10 Repotting vital to plant growth Repotting plants is as vi- tal to their health as adequate watering. As a plant grows, its roots take up more and more space and diminish the amount of mixture in the pot, inhibiting plant growth and eventually resulting in poor plant health. Tse, STORES Lo 13" Gas String TRIMMER Dual Line Trimmer # Reg. 159. Pee © 30cc e Dual .095" line y e E-Z line advance system e "D" front handle TTR LLL LL 3 YOUR SUPERSTORE FOR FARM, AUTO, HARDWARE Permanent houseplants generally require repotting once a year until they reach amature size. Outdoor plants that are grown from seed need to be repotted several times within the first few months. The following tips will 18" Reel Type PUSH MOWER \ \ AG Reg. 129. 44-95029 e 5 blades © 10" tires e 3 position height adjustment Prices quaranteed until May 23 Open: Mon-Wed 8-6 Thurs-Fri 8-9 Sat 8-5 Sun 10-5 545 Silvercreek Pkwy. N., Guelph 766-1566 help you usher your plants on their way to vibrant health and new growth. * Repotting is messy, so give yourself plenty of room on a surface that can handle exposure to water and soil. * Choose a new pot that is a size or two larger than the existing pot. You'll want 1 to 2 inches under the roots and 1 inch on the sides and top for the fresh potting soil. * Place your hand on top of the pot, with the main stem between two fingers. Turn the pot over and gently tap the rim against the edge of a table or tap your hand against the base of the pot. After a few taps, the root ball should loosen and the pot can be lifted. If not, run a knife blade around the inside of the rim. * Check the root ball for dead roots. If fresh root tips are showing all over the sur- face, the plant is ready to be repotted. If the roots are densely matted or are form- ing a thick spiral around the base, repotting is overdue. * Place enough potting soil in the bottom of the root _ball, 1 inch below the rim. * Add potting soil around the sides and work it in with a stick or your fingers, com- pressing it lightly. Then, add 1/4 inch of potting soil as top-dressing. * Gently scrape away the top inch or two of existing potting soil with a spoon or small trowel. Remove as much soil as possible with- out exposing major roots. * Refill the pot with fresh potting soil to the original level. 15% OFF Everything in the Garden Centre Flowering Shrubs, Irees and Evergreens Wide Variety Perennials -- over 700 varictics -- Come See our Perennial Shade House BasRets, Annuals and Pansies Lots to Choose From! Triple Mix Cedar Mulch Eramosajb5th Line Blue tris Felrocan THE NEW TANNER Kathleen Dills Hartnagle was one of the happy shoppers at the Acton Horticul- THURSDAY, MAY 14, 1998 > tural Society's plant sale on Saturday. The Society realized a substantial profit from the sale. -- Ted Tyler photo Easy lawn repairs for bare spots They're cute, they're cuddly, but oh, the trouble they cause. Dogs may be man's best friend, but they're also a lush green lawn's worst nightmare. Is your pet damaging your lawn? Repairing bare spots is easier than you might think. Dig 2 inches of peat moss into the soil under the damaged lawn, spread seed, cover with a 1/2-inch layer of Canadian sphagnum peat moss and keep it moist for a week or two. You'll see green results in about 10 days. For a free brochure filled with lawn-care tips, send a self- addressed, stamped, business-size envelope with 32 cents postage to Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss Association, Dept. TD1, "How-To Lawn Care" Brochure, Box 385102, Minneapolis, MN 55438. 'Misty, this 15-year-old ~ beagle, was another who enjoyed Saturday's plant sale but was just too doggone tired to stand around. 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Whether with the bitter taste of the dandelion or the peppery tang of thena- sturtium, a few petals can add the perfect touch to any meal. If you'd like to enhance a dish with the beautiful flow- ers from your garden, but aren't quite sure how, consult Kitty Morse's "Edible Flow- ers: A Kitchen Companion With Recipes" (Ten Speed Press). This volume offers the botanical origins and charac- teristics of more than 40 flowers, as well as the blooms' cultural significance and culinary uses. It also pro- vides nearly 30 recipes for everything from appetizers to desserts. Morse offers one impor- tant warning: Make sure the flowers you choose have been grown naturally - without the use of pesticides. For this rea- son, flowers from a florist and most nurseries are not acceptable. For best results, you should pick fresh edible blossoms with care at the peak of their bloom, prefer- ably early in the day. If you're uncertain of whether a flower is edible or not, Morse recommends that you consult a horticultural specialist or an encyclopedia of edible plants. With that in mind, let flowers enrich one more part of your life by adding beauty to your meals.