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A picture of lilies ~ exotic looking calla lilies are avaiiable in a range of whites,

yellows and pinks.

SHADED from the softest pinks to the
most brilliant reds, lilies work in any
number of different floral arrange-
ments. :

As cut flowers, lilies can last up to 14

days. Keep them alive with these tips from

Holland's International Flower Buib Centre:
“@ Choose stems where the three lower flow-

ers show some color, but just one of the

blooms is fully open.

@ Don’t choose stems with very green buds
“as they will fall off without flowering.

Give lilies a good drink as soon as you get

them home. ° -

© Trim the bottom ef the stems before arrang-

ing in a scrupulously clean vase. Remove any

leaves that might be below the water level.

or

(As they decompose the bacteria they create
in the water will harm the blossoms.)
® Cut flower food encourages the blooms to
open fully, but only use about half the normal
dosage to avoid yellowing leaves.
@ Don’t immediately place liiies in a warm
room. Let them acclimatize to indoor temper-
atures.
® Florists always remove the pollen tips, as
they stain the petals (and your clothing). To
do this yourself, gently cut the pollen from the
stamens as the buds begin to open. If you have
the misfortune to get the poilen on your cloth-
ing, gently remove with scotch tape or try to
blow it off. After washing, dry the garment in
bright sunlight.

— Courtesy of Netherlands F lowerbulb

Information Centre

Weed out bad service

LA thick, emerald . green
lawn is a very appealing
, part of a home.

It’s not only beautiful, but
also prevents. erosion of the
soil :and ‘might ‘increase the
value of a home. However, if
your lawn is plagued with
weeds and pests, you may

decide to turn to a profession-

al lawn service.

‘The Better. Business
Bureau (BBB) suggests the
following, when selecting a
lawn-care service.

Get several estimates.

Remember the least expensive’

is not. necessarily the best
choice..On the other hand,
don’t pay for services you
don’t really want or need.

Look closely at what the
various companies suggest for
your lawn. What did they base
their estimates on?

- Prevention

Find out if the company is
a member of a trade associa-
tion with a professional code
of ethics. Contact local
authorities to find out if the
company is properly licensed.

Also, check out the com-

_ pany with the Better Business

Bureau (682-2711).

Ask about the qualifica-
tions of the lawn-care profes-
sionals. Some companies only
hire those with‘ advanced
training in the field.
Regardless of their back-
ground, are they able to
answer all of your questions?

The company should teil
you what products they. will
use on your fawn and explain
the purpose of each applica-
tion. If you're concerned

about the safety of the prod-

ucts, contact the Pollution
Pesticide
Management Branch at 582-

5200, which can often provide
information on which prod-
ucts should be used and when.

The application of certain
chemicals may depend on the
weather. For instance, rain
may be ideal for some prod-
ucts, while others require a
dry environment. Liquid
sprays cannot be applied on
windy days ‘since there is a
danger they will drift.

To be safe, keep yourself,
your family and your pets off
the lawn during an application
and until the turf is dry.

Some companies automat-
ically renew the service year
after year on the basis ofa
phone call. If so, ask the com-
pany to confirm the agree-
ment to renew the service in
writing. Also, find out if the
company has increased its ser-
vice charges from the previ-
ous year.

THIS YEAR

GIVE DAD A GIFT
HE’LL HANG IN
THE YARD

(NOT IN THE CLOSET)

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a@ Black-headed Grosbeak visit
our Suprente 202 Birdfeeder

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