The Goderich Signal-Star, 1980-04-16, Page 39Use hardy perennials for color
by Bob Fleming
Horticultural
Research Institute
Annual planTs can, provide
instant bursts of color in
home gardens, but peren-
nials can act as the backbone
of the garden from year to
year.
. Perennial plants can be
used to create changing
patterns -thrnugtrout tl<e
growing season. You can
present many striking
seasonal displays with the
many perennial flowering
First time try
Research by tiie National
Garden,Bureau indicates
that mny beginning gar-
dene.rs have only a hazy idea
of , the mature size of
vegetable plants. Also,
beginners often fail to leave
sufficient space between
rows.
All it takes is one suc-
cessful garden to make each
succeeding vegetable garden'
a breeze. Yet, first gardens
are, more often' than not,
overly -large, crowded and
poorly arranged with.tall
plants in the front and
frequently harvested
vegetables stuck way in the
back.
Your next vegetable
garden can be as pretty as a
picture, sensibly arranged
and of a practical size. Use
this National Garden Bureau
plan as a model and be sure
to:
+Plant no more than you
can care for with ease in four
to six hours each week.
+Select varieties that are
adapted to your area:
+Plant at the season
recommended on, seed
packets.
+Allow plenty of space for
plants to grow: thin
ruthlessly.
The 300 sq. ft. National
Garden Bureau is 20 x 15 ft.,
about the size of a one,car
•
garage. It is designed to
accommodate 13 kinds of
vegetables and will supply
most of the fresh vegetables
needed by a family of three.
It can be weeded„ watered
and harvested within an
average of two hours time
each week.
Seeds for this garden -wilt
'cost about $6.50 yet from it,
you can harvest $150 or more
of delicious vegetables,
depending on the length of
your gardening season.
you might not care for
some of the vegetables
shown in the plan. Substitute
others of comparable plant
size. Seed packets and
gardening books can advise
you. Your County Co-
operative Extension Service
offers free bulletins on
vegetable gardening and
lists of locally recommended
varieties.
Depending on the length of
the gardening season in your
area you can plant "suc-
cession crops" as soon as
you have harvested .the
vegetables shown in this
plan. Over most of the
co.untry, leafy salad
vegetables, cabbage family
members and root crops can
be planted as succession
crops as late as August for
fall harvest.
plants available from nur-
series, garden shops, or
friendly neighbors.
So me perennials,- such as -
peonies, iris and phlox, need
little introduction. However,
there are less common
varieties of these traditional
garden favorites. Single and
Japanese -type peonies,
featuring large, showy
flowers, can add a new
dimension to the well-known,
double -flowered peonies. Not
all iris are tall bearded iris.
The Japanese and Siberian
iris are equally attractive
and easy to grow.
There are numerous easy -
to -grow perennials that
flower in spring and early
summer. Golden Alyssum,
Aquilegia (columbine),
Shasta Daisy, Oriental
Poppy and Delphinium are
just a few of the, many
perennials in this group.
Midsummer and early fall
flowering perennials are
more difficult to find, but
just as easy to grow.
Hollyhock, and several
forms Qf the campanula,
flower in early July.
C,oreopsis, Gaillardia,
Summer Phlox, Day Lilies,
Mon arda and Lythrum
(loosestrife) can add in-
teresting splashes of color to
any summer garden. For fall
color, try Michaelmas Daisy
(fall aster), Helenium,
Hibiscus and Helianthus
(sunflower).
,Most perennials grow
reasonably well in average
garden soil.. Good soil
preparation, before planting,
ensures the best results.
Good drainage is also im-
portant. Some plants can
adapt to moist conditions,
but the majority of perennial
plants prefer` adequately
drained soils. You may want
to improve ' . the
"workability" of -1h soil by
adding organic matter, such
as compost or manure.
Commercial fertilizers, high
bur'::ts
.in phosphorus and potash (6-
24-24 or A-20-20), encourage
strong roots and vigorous
growth.
Few of us can expect to
create a true perennial
garden. However we can
SI. plants Swiss chard
with onion seta alongside,
plant early
Two 12ft. rows
bush beans
NOTE: plant Iwo rows
6 Inches apart
down the center
of the bed
Two, rDWatettuce- S.
Interplanted with
parsley
and
Two rows Lets
plan) early
National Garden Bureau Pian
for 291t.X1511.
Page 9
design an interesting,
colorful, low -maintenance
garden by using some
perennial plants and adding
some well -selected annual
plants for fill-in color next
spring.
ble Garden
DIVIDE GARDEN INTO FIVE BEDS; EACH 211. WIDE.
WITH 111 WIDE WALKS BETWEEN BEDS
Two rows sweet corn
space plants 9 1012 mopes apart
Three plants tomatoes
Three plants
summer squash
(or bush type
winter squash or
1511. bush cucumbers)
SI. plants cabbage
or broccoli
plant early
Four plants peppers
(or two eggplant bushes)
'NO Two rows carrots
mined with radishes
plant early
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