Fw: ArcaMax Gardening Daily Tips for Wednesday July 9, 2008

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ArcaMax Gardening Daily Tips for Wednesday July 9, 2008

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Gardening Daily TipsFor JoyceWednesday July 9, 2008

Sage, Scarlet (Salvia splendens) Today's Featured PlantSage, Scarlet (Salvia splendens) Read the full profile of this plant at ArcaMax.com. Interested in reading about other plants? Search through hundreds of plant profiles and helpful articles by keyword.

Q & A: What is Greensand?

Question: What exactly is "greensand"? Answer: Greensand, also known as glauconite, is a mineral deposit found on the ocean floor. Greensand supplies marine potash, silica, iron oxide, magnesia, lime, phosphoric acid, and 22 trace minerals. It works as a fertilizer and a soil amendment to help loosen clay soil.

Q & A: Caterpillars on Tomatoes

Question: Help! I found several large caterpillars munching on my tomatoes. What should I do to get rid of them? Answer: It sounds like you're seeing tomato hornworms, which can grow to an alarming size! Like most caterpillars, hornworms can be controlled by using Bt, Bacillis thuringiensis.However, since tomato hornworms can do a lot of damage in a short time, you may want to remove the ones you see by hand. Note: If you see a caterpillar with what looks like grains of rice all over it, relocate it elsewhere in the garden rather than killing it. It has been parasitized by a certain wasp laying its eggs on it. These small wasps are harmless to humans, but will help the hornworm population in check. (The parasitized hornworm will die anyway.)

Tip: Pruning Herbs

As you're harvesting herbs such as basil, rosemary, and mint, snip off any flowers that form. This will encourage the creation of a bushier plant with more leaves that have better flavor.