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Home My WebLink AboutClinton News-Record, 1979-04-26, Page 34t• Page 4 For older people Gardening's a good hobby The percentage of gardeners increases with age, peaking among younger retired people. Usually older people don't give up gardening until they move out of their homes, begin travelling widely, or become too infirm to spade and cultivate the soil. • What older people get out of gardening depends partly on their financial condition. Relatively well-off older people arm in it more for pleasure than for the dollar value of the ve'$etables. However, if you talk to senior citizens who are "far- ming" plots in community gardens, you'll find that most are hard hit by inflation. They enjoy food gardening but place major importance on the savings in food budgets made possible by'garde,n vegetables. Among older people, gardening leads all other hobbies. Gar- dening sets their lifestyle and dominates their calendar. They watch the weather closely and seem to have a sixth sense about when and how to plant. Gardening is the most democratic of all hobbies, cutting across income lines. Wealthy professional people can't wait to shed their fancy suits and get into old denims and gardening shoes. Line workers, who have learned that being creative can bring strange looks from fellow em- ployees, leave their frustrations behind and create gar.dens that are masterpieces. As one grows older, gardens become a place to retreat from pressures and demands — to some, a sanctuary. Gardening provides a pleasant, natural way to remain active and to relieve tensions. One doesn't have to be a physical powerhouse. A small person can easily manage a 500 sq. ft. gar- den. One doesn't need unlimited time. Commuters can grow ,vegetables and flowers at dusk or on weekends. It's amazing how little care gardens need to sur- vive. Older people are adept at inventing ways to reduce the work even more. Across the country perhaps the labor-saving innovations most often seen are mulches to keep down weeds and to reduce water loss by surface evaporation. It is sad to see the millions of senior citizens who know how to garden and would like to, but live in inner city areas: The Federal government, municipalities and churches are spothsoring com- munity gardening programs. Local chapters of 4-H and Future Farmers of America oc- casionally co-operate and the friendships that develop between these youths and the oldsters are beautiful to see. The young learn while they fetch, carry and dig for those who are too frail. Churches are beginning to sponsor gardens for senior citizens and even to assist them in canning, preserving and sharing food. The National Garden Bureau expects gardening to increase sharply among older people as inflation worsens, particularly among those on fixed incomes. Gardening can easily net $2 to $3 per hour profit, tax free, if a `blastic mulches work Commercial vegetable and fruit 'growers can increase crop yields up to 100 percent by using plastic mulches. This is the opinion of Professor Herman Tiessen, Department of Hor- ticultural Science, University of Guelph. Farmers with high value crops such as tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, squash, cucumbers, muskmelons and watermelons could benefit most. "Plastic mt'l,;hes are used quite extensively in Florida, California and Israel and I think we should use them more in Canada," says Professor Tiessen. Studies over the last seven years show that a special polyethylene or plastic film in- creases tomato yields by 25 to 30 percent and muskmelon yields by 75 to 100 percent. Mulching warm weather vine - grown vegetables with clear, black or photodegradable brown film can speed growth by 10 to 14 days. The photodegradable film breaks down at harvest time and does not. need to be removed from the field. Photodegradable clear film may be available com- mercially in the future. For Ontario farmers who cope with a limited growing season, plastic mulches can mean commanding premium prices with top quality products on an early market. Early maturity is possible because the plastic mulches absorb the sun's rays and in- crease soil temperature by 2 to 10 degrees Celsius. Soil moisture is conserved and leaching of nutrients is prevented. Professor Tiessen points out that for best weed control, black or brown plastic should be used. A herbicide is necessary when a clear plastic mulch is used_ Although a black film controls weed growth by cutting out light, it does not boost soil tem- peratures as much as the clear film. If there are no weeds, plant stress is reduced and a higher density of crop can be planted and higher yields expected. The research project, partially funded by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food, shows the overall cost of laying and removing plastic mulches is about $560 per hectare ($250 per acre). This cost can be offset by the premium prices paid for earlier produce which can replace imports and provide local supplies of high value fruits and vegetables. person works his land in- tensively. This may not seem like much but one earns it in his spare time and is not penalized by Social Security rules. If you are an older person and are now growing your own food perhaps this is a good time to reconsider your priorities. It may sound trite, but where there's a w!i11, there's a way! Improve your lot! With Ford Lawn & Garden Equipment CLEARANCE SPECIALS Tractors Equipment on three 1977 Ford Compact Trac- tors still in stock - (at the dd 1977 prices) 10, 12, and 16 h.p. models. Also still in stock - one 1978 16 h.p. Ford Compact Tractor. Hurry - they won't last long. 6 Brand New 1979 Ford Compact Tractors now in stock - at special sole prices ('til May 31, 1979 only). RAY POTTER it SONS LIMITED Huron St, Clinton (Hwy. No. 8 West) 482-9997 2-9997 Make room for the garden! Move that old wreck from your back yard to ours! IT'S $$$ IN YOUR POCKET... WE PAY SPOT CASH FOR WRECKS PARTS FOR LATE -MODEL CARS & TRUCKS BOTH REBUILT AND USED INSTALLATION SERVICE BY LICENSED MECHANICS � 41040a 482-3211 AUTO WRECKERS, Highway 8 3 miles west of Clinton FARM PASSENGER• -COMMERCIAL TIRES BY DUNLOP ROAD KING, B.F. GOODRICH, GOODYEAR RADIALS - BELTED - POLYESTER PLY At Spring Sale Prices CLERE - VU • n