Gopher And Mole Control; Growing Gesnariads

Granted that growing gesnariads and stopping a wily gopher don't have a lot in common, both subjects appear in GarVid's Home Horticulture Videos series, and the videos do share some similarities. First off, from a production standpoint, these are pretty much on the level of a home video. Fade-in and outs are used, rather than on-line edits. Secondly, the presentations appear to be unrehearsed. Still, in the case of Gopher and Mole Control, the subject matter is unusual enough to warrant consideration. Here, a handful of experts address everything from common home remedies for gopher control (Juicy Fruit, Ex-Lax, human hair, dog doo-doo, and rock music played loud will not stop gophers--but they really don't care for mothballs) to the lifestyles of gophers and moles. The meat of the program consists of demonstrations of more effective methods for getting rid of these pesky critters: traps, propane gas, and poison--methods which are clearly shown and explained. In short, while the production values are nothing to write home about, Gopher and Mole Control would certainly be helpful to patrons living in rodent hell. Growing Gesnariads features hobbyist and grower Vivian Sheans. Shot indoors with only fair lighting, the video has a rather washed-out look. During the first half of Growing Gesnariads Sheans moves from one tropical plant to the next, describing the characteristics of each. In the second half of the program, she demonstrates several methods of plant propagation and rejuvenation. Although many of the plants shown and talked about in the program are off the beaten track (with the exception of the African Violet), the fair-to-poor production values make Growing Gesnariads a very optional purchase. Gopher and Mole Control is recommended, with the above technical reservations. The other programs in the series are: African Violets, Basic Orchid Growing, Begonias--The Easy Way, Bonsai--Creating Living Art, and Build a Garden Cloche. (Available from: GarVid Productions, P.O. Box 66038, Portland, OR 97290-6038.)