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D14 GeorgetownActon April 1984 BIRCHWAY FARM NURSERY GARDEN CENTRE ON TRAFALGAR TREES SHRUBS ROSES EVERGREENS HEDGING ate FERTILIZERS PATIO STONES 8774915 OPEN DAYS A WEEK Geraniums accent flower borders iaij DAVE Mcmullen INTERLOCK STONE- CONTRACTOR INSTALLATION SPECIALISTS SALES INSTALLATION DRIVEWAYS PLANTER BOXES WALKS POOL DECKS PATIOS RETAINING WALLS FREE ESTIMATES QUALITY WORK 8TMW83 WE CATER J TQHOMEOWNERS Geraniums are one of the most popular plants for the flower garden partly because they ore bo easy to grow Most people buy geranium plants In the late spring or early summer from a garden centre These may have been propa gated either from cuttings or from seed and arc usually sold as Hovering plants in 10 centi metre pots from which they are transplanted Into the garden Geraniums are most effective in groups of several plants In the flower border or as accents in a shrub border They are often used as pot plants on the patio or in planters Geraniums will thrive In any average garden soil and preferably In full sunlight says Horticulturist Patricia Harney of the depart merit of horticultural science University of The soil may be Improved by adding humus from a compost pile or commercial peat moss Work in a commercial fcr tilizer such as into the soil Plant only alter risk of frost is over usually the end of May or early June in many localities Invert the pot containing the geranium tap it lightly on the bottom and the plant will come out with an intact ball of earth around Its roots Be careful not to break the ball of earth Set the plants a little deeper in the soil than they were in the container Press the soil firmly around the root ball and water the entire area thoroughly after nil the plants have been planted Space the plants about cm apart Water the plants whenever needed during the summer and soak thoroughly each time Remove dead flowers and leaves per die ally geraniums will then thrive and flower until frost Hybrid geraniums are grown from seed by commercial growers They tend to be short stemmed with beautiful flowers that will last throughout the growing season These newer varieties tend to be heat resistant and thrive in summer and early plants have jgyjj to TonJF rural organizations coordinator Hor with the Ontario Ministry or culture and Food rural organizations and services branch FENCING NEEDS STEEL PRIVACY RESIDENTIAL WOOD PRIVACY INDUSTRIAL DECORATIVE STEEL COMMERCIAL CHAIN LINK FARM PROFESSIONALLY INSTALLED OR DO IT YOURSELF AVE 1431 GEORGETOWN MUM PICTURE FRAMING Save 50 8776642 ADD COLOR Create colorful planting areas on your deck or balcony by growing flowers in window boxes patio tubs and hanging baskets Fill large half barrels with a good porous soil mix incorporate a slow release fertilizer and choose plants that grow well in restricted soil volumes Feed regularly and water frequently for beat results Here Mrs John Hughes of Milton plants geraniums and a large Dracaena spike grass in a balcony tub photo by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food Make your balcony bloom Window boxes patio tubs and hanging baskets are ideal containers for creating colorful planting areas on your deck or balcony But in all cases the restricted soil volume can create some problems says Horticulturist John Hughes of the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food plant in branch Try the large half barrels 60ccntimetres inches to centimetres Inches in diameter that hold about cubic metres eight to nine cubic feet of good porous soil mix A soil mix such as SO per cent coarse peat 25 per cent per lite or vermiculite 10 per cent to 15 per cent coarse aggregate such as turface or terraplus and per cent pasteurized loam makes an open well drained mix he says Incorporate a slow release fertilizer before planting at a rate of onehalf the manufacturer recommendation Then ap ply an additional liquid feed as the plants de mand Use a complete water soluble fer such as on a weekly basis at a rate of one gram of dissolved in a litre of water Avoid the turf and general fertilizers because their higher salt Indexes can be very damaging to plants grown in restricted soil volumes One of the best plants for patio tubs is a large Dracaena spike grass These are available in 10 cm four In pots and will last right up to the end of October They can then be taken indoors for the winter Try regular zonal geraniums such as Yours Truly and Sincerity in the larger cm four In pots and intermix some vines such as vinca or English Ivy Lobelia bright blue and dusty miller powder white hues also add color contrast and survive