Bob Tanem Show broadcasting from Wegman's Sunday, April 19th, 7-10 am

Wegman's will host the Bob Tanem Gardening Show on Sunday, April 19th broadcast on KSFO Hot Talk 560 radio from 7 to 10 am in the nursery. A Bay Area favorite since 1994, Bob is a retired retail nurseryman and author. His radio show has won the Garden Writers Association Award of Excellence Nationwide for "on air talent." He has been honored with this award three times in the past six years. His radio show on KSFO is one of the most listened to Sunday programs in the Bay Area.

Since 2001, Bob has co-authored the release of four books with Don Williamson of Lone Pine Publishing in Edmonton, Alberta. Their titles are Annuals for Northern California, Perennials for Northern California, and Tree and Shrub Gardening for Northern California, and the fourth book is a garden diary for Northern California Gardeners. The first two books are now in their second printing

Bob's earlier, self-published work, Deer Resistant Planting, is considered one of the best field guides for gardeners and landscapers who plant in areas where deer are a problem. Bob and his wife Bev are researching another book on the Historical Gardens of the California Missions.

Come be a part of the "studio audience" and join the fun at Wegman's.

Wegman's has just received a large shipment of rhododendrons from Dieringer Nursery in Oregon. Come in now for the best selection of colors and sizes.

Dieringer Nursery became the exclusive grower and distributor of the INKARHO™ System Rhododendrons in 2000. The INKARHO™ System provides several features such as higher pH tolerance, disease resistance, enhanced vigor, salt tolerance, increased longevity and the ability to withstand clay soils to a much greater extent. We have the following varieties in the INKARHO™ System: Cunningham's Pink,Daphnoides, Goldflimmer, Gomer Waterer, Holden, Jean Marie, Mrs. TH Lowinksky, Soldiarity and Vulcan’s Flame.

Here are some tips from the Wegman Experts to get the best results:

• Find a location that is well drained or construct an area that raises the planted section several inches above mean ground level.
• Thoroughly water the root ball of the plant; it needs to be wet all the way to the center.
• More rhododendrons, camellias and azaleas die from being planted too deeply than from any other cause. To plant each shrub, dig a hole 1–2 feet wider than the root ball and no deeper than the depth of the soil in the container. Mix in Gold Rush or Nurseryman’s Acid Planting Mix to the soil removed from the hole at a ratio of one-third amendment to two-thirds native soil combined with Master Nursery Master Start fertilizer. Place the root ball in the hole so that its soil level is slightly above the native soil level. Fill the space around the sides with the amended soil mixture until the hole is about half full and fill with water. Then, fill up the hole completely and water it again. This will settle the soil as well as wet it through. Next, build an irrigation basin around the plant. Make sure the level of the basin is flush with the level of the surrounding soil and tapers away from the trunk of the plant. Avoid sites exposed to cold or constant winds–especially with rhododendrons and camellias. When planting in containers, use Acid Planting Mix directly for optimal growth.
• Rhodies, azaleas and camellias will benefit best from granular fertilizers specially formulated for acid-loving plants, such as Master Nursery Camellia, Azalea, and Gardenia Food or Dr. Earth Rhododendron, Azalea & Camellia Fertilizer. Fertilizing should occur three times a year: right after bloom, one month later, and two months after the first application. A supplemental feeding of Master Nursery Master Bloom can be applied in September to enhance flower blossom production. You may also need to apply Master Nursery Iron-Plus or Master Nursery Chelated Iron if your plants show symptoms of iron deficiency (slight yellowing of leaves or dark green veins with light green in between).
• It’s a great idea to keep the plants well watered for the first few months (about once a week); thereafter the soil should be moist, not wet.
• Rhododendrons will thrive best when the flower blooms are removed (deadheaded) after blooming. We want all of the plant’s energy to go into growth, future bud set, and root development rather than useless seeds.
• It’s ok to prune your plants every few years or to remove deadwood from the interior anytime. Any major trimming should be completed before the Fourth of July, otherwise you will be cutting off next year’s flower buds.
• If your Rhodie has gotten totally out of control, it may require major cutting back. One approach is to just cut it with loppers or hedge shears to the height you want. You won’t get any flowers the following year, but after that, things will be back to normal. The other approach is to cut one-third of the plant off each year over a three-year period. This method ensures that there will be some blooms each year.
• Rhodies respond well to mulching. After planting or when established, the soil should be mulched with 2 to 4 inches of Forest Blend or Gold Rush or similar material. The mulch should be kept at least 3 or 4 inches away from the trunk of the plant and extend at least one and one-half time past the shrub’s dripline.
There are countless dormant buds on the stems of Rhodies so cuts anyplace on the stem will have the buds sprouting new shoots.

As the name implies 'Vulcan' has fiery red flowers. Each blossom is up to 2 ½ inches wide and clusters of them are arranged in a heavy dome-like truss. The shrub is compact and up to 5 feet tall and wide with dark, glossy foliage. It is heat tolerant and hardy to minus 15°F.

'Vulcan' is rated above average for flower quality, plant appearance and plant performance.