THE BCS GARDENER A Publication of BCS America, Inc., 13601 Providence Road, Matthews NC 28105 Gardening Becomes America's Favorite Pastime In the last few years gardening has become the most popular hobby in America and studies show it will only increase. Two of every five adult Americans (42%) are gardeners. That means almost 78 million people in the U.S. are engaged in some form of gardening (i.e. vegetable, flower, ornamental). Among the key contributors to generation (ages 30-49). The Bab: million people. There are a lot of motivating fac- it have helped increase gardening. The pri mary factor is that gardening is fun and ;yable. People also benefit from exercise and fresh air that this activity provides. iso a great stress reducer and gives the gar dener an opportunity to grow better te or she can buy in the grocery store. An added bonus is that gardening adds . /estment. Regardless of what the motivation is, more and more people are making gardening a part of their lives, making it America's number one pastime. To Mulch or Not to Mulch Few jobs in the garden are as beneficial as the task of mulching. Mi results by conserving soil moisture, maintaining soil temperature and abov' weed populations. Mulch material - Organic materials include leaves, grass clippings, stn and pine needles. Other materials include plastic and newspaper. Mulching reduces cultivation - On soils that crust over after heavy rai the rain drops from packing the soil and closing the pores in the soil. W 1 cultivation is needed. Mulch as a weed control - In order for any organic mulch to stop we prevent weeds from growing through it. Some weeds will escape through but these can be easily pulled out. Mulch to conserve moisture - Mulches slow down water evaporation from the soil, especially in the top six inches where most vegetable plant roots are located. Be sure soil has adequate moisture at the time the mulch is placed down. A mulch will help maintain an even moisture supply throughout the growing season. Tilling Tilling is one of the most critical steps in making a garden. When properly done, tilling enhances the quality of your soil, makes garden maintenance easier, and results in a higher yield. It's never a good idea to till just after a big rain, or when the soil is too wet. To test for proper tilling conditions, grab a handful of soil, squeeze to form a ball, and open your " he soil ball falls apart, it's ready to till. If it retains its shape, it to wait a day or two before starting your tilling. Tilling extremely d to soil compaction. If the ball crumbles or won't even form a try and needs to be watered until the consistency is right. You want to till when soil is overly dry. If there's no moisture in the soil, turning it can lead to erosion. When storing tillers inside, make sure that the fuel tanks are drained and run the tiller until it quits from fuel starvation This will prevent varnish build-up in the carburetor and prevent any danger of gas fumes in the storage area. Before storing your tiller for the winter, wash the tiller. Clean off excess dirt and oil, especially in the tines and undercarriage of the tiller; disconnect the sparkplug; wipe the tines and undercarriage with an oil-soaked rag. This will prevent rust and insure a long life for your tiller. Frequent tilling of your garden aerates the soil and destroys weeds and unwanted garden pests Using the right equipment for the job is essential. BCS has a tiller for every need, with a full range of attachments that make them useful in the yard as well as the garden. The Best Gardening System on Earth! BCS ition is the emergence of the Baby Boomer % of the total gardening population - over 40 Lancaster Farming, Saturday. April 6. 1 /ovider amazing imiting grass and lavmgs, manure mulch will prevent ust, less be thick enough to the material used, Caring for Your Garden 4 Cultivate early. The best time to kill weeds is when they sprout. ' 4 Thin ruthlessly. Leave enough space between plants so they can mature easily. 4 Be careful around the plants. One careless swipe of the hoe can destroy a lot of work and future vegetables. 4 Stay out of a wet garden. Rust disease of beans and other diseases are easily spread when a picker goes through a row of wet plants. 4 Water the ground, not the plants. Wet foliage can cause fungus diseases. Apply water to the base of the plant at sun down, so the heat of the day will not deplete its moisture. ♦ Keep weeds under control by tillage or mulching. Weeds take moisture, light and nutrients away from vegetable plants.
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