Clinton News-Record, 1974-12-12, Page 20The newer varieties of poinsettias are no longer temperamental and have become permanent houseplants. Like many
others they benefit from good light exposure and regular feeding with a soluble fertilizer. They provide a wonderful
blaze of color in the winter months. Rubber plants and other "tropical" evergreens benefit from an occasional wash
with room temperature water.
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Some houseplant culture terms ...
There is more art, theatre
and music in our province
than in many nations.
This is what Ontario is doing
to help you get involved in it.
An artist residing in your community working
with senior citizens and children.
A beautiful low cost print by an award-
winning Ontario artist in your living room.
Impossible dreams? Not at all. Through
the Ontario Arts Council, all these dreams
could come true, no matter where you live in
the province. For the Ontario Arts Council's
purpose is to make sure that all the people
of our province share in Ontario's cultural
riches. ,
Over 500 Ontario arts attractions are
ready, willing and able to visit your corn-
munity. They're described in a colourful
Ontario Arts Council catalogue entitled
"ONTOUR". And, through the Touring Arts
Fund, the Ontario Arts Council can help
sponsors with the fees for touring groups in
visiting your community.
More than 100 musica=l, theatrical, dance
and crafts groups are available to Ontario
elementary and secondary schools, The
repertory is presented in the brochure
"artslist",
Outstanding creative artists want to visit
the classrooms of the province, so that all
Ontario youngsters may be exposed to the
creating of painting, pottery, composing,
photography, playwriting, sculpting, weav-
ing, poetry, puppetry, ceramics and many
other art forms, This program is described in
a booklet called "Creative Artists in Schools".
For free copies of the Ontario Arts Council
booklets and catalogues, write to:
Ontario Arts Council
Suite 500
151 Bloor Street, West
Toronto, Ontario M5S 1T6
Ministry of Colleges and Universities
James Auld, Minister.
Government of Ontario
William Davis, Premier
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More and more people are turning to "living gifts"—house plants that
are a constant reminder of the donor and a joy to the home. But although
most plants are easy to look after if .you follow a few simple rules, it's cer+
taro that within a few weeks of receiving the gift many people will be ask.
ing "why is my plant dying?"
Well neighbors, the reasons are many, and varied,
yet one thought you should ,keep in your mind is that
the plant's environment has changed, and it will take
time to become accustomed to.its new surroundings.
Pon't forget the plant went to the florist directly from
a greenhouse where it had ideal growing conditions.
MAKE YOUR PLANT GIFT
A LIVING MEMORY TALKING
GARDENING
with
Most Canadian homes are too
dry in the winter. Plants that
tolerate low humidity 'do well
in the 4Q to 50 percent relative
humidity usually found in
heated or air-conditioned homes
or apartments. But this is just
too dry for many plants that
have been grown under ideal
conditions.
Here are a few methods you
could use to raise the humidity
for those plants needing me-
dium humidity:
Keep plants where the
humidity is highest, The
kitchen, particularly
above the sink on a
window sill, normally is
more humid than the rest
of the home.
Group plants together.
Air surrounding grouped
plants usually is snore
humid than air around
a single plant.
Set plants above a tray
of gravel, sand, or peat
moss that is kept wet.
Install supplemental
humidifiers and humidi-
stats in your heating or
air-conditioning system,
and incidentally, in these
days of energy conserva-
tion it saves fuel.
Avoid Drafts
Plants indoors, cannot stand
sudden drafts, especially Afri-
can Violets, Gloxinias, forced
bulbs and Poinsettias. When
airing the room,-be sure to move
plants away from doors and
windows,
Even the hardiest of house
plants, like the Aspidistras and
Sansevierias (Snake-Plant) can
be harmed by constant exposure
to cold air currents, although
this may not show immediately.
If your plants are placed in
a window setting, watch the
temperature, especially at night
or in very cold weather, A good
protection is afforded by pull-
ing down the shades, or by
placing a. few sheets of news-
paper or cardboard between
the plants and the window.
Keeping plants clean is also
very important. Use a soft
camel's hair brush on the
leaves at least once a week, or
if the plant does not resent
water, spray a little over the
foliage and wipe clean with a
soft cloth.
Most people don't favour
cold showers. Neither do plants.
Cold water shocks them, and
is a source of "set-back." Don't
use cold water right from the
tap, it's best to let the water
stand over night before using
it so that it's at room tempera.
Lure. Most plants can be more
easily killed by over•watering
than by under-watering, so
don't water too often but when
you do water, don't lust dampen
the top soih Soak the soil thor-
oughly and then DON'T water
again until the earth is quite
dry.
And don't forget your indoor
plants need food just as much
as those in your summer garden.
Add some fertilizers like Instant
Vigoro to the water about every
four weeks.
And now for some details on
some plants that you may have
received over the holiday sea-
son.
AZALEA (Azalea indica) is a
shrubby evergreen that pro-
duces white, pinky lavender or
red blooms. The plant when
bought from a florist is usually
in bud and bloom. Place in an
east window at a temperature
of 55° to 60' for best blooming
results. it's a plant that can-
not be overwatered and should
be watered daily. Then, once
a week, stand 'the plant in
water for about half an hour.
Azaleas like a little plant food
like Instant Vigoro while ac-
tively growing.
Cool Temperatures—Tempera-
ture range during winter on
a window sill in an unheated
room-40° to 45° at night,
55° to 60° on sunny days, and
50° on cloudy days.
Dimlight — Lighting intensity
of room interior away from
windows.
Full Sun—Sunlight unbroken
by curtains or frosted glass.
South windows have full sun
for the longest period during
the day.
High humidity—Atmosphere
saturated with moisture.
(Attainable only in a green-
house or terrarium).
After blooming, the plant
may be carried over to the next
year by repotting in an acid
soil--easily done by using peat
and a little soil but NO SAND,
The plant should be pruned for
shape before June, then plunged
in the soil outdoors. The new
"Keepsake" variety is long
lasting.
BEGONIAS in many varieties
are being offered by flerists this
year. The new introduction
from Belgium has beautiful
bloom and good foliage, last-
ing for many months with us.
ual home care. The old stand
by Christmas Cheer is still a
most sought alter pot plant and
can be grown in a room with
cool temperatures with lots of
light.
CALCEOLARIA the slipper
plant is another cool room plant
and has balloon-like, slipper
shaped flowers. DON'T over-
water this plant and DON'T
overfeed or the foliage will turn
yellow. A plant bought when
in flower from the florist will
usually last four to six weeks.
CHRYSANTHEMUM. The
newer varieties available from
most good florists will last for
weeks after the Christmas sea-
son. When the plants are fin.
ished flowering cut them back
to 3 or 4 inches, continue wa-
tering and feeding until all
danger of frost is past, then set
them in the garden. These will
flower naturally in the fall. The
new Masterpiece Mum is the
best one I know of for growing
outdoors and then bringing in
for house decor in the fall.
NORFOLK ISLAND PINE
(Araucaria excelsa) has its
branches in symmetrical whorls.
It's the aristocrat of the potted
evergreens, and looks like a
Indirect sunlight—Sunlight
diffused by a lightweight cur-
- min placed between sun and
the plant.
Low humidity—Normal humi-
dity in a heated or aircondi.
tioned house, 40 to 50 percent
relative
Medium Humidity—Relative
humidity of about 70 percent.
Moderate temperature—Winter
range of temperatures on the
window sill of a normally
heated room--50° to 55° at
night, 70° on sunny days, and
• 60° on cloudy days.
'DOC' UARTNOLL
•••11..41••••• 41•••••1•111•••%*
small Christmas tree that is
used by many apartment dwell-
ers, who haven't the room for
a large tree, 'These trees will
last for years in the apartment
or in a home where the tem-
perature is low. Though this
plant will grow tall, it may be
held in check by reducing the
top,
POINSETTIA (Euphorbia
pulcherrima). The newer varie-
ties of this age old plant will
last and last from Christmas
through Mother's Day, A great
deal has been done by plant
hybridizers to make this a
"regular" house plant, rather
than the "temperamental" type
of the past. Many growers will
confuse the leaf-like bracts
'with the flowers. Actually the
flowers are inconspicuous and
the colorful show is provided
by the large, scarlet, pink or
cream bracts.
It is still the most popular
Christmas plant for giving and
receiving, and does best in the
home with good light exposure
and a temperature of about
65°. Yellowing and dropping of
lower foliage may be caused
by temperatures below 60°F,
drafts, and drying out at the
roots, Feeding with a com-
pletely soluble fertilizer like
Instant Vigoro every two weeks
after the plants are well es•
tablished is good house plant
practice.
If you have any questions
write to me, at Garden Informa-
tion Centre, 165 University Ave.,
Toronto I, Ontario enclosing a
stamped addressed envelope.
Potting mixtures—Equal parts
of garden soil and organic
matter—peat moss or shred-
ded sphagnum moss with one
level teaspoon of 20 percent
superphosphate added per
quart of mixture (potting soil
has all the necessary and
beneficial 'additives for sue.'
cessful pot culture).
Subdued daylight—Daylight
with no direct sun; light from
a north window.
Warm temperature —6 5 ° a t
night and 80° during the day.
Supplemental heaters usually
are needed to provide warm
temperatures.
Christmas music played by
Mrs. E. Radford provided the
setting for the December
meeting held in the church on
Dec. 3, in the church parlour.
Mrs. A. Lawson presided for
the splendid worship service
"In the modern Christmas,
Christ often gets lost in the red
ribbon and holiday wrapping.
Remember it is His day." The
service consisted of readings by
Mrs. A. Lawson, Mrs. Howard
Johns, Mrs. G. Richardson,
Mrs. Bert Gibbings and Mrs.
Merv. Hanley. Hymns were
sung and Mrs. Radford played
two lovely instrumentals:
"Chimes at Christmas" and
"Hark the Herald Angels
Sing", with variations,
Mrs. E. Crich presided for
the business meeting and the
secretary's report was read and
approved followed by the roll
call which showed 38 members
present, reporting 71 hospital
calls and 18 home calls.
Mrs. Wildfong and Mrs. For-
bes volunteered to look after
the Hospital Cart on Dec. 6 and
Mrs. Connell and Mrs, Radford
on Dec. 10, The afternoon unit
arranged to look after the
flowers for December,
It was planned to start the
New Year with a pot luck din-
ner on January 7 at 12:30. The
boxes for shut-ins are to be
packed on Dec, 11,
Mrs. A.E. Wildfong ex-
pressed a desire for more study
on stewardship and missionary
education at our meetings and
made a motion to that effect
seconded by Mrs. W. Miller.
All those having reports are
to bring them into the meeting
on Jan. 7.
Mrs. Crich closed the
meeting and they enjoyed a
delicious lunch served by Miss
D. Marquis and her group.
• t
PAOS 4A-,-MoINTON NEWS RECORD, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 12, 1974
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UCW of Ont. St. Church
held Christmas meeting