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E A S R
PAGE 24. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MAY 4, 2006.
For a great lawn put green thumb to good use
Revitalizing a dead or weed-
stricken lawn is something that is
often difficult to do. Rather, you may
want to consider starting from
scratch, so you'll have a blank canvas
on which to grow a healthy, beautiful
lawn .
But where to start? Here are some
tips anyone with even a moderate
green thumb can handle:
• Know what type of grass you
should plant. Different regions of the
country and their cliMates respond
better to certain types of grass than
others_Before planting or purchasing
any grass seed, consult with a local
lawn care professional at your nearest
hardware or garden-supply store.
Once you've learned what grasses
are best for your region and you've
decided on a particular blend, you can
start to prepare your land for planting:
• Remove all debris from your yard.
Spring ide
(MS) — Nearly all roses need an
annual, major pruning in the late
winter or early spring, right when
they're just starting to send out new
growth., The new growth is usually
little red buds or shoots that will turn
into new leaves and stems. Don't
wait much longer than that or you'll
start Interfering with flower
production.
Pruning .roses well is an art, but
even a beginner can do it as long as
you follow a few rules.•The basic
principle fdr all rose pruning (except
climbers) is to direct all growth
outward and upward in a regular and
even fashion, keeping the centre of
the rose bush open -so air can
circulate, thereby preventing disease
and allowing in maximum light to
produce maximum flowers.
Be sure to choose a tool that helps
reduce the stress and strain often
associated with pruning roses. •
TIPS FOR PRUNING ROSES
Deciding what to cut out from a
rose bush is an art. Follow these
steps in order:
I) Cut out all completely dead
wood, which is black.
2) Cut out any branches that are
rubbing against each other, are
crossing each other, or are damaged
or diseased.
- 3) Choose three to six canes as
your "keepers." These canes should
not be too thin — at least as thick as
a pencil — nor too thick and old.
They should also spread outward
trom an open centre.
This will include any trash in the
yard, wood, large roots and even
stones. The presence of trash such as
broken glass or even faded paper
products such as cups or bags is not
only unsafe for the environment, but
it can prove harmful to anyone who
might be out in the yard once your
grass grows, especially if you have
children.
Once you've removed all debris,
you can continue to prepare for
planting by using a spade or rake to
smooth the soil. Next you'll want to
loosen the soil as well, something that
can be done with a garden rake. Any
unsightly ,areas, such as humps or
ditches, should either be smoothed
out or filled in, depending on which is
appropriate. This can be done with
some soil and should not prove too
costly.
• Spread the seed and know your
4) Cut those "keeper" canes to a
height of from one to three feet,
depending on how high you want
your rose to grow that year. As a
rule, cut the rose canes about one-
fifth as high as the desired mature
height of the rose stalks
area. If your lawn is not particularly
big, you can scatter the seed by hand.
If _you have a larger lawn, a drop
spreader, which is sold at any
hardware store, will do the trick.
When spreading with a drop spreader,
use the suggested amount of seed on
the bag (even a little less seed should
do the trick) and make sure you
spread out the rows evenly in the
same direction. Once you've sowed
the first part of your lawn in one
direction, you can crisscross back
over that part at a 90-degree angle,
making sure you keep equal distance
and calibrate your spreader at the
same speed.
• Mulch. This is an important step
because it will keep the soil moist and
conducive to growing grass. You can
mulch with just about anything, be it
topsoil, straw or even dried manure.
Keep mulch at about a quarter-inch,
Note: Make the cut at the top of
the cane so it's at a 45-degree angle
and V4 inch above an outward-
facing bud.
This assures that new growth will
be outward and upward, creating a
healthy. pretty shape.
ill
0 Garden
Stone
0 Tree
& Pet
- Memorials
0 Lawn
Signs
'louse
NumbcTS
Cheryl R. Campbell
as this is just a precautionary step to
ensure your lawn will grow in nicely
and shouldn't be overdone.
• Water. After you've mulched, you
can now begin to water. Again,
however, exercise caution, as too
1, much water sprayed at too high a
setting means you're running the risk
of washing away seed. Once you've
finished sowing, soak the soil about
six inches deep.
This is important because you want
to keep the seeds moist so they can
grow. Seeds will not begin to
germinate for at least seven days, so
you'll need to water for at least that
long and possibly longer.
Three to four times a day at a light
setting is a good rule of thumb to
follow until you see the seedlings
growing in.
• Enjoy. Once those seedlings begin
to grow in, you can now sit back and
enjoy your new lawn!
al for prumng roses
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