Learning |
irom the past year

lessons

&& Your. most important New Year's
resolution for the garden should be.to start
paying more attention to o-detail... te

HAPPY NEW Year, folks.
Although there were a few
less’ than. perfect. moments
in, 1992, ‘all-in all it was a
pretty: good “year
especially for the gardener.

L know the drought made things
a bit difficult, but this was only

the ‘result of a rather fantastic

* winter and spring:

We hardly had any frost and, to
the best of. iny, recollection, the. -
‘multitude of sunny days seemed to .

far ‘outnumber the dismally wet
ones.

- As the measure of the quality of
life: in. the’ Pacific’. Northwest is °
sometimes reflected” in the depth -

of the rain gauge, ‘by My measure
last year was OK: .

Hopefully, : we’ did manage ° to
- learn. a thing: or:two out of the.
“few problems °. , created by. this |
Weather, :
¢ !° Plant more “ drought- resistant:
a . gardens, . take a ‘serious look at ir-
~.Tigation ‘: systems. that. conserve -
water. and. initiate : practices ‘ that.
will reduce moisture loss...» '
:; Many of.you will recall another
: problem‘ generated -.by . that - un-
‘characteristically.’ warm , winter . of

last years: *-. we

The ; bugs liked it. “almost” as
smuch as we did. The absence of
“the one, or.two-killing frosts that ..
we: generally. have each -year. pro-
‘duced “a: population ‘explosion’ in

“the pest ‘world ‘unseen in past de

“eades.

[hope ‘we: learned ‘something.

from’ this. as. well. The: most’ im-.:
portant ‘lesson being that. our’ pest
problems * are’ out: there, just
! waiting. to. capitalize’ on clement ©
weather conditions: +. ;
They may be hiding ‘in’ ‘that pile:
f fallen leaves, under. that lumber

Geoff
: Feblessor

OVER THE GARDEN GATE

‘in a dormant” “form among the
branches of your trees and shrubs.

. Your’ most important New
“Year's: ‘resolution for the - garden
~ should be to start paying. more at-

tention to detail, thereby allowing ~
you the opportunity. to.solve your
“problems ~ before - they” become |

»; disasters.

Také the hordes in hiding ‘men-_

tioned above. If you do. not take

“the time to discover their hiding
places, by the time you do become-
aware of them they will probably:

have: chewed or sucked their way
through half of your garden.

If you poke around some of the
..garden’s. secret places, *: you. will
_ Probably. discover many caches of
‘slug epes.’ ae

These look like the eggs of. cal-
‘mon except they’ are: smaller” and -
pearly hued. Every one you find *

and destroy now will lessen your
“problems in the growing season.

Another: aspect. of this New.
Year’s resolution to, increase your

Wes;
eds
Vi

hens

On Experiencéd desi gners

2. Full renovation services’ ;"

amebrand appliances & plumbing fixtures
- Quality workmanship with 3 year warranty:

gr eo TD. (Est. 1970).
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é. Proven ata (references upon request)