v a k y iu e PUBLIC Lf^ARY T20 N A V Y STREET O A K V ILLE O N TA R IO 161 224 HOME & GARDEN An Oakville Beaver Feature · To advertise in this section call 905-845-3824 or Fax 905-337-5568 W KDNKSDAY. .\P R IL 2 4 . 2002 · Don't let allergies keep you out of the garden (W M S) - Just because you suffer from allergies or asthma doesn't mean that you have to forgo the beauty and pleasures of gardening. Research, common sense and knowledge are all you need to create fabu lous landscapes and gardens that will not make you, your children or your neighbors sick, according to Thomas Leo Ogren, author of "Allergy-Free Gardening: The grasses release their pollen from about 3 am. to 8 a.m. therefore, it is never a good ideal to mow lawns early in the morning. Hardware stores sell inexpensive, yet effective paper face-mask filters to cover the nose and mouth. For those who are especial ly allergic to grass pollens, wearing a mask may not be enough. These gardeners would be wise to hire someone else to do the mow Revolutionary Guide to Healthy ing or replace the lawn with low-allergy Landscaping" (Ten Speed Press). ground cover. If you employ a maintenance Approximately 50 to 60 million gardener, ask him or her to do your yard later Americans suffer from allergies, including in the day. At the least, close the windows for allergic asthma according to the Asthma and a few hours until all of the pollen has settled Allergy Foundation of America. Annually, down. seasonal allergies cost more than $4.5 billion 2. Plant Identification. If you buy a in medical care. As a gardener, you have house with a landscape and garden already control over what you plant, and. with in place you may not know exacUy what enough knowledge and understanding, can kinds of plants you have growing in your drastically limit allergens in your garden. yard; ask an expert. Never be embarrassed or The most important thing a gardener can afraid to admit your uncertainty; there are do to reduce the allergy potential of a garden simply too many different kinds of plants out is to plant those species which cause little or there and no one can possibly know them all. no allergy. Allergenic plants that already 3. Trees and Pruning Away Allergy. exist in the landscape may be removed, one Many trees grow large and tall, often tower at a time, and replaced with cleaner choices. ing above everything else in the garden. If In addition to the selecting and planting of they produce alleigenic pollen they have a nonallergenic plants, however, other impor serious effect on the overall air quality of tant things can be done to limit allergies in your garden. With many trees, especially the home landscape. non-evergreen trees, a yearly hard pruning, 1. Lawn Care. There arc several ways to in which the ends of all branches are cut limit pollen release in lawns. Most lawn back, results in a tree that - for the next season - will produce only leaves, not allergy inducing flowers. 4. Keeping Trees and Shrubs Healthy. For one reason or another, despite being given plenty of attention, certain trees, shrubs or other garden plants fail to thrive in some gardens. Plants that are not growing well quickly become targets for pests, dis eases or insects. As insects suck the juices out of a plant, they secrete a sticky substance called honeydew. and mold grows on this honeydew. Mold produces millions of air borne spores that cause allergy, and the insects themselves cause even more allergy. 5. Insecticides and Herbicides. Pesticides, especially chemical ones cause allergy, and often a single overexposure can leave many people hypersensitive to many substances that never bothered them before. Use all pesticides sparingly, and never when the wind is blowing. A very effective insecticide can be made by mixing several teaspoons of liquid dish soap and three teaspoons of vegetable or mineral oil into one gallon of warm water. For increased effectiveness, substitute a commercially produced insecticidal soap. If warm-blooded pests like rabbits are a prob lem. add a few drops of hot pepper sauce to your homemade sprays. If you've never tried simple sprays like these, do so. They often work well and are nontoxic. Spring into action by preparing your soil (W M S) -You can get a jump-start on the summer har vest in your veg etable and flower garden by "making your beds" with the healthiest soil you can. This spring, take a little extra time to prepare your soil before planting. Your native soil most likely consists of either tot) much clay, making it thick, lumpy and clingy or too much sand, allowing water and nutrients to leach away. This year, you don't have to settle for these conditions. By adding organic matter, like Canadian peat moss, to your veg etable or flower beds, you will improve the tilth (texture) of any soil. Peat moss has the unique ability to bind sandy soil and loosen clay soil. Its cell structure helps regulate moisture and air around plant roots, creating ideal growing conditions. The improved soil texture not only cre ates a healthy envi ronment for all of your plants, but will also make weeding much easier once things start to grow. To add nutrients to your soil, blend compost with peat moss and dig both in at the same time. Simply spread 1to 2 inches of peat moss and 1 to 2 inches of compost over your garden, then dig them into the top 6 to 8 inches of soil. Compost is decomposed organ ic matter like veg etable peelings, lawn and garden debris which is packed with nutri tion. When peat is blended with com post it helps extend the volume and soil-life of the nutrient-rich compost and helps to reduce soil compaction. 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