Lt' s Time for the Fali Garden Clean-up Whether you're a green thumb addict and love spending lime in the garden, or a person who sees ail that outside work as a task best put aside, you probabiy need to do some level of a fali cleaning-up around your garden. Assuming you have trees in the area, the first thing you'Il need to deai with is the failing leaves. Rake 'emn up - they have their uses. If you have a compost, mow through the leaves a couple of limes to chop them up and then add themn dry to your compost pile. They're ideai materiai. If you have a lot of leaves, save some over the winter and use them l'or mulch as spring approaches. They'il enrich your soul, prevent erosion, reduce evap- oration and control weeds. Cut back plants now faal is the lime 10 trim fiowering perenniais dlown 10 about six inch- es above the ground, dig them up, divide the roola mbt smaller units and themn repiant with iota of muich and iow-nitrogen fertizer around them. Some plants such as herbs and coleus cao be dug up, re-potted and brought inside 10 spend the winler as housepiants. This is the lime 10 but and plant moat buiba. Their moots will get a healthy start in the ground during the fail, reat during the winter and provide glorious blooms in the spring. Reputable nurseries and bulb catalogues are easy 10 come by and suppliera are generally reliable. If you're, reiatively new 10 gar- dening, books and bookieta on the do's and don'ta are also easy 10 come by. Speciai care for the iawn During the seasonal change, it's the lime 10 give your lawn its closeat cul. The grass should be short because long grass cao develop sIiow mould and rot caus- ing problema in the spring. Fal is also the lime to give your lawn a good feeding with slow-reiease tertilizer to, help gel it through the winler montha. This is also the lime 10 plant new trees and evergreens. Roots will establish themselves in the faîl weather and rest easily during the winter. Trees planted in the apring and summer often tend 10 concentrate more on growing above the ground than in eatab- lishing their roots. As the fali weather gels colder, go easy on the watering. An ovemnight froat cao freeze surface water which can damage shallow roota and stems. While you're oulside sprucing up the garden for winter, il's a good lime 10 consider other lhings that need 10 be done such as cleaning the eavestroughs, check- ing insulation on storm doors and windows and filling exterior cracks. Cleaning and preparing your garden for winter wiil give you a sense of accomplishment during the long winter days and nights, and make the tasks of spring esi- er for you. The Canadien Champion, Tuesday, October 14,1997 - RU Main Street Better Re,ý-,-tltv - Realtor "ome S. & -&-and Gardens Corne see us at - 167 Main St. E., Milton - Acpuss Ipom Knox Presbytepian Chup 1 ImmO Îe 102 q..811011 fflt MmfuaMo Ltd. rMtM, Ont., LOT lK2 A lCampbollvillo Realty Me. ... country property specilahste.' Mobile: 905-467-6413 REDUCED!!!,. OnIy $2 14,901 COMMERCIAL~~~~LO BULIGFRRNovnentaly ocated h conîasn ofaprou fel 80 q f o te ain or. The 2ind floor has 1 bdroo apaimen tha canbe Mielto. comit al. on 12are aeparafeiyw Cmlide lyvvig et(95)85-29 I i