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[My mother taught me RELIGION - "You better pray that comes out of the carpet", as well as IRONY - "Keep crying and I give you something to cry about."]

*Whether it's the weather - Unfortunately, looks like Mother Nature is going to keep it on the cool side with a "chance" of off and on showers through Monday.  That also means there's a "chance" we won't get any showers, right?   Well, don't let a "chance" of showers keep you out of the garden stores this weekend!  Take advantage of the tremendous selections you'll find this weekend, as the stores are stocked to the seams with all your favorite plants and gardening products, as well as all those wonderful gifts for the garden for Mom!  You may not be able to plant much this weekend, but then again, maybe you will!  But you can certainly get your plants purchased, home, and ready to plant when the weather does break.  And while you're at the stores, you can pick up Mom's present(s) as well!  The selection is at an all time high this weekend, so make sure you shop the garden stores, rain or no rain!

[My mother taught me about OSMOSIS - "Shut your mouth and eat that corn", as well as about STAMINA - "You'll sit there until all that corn is gone."]

*What's bugging you? - Forest tent caterpillars continue to be the hot bug of the week, as they literally have taken over many driveways, walks, sides of homes, and landscape plants as well!  They have about 2 more weeks, and they should start to dwindle away, as they spin their cocoons to turn into the adult moth form (takes 10 days or so), mate, and the females lay the egg masses for next year.  Still seeing some sawflies on mugho pines, and a little warning that bagworms will be hatching in another 2 -3 weeks, so pick off those existing bags now! This week, Buggy Joe Boggs (OSU Extension) is reporting pine bark adelgids on white pines (sap sucking pest), spiny witch hazel gall aphid on birch leaves (causes corrugated looking leaves), boxwood leafminers, forest tent caterpillars (duh, Joe), blackspot appearing on roses, and flocks of starlings feeding together enjoying the spring buffet of turfgrass beetles, sod webworms, and maybe a grub here and there.  And yes, being the turf grass man that Joe is, he's also reporting that crabgrass and nutsedge are up and growing!  -Catch the Buggy Joe Boggs Report every Saturday, 8:42am, on 55KRC radio.

[My mother taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION - "Stop acting like your father!" as well as about GENETICS - "You're just like your father."]

*Question mark and the Mysterians - Here are a few gardening questions from this weeks emailed news bag:

"What is it about catnip that makes cats go crazy?"  -There is a substance called 'nepetalactone' which seems to have a hallucinogenic effect on cats.  From what I've read, it's similar to something in a female cats urine, and may explain why unneutered males may react more than neutered and females (although both of ours go nuts-oh!).  Looks like lions, pumas and leopards like it too, but not every cat "gets off" on it.  Kittens usually don't react to it until they're older, and there is a percentage of cats that never react to it.  Giving your cat a buzz from this stuff is harmless, and non-addictive, so you're not creating a drug addict cat.

"My indoor hibiscus has gnats and white flies.  Now what?"  -If it's really bad, you may want to pitch it.  But if not, couple things to do.  First, keep the soil as dry as you can between waterings.  Take the plant to the limit staying dry.  This breaks the reproductive cycle of the fungus gnats.  Water from the bottom when needed, trying to keep the top dry.  We have found that putting in a one inch layer of sand on top of the soil helps break the cycle (sand stays dry).  Also try putting potato halves on the soil surface.  The larvae will go to the potato for the moisture, and you can throw away the potato half and the larvae with it!  For the white flies (and adult fungus gnats), use 'white fly sticky traps'.  Adults are attracted to the yellow color, they stick to the paper and it's a done deal.  Really does work.  Insecticidal sprays have minimal effects on the adults, but using soaps every now and then may help a little.

"Something is eating holes in my spinach!  What is it, and can I still eat it (not the bug, the spinach)?"   -Slugs, maybe?  You need to monitor the plants and find the culprits before we can recommend controls.  Never spray for bugs you can't see.  In the meantime, wash the holey spinach and enjoy.  Shouldn't be a problem. 

"When should I prune my 'Ms. Kim' lilac?"  -I'm liking this lilac more and more!  If needed, and I saw again, if needed, prune within 3-4 weeks after flowering is finished.  Minimal pruning and you should have usual flowering next year.  Heavy pruning and you may see a year's delay on usual flowering.  But, again, I think I'm liking Ms. Kim lilac more and more each year.

"How do I stop those suckers coming up from the base of my Canada Red Cherry and flowering crabapple?"  It's simple.  Prune them off, and spray with "Sucker Stopper".  Prevents those suckers from re-growing for over one full year! 

[My mother taught me LOGIC - "Because I said so, that's why" as well as MORE LOGIC - "If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you're not going to the store with me."]

This week's Success Tip for you garden - Have some fun in the garden - plant a tomato upside down!  Here’s a look at a really different type of container gardening.  It doesn’t take up any floor space, and it turns the world of container gardening upside down!  It’s the upside down tomato, originally grown in our area by Mr. Ed Wilson (my father).  And it’s exactly that; a tomato grown in a hanging basket, upside down.  Here is what you’ll need: -One tomato plant (cherry, yellow pear or grape) -One parsley or chive plant -One 12-14  inch or larger hanging basket (without a saucer), also  2-3 gallon buckets or even  pickle  buckets work well!  -Soil-less Potting Mix / Soil Moist / Osmocote - pre mixed and ready to use -Miracle Gro for later feedings -8 inch square of fabric with a 2 inch slit cut in the middle.   -Take the basket or container chosen and drill a 1 ½ to 2 inch hole in the center of the bottom of the container.  Place the fabric inside, so the slit is directly over the hole.  -Gently massage the root ball of the tomato until it fits through the hole.  Push the plant, roots first, through the hole and slit in the fabric.  Leave about 1/3 of the plant foliage sticking out the bottom, the rest of the plant inside the pot.   -Now, fill the container with your pre mixed soil-less potting mix.  Gently tamp the soil around the roots so that it holds the tomato firmly in place.  This is a bit awkward, so 4 hands may be required for this part of the planting!  -Once the tomato is securely planted,  and the container is full of the soil-less mix, then plant either the parsley or chive in the top of the pot.   -Hang your upside down tomato in a sunny spot, water well, and water as needed throughout the season.  Be sure to use the Miracle Gro as a fertilizer supplement throughout the growing season.  Now be sure to hang your basket high enough to allow the tomato to vine as it normally would.  M-m-m-m, fresh cherry tomatoes on the bottom, with fresh parsley or chives on the top.  What more could you ask for?  Another option is the new Topsy Turvy II.  It’s a hanging tube, hole in bottom, and ready to be planted with your tomato in the bottom!

[My mother taught me about ANTICIPATION - "Just wait until we get home" as well as about RECEIVING - "You are going to get it when you get home."]

*From the Garden to the Kitchen / Hey Rita, what's cooking? - Yardboy, when each of us nine kids left home, Mom gave us two things: a cast iron skillet and a sprig of her heirloom mint.  Now I’m doing the same with my own kids. And you know what? Herbs, ounce for ounce, are the most nutrient dense plants that we can eat!  Herbs are ancient healers, and have been widely used as far back as Bible times.  In fact, some of our popular herbs of today, like mint, fennel, garlic, thyme, bay and mustard have their roots in Bible days.

Grilled Beef Tenderloin with Moist Herb Rub (Go to taste on the garlic.  No fresh herbs? See my tip below for using dry herbs.)  You'll need 1 tenderloin, 2-1/2 to 3 #, trimmed.  Then, mix together: 1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced, 2 tablespoons garlic, minced, 1 tablespoon fresh chives, minced, 1 tablespoon fresh tarragon, minced, 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, minced, 1 teaspoon fresh oregano, minced, Salt and plenty of freshly ground pepper to taste, and enough olive oil to make a very moist rub. 
Rub tenderloin all over with herb mixture. Sear, or “mark” beef on all sides on hot grill.  Turn grill to medium and cook, covered with vents open a bit, turning once or twice, until a thermometer reads 120 to 125 for rare, 130 – 135 for medium-rare, or 140-150 for medium.  Don’t over cook or meat will be dry.  Remove, cover loosely with foil and let stand 10-20 minutes before carving into 1/2” thick slices.  To roast in oven: Roast at 400-425  until desired doneness.   Tips from Rita’s kitchen:  Dry vs fresh herbs: Use about 3 times as much fresh herbs as dry.

-Rita Nader Heikenfeld, CCP / Macy’s Regional Culinary Professional / Herbalist / Author / Local TV and Radio Cooking Expert / Adjunct Professor U.C. Clermont College / Community Press Papers /  [life@communitypress.com attn: Rita or www.abouteating.com]

Macy's Kenwood Housewares Grand Reopening May 12 and 13:

Join Cincinnati Magazine's "Best of" celebrity chefs starting Friday at 11:00 and ending 6:00 on Saturday! Wine tastings with Henke Winery!  Plus the Yardboy and the Cook will share tips on growing container herbs, including recipes and tastings Friday, May 12 at 5:00. Register to win fabulous prizes, including a $1000  Macy's shopping spree! Call 247-6390/6391 for times for all cooking demonstrations and giveaways.

[My mother taught me CONTORTIONISM "Look at that dirt on the back of your neck!" and all about the WEATHER - "Your room looks like a tornado went through it!"]

*Yardboy's plant to ponder -  Now we all know tree roses require special care for winter protection as they’re just not winter hardy.  Well, guess what?  This one is!  It’s called “Northern Encore”, soon to be renamed “Polar Joy”.  It’s tough, dependable, shows good disease resistance, and the season long pink flowers are like fresh, spring apple blossoms.  And how tough is this tree rose?  It’s the first tree rose hardy to zone 4, and that’s St. Paul Minnesota!  So no more extra winter protection for this tree rose!  And where did I see this new hardy tree rose?  In our garden stores!  The perfect gift for mom!  “Northern Encore” (soon to be renamed “Polar Joy”) hardy tree rose, and don't forget the new “Brite Eyes” dwarf climbing rose.  2 new roses you may want to add to your (or Mom's) garden or container garden.

[My mother taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE - "If you and your sister are going to kill each other, do it outside.  I just finished cleaning the house."]

A little bit of this and a little bit of that - It's Mother's Day Weekend and as far as I’m concerned, there’s nothing better than a gift for the garden for Mom.  Mom’s love things for the garden.  Here let me give you a few suggestions:  How about a potted rose?  So many to choose - don’t forget the Knockout roses (Knockout, Pink, Blushing, and Double Knockout) for all season blooming low maintenance roses for Mom, and Polar Joy (Northern Encore), the new hardy tree rose, and Brite Eyes, the new low maintenance dwarf climbing rose.  Hydrangeas are a perfect gift for Mom’s garden - Endless Summer, Blushing Bride, and many, many others to choose from.  Tropical plants are perfect for Mom’s deck or patio for all summer colors - tropical hibiscus, Mandevilla vine, and Golden Shrub Daisy in a tree form.  Or how about a really cool Japanese maple for that special spot in Mom’s yard?  And of course, mixed planters full of Mom’s favorite flowers that she can enjoy all summer long.  And don’t forget the great selection of wind chimes, and hummingbird feeders.  And if Mom’s a container gardener, how about an Earthbox for growing those tomatoes and peppers?  Or Bionic gardening gloves, or a garden rocker, or a smaller shovel, perfect for digging in the containers or perennial beds.  There are just so many great gifts for Mom for the garden, I could go on forever!  (Every year, my mom gets a Dragon wing Begonia basket, and something special for her garden.)  But no matter what you get Mom, be sure to give her a hug, and tell her how much you love her.  Happy Mother’s Day, Mom!

SNIP those leggy perennials - Just a reminder if you have perennials that get too tall and leggy by the end of the summer, these will keep them shorter - prune them back!  Pruning these summer and fall bloomers now will help to keep them shorter and fuller and less likely to flop.  Golden rod, sedum varieties, Russian sage, coreopsis varieties, Shasta daisy, caryopteris, asters and mums (which are pinched until July 15th), and even echinacea and rudbeckia are of few of the many potential floppers.

Leave those spring bloomer bulb's foliage up and green until they begin to yellow, and then cut them off - keep mowing the lawn on a regular basis, even if it means mowing it wet - fluff up existing mulch - reapply Preen if it's been 70 days or so since the last application - prune spring flowering shrubs after they finish flowering (if needed) - spot treat your lawn weeds now with Bonide's Weed Beater Ultra - Spray thistle with Roundup as soon as you see it and keep nuking it as it tries to regrow until it finally stops (which could be all season!) - if you have plants with twist ties, cables, wire in hose ties, etc. from last year, take them off or adjust to make sure they do not grow into the stems or trunk of the plants.

CONGRATS TO OUR $10,000 LANDSCAPE MAKEOVER WINNER, BROOKE SHERRITT IN MONTGOMERY!  Beginning in another week, we will start the design process with Brooke and design team Jamie Natorp and Ron Wilson.  By June 19, begin the actual landscape makeover.  You can follow the entire process on our web site, wkrc.com, or by watching HomewoRx at 11:30am, Sundays, on Local 12. 

 [My mother taught me HUMOR - "When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don't come running to me." as well as about my ROOTS - "Shut that door!  Do you think you were born in a barn?"]

Classes, Seminars, and upcoming Special Events - Have your soil tested!  The Hamilton County Soil & Water Conservation District is offering soil testing through MSU.  Soil testing boxes and instructions can be obtained for $10 / box ($12 if they mail them to you).  And that's a pretty inexpensive way to find out what is needed to improve your soils!  For more information call their office at (513) 772-7645.

"Butterflies Down Under" is happening at the Krohn Conservatory.  See butterflies from all over the world, as well as flowers unique to Australia.  For more info, call 352-3380, or visit  www.butterflyshow.com.

Boone County Extension Classes:
"Pruning Landscape Trees & Shrubs" - May 11-1-3pm  FREE
"Planting for the birds & Bird I.D.." - May 23 - 1-3pm –FREE
All classes are free, but  please register ahead - Boone Co. Extension Office - 859-586-6101.

[My mother also taught me JUSTICE - "One day you'll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you!"]   And sometimes, I think they did!

 [A mother understands what a child does not say. -Jewish proverb]

OBKB!  That's it for this week.  Now, do yourself and mom a favor.  Go out and make this the absolute best Mother's Day Weekend of your life.  See ya.  RW, the Yardboy.  "Happy Mother's Day, MOM!"

[Catch Natorp’s own grown yardboy Ron Wilson every Saturday, 6-9am, ‘In the Garden’ on 55KRC Thee Talk Station (home of the Big Dog Tony Bender and Joe "without Joe this show just wouldn't go" Strecker) , every Friday morning 8:06am on ‘The Morning Show’ with Jerry Thomas and Craig Kopp (55KRC), every Thursday and Saturday morning on Local 12 NEWS / WKRC HomewoRx Team, and occasional appearances on 'HomewoRx' (Sundays at 11:30am,  Local 12).