This will be our last story of "Meet den spot so it has the ability to grow Our Contributor " until the late fall your plants into the beauties that you issues. We will resume this column a- will be proud of. Soil is the most 1m­ gain at a later date and will call on portant item that is always neglected. the rest of our contributors for their In order to grow good healthy plants story so you can meet them. The reason the soil should be loose in texture,and for this interlude is this there is so have at least a fairly high fertility much more gardening news now we want to content. Well rotted manure has no print and need the space to do so. equal but is not easy to obtain today I wanted to start a vegetable page as it was a few years back. Sphagnum this month and lack of space has pre- peat can be used to lighten the soil vented this. Next month we will have a and help it to hold moisture. A sprink­ page devoted to vegetable g~dening for le of ground limestone can be added to the summer months, What wo uld you like help bring the soil to a near neutral to see in this column? Please write level . Commercial fertilizer is also your Editor your tips and short cuts. good IF you use it sparingly, if used What are you growing new? What about in extremes , you will damage the unusual vegetables that you are grow~ plants.A cup full to a wheelbarrow full ing. Do you have a favorite vegetable? of soil is enough, use a 5-10-5, or try On the unusual list, we hope Mr. Robert a 4-8-12 fertilizer, this is i n good B. Thomas of Glendale, Calif.will write balance to all plant needs: and tell us of his unusual vegetable Our cover photo CACTUS IN BLOOM is by gardening. Mrs. Andree Stewart, 2475 Forest Dr.R. 2 "Little Flower" wishes to thank each Hinckley, Ohio 44233 one that has sent her seeds to plant. She is full of vigor and ready to A GIFT subscription to Ozark Gardens to a Friend is always appreciated. Ozark Gardens April 1967 - 2- Some people say to put castor oil a- .J round the roots in October. I have tried this , and the plants bloomed, but I think the light has a lot to do with NEWS FROM their setting buds . In late fall the more dark hours they have the better SPINY RIDGE for setting buds, and after buds begin to show , do not move the pot from place to place nor let it get in a draft . Watch the water can: not too much or Edith Bastard too little , but too much is worse than Eureka Springs not enough. I think if Helen Houseman , Ark. '{2632 Evanston, Ill. , will read our editor' s By the time you read this spring will instructions and follow them, her have arrived in many areas, including Christmas cactus will bloom. Trying the Ozarks , but today , is very chilly the castor oil treatment in Oct. might and gloomy. Notwithstanding, many cac­ help. I also use brick dust in the ti apparently know that spring is just soil for my other cactus-old brick around the corner; Opuntias show shiny beaten into dust , with some tiny bits. new pads; the tips of the Cerei are a I would like to pass on the names of fresh, waxy green; and the Mammillarias catalogs that have been a wonderful and other ball- shaped cacti show new help to me • in identifying cacti and life in their centers . succulents: Young ' s Cactus and Succu­ The Old Lady (M . hahniana has not lent Gardens , 8014 Home St., Paramount, stopped blooming all winter , and other Calif. 90723 (Free) ; Henrietta's Cactus persistent b~oomers have been the gol­ Nursery, 1345 N. Brawley, Fresno , Calif den M. elongata and M. multiceps, which 93728 (20¢ but worth much more); J ohn­ now has the decorative red seed pods son Cactus Gardens , Box 25- C, Paramount nestJing among its white wool. This is Calif. 90724 (25¢ but worth much more)" such a charming cactus that I always Mrs . Iva Head , R. 2 , Box 88, Moores­ want. those who do not have it to try ville , Ind. 46158, has recently been growing it from seed , so I will again bitten by the cactus bug. For the past send a pod-as long as they last-for 10¢ eight years she has been growing Afri­ and a stamped envelope . April is the can violets, and now has over 300 diff­ ideal month in which to start cactus erent ones. There are some older var­ seed. Remove it from t he pod and plant ieties that she wants, so she would in a container of ordinary soil with like to trade leaves. She will send a sand . Set in water until moisture list of what she ha s. shows on the top, then drain , enclose Alyce Olive r, R:3, Me r kel, Tex. 79536 container in a cellophane bag, and keep showed cacti a nd succulents at a local in a warm place that is light but not garden show last fall and won an. Award in direct sunshine . As soon as the of Merit ribbon. Alyce has written a r­ tiny plants begin to appear, give air ticles on the Mulberry Canyon cacti , of and gradually move to a lighter place , her area, and garden club members will but seedlings must never be placed in tour her cact us patch this spring. direct sunshi ne . You will adore watch­ Alyce would like to exchange something ing them grow. for a back issue of the Herb ' Grower Pearl Young, 820 Va. Ave ., St. Cloud, Magazine . Write her if you have one to Fla. 327 69, is a recent r eader of O.