Mythbusters series

continues at St. Paul's

Join us this Sunday (May 10) at 10 a.m. as Jeff Loach continues the Mythbusters series with Part 2 - It's the church's job to teach my kids the faith. This is also a Communion Sunday. Child care (for children five years of age and younger) is provided during the gathering and the Children's Christian Education Program takes place at the same time.

The prayer group meets this evening (Wednesday) at 7:30 p.m.

The community youth group will meet at the church this Friday (May 8) at 7:30 p.m.

They wish to thank everyone from the community and the church who made donations and/or participated in their family movie night/silent auction/bake sale fundraising event April 24. The event was a huge success.

We invite you to our 51st anniversary celebrations, which will take place May 31 at 10 a.m. Andrew Allison will be our guest preacher for this special occasion.

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

"It was swell! It was great! We had the whole rose world on a plate! Starting here, starting now, gardeners, everything's coming up roses!"

That's certainly how a large turn out of members and friends of the Nobleton — King City Horticultural Society felt after guest speaker Shari Lyn Safir's talk and slide presentation on roses at the society's April flower show and meeting.

Shari Lyn, currently president of the Greater Toronto Rose Society and the National Rose Society, is a master gardener, rose judge and consulting rose expert in Canada and the U.S.A. Her passion for roses, especially those grown British hybridizer David Austin, was evident in her down to earth talk that kept the assembled gardeners' complete attention.

Shari Lyn is an enthusiastic promoter of planting bare root roses over those growing in containers. She maintains that the roots of field grown roses are often pruned severely to fit them into containers and this can be harmful to the plant. Buying bare root roses makes good economic sense as well as they are much less expensive.

We were told to make sure the roses we buy are grown in Canada, as many roses from the U.S.A. are grafted on to root stock that is hardy only in the warmer parts of that country. Most Canadian grown roses outside the southern coast of British Columbia are grafted on to multiflora rose root stock that is hardy throughout southern and central Canada.

It's a good idea to prepare the place for the new rose even before it is purchased. Dig a hole at least 18 inches deep and wide and make a mound in the bottom about six to eight inches high. These measurements will vary according to the rose size.

Now create a mixture of one-third good garden soil, one-third composted cattle, horse or sheep manure (never use fresh manure, as it will burn the roots) and onethird compost (never use a compost that contains mushroom material, as it will kill the rose).

When the plant arrives home, unwrap it, prune any broken or damaged roots or branches and soak it in a pail of luke warm muddy water for at least four hours — overnight is even better. Next place the bush on the mound so that roots are spread down around it and start filling in the hole with the soil mixture a third at a time. After the bottom third is filled, water it so that the soil is soupy. Let it stand for an hour or so until the water has seeped away and then tamp the soil down with a foot or tamping tool. Repeat this procedure with each of the remaining thirds.

By the by, Shari Lyn recommends that the place where root stock and grafted rose meet should be at least six to eight inches below ground level, where soil remains frozen during the winter and isn't affected by freezing and thawing. Now mound garden earth over the above ground rose branches so that only two inches or so of them show. Leave this in place for up to three weeks or until green buds appear on the protruding branches. Then gently remove the mounded earth so that there is a saucer like depression around the base of the bush to hold water (each rose needs a gallon of water a week in dry weather). Always water at ground level as tap water on the leaves can cause black spot. Roses love bananas, so cut up two skins per rose and dig them in around each plant. As well two or three cloves of garlic planted near each bush will help deter bug pests. If two branches are rubbing against each other, remove the smallest or weakest one.

The best time to plant or replant roses is during these cool cloudy days of early May, so "Clear the decks! Clear the tracks! Do the planting then relax 'cause soon everything 'll be coming up roses" (thank you Jule Styne, Stephen Sondheim, Ethel Merman and Bette Middler).

Nobleton Tennis Club

Come by and try nights will be Wednesdays in May (starting tonight) from 7 to 9 p.m., weather permitting.

No membership or equipment is required. Come by and meet other members and see if tennis is for you.

Registration will also take place for returning members. the cost is $50 for adults and $70 for family. It's a great way to get your dose of Vitamin D and exercise while you are at it.

Call Tania Leslie (905) 939-0635 for more information, or e-mail to nobletontennisclub@ routcom.com