HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1980-04-16, Page 27VANASTRA
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FURNISHINGS
"My Kind of Store"
CAARGEX 2 MILES SOUTH OF CLINTON ON friWY. 4
VISA 482-7922
11111111111 OPEN 6 DAYS A WEEK
The finishing touch on your;
-...Spriptt:Itirlitscajungprotett.
.114111 111
(A"
OVE300 LAWN
..o.RNAmENTs.:70'....C11.00$E:FROM.
For that.finishing touch.
• It doesn't take much
To get an eye catching place
When you buy at
Vanastra Home Furnishings Place
Regular watering is
necessary.
Mr. Fleming recommends
application of a weak liquid
fertilizer about ' twice a
,month during the summer, to
keep planter boxes in
healthy condition.
Many plants adapt well to
planter boxes. Some
varieties are snapdragons,
wax and tuberous begonias,
coleus, sweet william,
geraniums, petunias, zin-
nias, calendula, dahlia,
fuchsia and marigold.
Prevent costly mistakes,
buy shrubs with care
Home gardeners can
prevent costly 'mistakes by
selecting trees and shrubs
carefully, says Bob Fleming,
Ontario Ministry. of
Agriculture and Food hor-
ticulturist.
First decide whether• you
went to plant evergreen, or
deciduous types. Evergreens
have winter foliage and
deciduous plants lose foliage
each autumn.
If you are considering
plants for hedges ,remember
deciduous plants generally
grow faster and recover,
faker ..frorti damage than
evergreens. Deciduous
hedges can be pruned .back
periodically to renew vigor,:;
bUt evergreen, hedgeS
cannot.
Buy trees and shrubs from
reputable local nurseries.
1ppal nursery' staff can help
you select Plants suitable for
local climate conditions.
"When selecting deciduous
trees or shrubs which 'ate
sold bare root, look for plants
with healthy root systems,"
says: Mr. Fleming. ."The
roots .should be brightly
colored and plump,"
If you can't examine the
roots, look at the plant itself.
Check the plant carefully to
make sure it is not damaged.
"The wood should be "
brightly colored, plump' and
pliable—not brittle," says •
Mr. Fleming.
Deciduous
be
and
shrubs can be planted in
mid-April as soon as the
ground is. workable.
Evergreens are usually
planted a little later, from
May to early thine,
• The whole family can pitch in plants can be grown success-
when it's time to plant the patio IUlly in containers to:present a
tubs. Many types of bedding summer garden wherever you
please.
of con~aine
By liughes
Extension
Horticulturist
Ministry of:
Agriculture
Sun decks and, patios 'are
popular spots in' the sum- 25 to .30 percent free .air
mertime;.and you can make between spilpartieles.
them ;even more enjoyable * \The . 011411 volume of soil
by planting flowers in used in containers also limits
hanging basket's; .tubs or the root' growth of ,the plants.
patio pots, . The plants can't develop long
Container;garden's require feeder (tap) roots,, so
some special attention nutrients are used up
because of the small volUMe rapidly, As a result, plants
Of, soil used. Under normal begin to stretch and become
ground bed conditions, leggy.. To maintain healthy
natural soil capillary action plants, fertilize every two to
helps pull. the water down three weeks with:a complete
through the sell. This per:, water-SOlub le fertilizer, such
• mits the essential oxygen to as 20-2020. Use at a rate of 15 little ones.
reach the root zone which millilitreS (1 tablespoon) per Select plants for container
prevents ,.the plant • from 4.:5 litres (1 gallon). Most of gardens carefully, Although
droWning, the better grades of fertilizer most plants will do well in
_ containers, you . must include the..ecessary trace containers, the sunlight and
prepare the soil so that there elements to go alOng withh-the wind May - limit your:
is a good air to water ratio. nitrogen, phosphorus and selection. Another point
'To achieve a good balance, potassium. • - worth considering is that red
coarse ma terialS --such ,as The use-- of mulch is flowers, although attractive
sphagnum, peatmoss, another important element in the daYtime, attend to
horticultural grade :ver- of container gardening. Most appear dark at night. If you.
.coarse Sand and people have a tendency to . use artificial lights in the
should make up the use either a hose or a .eveningS,• you may prefer the
major parts of your soil . watering can ,to water pots, pink orwhite flowers,
Window box gardening
Fqr city dwellers who want
to garden but lack Space,'
window box gardening
provides a partial solution.
Window box gardening is a
compromise between indoor
pot culture and outdoor
gardening, Bob Fleming,
herticulturist for the Ontario
Ministry of Agriculture and
Food, says it requires skill
and care to bring plants to
perfection. .
Window boxes are
available in a variety of
Materials, from redwood
and cedar to concrete and
plastics. The size and type
you choose will depend on
the dimensions of window
sills and the architectural
style of the house. or apar-
tment.
Mr. Fleming says the most
important ingredient to
successful windoW box
gardening is the soil mix
ture. He retail mends a
moderately fertile, coarse-
textured, well-drained soil
With adequate organic
matter.
A good soil' mix should
consist of equalparts of good
garden loam,:_coarSe sarictor
perlite and leafmold, Peat or
well-rotted manure;
Since boxes have limited
soil capacity and are ex-
posed to wind and sun, they
tend to dry out• quickly.
mixture. Try a mixture of-40 tUbs 'and hanging basketS..
percent . peat moss ; .40 per- 'These. methods supply
cent ;.vermiculite,. 10 percent coarse,. heavy streams of
coase sand .and 1:0! percent water that cause, trusting ion.,:
garden loam. On a vOlume the soil surfade. The "crust
baSis; this 'Mixture allows, a preVenta 1 ':,oxygen from-'
reaching the roots, so poor
groWthresults. •
Coarse mulch, such as '
mediom-gracie 'bark, breaks
the stream of water so that it
just trickles into the 'soil
surface. Side benefit's of the.
mulch -include' a neater
appearance, no dirt splashed
on the sides of the con- •
tainers; and less frequent-
Watering. It is better to giVe
the container one thorough'
watering :than two pr three