From the Illinois Nurserymen’s Association

Gardening tips

February 2001

[FEB. 3, 2001]  Spring is just around the corner, and for those of us who love to garden, the sooner spring decides to arrive, the better! February is traditionally a month of mixed-up weather, with some really nice, spring-like days and some really cold, gray winter days. On those nice, spring-like days, when you want to get outside and do something, here’s a list that you can keep in mind.

  • Cut back your ornamental grasses and perennials. Now is a great time to do this because the plants are still dormant, so it is unlikely that the tender crown of the plant will be damaged.

  • Maintain your equipment. Sharpen your lawn mower blades, change the oil in your tiller, sharpen your pruning shears and shovels. A properly sharpened tool can make a world of difference!

  • Start your seeds indoors. If you are planning on growing some of your own bedding plants or vegetable plants, now is the time to get them growing. An Illinois Certified Nursery Professional (ICN-Pro) at your local garden center can help you with the individual varieties.

  • Meet with your local landscape designer to plan your new garden areas. Whether you want to create a new butterfly garden, a water garden or landscape your entire home, your landscape designer will be able to help you lay out your bed lines and pick the best plant material for your site.

  • If you have a wildflower garden, February is the month to maintain it. Generally, the best maintenance for a wildflower or prairie garden is fire. However, please check your local town, city or village ordinance on burning. For recommendations on maintaining your wildflower garden, visit your local garden center.

 

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  • Make your lawn maintenance plans now! It’s never too early to get your name on your garden center’s lawn maintenance list. Whenever your lawn needs fertilizer, weed spray or seeding, or whenever you need recommendations, now is the time to start talking with your lawn care professional.

  • Prune your grape vines and fruit trees now before the buds begin to break. Also be ready to apply your first application of Fertilome spray (captan/malathion) for fruit trees. Pick a time when it is going to be above 40 degrees and it’s not going to freeze over the first night. It is very important to make your first application BEFORE the buds break.

If  you have questions or need additional information, please feel free to contact an Illinois Certified Nursery Professional (ICN-Pro) at your local garden center. The Illinois Nurserymen’s Association has certified over 275 ICN-Pros covering the state of Illinois.

["Gardening tips" is provided monthly
by the Illinois Nurserymen’s Association,
1717 S. Fifth St. in Springfield.]

 


The newest member of the family

Iris

By Kitty Pokrzywinski

[JAN. 27, 2001]  We will never know why she was discarded like so much unwanted trash. Likewise, we cannot imagine why she was still available almost two weeks after having been left at the Logan County Animal Control, along with a cat that was also unwanted. Yet, there she was, just waiting for me on the day I decided to "just walk through" the shelter.

I had gone there to get our schipperke Tommy’s county license for this year. Our beautiful, sweet, intelligent dog, Hana, had gone to doggie heaven exactly one week previously. Hana was a golden retriever-German shepherd mix who had been adopted from a shelter almost 15 years ago, when she was 8 weeks old. My husband, John, and I had talked about when we might be ready for another dog and what type it might be. John had gone on the Internet and searched animal shelters in the area. Yet, we had made no real decision.

 

As I entered the shelter on that day, almost all the poor, discarded, mostly large dogs started up with a terrible cacophony, each trying to attract attention to himself. There were, unfortunately, a couple of dogs that seemed to have given up hope and just stood quietly in their kennels. I spoke to each one as I walked down the aisle. But my eye had already been drawn to the beautiful, intelligent face of a medium-sized, shorthaired white female down the aisle. She was white with light ticking through her coat and had a brindle ear on the right and a brindle eye on the left. She was standing up in her kennel, wagging her tail so furiously her whole body wiggled. She was looking at me as if I were her long-lost friend. She was ecstatic when I spoke to her. Nevertheless, I continued my rounds. Yet, on my way out, I inquired about her. The staff of the shelter told me that her name was Iris. She was 1 year old, of mixed breed (of course) and housebroken. Her former owners "didn’t have time for her."

I went home and called John at his office. I mentioned her as we talked. He was interested but was distracted by work, so I didn’t push the issue. Yet, as I tried to do some work myself, I couldn’t get her out of my mind. She just pulled at me and wouldn’t let go. Finally, I grabbed a leash…just in case, you understand…and went back. This time I took her out of the kennel. She was in my lap and all over me, smothering me with kisses and whining with excitement. Her size was perfect, just a little larger than Tommy. Her body was well-muscled, very agile and athletic. Except for a couple of thin patches worn in her coat from scratching, she appeared to be in excellent health. I put her back in the kennel — no small feat — and went up front to tell them I would take her. They drew up the papers while I left for a couple of hours to do some work. Then I returned to pick up the newest member of our family.

 

There is frequently a problem introducing a new dog to an established one. Not in this case. Tommy had never been an only dog, as I bred him myself and had several adult schips as well as his sister and, later, Hana. Iris had been extremely friendly to the house dogs and cats running around the shelter office, and so I just brought her into the yard and let Tom out of the house. It was love at first sight. Tommy finally had someone to play with, Hana having been too old for the last several years, and Iris approached him with just enough submission mixed in with her playfulness.

From the family room, I could see John pull into the driveway when he got home from work. Then it was time to introduce her to her new daddy. I let John get through the gate into the back yard before letting both dogs out the back door. As she ran toward him, he guessed immediately who she was. "Is this Iris?" he asked as she got to him and jumped and wagged her tail furiously. No fear of men here, fortunately. As soon as he sat down in his chair in the living room, she was on his lap, kissing him madly. As I saw the delighted smile on his face, I knew I had done the right thing. Although he was still grieving for his lost Hana, he immediately fell in love with this exceptional little lady.

 

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[Iris]

I can’t describe what a delight Iris is. She has not set one foot wrong in the house. She has no propensity for chewing inappropriate objects, is, indeed, housebroken, and won’t even bark at the mailman…although I’m sure Tommy will change that by his bad example. She is completely affectionate, very playful and will cuddle when tired. She sleeps in the bed with the three of us, taking the spot at the head between John and me that Tom doesn’t want (he prefers the foot), curled up in a little ball, unless you pull the covers over her, at which time she stretches out into the longest small dog you can imagine. She plays with all the toys that Tommy never really did like.

The worst thing she’s done was to take a chew bone I gave her and bury it in the couch. She stuffed it down between the cushions and then industriously pushed the slipcover over it. In fact, she was so industrious about this that I finally realized that was the reason she had a pink spot on her nose. It was worn there from "burying" things. I finally had to take the bone away when her nose started bleeding.

Iris is one of the smartest dogs I have worked with, and I showed in obedience trials for 17 years. She learned to sit and lie down in three tries. Now she comes and sits on her own when we give treats. She’s learning to come on command, but that will go more slowly as she is intensely interested in the world around her. No bird or squirrel goes unnoticed — or unchased, I might add. We took a walk in one of our rural parks, and she was driven completely wild by all the smells and animal tracks. I do believe the ticking that is in her white coat comes from a hunting breed in her background, for she was enthralled by the fields of tufted grass and would have coursed them for hours if allowed. Unfortunately for her, she was on a 16-ft leash. Fortunately for me, the ice had gone from the road, or she would have killed me as she jerked me from one place to another.

On the whole, I cannot imagine a more perfect dog for us. She will play ball, tug-of-war and Frisbee with John…just like Hana enjoyed doing in her younger days. She will outlast me on hikes through the woods. She would be great at competitive agility if I wanted to do that. Her temperament and personality are marvelous.

 

And yet, someone else discarded her. Unbelievable! And no one else adopted her during the time she sat in the shelter. Inconceivable! My friend, Brenda, didn’t call me about the Westie that needed a new home (and whom we surely would have taken) a week ago because Hana wasn’t gone yet. All these coincidences led to her being brought into our family, and for that we will be eternally grateful. Thanks a million to all those people who could not see her potential. Your loss is truly our gain.

[Kitty Pokrzywinski]

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Animals for adoption

 

These animals and more are available to good homes from the Logan County Animal Control at 1515 N. Kickapoo, phone 735-3232.

Fees for animal adoption: dogs, $60/male, $65/female; cats, $35/male, $44/female. The fees include neutering and spaying.

Logan County Animal Control's hours of operation:

Sunday    closed

Monday  –  8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Tuesday  –  8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Wednesday    8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Thursday  –  8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Friday  –  8 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Saturday  –  closed

Warden: Sheila Farmer
Assistant:  Michelle Mote
In-house veterinarian:  Dr. Lester Thompson

DOGS
Big to little, most these dogs will make wonderful lifelong companions when you take them home and provide solid, steady training, grooming and general care. Get educated about what you choose. If you give them the time and care they need, you will be rewarded with much more than you gave them. They are entertaining, fun, comforting, and will lift you up for days on end.

Be prepared to take the necessary time when you bring home a puppy, kitten, dog, cat or any other pet, and you will be blessed.

[Logan County Animal Control is thankful for pet supplies donated by individuals and Wal-Mart.]  


[Dakota is a young male.  He is probably a full-blooded chow.]


[This adorable husky mix is about 8 weeks old, and he needs a good home.]

 

    
[This Pomeranian is about 3 years old and may be housebroken.]

 


[He is a handsome 5-month-old retriever mix.]

[Is this Shar-Pei yours?  Animal Control believes she is lost and hopes her family will come and take her home.]
        
[This female husky is very shy — although she has relaxed a little during her stay at Animal Control.  Recently, this 3- or 4-year-old mother gave birth to three puppies.  There are males and females, and they look like husky-Australian shepherd mixes.  The mother and puppies are all available for adoption.]

 

Ten reasons to adopt a shelter dog

 1.  I'll bring out your playful side!

 2.  I'll lend an ear to your troubles.

 3.   I'll keep you fit and trim.

 4.   We'll look out for each other.

 5.   We'll sniff out fun together!

 6.   I'll keep you right on schedule.

 7.   I'll love you with all my heart.

 8.   We'll have a tail-waggin' good time!

 9.   We'll snuggle on a quiet evening.

10.   We'll be best friends always.


CATS

[Logan County Animal Control is thankful for pet supplies donated by individuals and Wal-Mart.]  

In the cat section there are a number of wonderful cats to choose from. There are a variety of colors and sizes.

[Cocoa is a really sweet female.  Her age is uncertain.]

ABE LINCOLN

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