OCR Text |
Show Reflections, May 24, 1984, Page 3 I Tltt 84 Should Be A Great Year For - A- , . ( , i ,x , vemtmu -- Bio Set 1 kcrr Carrots Did you know that 1984 is the year of the carrot? At least so it has been named by the National Garden Bureau. Whether growing or eating them, you can enjoy the best in carrot quality throughout the year, says Bill Varga, research horticulturist, Utah State University. Varga reminds that you can enjoy most success in growing carrots if you will select a variety of the type best suited to your garden soil. Choose from among the four basic shapes: or pointed, stump rooted or blunt, cylindrical, and ball shaped. The varieties grow well in long soil is that garden sandy or light and loose. For heavy or stony soils, you will do better with shorter varieties. The stump rooted or cylindrical types have performed best in the soil at the USU Farmington trials. The real proof of good garden-growcarrots comes in the eating. Varga lists five varieties grown at Farmington that rated highest in flavor tests. These are Pioneer Hybrid, Short 'N Sweet, Scarlet Mantes, Royal Cross Hybrid and Lance taper-roote- taper-roote- d 'v.Vm d Hybrid. Certainly color also'has something to do with carrot appeal. Slice crosswise and observe the color intensity of the different rings that constitute the phloem or cortex, the xylem or core, and the cambium. The brighter and more consistent the orange color from the outside through the core, the better the carrot, Varga says. This is just a small sample of the wide variety of tomatoes This photo was taken at Koeven's Greenhouse in Tooele. Plenty ofMaters that are on the market. Tomatoe Variety Abounds There is a wide variety of tomatoes for home gardeners to choose from when planning their summer gardens. Alvin R. Hamson, vegetable specialist for Utah State University Extension Service, offers the following comments on tomatoes which have been available and successful in Utah for a number of years. A highly productive large cherry type tomato is the Presto Hybrid, which flavor," Hamson says. matures in 55 days. "Early Cascade Hybrid is a medium size tomato with unusually smooth high quality fruits which mature in 60 days. He says this tomato was developed to mature in a concentrated manner for processing of high quality whole tomatoes and this characteristic fits well into the production of a quantity of tomatoes for home canning in Utah. "Those who wish to grow tomatoes for catsup, paste, or puree might well plant Royal Chico, or Square paste," Hansen suggests. "DX52-1is a main season variety which matures in 70 day and has been 2 unusually well accepted throughout Utah. This variety has large fruits with almost solid interiors of deep red color, relatively good firmness and superb Parenting In The Garden? Better Believe It Grow vegetables and strengthen parent-chilrelationships at the same time? Yes, its possible say specialists at Utah State University. But they remind parents that certain conditions must be met. You must want to make both the garden and the relationship with the child grow. Both parent and child must become interested in gardening. Your chances of success diminish if you have to coerce, threaten or punish children to get them to participate in the garden project. It certainly helps if a relationship already good parent-chilexists. Consider the demands. You, the gardener, must have patience and an ample supply of time and energy. You must exert the will to answer countless questions and be able to handle disappointment, disaster and desertion d d calmly. It works best if parent and child plan together. Select the site then plan for preparing the soil, selecting seeds, planting, caretaking, harvesting and storing. Discuss the skills needed for each. These plans will help cultivate communication skills between the adult and child. The child learns that there is a systematic way of doing things. It takes into account the soil, climate, seed, equipment, energy and the human skills needed. , Realize that disappointments and even disasters in gardening with child- ren are teachable moments. The child may hoe up a row of young vegetables plants with the weeds, or kill plants with to much fertilizer. These occasions provide opportunities for calm discussions that can taech children not only about gardening, but about life on a broader scale. Realize that communication coupled with planning is one of the most import tant lessons to be learned by both to is If reluctant child child. the and join you in the garden, consider whether you have scheduled the gardening time well in advance and communicated that schedule to your child. Dont expect enthusiastic cooperation if the first time the child knows about inyour weeding schedule is when you television a favorite or a terrupt game program. For a successful experience, strive to share with your child learning about work, effort, planning, responsibility and about reaping the fruits of ones labor. You both will grow closer through sharing in the experience. The University specialists also point out that a garden project provides opportunity to observe and discuss how plants and people grow and develop similarly. Seeing tiny objects planted, then srpout, grow, blossom and bear mature fruit can result in powerful learning as parents explain these parallels in understandable ways to their par-'en- facets of human relationships. Take this time to build and strengthen the good feelings, the mutual trust and respect that can and ought to exist between parent and child. children. Similarities between the life cycles of vegetables and of people provide many teaching moments. Explain that just as plants need different care at different stages of their life cycle, so do people. These similarities observed open doors for talking to children about the nurturing and maturing processes and even about death. As you embark on your parent-chilgarden project, realize that just as plants are not all the same, neither are parents or children. Also, while it takes generally only one season to grow and harvest a garden, remember it requires many seasons to explore the many p mm BM Of course there are no guarantees at the time of planting seeds that youll harvest the desired product. Remember also that the successful strengthenbonds is not guaraning of parent-chilteed. Many things can and will occur throughout the season to affect the outcome, the specialists note. Just keep in mind that good gardeners learn from their mistakes. They keep on trying and growing. d M KJ WHY Ho,ts Carpet Cleaning Service? , ; Because we use the finest carpet Cleaning system available. Because we simply try harder to give our customers the very best service availble anywhere! van-mount- ed N0W1 We distribute the amazing ORECK VACUUM CLEANER) Used by hotels and motels all over the country. This fantastic RENTALS Professional quality carpet cleaning equipment (We deliver, show you how to use them and pick up.) Power stretchers Kickers Seamers upright will outclaan anything you've seen and do It with less effort and buck strain. Call for demot top-fi- ll HOLTS CARPET CLEANING SERVICE 082-502- 1 Bud & Gwen Holt Owners 1 1 I I I I a |