' 445-1552 The CIVIC GARDEN CENTRE —Garden Topics & Events Newsletter
HORT HAPPENINGS by Anne Marie Van Nest
Be sure to use a fertilizer that is
specifically formulated for flowering
MAY 1986 GARDEN PREPARATION If only the month of May could be extended into two. This month is just so busy in the garden that in the blink of an eye, seemingly dormant plants are all in bloom. This is the month that so much preparation is needed for a successful garden. Time spent now will reward you endlessly all summer. Bed preparation is one of these key areas. Although less crucial for annuals than perennials, it is very important to do this before you plant! Soil ammendments and fertilizers are much easier
to add now and are more effective if they are uniformly mixed in the soil.
plants or vegetables in your garden. Do not use lawn fertilizers on your flowering plants; you may get all vegetative growth and no flowers or no plants at all if your fertilizer has a weed Killer incorporated in it. COMPOST Compost is a very good addition to any garden as long as it is well decayed to destroy any weed seeds. It is ready to use when the original ingredients can no longer be recognized and a dark crumbly material is present. Compost is a good mulch for your established beds as well. Keep your
mulch away from directly under your plants as this is an ideal hiding place for insects such as earwigs or slugs. cont. pg. 11
The CIVIC GARDEN CENTRE SPRING PLANT SALES PRE-ORDERS — PICKUP Wed., May 14th from 1 to 8 p.m. PUBLIC SALE Thursday May 15th from 1 to 8 pm as well as on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, & Monday May 16,17,18 & 19th from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.