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PAGE A2,, WHITBY FREE PRESS, OUTDOOR LIVING, MAY.4,1988 Fèed your trees to ensure better growth, appearance BY ARTISTIC TREE SERVICE INC. Far too many people neglect to feed their trees. This neglect is not due ta a lack of cancern, but rather, to insufficient awareness of the importance of trea feeding. Our urban environment makes it extremely difficult for trees ta survive ... or even ta, maintain their beauty. In the city, sufficient water and food do nat naturally edst as they do in the forests. These life-giving nutrietits must be artificially supplied ta, give aur trees a chance for long-run survival. Feeding is preventative maintenance which will keep your trees and shrubs healthy. Trees living in the forest are natural survivors. Dead leaves which fail ta the ground and decompose, provide an important source of food. Even the ratted trunks of dead trees are beneficial ta those still standing: nothing is wasted. In the forest, when a tree dies, there is nio need ta cart it away ... nature takes over. The. homeowner, however, wants his or her trees ta appear healthy and beautiful in an unfogvn environment. Fallen leaves are quickly swept away as they create an unkèpt lawn. Trees are planted where they look aesthetically pleasing; which is not necessarily where they will best flourish. If not professionally treated, a landscaped garden can be a deadly environment for your trees. To add further complications ta the life of auùr trees, we plant grass. The idea of using sod ta "de teriorate" aur lawns is purely man-made. There is little grass in the forest! Grass makes aur lawns look tidy and well kept --at the direct expense of aur trees and shrubs. By competing with the trees for water and nutrients located in the soil, grass is indeed a menace. Trees are fed ta increase their vigor and help beautify them. However, they will grow better, look bâtter, and stay healthier if you give adequate attention ta their nutritional demands. Fertilizer gives the tree ail the vital nutrients it would be receiving naturally, if it lived in the forest. Nitrogen, phospharus. and ptassium are the main ingred ients trees require. There are three methods comnxonly used ta feed trees: injectors, fohiar feeding and punching hales. An inexperienced gardener, intent on feeding his trees, may -choose the wrong locations and subsequently no benefit will result. An injector is essentially a hollow, pointed shaft stopped by a cylinder, into which cartridges or "bullets" of fertili zer are placee. A garden hose is attached, and the shaft is plunged into the soul, where the dissolved fertilizer seeps into the rots. Poaliar feeding is a quick-fix m~ethod for improving your trees' appearance. This - method 18 generally not worthwhile, because the effect disappears soon after it takes place. It involves the spraying of licjuid fertilizer directly. onto the leaves. The leaves gain a fresh glaw of health within a week of the spraying, but they quickly absorb ail the short term nutrients. Punching holes in the soil and dropping in dry fertilizer is the oldest, and still the most efficient method. lIn the spring, hales are made about 60 cm (2 ft) deep and' 45 cm (17-18 inches) apart. The nutrients are implanted into these holes and then the holes are neatly cavered with topsoil. As opposed ta other methads, this feeding will not require additional applications later in the season; one spring feeding should last throughout the year. Helping trees with such preventative maintenance" is not very difficult. Fertilizing is a necessary task, 1>t one that needs only ta be done once every two years. SHERIDAN NURSERIES GARDEN CENTRE IN OSHAWA ovey IICW 00. The renovations are have now corne to fuil bi d e il ,~,.e J .os8«7KJNG srW. 847 King St. W.,Oshawa, 728-9429" over. The seedls of our new look The plants are growmng. The gardeing equipment is New: "adyTowr.n Isly Spaciîous New Tropical Greenhouse redtowk.Tenwdsly Wider range of products Lovely new shopping environment are resting cornfbrtably. And the %býuper >j«Lzpeciais: Tropical plantsl Buy 1get nd2f r prce *Phostro en Plant Food. 243g. Reg.$ .99 now $2)75~ (with purchase of tropical plant) ~* e e Wicker Ware . Buy i get 2nd for 1/, c (0f equal value or less) / *Bark Chips, Marbie Chips, Cattie Manure, Peat Humus and Play Sand. Buy 3 of the samne, -get 4th free. "'Enter our lucky draw andt you could win a set of patio furniture. All specials available tilI May 9, or while quantities last. LICUIci LU iL~.bct uuisJig lovely. Yes, the renovations are over and now we're back to domg what we do best. (}ffering you the best plants and produets. Ué-à % Special pricese And r u free advice. Ai for the love of gardens. Ail from Sheridan* SHERI DAN N U R S ERIES For thie love of gardens.