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20 - PORT PERRY "WEEKEND STAR" 14800 Cartrightt West 1/4 Line (off HWY. TA) se 'Gold and Commercial Series Models ¢ Choose from 7 Models * 2 Cycle Engine : * Push or Self Propelled e Aluminum Decks Plus, no payments, no interest g until October 2000* Trade in vor oid Lawns Ey mower and receive $100 off the retail price of a new Lawn-Boy Gold or Commercial series mower. Or, trade in any mower and we will still give you $50 off. But hurry, this promotion ends April 1/2000. Hii one trade-in pe Customer. BLACKSTOCK, ONT. LOB 120 1/2 km. north of Thickson Rd. Intersection : continued from page 19 The roots of all larger plants (like grass and trees) occupy the soil along with microscopic forms of plant life. Tiny but mighty, these organisms: change and digest the organic matter added to the soil by the higher plants. There are billions of bacteria per spoonful of for the unbeatsb le price of 20H.P. 3 $2, 695 autornatic $2, 495 standard 17 hp from $2,195 14.5 hp from $1,699 4 13hp from $1, 549 § DALEMAR SALES, 3 SERVICE, "PARTS & RENTAL INC. OUTDOOR POWER EQUIPMENT (705) 953-9080 Hwy. 7 RR#2 Osalwod, ON KOM 2M0 . "WE SERVICE EVERYTHING WE SELL" soil. Some grow in the absence of organic matter, but the majority of bacteria in the soil derive their energy by decomposing organic matter, and they require oxygen for growth. Some types attach them- selves to the roots of plants and fix nitrogen from the air into a solid form that the . plant can use. Other forms Living it up under your lawn of bacteria live freely in the soil and trap the nitrogen so it becomes available to plants. Fungi are second in population only to bacteria in the soil, at about 10,000 to three million per spoon- ful of soil. Fungi are useful in the soil because they break down some resistant soil components, as well as sugars, starches and pro- teins. Dead fungi add to the soil's organic matter. These organisms are bom, eat, expel waste, die and decompose, all within the soil. Those that burrow though the soil profile are constantly bringing up use- ful materials for plant life and aerating the soil in the FRIDAY, MARCH 31, 2000 process. Others make the soil nutrients more avail- able to the higher plants. Healthy plants growing on the surface of the lawn are also an important part of the lawn's ecosystem. Applying either organic or manufactured fertilizers, following the directions on the label, will provide the nutrients your lawn needs to grow at a healthy rate and resist disease. Those plants will return leaves, roots and clippings as valu- able organic matter to the soil"s ecosystem. Both flora and fauna form an intricate part of the soil complex-the miracle of life that exists quietly beneath your feet. continued from page 18 ocissus quinquefolia) and some of the species of clematis (but not the hybrid varieties). In annuals, impatiens provide a solid carpet of flowers in an unsurpassed range of colours. Browallia AT HUB I TIES IER RoI Re [SI GIES 'Three Degrees Of Shade grows into a striking, rounded bush that is absolutely covered with gorgeous bluebell-like flowers; it does best in a site sheltered from wind. Nemesia's open-faced flowers resemble minia- ture orchids, and nemophila has delicate flowers in either pure sky- blue or black with white accents. Ivy and zonal geraniums take . more shade than other types, as do double-flowered petu- nias. Use coleus, dracaena, dusty miller, spider plant or any type of ivy to accent shaded planters. Hanging baskets of fuch- sia or black-eyed Susan vine, with bits of lobelia and trailing ivy tucked in, look stunning hooked onto branches of trees. Planting Shady Gardens New perennials and bedding plants should be added to shady gardens late in the spring, in early or mid June, after the soil has become warm to the touch. | usually advocate planting early in spring as a means of extending the growing season, but shad- ed areas are an exception to this rule. Shade-loving plants are fussy about temperatures and can suf- "fer at even a few degrees above freezing. Remember that the amount of shade your gar- den receives changes over the years as plants mature, Even during a growing season, it will change as trees leaf out or reach their mature heights and the sun moves to a different angle in the sum- mer sky.