NOW START YOUR FALL AND WINTER GARDEN
This model 12'5" by 8'5"
Here at last is the Aluminium Greenhouse you've been waiting for, offered in four popular sizes for home growers. This is not just another greenhouse all the best features in modern greenhouse design have been brought together in one design to make it the most up-to-date available. For example, the attractive booklet supplied with each not only contains a calendar of things to do in your greenhouse, but also helpful advice about plant culture.
Complete, detailed photographic instructions make as- sembly a simple and easy exercise; or, if you prefer, assembly services can be provided. All units come complete with Canadian Pittsburgh double strength glass.
Features available: e Shading panels e Double Glazing Panels o Electric or Propane Heaters e Automatic Vent Openers; and Eave Troughing is standard on all models.
Available at over 40 home and garden centres and other dealers throughout Ontario. See a display model soon!
For further information, or the name of your nearest dealer phone or write our head office:
1201 -12D
Telephone (4l
jowdale, Ontario M2J 3J3
splay units at dealers only
September 8-13, 1975
American Horticultural Congress, sponsored by the American Horticultural Society at Honolulu, Hawaii, with tours from September 13 to 17 or 19 to other islands. Contact: O. Keister Evans (703) 768-5700.
March 7-14, 1976
Philadelphia Flower and Garden Show, sponsored by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, at Civic Center, Philadelphia. Contact: the society at (215) 922-4801.
March 10-14, 1976
Toronto Spring Flower and Garden Show, sponsored by the Garden Club of Toronto, at the Automotive Building, Canadian National Exhibition, Toronto. Contact: Mrs. N. A. MacEachern (416) 483-9873.
March 13-21, 1976
New England Spring Garden and Flower Show, sponsored by the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, at Commonwealth Armory, Boston. Contact: the society at (617) 536-9280.
March 20-28, 1976
Chicago Flower and Garden Show, sponsored by the Chicago Horticultural Society and Botanic Garden, at McCormick Place, Chicago. Contact: Robert Wintz (312) 332-2868.
Homes & Gardens Tour
OCTOBER 25, 1975
Visiting Ante Bellum homes at Natchez, Bellingrath Home and Gardens, New Orleans, Callaway Gardens, -| and Atlanta.RATE $680.00
For further information contact your travel agent or MARYMORTON TOURS
P.O. Box 436, Station K, Toronto 12
Tel: 488-2674
Coming Events of notable Gardening and Floral Arts Interest
March 21-27, 1976
The Garden Symposium, sponsored by Colonial Williamsburg, at Williamsburg, Virginia. Contact: Mrs. J. S. Moyles (804) 229-1000.
May 18-21, 1976
Chelsea Flower Show, sponsored by the Royal Horticultural Society, at Chelsea Royal Hospital Grounds, London, England. And other shows held throughout the year at the society s own halls. Contact: the Civic Garden Centre for information.
June 17-18, 1975
Ontario Horticultural Association Convention, at the University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario. Contact: Russell F. Gomme (416) 965-1091.
You are invited . . . to visit our greenhouses (80,000 square feet) and see our quality tropical and foliage plants, cactus and succulents plus African violets.
Have your house plant questions answered by experts!
Open six days per week (closed Sundays) from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Just a few minutes off Highway 403 (Main St. West Exit).
BEN VELDHUIS LTD.
DUNDAS, ONTARIO (416) 628-2632
This Month s
Regular Features
Coming Events of International Interest, 3; Gardening Events Calendar, 16-17; Library, 28; Highrise Gardeners, 28; and Shop, 29.
Other ltems of Interest This Month
The Universal Language of Flowers a Personal Experience, 19; and Propagation by Separation or Division Requires Little Skill, 27.
The Front Cover
Late summer and fall usually sees the roses with another flush of bloom. This photo of the hybrid tea Adolf Horstmann was taken in September 1974. Photo by A. C. Drysdale.
Publication Committee for Trellis
Lawrence C. Sherk (Chairman), Gilbert A. Milne, ErniePope, Mrs. E. Redelmeier and Mrs.J.R.M.Wilson.
Editor and Advertising Director. Art C. Drysdale
General Information
Trellis is published monthly (except July and August) by the Civic Garden Centre, 777 Lawrence Avenue East, Don Mills, Ontario M3C 1P2. The centre is located in Edwards Gardens, at Leslie Street and Lawrence Avenue East, the geographical centre of Metropolitan Toronto. It is a non-profit gardening and floral arts information organization with open membership. Subscriptions to Trellis are only available through Centre membership ($5 for 12 months). Opinions expressed within do not necessarily reflect those of the Centre. This is Volume 2, Number 7.
THE CIVIC GARDEN CENTRE Telephone 445-1552
What it is
« A non-profit gardening and floral arts centre forthe dissemination of information to amateur gardeners with over3,200 keen gardening members
o Home of six gardening clubs or groupswith specific gardening interests from balconies, through greenhouses and hydraponics, to light gardening
« Meeting place for specialized plant societies from Bonsai to Roses
o Home of some of the bestflowerarrangers in North America (quoted from U.S.A. author and editor, Helen Van Pelt Wilson)
What it does
» Operates Canada s most complete public horticultural library
« Responds to over 3,000 gardening questions annually
« Organizes, in both spring and autumn, garden talks and demonstrations on a wide variety ofsubjects and at different levels
o Teaches non-commercial flower arranging at various levels to over300 persons annually and encourages their competition
e Carries on an extensive flowerzdrying programme to extend garden beauty through into the winter months economically
« Operates a Speakers Panel Bureau which brings panels of experts on various subjects to groups desirous of an informative programme
« Publishes information booklets on various subjects; e.g. Preserving Beautiful Flowers
« Stages two flower shows each year and hosts numerous others
Whatyou will receive as a member ($5 annual fee)
« Ten issues peryear ofTrellis
o Free borrowing privileges from the 3,000-volume library
« Ten per cent discount off all purchases of books and gardening and floral supplies bought from the Centre
"« Opportunity to join one or more specialized member groups or clubs
« Discounts off all courses offered atthe Centre
o Close-as-the-phone answers to gardening questions by recognized experts
o Free admission to Members Nights held at leasttwice per year
777 Lawrence Ave. East(in Edwards Gardens), Don Mills, Ontario M3C 1P2
" Open from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm Monday to Saturday; 11:00 am to 5:00 pm Sundays.
YES! We believe Mother Earth is the best growing medium on the market today. Best for seeds Best for cuttings Best for terrariums.
HILLVIEW * MOTHER EARTH Good for everything you grow. We are sure you will agree ! HILLVIEW FARMS LTD. Farms and production: < T to Office: R.R. # 4, Woodstock, Ontario Gctr;.n (QDick)lc;aIe, (519) 537-7942 Sales Manager (416) 231-0589
The tomatoes are still green, but the impatient blade of the bulldozer pushes them aside while a grader deposits layers of heavy gravel over the fertile earth. The subsoil must be good and dead so that the road bed will last. The road is being widened to four lanes and cuts like a knife through the fields oftomatoes and cabbages of the small truck garden where, for decades, a gardener and his wife have grown vegetables and flowers and sold them at a roadside stand. They grow no more.
The scene described here is happening all over Canada: we are paving over prime agricultural land for roads and housing developments, pushing the greenbelt where food is raised further and further from the concrete canyons of the city. This process cannot be turned back. Where will it all end, and what will we do when we are finished?
Already many of us, especially city dwellers, have no access to soil. When it comes to growing some of our own greenfood, are we forever limited to allotment gardens 50 miles from the city and flower pots on window sills?
The answer is no. The solution may be hydroponics, two Greek words meaning water-working . Also called soilless gardening , it is simply a different technique of providing plants with everything they need for maximum healthy growth without using soil. Hanging gardens of Babylon depended on hydroponics
Let us examine how plants grow. Each is a natural workshop that produces organic matter in the form of _ Toots, stems, leaves, fruits and seeds. To do this, plants need light, air, water and nutrients. The plant builds itself mainly from air and water, powered with energy provided by light. Plants use nutrients only in very small amounts, much like humans utilize vitamins. The required nutrients are inorganic mineral
Here s how
you too can Grow Plants Without Soil
Helmut Julinot*
salts, because a plant cannot take up any organic substance.
That s right, many people forget that the vegetable kingdom feeds exclusively on the mineral kingdom. That s why there is no conflict between hydroponics and organic gardening. In organic gardening, the gardener feeds not the plant but the soil, with organic manure and dead plant matter. These organic substances first have to be broken down by weathering, and by the micro-organisms in the soil, into their inorganic constituent parts before any plant can feed on them.
In hydroponics, where soil is not used, the plant is fed directly with the self-same mineral salts which a healthy organic soil provides. The plant does not know or care whether its mineral nutrients were made by man or nature; a nitrate is a nitrate, whether it comes from a hydroponic solution or from a dead mouse!
In hydroponics, the plants are grown in a clean bed of inert aggregate that is kept wet with a nutrient solution made up of water and minerals. The aggregate may be gravel, sand or similar materials, the only requirement being that the material not be subject to chemical breakdown and be coarse enough to permit good aeration of the roots. The purpose of the aggregate is to anchor the roots of the plants, to keep them in the darkness they require and to-act as a sponge for the nutrient solution.
Hydroponics is not a new science by any means. Its earliest recorded use was in the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, one ofthe Seven Wonders of the World. Later, about three centuries ago, John Woodward, a Fellow of the Royal Horticultural Society of England, performed experiments to find out how
*Mr. Julinot is president ofCity Green Hydroponics Ltd., in Mississauga, and is in the forefront of re-popularizing hydroponics with home gardeners.
FOUR STEPSTO A BEAUTIFUL LAWN.
So-Green has developed an easy-to-follow, four step program that will guarantee you a beautiful lawn. Each step has been outlined in this publication during the past months.
STEPA4: SEPT. OCT. NOV.
If you failed to eliminate all your weeds earlier, or if a new crop has blown in, make sure they're gone next spring by applying So-Green Fall Season Weed Control with 3-6-10 fertilizer. This product is formulated to winterize your lawn and control persistent weeds while fertilizing your grass.
If weeds are no problem, apply So-Green Fall Season Lawn Food 3-6-10 and help your lawn
Fall Season Weed Control available in 40 Ib. bags. Apply at the rate of 10 Ibs. per 1000 sq. ft.
Fall Season Lawn Food available in 40 Ib. bags. Apply at the rate of 10 Ibs. per 1000 sq. ft.
For a free copy of the complete So-Green Four Step Program write to the address below.
QoGree
So-Green Distribution Centre survive the winter 20 Goodrich Road Etobicoke, Ontario
PINEHAVEN NURSERIES Limited
TYPHOO TEA (McGredy 75)
Rosy-scarlet and cream high-pointed blooms of quite a distinct shade. A truly magnificent new variety with a large rugged plant and such an overpowering scent. It has received the Gold medal of Hainut Belgium and the prize for the best scented rose in Madrid.Height 377,
Come and see all the varieties we grow at our FALL ROSE SHOW Sat., Sept. 20.
Order now for Fall and Spring plantings.
Ask for free full colour rose cataolgue.
Pinehaven Nurseries Ltd.
475 Queensway West, Mississauga, Ont. 277-2713
Canada s Foremost Garden Centre
plants obtain their food supplies. He wanted to know whether it was the water or the solid particles of soil that nourished plants. While he was thus using hydroponics in the laboratory, he was handicapped by lack of proper equipment and could make little progress, nor could the scientists who followed him until the beginning of the 19th Century. From that time on, French and German scientists conducted further trials which made possible the development of laboratorytype hydroponic culture which was universally accepted by 1920 for scientific work with plants.
Commercial vegetable production by hydroponics is expanding
It was not until about ten years later that Dr. William Gericke at the University of California transformed laboratory-style hydroponics into a more practical form of growing vegetables for human consumption. He set up outdoor hydroponic units which were brilliantly successful. His tomato vines reached heights of 25 feet and had to be harvested with ladders. It was he who also named the new science of soilless culture Hydroponics . With the publication of his results, the use of hydroponics spread rapidly across the United States and Europe. Commercial growers began using hydroponics for raising vegetables and flowers on a large scale.
By the late 1930s, the newspapers Sunday supplements were full of futuristic articles about the promise of kitchen table hydroponics as a means for people to raise their own vegetables by windows and on patios and balconies. Many thousands of such home units were actually sold, but soon fell into disuse for a very simple reason: their containers were made of galvanized sheet metal, or wood sealed with tar, since plastics were unknown at that time. Of course they leaked and corroded at a rapid rate and must have stained or damaged many a floor or rug. While the first wave of home hydroponics fizzled out for this seemingly unimportant reason, commercial hydroponics marched on to greater and greater use. Both the American army and the Royal Air Force opened hydro-
ponic units at military bases. Many millions of tons of vegetables produced without soil were eaten by allied soldiers and airmen during the war years. To-day, there is no continent where hydroponic gardens and farms are not flourishing. Big commercial units in North America and Europe, as well as in Japan, turn out quantities of fresh produce all year-"round to feed landless city dwellers.
From the Caribbean area, too, Puerto Rican and Mexican growers are shipping immense quantities of hydroponic fruits and vegetables to the insatiable United States and Canadian markets. In England, Germany, France, Netherlands, Switzerland, growers increasingly prefer to employ the soilless method for commercial growing. The list of countries using hydroponics to feed their populations is endless. One-fifth of all the vegetables consumed in Moscow are grown hydroponically.
There are several dozen hydroponic greenhouses in Canada, providing tasty vegetables grown without soil to Canadian gourmet shops. In the Ontario area, Bittner s Delicatessen stores carry hydroponic tomatoes and their superior flavour is well worth the extra Cost.
New, home gardening, automatic Kits now available
The advantages of hydroponics for commercial growth are many since there is no tilling, raking and hoeing, it takes the backbreaking work out ofgardening. There are no weeds to pull; no poisonous chemicals to spray; no moles or cutworms to eat the roots; and most insects leave the clean and healthy plants alone. A further reason is the vastly increased yield: hydroponic plants outstrip and outproduce their soil-bound cousins because they don t have to push their roots through chunky soil nor fight insect pests and weeds.
With hydroponics, the yield from a given area is five to 15 times greater than in agriculture. Growers and scientists report for instance, from 60-300 tons of tomatoes per acre with hydroponics, compared to only five to ten tons in agriculture. It should be kept in mind that these are not superscientific laboratory results, but are achieved year
after year in common greenhouses and open hydroponic fields.
Commercially, hydroponics is doing well, but that is not the whole story. Hundreds of thousands of amateur gardeners throughout the world are taking up soilless culture in their homes to raise flowers and fresh vegetables for kitchen use.
The invention of plastics during World War Il made seamless, leakproof plant containers possible and has given home hydroponics its latest boost. This fascinating method of plant culture en-
Based on literally decades of research work, City Green Hydroponics Ltd. has developed a complete hydroponics gardening package including growlights especially for the hobbyist, home owner or apartment dweller. Phone or write for information:
City Green Hydroponics Ltd.
6471 Northam Drive, Mississauga, Ontario L4V 1J2
Tel.: (416) 677-0824
Available at Clargreen Gardens in Mississauga; Eaton s Queen Street store, Toronto; Sheridan Nurseries on Yonge Street; and Flora-Decor in Scarborough.
ables the city dweller to grow a large part of his greenfood needs without access to soil, free of insecticides and poisons and, with the use of lights, regardless ofseason. Simple home hydroponic units can be built by the hobbyist and have only one drawback: they require manual attention and work up to three times a day in applying the nutrient solution. This is because the solution cannot be left standing in the aggregate, since the roots of the plants require air, water and nutrients ar the same time. The solution can be applied manually
The fall is a good time for transplanting large trees. Too, many tree jobs can be done now with less disturbance to the garden. For appointment call us early.
Codtorott SheeSorvires ~ LIMITED
1480 St. Clair Avenue West Toronto, Ont. M6E 1C7 (416) 654-7025
PEFFERLAW PEAT COMPOSTED MANURE/ PEAT MIX
The ideal soil mix correctly balanced to fill the needs of all growing plants indoors or out.
G.
T. STRAIN & SON
Cannington, Ont. Phone (Toronto) 364-6068
Indoor Light GardeningSpecialists
e Terrarium lamps e Hobby greenhouses
e Wall & table e Humex grhse. models accessories
e Build-up mini- e Stewart gardengardens ware Exotic, Miniature & Terrarium Plants at The Plant Room, Hornby, 878-4984
EQUIPMENT CONSULTANTS AND
SALES
@2241 Dunwin Dr., Mississauga, Ont. L5L 1A3 Phone 828-5925
TheHydroponicSoillessGardeningSystem
by raising and lowering vessels, or with an elaborate system ofpiping. This may be heavy work (remember that 30 gallons of water weigh approx. 300 Ib) and must be performed religiously, because the growing process of the vegetables must not be interrupted. While everybody agrees that it would be a good idea to-day to learn all one can about growing one s own food, the work and inconvenience associated with home hydroponics has so far prevented it from spreading into the cities where it is needed most.
All of this is now being changed as commercially produced soilless gardens become available. These are generally available as kits which are complete with planters and an automatic plant sitter which irrigates and aerates the growing medium continuously and silently and enables the gardener to go away on long weekends and vacations
_without ' nding on his return that the plants have expired. An option on some units is fluorescent lighting which provides a light spectrum, very similar to that of the sun, for indoor and winter growing. There are no water pipes or plumbing connections to be made with this system. Thin air hoses connect the plant sitter to the planters, preventing liquid leaks and spills. The water in the nutrient reservoir is topped up approximately once a week and the nutrient solution is replenished on a two-month cycle.
While this article hopefully provided some background on the fascinating technique of hydroponics, a second, in the next issue of Trellis, will tell all about how to use a new range of economical soilless gardens in the city for home growing of vegetables, herbs and flowers, and how to build a home hydroponic unit yourself.
The author shows off tomatoes setting fruit, surrounded by cucumbers, beans, parsley and basil.
Here s a specialoffer, made possable fhroughfheco-operationof_Eden AlummumGreenhouses that allows youto gefinon the fcscmcmng hobbyof Green.
youIl be oblefopurchasefh'shvgf;«quahfygreenhouseaf themembers usualrer.rf percent discount.
If you have ever thought about having agreenhouse, now is the time toact this offer isonly valid from now through November. And, this is the besttime to prepare your greenhouse for winter growing. If you buy now, you will also be eligible to join a new group of greenhouse enthusiasts whowill meet regularly to share their developing knowledge. Do give it serious consideration.
There's no better place thana greenhouse for perfect gardening pleasure,allyear 'round. Youcan grow virtuallyanything flowers, fruits,'vegetablesand shrubs in a climate you control, whatever the weather outside.
And, there's no better greenhouse than an EDEN. Itcomes from England where greenhouse gardening is a way of life;there are an estimatedtwo million greenhousesin Britain already. Edenlite,the makers, are the pioneers ofaluminum-framed greenhousesin Europeso you havetheconfidence youare buying Europes leadmg : brand. i
Hereis a way ofscvmg all those valuable andtreasured plants thatyou havebeen growing since spring. With theever increasingprice of vegetables,this is howto save money andeat better produce at peakflavour. Thegreenhou bby pro vides tremendous therapeuticvalue an escape from the sfress ind ain of achvmes -
On thead|acent page,fakea look atsomeofrhefeeturesfhutmqkethe num Greenhouse so special.
12/ September 1975
® Absolutely no maintenance. You save money and get more time with your plants
® Built-in condensationchannels, to re-cycle moisture and stop drips
® Fully adjustable roof ventilators and side louvres for precise climate control
® Extensions are available which simply bolt on to increase your area
® All glassis double strength and is cut to size for ease of assembly
® Smooth-sliding, feather-touch door
® Pre-Stressed slimline aluminum frame forextra strength provides maximum light
® An exclusive solid steel, bolt-together base so it's easy to assemble quickly, square and level, saving time. It will stay corrosion free, doubly protected by a galvanized coating under a black finish. Rigid and strong to meet our wind and snow loadings; guaranteed fo last.
® For automatic temperature control in winter, the answer is an electric fan heater; simple to install, minimum maintenance, safe, clean and economical
® The Eden Greenhouse is a British Design Centre Award winner
Please book my order for the following:
Electric heater forgreenhouse4,800watts; 16,386BTU/hr |nclud|ng'rhermosmf
S Book GreenhouseGardenmg for Fun by C. L. Bloke
( ) Enclosed is mycheque for $ payable to the Civic Garden Cem re covering items indicated above () | wish to use my Chargexaccount. Please charge$_____ to my account
Expiration doie HE e
| will pick up my order, please advise when it is ready.
| Please send my order as soon as possible, freight collect. Pleaseprovide assembly serviceand call me with a quotation. Please send mefull details of all otheraccessory items available mcludmgother EDEN Greenhouses, extensions, wooden bases, benches,shelvmg, ventilators and useful booklets.
BLOCK CAPITALS PLEASE Name ............o- .......Telephone....... " Address..........cccvnieeniieiiiiionneseol Se
Membership Number, or wish to join Civic Garden Centre............ccocuviviiiiiiininnnn.
Cuanadian gardeners have a one track mind when it comes to weeping or pendulous trees. The most obvious, and often the only, such tree available is the weeping willow (Salix alba Tristis ).
However, where space is at all restricted, this tree is not suitable since it attains a height of 50 to 60 feet, and has a wide spread. Its roots too, spread and clog the drains and sewers ofunsuspecting homeowners. There are other suitable trees with this pleasant weeping habit, some of which are not generally available, but should be sought out.
Some very spectacular trees, which are, unfortunately, only hardy in parts of coastal British Columbia and the mildest parts of southern Ontario and Nova Scotia, are the beautiful pendulous European beech and its purple forms (Fagus sylvatica Pendula and Fagus sylvatica Purpureo-pendula ), the delightfully formal Japanese pagoda tree (Sophora japonica Pendula ) with its cascading trusses of pinnate foliage, and the beautiful, graceful, weeping Higan cherry (Prunus subhirtella Pendula ). The beeches grow much too large for the average garden, but the pagoda
Weeping Willow is not the only Tree that Weeps Consider These Arthur R. Buckley*
tree fits into any small area. Its drooping habit is precise and picturesque and it makes an interesting specimen tree for the back lawn, where it is not likely to conflict with the building itself. The weeping cherry produces arching mists of deep pink single blooms in early spring.
Weeping crab apple is a good substitute for a canvas patio umbrella
Young s weeping birch (Betula verrucosa Youngii ) is an ideal tree where space is limited and one of the most attractive with its white trunk and showy catkins. The slender branchlets of all the European white birch group are pendulous and give the small tree a gnarled, twisted and drooping appearance, especially attractive near water. A specimen at Brooks, Alberta, covers an area of40 square feet, which is most unusual under prairie conditions. The slender European birch (Betula verrucosa Tristis ) grows into a much larger
* Mr. Buckley retired as ornamental plant specialist with The Plant Research Institute, now Ornamentals Research Service, Agriculture Canada, Ottawa, 20 months ago. He continues to write gardening information columns for newspapers across Canada.
Left, Young's weeping birch in late autumn scene, and right, Camperdown elm. All photos by Agriculture Canada.
tree with a rounded head and slender, drooping, waiving branchlets.
The most remarkable weeping trees in Ottawa s Dominion Arboretum are the Camperdown elms (Ulmus glabra Camperdowni ), small trees not more than 25 feet high with heads almost as wide. These umbrella-shaped frames, which stand high on ten-foot gnarled trunks, are formed from twisted and pendulous branches. The curious trunks and outline of the trees, which are now over 60 years old, present a most charming and picturesque design .
There are two outstanding weeping crab apples, with extremely exaggerated drooping habit. The first is the well known Eva Rathke (Malus Eva Rathke ) with red flowers and drooping branchlets. The other, with an altogether different type of habit, is the red jade crab apple (Malus Red Jade ) that originated at Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Each branch, young and old alike, hangs almost to the ground, forming at maturity, ten-foot mounds of vegetation covered in spring with white flowers and in fall with brilliant red fruits. The foliage is green all season. A good tree but just try to get one
One of the most common ofthe small pendulous trees is the weeping form of the Siberian peashrub (Caragana arborescens Pendula ). When grown naturally, this plant forms a normal shrub, but if grafted high upon a standard of the common Siberian peashrub, it becomes a graceful, although stiffly pendulous, small tree, six feet high with a
head three or four feet wide. Similar to this in habit is the weeping white mulberry (Morus alba Pendula ). Like the weeping peashrub this cultivar is grafted high upon long stems ofthe species. The weeping mountain ash (Sorbus aucuparia Pendula ) is perhaps the most pendulous of all trees. The specimen on the main lawn in front of the Saunders Building at Ottawa s Central Experimental Farm has grown into a tangled mass of vegetation with no apparent main trunk, but forming a treelike mound.
The golden fountain tree (Securinega suffruticosa) is a small tree or large shrub that looks at a distance like a miniature weeping willow and could be used in place of this rampant plant where a small eight-foot weeping tree is desired. In a location overhanging a small lily pool or in the shrub border its distinctive form might give diversity. The slender branches are covered with light green leaves, which in fall change to bright yellow. Although the tree has no beauty of flower or fruit, its golden colour in the fall and its diminutive willow-like wands should lend distinction to many gardens.
Unfortunately, the golden fountain tree is apparently only available at one nursery in Canada.
If you are interested in this tree, drop a note to the Civic Garden Centre, or telephone, and they will be pleased to give you the name of the nearest supplier.
Left, weeping mulberry, and right, golden fountain tree, which is difficult to obtain.
Events in blue held at Civic Garden Centre; more data from the Centre (445-1552) unless a specific phone number given. All other events (in black) held elsewhere; for data call phone number given. All events begin at 8:00 pm unless otherwise stated.
Abbreviations used are as follows: H. = Horticultural, S. = Society; and G.C. = Garden Club. Note: Civic Garden Centre Shop, Bookshop and Library open 10 am to 4:30 pm, Monday to Friday, plus additional hours as indicated for dates below.
Sun Mon Tues
AUGUST 31
SEPTEMBER 1
LABOUR DAY
Time to think about where in your house you are going to put all those indoor plants that are outside. Buy a greenhouse!
Shops open 1 to 4 pm
Southern Ontario Orchid 7 S. at 1 pm (759-1439)
Thornhill H.S. Summer Show at 1 pm (889-0231)
Shops open 1 to 4 pm
Batik Art Show at 11 am (822-8935)
14
Shops & Library open 1 to 4 pm
Toronto Bonsai S. (782- 8 2403)
Cannington H.S. (432-2272) Georgina Brock H.S. (432-2592)
Oshawa H.S. Dahlia Show 2 (728-8302)
Wed
Shops open 14Q4 pm
Canadian Chrysanthe- 2 ] mum and Dahlia S. Early Fall Show at 10 am with auction of blooms at 5 pm (223-2964)
Shops & Library open 7 to 9 pm
Mount Albert H.S. (473- '|5 2166)
Newmarket H.S. Autumn Show at 7:30 pm (895-4145)
Stouffville H.S. Autumn Show (640-1922)
Highrise Gardeners of 9 Toronto
North Toronto H.S. Autumn Show (489-5543)
Richmond Hill H.S. Fall Show (884-2286)
Shops open 1 to 4 pm
Civic Garden Centre Enthusiasts Garden Club Flower Show at 1 pm
Shops open 1 to 4 pm
28
Garden Talk: Fall Prepa- 22 ration and Planting for your Garden at 8 pm only
Kingsway-Sunnylea H.S. (2333849)
Markham H.S. Late Summer Show (294-3267)
North York H.S. Autumn Show (221-2158) Westway H.S. (241-7028) Woodbridge H.S. (851-0300)
Shops & Library open 7 to 9 pm
Garden Workshop: Dried Plants and Flow- 29 ers at 8 pm only
Scarborough H.S. Mum Show (282-8728)
Shops & Library open 7 to 9 pm
Aurora H.S. (727-6232) Pickering H.S. Fall Show (839-2037)
Shops & Library open 7 to 9 pm
Garden Workshop: Corn 2 3 Husk Wreath Making at 1:30 and 7:30 pm
Brampton H.S. (459-0119) Lakeshore H.S. (278-2517) Lake Simcoe (Sutton) H.S. (4764087)
Schomberg H.S. (939-2146)
Shops & Library open 7 to 9 pm
Richmond Hill H.S. Chrysanthemum Show (8842286)
w Supplies of tt Bulb should b now. The Co without any soi
Men s Garden |
Etobicoke H.S sary Flower Sh Unionville H.S. 1178)
Uxbridge H.S. (852-6959)
Shops & Library
16 s Gardening Un¢ Group (Note date)
Cloverleaf G.C.
Shops & Librar)
Talk: Learn Your Own Wine only
Brooklin H.S. N 3790)
Swansea H.S. ( Shops & Library
30 (06
Etobicoke H. 5255)
Thurs Fri
Planning-on more green- 4 ery around your home or apartment this winter? Now is the time to look at the various indoor light units available for plant growth.
Away on weekends and 5 afraid to have too many plants around that require frequent watering? Self-watering containers and automatic watering devices are more and more plentiful. Be sure to see the many types now available.
and Floral Arts Events Calendar for September
Sat
Civic Garden Centre Jun- 6 ior Garden Club Flower Show at 1:00 pm
Agincourt G.C. Annual Show at 7 pm (491-4110)
Scarborough H.S. Annual Show at 3 pm (282-8728)
Stratford H.S. Fall Show at 1 pm (271-6679)
Thornhill H.S. Summer Show at 1 pm (889-0231)
Shops & Library open 1 to 4 pm
Ciub ]O Have you thought about 1 ] Though you should act ] 2
Canadian Rose S. Annual ] 3
Anniver- an order of Spring Flow- quickly, there s still time Meeting at 9 am ow (742-5255) ering Bulbs? to plant evergreens for winter | East Toronto H. & Dahlia S. AnFall Show (297- beauty both in front of your nual Show at 4:30 pm (691Autumn Show
home, and in your back garden. Balcony gardeners should try some of the extremely hardy varieties in containers. 3665)
Riverdale H.S. Annual Show (466-4235)
fopen 7 to 9 pm
: 17 Ber Lights irregular 278-3476)
Shops & Library open 7 to 9 pm
East York G.C. September Show (425-7496) 18
When is the ideal time to | 9 sow grass seed to make a new lawn? Now! Be sure to prepare the soil well, removing old sod and weed stolons, leveling and adding fertilizer before sowing. Choose a top quality seed and keep it lightly sprinkled each day until it's established.
Shops and Library open 9 am to 4 pm
Canadian Chrysanthe- 20 mum and Dahlia S. Early Fall Show at 2 pm (223-2964)
fopen 7 to 9 pm
to Make 24 £ at 8 pm
fum Show (655762-1001)
Shops & Library open 7 to 9 pm
Beaverton H.S. Vegetable 25 Show (426-7878)
Tulips, daffodils, crocus, 26 narcissus, and hyacinths are only a few of the types of spring flowering bulbs available for planting now. You should be sure to visit your bulb dealer early and make your selection while the choice is greatest. Don t forget too about the many unusual small bulbs.
Shops & Library open 1 to 4 pm
To-day would be a good 27 day to visit Edwards Gardens, or if you are in the west end of the city, James Gardens.
'4ben 7 to 9 pm
TOBER
S. (742open 7 to 9 pm
1
Shops & Library open 7 to 9 pm
If there has been no kill- 2 ing frost yet, you should pot up such plants as fibrous begonias, leaving them outside for a few weeks yet, to get accustomed to their pots, before bringing them indoors for growth.
Yes, there is still time to 3 plant spring flowering bulbs, but you should hurry if you want to plant daffodils. Don t delay with these. Tulips and others may be planted even as late as next month if the soil is not frozen!
Shops & Library open 1 to 4 pm
Do not burn your raked 4 leaves! And, do not put them out for the garbage either. Store them for use in mulching roses, chrysanthemums and other perennials once the ground is frozen solid.
Shops & Library open 7 to 9 pm
Shops & Library open 1 to 4 pm
The mention of Yucca during the pioneer era in the southwestern United States would no doubt have brought to mind soups or salads, since flowers of several indigenous species of this group of plants were used as a food source. While food prices are rapidly rising in contemporary North America, the Yucca is generally valued only as an ornamental landscape plant now.
Yuccafilamentosa, or Adam s needle, is a hardy perennial plant which grows in a large-mounding clump-like form. The evergreen leaves are stiff, fibrous, and pointed, extending out from the centre ofthe plant much like quills on a porcupine. They are 15 to 24 inches long and a dull, dark green. An unusual characteristic of the leaves are small drooping loose threads along their edges. The Indians and colonial Americans used these threads for various household purposes requiring strong. fibre. The cup-shaped white flowers bloom in late June or early July and are borne in large clusters at the top of a stalk that generally reaches a height of four to five feet and may grow as high as 12 feet.
Adam s needle (Yucca filamentosa) displays its majestic flower stocks in early summer.
Photo by Agriculture Canada.
A Desert Plant that Grows Well in most of Canada
Frederick E. Roberts*
Too much attention may harm them
Most garden centres in Canada list two species of Yucca, the other being Yucca glauca, or Spanish bayonet, a native of Alberta. Hardier than Adam s needle, Spanish bayonet will grow in climates such as those in Sault Ste. Marie, Sudbury, North Bay, Edmonton and Calgary. Adam s needle should also be found to be hardy in the Ontario cities named, and possibly in even colder areas. Spanish bayonet has narrower leaves (/2 inch width) and slightly smaller flowers, also creamy white, borne in clusters.
Yuccas are easily propagated from seed, rhizomes, or stem cuttings and off sets. It is best to plant or transplant them in the spring. If fall planting is necessary, it is important to protect them during the first winter. They will tolerate a wide variety ofenvironmental conditions, preferring light, welldrained soil and full sun and will thrive in soils of low fertility with little moisture. Yuccas have no serious pests and need no pruning except for removal of dead flower stalks and leaves. They require little or no care and may be harmed by too much attention.
The interesting form, texture and flowering habit of the Yucca makes it a valuable and useful ornamental plant for Canadian gardens. In addition, its tolerance of poor conditions and minimal care suggest it should be used more frequently in our modern landscapes. It does well as a specimen or accent plant in foundation plantings, and in mass plantings. It may also be used for erosion control and will help to cover areas where it is difficult to establish other acceptable plants.
If the plants purchased from local nurseries or garden centres are small concluded in adjacent column
*Mr. Roberts is director of Kingwood Center, Mansfield, Ohio, a centre with similar aims and objectives to those of the Civic Garden Centre.
Whie walking down a street in Baku recently, I suddenly realized how much I missed home and the many pleasant associations I had made through my love of flowers. We had stopped an attractive young couple carrying a beautiful bouquet of brilliant red carnations with the largest, purest white calla lilies I had ever seen, and I asked to take their picture. They graciously consented and as we walked away I could not help but think what a universal language existed in the love of flowers. They spoke no English and I could speak neither Azerbaijan, nor Russian and yet they eagerly agreed, through sign language, to letting me take their picture. I knew not where they were going with their floral offering and they asked not where their picture would go.
Baku, for those who need a refresher course in geography, as I did, is an oasis ofgreen surrounded by desert and myriads ofoil wells rising up from the shore ofthe Caspian Sea midway up the western shore in the Azerbaijan Republic of the U.S.S.R. We were there on a tour, a Caucasian Odyssey , with a group of professional engineers. Much of our tour took in the Caucasian republics of Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan.
As 1 think back about our trip, and look at the pictures, I reflect on the many occasions when flowers played a part. In Kiev, each wedding guest brought bouquets offlowers to the bride at the wedding reception. The young pioneers carried flowers to the Garden of Eternal Glory and placed them on the bronze wreath of the eternal flame _ at the grave of the unknown soldier. After each performance of the ballet in
YUCCAS
(six to ten inches), it may well take up to four years before the first flower stalk is produced. Older, larger plants may be expected to bloom in the second year.
The Universal Language of Flowers a Personal Experience
Eleanor Weckman*
Kiev s Chernokov Opera House, and the Bolshoi Ballet in Moscow, flowers were presented to both the female and male leading performers.
Bouquets magically appeared at the floor-ladies desks in each hotel. Mannana, our attractive Georgian guide, said the proper way to resolve a domestic crisis was with flowers. Each bride took flowers to the tomb of the unknown soldier in her area. Veterans of the Nazi oppression of World War II carried flowers to the cenotaphs of fallen heroes. Lenin s tomb in Red Square, Moscow, is a red granite monument laden with flowers.
Flowers mean thank you, love, best wishes, reverence, and please forgive and forget. Flowers are carried by young and old, men and women, and boys and girls. I could not help but think a flower brings a ray of sunshine into every life.
As I returned to Canada I was happy to get into my own garden, and return to the Civic Garden Centre. I look forward to Milne House Garden Club s fall activities which begin with a minifashion show at their September meeting, and the decorating of Fisherville Church at Pioneer Village.
Plantique plants and peculiarities
the indoor greenhouse a browser's paradise of unusual tropical and exotic - plants; store hours: tue., wed., thur., 12-7 pm; fri., 12-9 pm; and sat., 10-7 pm 1602 queen street east, at coxwell, toronto, ontario 465-4732
*Mrs. Weckman is an active member of the Milne House Garden Club and regular contributor to Trellis.
REMINDER
AUTUMN GARDENING COURSES
Registrations are still being accepted for various courses of interest to home gardeners, both in gardening and allied subjects. Here is a brief outline of the courses scheduled to be held during September, October and November.
Monday, September 22, 1.30 and 7.30 p.m.
Fall Preparation and Planting for your Garden
Tuesday, September 23, 1.30 and 7.30 p.m.
Workshop in Corn Husk Wreath Making"
Wednesday, September 24, 8.00 p.m.
Learn to Make Your Own Wine"
Monday, October 6, 8.00 p.m.
Care, Maintenance and Selection of House Plants
Monday, October 20, 1.30 and 7.30 p.m.
Terrarium Workshop
Wednesday, October 22, 1.30 p.m.
Corsage Making Workshop
Monday, October 27, 8.00 p.m.
Winter Propagation of Plants and the Use of Lights
Wednesday, October 29, 1.30 p.m.
Corsage Making Workshop
Monday, November 3, 8.00 p.m.
Winter Spraying and Pruning of Trees and Shrubs
Thursday, November 13, 8.00 p.m.
All About Herbs
Thursday, November 20, 8.00 p.m.
Herbs for Gourmet Cooking
Call 445-1552 for Registration Forms
Fee for Each Session $3.00 Members, $3.50 Non-members
EX VOLUNTEERS LAUDED
A new venture for the Centre at this year's Canadian National Exhibition, was a cactus sale booth. This booth, formerly manned by Ben Veldhuis Ltd., of Dundas, was offered to the Centre as a means of earning additional funds towards our new building. The volunteers responded to the challenge with the end result that the Bookshop, Garden Shop and Cactus Sale booths realized $26,000 before expenses. Our members thanks to the volunteers who devoted many long hours to this project.
Ih Ontario we are blessed with a good supply of fruits in our markets, so one may well ask, Why grow fruits in the home garden? There are at least three good answers to this question: economics, availability of kinds of fruits, and quality. We won t dwell on the economic aspect ofhome fruit growing. It is sufficient to remark that the time and money spent on a healthful hobby will be well repaid. The other advantages are probably much more important. With increasing labour costs, it is becoming more and more difficult to find certain fruits on the market, for example, raspberries, currants, and gooseberries. All of these fruits are relatively easy to grow and have a place in the home garden.
Quality in home grown fruit is a more complex factor. The fruit varieties sold commercially are grown for a number of reasons: they are well known by the public, they are relatively easy to grow, they handle well after harvest, they ripen over a short period, and they have good appearance. The commercial grower, to stay in business, must give all of these factors high priority. As a consequence, flavour and other qualities are often ignored. Furthermore, the fruits are often marketed before they are mature, since mature fruit may not ship well.
The home gardener can choose varieties which have good flavour and aroma but which have one or more minor faults. In fact, uneven ripening, anathema to the commercial grower, may be what the home gardener desires fruit ripening over an extended period.
Sour cherries are much easier to grow than sweet cherries
The main disadvantage of growing apples on a small scale has been the problem of spraying. Apple trees require frequent spraying to control pests,
At least one dozen types of Fruit grow in Home Gardens
W. D. Evans*
and large apple trees require large equipment to apply the sprays. Dwarf apple trees can be sprayed with a small sprayer and the pests controlled effectively. The small size of the trees has other advantages the fruit is easy to harvest and the trees take little space, so a number of varieties can be grown. By choice of varieties, one can greatly extend the season with different varieties being harvested at their peak of maturity. Where space is at a premium, the home gardener should consider growing apples on a trellis. To ensure pollination, more than one variety should be planted unless ornamental crabapples are nearby.
In order of maturity, the following apple varieties are recommended for southern Ontario: Yellow Transparent , Lodi , Melba , Milton , Duchess , Wealthy , MclIntosh , Cortland , Delicious , Golden Russet , and Golden Delicious .
Pears are better suited to home garden production than apples as they require less spraying. Dwarf forms only should be planted as they are easier to handle and occupy less space. Pears require cross pollination, so more than one variety must be planted relatively close together. With selection of varieties, a steady supply of pears from early fall to early spring can be obtained, because some varieties do not ripen their fruit until it has been stored for some time. Pears which are to be stored must be harvested at the proper time. One must learn about this aspect through experience.
Recommended pear varieties in order of maturity are: Gifford , Clapp, Bartlett , Anjou , and Bosc.
Sour cherries are relatively easy to
*Professor Evans is on the staff ofthe Department of Horticultural Science, Ontario Agricultural College, University of Guelph. This article originally appeared in the college s July 1975 issue of Notes on Agriculture.
THE CIVIC GARDEN CENTRE
WINTER BOUQUET SALE AND GARDENERS FLEA
MARKET
Friday, Oct. 24 4 P.M.-10 P.M.
Saturday, Oct. 25 10 AM.-5 P.M.
777 Lawrence Avenue E., Don Mills, Ont.
An Annual Fund Raising Sale Featuring dried flower crafts handmade by our members and articles of interest to Gardeners donated for resale at our Flea Market. Members are asked to bring Flea Market Material to the Centre. ..
VISIT THE CIVIC GARDEN CENTRES GIFT AND BOOKSHOP BOOTHS
ROYAL WINTER FAIR
Coliseum, Exhibition Park, Toronto
Friday Nov. 14 to Saturday Nov. 22 NOVEMBER 14 T0 22
HARDY, LOCALLY-GROWN ROSES
New Canadian MacDonald floribunda).
introductions: Sir (red grandiflora); Jacques Cartier (orange-red grandiflora); Northern Lights (salmon-orange hybrid tea); and Velveteen John A. (red
MAIN NURSERY| SCARBORO |MISSISSAUGA
grow. The trees are fairly large for a home garden but as they require little or no spraying, and since only one tree need be planted (they are self-fruitful), the sour cherry should be given serious consideration. Montmorency is the main variety.
Sweet cherries are prone to winter injury in many areas in southern Ontario. Of the tree fruits, they are probably the most difficult to grow in all but favoured locations. The trees are relatively large and two varieties are necessary to ensure pollination.
Raspberries should be a must due to their scarcity
Plums are probably the most neglected of the tree fruits. The trees are not too large for the home garden and are relatively easy to grow. The trees do require some spraying. More than one variety should be planted to ensure pollination. Varieties: Japanese types (fresh eating only) Early Golden , and Shiro ; European types California Blue , Italian Blue , and Damson . Apricots and peaches may be grown in favoured locations. Spraying is essential. Varieties: apricots Veecot , and Goldcot ; peaches Elberta , Redhaven , and Harbelle . Hardiness is the main problem in grape production. In areas where grapes cannot be grown commercially, they may be grown in the home garden as the protection provided by trees and buildings usually improves the climate. Also, on a home garden scale, varieties
Short of space in your Garden? Try growing dwarf fruit trees, such as pears shown here, along a simple fence.
shovelrichcompostout
The Rotocrop Accelerator. A remarkable new compost bin from England, scientifically designed to convert cut grass, leaves, prunings, even kitchen left-overs, into rich, natural food for your garden in weeks.
SetuptheRotocropAcceleratorinyour garden. Feed it weekly with garden waste, and you'll have a never ending supply of free compost for a vibrant garden.
A SENSATION IN ENGLAND. Compost gardening is practically a way of life in England. English gardeners have acclaimed the Rotocrop Accelerator for its unique efficency. Decomposition is fast because there are no corners to cool off. And the precisely calibrated air vents let just the right amount of air in without losing heat or moisture.
RUGGED, CONVENIENT. Tough PVC construction is long lasting and won t rot. Panels slide up individually or together, so you can shovel out from the bottom. An inflatable cover keeps heat in, rain out. And there are no unpleasant odors to attract bugs.
UNCONDITIONAL GUARANTEE. We'll ship in two weeks. If you're not fully satisfied within 14 days, return it and we will send you a refund. The money you save in artificial fertilizers or commercial compost will pay for your Accelerator in no time.
Pat. Pend.
too tender for commercial production may be protected for the winter by laying the canes on the ground in the fall and covering them with mulch for the winter. There are numerous varieties which can be grown in the home garden. The following have been selected for their earliness, hardiness or quality: for jam, juice and jelly Buffalo , and Fredonia ; table Seneca , 53033, and Himrod (seedless); wine Delaware , de Chaunac , and Ventura .
The home gardener can grow strawberry varieties having much better quality than those generally available commercially. Weed control, which at one time was a major problem, is now relatively easy through the use of plastic mulches or herbicides. Important cultural aspects are: use of good planting stock, proper planting depth and winter mulching. Varieties Veestar , Vibrant , Bounty , and Centennial (everbearing).
The red raspberry is one of the most highly prized fruits but is in very short supply because of harvest costs. For the space occupied in the home garden,
5
GARDENALLYEAR
A hobby without peer - for leisure, home beauty and livability - a garden that blooms all year with only a few hours care each week.
Our catalogue contains dozens of full colour photos of prefabricated greenhouses in lifetime aluminum. With it you can choose a greenhouse that is sure to harmonize with your home. Write for your copy today!
raspberries may well give the greatest return because of value and scarcity. Many varieties of raspberry which have extremely high quality never find their way to the market place because they do not handle well. If the home gardener expects to be away at a summer cottage during the harvest season, consideration should be given to growing the berries at the cottage. Important aspects of successful production are the use of good planting stock and annual pruning to assist in disease control and increased fruit size. The following varieties are recommended because of their hardiness, yield, and flavour: Boyne , Bonanza , and Madawaska .
Even the shrub border can provide some fruit
Many people are not familiar with black raspberries, purple raspberries and blackberries. These fruits all have a place in the home garden. They are all useful as fresh fruit and considered by many to be superior to red raspberries in pies or jams. The supply of plants is limited but all varieties offered by nurserymen are worth growing.
WONDERLAND OF BULBS
A perusal through our illustrated Fall bulb catalogue will prove to be a revelation. A multitude of rare and interesting bulbs now available over 700 varieties listed; exotic jewels for your Spring garden. C. A.
Currants and gooseberries are also in short supply. They are relatively easy to grow and the bushes are ornamental as well as productive. They do require annual pruning and should be sprayed at least twice during the year. The plants are fully hardy throughout Ontario. Varieties: black currant Consort , Magnus , and Topsy ; red currant Stephens , and Red Lake ; gooseberry Captivator (thornless), Clark , and Poorman .
Highbush blueberries require an acid soil, and unless such acid soil is present naturally, the soil acidity must be changed by using acid peat or chemicals. The highbush blueberry is not much hardier than peaches, but because it does not grow very tall it gets some protection in home gardens. Once acid soil conditions are provided, it is relatively easy to grow. More than one variety should be planted to ensure cross pollination. Varieties: Berkeley , Bluecrop , and Blueray .
Other fruit crops may be grown in the home garden. The elderberry (Sambucus) which is highly prized by some people, is easy to grow. It may be used
NEW PLANT CARETAKER
Here's a very neat and highly efficient system of watering pot plants and one which will be welcomed especially by those who grow many plants indoors. It uses the capillary system of watering which keeps a fibre mat continuously damp. Plants placed on the mat are kept automatically watered. The Caretaker provides the essential humidity where plants are grown in the home in the dry winter atmosphere,
The everbearing strawberry Centennial was developed at Ontario Agricultural College in 1974. OAC photos. as a filler shrub in a garden. Saskatoons (Amelanchier) have not become popular in home gardens because of some technical growing difficulties, however, they are now in greater demand. Shrubs such as these two may be incorporated into a shelter or screen planting for double use.
#-BONSAI
For Indoor Growing
Browsing Daily & Sunday ARTHUR FITZSIMMONS GARDEN CENTRE
No. 6 Highway, off No. 403, Hamilton Telephone: (416) 529-1946
Rolls of capillary mat can be purchased for extensive layouts. Commercial growers have proved the efficiency of this matting and very large areas are covered by it to keep the vast quantities of pot plants watered with minimum labour. Available postpaid by mail for only $4.60 per kit, which includes Ontario Retail Sales Tax in Ontario.
If it s about Gardening. . . ask Toronto s Civic Garden Centre. Membership, including ten issues per year of TRELLIS only $5 for 12 months.
HERE IS YOUR ALTERNATIVE to the glass hobby house for year round gardening
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Unit 10 x 12 as above retails for under $600.00 Units from $350.00
WE CAN SUPPLY VENTILATION, HEATING AND WATERING EQUIPMENT
For further information contact:
USE Lawn and Garden
e Loosens tight, clay soils
o Fertilizes with soluble calcium and sulphur
e Promotes deep root growth
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e Promotes seed germination
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GRAND PRIZE
Lawn & Garden Gypsum
Distributed by HILLVIEW
Telephone: Toronto: 416 231-0589, Woodstock: 519 537-7942
Division, or separation, is a form of plant reproduction that can be used on those plants that do not come true to type from seed, or that do not reproduce easily from cuttings or by grafting.
A basic form of division occurs with certain grasses, bulbous species, rhyzomes (eg. decorative grasses, tulips, iris) when roots bear new growths adjoining the original, or mother plant. Other plants, many of them, may be propagated by separation or division, provided sufficient root is on the new plant.
Some of the common plants from which you may separate new plants are: canna and calla lilies, dahlias, caladiums, Solomans seal, begonias, etc. It is best to separate these after flowering is .completed, by pulling apart the rooted bulbs from one another. If you have to break the root growths, use a sharp knife and make clean cuts. Never leave a jagged or torn edge as rot will set in much faster if the cuts are not clean.
Most tropical plants form rooted side shoots, and may be propagated easily in this way, rather than from seeds or even air roots. Plants such as the sansevierias, crotons, echeverias, and crassulas, along with some succulants (Haworthia, Opuntia and Senecio) may be separated by cutting young plants away from the mother . Be sure to wait until a good Hen-and-chickens is an example of a plant which divides itself. But, you can do it with many others. Agriculture Canada photo.
Propagation by Separation or Division Requires little Skill
The Windfields Gardener
root system has formed on the offshoot, and then pot in the same type of soil as that in which the original grew successfully.
Outdoors, many deciduous shrubs may be multiplied using the separation method. Spireas, deutzias, forsythias,~ hydrangeas, lilacs and even small fruits such as raspberries may be so divided. In the spring ofthe year, root prune the plants to be separated so that the roots will be in a compact form when the separation is carried out in late fall. By separating in the fall, the new plants, with roots attached, have stored food for the winter and are better able to grow well the following sKring.
In the perennial border too, division may be well used to reproduce plants. Astilbi, primulas, forget-me-nots, iris, peonies, mint, lily of the valley, as well as bulbs such as narcissus, all divide well. When dividing peonies, dig them carefully, shaking loose, carefully, most of the earth from the bulbous roots. Then, leave them exposed to the sun for a few hours. This will not harm them, rather it will make the roots less brittle, and less likely to break which they are otherwise prone to do.
With many vigorous plants, such as lily of the valley and astilbi, a good whack with a spade does no harm and considerably speeds the operation!
Your ad can appear here for as little as $250 per year!
D. QUERIPEL & SON LIMITED
New acquisitions to Centre s Library will prove Popular for Autumn Season
Pamela MacKenzie*
As autumn approaches, I am looking forward to meeting more of you in our library. Do come in and introduce yourself!
Now that the summer season is over, (officially), library loan periods are three weeks, but each book may be renewed once, even by telephone, provided there is not someone else waiting for it. Also, during the times when flower arranging classes are running, books on this subject may not be renewed in order to allow as many persons as possible a chance at the different books on this popular subject.
With the busy gardening season beginning, here is a list of a few titles re-
*Mrs. MacKenzie is the Civic Garden Centre s librarian.
cently added to our library, which should be of interest to those taking courses in the various subject areas, or just wishing to upgrade knowledge.
In general gardening, we have: Gardening Week by Week by Field; 126 Bulbs, Corms and Tubers in Colour, by Oudshoorn; Colour in your Winter Garden, by Nicholson; another in the Ortho series, Weather-Wise Gardening; and Make Your Garden New Again, by Schuler. On indoor gardening the following two should be ofinterest: Potted Orchards, by Simmons; and The Complete Indoor Gardener, by Wright.
Three new books on flower arranging are also present: Everlasting Flower Craft, by Shipman and McWilliam; Flower Arrangement for Parties, by Fields; and another in the Brooklyn Botanic Garden series, Dried Flower Designs, to which two members of the Civic Garden Centre have contributed individual sections. Finally, two new additions about Ikebana: Ikebana with Roses, by Teshigahara; and Zen in the Art ofFlowerArrangement, by Herrigel.
Ifyou are thinking of buying a book, the library is the ideal spot to examine it before you make the decision. And, if you-live out of town, and are a member of the Civic Garden Centre, you may borrow books by mail. Just write to us for details.
Highrise Gardeners
Plan well ahead
Highrise Gardeners of Toronto will be holding monthly meetings at the Civic Garden Centre beginning Tuesday, September 9, when the topic will be Aquatic Plants . The speaker will be Jim Robinson. On Tuesday, October 14, Joe Rasmussen of Eric Jensen Greenhouses Ltd. will speak on The Care and Maintenance of Foliage Plants , and on Tuesday, November 11, Walter Norman, of the Southern Ontario Orchid Society will talk on Orchids for Apartment Dwellers .
Non-members of Highrise Gardeners of Toronto are welcomed to the meetings, but a small fee is charged. If you are an apartment gardener, do plan to take in one of these interesting meetings.
Centre s Shop offers a Lazy-Man s way to Water Plants
Betty Billes*
T his month we have a new product to offer. It s from England, known as Nethergreen Plant Caretaker . It s a simple, economical way to look after the watering of your plants while away, or even on a regular basis to avoid the regular watering schedule. The plant Caretaker comes in the form of a kit consisting of a fibre mat 24 x 18 inches, and a polyethylene undersheet. When the mat is laid on a flat surface it will retain approximately 2!, pints of water and the plants in their pots take up the required amount of moisture by capillary action. By placing one end of the mat in a reservoir of water, it is possible to have continuous watering over a sustained period.
At the C.N.E. horticultural building we again have our early Dutch bulbs tulips, crocus, etc. The plant Caretaker will be there too, along with a good selection of horticultural and flower arranging aids. The popular mesh flower pot holders illustrated here are also available both at the C.N.E. and at the Centre.
A last Look at the Main Entrance to Civic Garden Centre
As v go to press, it appears that by the time this September issues reaches you, tenders for the expansion of the Civic Garden Centre should be about to be opened, and barring unforeseen difficulties, groundbreaking ceremonies will be held in early or mid October. The ceremonies will take the form of the ceremonious re-planting ofa significant tree in the area of the building. Watch for news ofthis event in the local press and in the Centre itself.
Mrs. Ernest Redelmeier, chairman and president of the Centre, is busy
Just space enough this month to commend to your attention the special offer on pages 12-13. If you have ever dreamed of someday owning a greenhouse, now is the time to act for this offer will only be in effect until November. The offer is open to anyone reading this issue of Trellis. Ifyou are not a member of the Civic Garden Centre, you may still take advantage ofthe special member s price by simply including an extra $5 for the membership.
Next month we ll hold our first gardeners flea market. Ifyou have items to donate please call 445-1552.
planning for the ceremonies, and even more exciting, the official opening of the new building which should follow within 18 months of the groundbreaking.
Take one last look at the entrance to the Centre, before construction starts. Photo by A. C. Drysdale.
*Mrs. Billes is chairman of the Civic Garden Centre s shop committee.
I the past, before importing any plant materials from the U.S.A,, it was necessary to write to Agriculture Canada s plant protection division in Ottawa and obtain an import permit. If the plants were to be imported as personal baggage accompanying a returning Canadian from the U.S.A., the permit accompanied the traveller to the source of the plants, and was stamped by a U.S. Department of Agriculture inspector at the time a phytosanitary certificate (of freedom from disease and insects) was issued. The permit was then surrendered to an Agriculture Canada official at the border.
For shipments being imported without the importer going to the U.S. (mail orders), the permit from Ottawa was mailed by the importer to the grower (exporter), who had to have the plants inspected by a local U.S. official for issuance of the phytosanitary certificate prior o shipping them (usually by airmail). On the arrival of the plants at the nearest Canadian post office, the Canada Post officials called in an Agriculture Canada inspector to check the plants and phytosanitary certificate. The plants were then mailed on.
Well, all that has changed a little!
Now we have a brand new system that does away with the Canadian permits for all imports from the continental United States (permits still apply for Hawaii, Mexico, etc.) and requires only inspection and a phytosanitary certificate from a U.S. Department of Agriculture official at the point of origin, and checking of the certificate and plants here in Canada on arrival.
This necessary phytosanitary inspection at the U.S. point oforigin is still the difficult cross to bear for many keen amateur plant growers. Often a trip is made on a weekend when U.S. Department of Agriculture offices are closed and it is impossible to have plants inspected prior to returning to Canada. It is well and good to say it is possible to 30 / September 1975
And, may the Editor have the Last Word this month on revised Federal Regulations
order plants in advance having the exporter obtain the necessary inspection in advance of one s arrival in the U.S. However, often one is unaware of what particular plants are available in advance. This problem is unaffected by the new system that eliminates the Canadian import permits.
But, that s not all the bad news! For mail-order shipments, a slightly revised procedure has been instituted. The importer obtains from Agriculture Canada s plant protection division, a set of labels and instruction sheet. The labels are addressed to (the importer), c/0 Plant Protection Division, Agriculture Canada, (nearest major city) . The way it is designed to function is that on arrival of the parcel at the major city s post office, an Agriculture Canada inspector is called in by the post office to check the plants and accompanying phytosanitary certificate. On the approval of the Agriculture Canada inspector, the plants are mailed on to the importer.
Well, that all sounds fine, except that the breakdown is too much involvement by good old (unreliable) Canada Post. Here s what actually happened (as witnessed by an Agriculture Canada inspector) to several shipments.
When the shipments arrived at the post office, a plant inspector was called and the inspection took place within 24 hours. However, when he went back to the post office to do another inspection a week later, the earlier package was still awaiting dispatch to the importer! Naturally, when these packages finally did arrive, the material was all dead!
One major plant importer told me the only answer is to resort to air express, and if the U.S. exporter is not located relatively convenient to a large airport, you are out of luck .
Next month I ll have details of what the newly in effect Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species may mean to some avid plant people Art C. Drysdale, Editor.
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