Clinton News-Record, 1979-04-26, Page 47Page 18
"Successive plantings"
ensure season -long sweet
corn supply
In this tiny plot, only 3 x 12 ft.,
this gardener planted three
blocks of sweet corn two weeks
apart. From each block he will
harvest 8 to 10 ears, enough for
six or more meals for two people
over a six-week period.
For long season areas, you can
plant the same maincrop hybrid
in all three blocks. In short
season areas it would pay you to
plant seeds 01 early, second -early
and maincrop hybrids and all at
the same time.
"Succession plantings" with
fresh crops succeeding the blocks
you harvest, are an intelligent
way to utilize garden space.
Large blocks maturing all at once
can be wasteful unless you are
prepared to can or freeze the
surplus.
Soil preparation is
important first. step
Before sowing vegetable or
flower seeds, it is important to
make sure your soil is in good
condition, says T. J. Blom,
Ontario Ministry of Agriculture
and Food extension hor-
ticulturist.
Good soil drainage is one of the
most important factors. For clay -
type soils, add strawy manure
and sand to improve water and
air movement through the soil.
Sandy soils tend to dry out
quickly and may require the
addition of peat moss to increase
the water -holding capacity.
To determine the fertilizer
requirements of your soil, Mr.
Blom recommends taking soil
samples for testing. Soil test
boxes are available at local of-
fices of the Ontario Ministry of
Agriculture and Food. Soil tests,
conducted by the Land Resource
Science Department at the
University of Guelph, cost $1..
These tests check levels of
phosphorus, potassium,
magnesium and pH in the soil.
Soils that are too acidic require
the addition of about 25 kilograms
of limestone per 100 square
metres.
Early spring is a good time to
spread manure on the garden.
Use about one cubic metre of cow
manure per 100 square metres. If
you are using poultry manure,
apply about one quarter of one_
cubicmetre per 1000 square
metres.
If manure is used, it is not
necessary to use chemical fer-
tilizer.
As soon as the soil is dry
enough to work, Mr. Blom
suggests rototilling or turning the
soil under. Weeds particularly
those which propogate by root,
should he removed from the soil
before planting begins.
Raise mowers
Raise the blade on your
lawnmower to 11/2 - 2 inches for a
healthier lawn. More frequent
mowing will be necessary, but
the turf won't burn as easily.
Native plants
The Kentucky Coffee Tree is
one of Canada's rare native trees
that will grow well in south-.
western Ontario. The picturesque
tree can reach a height of 50 feet.
Keep your "green thumb"
connected to your hand
Yes - Spring is finally here!
And those of you who possess
"green thumbs" (and even those
of you who don't) will soon be
spending much of your spare
time in the garden deciding
where you're going to plant the
)etunias and making sure your
awn and hedges look respec-
able. When you do, remember
' t hat a garden - like any other
A'ork area - has the potential for
serious injury. That's why St.
John Afnbulance is suggesting
these guidelines for gardening
safety:
+ Keep your work area clean
and tidy.
+ Don't use electrical ap-
pliances in a wet or damp area.
+ Store your power garden
tools in a high and dry place.
+ Never force a tool to work
faster than the speed for which it
was designed or do a job other
than the one it was intended for.
+ Don't carry an appliance by
the cord, and never yank the cord
when removing it from a
receptacle: grasp the plug, not
the wire. Keep the cord away
from sharp edges, oil and heat.
+ Keep your appliances sharp
' and clean for best and safest
i performance. Disconnect an
appliance before servicing,
changing accessories, or
Ilubricating. Follow the
manufacturer's directions for
servicing the appliance.
+ Don't wear loose clothing or
jewelry when operating power
tools. Never operate a lawn
mower in bare feet.
+ Keep proper footing and
balance at all times - don't
overreach.
+ Keep children a safe
distance away from your work
area.
+ Rake the lawn before
operating a lawn mower to
remove any objects hidden in the
grass. Such objects could
seriously injure someone if they
should fly out of the machine.
+ Use equipment with the
stamp of approval of the
Canadian Standards Association.
A "green thumb" is rather nice
to have - especially when it
remains connected to your hand.
Take a tip from St. John
Ambulance and play it safe this
Spring when you do your
weekend gardening.
New roots on
old plants:
air layering
Some of our most suitable
foliage plants can become
ungainly as they grow too large
or out of proportion to their
surroundings. Plants like dief-
fenbachias, dracenas, rubber
plants, and large -leaf
philodendrons are common
houseplants in this group that can
be saved.
"Rather than discard one of
these plants because of its size or
shape, try using your green
thumb to air -layer a good part of
the plant," says R. A. Fleming,
horticulturist with the Ontario
ministry of agriculture and food.
"Air layering is like rooting a
cutting without removing the
cutting from the plant until the
roots have formed."
To propagate with air layering,
an upward cut is made through a
third to a half of the stem where
the roots are required. The cut is
wrapped in damp peat moss, then
covered with plastic to enclose
the peat moss. The plastic should
be tied both above and below the
wounded area.
The plant then can be allowed
to grow normally. In two to three
months, roots will have
penetrated the peat moss and the
newly rooted plant can be cut
from the parent. Pot it, and you
are ready to start all over again.
The horticulturist concludes that
air layering is one of the simplest
ways to renew old plants.
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