I All Gardens Great & Small by York Co. Horticultural Agei Tom Becker Poinsettia Soil Basics The ever popular poinsettia is back. A holiday favorite for many adults, the colorful bracts of the poinsettias last longer if grown in a good soilless media. Select a quality poinsettia that was grown using a combi nation of peat moss,perlite, bark vermiculite or other organic materials. Regardless of what the media is contained the soil less media designed for potted poinsettias has to be porous. The media must also hold a suffi cient amount of water and nutri ents to prevent daily watering and fertilizing when you get it home. UIKUWTIED FREIGHT CO. IUQUIMTIOII SdIESH^ | 4 DRAWER CHE Pine Finish and Brass Hardware I Reg Ret $149 95 ' CASH PRICE WITH COUPON i $6995 $39.04 r (CANTED) FRONT CURIO "I Oak or Cherry Finish - Your Choice > - 5 Glass Shelves I - Two Doors I - Lighted Interior [ - Mirrored Back I Reg. Retail $599.95 | With Coupon $159.88 | | . 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Retail $2389.95 | | Our Cash Price $ 1049*9$ I | With Coupon $889.04__5j Plants grown in a media that is very porous dries out too quickly. Plants grown in a heav ier medial become stressed from low oxygen and root diseases. Growing media used for poin settias has to be free of disease organisms, insects and weeds. Field soils are never 'pest' free. Poinsettia in soilless media con taining no field soils use several common amendments including peat, bark, perlite and vermi culite. Peat and Peat-like materials used in soilless media include peat moss, hypnaceous moss, reed and sedge, humus or muck and sphagnum moss. Peat moss is formed by the accumulation of plants materials in poorly drained or boggy areas. Although costly, sphagnum moss is the most desirable com ponent for a growing media. Sphagnum moss is particularly light in weight and has the abil ity to adsorb 10 to 20 times its weight in water. Bark is primarily a by-prod uct of the pulp, paper and ply wood industries. The bark is ground up by hammer milling, screening and composting. This produces a material which is suitable for use in container media and decomposes faster than peat. Physical properties obtained from tree bark are sim ilar to those of Sphagnum, moss. Sand is a valuable amend ment for both potting and prop agation media. Sand, a basic component of many field soils range in particle size from 0.05 mm to 2.omm in diameter. Sand improves the physical properties of a growing media. Medium and coarse sand parti cles are preferred in soilless media. Although sand is gener ally inexpensive, it is also the heaviest. Perlite is a silicous mineral of volcanic origin. Crushed and heated to make a horticultural I 5 DRAWER CHEST I Maple Finish I Reg. Price: $399.95 L_s___ I Cash Price: I— i $59.95 i I Closeout jTpffiCEDr I CLOS) |30”X60" Solid Oak | Reg. Price $889.95 fc *249 i | RECLINER CLOSEOUT U /7j\ I Available In Four Color* / / ' I Reg. Retail $689.95 srTY /xZ7/ I j Our Cash Price $299.95 | I WITH / I I COUPON s 2s9.9sv^R^i i _^hr__i. 2 j I FUTON SOFA & CHAIR CLOSEOUT i I White, Green, Black Comes w/8” Futon Mattress & I Chair Mattress , Reg. Retail $989.95 l ” 0W PflCe * 479 ' 9s Bid SELECTION OF WOOD SC METAL BUNK BEDS 3019 H»mp»ind Road* L>net«tef 397-6241 r W« aro a four itor* chain not affiliated with any othor (tor** Storoo in. LANCASTER • YORK • CARLISLE. PA • ELKTON. MO LANCASTER STORE HOURS M*n.-FH 0-9 • Sal 9-9 • Sun Neon-S • No Refunds No Exshanges For purehaaos with s ohosh. bring FINANCING «p* No Exchanges drivers I Icon so end prions numbers AVAILABLE Cosh A Carry . Wot ratoon aide far tvoaraoNcaf anew We ivaorve tn» fK»U fo aubilOilo aft Hama grade, perlite becomes a light powdery substance. Lightness and uniformity make perlite a very effective component of media for poinsettias. Perlite is very dusty when dry. Perlite has a tendency to float to the soil surface of a con tainer during watering. Vermiculite is a micacious mineral heated to make an expanded plate-like particle to aid in holding water and improve aeration and drainage. Vermiculite has the ability to supply plant nutrients including potassium and magnesium. Although the mix of amend ments used by the greenhouse growers vary, all growing medias must be porous and well drained, hold water, relatively low in soluble salts, and are HARRISBURG (Dauphin Co.) - Visit the third annual fes tival of Trees for inspiration for the holidays. On Saturdays and Sundays from November 28 through December 13 decorated Christmas trees will be on dis play in the Tavern House at Fort Hunter from noon to 8 p.m. on Saturdays and from noon to 6 p.m. on Sundays. Admission is free. Co-sponsored by the Harrisburg Area Civic Garden Center and Fort Hunter, Christmas trees with tasteful, creative and unique decorations will be displayed for viewing just in time for holiday decorating. I I I 1 I I I 1 Lancaster Poured Walls • Agriculture • Commercial • Residential Call for Prices On: s • SCS-approved Manure Storage Pits 6 • Basements • Retaining Walls • Footers • Floors Customer Satisfaction is Our Goal Lancaster Poured Walls 2001 Jarvis Rd. • lan caster, PA 17601 • (717) 299-3974 Lancaster Farming, Saturday, November 21, Is9B-B5 Tree Festival Promotes Inspiration mixed to make a uniform batch of soil Some amendment combina tions are made by mixing differ ent rations (by volume) of soil less ingredients. Some common ly used soilless mixtures for poinsettias include 2:1 peat to perlite; 2:1:1 peat to perlite to’ vermiculite; 2:1 peat to sand; 3:1 peat to sand; 3:1:1; peat to per lite to vermicultie; 2:1:1 peat to bark to sand; 2:1:1 peat to bark to perlite or 3:1:1 peat to bark to sand. Many small growers pur chase commercial mixes rather than mix their own for raising poinsettias. Any questions can be directed to Thomas S. Becker, Horticultural Agent, Penn State Cooperative Extension, York County (717) 840-7408 or Email at Yorkmg@psu.edu. Seven trees, decorated with handmade ornaments by differ ent member garden clubs, will be displayed and available for raffle. Visitors will enjoy such theme trees as needlework, angelic, Victorian and others, Ornaments will be available for purchase. While at Fort Hunter be sure to visit Fort Hunter Mansion decorated for the holi days, the Museum Shop stocked with unique gift giving ideas, the Toy Train exhibit, Crafts Reunion on December 5 & 6 and The Victorian Tea on December 6. For more information call 599-5751.