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- 10a - PORT PERRY STAR - Tuesday, May 10,1994 "Scugog's Community Newspaper of Choice" With today's emphasis on conservation, we're more con- cerned than ever before with ef- fectively managing our water | resources. ~~ But that doesn't mean you ~ need to turn your backyard into Although it is still too cold and too early to set annual flow- ers in the ground, it's not too early to be preparing for their arrival. The first step towards a great flower garden this summer is to improve, or amend, the soil in which the annuals will grow. Here is a brief checklist of good things to diginto your garden. Peat Moss: will benefit any type of soil. Peat moss improves the moisture holding capacity of % the soil and provides sites for plant nutrients. Manure: well composted cow and a desert, advises the Garden Council, a national organiza- tion of lawn and garden indus- try firms. That's not what wa- ter-saving landscape design and management is about. The approach, known as Xeriscap- Do your garden a good deed by preparing soil or sheep manure is odorless and slowly releases a steady supply of naturally occurring nutrients to the soil. Fresh, Weed-Free Topsoil: soil can get 'tired' with age and adding fresh topsoil every few years is a great way to boost plant performance. Of course, now is also the best time to dig in that nutrient-rich compost you and your family have been creating in your backyard. : Courtesy of, Landscape Ontario, and Clark Property Maintenance J. PETER HVIDSTEN / PORT PERRY STAR Cub leader Chuck Mercier, his 3-year old son Jessie and cub Matt Rideout, all from the 1st Port Perry Cub Pack, help plant more than 2,000 trees at Camp Adeliade on the Shirley Road in Scugog Township Saturday morning. Greenthumbsio) % RH a CAS - ole MAINTENANCE H Full Landscape Services BW Construction & Maintenance BH Weed Control ® Fertilizing Hl Decks & Fencing HB Driveways (interlocking Brick, Stone or Gravel) BH Pool Surround Landscaping Wm Patio & Garden Designs RR#2 WM 12730 Simcoe St., Port Perry ll 985-9312 SKID-STEER LOADER A truly muhi- 2) purpose piece } "x of equipment. | Downright ROTOTILLER Break up the ground for a garden or flower bed. Our rotolillers are just the tool lor green- thumbers. t UP TO J On STIHL 009L, 025, 026, and 034 Wood | SAVE | of one of these models. Get to the root of lawn problems. Give your lawn a boost by ensuring it can gel essential water and nutrients. CUTTER Remove heavy underbrush, cut saplings up to 4" diameter or trim weeds. It's easy and inexpensive. ( SCUGOG EQUIPMENT RENTALS RENTALS + SALES + SERVICE TOOLS FOR THE HOMEOWNER & CONTRACTOR HOURS 178 Reach Ind. Park Rd., Port Perry ral [0F=1p g IERHC [0011] 985-4416 Mon. to Sat. MAKE DAD YARDWORK EASIER! LJ XBRIDGE SmaLL EENGINES LTD. Boss® chain saws. Plus with your purchase ~~ Oilmatic® replacement chain loop and Le ee ce cn en cn en nn fs Sn SS AAC TRCE & DOUGLAS RD., (1) (=121[0]e] 852-5884 receive a Woodsman carrying case, STIHL baseball cap...absolutely FREE! --_--------" The STIHL FS56 - a lightweight, electronic weed and grass trimmer. Smooth, long-running, gasoline performance with no extension cord needed. Features fully adjustable "loop" typehandle, and a low weight of only 10.5 Ibs. A great gift for Father's Day! SALES "HOTLINE 852-5884 "Naturescaping" saves water but d yields bealthy, beautiful growth ing from the Greek word for "dry," actually relies on work- ing with nature. This "naturescaping" in- volves selecting the best plants, soils, locations, and irrigation systems to create a beautiful landscape that uses water effi- ciently. So relax, you're not lim- ited to cacti and rock gardens. Color-rich perennials and many varieties of shrubs are just two "naturescape" components that cut water use by almost two- thirds. Specialists in water-saving landscape design suggest that property owners follow these guidelines to improve both their conservation and beautification efforts. *Plan how you're going to use the various sections of your yard, and decide where you think the plantings would look and grow best. *Organize plants by putting them in groups according to lev- el of water use - low, medium or high. This saves the water that's lost when drought- tolerant plants are planted too close to thirsty tropicals. *Install an efficient drip wa- tering system. Initial costs may seem high, but over time you'll realize the savings associated with a system that will bring water to the areas that need it rather than over watering the entire property. *Accept the fact that any grass needs up to four times as much water every year as low water use groundcovers. Then select the locations where you need it, such as a play area or portion of the front yard. But choose the right grass for each: A warm weather, drought tolerant variety may do for the play area, while a section of cool season, deep green grass might suit the front yard. Choosing the proper grass species for your particular climate is im- portant, too. *Check to see if the soil is moist or dry by inserting into the ground a rod or tool such as a screwdriver. This will tell you whether or not the roots are get- ting enough water to grow deep- *Use the right irrigation method for the particular plant- ings. Suggestions include bub- blers for trees, drip systems for shrubs and ornamentals, sprinklers for grass. Your gar- den center may also carry other devices such as soaker hoses, low volume sprinkler heads, and automated systems run by time clocks. *Use a rod inserted in the ground to deliver water closer to the roots. This will conserve wa- ter and prevent evaporation. *Collect water during rain- falls and use if on the areas that need the most moisture. *Apply mulch to help limit evaporation and guard against erosion. *Mow lawns to three inches at the highest setting on the lawnmower. That keeps the wa- ter requirements low because the lawn will provide shade for the ground, which slows the rate of evaporation. Watering early in the morning will accom- plish the same result.