First-Class Blooms The Right Potting Mixture Will Help Your Containers Bloom
The early February temperatures have been so mild daffodil and tulip bulbs have popped up and pansies are blooming in containers that are protected from low temperatures and which get afternoon sun.
Now’s the time, however, to get those containers in shape for planting with this year’s pansies, March primrose and hardy annuals. That means new dirt.
Because of the heavy watering of container gardens, the nutrients leach from the soil much more quickly than in the yard. This year’s plants will be more vibrant if planted in new soil. And, any old yard dirt won’t do. Containers should be filled with potting soil which will be free of plant diseases, fungus and insects.
Either use a commercial potting mixture which includes peat moss, or try a mixture which includes moisture-retention ingredients. If used, dirt from the yard needs to include some sand and peat moss and material from the compost pile.
On the tube: It will be several weeks before the programming for the Home & Garden Television Network can be added to The Spokesman-Review’s TV Week guide. So, in the meantime, we’ll offer a best bet when warranted. Sunday, for example, the network visits the annual National Home Builders Show and will air highlights of that show at 6 p.m. - HGTV is on Channel 55 for those with Cox Cable service.
Make a list: As an alternative to a team of electricians, plumbers, carpenters and landscapers visiting your house to make needed repairs, there’s a new book on the market.
“The Family Handyman Helpful Hints” was written by the experts in each field. It leads readers through 44 common jobs such as cleaning the gutters, fixing nail pop-outs and fixing broken furniture. The book was published by Reader’s Digest, it’s $25.
Free for the asking: Consumer guides to choosing home appliances, and to caring for kitchen appliances are available for free from Whirlpool. The guides are written by home economists and college life-skills instructors. Write Whirlpool HomeLife Network Services, P.O. Box 405, St. Joseph, MI 49085 and ask for the appliance series of guides.