28 — Sunday, May 9, 1999 - North Shore News north shore news Fertilizer stabilizes lawn growtit | ess, srr... From page 20 Parsnips peas, potatoes and right atter they bloom and each year to eliminate old radish can be planted right this is the time to do it if woody stalks and encourage the moss from regrowing away. Spinach likes cool they have finished blooming. new growth to form. Go to should we have a damp sum- weather but should have I do not advocate heavy the plant base and cur out mer. been planted under a cold pruning of azaleas, camellias, any of the large gnarled stalks Unfortunately, you cannot — frame ac the beginning of pieris and rhododendrons but that are more than 2 cm ia put large amounts of this March to prevent it from if they need some trimming diameter. The plant will moss in the compost as it will bolting and going to seed to keep them below windows respond by sending up a not rot like regular clippings. — with the longer days in May or off sidewalks this is the number of new fresh green Lawns that are subjected and June. Pruning is often time to cut them back. shoots thar will bloom next to heavy traftic, playing chil- thought of as an carly spring Forsythia is typical of many of spring. Stalks that are too dren or pets will benefit from task but most of the fower- the other flowering shrubs long can be cut back to 2m acration. The removal of ing shrubs need to be pruned — that are pruned for renewal but do not cut midway. cores will also improve drainage if the lawn has been planted with a clay base sod. The dry cores can be ground up with a rotary mower to provide a light top dressing. A light top dressing with sandy loam will increase the thickness of the root zone and help bring the lawn through the dry period of the summicr. Applying a better quality slow-release fertilizer to the fawn will provide a even rate of growth and reduce the fre- quency of mowing and the volume of clipping you have to remove. When the clip- pings are short and the weather is dry, leave the clip- pings on the lawn to provide extra nutrient for the grass. Weeds are always a prob- lem but the well fed lawn will have far fewer weeds. Do not use “Weed and Feed” unless you have more weeds than grass. The cheaper anid more environmentally friendly way to go is to remove the weeds by hand or spot spray them with a selective herbicide. With night time tempera- tures down to 4° or 5° this past week it is still too early to plant most tender annuals unless they are in a sheltered spot with southern exposure. Prepare your annua) beds by turning over the soil and removing all weeds and grass. To achieve good results the soil should be mixed with one to two inches of rich compost, mushroom compost or steer manure. Additional 410. 10 fertilizer can also be worked into the bed or iri added to each planting hole. About the human spirit Be sure to mix the fertilizer with 1 the soil to prevent burn- and the will to keep moving ahead. ig the tender roots. Young bedding Plants will generally respond better to transplanti- About the challenges of life ng than older pot-bound plants that are in full bloom. Check all newly arrived trays, and facing them together. pots and flats for slugs, bugs and other garden thugs. . . . Vegetable gardens can be It’s about getting on with prepared in a similar way to annual beds. Broad beans, ~ cabbage, Icttuce, onions, green a guide - Royal & Sun Alliance insurance Company of Canada and Royal & Sun Alliance Life Insurance Company of Canada MAY 13: Local authors Roy are part of the worldwide Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance Group plc. www.royalsunalliance.ca t-888-877-1710 Forster and Alex Downie, co- authors of The Woodland Garden: Planting in harmony North and West Vancouver Brokers with nature, wil present a slide show from 7 to 8:45 p.m., at Archibald, Clark & Defieux (North) Insurance . ‘McPherson insurance Agencies Ltd. ne ion: ose nssre ary. 1196 Marine Drive, North Vancouver 985-0581 . 140C East 14th Street, North Vancouver 985-3185 MAY 13 TO 16: The fourth Baker, Russell & Ledgerwood Lid. - North Shore insurance Services Ltd. annual Garden’ Sculpture 1211 West 16 St, North Vancouver 984-0231 101-1112 Lonsdale Ave., North Vancouver 983-4592 Show takes place in sculptor ; Michael Binkley’s studio and Defieux Saxelby Insurance Services Inc Barry Hicklenton Insurance Agencies Ltd. garden, $35 East First St. in #105, 200 West Esplanade, North Van. 986-5265 203-15 Street, West Vancouver 903-3899 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Children . ; and well-behaved dogs ‘are trwin &. Billings Lee & Porter Inc. 7 welcome, some areas- of the . 1900 Lonsdale Avenue, North Vancouver 988-1148 505 Park Royal South, West Vancouver, 925-1201 - garden are wheelchair-friendly. : toe Call 984-8574 for more info. . hid ee ee a oe Se A 7 ss 7 a ate : Lynw VALLEY CENTRE It's about troubled waters and the compass that guides you. tsa Forward thinking since 1710 the business of living.