D4

Bill Robb
The Gardener

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In the book "Garden Rubbish," authors W. C. Sellar and R. J. Yeatman tell us that it is "utterly forbidden to be half-hearted about gardening. You have got to love your garden whether you like it or not."

This is the time of the year, as the weeds flourish after a rainy June and hot, humid days bring out a nasty bug population, that we all start to consider whether the thrill of a feed of freshly-picked beet greens or just pulled up radish is worth all the effort.

And then we smell the greens cooking, fresh from the soil we tilled ourselves, and we know suddenly it is all good. No supermarket in the world can replace that feeling.

But July is also the time when extra work is needed in gardens. For example, the Westmorland Horticultural Society is looking for volunteers over the next 10 weeks to give one hour a week each to weeding and dead-heading at the Millennium Garden.

Located in the park just behind the Moncton Press Club, this lovely garden maintained by volunteers was a joint initiative of the Westmorland Horticultural Society, MacArthur's Nurseries and the City of Moncton. It is a wonderful legacy for these volunteers to share with all of us.

In our own gardens, this is the season to keep mower blades sharp to cut down on lawn disease. And don't forget to turn your compost pile at least once a week.

In your rose garden, be watchful for suckers coming from the roses. Where roses grow on their own roots, or are reared from cuttings, there are likely no suckers at all. But many commercial roses have been grafted to a stronger root stock and sometimes this root stock will send out suckers.

Remove them carefully as far below the surface of soil as possible.

Continually harvest new green beans as they arrive to keep the plants producing

As your garden gets more beautiful each day, be sure to pick regular bouquets. They will last longer if you pick them early in the morning. While you're selecting your flowers, be sure to deadhead them as you go.

If you need to sheer hedges, this is your last window of opportunity for the summer.

In your vegetable garden, as long as the plants get about an inch of rain a week, they will be fine. But take caution with plants in containers...they dry out more quickly, though perhaps not this week.

Before this month ends, divide your bearded iris. Take time as well to mound up the soil around your squash and cucumber plants to discourage vine borers.

You can still plants trees and shrubs. Shrubs in a container are easily transferred to the soil, but if you are buying balled and burlapped plants, make sure their roots are fresh. They may have been sitting in the nursery for some time now.

This is also the time to sit and enjoy and not worry if the heat makes it uncomfortable to mow. The dandelions and buttercups look planned from a distance, and there's worse things in life than putting off the chore for a day or two.

n Don't forget to pencil in July 18 on your calendar as the day of the Greater Moncton Garden Tour, an annual event presented by the Moncton YWCA.

Tickets can be purchased at their office on Highfield Street for $12 in advance, or $15 the day of the event .

n The Greater Moncton Dahlia Club is inviting anyone interested, including church groups and seniors groups, to join them for their upcoming summer garden tour. The tour will be a full-day car-pool trip leaving from Moncton July 18 and heading to St. Andrews at 8 a.m.

Arrival back in Moncton will be about 9 p.m. The group will tour Kingsbrae Gardens (special entry fee of $7.50) and then proceed to 12 magnificent gardens in St. Andrews.

It ends with strawberry shortcake at the Passamaquody Lodge. A limited number of tickets are available for $20 each.

To make your reservation, contact Brian Ferguson at fergusbp@xplornet.com or call 506-756-8400. The car pool departs from the Moncton Coliseum parking lot (rear).

n On July 12, between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m., the annual summer festival will be held at Tansy Lane Herb Farm, Hillsborough.

Carole Coleman suggests readers join her in a "Walk and Talk" in the herb gardens and take part in qigong under the 140-year-old trees. Or, one could hop on a horse-drawn wagon for a leisurely trip to visit the neighbour's alpacas or join Virginia on the Fern and Moose Track Walk in the woods.

There's plenty to do, see and hear. Have a little massage before or after a vegetarian lunch in the gardens or on the verandah. The $5 entrance fee covers all activities except the lunch, and Jim Blewett and David LeBlanc will provide musical entertainment during the afternoon.

For further information, contact Carole at tansyln@nb.sympatico.ca or call 506-734-3006.

n The Gardener, written by Bill Robb, appears each Thursday in the Times & Transcript. Bill can be reached by e-mailing to contemplativegardener@hotmail.com or by writing to him care of the Times & Transcript, 939 Main St., Moncton, N.B. E1C 8P3.