| Show March 16 Supplement to Hie Richfield ReapoVReaper Extra 14-- S Buyer Beware: Garden Flowers Are Poisonous By Dr Robert Hoffman New York University School of Medicine Flowers can be pretty to look at and lovely to smell but beware of that beautiful berry or homey houseplant It may be poisonous Now don't be alarmed Your front yard has not suddenly become a dangerous jungle However as a safeguard you should know a few basic things about noxious plants and what to do in case of an emergency Children are most often the victims of poisonous plants Kids are curious and the sense of taste is one of the ways they learn about the world For parents with young children it is heipful to be aware of the hazards of their environment If you have a yard live near woods or keep houseplants become familiar with the plants that have easily-plucke- buds d growths or berries that might tempt kids A call to a local botanical garden or nursery can provide information about which plants might be dangerous For example common outdoor plants which are considered poisonous include garden foxgloves English ivy daffodils locoweed and horse nettles Poisonous houseplants include elephant ears and dumbeane Wild mushrooms and berries are two of the most commonly By Ellen Creager Mulching is a finishing touch on landscape a spit and polish on your yard the snuggly blanket for your plants But mulching also is practical It keeps the ground moist keeps temperature stable and can kill weeds Which mulch is right for your garden? Here’s a quick rundown: a agriculturally prepared 4 I mush- rooms Many wild berries are edible However until you learn the good from the bad do not make any assumptions Most poisonous berries cause relatively mild symptoms such as nausea diarrhea and vomiting However the yew bush contains a reddish-orang- e fruit with a stone seed which can cause cardiac arrest Nightshade or bittersweet berries can cause nervous system disorders In the case of the ingestion of an unfamiliar or dangerous plant call your local poison center or hotline with a description of the plant and the patient's symptoms If you go to an emergency room or a doctor's office take a sample of the plant with you Most cases of plant poisoning can be treated by medical experts Dr Robert Hoffman is associate director of the New York City Poison Center they grow However w eed inhibitors are comparatively expensive and must be applied annually Covered w ith a layer of dirt weed inhibitors are safe for children and pets The product's effectiveness lasts about six weeks Plant bare LANDSCAPE FABRIC Unlike ugly black plastic sophisticated ground fabrics let moisture in and keep weeds down It s not cheap but is a good choice combined with a top layer of mulch spaces with English ivy or pacha-sandr- a It creates a thick beautiful ground cover that keeps weeds awav with no work on your part WEED INHIBITOR Products like Preen are successful at halting common garden weeds before SHREDDED PINE BARK A o layer is attractive and adds organic material as it decomposes Flower beds may need to be partway through the Michigan summer to restore the fresh look LIVE MULCH I eaten poisonous plants because of their similarity to edible foods and their attractiveness A number of poisonous mushrooms some quite deadly look very similar to nonpoisonous varieties and even experts can be fooled Poisonous mushrooms can impair cardiac liver and kidney functions and cause death Furthermore some mushroom varieties which are safe in one part of the world can be poisonous in another As a rule only eat Mulches Keep Soil Near Plants Moist Prevent Growth of Pernicious Weeds KNIGHT— RIDPER NEWSPAPERS High Tech Farmers Mike left and Cindy Roberta of Vermillion are in the second year of the Sevier Valley Applied Center's Farm and Ranch Technology Management program SVATC instructor Ceorge Potter rear teaches the computer-base- d classes in the homes of students FARM COURSE — Continued From Page 12 then wc teach bookkeeping techniques" In its sixth year the program has about 50 graduates and 40 arc currently enrolled in the course Each year about 1 5 people complete the course and another 15 enroll "We will supply a computer during the program" Potter said "Nearly all of our graduates have bought their own computers" And the program is getting ger big- "We've recently expanded the program to Beaver and Garfield counties" he said For more information contact 2 Potter at extension 242 at SVATC in Richfield 896-820- Design Flexibility Superb Engineering rt And Technology State-Of-The-A- Planning a building and then building it is and Busk Inc seldom easy But Varco-Prudc- n can make it easier Busk Inc's experience and know-hoarc a big plus for you because they can save you money and help you avoid problems during planning construction and after move-i- n Varco-Prudc- n Buildings arc backed by the most advanced computer system in the industry today w d J Bruce Hendrickson Feed Lot Central The Varco-Prudc- This coupled with advanced construction techniques can mean faster occupancy and greater savings Valley Custom Concept n Your Varco-Prudc- n buildings will provide you with another big plus: every Varco-Prudc- n d to fit building is totally your exact requirements in width length and hcighLevcn the shape of your lot And with no cost penalty or added construction time custom-cnginccrc- Bulk Seed Onion Sets Potato Sets Onion Plants 194 Shade Trees Fruit Trees Pansies Asst Perennials VARCO-PRUDE- N BUILDINGS Jensen Lumber Building In Sigurd AMCA INTERNATIONAL — IBigCs 320 West 1 100 South Himtgo Richfield 896-923- — 1 |
