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 9 am. Our booth is located at the corner of 9^th and Broadway. We are offering a wide assortment of perennials and native plants, such as sedum, purple cone flower, lilies, annuals, vegetables, houseplants and miscellaneous. Along with these plants we are going to be selling garden gloves (these are excellent) & plant markers.

The monies we raise from projects such as the Herb Festival and our "Spring into Gardening" go toward funding University of Illinois Extension Ag and Horticultural programs in Coles County. So, come on out and help support all the venders who make this day possible.

I have a couple of updates I would like to share with you. First is about an ash tree which is on our property. It appeared to be dying right after we moved into this house. I was about to have it cut down the second year we lived here when I asked a tree arborist to stop by and check it out.

Well, he came and this tree had what was called the "lilac borer". One good thing was he felt the tree was treatable. He did just that and I am here to tell you we now have a beautiful ash tree. So, remember before you start sawing any trees down it is a good idea to have an arborist come and check them out.

Secondly, I have kept track of the snows which fell in our area this winter. The "saying " goes what ever date we get our first tracking snow is how many we can expect for that winter. We had our first tracking snow on November 30^th. So far I have counted 28 tracking snows in our area. It really is possible to have a couple more. My son and daughter-in-law got married on April 25, 1992 and we certainly had snow showers that day. Hopefully we will be done for this season.

So happy gardening.

GARDEN QUESTIONS FOR CENTRAL ILLINOIS

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 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. 4. 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. 5. Rambunctious growth calls for a heavier hand with the pruning shears than varieties with restrained growth. 6. 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) Do hydrangeas bloom on old or new wood? A) Some common species, such as Hydrangea paniculata 'Grandiflora' and the hills of snow type- bloom on new wood and can be pruned in the early spring. On few other types, particularly the common greenhouse of French varieties, the buds originate near the tips of canes formed the proceeding year, and should be pruned after flowering, or not at all.

Q) What is the "purple flower" growing in the fields around this area? A) The "purple flower" as you call it is actually an annual broadleaf weed called Henbit (Lamiun Amplexicaule). It is probably a little showier this year because a lot of the fields have yet to be worked due to the rains.

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). Note: Only purchase nursery-grown plant materials. Help protect our natural areas, do not dig these plants from the woodlands. You could also plant flowers that can be dried for winter arrangements. For instance; strawflowers, statice, Chinese lantern, celosia, globe amaranth, any of the Artemisia, yarrow, cockscombs, lavender and some of the ornamental grasses. This is one way of enjoying your garden for years to come

Master Gardeners at Charleston and Mattoon County Market Stores
Some Coles County Extension Master Gardeners will be at the Plant Tents of the Charleston and Mattoon County Markets' tomorrow. If you have gardening questions, stop by between 1:30 and 3:30 p.m. for answers.