Clinton News-Record, 1980-04-17, Page 28Page;
Proper pruning in the spring encourages strong, healthy growth. Roses should be cut
back to three to five strong stems, with two or three buds per steam. (Photo by the Ontario
Ministry of Agriculture and Food)
Prune for healthy roses.
Early pruning and fer-
tilizing are important if you
want attractive and healthy
roses, says Theo Blom,
Ontario Ministry of
Agriculture and Food hor-
ticulturist.
or-
ticulturist.
Roses should be pruned
each spring before the
bushes leaf out to help
maintain • the quality and
overall appearance of the
plants.
Although each plant should
be pruned to its habit and
amount of growth, Mr. Blom
says there are some general
guidelines.
Wait until the buds start to
swell, so -you can determine
which branches are alive
and which are dead.
Don't cut below last year's
pruning. If you do, you
weaken the. plant and the
new shoots won't be strong.
If the rose bushes are new
and this is their first
pruning, prune them about
20 to 30 centimetres (8 to 12
inches) above the ground. In
subsequent years, prune a
bit higher -and remove all
dead wood and weak, twiggy
-growth.
It is important to prune
climbing roses according to
their growth habits. Cut off
the thin branches so the
plant does not have too many
blind shoots.
Established roses• will
benefit if fertilizer is applied
during the. growing season.
Mr. Blom recommends three
applications of balanced
Sweet corn
all season
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 of
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.
fertilizer in mid-May, June
and August.
Apply fertilizer to the soil
surface near the plants, then
rake or dig it under. A rate of
1/2 to 1 kilogram (1 to 2
pounds) of fertilizer for each
9 square metres (100 square
feet) of rose garden is
recommended.
Fertilizer formulas for
roses are available at garden •
centres, but you can apply
the • general purpose fer-
tilizer used for lawns and
gardens.
a compost pili
Long before modern,
ecologically -conscious Man
"got into'" recycling natural
resources, composting was a
tool- of -the farmer and
gardener. It's ` still a good
way for you tobuildup and.
maintain your soil for good
plant growth.
Composting involves
returning dead plant matter
to the soil --; after it has been
supplemented with Com-
mercial fertilizer and
allowed to decay — to help
strengthen the soil for
'growing new plants.
Compost material is ap-
plied just 'like any other
o- mulch material but it can do
a lot more, according to The
Fertilizer Institute. Compost
can add organic matter and
plant nutrients to the soil as
well as furnish food for
earthworms-- essential for
aerating the soil. As a mulch,
camp e 1
erosion by wind and water
and can help suppress weed
growth. In addition it helps
retain essential soil
moisture.
Practically any plant
material can be composted.
Leaves, lawn clippings, fine
twigs, old sod straw, and
kitchen and garden
vegetable refuse are ex-
cellent. Avoid using diseased
plants. In the fall, great
quantities of leaves are
available from neighbors for
the asking.
Begin by selecting an out-
of-the-way place in your
gar4on 4r a hidden corner of decaying action will proceed.
your lawn. If you have the most rapidly during warm
spaqe, two bins are better weather. Application of lime
than one -+- permitting you to, and fertilizer, in addition to
turn the eompos.t by moving adding plant nutrients to the
it from one bin to the other. mixture, also hastens
You can make the bins by organic matter breakdown
attaching - wire fence or to form humus mixture. You
boards to posts, or to ad- can further accelerate decay
joining fence or wall. Each during midsummer by
bin should be 4 to 6 feet high, forking over the pile, helping
3 to 5 feet wide and any to evenly distribute_
convenient length, tailored moisture, and aerate the
to the amount of compost you pile.
need. One side of each bin If you begin your compost
should be removableto pile in the fall :it should be
enable you to fill and empty ready for use fay the end of
the bin. In the fall you may the first sumo-Wr. You may
wish to extend the sides insure a..continuing compost
temporarily to boost the bin I supply by starting a new pi
capacity; by March the each year.
t r
compost should settle as Compost can be Used as a
much as 2 feet. The' sides mulch -- covering bare
should not be airtight or ground next4oa.flowers and
watertight. vegetables in the garden —
Build your compost pile by or as an addition to soil by
spreading out a _ layer of working it in With a spade or
plant refuse-about
deep across the floor of your
bin. Add one-half to one
pound of regular lawn fer-
tilizer (1-1-1 or 1-2-1 are
recommended fertilizer
ratios for this use) to each 10
square feet of surface. Then
add one inch of soil and
enough water to moisten but
not soak mixture. • Repeat
this process as bin is filled.
Make the top of the pile
concave• to catch rainwater.
If you desire an alkaline.
'compost, add ground
limestone (about 1/2 to two-
thirds cup) to each layer as
you add fertilizer. The
Compost will not take the
place of fertilizer, but it does
aid in maintaining loose,
easily -worked soil for
favorable root growth.
Morning Glories •
Morning glories are
beautiful flowering annuals,
but they take a long time to
mature from seeds sown
outdoors. To speed the
process, tart the seeds
indoors in April, and tran-
splant them outdoors in mid-
June. This will advancethe
flowering periodby two
three weeks. tip
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