| Boise City Code S(to)P:it/3.nO/w Explained
When I was a kid we got a hilarious annual Christmas letter from Great-Aunt Pauline - a four-page psychotic recitation of the tragedies that had befallen people in her little town. My brother usually read it aloud while we hooted ourselves sick. One year when the letter's P.S. said: "Oh - Marge died, and Harry fell in a hole", my mother managed to choke out, "THROW IN SOME BULBS!" which was so unlike her that we practically had to be revived. Mom was right, you know – growing daffodils, tulips, iris, lilies and other perennially-blooming flowers from bulbs is almost as easy as throwing them in after Harry. And! This is the best thing! You plant bulbs in fall, forget where you put them or even IF you put them, and one day in spring when you are muttering crankily to yourself "gol-dang income taxes" they go SPROING and give you a grin.
Prune to bloom
Mid to late April is the time to prune your rose bushes, provided there is no longer a threat of severe cold and freezing weather. Pruning roses is very important for a number of reasons. By cutting out dead and diseased wood, you will be providing better air circulation for the plant as it grows, which will help promote healthier leaf growth. Pruning also stimulates new growth, which helps influence the quality and quantity of blooms. The pruning tips that I describe here apply to bush and shrub roses, not climbers. Climbers bloom on old wood, so the pruning technique is slightly different. It is best to use a bypass pruner, which helps ensure a cleaner cut. A fine-toothed saw is also helpful for cutting large, dead canes. It is also very important to disinfect your cutting tools, which helps prevent the spread of disease.
Anger over renovations on George Downing estate
OUTRAGED residents have accused a landlord of failing to honour promises to upgrade their estate. The Southern Housing Group housing association pledged a raft of improvements after taking over the George Downing estate in Cazenove Road, Stoke Newington. Six years later, tenants are living amid derelict buildings, vandalised playgrounds and ongoing building work. "We would expect delays with any construction project, but this is unacceptable," said mother-of-one Lorna Fray, who moved to the estate six years ago."We are outraged by the condition of the estate and the hypocrisy of the housing association."We haven't been able to use our garden since July and we were promised a play area on the estate several years ago, but all we have is two burnt swings."Southern Housing took over from Hackney Council as landlords of six estates in Stamford Hill and Stoke Newington in March, 2000.Housing chiefs pledged to spend £40 million cleaning up, landscaping estates and modernising homes.Leaseholders were even asked to contribute up to £10,000 to the cost of the building work.
Summer Vegetable Gardening, Part II:
Producing a toothsome crop of summer vegetables is more than plunking a few seeds or plants into the ground. Here are some strategies for dealing with your garden's challenges. GARDENING IN SMALL SPACES: If you are dirt challenged, consider these possibilities. First, search out nursery seeds and plants labeled small-sized or compact. For convenience, perhaps buy some plants from the nursery, but start special varieties from seed in a sunny window to transfer to the garden after danger of frost. Seed catalogs offer enticing possibilities. You can grow a few summer vegetables in containers with six hours or more of sunshine. Summer vegetables in general require more root space than leafy winter crops, so go with sizeable pots or half barrels. To prevent fry and die syndrome, keep the soil consistently moist.
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