[00:00.00]UNIT3 [00:15.09]Gardening [00:17.29]One of the quiet joys [00:18.71]of life in the southern part [00:20.57]of Ontario, Canada, is gardening. [00:23.31]Whether pursued as a hobby [00:25.71]or solely to improve [00:27.25]the esthetic value of one's home, [00:28.89]the pleasure derived is only exceeded [00:31.19]by the therapeutic benefit. [00:33.38]The exercise involved in working [00:35.78]in a garden is helpful in [00:37.42]keeping people in good physical condition. [00:40.59]It has become a ritual [00:42.45]for homeowners to spend [00:43.66]late winter weekends browsing [00:45.29]through seed catalogues while [00:47.48]sitting on their couch. [00:48.80]They make lists of items [00:50.87]they wish to purchase [00:52.19]and often make notations right [00:54.05]on the catalogue as they make [00:55.91]decisions about this year's garden. [00:57.77]If they order early, [01:00.51]there is usually a discount coupon, [01:02.26]allowing a percentage of [01:04.44]the cost to be [01:05.75]deducted from the price. [01:06.96]Often the coupon needs to [01:09.15]be detached from the catalogue [01:11.34]and mailed to the company [01:13.31]along with the order. [01:14.84]This is an extra bonus [01:16.37]for the consumer. The investment cost [01:18.89]required is nominal when the amount [01:20.96]of pleasure generated is considered. [01:23.59]The seed companies will [01:25.67]usually warrant the plants, [01:26.98]and often a refund is offered [01:29.06]if the plants do not thrive. [01:31.58]The shipment from the [01:33.44]seed company's warehouse is awaited [01:35.07]with eager anticipation. [01:37.48]Its appearance means that [01:39.13]spring will soon arrive. [01:40.88]The glossy pages of the catalogues [01:44.05]provide a preview of the visual [01:45.91]delights that can be grown. [01:47.55]Pictures show an array of [01:50.17]flowers that dazzle the eye. [01:52.03]There are monochromatic displays [01:53.78]as well as others that [01:55.53]are a fusion of the complete [01:57.17]spectrum of the rainbow's colors. [01:58.93]Also included in the publication [02:02.65]are pictures and descriptions [02:04.72]of vegetables, shrubs, and trees. [02:07.46]Avid gardeners subscribe to magazines [02:11.84]that specialize in articles [02:13.70]and ads about this enjoyable pastime [02:16.43]and people literally read [02:18.18]each issue from cover to cover. [02:21.79]Descriptions of plants include [02:24.64]implicit instructions on whether [02:26.71]to plant them in sun or shade. [02:29.45]Specification as to the amount [02:31.53]of irrigation required is also stated. [02:34.59]Elaborate irrigation systems are sometimes [02:37.66]installed or a trench for [02:39.84]improving the water flow is used. [02:41.70]Controls are needed on [02:43.56]irrigation systems because if [02:45.10]the ground becomes too saturated [02:46.96]the soil in the garden [02:49.03]will be too muddy to [02:50.45]allow anyone to work in it [02:51.99]until it dries out. [02:53.85]If there is too much [02:55.38]water constantly, the garden [02:57.13]will become a swamp [02:58.55]and impossible to cultivate. [03:00.52](Many people like to preserve [03:02.71]the natural habitat of birds [03:04.46]and wildlife in a marsh. [03:06.10]These areas are usually protected [03:08.84]by the government and [03:10.26]although important to our environment, [03:12.77]are not considered gardens.) [03:14.74]Geographic location is important for plants. [03:18.68]Certain plants are only suitable [03:20.76]for propagation close to the equator. [03:22.73]Others need to be several degrees [03:25.25]of latitude away from the equator. [03:27.32]Longitude is also a factor [03:29.62]and most companies clearly state [03:31.70]the conditions that will [03:33.34]provide the optimum chances [03:35.20]for the plants survival. [03:36.74]Canadians grow tulips imported [03:39.03]from Holland and they do well [03:41.33]in the Southern Ontario climate. [03:43.62]Because it is late spring [03:45.70]before plants can survive [03:47.02]outdoors in Southern Ontario, [03:48.99]it is common for people to [03:50.85]start their plants indoors. [03:52.93]Seeds are planted in small containers [03:55.44]and continue to grow indoors [03:57.19]until the appropriate size [03:59.60]is achieved. Sometimes ultraviolet light [04:03.87]is used to encourage plant growth. [04:06.06]When the mercury rises and [04:08.46]the danger of frost is past, [04:10.54]the plants are then transplanted [04:12.95]to the garden or to a flowerbed. [04:15.24]Plants are nourished from [04:18.52]the soil, but to provide [04:20.50]optimum food, fertilizer can be [04:22.80]applied to encourage vigorous growth. [04:25.53]Sometimes fertilizer is diluted [04:28.26]with water while other kinds [04:30.23]are dispersed with a spreader that [04:31.87]flings the fertilizer granules in a [04:34.28]small radius around the plants. [04:36.91]The water soluble fertilizer will [04:39.43]then be absorbed into the soil [04:41.17]the next time it rains. [04:43.14]Just as people need minerals, [04:46.10]such as calcium and zinc, [04:47.63]to be healthy, plants also need [04:49.82]minerals but phosphorous and nitrogen [04:52.77]are better food for them.