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SOME PEOPLE don’t want to spend
much on buying indoor plants for
their homes.

By Debbie Skiffington
Contributing Writer

With an investment of what litle
time and money you can spare, you
want to be sure your plants don’t die
a week or two later and get thrown in
the garbage.

Any plants that you bring home,
whether they are healthy or not, go
through the shock of being transpoit-
ed from the plant shop, so don’t be
alarmed if the plant loses all its
leaves.

The store doesn’t tell you that
when you buy them. Just remember
the plants that plant stores buy are
under the conditions of their store.

You should be very wary of mites
and other plant diseases, particularly
of the plants you buy on sale.

You need that power to take the
initiative, but most of us have
enough to worry about. Plants are
not first on our list of things to do.

So, when you buy plants, be
selective. If you impulse buy, buy
plants that are suited to your needs,
Some people, whe buy plants on
impulse, put them in the wrong
place, then the plant dies.

No green thumb

Everybody has a green thumb.
Some, however, think their green
thumb is a little black.

If you decide to refurbish your
plants, do it with topsoil. The local
potting soil has all the ingredients to
make just about any plant healthy.
Special soil is needed for new root
cuttings. Special compounds can also
help.

The soil package will state the
contents on them. To be safe. read
the package contents first, it usually

66 Everybody has
a@ green thumb,
Some, however,
think their green

thumb is a
little black. $9

tells you how much and what plants
the soil can be used for.

If you use the wrong soil mix you
can easily burn the root system that
has been established and the plant
will die.

Plants usually let you know what
they need by their leaf color and tex-
ture. Don’t think by buying different
types of cacti that you are playing it
safe. You can even kill a cactus. It
will turn black.

1 could talk your ear off about
plants, but you will ingest only what

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you need. [t's handy and a good
stress release,

You can take out all your frustra-
tion on the potting soil. And, remem-
ber, you can have an argument with
a plant and actually win.

So, if you need an ego boost or
are feeling a little depressed, have an
argument with your worst plant. You
can be sure that it won't talk back.

There are ways that your plant
telis you what it needs.

I have not delved into fertilizers.
Ask questions. That’s why there are
staff people working at plant stores.

Because they share a general
interest in plants, if they don’t know
the answer, they will learn.

Plants, iike furniture, can make or
break the setting of your room. I
could get complicated, but I won't.

I don’t know what conditions
your plants are exposed to now.
Don’t think you can buy a plant,
bring it home, put it in the centre of
the table and nine times out of 10
watch it die.

Change its growing habitat then,
and only then, it might come back.

You should re-pot your plant in
new topsoil twice a year, once in the
spring and once in the fall.

if you forget to re-pot in new top-
soil in the fall, the spring re-potting
is the most important, because heavy
watering, in the summer months,
leaches out the nutrients. That’s why
fertilizer is so important.

Debbie Skiffington is a physically
challenged North Shore resident
with a keen interest in indoor gar-
dening.

Lay

* craft activities for
children
© puppet shows

¢ handmade gifts /

for sale
« refreshments

Vancouver Waldorf School

CHILDREN'S
CHRISTMAS FAIR

We invite you to enjoy a magical day of warmth and activities for the

whole family,

While you browse for handcrafted gifts or specialty foods such as
baked goods and preserves, your children can be creating gifts:
building gingerbread heuses, making fleece angels, carving
soapstone, dipping beeswax candles, woodworking or making
jewelry. Or they can choose gilts from the Gnome Village, a children-
only market, speciatly priced to suit a child's allowance.

The fair is a feast for the senses and the soul. Sip mulled cider or
sample candied applies while carollers and string ensembles
entertain. Enjoy fresh, homemade bread and a bowl of soup in the
Dining Room or tea and dessert in the Tea Garden.

And be sure to see the wonderful puppet show with your children!
We hava openings in some claszes, including Kindergarten:

THE
VANCOUVER
WALDORF
SCHOOL

If you have questions or concems about
your child’s education, come and have a
conversation with a teacher.

2725 ST. GHRISTOPHERS ROAD, NORTH VAN
TELEPHONE: 985-7435 FAX: 985-4948 .

Saturday November 19th at 8:00am

BREAKFAST WITH SANTA JN THE FOOD COURT.

INCLUDES A&W BREAKFAST, ENTERTAINMENT, PRIZES AND SANTA’S
ARRIVAL AT 9:00AM, TICKETS FOR SALE AT CAPILANO MALL A&W OR THE
INFORMATION/LOTITERY KIOSK. HURRY, SPACE [IS LIMITED.

mB
235 MARINE DRIVE, NORTH VANCOUVER

OPEN MONDAY & TUESDAY 190:00-5:36, WEDNESDAY 7O FRIDAY 70:00-9:00
SATURDAY 9:30-5:30, AND SUNDAY 11:00-5:00.

pe PEN ES SEE