18 — Friday, May 10, 1591 -— North Shore News Apply fertilizer to your roses to ensure vigor and quality THE ROSE has long been a favorite among garden flowers. Nery, the Roman Emperor, is said to have strewn his banquet hall with rose petals, and Sappho, the Greek poctess, was the first to call the rove “The Queen of Flowers.”" Today’s roses still top the list of gardeN favorites and are sturdier and more free-flowering than ever. When well-tended, they will produce an abundance of flowers from early summer until frost ar- tives in the fall. Most rose growers seem well aware of the necd to spray of dust regularly to control insects and diseases; however, few seem to be as well aware of the need for an adequate supply of nutrients. Roses are heavy feeders, and they must have fertilizer applied at certain critical times, if they are to be vigorous and productive. A newly planted rose will have lost a great deal of stem and root tissue during the harvesting and Container gardening is a real space-saver CONTAINER GARDENING has become increasingly popular in recent years. For the urban gardener with limited space, it often provides the only means of gardening; for the suburban and rural gardener, it may be used effectively to provide a needed touch of accent color. While growing piants in con- tainers is not at all difficult, the circumstances involved require that special attention be given to such factors as containers, soil, watering and fertilizer application. Choose a container to match the architectural style of your home and garden. The porosity of the container is an important consideration. Unglazed terra-cotta has long been considered to provide an_ idal, well-aerated root environment. A non-porous container of a material such as fibreglass or plastic will require less water and may be a better choice for the gardener who will be away from home during the day. The container must also have provision for drainage, usually through one or more holes in its base. Poor drainage prevents air from reaching the roots and, if prolonged, may result in their death. Since the roots of container- grown plants are confined in a relatively small space, a goad soil mixture is essential. It must be well-drained to allow air to reach the roots, yet it must retain suffi- cient moisture to meet the needs of the plants and hold the fre- quency of watering to a minimum. A good soil mixture may be prepared by combining equal parts of coarse peat, perlite and garden foam. Sand may be substituted for the perlite for top-heavy plants that need added soil weight to prevent them from toppling in the wind. Since garden loam often con- tains weeds it may be best to pur- chase sterilized. Container plants require more frequent watering than plants growing in the ground for two reasons: Since they are above ground, they have a greater ex- posure to summer heat and their roots are confined to a smaller volume of soil. A good rule of thumb is to water when the soil fcels dry to the touch. Water until it begins to drain from the container. Deep watering encourages vigorous root growth and prevents a buildup of toxic salts in the soit. Frequent watering and rapid summer growth soon deplete the soil nutrients. It is for this reason that many container plants appear yellow and stunted by mid-sum- mer, with poor flower production. This problem is easily corrected through regular application of a water-soluble fertilizer. With over 10 years in the business, we offer interlocking paving stones and patio slabs of all different sizes and shapes, pots, planters, seed, fertilizers, lawn care products, garden tools and many more of your garden needs. BEST PRICES IN TOWN. Do-it-yourself or have it installed by us. DEERWOOD GARDEN & LANDSCAPE SUPPLIES 825 W. 1st Street, N. Vancouver 987-1221 Call us and Compare! to and be planting procedures. For it become established quickly replace this tissue, it must well-supplied with nutrients. An_ established rose will also benefit from fertilizer application when it is pruned in the spring. The gardener needs to prune the plant to remove damaged wood and to reshape it. Adequate fertilizer nutrients must then be supplied to produce vigorous new growth, The rose flower may be cut for Win a trip ®) to the Olymmip in Barcelona use in an arrangement or allowed to remain for its effect in the garden. [If left in the garden, the blossom, with a portion of the stem, must be removed when it has faded. In either case, new growth is forced for the development of the next flower. Once again, this forced growth necessitates fertil- izer application, From the time that a rose has been cut back until it flowers again, some six io seven weeks will have gone by. To ensure con- tinued vigor and a quality flower, it is often necessary to provide another application of fertilizer when the new flower bud first becomes visible. Bry fertilizers can be used for roses. However, they can be dif- ficult to apply with accuracy and slow to take effect. On the other hnad, water soluble fertilizers are already disolved when applied. This allows quick penetration to the roots us well as rapid absorp- tion into the plant. Solid Hide Oil ICS $4999 reg. $26.99 SWEEPSIARE Canadian Olympic Team Pin For $3.00 with any | gallon purchase of Olympic. 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