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Home My WebLink AboutClinton News-Record, 1978-04-13, Page 42Page is Plant only vegetables to suit your needs Don't plant that vegetable garden until you have decided its purpose. "Different vegetables are suited to different types of gar- dens," explains J.K. Muehmer, horticulturist at the Ridgetown College of Agricultural Technology, "so it is best to know before planting what you expect from that garden plot. Do you need an inflation -fighting garden, a hobby garden or a fresh - produce garden?" The inflation -fighting garden is usually planted with vegetables best suited for freezing or can- ning; although peas, sweet corn, peppers, cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts .and carrots are known for their freezing ability; others are also available. Consult seed catalogs for suitable freezer varieties. Prevent Unusual vegetables can add interest to the hobby garden. The tender parts of the kohlrabi - an enlarged stern - freeze well and taste similar to turnip, Celeriac, golden beets, chicory, summer turnips, leeks, and special squashes, such as zucchini, may also be tried. Salad vegetables frequently get the lion's share of space in the fresh vegetable garden. Suc- cessive plantings of different varieties of lettuce and radishes are recommended, as are pep- pers, tomatoes and herbs, such as parsley, chives and fennel. To get early peppers, plant the pimento varieties - Vinedale and Vinette. Early Alaska type tomatoes and cherry tomatoes usually ripen by the first week in July, well ahead of the main crop. rodent injury by K.R. Wilson Rabbits and mice are the most destructive rodents that homeowners and commercial tree fruit growers face. There are very few shrubs and trees that are not susceptible to attack by these pests. Bark injury to trees and shrubs during winter can be devastating. Bark feeding is exercise for their teeth, a sub- stitute for their diet, and oc- casionally, just entertainment for these pests. For homeowners, the best way to control rodents is to make the yard unfavorable for them. The presence of a dog or cat reduces mouse and rabbit activity. Good yard sanitation helps; get rid of deep grass, debris, and un- managed trees or shrubs that serve as shelter for these rodents. All trees and shrubs should have the surface trash pulled well back from the trunk, at least one - • • half. meter (18"). Mice do not like to cross or feed in open areas as this exposes them to their enemies. A well-placed tree guard works well. This guard should not fit tightly as tree strangulation could occur. The guard should be of a ventilated material (such as fine wire mesh) to maintain healthy tree bark. The bottom should be buried in the soil at the tree base and a small amount of sharp stones piled around the guard. Mice will not dig in this material as it is sharp on their feet and will tumble in on them as they excavate. There are rabbit and mouse repellents on the market. These work well but may be unsightly if applied to ornamental trees. Baiting with poison or trapping should be a last resort. If you must use chemical controls, be certain to read and obey all label instructions. SMALL GARDEN? GROW UP! Bedding plant annuals get their. head start in life at commercial greenhouses operated by professional plants- imen. Here, grown under controlled environmental conditions, plants are often in bud or in flower when they arrive at the garden center. Try growing plants under lights Growing favorite houseplants under artificial lights means that you can grow a wide range of indoor plants for year-round display. Artificial lights are valuable for propagating new plants and, quite possibly, for producing annual seedlings. Horticulturists R. F. Gomme and R. A. Fleming, of the Ontario ministry of agriculture and food, say that growing plants under artificial lights can provide a great deal of satisfaction to a home gardener. "The first step is to choose a location for your plants, such as an area of your basement, which will provide plenty of room for both the benches and lights. Basements usually provide nearly ideal temperatures — between 15 degrees and 21 degrees C — and somewhat higher humidity- 'than other rooms of the, house," says Mr. Gomme. He suggests that the basic materials to start out with are a two- to four -foot lighting unit, with two fluorescent tubes, a shallow, waterproof tray about 52 by 18 inches (to place on a table to hold the plants), an electric timer to control the lights and two chains on the light fixture to adjust its height above the plants. "Even under lights, the best plants to choose are those that will grow moderately well in a bright east -window. This will include most foliage plants and some flowering plants, such as begonias, African violets and gloxinias," says Mr. Fleming. "Most plants will thrive at a distance of eight to 12 inches below the light source if they're exposed to the light for 14 to 16 hours each day." As indoor gardeners become more accustomed to gardening under lights, the horticulturists suggest that they might try producing their annual seedlings for next spring's flower beds or possibly some of the smaller woody shrubs. Mr. Fleming states that good ventilation is essential to prevent . excessive heat buildup from the limps and the ballasts of the fluorescent fixtures. Light reflection can be increased by HEAD FOR hanging foil wrap around the unit. For tropical plants that thrive on higher humidity levels, the entire unit can be surrounded with a plastic curtain to maintain the moisture level within the Barden area. Sow"or plant to start lawn A grassy sward can he estab- lished either, by sowing seed, or by vegetative planting. In the South, lawns are often initiated merely by pressing living stem fragments called sprigs or stolens into the ground. Or chunks of turf (plugs) can be planted even- tually to grow into a solid stand. Most lawns, however, are seeded –especially those relying upon classy favorites such as Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, fine fescue, or Highland bentgrass. :These fine turfgrasses are often sowed by sod growers and skill- fully nursed through their early life to be sold as established sod containing topflight cultivars. The Larry Kanderian family of California's Central Coast have room for only a small vegetable garden. It is surrounded by a tall, tight line fence that also serves as a windbreak. The Kanderians looked at the vertical expanse of the fence and visualized a shelf at the top for holding container plants. The con- cept then evolved to two horizontal runners instead of a solid shelf. Plastic pots of 9 -inch diameter (1 - gallon capacity) fit snugly in the slot and are supported by their rim flanges. Such small pots are rarely used for growing vegetables because they dry out quickly and tend to blow over. However, the Kanderians found them to be satisfactory for producing small, low growing kinds such as beets, bush cucum:iers, and leaf lettuce. The beets and lettuce are sown thickly. About half of the plants are pulled and eaten while young, leaving room for the remainder to grow to full size. Mrs. Kanderian figures that the l:ant shelf has added the equiva- ent of 52 sq. ft. to her garden, or a row 16 ft. x 2 ft.l She is partial to the container plants because they are easy to reach and require no weeding. Note the sturdy 2 x 4 construc- tion of the shelf. Moist soil, even the lightweight planter mix used by the Kanderians, tan be heavy when water -soaked. Lower shelves are not recommended because of shade problems. If your garden is on a fence line, grow upI Board fences like the Kandenan's can be converted to plant stands or modified to sup- port climbing vines. Nail vertical 2 x 4 cleats edgewise as furring strips every four feet. Stretch wide -mesh wire fencing over it and staple it taut. The edgewise place- ment holds the wire mesh about 31/2 inches away from the board fencing, which simplifies the train- ing of -vines,. Don't use chicken wire in such a fashion. Fruits will form between the wire and the boards, and the small mesh will prevent you from getting to it. Very frustrating! GODERICH HOLMESVI LLE GENERAL STORE CLINTON THE MID -WAY POINT FOR ALL YOUR GARDENING NEEDSL PLUS GAS AND GROCERIES Why drive all that way to Goderich or Clinton, If you are in or around Holmesville save TIME and GAS — head for the Mid -way point — THE HOLMESVILLE GENERAL STORE. You'll find the Farm & Garden needs you're after, and get the COMPETITIVE PRICE you wont. One short trip gets It all because we have GAS and GROCERIES. We also have the time to look after your personal needs so if we don't have It In stock, we'll order it for you. So come on, head for the Mid -way point! For your lawn and Garden we have... • FERTILIZER • LAWN SEED • WEED 'N FEED • GARDEN TOOLS • WORK GLOVES YOU NAME IT • BOX PLANTS AND FLOWERS ARRIVING SOON! For the Farmer we have... • ELECTRIC WIRE FENCING & POSTS • CATTLE SALT • PLUS MUCH MORE Head for the Heart of Downtown Holmesville.... PIA#T5J THE GENERAL STORE Owned b Operated by HIGHWAY NO. e Darrell and Anne Abboth MID -WAY EITHER WAYI Phone 482-7150