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The Goderich Signal-Star, 1977-04-14, Page 34Pegs2'. Compost Provides. Numerous Benefits Long before modern, ecologi- use) to each 10 square feet of sur- cally-conscious man "got into" face. Then add one inch of soil recycling natural resources, com- and enough water to moisten but posting was a tool of the farmer empty the bin. In the fall"you may and gardener. It's still a good way wish to extend the sides for you to build up and maintain temporarily to boost the bin cap - your soil for good plant growth, acity; by March the compost Composting involves returning should settle as much as 2 feet. dead plant matter to the soil— The sides should not be airtight or after it has been supplemented 'watertight. with commercial ferdilizer and al- Build your compost pile by lowed to decay—to help strength- sEeading out a layer of plant te- en the soil for growing new plants. fuse about 6 inches deep across Compost material is applied. the floor of your bin. Add one-half just like any other mulch material to one pound of regular lawn fer- but it can do a lot more, according tilizer (1-1-1 or 1-2-1 are recom- to The Fertilizer Institute. Com- mended fertilizer ratios for this post can add organic matter and not soak mixture. Repeat this pro - plant nutrients to the soil as well cess as bin is tilled. Make the top as furnish food for earthworms— of the pile concave to catch rain - essential for aerating the soil. As a water. If you desire an alkaline mulch, compost also reduces soil compost, add ground limestone erosion by wind and water and can (about 1/2 to 2/3 cup) to each help suppress weed growth. In layer as you add fertilizer. The de - addition it helps retain essential caying action will proceed most soil moisture. rapidly during warm weather. Ap- Practicalty any plant material plication of lime and fertilizer, in can be composted. Leaves, lawn addition to adding plant nutrients clippings, tine twigs, old sod. to the mixture, also hastens straw, and kitchen and garden organic matter breakdown to form vegetable refuse are excellent. humus mixture. You can further Avoid using diseased plants. In accelerate decay during midsum- the fall, great quantities of leaves mer by lurking over the pile, help - are available from neighbors for ing to evenly distribute moisture, the asking. and aerate the pile. Begin by selecting an out -of -the- If you begin your compost pile way place in your garden or a in the fall it should be ready for hidden corner of your lawn. If you use by the end of the first summer. have the space, two bins are You may insure a continuing com- better than one ----permitting you post supply by starting a new pile to turn the compost by moving it each year. from one bin to the other. Compost can be used as a You can make the bins by at- mulch—covering bare ground taching wire fence or boards to next to flowers and vegetables in posts, or to adjoining fence or the garden—or as an addition to wall. Each bin should be 4 to 6 feet soil by working it in with a spade high, 3 to 5 Teet wide and any or shovel, convenient length, tailored to the Compost will not take the place amount of compost you need. One of fertilizer, but it does aid in side of each bin should be remov- maintaining loose, easily -worked able to enable you to fill and soil for favorable root growth. Shorten the long; wait for your strawberries You can shorten the wait until the first strawberries ripen this year; by covering the plants with a plastic tent in early April, the fruit will be ready 10 to 14days earlier than usual. "The plastic provides a greenhouse effect so the plants bloom ,sooner," explains Ontario ministry of agriculture and food horticulturist, D. M. Sangster. Construct a wooden or wire frame over the strawberry row and attach polyethylene to it. Although two mil polyethylene works well, four mil polyethylene is easier to work with and lasts longer. Anchor the plastic along thee' sides of the framework at ground level by laying both its edges in furrows and covering them with soil. Once the strawberry plants begin to flower, ventilate the plastic tent during warm days to aid pollination. "Ventilating is easy," says Mr. Sangster. "Simply lift the plastic between three and four inches along the sides, turn it up, and secure it to the outside of the frame." If frost threatens during the bloom period, cover the plastic tent with blankets for the night. Remove them the next day. To gel ripe strawberries even earlier in future years, plant out an early fruiting variety, such as Veestar, this year. This variety, grown under plastic, will assure you the first strawberries in the neighborhood. TATER TIRES ���rrd►r►i ��r►q�►r;rrr+a 1her► rr► h► t+►`o ► �,:.. i ,,,_ r�r111111111i/11/1j'►►1�►�►t►'� + ht1'►f��,�►�►U��I►li Rbt��� j►I,t►111r a;►�J. f " .4111���,� i +deNt����i h111P►.�ui1111�� �ii � \\\- .: �k�- Fi 2 ff DO IT YOURSELF. By.constructing two side•byside compost bins, you can easily turn your compost after 3 to 4 months of moderate to warm weather. Transplanting tips for vegetables' Since tomatoes, peppers and cabbage are the most widely - grown vegetables in Canada, home gardeners should consider the individual likes and dislikes' of these three when buying transplants. Cabbage, which is the first to be planted into the garden in spring, is hardy and will tolerate light frosts. Unlike tomatoes and .peppers which are tender plants, cabbage can be planted about four weeks before the last frost date in any given area. Healthy transplants can be purchased from bedding plant outlets. They should be spaced 11/2 feet apart in a row. Miniature heads are not yet formed when cabbage is bought as a bedding plant. Heads appear after the plants are well established in the garden. Even, so, healthy cabbage transplants can cut six weeks from the growing time. Broccoli is closely related to cabbage and can be treated in the same way with early planting. Like cabbage, broccoli will not form heads until about six weeks after transplanting. Peppers and tomatoes cannot tolerate frost and so should not be set out as transplants until after the last frost date in any area. Tomatoes should be set out with several inches of stem buried below ground. The stem will produce additional roots and create a healthier plant. Bedding plant outlets often sell plants with flowers or fruit already formed, When these are placed in the garden, gardeners have an op- portunity for an early crop. Tomato' vines need the support of staking. Left to sprawl on the ground, tdmatoes will occupy more space and be more prone to disease. Bedding plant tomatoes in good supply range Tr.91T1 glop -sized (usually red•fruite1Yy>ids) to cherry -sizer) fruits. Yellow= fruited tomatoes can also be found at bedding plant outlets. are closely related and Although peppers and under similar conditi, stem of the pepper plant produce additional roo should be planted s sunny location and fertile needed to get worthwhile peppers. The Pepper generally strong en support the plant without but when fruit is pick must be taken not to extremely -brittle b Sweet bell peppers are popular kihds in home These generally ripenfrom to red, although several yellow varieties art. available. Clean garden tools nor Cleaning your gardening tools now Will make the spring digging and hoeing easier when you get down to it. "Dirty spades and shovels pick up a covering of sticky soil at each thrust," explains Ontario ministry of agriculture and food horticulturist, R.A. Fleming. "Rusty hoes and cultivators accumulate gobs of soil instead of gently turning them over. So the gardener who cleans his tools before he needs thein sat of time and energy be equipment is less apt to mud." Use coarse steel emery paper to remove corrosion from steel they are bright and po them carefully. with;; lubricating oil, Thisk clean all season witha of care. e and ipr ep d ctrl ctic a wid ide c n ane jor ga bles, f name r spri bers, pint g last eta pool e tht risectt fruit a alb Ox IaDI Use our money for all Your worthwhile purposes * HOME IMPROVEMENT LOANS * AUTO LOANS * FIRST & SECOND MORTGAGES * MOBILE HOME LOANS * VACATION PROPERTY. LOANS L 01 EN Tat cor ve5 hot Spr dil mil the just gro Wil vise the Ina; use tral lint! oz., Iles Good old American ingenuity. This home gardener was stuck with a pile of rubber tires. Rather than pay to have them hauled off, she stacked the tires waist high, dumped in garden soil and planted Irish potatoes. The thick rubber insulates the soil and keeps it from becoming too hot and the tall "container" of soil drains rapidly. This idea can also be used for large-vined tomatoes, cucumbers, and melons. Not beautiful, but certainly practical. The "flowers': in the fore- ground are onion seed heads. serving Ontario MANJI;9tORNER CLINTON 482-3477 MERV. DILL, SENIOR LOANS ORO!