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Show 6C Lakeside Review South, Wednesday, May 4, 1983 Gardening By SHEUEY far Ray Man After Retirement Life-Sav- er One of his more unusual specimens is a Manchurian apricot. The tree started out as a small twig. Now its one of the biggest ones and its fruit is very large and tasty, said Pitchford. He also has an apple tree which produces four different varieties of apples including both yellow and red delicious. "The nursery where I bought it had grafted on the four types, said Pitchford. It produces so much fruit, he had to build a wooden frame and tie the branches to it for support. mercial fertilizer. He plants marigolds around the edge of the garden to discourage bugs and worms. Herbs scattered through the garden also repel insects. To utilize space, Pitchford plants part of his garden in the orchard. "I put squash and melons around the trees, they help keep the weeds down too. Pitchford uses seedlings to start the cabbage, cauliflower, eggplant, tomatoes and peppers. The rest of the vegetables are grown from seed. He recommends planting the tomato Pitchford also tends his seedlings so only a few inches grapes and an assortment of remain above ground. "Many; berries in the spring. Last year, people plant them too shallow. he had strawberries the size of When planting seeds and golf balls. To ensure large berseedlings, Pitchford is careful ries, Pitchford always has sev- to change the location of vegeeral patches each season. He table groupings each year. takes new runners from one "Peas produce nitrogen which crop of strawberries and plants enriches the soil so they need to them in a prepared area. be moved around. He also re"The secret of producing big locates plants like potatoes to berries is to keep the new plants lessen the chance of blight left producing and to pull out the in the soil from the precious older plants, which make the year. smaller berries, said PitchPitchford puts ford. Each patch has a productrellises around tomato plants tive life cycle of about three KANCITIS Review Correspondent tlOY Malcolm Pitchfords garden is beginning to come alive. Several rows of tiny seedlings dot the rich black soil. When it reaches maturity, x Pitchfords plot will spill over with at least 16 types. of vegetables ranging e from huge heads of cauliflower to tiny, green peas. Next to the vegetable garden is an orchard containing seven 30-fo- ot 60-fo- ot snow-whit- varieties of fruit trees. Interwoven throughout the yard are flowers and rosebushes. Pitchford even has a "rock garden covered with tarns, a low lying evergreen bush. "I call it a rock garden, laughs Pitchfords wife, Lee, because no matter how fast we haul the rocks away, they seem to grow back. Pitchford, who grew up on farms in Nebraska and Colorado, spends at least 30 hours a week on gardening during the growing season. It has literally saved his life. In 1970, Pitchford had a near-fatheart attack and was forced to retire from his railroad career. As physical therapy, he turned to gardening. "Ive always liked to raise my own fruits and vegetables. They taste so much better, said Pitchford. Beginning in early spring, Pitchford begins working in his orchard. First he makes a cone-shape- d al years. Pitchforeds vegetable gar- den preparation begins in the fall. "I spade up the soil to kill insect eggs. It also helps the ground absorb winter moisture better. In addition, Pitchford mulches in grass clippings and compost from a carefully maintained like. "I think the spading is as good as using a tiller, said Pitchford. In the spring, the saucer-sh- indentation around each tree so it will hold water. This enables the tree to get a good soaking. He uses an iron stake with a pointed end to poke holes at foot long intervals around the trees drip line. Then e Pitchford pours fertilizer into the holes to insure aped time-releas- PRUNING dwarf fruit tree in his home orchard is Roy resident, Malcolm Pitchford. continous, slow fertilization. I recommend planting dwarf fruit trees if a person has a full-size- d planting. For garden fertilizer, Pitchford primarily uses compost with smaller amounts of com Hot ulb Popular Home Project tom of the shell. The effect on As the home remodeling mar- . Wood decks for outdoor living are catching on all over the country. With good reason. They add pleasurable living space much of the year, even in Theyre easy and fun to build. And with the use of pressure-treate- d wood, theyre families to add a spa or choice for many families because they can be easily moved tub last year. either indoors or Te Natinal Spa and Pool Insti- and used tute (NSPI) estimates that over outside, depending on available 500.000 families now enjoy the electrical outlets. Jetted bathtubs are now rerelaxing effects of a long hot soak in the privacy of their own placing traditional tubs in many bath remodeling projects. backyards or homes. Put, while almost everyone These tubs usually have an acconsidering the purchase of a rylic finish with a fiberglass spa or tub knows the therapeut-- ' backing and are drained after both physical and use. ic '.value Both spas and tubs operate on mental provided through these swirling pools of hot wa-- , the same principle. Water is HOME HANDYMEN now are turning attention to popular ter, very few have a clear pic- - heated and recirculated hot tubs, spas. ture of what these products of- through jets that create a soothfer or how to bring the hot water ing turbulence. The products Spa and Pool Institute. NSPI members subscribe to without get- are equipped with similar experience home pumps, filters, heaters and wa- the Institutes strict standards ting soaked. IHere are some specific ter jets. All products can be for design and construction and abide by a code of ethics coverguidelines for choosing the best bought, designed or constructed fair business practices. . to to two accommodate twelve of ing water form hot pleasure. The Institute also suggests '.There are several types of hot people. that consumers compare instalA reputable dealer or instalwater products currently on the lation fees, investigate the sermarket. Hot tubs are generally ler can provide advice on: vice records of installers, ask Local utility costs for naturconstructed of hardwood such as redwodd, mahogany, cedar, al gas, propane and electricity. for and contact previous cusHow many degrees a par- tomers of a particular company o$k or teak. However, some tubs are made of wood on the ticular heater will raise the wa- and inspect all manufacturer warranties regarding pumps, outside with fiberglass liners in- - ter temperature per hour. side. The vessels are usually Heating and intallation jets, filters and heaters. Before signing the contract, round or oval and are placed costs, depending on whether the ' above ground. spa or tub will be located inside make sure it gives maximum lA hot water spa is generally or outside. protection. Every item of exEfficient pump horsepower pense for material and labor, made of fiberglass, gunite or including optional equipment acrylic materials and placed n rating. the ground. The number of pumps should be covered in writing. For a complete package of ; Fiberglass spas are divided needed to drive the air or water information, including Sunsets into two categories depending systems. The selection of a company to "Hot Tubs, Spas and Home oh the method used to create turbulence. One type employs a sell, install or build the product Sauntas, send $5 to national blower or compressor to force is important. A primary aid in Spa and Pool Institute, 2000 K air through a duct system and choosing a dealer is the emblem STreet, N.W., Washington, D.C. ,up through tiny holes in the bot of membership in the national 20006. 100.000 inexpen- sive and last a long time. All you need is a few simple carpentering tools, ordinary skills and. a little common sense. Whether your deck is or attached to the house, plain or fancy, basically what youre doing is sawing and lumber nailing pressure-treate- d with as would you any just lumber. Your lumberyard or building supply center can tell you all you need to know about sizes, spacing and spans. After youve made sure that the ground beneath your deck will give you good drainage, youll need to set pressure-treate- d posts some two or three feet into the ground. You can put the posts on concrete footings if you like, but thats not required. Then you should assemble the decks substructure with beams and joists like those under the floor of a house. For the decking itself, you can use 2 x 4s or 2 x 6s. You should leave a little space between deck pieces for water runoff. You should coat all sawed ends free-standi- ket makes substantial gains on the skin is light and vibrant like the new construction market, a fingertip massage. The sectwo unique amenities are pop- ond type pumps large volumes spas of water through small hydping up again and again and hot tubs. rotherapy jets. The velocity In fact, the high cost of hous- -' creates a suction that mixes air ing and the trend toward home with the incoming stream of improvements rather than buy- water. Portable spas are a popular ing a new house enticed over six inches above the ground. Pitchford said tomato lovers should know that a new blight entered this area several years ago. He suggests consulting a nursery about recommended sprays. Last year, Lee Pitchford was especially delighted with the cauliflower he produced. To keep the sun from turning the plants brown, Pitchford folds the leaves over the white part of the cauliflower and fastens ..them shut with toothpicks. He occasionally opens the leaves to check for bugs and worms, but said they are infrequent. Pitchford uses a minimum of chemical spray on his vegetables. He suggests Liquid 7 as an effective, mild spray. Up until several weeks ago, the Pitchfords continued to enjoy fresh produce from last left a years crop. Pitchford in the of potatoes crop partial ground and covered them with six inches of mulch so they would not freeze. Build Wood Decks Plain or Fancy soil is soft and ready for cold climates. small yard. The fruit is just as good as from the trees, said Pitchford. for support. When they start getting taller, he removes leaves which are from four to with a preservative that you can get through your lumber dealer. As with any wood construction in an outdoor environment, you should use only galvanized nails to avoid rusting or discoloration of the wood. Youll find a lOd common the most appropriate size. Framing your deck with decking lumber turned on edge will give the job a finished appearance. Trimmings and scraps of re-treated lumber should be used as landfill, and not burned. As with untreated wood, good safety and hygiene practices should be followed, including using gloves when handling and dust masks and safety glasses when cutting, sanding or drilling. hot-dippe- pressu- wood is Pressure-treate- d al for decks. direct contact with the ground and is highly resistant to both decay and termites. It can be painted or stained, but it doesnt need finishing. It looks good unfinished, and the preservatives allow for attractive weathering without de- terioration. 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