At the outset, it is emphasised that expensive equipment is not everything, as many a budding angler or Wolfer with money to burn has found to his cost.

Often I am asked whether I foresee any falloff in demand, but my optimism is as boundless as ever. The more houses that are built, the more mammoth office blocks that appear on the horizon, then the greater will be the potential for decorative indoor plants.

Wherever you hear of the green-fingered ability of someone who grows all the plants in the hook with consummate case it will often he fitund that they invariably provide almost ideal roots as soon as the cutting is pointed at the compost.

The general paraphernalia connected with plant culture indoors has kept step with increased world sales of plants. We now have an incredible assortment of simple and sophisticated, expensive and less expensive containers to choose from in which to accommodate our plants.

Also, when you purchase a plant don’t be too shy to ask for some advice on its culture, as you arc likely to learn a great deal more from the raiser of the plant. The grower may complain to his colleagues that with every plant he sells he has to give in advice and time what amounts to about half the value of the plant.

Spiraeas have filled so many ugly gaps for me that it would be easy to take them for granted were they not such attractive shrubs. Most species have a graceful arching branching system, dainty foliage, and white flowers, except in the species Spiraea x bumalda.

I enjoy the large red berries of the species so much that it is no hardship to make room for both husband and wife. The flowers of the male are beautifully scented and carried well above the narrow green leaves. Cuttings root of current season’s growth if taken with a heel of old wood in August.

The Woolly Willow, S. lanata, is a native plant with much to recommend it for the restricted space of the average garden. Ultimate height is about 4 ft. but though modest in stature it produces an enormous number of pale yellow catkins. The foliage provides the major interest and its common name, for it is covered in a thick mat of hairs which give a silver sheen.

Hydrangeas are not remarkable as foliage plants as a rule, but so outrageously floriferous they command immediate attention the instant buds show colour. Hydrangea arborescens grandiflora at 5 ft. vies with H. cinerea sterilis in the grossness of the white balls of bloom.

Both are lovely grown against a dark background of evergreens. The blue and white flowers of H. involucrata on 18-in. stems provide just the right softening influence to the lustre of the orange lily Enchantment, so I mix them up like a floral salad in a bed dominated by a sombre yew.

Hydrangea macrophylla covers a large and varied group of hydrangeas, many of which are of possible hybrid origin, and may be divided into two groups, namely the hortensias and lacecaps. With all the florets sterile the hortensia group develop positive football heads of flower, the blueness of which depends on the acidity of the soil. This can be induced by applying aluminium sulphate or generous dressings of peat.

The best pest management and pest control method and the single most effective way to battle parasites and pests is proper education and good knowledge. When this is established in each community, each house and each individual, then there is no parasite which can escape their terrible destiny. Armed with correct thoughts, an individual can then formulate various, however also effective programs to eliminate from the parasites and vermin.

Preferred programs usually consist of various mechanical, biological and natural means of control. The usual course of action is the following: A level of action is determined in an area. The amount of damage to both the pests and other living things present in the area are assessed and they vary from place to place, taking into consideration the environmental issues and well-being of the people living near or within the area.

Pests present in the area are monitored and identified. Once the level of action is established, the kind and species of animal or animals to be eradicated are evaluated. The colonies and sources of infestation can also be found out through this monitoring action. Traps are set up and regular inspections are done.

We can all use a little serenity in our lives and a Koi garden can do just that. It is easy to become amazed at what it is a Koi garden can really do for the area surrounding your business or your home. That is because anyone who comes in contact with your garden will fall in love with it. They will be jealous of it. They may even decide to own a few photos of it. But having the best garden is about finding the right fish, supplies, and finding the right location.

The first thing we need to focus on is the location of your Koi garden. It is very important that you know where it is you want to place your garden so that it gets the attention that it deserves and so the garden is in a location that compliments your home or your business. Many decide that the front of the structure along a walkway is the best place for it. And if your budget allows for it, you could create a bridge that connects pieces of your walkway and place the garden right below it. That way individuals, including yourself, can stand on the bridge and look down at the Koi swimming around, the plants, and the other items that you have. This brings a sense of peace to everyone’s passing by.

Looking for something new for your garden? How about a Koi pond? Building and maintaining a Koi pond is not as hard as you might think. With a little care you can have the beautiful decorative Koi fish in your garden pond for many, many years.

Choose an area where you can build a pond large enough to allow your fish to reproduce ant grow in size. They like elbow room so be sure you have plenty of room for them to swim easily. It is not a good idea to have the fish so crowded that they are bumping into each other at every turn. Of course you will want to be sure that you do not have more room than you need. Filtering the water and adding medication if you need it can be very expensive, especially if you are working with more water than you actually need.

Want to know what’s hot and what’s not this year when it comes to the latest and greatest gadget to use around your home? You’re never going to guess this one ” a pressure washer. That’s right, something you always associated with a quick trip to the car wash is now available for home use, and what a versatile creature it has turned out to be.

Most people use pressure washers to clean off large surfaces. This isn’t to say that the most powerful should be used at home, as they should be left to the professionals to tackle. No, the ones for use at home are a tad more sedate and not as powerful as say a fire hose, and they are specifically designed for ordinary household use.

The first handy tip that you will need to know is to keep your distance from the surface you want to wash down. Oh, this isn’t to avoid you getting hosed, it’s to prevent water damage to the surface you’re intending to clean. So, basically only get closer if you need to.

Besides the plant room attached to the outside of the house there is also the possibility of adapting a spare room indoors for this purpose. There are elaborate plant cases on the market specifically intended for accommodating indoor plants, many of them quite sophisticated, having light, temperature, and even humidity controls built in.

Sometimes a plant is required for a special display point, a corner of a hall or living room which demands one dominant feature.

Having a vine in the plant room is quite a possibility and will provide cool shade for other plants besides a crop of grapes. The best way to treat vines in a small room of the sort we have in mind is to plant them outside the building and to train the stern of the plant through a hole in the wall.

Trained to wires suspended from the ceiling of the garden room they will be quite effective and are very easy to care for. Once established, vines will make rapid growth and will require periodic trimming back during the growing season. In winter they should be cut back to two eyes from the main stem.

February is a time of excited anticipation. This month a gradual heralding of early spring begins in the lower parts of the region and steadily advances through the entire area.

Planning

Detailed planning of areas of general development should be completed by the middle of the month. In fact, any plan work not well in hand by now may very easily be crowded out entirely by more pressing programs. Detail planning means the actual decision necessary as to placement, quantities, and space allotments for the various plants to be used this season.

Planting

This is the last call for planting of dormant trees and shrubs. Growth activity will begin by the end of the month and later planting will hamper the ideal development of these plants. Give the plants a chance to reward you with their season’s growth without being stunted by late planting.

Rose planting should begin about the 15th of the month. Great expectations are kindled in a gardener when he receives his order of rose bushes for the season, and one can easily dream of the warm days ahead when the lush foliage, beautiful blooms and perfume will fill the garden.

When suitable weather for planting at last arrives, collect the shrubs from the heeling-in ground, making certain the roots do not dry out by wrapping them in a wet piece of sacking. did a little experiment with some seedling rowan to find out just how much difference keeping the roots moist or letting them dry out made to a shrub’s chances of survival.

In fact, I proved to my own satisfaction that just five minutes exposure to a drying March wind reduces the viability of woody plants appreciably. In the case of conifers the dehydration proved fatal in one out of every four seedling thuja lined out as a hedge.

The cane can then be removed and a neat but solid stake driven home. I hate to see makeshift staking as it ruins the look of the whole garden. Stake and tree can be joined with any one of the dozen or so patent ties on the market which considerably reduces the risk of either damaging the stem. or worse still strangling the plant altogether.