The Rural Voice, 1981-03, Page 31ADVICE ON FARMING
What to look for in your seed catalogues
The garden is often still under a
blanket of white when the seed
catalogues land in your mailbox. While
it's hard to settle down and select seeds
with the winter winds whistling outside,
early ordering assures you of getting the
seed varieties you want.
"All seed books have good points.
Choose the ones that have the seeds in
the quantities you want. The seed books
with coloured pictures give you a good
idea as to the colour and size of the
produce. The colour pictures are often thg
best sellers of a new product. . ." said
Don Gaffney of Mitchell
Don. 21, is a student at the University
of Guelph. He has written a regular
gardening column for his local paper.
after graduating from University as a
horticultural technician. Now he's back at
Guelph, studying agricultural business,
and some day hopes to apply his training
to a greenhouse operation combined with
a landscape business.
"Some of the Canadian seed com-
panies get their seeds from the United
States. But Stokes has a plant in St.
Catherines that produces tomato seeds,"
Don said.
While he was reluctant to recommend
one seed company over another, the
horticulturalist said, "Hybrid seeds are
usually good choices. The word hybrid
means a plant produced from a male and
female of different varieties. So hybrids
have the finer qualities and they're better
performers all the way round."
"Rotate garden crops each year so as
to get the best produce possible. Plant
the rows so they get the most sunlight.
Replant seeds in two-week successions to
give a continuous crop of lettuce,
radishes, etc." Don advised.
Companion planting is another
common technique the horticultural
technician recommends. Companion
planting means planting two or more
vegetables together because of the
beneficial effects they'll have on each
other. Companion plant tomatoes with
the herb borage, for example, so bees are
attracted to the plants but tomato worms
are deterred from attacking the tomatoes.
Don said companion planting also
improves growth and flavour of
vegetables. Another combination to try is
prnting squash and strawberries near
each other.
The cabbage family can be planted
with companions of potatoes, celery, dill,
sage, thyme, beets and onions. These
aromatic plants also discourage worms.
Marigolds, with their attractive gold
and yellow blooms, are considered to be
the workhorses in deterring pests.
Gardeners have found they're best
planted throughout the garden.
Don Gaffney also has some suggestions
for the flowergrower. "Perennials in
flowerbeds are good, but they need to be
weeded between the plants, and this can_
be a big job. Annuals can add -variety to
flowerbeds. Annuals also allow the bed to
be dug up and therefore discourage
weeds," he advised.
"Beware of bargains," Don warned.
"You get what you pay for. But healthy
looking plants you can see and in the end,
the extra care will give you the quality
you want. Most geenhouses stand behind
their nursery products."
MAI LBOX OF
THE MONTH
belongs to
Jim McCaII
Huron County
11
TONY McQUAIL, NIW Huron -Bruce
...a farmer who knows farm problems."
Tony McQuail is a 28 year old farmer. He and his wife Fran own a
100 acre farm near Lucknow. They raise sheep, goats, horses and
tend an apple orchard. Tony is an active member of the Federation of
Agriculture. He is serving his third term on the County Executive and
is 2nd vice-president.
Tony McQuail believes that the New Democratic Party is the best
choice for Ontario in this election. The voters of Huron -Bruce deserve
clear and decisive leadership.
Tony McQuail, Michael Cassidy; and the NDP...an opportunity to
bury yesterday's mistakes and today's indecision.
MAKE YOUR VOTE COUNT
Authorized by Official Agent for Tony McQuail, NDP Huron -Bruce
TONY McQUAIL
NDP HURON -BRUCE
Lucknow 528-6542
THE RURAL VOICE/MARCH 1981 PG. 25