Page 4 - 2018 Your Home Your Way

4 THE BRANDON SUN • YOUR HOME YOUR WAY • 2018

Mowing your lawn too short can damage the turf

» Continued from Page 3

He said the “most frequent
sin” people commit is mowing
their grass too short. Grass
should be cut at 2.5 or three
inches, usually the highest set-
ting on your mower, he said.
“The turf will be stronger.”
Hinton also encourages wa-
tering the lawn during dry peri-
ods and utilizing a good
fertilizer. At Weed Man, a slow-
release granular fertilizer is em-
ployed. Cranesbills, or hardy geraniums, have
The small pellets break down been gaining in popularity over the past
gradually, feeding the lawn over decade. Geraniums will tolerate a lot of
time. abuse. (File)
A single application lasts 120 Here are a few tips: have frilly foliage and, depend-
days in the soil. ing on the variety, their leaves pearance belies its tough-as-
nails constitution. This is a
Hinton explained that a carry aromas such as chocolate,
healthy lawn takes work. THE WAYS HOUSEPLANTS rose or lemon. If in doubt about water plant, closely related to
“What we always try to stress ARE ABUSED whether a geranium is thirsty, papyrus, so it cannot tolerate
is to do a little bit all the time,” Poor light is not the only don’t water. drying out. But watering cype-
rus is a no-brainer; just set the
he said. abuse you might suffer upon a Cyperus is a houseplant
More people are hearing the houseplant. Many people forget whose especially graceful ap- pot in a deep saucer that you al-
message, said Hinton, who took to water them, or they water ways keep filled with water.
over the Brandon franchise a them too much.
decade ago. Also, as plants grow, they need
“If you go by the garden cen- to be divided and repotted, or
tres, or even the home improve- shifted to larger pots. A house-
ment stores, everybody’s got a plant should not grow so fast Let us help you build
huge garden centre attached to that frequent repotting is neces-
it now.” sary. your backyard oasis!
“It’s more and more options
all the time on different plants, SOME HOUSEPLANTS
different furniture and firepits,”
he continued. TOLERATE ABUSE
“I think when we have such Yes, there are plants that can
short summers here in Mani- survive, and even look perky,
toba, people really love to be with little light, neglectful or ex-
outside when they can.” cessive watering, and little other
Growing plants doesn’t need care. And they’re not all cacti.
to be solely an outdoors pursuit. Take dumbcane and spider
Even if you’re horticulturally plant, for instance. Both are hard
impaired, you can take heart: to kill, yet keep up appearances
there are houseplants even you with little attention. Spider
can grow. plant can fill its pot rapidly and
You’ll have to forgo colour if send out new “babies” all over
you require a truly tough house- the place, but that’s only with
plant. good growing conditions.
Flowering takes too much of For best results, grow an all-
a plant’s energy, which comes green variety of spider plant, Quality Pool &
from good (or at least reasonably rather than one with white Hot Tub Sevice & Installation
good) growing conditions, in- stripes in its leaves. All green • 20 Years Experience
cluding abundant light. Don’t spider plants, with more chloro- • Weekly & Monthly Maintenance
look for colour in leaves either, phyll, tolerate low light better. • Serving Westman & Area
because plants with colourful Geraniums also tolerate an
leaves have them only when amazing amount of abuse. They
there’s plenty of light so that won’t flower under these condi- 1514 Rideau St., Brandon
they can do more with less tions, so in that case why not thepooldoctor@mymts.net • www.thepooldr.org
green. grow scented geraniums? Many 204.573.8014 CANADIAN MADE