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THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, MAY 8, 2002. PAGE 15
Home & Garden 2002
Tips to prep your home or exterior paint
(NC)—Spring is the perfect time to
give your home a new look with a
fresh coat of paint. A good paint job
instantly updates your home, while
protecting it from the elements and
saving you the higher cost of
extensive repairs.
Before tackling any paint job, it's
always a good idea to prepare the
- surface. Paint experts offer the
following tips for preparing your
home for exterior painting this
season;
• Before you pick up a paint brush,
take a moment to determine
potential problems that need to be
addressed, such as open joints,
rotted wood, peeling paint and
mildew.
• Replace broken plastic shutters
or repair wooden ones and replace
siding and trim that show signs of
rot or sfilitting.
• Scrape peeling or -flaking paint
and sand the surface so that a fresh
coat of paint will adhere to it. An
electric sander will easily strip
blistered, peeling or flaking paint.
• Apply an exterior latex or oil-
based primer with a brush and allow
it to dry completely. Ask your local
hardware dealer for advice on
selecting the best primer for your
home.
• Remove old caulking from joints
and cracks where paint has peeled or
flaked and clean the joint thoroughly
before applying a new coat of
caulking.
• Use a brush or power washer to
thoroughly clean the exterior
surface. Ask a paint dealer to
recommend an appropriate
cleaning product for your home's
exterior.
• Trim tree branches and vines that
may get in the way .of painting and
drape cloths over shrubs and
delicate plants.
• Remove light fixtures and other
exterior hardware so that you don't
have to paint around them and apply
masking tape to protect areas you
don't want to paint.
• Take essentials, such as
sandpaper, scraper, a putty knife and
caulking, with you when you climb
your ladder to reduce the number of
trips you take up and down the
ladder.
• Always protect your eyes and
wear gloves.
• Apply a topcoat with a good
quality brush or applicator. Start at
the top and work your way down,
saving the trim for last.
— News Canada
Tips for the budding gardener
(NC)—It's no surprise that
gardening has become such a
popular activity among Canadians.
Aside from being a relaxing,
creative pastime and great exercise,
'caring for a garden provides us with
a welcome reason to get outside and
enjoy our short Canadian summers
to the fullest. If you're a novice
looking to join the growing ranks of
gardening aficionados, here are the
essential tips to help you get,
growing.
Start from the ground up. If the
soil in your yard has been previously
planted, determine if you want to
keep what's there. You may need to
add additional fertilizer if the soil is
depleted (to find out, take a small
baggie-full to the garden centre). If
you're buying soil, your best bet is
"triple mix", which contains manure,
bark and peat moss. '
Next, remove weeds and debris'
and prune existing plants. Now
you're ready to evaluate your space
and decide how you want your
garden to look. Things to consider:
does the area get a lot of shade or is
it mostly sunny? Do you want
colourful flowers, or greenery? For a
lower-maintenance garden, choose
perennials, which, once planted,
return year after year. If, however,
you think you'll want to change the
landscape from year to year, look to
annuals, which live for one season.
When buying plants, consider
their height when fully grown —
don't just judge by their size in the
garden centre. Also note that some
plants need more upkeep than
others, so be sure to check first and
choose plants that suit your
gardening lifestyle.
Once the plants are in the ground,
you'll need to maintain your garden
and keep pests and weeds at bay.
Here, tools become your most
important investment. Buy the best
you can afford — you'll be working
with them for years to come. Your
basic tool kit should include a
watering hose and attachment,
shovel, trowel, fork, rake, pruning
(NC)—Plants" grown in containers
have special requirements — size
really does matter!
Ordinary topsoils and common
"backyard soils" lack aeration,
drainage and nutrients that container
plants need to grow healthy,
beautiful and vibrant with a strong
root structure.
Plant your favourite pots, baskets
and decorative containers with
quality potting soil that is specially
formulated for container gardening
and the results will be
visible.
Plants grown in containers require
more water and plant food than in-
ground plants because the root
systems of potted plants can't go
searching for more water or more
food.
Feed your plants a water soluble
tools and sturdy gloves.
The, most important thing for
novice gardeners to remember: your
garden is a work in progress. It will
probably take 'years to get it just the
way you want, so don't focus on
making it look perfect instantly —
just enjoy the satisfaction of
watching it grow from season to
season. Gardening is a forgiving
activity. If you don't like the way it
looks now, there's always next
season!
- News Canada
plant food two weeks after
repotting or planting, and be sure to
continue regular feeding for best
results.
Spectacular container gardening in
three easy steps:
I. Select a pot or container with
drain holes. If you're repotting,
choose a container one or two sizes
larger than the old one.
2. Add a layer of potting mix to the
bottom of the new pot and insert the
plant stem or root ball. Fill with
more potting mix and press
lightly.
3. Water to thoroughly soak the
potting mix and allow to drain.
Bonus Tip:
Repot your containers at least once a
year to revitalize themand give their
roots more room to grow.
- News Canada
Container gardens made easy
Spring is planting
time and we have
a wonderful
selection of:
Now open Tues. - Sun.
to serve you better
• Crushed Brick
• Peat Moss
• Composted
Manure
s a token of our appreciation, when you purchase 4 DuErie blinds, you'll receive a special
spring Gardener's Gift that's as elegant as it is useful! Valumlat 15.1 x', this gift includes a decorative 1 gallon,
galvanized watering can, a trowel and cultivator, a pair of gardening gloves, an assortment of seed packets
and a gattlenefs soap. As part of this special gift with purchase, you'll also receive
GA RDENING
a one year subscription (six issues) to GARDENING LIFE magazine!
HwderDouglas
window fashions
Where Great Rooms Begin.
122 Main St. E., Listowel 291-4440
TENPAS DECOR CARPET ONE CARPET
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