Garden Tools: tips, resources and reviews for gardeners

• the larvae stage of the gypsy moth;
• cutworms that feed in winter and spring on primroses, chives and other perennials;
• tent caterpillar often seen later in the spring on apple trees;
• keep in mind that sawfly larvae which can strip a flowering red currant bare in a few weeks are not caterpillars, and Btk will not control them.

Once a gardener decides she wants a certain plant for her garden still another decision has to be made: what cultivar? A combination between "cultivated" and "variety", cultivar is a named selection of a species that exhibits an ornamental trait that differs from the straight species (but not too much). An example is Helleborus foetidus 'Red Silver' a particularly nice Stinking Hellebore with flowers edged with red.

The Chicago Botanic Garden publishes a research report called Plant Evaluation Notes that reports the results of years of research comparing all of the available cultivars of popular perennial species like Hardy Geraniums and shade-loving Lamium. Most reports look at general garden worthiness, but occasionally they will look at disease susceptibility, like powdery mildew in Phlox or Bee Balm. Typically three issues are published per year. To find current and past issues and ordering information, go to the website of Chicago Botanic Garden.
You can also write Chicago Botanic Garden, Plant Evaluation Program, 1000 Lake Cook Road, Glencoe, IL 60022. Individual issues cost $3.00.

• Top scoring Hardy Geraniums include: Geranium 'Blue Cloud', G. 'Brookside' and G. macrorrhizum 'Lohfelden'.
• Top ranking Lamium (Dead Nettle) include: Lamium album 'Friday', L. maculatum 'Red Nancy' and L. maculatum 'Shell Pink'.

• Slugs have memory and will return another night to finish off tasty seedlings until they are all gone.
• A few plants slugs find distasteful: foxgloves, many species in the daisy family, Lavateras, hollyhocks, azaleas, Euphorbia, hardy Geraniums.

A long list of "Slug Resistant Plants" is given in a Seattle Times article by local writer Valerie Easton

The mild Pacific Northwest climate allows us to garden straight through the winter months, if we are tenacious enough to brave the wind and rain. What to do if you're a fair weather gardener? You could go online and commune with fellow gardeners around the world. Here are some of the more active gardening forums:

• http://groups.google.com/group/rec.gardens - The original forums were known as "Usenet" in the early days of the Internet; registration required; very active but not moderated; users can create private groups (for your garden club, for example); other topics include edible gardens and rose gardening.
• www.yougrowgirl.com/forums - registration is required, about 25 topics.
• www.thegardenhelper.com Gardener's Forum - registration required, 25 topics.
• forums.gardenweb.com/forums - registration required, at least 100 topics.
• davesgarden.com/forums many topics.

Plants for Free: how to create a great garden for next-to-nothing by Sharon Amos (Time-Life, $16.95) focuses on simple propagation methods and includes a mini encyclopedia of plants that are easy to divide or start from seed or that root from cuttings. Self-sowing annuals are featured, including Pot Marigold, Lady's Mantle, Honesty and Rose Campion.

The Frugal Gardener: how to have more garden for less money by Catriona Tudor Erler (Rodale, out of print, but available used online) also teaches about propagation in addition to chapters on soil, cutting maintenance costs, and budget design. The chapter on cost-conscious garden projects gives detailed instructions on building pathways, rustic trellis and PVC pergola.

Frugal Tip: Create mini-greenhouses for frost tender plants in the spring by wrapping a wire tomato cage with clear plastic punched with a few holes for ventilation.

Online articles on budget gardening:
frugalliving.about.com/od/gardeningfrugally
www.gardenguides.com/articles/budget.htm

• Gardens of British Columbia an Altitude SuperGuide by Pat Kramer - Thinking fondly of Canada these days? Go visit British Columbia where they take gardening quite seriously. This book lists details of public gardens with maps and articles on garden history.
• www.ngs.org.uk - The British National Garden Scheme will assist garden tourists find both public gardens and gardens open by appointment only.
• www.botanique.com/tourmast.html - Botanique.com lists gardens across the United States and Canada organized by state.
• www.gardenvisit.com - Slightly confusing, but this site is full of garden touring links and information for the US, Britain, and many other countries like South Africa and Thailand.
www.ahs.org/events/travel_study.htm - Travel first class with serious plant lovers with the American Horticultural Society's travel-study program.
• www.pacifichorticulture.org - West coast garden magazine Pacific Horticulture also offers first class tours.

• Cass Turnbull's Guide to Pruning: What, When, Where & How to Prune for a More Beautiful Garden (Sasquatch, $17.95) - Turnbull demystifies pruning with humor and helpful diagrams.
• The Pruning of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers by George Brown (Timber, $29.95) - This classic reference work has been revised and enlarged by Tony Kirkham to reflect recent advancements in pruning; it includes a plant by plant guide to special considerations.
• An Illustrated Guide to Pruning by Edward Gilman (Delmar, $26.25) - A text book for professionals or serious gardeners, this book includes information on training young trees and has many illustrations.