Courses help to cultivate green thumb NORTH SHORE Continuing Education is offering several home gardening seminars and courses this winter, all instructed by Roy Jonsson. A one-day seminar on greenhouse gardens will be offered Jan. 26 at Carson Graham Sec- ondary School in North Van- couver. The program is for peopie who own greenhouses or are thinking of buying one. Topics under discussion will be location, con- struction, cost, materials, heating and ventilation, operation, plants, diseases and hygiene. The seminar is from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The fee is $25. A half-day seminar on planter box gardening for patios and balconies will be offered Feb. 9. The program, also at Carson Graham, is for people with balconies or smali growing areas who want to create better mini- gardens. Topics under discussion will be: container construction and design, soil, fertilizer, plant selec- tion, maintenance and pres- entation. The seminar is from9 | a.m. to noon with a fee of $16. A 20-hour course on home gardening and landscaping will be offered from Jan. 17 to March 21 at Carson Graham. This program is designed to help the homeowner create and maintain a home garden. Topics under discussion will be: landscape design, soils, fertilizers, compost boxes, bulbs, vegetable gardens, flower beds, lawns, flowering shrubs, bushes and trees, pruning, vines and ground covers and propagation. The course runs 7:30 to 9:30 each Thursday evening at a cost of $60. For further information phone 986-8888. Friday, January 18, 1991 - North Shore News - 13 It’s time to perform surgery on damaged trees and shrubs LET’S HOPE we have seen the worst of it. If this winter comes up with anything worse than that which it already has dished out, you can bet I will try to skip that course and maybe the country too. Unfortunately, the garden does not have that option. No’ matter what weather ap- pears on the menu, ovr gardens must stomach all that is served. How could I even think of skipping the country to park my butt on some sunbaked, sandy beach while my garden is aitcr- nately drowned, frozen, weighed down by snow and blown to bits? I don’t know? Gimme the plane ticket and Pll think about it over a mai tai. Actually, there is no escape. Imagine the look on your tan- ned-to-perfection profile when confronted with the damage on your return. We may as well tackle the repairs now and hope the powers-that-be reward our efforts with a little rest in the sun later — or at least by calling a halt to this onslaught. The most serious and obvious damage is that caused by high winds and heavy snow loads. In the case of high winds, the dam- age appears as either breakage or an uprooting. If the injured tree or limb is smali, say under six inches, it may be repairable. The broken trunks and bran- ches of your trees and shrubs can heal just as quickly as broken bones if given the chance. You must begin repairs before the wound begins to heal if you hope to achieve success. First, a little plane physiology. There are three major compo- ANNUAL it’s time to redecorate at sale prices. 25 cr All drapery fabrics, sheer fabrics, vertical ond horizontal blinds. 20% OFF Bedspreads and cushions. CAPILANO DRAPERIES 114A W. 15th St. North Vancouver 988-5621 44 The broken trunks and branches of your trees and shurbs can heal just as quickly as broken bones if given the chance. 99 nents of stems and branches. The‘bark acts as the protective skin and is charged with the task of fending off the attacks of diseases and insects. The woody centre acts as the skeletal struc- ture that supports the framework of the tree or shrub. The green layer just under the bark is called the cambium. This is the area that is responsible for the protection of the stem’s new growth. The zone just under the cambium holds the plant’s ver- sions of veins and arteries that circulate the sap throughout the plant. The cambium fayer and the plumbing below it on the broken limb must be brought back into PRE-INVENTORY ONE DAY ONLY! SATURDAY, JAN. 19 Geofi Tobiasson OVER THE GARDEN GATE contact with those of the original plant before the wounds substantially heal. Doing so will ensure that the two halves reform over the break. This will restore the plant’s sap circula- tion, block the development of disease, and begin the necessary strengthening at the site of the break. The addition of splints will ensure the stability of the wound over the crucial healing period. The less motion stress placed on the break, the sooner it will mend i.self. Do not apply pruning paints or emulsions directly to the wound as these may interfere with proper healing. It would be better to wrap the area with waxed paper and cover this with the paints and emulsions. In the case of large limbs that have become completely sepzrat- ed from the original plant, prun- ing is the only realistic option. Use a sharp pruning saw to remove the ragged stuinp to the next branch back from the break. Cover the entire wound with pruning paint or emulsion. Uprootings can be corrected by simply replanting the shrub or small tree. Try setting up a three-legged brace; with this and a set of pulleys or a come-afong you should even be able to right trees of larger size. Use an old bed sheet to construct a protec- tive sling around the trunk. This will prevent ropes from scarzing the bark. The extensive use of staking will assure you that the tree is immobilized while it redevelops its root system. Even if the wind is allowed to rock or sway it slightly, newly created roots can break off or become damaged. There is not much that can be done about frost damage or wind burn; plant tissue damaged in this way cannot be repaired. If comprehensive injury to the root system or, if most of the plant’s top growth has suffered frost burn, the plant may not survive. If the cold front attacks again, as well it may, take precautions to avoid further damage. The mulching of sensitive roots, con- struction of wind screens or covering the entire plant with an insulating layer of leaves may be n ecessary. Weill, let’s hope that was the end of it. If not, I’li see you on the beach. 5’ JETTED TUB TOLETBASI (WITH SEAT) | MARY OTHER INDOOR SPECIALS WHITE, BONE & IVORY ONLY! *slight impertections ONE DAY ONLY! SATIJAN. 19 Shrvirit ine tows Mainiay tor.gver 4$ years!”