HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Times Advocate, 2004-04-28, Page 3Wednesday, April 28, 2004
Exeter Times–Advocate
3
Gardening tips
top agenda for
HPWSA meeting
By Mary Simmons
TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF
MITCHELL — Members
of Huron -Perth Women
in Support of Agriculture
(HPWSA) left their annu-
al meeting Thursday full
of gardening tips to keep
them busy throughout
the summer.
Jennifer Moore of
Moore's Landscaping in
Elora spoke to the group
about how to have a nice
backyard without a lot of
work.
"It is possible," she
said. "You can have a
maintenance -free garden
that works for you. The
secret is mulch."
Moore said she puts no
less than six inches of
mulch in her beds, usual-
ly using 12 to 14 inches.
After five years you have
to re -mulch.
She said the most
bomb -proof plants are
day lilies and hostas.
"If your hostas look like
swiss cheese, sprinkle
egg shells, oyster shells
or coffee grounds," she
said.
Another remedy is tak-
ing one part of
household
ammonia and
20 parts of
water and
pouring it on
the ground to
get rid of
pesky baby
slugs.
Moore said
she never
cleans out perennial beds
in the fall. She said it is
better to clean them in
the spring, leaving a min-
imum of four to six inch-
es plant material above
the ground.
Moore said she starts
fertilizing her garden
during March Break
when the ground is start-
ing to thaw and heat up.
When the snow melts it
pushes the fertilizer into
the ground.
She said it is important
to feed the plants nutri-
ents.
"When you mulch, it
starts composting and
robs the nutrients from
the soil, so you have to
replenish them."
When using wood chips
as mulch, it's important
to let them sit for at least
a year or they will heat
up and cook the plants.
When it comes to style,
Moore said it is important
to match the garden to
the house and the light-
ing.
She said veregated
plants, which don't have
pure green leaves, add
variety.
"Use very little green
only as a barrier," she
said. "Think of your
bloom as a bonus. You
have to be willing to look
at the plant for the rest of
the season."
She warned people
against using ribbon
grass, which is extremely
invasive.
"If you have to use it,
plant it in a pot in the
ground, leaving an inch
of the pot above the
ground so it won't jump
over it."
She said there are
many types of grass
which can add a variety
of shades of height to a
garden.
Water gardens have
also become popular.
"It can be as simple or
as elaborate as you want
it."
Water must be kept
moving in order to keep
mosquitoes from laying
eggs.
Moore also suggested
pouring vegetable oil on
the pond. It will coat the
surface and mosquitoes
won't be able to lay their
eggs in the water.
Adding fish will also
help to keep the pond
clean as long as you don't
feed them.
Turtles will clean the
vegetation from the bot-
tom of the pond.
As long as
your pond is
three feet
deep and a
pond pump
or heater is
used to cre-
ate an oxy-
gen hole,
wildlife can
remain in the
pond during
"It is possible.You
can have a
maintenance -free
garden that works
for you.The secret
is mulch."
JENNIFER MOORE OF
M00RE'S LANDSCAPING
the winter.
Moore's tip to stop rab-
bits from destroying
plants is to sprinkle the
area with grated Irish
Spring soap.
To keep the soil in win-
dow boxes moist, Moore
uses the crystal fluff
inside diapers. The crys-
tals expand when they
come in contact with
water and you don't have
to water your plants as
often.
"Always have a little bit
of yellow present," she
said. "It brightens up a
garden."
To attract butterflies,
Moore suggested leaving
out orange slices.
HPWSA's next meeting
will be Sept. 23 at the
Mitchell Golf Club. John
Fast will speak on suc-
cession planning.
Members are encouraged
to bring their husbands
along.
Amor Gaiser
`III
lialk Kneale
Ins. Broker Inc.
EXETER - 235-2420
GRAND BEND - 238-8484
CLINTON - 482-3401
UCW members Bev Campbell, Betty Clarke, guest speaker Heather Maclean, Gladys Talbot, Pat Down, Helen
Coates and guest harpist Wendi O'Connor were on hand at the Exeter United Church April 25 to celebrate
the group's 42nd anniversary. (photo/Mary Simmons)
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