Friday, September 23, 2016 5 Brooklin Town Crier Blooming in Brooklin By Ken Brown Lawns and...Spring? We're nearing the end of September and I haven't begun many of the month's garden chores. The first week seemed like the middle of summer so I had to delay sowing grass seed. It's a September task because it likes the cool moist days to aid germination. Except it's been neither cool nor moist. When I do sow grass seed, I set up the sprinkler where it will cover as much of the newly seeded area as possible and then leave it there. I'll run it morning and night for about 15 minutes to keep the seeds moist since they need water to germinate. Adequate moisture means a nice thick lawn. If you have an established lawn and I can't convince you to rip it out and plant vegetables, then autumn is the time of year to fertilize it. But it takes patience. A proper application of fertilizer, after the days have cooled, will have little effect on this fall's lawn. The grass plant roots find those nutrients and absorb them. They help a little with fall growth, but more importantly they store those nutrients in the crowns of grass plants so that they're ready for healthy growth when warmer spring days arrive. That occurs before the lawn is firm enough to walk on and you spread spring fertilizer. A little effort this fall will reap rewards next spring. A patient gardener is usually a successful gardener. And now for my annual encouragement about spring flowering bulbs, one of my favourite aspects of gardening since it yields the greatest show for the least effort. Do you admire those spring gardens with colourful displays of tulips and daffodils? Do you want wonderful spring harbingers like snowdrops and crocus? Now's the time to ensure they're in your garden next spring. Wander into a garden centre and admire the array of bulbs. I like the feel of those smooth promises of spring in my hands. You can look at photos and buy the ones that appeal most. Or, you can get more serious and read the packages. Bulbs come in a variety of sizes and bloom times. With a little careful planning you can plant enough bulbs to have a succession of blooms that will last for several weeks. Bulbs teach gardeners planning and patience. No instant gratification here. Plant the early and late ones together in the same bed. As the early ones bloom and then fade, the late ones will grow up past them and take over the blooming role, extending the interest in that garden. The other thing is to have some annual flowers ready to plant. Geraniums are one of the most popular flowering plants for containers. While I rarely buy any, my front porch is usually resplendent with them. They're easy to propagate. At this time of year I take cuttings from my front porch planters and root them. They then spend the winter in my basement under the lights. That gives me some winter colour and feeds my gardener's soul caring for them all winter. Taking cuttings now while they are still tender and actively growing will give you more success than waiting until they have started to slow down and harden off in the cooler days of late autumn. There are instructions available on my web site www.gardening-enjoyed.com. A little effort now provides gardening pleasure all winter and free plants next spring. Beware! New Twist on CRA Scam Those who hope to scam residents out of their cash under the guise of the CRA are beginning to change their tactics as more and more people educate themselves about the fraudulent activity. The typical CRA scam involves someone calling your home phone number and claiming to be from Revenue Canada. They indicate your account is in arrears and if action isn't taken immediately, you will be arrested. You are directed to either send cash, or more commonly purchase iTunes gift cards and send them as a means of payment. These scammers seem very legitimate and sadly unsuspecting residents loose thousands of dollars as result. The scammers are now starting to contact people via their cellphones, something that was seldom done in the past. They may reference account or personal information in order to sound more legitimate. In a new twist, they may change their story and indicate they are calling from your bank. The scammer indicates someone has accessed your account and they need your help to catch the culprit. They say they've deposited a certain amount of money into your account and all you have to do is wire a portion of it to a number provided. Of course no money is deposited, and the funds often end up in another country never to be seen again. The scammers may even target the same person again encouraging them they are very close to catching the culprit and just need their help one more time. They are very aggressive and can be extremely con- vincing. It's important not to engage them, hang up the phone and report the incident. Because the scam keeps changing and often crosses international borders it continues to be a huge issue for investigators. Det. Pat Waters of the DRPS Major Crime Fraud Unit says the best thing people can do is educate themselves. "We want residents to spread the word about these scams," he says. "Make sure you are telling friends and family members, especially seniors that these calls are fakes. The CRA or a bank will never call you requesting information or asking you to send money or gift cards." You should report deceptive telemarketing to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.. Anyone wishing to report a fraud in Durham Region is asked to contact Durham Regional Police at 1-888-579-1520. Record Results at Wolfpack Golf By Ryan Mitchell With a record 150 golfers, sponsors and volunteers, the annual Wolfpack Golf Tournament raised $36,113 for the Lakeridge Health Foundation and specifically the Durham Regional Cancer Centre. In eight years, this tournament has now raised $146,614 and is in the top three for community contributors for Lakeridge Health. A thank you to all of our golfers, sponsors, volunteers, as well as family and friends who joined us later that evening. The forecast for this year looked terrible but in the end it turned out to probably be the best weather we've ever had. Once again, a special thank you to Columbus Golf Course and Shoeless Joe's in Brooklin who offered a wonderful dinner and provided a great night's entertainment. And the winning foursome? The group "Next Year's Champs" who took home the coveted "Wolfpack" championship with a score of -13! For a recap of the day, please visit our website www.Wolfpack-GolfTourney.com.