HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1980-04-17, Page 24Ya' !e'v'rt�';—is9•._.TT ",' syr -r w!' 4..T},`laYa .. } ...1..111',
The petunia comes of age
Dwarf fruit trees
By John T. A. Proctor
University of
Guelph
Gone are the days when
the gardener dismisses
growing •tree fruits because
they take up a lot of space,
and create too much shade.
Today, there is an ever-
increasing range of plant
material - dwarfing root-
stocks, and genetic or
natural dwarfs - and
associated techniques of
training, pruning and
growing.
Think of fruit trees not
only for their fruit, but for
their part in the landscape
year-round. You can train
them as hedges and
espaliers, or you can com-
bine dwarf trees, training
and container gardening, for
an orchard right on your
terrace.
Although you can
propagate .your own dwarf
trees, it is probably best to
purrchase 'there fro m
reliable nursery that
specializes in fruit trees.
Many such nurseries exist in
Ontario. The amateur may
obtain a listing.of nurseries
providing trees inspected for
trueness of name from the
Ontario Ministry of
Agriculture and Food. Well-,
grown, one-year trees are
preferable to two-year trees.
Before buying trees,
develop a plan. Even two
dwarf apple trees in your
garden requires thought in
relation to other garden
activities in the vegetable
patch, the perennial's and
play areas. Once the trees
are planted it is not always
easy to move them and you
_may spend years trying to
correct your early mistakes.
While making your- plan,
bear the following in mind -
space requirements,
possible yields, ripening.
timetable and 'cross-
pollination needs.
A named fruit variety is
made up of two parts - the
scion or fruiting variety
forming the above -ground
parts of the , tree, and the
rootstock. Using size -
controlling rootstocks allows
six or eight dwarf trees to be
grown in the spread of ,a
single old fruit tree, grown
on a standard (seedling)
rootstock.
A very general rule of
thumb is to allow 3.6 x 3.6 m
for all dwarf fruit trees. If
you don't have this much
space, you might give some
t1 ought to growing them as
espaliers or cordons, along a
building or a wall, or
possibly as a decorative
fence. When selecting a
location in the garden,
remember fruit trees like
direct sunshine, and do not
like spring frosts.
Most dwar-f fruit trees
require three to five years
before they, will fruit. When
mature, they will probably
yield about one, bushel of
fruit each year. Available
space will dictate the
-number of trees and
therefore" the yield to be
expected. It ' is almost as
much trouble (or pleasure)
to care for half a dozen trees
as it is to look after several
times that number.
The next thing to consider
is the ripening timetable.
Select and plant the right
variety. These are in-
numerable fruit varieties
and each has its owti
climatic adaptations and
limitations. -While peach
culture is restricted - to the
warmer areas of Ontario, it
may be successful outside its
climatic range if grown in,a
sheltered location.
The selection of the right
kinds and varieties of tree
fruits will allow harvest
from early July to late
October. Sweet and sour
cherries ripen in July,
apricots from mid-July to
mid-August, peaches from
late July to late September,
plums from late July to mid-
October; .pe-ars—frons early ---
August to late. October and
apples from mid-August to
late October.
The final planning point is
pollination. Tart (sour)
cherry, apricot and peach
will set fruit with their own
pollen. However, apple,
pear, -plum and sweet cherry
will not, and therefore two or
more varieties must be
planted side-by-side. A novel
approach to this
requirement is the five -in -
one apple tree which carries
five varieties on one root-
stock. Such a tree
economizes on space and
provides the owner with
fresh fruit maturing from
early to late season on one
tree.
To ensure success in the
home fruit garden, provision
must be made for pest
control. Pesticides should be
applied only when
necessary, and then, only in
the amounts recommended.
The gardener must learn
about these pests and their
control.
Publication 64, Insect and
Disease Control in the Home
Garden, contains pest
descriptions and a spray
guide. This publication is
available from the Infor-
mation Branch, Ontario
Ministry of Agriculture and
Food, Legislative Buildings,
Toronto, Ontario M7A 1A5,
or from local agricultural
offices.
Herb Tea
to make tea from
homegrown herbs, us"e 10
millilitres (2 teaspoons) of
finely chopped fresh herbs (5
millilitres or 1 teaspoon of
dried herbs) per cup of tea.
Put the herbs in a china or
earthenware teapot, and
cover with boiling water.
Steep for 10 to 15 minutes.
Try sage, peppermint, lemon
verbena, basil, lemon
thyme, lemon balm,
rosemary or sweet mar-
joram.
takj'ietuniasforgr.nted
ft' is time to stop taking the
petunia for granted.Ne other
dant has the wide range of
color, few have the variety of
flower sizes, none shows pff'
more dratnatica,liy in a
variety oflocations«
The hybrid petunia has
moved frpm a small-
flowered, fussy annual, to an
extravagant. bloomer, The .
petunia is equally athome in
mass plantings, snuggled
around green shrubs,
cascading from hanging
baskets and decorating
1 window boxes ox tubs.
Look „.._fob' I1 hybrids,
whatever your petunia
preference. Selective
breeding to develop, Fl.
varieties' has resulted: in the
expansive ' blooms Charac*
teristic of the single gran-
difloras, the carnation like
fullness, of the double
grandlfUQras, and the prdlific
blooming qualities of the.
hybrid multifloras. -
To fill a hanging basket,
select a 'Cascade' variety. If
a massive display of outdoor
,eolotr is .called for, try any of
the `Magic' series..
Remember `Bouquet' if
doubles are desired,
Gardens aie'not just for
daytime. An edging of 'Old
Glory White,' ,Snow Magic'
gr'Snow Cloud' willperfume
and accent the summer
evenings spent on the paitio.
Whites. als4 set' off the.
sparkle of bold colors and
can give a decorator's touch
whenplanted'in drifts among
other annual flowers.
Blues and purples come on
stronger in petunias than in
any other species. The bright
.orchid blooms of `Sugar
»addy' are a perfect coni*
bination with yellow
marigolds, or nestled
against a gold home.
Weather resistant 'Sky
Magic' _,:lowers ° solid'y
through the most difficult of
summers. For striking
hanging baskets, plant
'Royal' .or. 'Sky . Cascade.
'Select a blue variety for the
ofteniunattractive'base of .a
white c lexnatis.
Bicolors provide double
interest for the dollar.
are available.
«
hybrids
Preparing so it -is :� '%. .. o ant color combinations fro...,
'" ' '�' ruffle color accents to
.p
Before sowing vegetable
or flower seeds, it is im-
portant to make sure your
soil is in good condition, says
T. J.-fila-m-,-Dnta-rio»Ministry--
of Agriculture and Food
extension horticulturist.
Good soil drainage is one
of the most important fac-
tors. For clay -type soils, add
strawy manure and sand to
improve water and air.
movement through the soil.
Sandy soils tend to dry out
quickly and may require the
addition of peat moss to
increase the water -holding
capacity.
To determine the fertilizer
requirements of your soil,
Mr. Blom recommends
taking soil samples for
testing, Soil test boxes are
available at local offices of
the Ontario Ministry of
Agriculture and Food. Soil
tests, conducted by the Land
Resource Science Depart,-
-
epart
- -meet at the—Uni r-sity -`-,o
Guelph, cost $1. These tests
check levels of,phosphorus,
potassium, magnesium and
pH in the soil.
Soils that are too acidic
require the addition of about
25. kilograms ;of f limestone
per 100 square metres.
Early spring is a good time
to spread manure on the
garden. Use about one cubic
metre of cow manure per 100
square metres. .1f you are
using poultry manure, apply
about one quarter of one
cubic metre per 1000 square
metres.
If manure is used it is not
necessary to use chemical
fertilizer.
As soon as the soil' is dry
enough to work Mr. Blom
suggests rototilling or tur-
f Hing the soil under. Weed.
particularly those which
propogate by root, should be°
removed from the soil before
planting begins.
1 oflc'/i i ish'c/ that 1 had
clear,
For life, six hundred pounds
a year,
A handsome house to lodge a
.frig ul.
' A river at my guru l '.. , i id. -
A terrace Walk, and half'a
rood
°Pam,. set out to plant (1
wood,
—Jonathan Swift
stripes. The all-green.'1rub
border comes ,,alive, striped
with 'Penny Candy.' Trim
the home landscape in the
new 'Velvet Picotee,' which
features purple blooms
daintily edged in white.
The first red petunia on the
market was considered a
real breakthrough in the
_ plant -..world. Now a large
selection of reds are
available, from the versatile.
qualities of 'Red Cascade,' to
the heat resistant `Old Glory
Red,' which will stand up to
the temperatures of a
southern summer.
Find the place, pick a
petunia for your purpose,
and getto your garden
center or greenhouse early.
Petunia purchasers 10
discriminating shoppers.
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