4 ~ Sunday, February 12, 1989 - West Vancouver Villager You can’t plant bulbs, but you can still save your poinsettias The Root of the Matter, written by horticulture expert. Geoff Tobiasson, will appear each month in the West Vancouver Villager. Readers are invited to send their gardening questions in to The Root of the Matter, 1139 Lonsdale Ave., North Vancouver, V7M 2H4. Please in- clude your name and telephone number. Q: IS IT too late to plant my spring bulbs? I particularly want to plant crocus and snowdrops. A: Yes. In particular, crocus and snowdrops. Yo.. may get away with dates as late as the end of _ January for some of the larger, later flowering varieties of tulips and narcissi, but small, early flowering bulbs such as crocus do. not stand much chance at produc- ing rauch flower this year. . . Plant them anyway. If they have not dried out entirely, you may get something from them next year.. It is best to get fall bulbs in the ground by the middle of November. Q: What shorid I do with my Christmas poinsettias to keep them alive year- round and have them bloom again next year’ AL Cut their tale heads off. Cruel as it sounds, this is the best advice. The red bract, which most assume to be the flower, is not. The true flowers are the little, fuzzy, yellow buds in the centre; they are only seen when the plants are fresh and have, no doubt, long since dropped off. . If you leave the bract on now you : will only jeopardize the development of new growth. Better to remove it by cutting the plant back by half, to one-eighth inch above an outward facing bud. This will encourage the start of new: growth on a bushier, well- shaped plant. Keep the plant bare- ly moist in bright window. After seeing the beginnings of this new growth, start adding a lit- tle fertilizer. Continue care until next fall when the plant will stop growing. At this time (mid-September) reduce watering and feeding to a minimum and keep the plant in a totally darkened area for 16 hours. increase water and fertilizer until after the blooms (fuzzy, yellow things) have died. Q: What do I do with overgrown houseplants which I would like to keep but not have grow any iarger? A: For starters, do not put them THE ROOT OF THE MATTER GEOFF TOBIASSON This should last for six to eight weeks. Having done this, the plant should have set bud for next year’s flowers which will begin to emerge shortly thereafter. You can now in a larger pot. Multi-stemmed plants such as Weeping Figs and Hawaiian Umbrella Trees, can be cut back to maintain controls on size. But eventually, you must begin root-pruning your plants. | WV COUNCIL RESPONDS TO Cl TIZENS” COMPLAINTS Amendments to noise bylaw considered ‘FROM BARKING dogs ‘to: barking drills, complaints of ex- cess noise have spurred West Vancouver District Council to look at hiring the North Shore Health Department to police occurrences. Council Li dedsa, 1 Jan. 16,'to ad MAUREEN CURTIS Villager Reporter . consider a number of amendments soenuy similar to the 80 to the Noise Control Bylaw. u iThe current: bylaw measures in-: / fractions subjectively, us: opposed". decibel construction limit used. in. “16 objectively with imposed decibel |: North, Vancouver District will be limits, as is done in many other © considered, along with regulation. - municipalities , ‘in, the Lower "Mai a 4 Controlling noise is complicated . a ¢ fact that certain levels of - sound ‘can . be. acceptable - in. one of hours of operation.’ _ ALES three: North Shore ‘municipalities already . Police the .. problem of noisy animals, Par-. area; but not another, necessitating aan the creation of activity and quiet. zones and restrictions during cer-° a - tain times of the day. | “The : five major . problem areas" anid ongoing ° building equipment * | * noise, animals and parties. : Eagle «Island resident © Patrick ‘ phasize’ ‘drilling “and blasting that had been } going on last summer. : “We didn't need an alarm in the . The ‘noise ‘started every : day at 7a.m.,”’ recalled Duffy. < Complaints; about the noise fi- : resulted in’ the contractors’ to. + International ‘Lands: agreeing - to" -.fimuffle their drills. o> © But ¢ Duffy | was interested in _ learning’ the future work schedule. : for, locai construction projects. =*We know that you have a gen- eral willingness to reduce the level of torment,”” Duffy said to coun- ad Rock: “Grills, which are used i in a . preparation for blasting, are so o. Roisy that .it. is “not. ‘possible to "establish noise limits that can en- “compass - them. | Council. will, ‘therefore, be looking at imposing a “sound | restriction - exclusively for ; drilling. Probable: ‘amendments. ‘should ticularly barking dogs, when the : noise continues more than - 15° minutes.. Decibel levels could: be imposed, but are difficult to en- force. . The current controls regarding 15 minutes of . continuous «or discontinuous noise also apply to . parties, but disturbing the peace or alcoho! related charges are consid- ered more effective. ; More unity in decibel restrictions ‘could result throughout the North Shore, as West Vancouver is think- _ ing of joining the City of North Vancouver. and. North .. Vancouver District in using the North Shore —9 to 16 6 August 1989 Southampton, England — “A week of fun, néstaigia and entertainment — featuring the : *89 G.!: Brides ‘Reunion and commemorating the 45th an- , niversary of D-Day. . ° includes 7. nights bed & breakfast, accommodation * welcome reception a ihe concert/dance by the Syd Lawrence Orchestra . © concert by Dame Vera Lynn: : “e many special coach excursions 4 _@ boat cruise . . . farewell banquet and much more : include * ‘mandatory. muffling © of q drills and 2 reduction in the. hours . _ Of drilling allowed.“ ~ - For. gas‘ powered garden. ‘equip-. ‘ment,: such‘ as leaf -blowers. and . weed eaters, council will be look- : *- ing-at ‘similar. noise‘levels such as - the”. 75.: decibels © used » cin - other : municipalities. .° Jogigels ‘vo 749,00 ane - Phone & book today 320-1425 Ma ne Dr., West Vancouver mis _ PROTECT YOUR | "LUNGS : DON'T SMOKE oe Health Department for enforce- ment. R.C.M.P. or North Vancouver Bylaw Officers usually handle after hours complaints, with follow-up the next.morning by the Health: Department . Noise Control Of- ficers. The Noise Officers. Bellisima BANISH UNWANTED.HAIR Control it stands to reason that if you were to cut back the roots of a plant, you would stunt its growth. This is one of the principles in bonsai or the Japanese art of dwarf trees. If you follow the rule. of thumb, cutting back 20 per cent of the top growth with 20 per cent of the root, you will find it easy to main- tain size. Be sure to use sharp, freshly sterilized tools on each plant so as to prevent the occurrence and spread of diseases like root rot. All of this holds true with single - stemmed plants such as the yucca, dracacna, and dieffenbachia as well, , The plant will look rather strange in its headless State, but new growth will arrive in time. More important, these plants generally have larger, thicker ‘tap roots and as such are more’ dif- ficult to root prune and more vul- nerable to root rot. Sterile tools and careful . con- sideration’ as to where to’ make your cuts are especially i important. / / H could become | very, useful in atten- ding repeated offences, such as the incessantly barking dog, especially when police are otherwise occupied with traffic and safety concerns, . The cost : > jo | oe [= Jo |~ | ]2t[m [ae