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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1999-10-20, Page 24PAGE 24. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1999. JTome Improvement Autumn feeding brings abundant spring blooms Fall. The air is brisk, football is on the television and a turkey is in the oven. Although it’s not the time you typically would be thinking of your spring garden, professional landscapers and growers suggest one final feeding of your acid­ loving plants, including hollies, azaleas and rhododendrons for maximum results next spring. According to these experts, feeding your acid-loving plants in the mid to late fall helps prepare them for winter by hardening off recent growth, aiding in root development and helping roots to store food for use in early spring. This will bring heartier, more abundant blooms from your acid­ loving plants in the spring. Hollies, azaleas and rhododendrons have special needs because they are among the many acid-loving plants which thrive in a more acidic environment. These plants are considered acid-loving because a critical nutrient, iron, is most available to them at a lower pH, when the soil is considered acidic. Without iron, these plants will turn yellow and their growth will be stunted. Many homeowners make the mistake of thinking that all plant foods are alike, and that an all­ purpose chemical plant food will offer acid-loving plants all the nutrients they need. This is not the case. Before feeding, select a plant food formulated specifically for acid-loving plants. Experts agree that by feeding your acid-loving plants an organically balanced plant food, you can be assured that you are keeping the soil at an optimum pH for plant health. Professionals also suggest using a plant food that offers more than the standard nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium ingredients (N-P-K) found in most plant foods. There are 12 additional vital trace elements and micronutrientsr, like iron, calcium and magnesium, that are essential to plant health. A shortage of only one of these nutrients can prevent or reduce growth to disappointing levels. It also is important to select a plant food that derives these nutrients from a complex blend of quality natural organic and inorganic ingredients, and not just from one or two simple chemical ingredients. Look for a plant food that derives its nutrients from a wide variety of ingredients. This ensures that you are making nutrients available through a safe, natural process that actually enriches the soil to create a long- lasting reservoir of nutrients. Here’s how to fertilize this fall: sprinkle a light feeding around the Window drama Continued from page 23 knobs and tiebacks are available in natural or painted wood, brass, chrome and wrought iron. Add interesting details with braid, piping, cord, tassels, and fringe. • Get double mileage out of your window treatment by making it reversible, such as a print co­ ordinated with a solid or stripe. You can change the look of the room by just reversing it, or create a novel effect by drawing it back to reveal the other side. base of the plant, directly onto the soil. It is not necessary to work the plant food into the soil. Although not required, experts do recommend a thorough watering after applying. This will make sure the plant food is in contact with the soil and will provide the moisture necessary for activating the decomposition process. •Fallsr dll Herman Thalen Specializing in: •Staircases • Railings • Interior Trim • Kitchen Cabinets We also do general construction Brussels (519) 887-6507 TO •I Beautify your lawn with flowering shrubs, standards, ornamental trees or large caliper trees. There's still time to plant this fall - well even do it for you! • Perennials • Windbreak Trees • Top Soil • Crushed Stone • Sheep Manure Services Include Lawn Cutting & Fertilizer Power Sweeping Driveways Tree Trimming & Planting Treebelt LANDSCAPING & SUPPLIES 1 mile west of Blyth (519) 523-9771 TJ V < ’’ '■