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Clinton News-Record, 1974-04-25, Page 24PLANTING A ROSE BUSH. The bud union should be at about ground level. Add small quantities of water firmly. Water generously afterwards. 4" during the filling, making sure to pack the soil down" We have a Good Selection of Top Quality ROSES in stock. Many Varieties to choose from. See our selection of- Shade & Ornamental Trees-Flowering Shrubs etc. (All top quality nursery stock) 0 Moto Mower Rote Tillers 4 H.P. 229.95 MODEL "Wo rent tillers" Mardi-Omen Pasture Mixtures and . Lawn Grass Seed now available GET YOUR BULK VEGETABLE SEEDS NOW! WHILESELECTION 'IS AT ITS BEST -for All Your Gardening Needs. Shop & Save at. Denomme' Industrial & S Garden Centre 66 Htimiiton St, Ooderidh 524-8761 •• • •• '••••••4;:V•••••• "" SA—,CLINTON NEWS-RECORD, THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 1974 For A Promising Rose Garden No question about it, the rose is by far and away America's favorite flower, and there are varieties to please anyone's taste. They come in all sizes, shapes and colors, and grow abundantly almost anywhere when they are properly planted and cared for. This is a good season to put .the roses in, and the American Associa- tion of Nurserymen has identified seven simple steps to follow in the planting process. The nursery experts suggest that the plants be kept in a cool place out of the sun until they are put in the ground, and that they be soaked in water shortly before planting. The first step—Clip off dead or broken roots or shoots. Step two—Dig a hole 15 to 18 inches deep, depending on the size , of the bush. Step three—Begin to fill the ced- ter of the, hole with fine soil until there is a mound on which to rest , the center of the root system be-' neath the base of the plant. . Step four—Very carefully place the center of the roots on the top of that mound and spread the roots out over the soil. Work with the soil to form a firm packing around the roots, making sure to eliminate any air pockets. Step five—Backfill the hole; packing it firmly against the roots, In cold climates the bud union (where the top and roots meet) should be about two inches below the ground level. In warmer areas, the bud union should be at or slight- ly above the ground level. Step six—When the hole is about half full, add a little water, then complete filling the hole with soil, continuing to pack it down firmly. Step seven—Water the bush generously. Roses require' nitrogen, phos- phorous and potash as primary ele- ments for their healthy growth, and these can be obtained from com- mercial fertilizers or from natural materials. Feeding should begin in early spring and be done as often as necessary. Sow the fertilizer two to three inches into the soil surround- ing the plant perimeter, and water immediately afterwards. Roses require a good soaking at least once a week', and rainfall is often not sufficient. At least an inch of water—enough to 'soak to the roots—should be given to the plant each week. A mulch is not a neces- sity for roses, but it can help protect roots from high temperatures in the summer and keep weeds at a minimum: Further advice is readily available from AAN member garden centers or mail-order nurserymen. Buying Lawnseed You Get What You Pay For What does a purchaSer of lawn- seed look for to be sure he's "getting his money's worth?" A homeowner can't be expert about seed, but he can check the seed box label. And as with other purchases, generally "you get what you pay for." So, don't sniff out those supposed bargains at discounted prices; they'll almost certainly contain non-permanent grasses, or' coarse field types unsuited to a fine lawn. The label lists individual grasses as percentages of the total mixture. They are named by species and usually variety. According to recent custom, most of the good-looking, long-lasting grasses are grouped uppermost on the label as "fine tex- tured." If selections bearing varietal names, such as Adelphi, Baron or Fylking predominate, you have a clue that. specially bred grasses are included. Most named varieties area fav- orite of a proprietor who wants to be identified with its quality; not•only is his seed a good genetic strain, but likely it is also harvested and pro- cessed more carefully to..avoid ex- traneous stuff often carried in seed of lesser quality. A label also indicates "germina- tion," the percentage of sprouting for each variety proven by labora- tory test. You don't have to worry too much about this, for, unless the seed was improperly stored, it will meet the claims, If it did not, it couldn't compete in the market- place, and in any event would be subject to sale stoppage by gov- ernment inspectors. The label mentions "weeds" and "crop," if any, and "inert." Their listing may be tabular or relatively inconspicuous as running text. Obviously, none of these is what you want to bug, because they dilute value if present to any great Feed Your Your, trees which dropped their leaves last fall to let the sunshine through are taking on a new ward- robe now. and a once-a-year serving of fertilizer this time of year will help them dress up in a healthier way. The people of the American Association of Nurserymen suggest a technique that can make your work easier, more effective. Feed the shade tree when the ground is damp, they say. Use a crowbar or similar tool to make a degree. The word "weed" sounds' frightening. Actually, many things are classed as a weed simply because seed laws reflect a farming rather than lawn: heritage. Many a declared weed is not a problem in fine turf, Some will not survive mowing; others, like the dandelions whose seeds blow so abundantly about the neighborhood, are easily stopped with 'today's handy weed killers. Of course you don't want to buy even harmless weeds, More than a fraction of a percent should not be countenanced. "Crop" is, in a sense, the opposite of weeds, To the farmer, crop is useful, so seed laws consider crop species benignly. But field grasses, great in a pasture, may be a bane in a first-class lawn. Although a lot of subtleties-are involved (for example common Kentucky bluegrass may be "crop" in a special variety such as Merion), on the whole it is better to avoid seed mixtures where ap- preciable crop is listed. Crop in- troduced in lawnseed may disap- pear naturally (as in the example just cited), or it may provide the start for coarse, persistent types that are hard to control. "Inert" is nothing to fret over. .It's. useless but harmless—mostly chaff and dusty fragments—and seldom more abundant than a few percent. Lawns Heal Nothing heals disturbed land better than grass, The .fibrous root system of grass builds topsoil as it binds the ground, preventing wash. Grass plants absorb and hold nutri- ents, reduce eutrophication down- stream. Shade Tree circle of holes in the ground about 18 inches apart, ideally 8 to 12 inches deep, underneath the tree at about the point of the end of the longest limbs. Put two or three tablespoons of fertilizer in each hole, then top off With soil. needing your trees this way pro. vides two benefits. Fertilizer goes to the roots of the tree where it is most needed, and it is beneath the level Of grass roots to avoid over-abun- dant growth where it is not desired.