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Tillsenberg’s Don Martin has a business secret as he grows giant plants.
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Buy ‘jumbo’ seeds.
It may seem obvious, but as it turns out, not every plant will grow. Some of the sunflowers have grown to an impressive 10 feet this summer, and some have not been planted all at once.
“It’s based on moisture and the sun, I guess. This, ”he said, referring to a different type of sunflower plant,“ is not big. I do not know… “
He also grew some jumbo potatoes in his backyard garden. And some big juice tomatoes.
“I give some to all my neighbors, so my neighbors like me. Everyone on this street, I think. My wife made a tin can, but she is not working anymore, so I have a lot to give. So if you want more later, come back. ”
The garden takes up a lot of space in the backyard, but there is room for flowers and flowering trees and vineyards.
As Martin walks into the garden, he looks up at the American mountain ash, which he holds every year, and says, “I’ve never seen so many flowers grow.” And I was here for 14 years.
Sunflowers are also useful for neighboring birds.
“The blue jerseys love them.”
His backyard is also home to two types of lilac bushes.
It has a wooden fence on both sides of the garden, and a row of flowers to attract pollen on the other two sides. It selects zinc and produces four different colors. And Jumbo Marigolds. You could call it another business secret.
“Just for the sake of appearance, some grow a little taller than others,” Martin joked, “and bees come in here, which helps tomatoes and peppers and pumpkins.
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However, this year has not been a good season for pumpkins and peppers. He said it might be a little wet.
I worked as a gardener all my life, my mother owned a large garden, and later Martin, who grew up in the Calmland area of Delmer.
“I didn’t stay home long. By the time I was 16, I was working full-time, working in a sawmill. Mobile saws, everything by hand, all over the country. Port Rowan, Port Perry, Bowmanville, Ailmer, St. Thomas.
There were eight in the family, and I was fifth.
In 1965, he started the Martin Auto body on Mal Street near Norfolk Mall for 25 years.
August 21, Martin will be 93, and in addition to playing cards in the league, he still loves gardening.
Martin laughs. “My wife (Gwenda) says, ‘You’re too old.’ “We’ve been married for 70 years.
I have been in Tilsenburg, Physical, and Rehabilitation for 70 or three years for 70 years. I remember when the tireless tires came out in 1953 or 1954.
cabbott@sunmedia.com