1. Using your dictionary give more examples of plants that

1) are harvested when the fruit is ripe

2) are harvested before they flower

3) are grown for their roots

4) are grown for their seeds

2. Explain what “deadheading” is. What is this technique used for?

3. Explain why gardeners prune shrubs and trees.

PREPARING THE GARDEN FOR WINTER

In regions where winter is characterized by freezing temperatures, the gardening season ends in autumn. In these areas, autumn tasks for vegetable gardeners include removing old plants from the garden. This helps eliminate insects and disease organisms that may survive the winter in dead leaves or flowers. To prepare the soil for the following spring, gardeners may work manure or other fertilizer into the soil, or they may add compost, partially decayed organic material that improves water drainage in the soil.

Flower gardeners also may remove annual flowers from the garden to control insects and disease. To preserve perennials, gardeners cover the ground with a deep layer of mulch to prevent the soil from thawing too early. Soils that repeatedly freeze and thaw during the winter can push the roots of perennial plants out of the soil, a process called heaving.

Some gardeners try to extend the growing season by protecting vegetables and annual flowers through the first mild frosts of autumn. One popular method is to cover the plants with plastic or bed sheets when frost threatens, which traps heat that the soil gives off at night and keeps frost from settling on the plants. Another technique is to surround the plants with milk jugs or other containers filled with water. As the water freezes it gives off heat, and the slight increase in temperature is enough to protect the plants. In late winter or early spring, before new growth begins, gardeners may cut the brown leaves of ornamental grasses and the dead branches of perennials so the plants will look tidy as the growth begins again.

Vocabulary

eliminate – усувати

survive – виживати, пережити

manure – гній

decay – гнити

thaw – танути

heave – підійматися

threaten – загрожувати

trap – утримувати

ornamental – декоративний

Vocabulary exercises

1. Practise the pronunciation of the following words:

region, eliminate, survive, manure, partially, drainage, preserve, thawing, heaving, threaten, technique, increase

2. Find the stem in the following words: point out prefixes and suffixes. Translate the words into Ukrainian.

removing, fertilizer, partially, organic, repeatedly, growth, ornamental

3. Give Ukrainian equivalents to the following word combinations:

vegetable gardeners, disease organisms, water drainage, flower gardeners, bed sheets, milk jugs

4. Find the odd word out:

vegetable / grass / tidy/ flower / frozen garden

thawing / ornamental / annual / perennial / removed plants

decayed / old / dead / heaving / brown leaves

fertilizer: manure / compost / mulch

gardening / growing / following / tidy / mild season

5. Complete the following sentences:

1.When the gardening season ends, vegetable gardeners remove ... .

2. This helps eliminate ... .

3. Preparing the soil for the following spring, gardeners may add ... or ... or ... into the soil. It improves ... .

4. Flower gardeners control insects and disease by ... .

5. To preserve perennials, they cover the ground with ... . It prevents the soil from ... .

6. To extend the growing season some gardeners cover the plants with ... . It traps the heat that ... and keeps frost from ... .

7. In late winter or early spring gardeners may cut ... .

Grammar exercises