WHO TO CALL: Home & Garden Editor Pamela Lang 985-2131 (125) THE FALL Equinox on Sept. 23 marked the first day of the autumn season and should remind gardeners that sea- sonal changes are coming. The angle and intensity of the sun’s rays will continue to decrease until Dec. 22. Foy wonsson SOW IT GROWS As the days shorten and cool, plants sense the difference and begin to prepare for winter. [n many cases the plant slows or stops the produc- tion of green chlorophyll, thereby allowing the masked colors of red and yellow to become visible, giving us a magnificent display of fall color. The North Shore area typically has a frost-free season from approxi- mately April 15 to Oct. 15, varying with the elevation. Witl, the arrival this year of El Nino, a strong warm equatorial cur- rent, we may be lucky and enjoy an extra month or more of mild weather before our first killing frost. If all plants were frost hardy it would make the life of a gardener much easier. However, if we saw the same plants year-round, as in the tropics, it might prove to be boring as well. Some plants have an extra strong cell structure and/or a chemical that acts as an antifreeze. These features prevent the cells from exploding and keep the sap from freezing. In some cases plants die because extremely cold, dry air causes it to dehydrate. It might be interesting to know that plant geneticists are currently NEWS photo Torry Peters NORTH SHORE gardeners should take the time to clean-up their yards in the fall. Dead leaves and other plant material can help create a wealth of fresh soil next year through composting. attempting to splice in new genes that will give certain plants the abili- ty to withstand light frost without any damage and thereby extend the growing season by several weeks. With only a few weeks left to pre- pare before cooler weather sets in, Prepare for the winter’s colder weather you should be thinking about the fol- lowing tasks: Dig up and pot any tender plants you want to keep over the winter Move house plants back inside and be sure to check them for insects, scale, white fly and slugs. Set up a cold frame along the south side of your house for some of the semi-hardy plants such as dracae- na and agapanthus. In the case of hardy plants such as clematis and roses that only need protection for their roots, the whole pot can be sunk into the ground and covered with mulch. Choose a bed along the side of the house or an area that is very well drained. Hardy or seini-hardy herbaceous plants that are shallow rooted can be mulched to give them extra frost pro- tection in case of a severe winter. A mulch used for insulation is best when it has lots of tiny air spaces and drains weil. Try using leaves or sword ferns that have been chopped up with your Jawn mower, moss that has been raked out of the lawn or lady fern fronds wrapped or placed around the Kitchen, Bath & Smali Renovations Our Specialty At Your Service: 5 Experienced Designers ° Cabinet-makers © Cabinet-fitters « Carpenters ¢ Electricians « Plumbers ¢ Drywallers © Floor layers © Tile setters * Painters * Etc.: One Shop Shopping... Quality workmanship with 3 year warranty. References upon request. base of the plant. Root vegetables such as carrots, parsnips and turnips are best left in the ground until the first frost, as this helps to set the sugar in the root. Some or all the root crops can be dug and stored in moist sand if you have a cool, frost free room. If they are hilled and left in the garden, mark the rows with stukes so that you know where to dig when it snows. Planting fall rye or one of the green manure crops in the vegetable garden will provide a good cover crop and help retain nutrients, Hardy perennials, shrubs and trees can all be moved or planted once the maple leaves are down. Many perennials benefit from being split up every few years and replant- ed in renewed soil. Cleaning up annuals, topping perennials and raking leaves pro- vides an abundance of organic mate- rial for the compost box. Sometimes it makes sense to temporarily stockpile some of these items at the side of the box and use them to cover each successive layer of kitchen waste over the next few months. Too thick a layer of straight brown leaves will prevent the pile from heating and decom- posing. Add some high nitro- gen fertilizer to the leaves to speed up the decay process. Throwing organic waste in the garbaye is throwing money away. Now is the time to plant your hardy spring bulbs including edible ones like garlic. Cover the potential bulb bed with plastic if you can’t plant before the fal] rains. The time and care you invest in your garden now will pay dividends next spring. onetree | Kitchen & Bathroom Specialists 2990 Arbdutus St. 739-1110.