FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Millville , NJ – February 21, 2002 -- Rhododendrons, azaleas and hollies are three of America’s favorite landscape plants. But what many enthusiastic plant owners don’t realize is these beauties love acidic soil.

In grandma’s day folks said their soil was sweet or sour. Today we talk about soil in terms of its pH. Sweet soil has a neutral to slightly alkaline pH, while sour soil is acid.

Acid lovers, such as our big three on the pop chart, become cranky when grown in alkaline soil because critical nutrients such as iron become “locked up” and are unavailable to the plants. Yellowing leaves, stunting and overall failure to thrive often results.

“You may not be able to change your soil,” says renowned horticulturist, Andre Viette, past president of the Perennial Plant Association, grower, and syndicated radio show host, “but you can grow more radiant rhodies, dazzling azaleas and humungous hollies by feeding them an organic-based fertilizer specially formulated to meet the needs of acid loving plants.”

The natural food used by Viette and most professionals and knowledgeable gardeners nationwide for more than 70 years is Holly-Tone®. It is a natural and safe, nutritionally complete, slow release plant food that provides a well-balanced meal for plants and nourishes beneficial organisms in the soil.

Plants as well as people need a well balanced diet to keep them healthy and happy and Holly-Tone provides all 15 essential nutrients acid loving trees and shrubs need to thrive.

“Organic fertilizers produce healthier, glossier plants, but it’s hard and expensive for home gardeners to blend their own,” says Viette. ”I recommend Holly-Tone because it’s an easy to use, pre-mixed blend of great organic products that give acid loving plants all they need.”

Detroit nursery owner and landscaper Tim Travis agrees. He uses Holly-Tone on all his installations and his own display gardens. Travis says, “I sing it's praises to all my retail customers. It’s the best insurance I can offer them to protect their green investments, and it’s inexpensive to use.

Today’s fast acting chemical fertilizers quickly dissolve and wash away when it rains, leaving behind corrosive salt residues that can burn tender roots and damage plants.

On the other hand, the organic components in Holly-Tone break down slowly and work with Mother Nature, allowing the plants to absorb the nutrients they need when they’re hungry. At the same time, worms and other beneficial organisms that improve the soil are nourished.

“Anyone can apply Holly-Tone,” says Viette. “It’s not poisonous, doesn’t burn your hands and you can’t feed the plants so much that it kills them.”

Applying Holly-Tone is fast and easy. No need to haul around heavy hoses, fumble with clogged sprayers or worry about staining hands and clothing. And there are no fears of applying too much or too little.

Just measure out the recommended amount, sprinkle it evenly over the surface of the soil as far out as the plant’s branches reach and cover it with mulch. If mulch is already in place, gently rake it aside, scatter the Holly- Tone, then rake the mulch back into place. Where mulch can’t be disturbed, simply scatter the Holly-Tone over the surface of the mulch.

To keep acid loving plants green and healthy feed them Holly-Tone twice a year. In early spring, just when the frost has left the ground, apply one cup per foot of branch spread. Use two cups per foot for large plants with canopies over three feet in width.

In late fall, after the autumn leaves have fallen and there’s been a killing frost, feed shrubs and trees at half the recommended rate to encourage root growth.

In addition to the big three use Holly- Tone on all your other acid loving plants including Camellia, dogwoods, heaths and heathers, hemlock, mountain–ash, mountain laurel, blueberry, raspberry, evergreens and ferns.

Holly-Tone® is available at fine garden centers everywhere. For a list of additional acid loving plants, more information about their care or to find a garden center near you, log on to: www.espoma.com