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t, f. 't tf,~ t, h 1444 f4 .4 444443 ,I *i~:I? 'T WHITBY FREE PRESS, OUTDOOR LiVING, APRIL 13, 1988, PAGE A7 Know when and how to prune flowering shrubs season. These shrubs usuaiiy bioom By Veronica Colangelo It can be a confusing matter knowing how and especiaily when to prune flowering shrubs.- Not al Dear John:J John Deere Answers Your Lawn and Garden Woes Dear John: Should my lawn- mower get a spring cleaning before the mowing season begins? Dear Mr. Clean: Although it's best to give your mower a thor- ough cleaning at the end of the mowing season, it's also a good idea to cdean the mower deck and clear away clippings after every use. Give your mower a thorough spring cleaning by using a soft rag to remove grass and debris from between the cooling fins around the engine. Then wipe down the engine and the housing with a clean dry rag. If the mower is badly coated with oil and dirt, wash it with hot, soapy water, hose it off and let it air dry. To wash the underside, pull off the spark plug wire and tip the mower to the side. Then hose off any debris and let the mower air dry before cutting the grass. To stop grass clippings from sticking in thefuture. try coating the underside of your mower deck with a silicon paste wax or a lubricating spray. flowering shrubs should be pruned at the sanie tume of the year. If you prune at the wrong time you wii reduce or even suspend the flowering of the shrub for that year. First one should consider the pur- pose of pruning. Some of the reasons shrubs are pruned are to improve the overail shape of the plant, to en- courage new growth,' to' remove dead or damaged wood and to keep the bounds of theplantin control. Those shrubs such as privet and alpine currant that are often used as hedges are kept in shape by what is known as shearing. Aithough these shrubs do flower they are grown primarily for their attractive properties as hedge material and can be sheared regulariy to main- tain a desired shape. Speciai hedge shears should be used for this job rather than prunng snips. If a shrub has not been growing actively, pruning can encourage strong new shoots to develop. The rule to keéD in -mid is to thin out the bush by cutting back older branches close to the base. This allows more lightanIdair circulation and encourages the developmnent of new branches that wiil f111 out the shrub. When cuttîng the branch back, the cut shouid be placed just above anode so that a stub is not left. Besides being ugiy, stubs sometimes provide- an entry for disease. Timing is everything, with flowering shrubs, that is if you want to see the flowers bloom. Basicaliy, fiowering shrubs fail into' two categories,ý nameiy those which bloom. on old wood, that is, wood formed during the previous growing prior to June. Others bloom on wood formed during the current seaséon andbioominsuflmerafldfall., The first group that bloom ini spring include plants such as azaleas, forsythia, viburnum, deut- zia, bridai wreath spirea, lilac and mock orange. Ail of these shrubs shouid be pruned immediateiy after they have flowered. Shrubs that bloom in sumnier and fail can be pruned in eariy spring before growth starts. This ailows for bud development on new wood during the growing season. Exani- pies of this group include, spirea An- thony Waterer, and butterfiy bush (buddlea). 1 o rE-dysr;i w 1-ande-xPertadvice 7 IN STORE CA'nH & CARRY SAVINGS Solar Covers%ý Pool Chemicals Solar Heaters Auto Feeders Save Now On Replacemen.t Vinyl Liners (in store pricing only) Your Only Oshawa & Area Custom Manufacturer Of Vinyl Liners & Formfitting Pool Liners ý Cail 723-0345 Today 11=77-v 284.Ritson Rd. N. Oshawa - Evenîngs call 579-0399 BROOKLIN RD. OGS GARDEN GALLERY_ en!