LIFESTYLES TEIN CD SA PEO Il - Friday, July 20, 1990 - North Shore News LIFESTYLES FR RSA SE TLD a TS Pinch plants and get more for less THAT FAMILIAR face on T.V. is forever proclaiming the new wonder product which will surely give you more for less. This article makes the same commit- ment. 1 can’t promise you a cleaner sink of no wax build up, but more productivity out of the garden is a definite possibility. The advertised product requires that you drive all the way down to your local supermarket, spend some hard-earned cash, drive all the way home, figure out the di- rections (if you're lucky), and ini- tiate whatever miracle this miracle product claims it can accomplish (if you're even luckier). More for less? Sure! My promise is simple. If you walk into the garden and pinch your plants, you will end up with over the garden gate Geoff Tobiasson ee plants into yielding more flowers and/or fruit. Nor are we engaging Where you pinch depends on what kind of ‘more’ you are after. More to you may suggest quanti- ty, while to others it signifies quality. Let's look at a few exam- ples. You may have a fine specimen of a cactus dahlia. The plant is healthy and the flowers that are produced are healthy and attrac- tive. Problem is, you would like to see more of them. The solution is to pinch out the strong, central stalk immediately following the last set of mature leaves. This will force the plant to produce a number of side shoots from a lower point on the plant. These side shoots will produce more numerous, somewhat smaller flowers. Although this is best done in late spring or early summer, try out this technique now on one or two plants. This will give you a good idea of what can be ac- more for less. No conditions, no waivers, no ifs, ands or buts. Your plants will be more produc- tive. This is not threat therapy. We are not trying to terrorize your in some Mediterranean ritual. An Italian hunk may entice a little ex- tra with a well-placed pinch on the piazza, but that self-respecting Canadian tomato will respond on- ly to proper care and attention. complished. If we were trying to achieve larger, exhibition-sized flowers off the same plant, we would do the exact opposite. In this case we pinch out the side shoots as they Make property unattractive to raccoons HERE ARE three simple tips on how to live in har- mony with raccoons: (1) Do not feed them. (2) Keep garbage, especially secured in animal-proof containers. (3) Do not allow raccoons to build a den in your home. Cover all potential access points and a special caution to pet owners: keep your pet indoors at night and do not leave pet food outside. smelly garbage, Raccoons will not normally harm or injure people, but may be aggressive if cornered. Raccoons may be cute and appealing but they are not pets. They are wildlife and must be treated as such. Raccoons in- fected with the distemper virus can transmit this disease to your dog. Remember, to the raccoons, we are sharing their world. By taking these few preventive steps, raccoons will be less attracted to your property. Separate yourself from the ordinary! | J. Collins is having a July furniture sale, but then so are a lot of other stores .. but they aren 't selling the good stuff. Ail sales offer you savings. Our sale offers you savings on the things you want. Which proves that all sales are not equal. JULY FURNITURE SALE SAVE UP TO 50% 685-8414 1080 Mainland Street at Helmeken Downtown Vancouver, B.C. Now Two Big Locations CANADA'S LARGEST THOMASVILLE GALLERY OE, THOMASVILLE GALLERY 435-5506 4240 Manor Street Burnaby, BC. (Half.a block west of Sheraton Villa Hotel) MONDAY TO SATURDAY 9 A.M. TO 5 PM. SUNDAY NOON TO 5 PM. develop and also remove smaller flower buds as they appear. This technique of removing all but one flower bud or ‘‘disbuc- ding” a plant will force this plant Fuchsias and hibiscus - Pinching the tips just past the last set of mature leaves, will encourage branching and more flowers. Staking a strong leader and pin- An ftalian hunk may entice a little extra with a well-placed pinch on the piazza, but that self- respecting Canadian tomato will respond only to proper care and attention.”’ to focus all of its energies into the sole survivor. The result will be a single, huge flower. This flower is not only much larger than normal, it is also much heavier. You should make it a practice to stake all of your plants which tend to produce large, heavy fruits or flowers, whether natural or not. There are three main reasons for pinching your plants. To pro- duce more abundant fruits or flowers, to produce larger fruits or flowers, or to produce a bushier plant. There are a number of plants to which the techniques of pinching can be applied with good results. Here are a few examples: Dahlias - as mentioned above. Chrysanthemums - same as the dabliac = Allen, ching out all other stems, in- cluding any side shoots, as they appear will create a standard form. Tomatoes - Pinch out the side shoots for most varieties. Fruit trees - Reducing the quan- tity of developing fruit will im- prove the size and quality. This is very similar to disbudding in character. On smalier apple trees, for ex- ample, it is easy to thin out the runts and encourage the formation of nice, big fruit. English laure! hedges - Although these plants will branch freely, they will become denser faster if you pinch off the growing tips. The use of hedging shears as a substitute for finger and thumb is allowed. PS Gooctacular Summer Sale Save 30% on our NEW Floral Collections. Choose from Sanderson, Robert Kravet and Fabrics International plus many more distinctive lines. Our experienced decorators can assist you in creating an exciting change or addition to any decor. 47| Call us now for a complimentary SS]. in-home design consultation or come and visit our show room. 985-6112 SS the North Shore for 6 years COLDEN FOUCH INTERIORS), 1099 Marine Dr., North Van. Corner of Lloyd & Marine | 2 Z Parking in rear