HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1987-04-22, Page 31Page o
Good tools make your
work easier
Good - tools are a gardener's prized posses-
sions. They not only make garden work
easier and more efficent, but they are fun to
use and will last for years.
After you have purchased the basics —
rake, spade, shovel, hoe, hand cultivator
and trowel — you will probably enjoy some
of the other tools that experienced home
gardeners and professionals find particular-
ly worthwhile. For years many of these
were available only to professional
gardeners.
"Seedling cavity tray"
One such aid is a "seedling cavity tray"
divided into nearly 200 compartments. The
entire tray measures a mere 18 inches
square and is ideal for growing large quan-
tities of seedlings or cuttings indoors.
The self-contained unit eliminates the
handling and storing of dozens of small pots,
speeds watering, and prevents the toppling
and rapid drying out of individual pots.
Each small compartment, about three in-
ches deep, provides ample space for sturdy
roots. The top of each compartment is one
inch square, sufficient for one seedling or
cutting to grow until time comes for
transplanting.
Advent of spring
When the weather warms in spring and
frost danger has passed, place the tray out-
doors during the day to "harden off" the
seedlings or rooted cuttings..
They will then be ready to be planted in
the garden. Just press the tapered sides of
• the cavity to remove each seedling without
disturbing the roots. This gentle handling
- enables plants to become established quick-
ly outdoors without setback.
Seedsand cuttings will germinate or root
more quickly if the propagating medium is
about 10 degrees
atmosphere.
The temperature of the medium can be
regulated by means of a propagating mat.
The waterproof mat is made of heavy rub-
ber which, when attached to an -adjustable
thermostat, heats up to temperatures rang-
ing from 40 degrees F. to 100 degrees F.
Sowing instructions -
Seed trays, flower pots and other con-
tainers are placed on top of the mat and
their contents are warmed to the selected
temperature. Gardeners who have found
certain plants difficult to propagate have
seen such a mat work wonders.
Along the same line,' seed packet instruc-
tions often tell you to sow the seeds outdoors
• when the soil warms to a specific -
temperature.
F. warmer than the
Prune to improve plEHts
There is no ideal time to prune all plants
— that's what makes pruning such a tricky
chore, says Master- Gardener -in -Training
Connie Vermeulen of Woodslee, Ont.
Master Gardeners are gardening en-
thusiasts who have received formal hor-
ticultural training through the Ontario
Ministry of Agriculture and Food's Master
Gardener program.
Once trained, Master Gardeners are
available to answer -questions from the-
` public.
Trees and shrubs, grown for their blooms
in spring and early summer, should be prun-
ed after they have bloomed.
On the other hand, late -flowering shrubs
that flower on the current season's growth
should be pruned in the spring, prior to ac-
tive growth.
Fruit trees are pruned prior to leafing out
in early spring.
Mature trees should be thinned out to pre-
vent crowding, ensure free air circulation
and penetration of light to help fruit ripen
evenly.
Remove branches that grow inwards and
those that are in contact — rubbing and
Wearing each other. -
This allows the tree to grow to the. outside
and upwards, where it will be exposed to the
maximum amount of light.
On young fruit trees, cut lateral branches
back to -within 50 centimetres to 60 cen-
timetres of the trunk to' encourage bran-
ching. The tip of the leader branch should be
cut back only slightly.
"Leave no more than four well-placed
branches when pruning a young fruit tree,"
she said.
Deciduous trees need to be pruned every
three to five years.
Remove dead and/or diseased branches
and prune to restore the plant's natural
form.
Evergreens usually require little or not
pruning at all.
- They may be pruned, if necessary. just
prior to active growth in April and May.
Junipers and yews that have a tendency to
spread, may be cut back just prior to active
growth in June.
Hide the cut by pruning at an overlapping
branch.
As with any gardening job, the right tools
make the job a lot easier, she said.
A sharp pruning saw is required for th -
larger cuts and will do a better job for any
size of cut than. even the_ best pruning
shears. - -
So, use a pruning saw wherever possible.
Good quality hand pruners may be usea
too, but avoid long -handled pruners because
they tend to leave stubs. -
The key to pruning is to make clean, flush
cuts.
Find the branch "collar" — the tissue
separating the branch from the main stem_
— and place your saw in front of the ridge
and cut downward and.slightly outward.
This will allow you to remove, the branch
without damaging the -main stem.
And by leaving the "collar", there is less
chance of infection.
Pruning paint has been found'to be -of no
benefit to the process of wound closure.
But if you wish, you may apply a thin coat
of a commercial material to wounds that
are more than four cm in diameter.
Apply the wound paint only to the Wound;
painting the bark all around the trunk can
kill the tree.
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