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The Canadian Champion, Tuesday, May 18, 2004-87 Container Gardening - Growing your garden in a box (NC) Gardening is one of Tire offers the following unique Summer - mixture of annuals Basil, chives, parsley, marjoram Canadas fastest-growing out- ideas: Foi/ - chrysanthemums, kale, fall and thyme are ail easy to grow door leisure activities. For those • To keep the garden current pansies in containers. who like gardening but don't with the seasonal themes, • Buy a couple of extra con- • For apartment patios or have a large yard, container change the plants with the sea- tainers for children to use as their cottage decks, try growing a gardening is the perfect solu- sons. Try: very own first garden. vegetable container garden. tion. To help you get started, the Spring - tulips, pansies and pussy • Plant an herb garden for a Small vegetables will grow in gardening team at Canadian willows constant supply of fresh herbs. pots as small as 5-inches deep. MII- M-,. w ý Tips for a healthy garden (NC)-Nothing is worse than watching your hard work in the garden change from bright coloured flowers to yellow and brown wilting stems. To help prevent this from happening to you, here are a few tips to keep your garden healthy from The Home Depot Canada's gardening expert, John Mansz. • Invest time and material into top-notch soli. Good blended soli will ensure health- ler plants that are better able ta ward off pests and disease. Work in plenty of sphagnum peat moss or compost - you'll be glad you did. • Water your garden in the morning instead of the evening. This allows the plants ta dry off qulckly, preventing many fungal diseases and insect attack. • Mulch with grass clip- pings, wood chips or other mulches as much as possible. This will reduce watering and weeding and prevent soli- borne pathogens from splash- ing onto plants during water- ing and rain. • Don't allow your plants ta get too dry. This stresses them, and stressed plants attract pests and disease and have higher incidence of leaf and flower drop. • Look at your plants daily. Get in the habit of taking a morning or evening stroll around the garden. Most problems con be stopped eas- ily if detected early. • Pinch off diseased plant parts. This will often slow or even stop the problem. • Give plants the rght light. Too much sun or too much shade stresses plants, making them more susceptible ta problems. • Choose the rght plants. Pick plants that are well-suited to your region. However, Mansz states that tropicals can be moved outdoors in the summer ta add an exotic look to your patio or landscape, • Keep your garden weil weeded. Not only will It look better, but plants that have to compete for sun, water and nutrients are more likely to get diseases and pests. For more tips about grow- ing the perfect garden, pick up a copy of The Home Depot's Flower Gardening 12- 3. (NC)-lf used properly, a fire extinguisher can prevent a small fire from becoming a large one - causing serious damage. Remember PASS: P = Pull the pin. A = Aim at the base of the fire. S = Squeeze the handle. S = Sweep the extinguisher side to side to cover the base of the fire. CONNON383 Dundas St. East NUE Hwy. #5 just east of Waterdown) S R IE Phone: 905.689.4631 NURSERIES Fax: 905.689.3554 C. B. VANDERKRUK HOLDINGS LTD. HOURS: Mon. - Fri. 8 am - 9 pm • Sat. 8 am - 5 pm Closed Sundays I 'A'AÂ'A'A'o<S i e] n et:. m - - mi m