This article was written by Marsha Overton, U of I Extension Master Gardener, Coles County.

Before I get started with this week's column, I would like to invite all of you to come and join us for the annual Herb & Garden Festival here in Mattoon. It starts this morning at 9am. Our U of I Extension Master Gardener booth is located on the corner of 9^th and Broadway. We are offering a wide assortment of perennials, such as iris, hostas, columbine, lambs ear, money plant, grasses, daylilies, along with herbs, hanging baskets and more. We are also going to have tomato plants.

All of the Master Gardeners have been busy getting plants ready to sell. Remember funds raised at the plant sale will support U of I Extension programming in Agriculture and Natural Resources. This is especially important this year because of all the "cuts" in these types of programs for our county. There will be other vendors there selling their herbs, plants, vegetables, and "knicky-knack" stuff for our homes and gardens.

GARDEN QUESTIONS FOR CENTRAL ILLINOIS

Q) When is the right time to prune clematis vines? A) Different pruning techniques are called for when it comes to the clematis. This vine is in a very diverse group which has different growth rates and seasons of bloom.

If you are unsure how to prune your clematis, watch its flowering pattern for a year, then follow these basic guidelines. 1. If your clematis blooms before June, it's blooming on last year's growth. Light pruning to tidy the vine's appearance is all that is needed. If the vine has outgrown its space, prune it back immediately after flowering.

2. Varieties and species that bloom in summer or fall are blooming on the current year's growth. Prune them mercilessly in the early spring to within 8 or 12 inches of the ground.

3. A third group is harder to pin down; it forms flower buds on both old and new growth, so blooms appear first in the spring and again later in the season. Thin out stems and snip back lightly in early spring to control the vine's size.

In all cases, dead stems should be removed at pruning time. Remember that clematis can be slow to leaf out in spring, and live stems can appear lifeless until leaf buds swell. Rambunctious growth calls for a heavier hand with the pruning shears than varieties with restrained growth. For one year after planting clematis; keep it trimmed back to 18 to 24 inches. This encourages the vine to develop a well-branched framework. (This is what I am going to have to do to mine and I am dreading it—but I am going to do it.)

Q) How much do I need to cut back my butterfly bush? A) Since the butterfly bush blooms on new growth, it should be cut back to within a few inches of the ground. Even though this is quite drastic it bounces back very quickly.

Q) I get confused on when to cut back which plants and when to not cut them back. Is there a guide to perhaps follow for this procedure? A) A "good rule of thumb" is: if the plant blooms in the spring then it should be trimmed back and/or divided in the fall. If the plant blooms in the fall then it should be trimmed and/ or divided in the spring

Q) Is it true that I need to "rotate" crops in my garden? A) Rotating crops from year to year helps to control diseases that over winter in the soil. Do not grow the same vegetable or related vegetables in or near the same location more often than once in three years. Rotate crops from one side of the garden to the other. If your garden is on a slope, plant the rows across rather than up and down. This practice will decrease loss of soil and erosion of gullies during rainstorms.

Q) Why were my tulips 24 inches tall last spring and only six inches tall this spring? A) This happens when warm weather causes the tulips to emerge early in the spring and then turn cold again quickly. The cold weather coming after the bulbs break dormancy will prevent the stems from growing taller.

Q) I am new to this part of the country. I am starting a vegetable garden and some one suggested I put some lime on my garden soil. How do you know if and when the application is necessary? A) You should check soil fertility and ph by having your soil analyzed at least once every three years. Soil ph measures the degree of acidity or alkalinity of the soil. Vegetables vary to some extent in their requirement, but most garden crops will do well with a soil ph of 6.2 to 6.8. This is a little below neutral or slightly acid (sour). If soil ph is too high or to low, poor crop growth will result, largely due to the effects of ph or the availability of nutrients to plants. A soil test will also give you a relative idea of the nutrient level in the soil. For more information on soil testing, call the Extension Office.

GARDEN TIPS: For a shady home garden consider native woodland wildflowers. Some good choices might be: Wild Columbine (Aguilegia canadensis), Jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema tripyllum), Wild ginger (Asarum canadensis), Dutchman's breeches (Dicentra cucullaria), Virginia bluebells (Mertensia virginica), Woodland phlox (Phlox divaricata,) Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis).

If you have any horticulture questions, call the U of I Extension office 345-7034. Volunteer Master Gardeners are in the office on Wednesday's from 9 to 11 a.m.

This column is based on information and materials at the University of Illinois Extension office, located at 707 Windsor Road, Suite A., Charleston, 61920; phone 345-7034; or web site: www.extension.uiuc.edu/coles/