The Wingham Advance-Times, 1984-02-29, Page 184
Page 6—Crossroads—Feb. 29, 1984
Backyard
Gardener
By Patrick penton
It's usually around this
time that our green thumbs
begin to twitch a mite, telling
us it's about time to start
those first indoor plantings
off the year.
I usually begin around now
with leeks and onions which,
once either thinned or trans-
planted to individual pots,
are grown in a cool, bright
spot until they can be planted
out in the open in the spring.
Both these need a slightly
cooler germination tempera-
ture than the usual 68 or 70F.
Leeks and onions, like the
Explorer potato, the new
Sweetheart everbearing
strawberry and lettuce, pre-
fer a somewhat cooler tem-
perature.
In March, I begin seeding
indoors let uce, cauliflower,
cabbage arid broccoli, for
transfer to a cool, light spot
in the house, or to a cool
greenhouse, once they are
up. This time slot also sees
alpine strawberries, orna-
mental peppers, heliotrope
and gerberas, petunia, and
lobelia, pansy and geran-
iums, celery and celeriac hit
the indoor dirt (sterilized of
course). And in early spring
the. first seeding of radish
and spinach is made in
frames.
But before going into the
topics of buying and starting
seeds, which I'll be doing in
subsequent columns, let's
take a look at the inevitable
yearly problem of what to do
with.the seeds left from pre-
vious years.
Whish are worthwhile say,
ing? 'First, there are a num-
ber of variables which make
a definite, clearcut answer
very difficult. One is the
quality and freshness of 'the
ed-11bv' Qusly
seed that is tops in vigor and
absolutely fresh will retain a
good performing quality in
storage better than weak,. old
seed.'
This makes careful choos-
ing of a.seed,source impor-
tant for the home gardener. •
Trying new seed companies
each year helps.the gardener
find his best sources.
The conditions under
which your seed has been
stored constitute another im-
portant factor in its perform-
ance in your garden this
year. Dry, dark and cool are
the key words when it comes
to seed storage.
Any seed that is left after
planting should first of all be
clearly marked with the date
of purchase, then placed in a
tin or jar that can be tightly.
sealed. The exceptions are
peas and beans, which need
to breathe and so can be
• stored'in bags or cardboard
boxes.
Into" the sealed tin or jar
should go some moisture -ab-
sorbing material. I use little
packets of silica gel, but
powdered milk wrapped in
several layers of 'facial tis-
sue works well too. The con-
tainers can then be stored in
a dark, dry, cool cupboard.
Here are the guidelines
I've put together over the
years for saving seed.
Not worthwhile keeping:
parsnip, salsify, scorzonera.
Will keep one year to plant,
a second season: onion, leek,
parsley, chicory, strawflow-
ers, larkspur, dimorphoth-
eca, helidtrope, nigella, sal-
via, verbena, geraniums.
Will keep two years for a'
third season's planting:
corn, beans, turnip, cabbage
family, carrot, lettuce, sun-
, flower, California poppy,
candytuft, impatiens, wall-
flower, clarkia, coleus, dahl-
ia, linaria,, forget-me-not,
nemesia, petunia, marigold.
Will keep three years: to-
mato, peas, squash, peppers,
broad bean, kale, radish,
celery, celeriac, snap-
dragon, cosmos, lobelia,
nicotiana, portulaca.
Will keep four or five
years: beet, cucumber,
melons, poppy, schizanthus,
ageratum, alyssum, celosia,
annual chrysanthemum,
amaranthus, calendula,
stock, morning glory, zinnia,
nasturtium, salpiglossis.
If you are dubious about
any of your saved seeds, test
them by sovOing 10 seeds of
one kind in either a small pot
of soil or on moist paper
towelling. Give them three
weeks in warm conditions. If
at least half germinate and
look determined to live, keep
the seed and sow it fairly
thickly.
Special prices in effect until
closing Saturday March 3, 1984.
NO NAME
BAVARIAN SMOKIES OR
"5"G .
ERO
NI
1.59
PEPPERONI
SCHNEIDERS SLICED
CO
ORNEDTB EF OR 3x5PKGS.0 g
PASRAMI 1•89
3 CENTRE PORTION
3 RIB PORTIONS
3 TENDERLOIN
PORTIONS
MAPLE LEAF
VEAL STEAKETTES OR 75° g
3
BEEFBURGERS •
MAPLE LEAF
GOLDEN FRY2.19
SAUSAGE 500 g PKG.
COUNTRY STYLE PORK LOIN 3.73/kg
RIB PORTION
f.69 �e
FAST FRY "CENTRE CUT" 4.83 /kg
LOIN PORK CHOPS2, f9b.
•
YOUNG ONTARIO PORK
"CENTRE CUT"
LOIN PORK CHOPS
17i
4. '
Z & W BRAND'SICED
COOKED
HAM
M
2.29.
SCHNEIDERS JUMBO.9 99/kg
SUMMER
SAUSAGE 4.49,‘b.
MAPLE LEAF SLICED
CHICKEN
LOAF
f.79.
BONELESS 5.49/kg
CENTRE CUT
LOIN PORK CHOPS 2.49Ib.
SCNNE
3 VAR. SLICED
COOKED HAM 175 g 59
SCHNEIDERS
CORNMEALED S.P.
BACK BACON PIECES
_ZWAVIKA IEE!
BREAKFAST
REGULAR STYLE
ALL BEEF STYLE
BAR -8-0 STYLE
FRESHLY MINCED
REGULAR
GROUND BEEF
2•6/9gim
.
7j5/kg
3.291b.
LINK SAUSAGE
BUTT OR SHANK 326/kg
PORTION
FRESH LEGof•PORK 1.48 lb.
SCHNEIDERS
MINI DELI
10 VAR.
MEAT CHUBS
250 g
f.99
COUiWTRY GOLD
COUNTRY STYLE
HAM.
FRESH 2_00
---• 4r116—
LEG of PORK 1.781
8.0®/kg
3.79 lb.
FINE QUALITY
Z&W VISKING
BOLOGNA
1.M
790
b.
MAPLE LEAF S.P. BLESS BUTT 4,39/k9
COTTAGE ROLL 199
Ib.
We Reserv4 The Right To Limit Purchases to Reasonable Weekly Family Requirements
OUNTRY OVEN FRESH!
DANISH 1,40z
COFFEE RING 1.99
RKSIH-Da8C:DDS-4-K-LOAF
VIENNA OR
FRENCH BIEADOV.
BAKEDDAILY
3,,og
GARLIC BREAD � a9
1014 11.f
\ %\ 1Its\'.1 .1
PRODUCT OF CALIFORNIA
NAVEL
ORANGES
SIZE 113's.
ONTARIO GROWN
CANADA NO. 1 GRADE
ENGLISH
CUCUMBERS
FOR YOUR SALADS
PRODUCT OF U.S.A.
FRESH
SPINACH
ONTARIO , _
FANCY GRADE.
IDA RE�
API..... LES
10 oz.
PKG.
DOZ
EA.
PRODUCT OF U.S.A.
CANADA NO. 1
CELERY
STALKS
PRODUCT OF CHILE
GREEN' THOMPSON
SEEDLESS
GRAPES
.. f.49
PRODUCT OF MEXICO
FRESH TENDER
ZUCCHINI
SQUASH
PRODUCT OF U.S.A.
FRESH CRISP
CELLO
RADISHES
16 oz.
941
99
FROST SWEETENED
ONTARIO GROWN
5 Ib. BAG
PARSNIPS
Ib. CELLO PKG.
1.49
3.73,k. ONTARIO GROWN OANADA #1 GRADE
:rr
6`4'/ k
f.69 > RUTABAGAS 29'b.
PRODUCT OF ONTARIO
FANCY MUTSU
APPLES
PRODUCT OF U.S.A.
ONTARIO NO. 1 SWEET
'3 'k9 GREEN
>9r PEPPERS
99 lb.