Nobleton Seniors off to Beauty and the Beast at Stage West | www.kingsentinel.com

Join us this Sunday (March 16) at 9:45 a.m. as we welcome Rev. Calvin Brown to the pulpit to help us celebrate Palm Sunday. Nursery care (for children aged five and younger) is provided during the service and Sunday school for all ages follows at 11 a.m.

The ladies of the Women's Missionary Society will meet this coming Tuesday (March 18) at 1 p.m.

Our Good Friday Communion service (March 21) will begin at 10:30 a.m. Easter Sunday morning, there will be a pancake breakfast starting at 8:30 a.m. followed by our Easter service at 9:45 a.m. Nursery care will be provided on that day, however, there will be no children's Sunday school.

For more information about any of our activities or events, please contact the church office at (905) 859- 0843 or visit our Web site at www.stpaulsnobleton.ca

Horticulture

"I'm as restless as a willow in a windstorm. I'm as jumpy as a puppet on a string. I'd say that I had spring fever, but I know it isn't spring."

It may not be very spring-like outdoors, but indoors our house plants that have been dormant all winter will soon begin a new cycle of growing. We need to slowly increase the amount of water we've been giving them and by mid to late March, start them off with a weak solution of fertilizer, generally onequarter the strength the manufacturer recommends.

When it comes to fertilizer, I usually use a weaker solution and give it less often than the instructions call for, as I've learned from experience more is most definitely not better than less. One of our horticultural society members, Tina Stone of King City, an expert in the growing of orchids, said fertilizers, especially the commercial ones, will build up toxic salts in pot soil if constantly applied. Thus if she fertilizes this week, she will just use luke-warm tap water for two weeks or so as part of her regular watering schedule before fertilizing again. The clear water washes out almost all the toxins.

If plants need repotting, choose a pot only one size bigger, as a much larger pot encourages the plant's roots to grow, which they will do at the expense of top growth. However, once the roots start to reach the limits of the new container, top growth will start again. Many house plants like to be at least a little pot bound, and some, such as the popular clivia, won't bloom unless it is completely so. It may be that many tropical plants grow in confined spaces naturally, such as rocky hillsides or crevices at the bases of large trees. Let the soil in the old pot dry out for a day or two.

Have the new pot (prerinsed in clear hot water), fresh damp soil and a few small stones or bits of broken pottery ready. Put the stones/pottery bits in the bottom of the container to cover the hole there. This promotes good drainage and stops the soil from falling out. Never use a pot without a drainage hole. Put in enough fresh soil to fill about quarter of the new pot. Now ease the plant and its root ball out of the old pot and tap off as much of the old soil as possible even if some of the roots get knocked off (it's safe to remove up to a third of the root mass, this a type of pruning will benefit the plant over time).

Put the plant in the centre of its new home. Gently hold it and fill soil around it. Raise it so that its collar (the place where the plant stem meets the soil) is about half an inch below the rim of the pot. You may have to lift it in and out few times to get it to the correct depth. Pat the soil around it gently, not to compact it but to get rid of any air pockets. Now tap the pot on any solid surface to complete the settling and water thoroughly with a 5-15-5 transplanter solution to help develop a new root system quickly. Put the plant in a bright area, away from direct sunlight, until it gets established. If after a few days it seems to be struggling, create a mini greenhouse around it by putting a clear plastic bag over it for not longer than 48 hours.

Nobleton seniors'

activities

A trip to Stage West to see Beauty and the Beast is scheduled for March 26.

A school bus will leave the arena at 10 a.m. to arrive at Stage West for a buffet lunch prior to the play. The cost per person is $60. Please call Paula at (905) 859-2631 to reserve your seats.

Winners of the March 5 afternoon euchre were Paula Latanville, Hazel Harris, Iva Hilliard, Murray Hilliard, Herb Workman and Lou Curtis. The Tuesday evening bid euchre winners were Lou Curtis, Herb Workman, Walter Bell and Iva Hilliard.

There will be a Pot Luck supper at 6 p.m. March 25, followed by euchre at 7:30 p.m. Bring something for supper and enjoy. Everyone is welcome.

St. Mary Catholic Church

Easter schedule

Palm Sunday (March 16) services will be at 8:30 a.m. at St. Mary Mission Church, 9:45 a.m. at St. Mary Catholic School gym and 11 a.m. at St. Patrick School gym in Schomberg.

Holy Thursday service will be at 8 p.m. at St. Patrick Church.

The Good Friday schedule will be 12:30 p.m. at St. Mary School gym and 3 p.m. at St. Patrick School gym.

The Easter Vigil will be March 22 at 1 p.m., with Easter Food Blessing at St. Patrick Church, and 7:30 p.m. at St. Patrick Church.

Easter Sunday services will be at 8:30 a.m. at St. Mary Mission Church, 9:45 a.m. at St. Mary gym and 11 a.m. at St. Patrick School gym.

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