HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1985-04-24, Page 67r.•
44
;thou
If plant* .could talk, they would tell you
when the a tb*Stg.
But, shtoethe can" ateigis one of the
most ooman<)ta ppant pr Mems and it's up to
you to recOgnize son!pe: of the signs that
indicate exactly when it's watering time.
WHAT'S 11)0 MUCH?
Most plants need constant moisture in
their mot area for best growth. The soil
should be pleasantly damp -not oozing with
mud, and certainly not dusty dry. However,
you have to be particularly careful because
over -watering is as harmful as not giving
enough.
What exactly is too much water?
Since mots need a growing medium in
which air can move freely to bring oxygen to
the plant, and remove carbon dioxide, too
much water will cut off the air supply by
filling the pores in the soil. The longer the
air is cut off, the greater the damage to the
mots.
On the otherhand, you have to be sure to
give your plant enough water, or it will have
to work too hard to grow. And, if you wait too
long, it will start to wilt, and look withered;
then you've got a problem.
If this occurs, don't despair. Just sink the
plant, container and all, in a pail of water or
in the sink, and wait until the soil is
thoroughly moist. Then drain off the excess
water and put your potted pal back in its
usual spot.
In just a fevi, days itwt_L1 look as good as
-new.
Rather than wait for your plants to fall
apart to see if you're watering properly, try
Container -grown,
plants versatile
and convenient
By Glen Lands
Department of Horticultural Spence
University of Guelph
Container nursery stock is 'becoming
increasingly popular with growers and
gardeners because it offers versatility and
convenience.
For the nursery grower or producer,
container plants have several advantages.
Container -growing requires less land area
per plant, and does not require fertile soil.
Even marginally productive agricultural land
can be used, providing the surface drainage
is good, because plants are grown in pots
above the ground.
Perhaps the most important advantage of
container -growing is that plants can be sold
and transported at any time of the year.
Feld -grown plants, however, must be
transplanted in the spring or fall.
(Continued on Page 35)
Roofs
(Continued from Page 30)•
beforethe new roofing materials are
installed. An impermeable type of insulating
board, like urethane or extruded polystyrene,
is a good choice because it also acts as a
vapour barrier. Make sure the soffit vents in
the original roof are closed off to prevent air
from getting in under the new insulation.
The alternative and more complex option is
to build a new frame roof on top of the original
roof, filling the new rafter cavities with batt
insulation. Leave 64 mm (21/2 inches) of
unobstructed space for ventilation between
the batts and the new roof sheathing. Don't
forget that an air -vapour barrier should be
laid on the existing roof, below the insulation,
unless there's one already present.
diggin y!, # ilto the earth ahout ati
inch. If the soil' els. pleasantly, damp, the
water supply 8ha4uld last at. least 24 ours.
• If youp finger is coated with water -or inud,
don't add. anyMore water for a while. If;
however, the soil feels like powder, add
water quk kly; ,
If all •this. sounds a bit confusing, or you
just don't want to take any chances, there
are moisture sen itive dip sticks available at
most garden. centres, like Ortho's "Water
Reminder," which will tell you exactly when
it's time -to water.
And, as long as the soil is well -drained,
overwatering and underwatering will rarely
be a problem.
Water Reminders get rid of the headache
of when to water, because they're soeasyto
use. Generally speaking, ore , tick shodldbe
used for each t in a container not hiller
than 12" in diameter.
Just insert your Water Reminder into the
soil to the depth indicated by the line on . e
stick, and place it as close to the stemof he
plant as possible. Then, 'water thorou y�,
allow the excess to drain off and disc it.
CONSTANT REMINDER
Within minutes after watering dependin
on the composition of your soit'i, the wora
"moist" will appear on the Water Reminder
and remain as long as, the moisture in the
q,
soil -is' SOO, eat. Whenthe
va glishea,, a>i S time. water
use this 'process tor 'at 4
Putepy 110aften:te wafer v
to d+ terse, because itd 011
ti tine soM, Y
lam'
found
iteral
varieblele4 teh Solt x
container, • the weather, e
A,alother P0o0111taof . <
watering its the to
Water should always,
orto id -never hot 'an Pert
With waproblems da the > o
vassholal rive, }• ealtby and�he
'en the tib dt , s, be sure ' aa.
water''. prelfeYly..
IT E4PSYI
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