Gardening TheReview Wednesday, May 9,1990 — A8 Don’t forget to remove spent flower-heads Before I get started on some- thing else, and forget about it, let me remind you that as your rhodo- dendrons finish flowering you should carefully remove the spent flower-heads. I find if you bend each cne over, and give if a slight twist, it comes away cleanly, leav- ing the new leaves surrounding each head the space they need to expand. I notice that rhodos that have been neglected with last years faded blooms still in place, don’t produce flowers on the tips of those branches. Lorna MacC. called to ask when she might move a rhododendron that is presently blooming, and we decided that she should wait until flowering ceases, and move it then, taking lots of earth with the roots, and then watering it well all sum- mer so that it will settle down happily in its new home. Rhodos are relatively shallow rooted shrubs, but I hope Loma intends to get some help, since she is a small sized woman, and soil tends to be extremely heavy! Nor- mally rhodos should be moved in the fall, so unless it seems really necessary to transfer one now I'd be inclined to wait until then. This week “himself” and I went in to Victoria’s orchid show, which really was wonderful. I was amazed at Jim, he was perfectly willing to spend an hour admiring all the different varieties, and only by doing some wifely nagging was J able to prevent him from buying a number of roots. Since he had already contracted to buy several plants from Hal Winter, it seemed a bit ambitious to start off with extras when nei- ther of us has any experience in this rather demanding culture. At the moment I am swamped — guests are beginning their sum- mer visits, the garden demands constant attention, the greenhouse is absolutely jammed with plants, the ironing is beginning to pile up, and I seem to be going in five different directions at once! I just hope “himself” intends to raise those little beauties all by himself! He-is going to hafta’! Howard Edwards called to ask about mushrooms in his lawn, not the little nasties that come in a circle, and are cheerfully referred to as “fairy rings,” just a series’ of small mushrooms here and there in his grass. He was advised to try potassium permanginate, using one teaspoon of the chemical dissolved in a gallon of water, and dousing the offending toadstools with it. He bought the potassium permangin- ate at a drug store (expensive!) and has promised to let me know what happens so that I may pass his experience on to those of you who are also suffering an infestation. If your home is relatively new, and you find mushrooms growing in a circle on the lawn, almost certainly you have rotting wood down under the sod. The builder, or the bulldozer operator, or some lazy laborer has buried stray pieces of lumber (along with a crushed lunch bucket, a bundle of wire, several hunks of unwanted cement, and quite possibly the odd ATTENTION NEIGHBOURS: tree stump) under what now is your lawn. Is it any wonder mushrooms appear? You are probably luck it isn’t something a whole lot worse! Where mushrooms are growing you are (in theory) supposed to dig up your lawn, and keep digging until you have rooted out all! the decomposing wood which is caus- ing the problem. An alternative that requires a lot less effort, is to take.a leaf rake and scuff out all toadstools before they spread their spawn. Now using a pitchfork, or similar tool, drive many holes throughout the affected area, and fertilize using a chemical with a high first number (10-4-7). Water this in well, and repeat several times during the year when mushrooms reappear. Over the years the hidden wood will rot out, and your troubles will be over. You may be 110 by then, by golly, you should have a fine Stand of grass! My long-time friend Dick Keep- ence appeared the other day bear- ing gifts — seven beautiful tomato plants, grown with English seed and called Seville Cross. Really. nice of him! I had an appointment and had to leave but managed to pick his brains briefly about the apricot tree which had me really worried. There is a lot of die-back on twigs, some bleeding of resinous sap, and I was afraid our beautiful tree had made up its mind to die. Dick suggested that if we pruned it drastically, reducing it by about one-third, almost certainly it will be fine. This I propose to do as_ soon as we have harvested the fruit. I told you I had planted out one tomato, surrounding it with a plas- tic jacket to keep it warm. Joyce Robertson called after reading this and told me that she has already planted 46 tomatoes outside, keep- ing them under plastic at night, but DATE: May Saturday, May 12th Saanich North and the Islands Social Credit members meet to nominate their candidate for the next election. Join the WINNING TEAM and help re-elect MEL COUVELIER, our Provincial Finance Minister and first member from Saanich and the Islands. 12, 1990 LOCATION: Sanscha Hall - Sidney TIME: Registration 2:00 p.m. Call to Order 3:00 p.m. AGENDA: i. Call for Nominations ii. Election of Candidate For More Information Leave a Message at 655-0916 -THE COMMITTEE TO RE-ELECT MEL COUVELIER taking it off during sunny days, Judging from the looks of my lonesome tomato its not that happy outside, and I don’t think it’s only because it is all by itself either! Marigold Nursery reported a skiff of frost one night this past week, which means its too coal for tomatoes unless they are covered each night. - eee 5 A call from a distraught woman who, this spring, put in raised beds, and imported a lot of expen- sive top-soil. She reports that her new beds are being used as a communal biffy by. all the neigh- borhood cats, at night, of course, so she can’t turn'the hose on them. The only truly effective method I’ve found to keep cats out of beds until plants fill in the open spaces, is to lay chicken wire over the top, and seed through the wire. This x does work, honestly! MOM, WE LOVE YOU Nothing says it like flowers (assicHowers "656-6551 656-0411 3-2310 BEACON AVENUE Kents Cabinets and Furniture : #6 - 10114 McDonald Park Rd. For a Free Estimate Call (1 Block from Slegg Lumber) SIDNEY Shawn 655-0881 OPEN HOUSE. Saanich Peninsula Hospital 2166 Mt. Newton X Road Saturday, May 12th from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. in celebaration of Canada Health Day Sponsored by the Saanich Peninsula Hospital Foundation, Featuring displays and demonstrations. TOWN OF SIDNEY WATER MAIN FLUSHING PROGRAM The Town of Sidney will carry out water main flushing in the area North of Bevan Avenue between April 10th 4990 and May 11th 1990. Water supply may be off for up to four hours in areas where flushing is taking place and discolouration of water may occur. Residents are advised to run cold water taps to clear their sytsem of any discolouration prior to using washing machines or other water consuming appli- ances. The Town of Sidney will not accept any responsibility for damage resulting from the use of discoloured water. G.A. Bryson, Superintendent — Water Utility Town of Sidney