Mary Walsh Centre 

It is pleasing that the weather has begun to improve and the days are warmer now, and the nights as well. The lawn mowers will be kept busy mowing the lawns as they are growing so fast, but we still need more rain for all the gardens. The windy weather has dried the ground out so that the earth is hard to dig. Both plants and seeds need to be put in now, before the heat comes along and retards them, sometimes bringing
insect pests.

At the centre Debbie, Shirley, Dorothea and others are very busy preparing gift boxes for the underprivileged children in other parts of the world. We would send the children our love and hope and pray that their lives will be made much brighter by our thoughts for them. We trust that the gifts these boxes contain will be put to good use. It is good for us to think of others in a world that seems so self-centred today.

Our numbers at the centre are currently quite low as some of our members are in respite care and one has  moved to a nursing home.   

       
         A careless word may kindle strife;
         A cruel word may wreck a life,
         A bitter word may hate instil,
         A brutal word may smite and kill;
         A gracious word may smooth the way;
         A timely word may lessen stress;
         A loving word may heal and bless.

Gardening Tips:
Good border plants
Garden beds can look stunning with carefully selected low growing border plants. When massed planted along the border they create a clean, graceful and
simple line. Some good border plants include Stachys byzantina (Lambs' Ears), Sedum spectabile cvs,
Helianthemum cvs, Lavandula 'Hidcote', Hosta cvs, Convolvulus cneorum and Alchemilla mollis. Some are deciduous and others evergreen, some are suited to moist areas, while others prefer dry soil.

Tomato problems alleviated

The best organic method of keeping pests at bay on tomatoes, especially caterpillars is to grow them well and fast. Add calcium to the soil prior to planting and side dress young plants with compost. Additional blood and bone mixed with a little sulphate of potash at the rate of 10:1 potash. Keep plants consistently moist throughout growing season. this with calcium in the soil should prevent "blossom-end rot". Mulch well, keeping it away from the stem. When caterpillars
appear, either pick them off and squash or sprinkle the predatory bacterium Bacillius thuringiensis which can be bought, over plants; it can be used on brassicas as well. Tomato wilt, a soil borne disease can be avoided by crop rotation.