www.oakvillebeaver.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Friday, April 23, 2010 · 28 Spring Home and Garden Vegetable gardens put the family in touch with nature Vegetables straight from your own garden or terrace containers are likely to taste better than any other source. The convenience, cost savings, and the connection to nature are equally compelling reasons to do it, even if you only have a small space. Nurturing a vegetable patch together as a family can also be fun, rewarding, and vigorous exercise. To do it with ease, here's a handy little checklist from Scotts Canada, a leader in this field: · Plan: Choose an area that gets at least six hours of full sunlight daily with a source of water nearby. The soil must have good drainage too, so consider building a raised bed, or opt for a few terrace pots first for the experience. · Prepare: Clear the area by removing grass, rocks, or other debris. Loosen the soil and with a tiller and work in a minimum of 5 to 8 centimetres of soil. A good choice is Miracle-Gro Garden Soil Plus . This plantfood enriched gardening soil helps support strong root growth, holds nutrients, improves drainage, and promotes beneficial microorganism activity to produce healthier plant growth with an abundant harvest. · Plant: Timing is everything. Broccoli, carrots, lettuce, peas, and spinach like cooler weather so they can be planted after the last frost. Warm-weather vegetables like corn, tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers should be planted in late May. · Prevent Weeds: To keep them out, add a layer of mulch around the plants. A popular choice for maintaining its colour is Nature Scapes Mulch. · Feed and Water: At the seedling stage, your plants should be kept moist and when watering, aim at the base of the plant. Add nutrition with products like All-Purpose Organic Plant Food in the Miracle-Gro line. With your garden hose, you can also feed and water at the same time with LiquaFeed. · Nurture and Care: You may be surprised how quickly vegetables develop. Most grow from a tiny transplant to a full harvest in 30 to 90 days. Because of this check it regularly for water, pest control--and for the picking! www.newscanada.com it' s Pansies Ready to plant! g 00 ngJadteimaedens eni G r rd a at reg $ 26.99 grow with us & Greenhouses $ 49 ea 1 14 $ 99 a flat Scotts Lawn Fertilizer Turf Builder Pro, 32-0-4 Covers 4306 sq ft · $ 17 99 5" 99 $ 19 Bougainvillea $ reg 14.99 $ 10 99 Scotts Premium Grass Seed Sun & Shade Mix 1kg $ reg 19.99 $ 12 99 s arietie ts of v e from Lo os to cho Perennials 4" Pots 5/$ 15 Annuals · Perennials · Shrubs Evergreens · Rose Bushes · Cacti & Succulents · Tropical Plants · Houseplants · Bonsai · Orchids · Soil & More · Fruit Trees Are Here! Cherry, Pear, Peaches, Plums, Apricot & Nectarine (Don't Miss out 5 in 1 Apple) Save Open Daily 9 am- 6pm Bu or mory 3 e and 25 % Trafalgar Rd. All items subject to availability G owers Growers of quality plants since 1960 5558 Trafalgar Road Between Britannia Rd. & Eglinton Ave./Lower Base Line Hwy. #401 MISSISSAUGA Britannia Rd. Eglinton Ave. MILTON 905-878-0722 www.jadegardens.com Sale Starts April 22/10 & Ends April 28/10 5558 Trafalgar Road Hornby, ON (5 mins. north of Hwy. #5) Hwy. #5 OAKVILLE