Best Lawn on the Block #2

~April 27, 2011

We had such a great response to my blog last week about ‘Lawn Care’ that I thought I would expand on ‘Lawn Care #101’ here. There are many unanswered questions that I hope to clarify for you this week.

Why fertilize my lawn?

Under normal circumstances you would enrich and enhance the soil around the roots of the permanent, perennial plants in your garden. I recommend that you spread 2 cm of finished compost or organically-enriched soil over your entire garden each spring or fall. You may dig this in with a garden fork or wait for the earthworms to pull all of that good stuff down into the top soil.
‘Feeding the soil’ works well for your garden, but this is generally not practical for your lawn.
I recommend a fertilizer that has high nitrogen content (the element that your lawn craves the most come spring) and has a slow release nitrogen ingredient in it. I recommend Golfgreen (20-0-5) because it has the highest and most sophisticated content of slow release nitrogen of all national brands.

Fertilize once in early spring, again in early summer and (most importantly!) a final application before the snow flies in late summer.

Why don’t you recommend other national brands?

Other national brands like Vigoro, So Green, and Nutrite are excellent products, just not as good as Golfgreen. The most important thing is that you apply a quality product this time of year to take full advantage of the early season growth activity of your lawn.

What do the 3 numbers on the bag mean?

All 3 numbers refer to the percentage of an element found inside of the bag, measured by weight.

The first # is Nitrogen.
The second # is Phosphorous.
The third # is Potash.

Each of these ‘elements’ represents one of the primary ‘food groups’ for plants. Different plants require different amounts of each of these elements. In spring and early summer your lawn responds best to nitrogen. Potash encourages strong roots and enables your grass plants to use the nitrogen.

How do I get rid of earth worms that are making mounds of earth in my lawn?

This is always an awkward question for me to answer as I am a great fan of earth worms – ‘the foot soldiers of the garden’ as I refer to them. But I acknowledge that they can make for a bumpy lawn, when their castings erupt on the surface of the soil at the root zone.
I suggest that you ‘even out the mounds’ and ‘fill in the valleys’ with triple mix. Buy as much as you need (a few cubic yards or a truck load?) from a reliable supplier – keeping in mind that not all suppliers will send you the best quality stuff.
Triple mix is an equal combination of screened top soil, composted manure and peat. Spread it with a shovel and rake with a straight, hard rake smooth, being mindful of creating as smooth a surface as possible.

Over Seed Your Lawn.

As mentioned in my previous blog (2 weeks ago) this is a great time of year to thicken your lawn with fresh grass seed. You will compete many weeds out of existence and produce an even, thick lawn by Fathers Day if you do it now. Don’t worry about pending frosts or even snow … no harm.
If you are spreading triple mix over your lawn as described above, now is the perfect time to sow grass seed at the rate of one pound for every 400 sq. ft (1/2 kilo per 10 sq. metres). Apply the seed by hand, letting it roll off of your index finger as you move your wrist or arm from side to side slowly.
Rake smooth.
Roll with a lawn roller filled only 1/3 full with water or step on it with flat soled shoes (if it is not a big area).
Water and fertilize.

You can sow grass seed and fertilize on the same day, unless you are using a fertilizer with a weed control product in it. A ‘weed and feed’ will need about 6 weeks before you sow grass seed and a crabgrass preventer will vary depending on the brand. Follow directions on the bag.

Just laid fresh sod last fall or this spring?

If you are laying sod or starting a new lawn from seed use a ‘lawn starter’ fertilizer with a formula like 10-20-5. The high proportion of phosphorous will encourage strong young roots. Apply same day if you like.

If you laid fresh sod last spring or earlier, use Golfgreen Lawn Fertilizer or another national brand.


Keep your knees dirty!

Mark

The Best Lawn on the Block - without Chemicals!

~April 20, 2011

As Canada emerges from the deep freeze we tend to get pretty antsy to get out of doors. Before you can walk on your lawn and get into the garden you may satisfy your urge to enjoy the first sunny day by washing your car. At this point hosing down the driveway can feel like a trip to Florida.

After the driveway/car experience we turn our attention to the lawn.

Everyone, it seems, wants to have a nice green lawn. Even if you spend the rest of the gardening season on the golf course or at the cottage, I find that even the most negligent of lawn owners take some time in early spring to spruce up the lawn, one way or the other.

My job is to make sure that the time and money that you invest in your lawn – however little that may be – is well spent.

It must be said, too, that recent experience tells me that Canadians have a high regard for the environment. This is because we care. Not that people of other nations don’t care, it is just that we happen to care a lot. We are a country of caring people: it is part of our character.

I only say this based on my travels across the country talking about gardening everywhere that I go.

I have noticed that there is a conspiracy against the lawn, in some quarters. There are people out there who would like lawn-loving people like me to feel guilty about our nice green lawn.

Your Lawn is like a Potato.

To all of the lawn naysayers and doubters I have this to say: think of your lawn like a potato. We know that a baked potato contains all kinds of good stuff: vitamin C and D, fiber, minerals – the kind of stuff that makes you strong.

It is the stuff that you PUT on your potato that is not so good for you. “Will you have that loaded?” was the question when I was last at the Keg for a New York strip loin and baked potato side. That would be a generous helping of butter, sour cream, chives and bacon bits. I, of course, said that I was not interested in having MY potato ‘loaded’. Jeez, no. I asked her to hold the chives. Who wants chive breath?

The point of course is this: we have the option to put all kinds of stuff on our lawns that is not good for the environment.

Make no mistake: your lawn is good for the environment.

A lawn sequesters carbon, filters toxins out of rain water, eats CO2 and returns fresh oxygen to the air. It is soft to walk on bare foot, is 5 to 10 degrees cooler than asphalt and supports a host of wildlife, most of which is too small for the naked eye to see but believe you me, it is there in abundance. A handful of rich root-level subsoil is teaming with over 4 billion micro organisms: michoriza, beneficial bacteria, sow bugs, millipedes, earth worms and the like. These are the good guys.

In short – a lawn is the most sophisticated living ground cover known to mankind.

All of that said, here is how you can enjoy a nice lawn, without the use of weed or pest controls (to be performed in this order):

1. Rake your lawn lightly with a fan rake – the goal is to get the grass blades to stand upright and to remove the winter debris.

2. Aerate if necessary. I only aerate my lawn where foot traffic occurs as this is where the soil is compacted and most in need of the fresh air that you introduce when aerating. Use a power aerator if you are doing your whole lawn or buy an inexpensive manual ‘foot’ aerator at the hardware store for small areas.


3. Overseed where your lawn is thin and where weeds are a problem. Use a good quality grass seed (I recommend Golfgreen) and remember that the ultimate pedigree of your lawn is in the bag! Lay down 2 to 3 cm of triple mix (equal parts top soil, peat moss and compost). Rake smooth. Spread the grass seed thinly at one pound for 400 sq. ft (1/2 kg per 40 sq. metres). Rake THAT smooth. Water. You will thicken your lawn nicely and compete most weeds out of existence –before they even get a start!

4. Fertilize. Use a good quality fertilizer that is relatively high in nitrogen (about 20 to 28%) which is represented by the first # in the 3 number analysis. And make sure that it contains a ‘slow release’ nitrogen ingredient. This produces a greener lawn over a long period (8 to 10 weeks) AND feeds the lawn with the one element that it craves the most – nitrogen.


5. Cut 2 ½ to 3 inches high. Often we cut our lawns much too short. Remember this: the taller the grass blades the longer the roots. The longer the roots the greater the resistance to drought, disease and insect problems. AND most lawn weeds are ‘shaded out’ by long grass.

6. Mulch. Use a mulching mower and return the nitrogen-rich grass clippings to the root zone of your lawn.

7. Use a reel-type push mower. Eliminate emissions and enjoy the sound of the cutting action of an old fashioned reel-type mower. Note: the new models are much lighter than those of 30 or 40 years ago. And they hold their cutting edge much longer.

Replace your old mower. You have heard that gas driven lawn mowers are big emissions spewers… right? Well, the new lawn mowers on the market are much ‘cleaner’ burning than the old ones. Look for MTD or Honda for two of the cleanest burning brands. And avoid the 2 cycle mowers that require you to mix oil with the gas.

Just following a few of the guidelines above will improve on the environmental impact that your lawn has on your neighbourhood.


Keep your knees dirty,

Mark

More Things To Do in the Garden

~April 13, 2011 I know that it has been said before, but remember to amend your soil with generous quantities of compost early in spring, before you plant. The organic gardener’s mantra says, ‘Feed the soil and the plants will take care of themselves’. True, to a large extent. If you provide lots of goodness at the root zone of all of your plants you will be amazed at how few insects, disease and other garden-nasties you will experience. There is no better time of year than spring to take care of this ever important task. Veggie Garden. In the vegetable garden, be sure to sow your onions, peas, snow peas, carrots and your first crop of radishes before the last frost. For most of us that is in mid to late April: in northern Ontario/Quebec during the first two weeks of May. Brussels sprouts, cabbage, broccoli and all members of the so-called ‘gassy’ family of vegetables perform their best when planted as transplants at the same time as you sow the aforementioned seeds. Make sure that your transplants have been hardened off before planting out. Rock Gardens – cut back and weed. Remove weeds and cut back straggly growth of rock garden plants. Lightly loosen the soil in pockets adding a teaspoon of ‘Once and Done’ slow release fertilizer or bone meal. After each variety has flowered, take up each plant, divide and replant to maintain proper control, plant vigor and proportion in the rockery. Prune evergreens. Maintain the healthy appearance of your cedars, junipers, yews and other foundation planted evergreens with a light sheering (or a major cutting back, if the plants have been ignored for years). The fresh flush of new growth that occurs later in spring will fill your evergreens in very nicely. Plant Bleeding Heart amongst your daffodils and narcissus. For a great show every spring, plant perennial Bleeding Heart among your spring flowering daffodils and narcissus. All are reliable performers from year to year and they will bloom together almost forever. Look for Bleeding Heart ‘Luxuriant’ for a longer blooming variety to mix with the old fashioned Bleeding Heart. Take pictures! Use that digital camera that you received for Christmas to record the daily progression of change in your garden this spring. Reviewing these pictures later will give you ideas and inspiration for your garden in future years. Keep your Knees Dirty! Mark

Ready, Set, Go!

~ Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Time to give your garden the once over before you get planting.

I am frequently asked; “what is the one word of advice that I can give Canadian gardeners that will ensure success”. The answer is always the same: proper soil preparation.

This is why I devoted 1/3 of my latest book, The Canadian Garden Primer An Organic Approach, to the subject.

If you have ever tried to produce a gorgeous garden in heavy clay soil, you know what I am talking about. The same is true for pure sand.

Adding generous quantities of organic matter in the form of compost makes a world of difference to most any garden.

My recipe for a great looking garden:

(Assuming that you have poor to average quality soil.)

1. Spread finished compost one to two inches thick over the planting area and around established perennials and shrubs. If your garden soil is made up mostly of heavy clay add 1/3 sharp sand (not beach sand!) to the compost.

2. Turn the compost under using a garden fork (a fork disturbs the roots of established plants much less than that of a shovel or spade and is easier to push into your existing soil).

3. ‘Slap’ the mixed soil/compost to get rid of large clods of earth: small ones will not matter.

4. If the consistency of the newly turned soil is not ‘open’ enough to easily push a garden trowel you have three choices: add more 2/3 compost and 1/3 sand, dig it over again a couple of times or get a better trowel.

This is less work than it may seem, if you take it a step at a time (read: stop digging when your back begins to hurt) and if you don’t tear into it, but rather take a slow easy pace. In the long run you will get more done and enjoy the experience.

The goal here is to create a ‘friable’, open, rich organic based soil that is ready for planting.

In April you can plant trees, shrubs, evergreens, roses and some hardy perennials that have not been forced early in a greenhouse somewhere (these will be ‘soft’ and frost tender). Never mind if you get some frost or snow between now and the ‘traditional planting time on the long weekend of May’.

There is a myth out there that you can only plant on the May 24th weekend, but it is very misleading. For one, this rule only applies to ‘frost tender’ plants like annuals and tender vegetable plants.

Secondly, there are some tender plants that perform better in warm soil, like squash, pumpkins, corn and beans. In the flower garden I plant my impatiens last as there is nothing they like less than to have ‘cold feet’.

Finally – there are parts of the country where a late May planting of tender plants is too early – Newfoundland and the northern prairies as an example. Check with your local gardening authorities to be sure (they may be the operators of a local greenhouse, garden centre or your Home Hardware).

While we are talking about getting ready for the planting season now would be a good time to fertilize your lawn (see last weeks’ blog), sharpen your lawn mower blade and change the oil.

Oil and sharpen all of your digging tools. A bastard file does the job in most cases and a squirt of WD 40 or equivalent.

Get out your garden hose, lawn furniture, the garden ornaments that you put away for the winter and if any of these need a coat of paint, now is a great time to give them a new coat.

Keep your knees dirty!

Mark

Things To Do...

~ March 30, 2011

With the forecast for much of the country being ‘excellent’ over the next few days it seemed only fitting that I help you get a leg up in the garden before you find yourself thinking that spring has passed you by and you missed out on all of the fun.

All kidding aside, I can help you save time and money – by being pro-active on a number of fronts.

1. Kill over wintering insects and diseases. Use all natural ‘Dormant Spray’ to bring under control many of the diseases and insects that wreak havoc over the balance of the gardening season. Dormant spray is not to be feared, unless you are a tent caterpillar or the spore of ‘maple blotch’ and chances are good that you are neither of these. Just because it is a ‘spray’ is no reason to think the worst.

Truth is, an application of Green Earth Dormant spray this time of year will save you a ton of trouble later by eliminating insect and disease problems that manifest in warm late spring weather.

When to apply? When evening temperatures are reliably above 0 Celsius (freezing) and stay there all night AND before the buds on the plants that you are applying it to have broken open in to leaf or flower.

What do I apply it to? Lilac, mock orange and most other deciduous flowering shrubs, all roses, berry plants like raspberries, most deciduous trees and of course all fruit trees.

2. Fertilize your lawn. Apply a good quality, slow release lawn food now (Golfgreen is the best, in my opinion. It is all that I use on my lawn). The difference that this will make in your lawn over the long haul is remarkable. Your grass plants will be thicker, greener and healthier. They will compete with weeds before they become established and your lawn, duly strengthened, will resist the damage of the common gray and white grub, among other ‘nasties’.

3. Over seed your lawn with fresh grass seed. If feeding your lawn sounds like a panacea, I apologize. The job is not complete until you have tackled the bare or weak spots in your lawn with a bag of triple mix, spread about 2 to 3 centimeters thick, raked smooth and a thin layer of grass seed applied. Rake that smooth, step on it with flat soled shoes to get it in firm contact with the soil and water well. This will thicken those thin spots like nothing else…. Apply the fertilizer before or after the seed. No matter.

4. Cut back perennials that remain standing from over the winter – right to the ground. Dig and divide the old ones that are too big for their space or are just not performing as they once did. Divide them and replant around your garden or give away to friends. This works really well with monarda, hosta, day lilies and the like. Leave the division of your peonies until mid September.

5. Rake, using a fan rake: your lawn and garden. Pick up loose debris that has arrived over the winter and compost the soft, brown stuff like last years leaves and perennial leaves etc.

If you are blessed with sunshine this weekend – enjoy it and remember why you started to garden in the very first place – it was going to be fun!

Keep your knees dirty,

Mark

Nature's Miracle - Spring Bulbs!

~March 23, 2011

Chances are, you have noticed the selection of tulips, daffodils and crocus flowers expanding at retailers across Canada over the last few weeks. Truth is, most of these are not only grown in Canada in commercial greenhouses but we actually grow so many of them that they are deemed an ‘export’ crop. Go figure. And you thought we only sold wheat abroad.

Now is the time to bring these treasures home. There is more than meets the eye or even the nose with spring flowering bulbs: let me explain.

Spring flowering bulbs bloom for a long time. The secret is to keep them in a bright room but not in direct sunlight. The more sunlight that they receive the faster that they finish blooming.
They do not need fertilizer. Not while they are in bloom anyway: that is the ‘miracle’ part of the thing. All of the nutrients are built right into the bulb.
Spring flowering bulbs will last for years. How is that, you say? Well, after they have finished flowering THEN place them in bright sunshine where the leaves will absorb the energy of the sun, convert it into plant sugars and push those natural energy boosters down to the root zone where they store the energy ‘til next season.
After the leaves have turned yellow, plant them in the garden, in a sunny position. Because they are very winter-hardy this works in most any part of the country. Next year they will bloom at their natural time of year.

Is now a good time to plant bulbs in the garden?

Yes and no.
Yes, you can sink a pot full of forced bulbs into the garden, being careful not to do it so early that a really deep frost kills them off. On the other hand, they have ‘built in anti-freeze’ and as such are resistant to frost down to about minus 8 for the most part.
If you plant pre-started flowering bulbs in the garden you will get a record early show of colour and likely fool a lot of your neighbours into thinking that you are some kind of miracle/green thumb.

No – you plant the bulb itself in the autumn.

How do I keep squirrels out of my bulbs?

Short answer is not to plant tulips – they are edible to both humans and rodents.
Narcissus and daffodils are not the least bit interesting to squirrels and are considered mildly toxic.
The other answer is to plant your tulips with chicken wire placed over the top of them to deter the little pests.

How long will flowering bulbs last in my garden?
Depends on the species and variety.
As a rule tulips will last up to 4 years, daffodils 5 or 6 years and hyacinths 3 or 4 years.
However, when you shop for bulbs this fall look for the words ‘suitable for naturalizing’ and plant these. They will grow and improve year after year forever.

Another note:

With night time temperatures flirting above freezing in many parts of the country these days, it is time to think about applying Green Earth Dormant Spray. It is a natural combination of mineral oil and lime sulphur. Both are harmless to plants and people but when sprayed in combination they will kill and otherwise control overwintering insects and diseases.
This is a ‘must do’ for fruit trees, roses, berries, flowering shrubs and any deciduous plant material that gives you problems in this department during the gardening season.
I highly recommend that you apply this before the flower or leaf buds break open.

Keep your knees dirty,

Mark

Greatest Show on Earth.

~March 14th, 2011

The back of winter may not be broken where you live, but the strength of the sun continues to increase and we just received a one hour raise this past weekend (except in Saskatchewan where they did not turn their clocks back). So days are longer and the sun higher and the first day of spring is this Sunday.

Things could be worse for Canadian gardeners.

Before I launch into a series of blogs that will feed you timely information that you can take into the garden and use, let’s talk about where to find inspiration for this years’ garden.

This week, beginning on Wednesday, I am speaking at Canada’s largest flower and garden festival, Canada Blooms. I look forward to this festival every year as it provides a great opportunity for me to meet a great number of Canadian gardeners under one roof AND to get inspired myself by the feature gardens that have been installed there.

At the time of this writing the construction phase of Canada Blooms is almost over and I am once again impressed by the sophisticated level of design and the professionalism of the landscape installations. Over $9 million worth of plants, materials, labour and design expertise go into this event and is paid for by the industry professionals of Landscape Ontario, our industry trade association.

In addition to the ‘feature gardens, the ‘Floral Hall’ features the works of international floral designers from New Zealand, Europe, Africa and points beyond. It is the only juried flower show of its kind in the country. The Garden Club of Toronto puts on an outstanding display of flower arrangements that includes numerous categories. If you enjoy flower arranging you won’t want to miss it.

I am looking forward to the ‘Marketplace’: this is where you can buy stuff for your garden. Plants, seeds, bulbs and cut flowers are available in abundance. Pick Ontario is there with bouquets of flowers that will knock your gardening socks off. There are clothes for gardeners, hats, garden décor items, outdoor furniture, garden tools and you name it. Quite possibly this is the largest assemblage of garden ‘stuff’ any where in Canada at any one time.

Over 200 hours of education.

There are 3 permanent ‘stages’ from which speakers provide almost a constant flow of information: learn how to garden, cook, build a deck or don’t learn a thing, if you want. Just sit and enjoy a break in your busy day at Blooms.

How do you get there?

Exhibition Place, Direct Energy Centre. Go to http://www.canadablooms.com/ for all of the info.

If you are driving, it is easy.
If you are flying, Air Canada and Westjet both have some great last minute deals – I recommend that you check them out. Last year I flew Porter, from the Toronto Island Airport for the first time and was thrilled… check them out too, if you live near Ottawa, Montreal or Halifax.

And go to VIA for rail travel info – and note that VIA is sponsoring the VIA Garden Route contest at Canada Blooms… check it out and get on board!

Is it worth the trip?

You could spend 3 days at the festival and still not see it all.

What should I bring?

- camera
- flat soled shoes
- money (‘cause you will want to buy stuff and feed yourself)
- a laid back attitude that allows you to drink in an early, most inspiring spring.


See you at Blooms this week!!

Mark

Grow Your Own

~ March 9, 2011

March is the month to get sowing. Seed orders are arriving in the mail and the seed racks at the garden centres are filled with a great selection. Don't forget about the seeds you collected from your garden last year. Growing plants from seed is both rewarding and economical.

Always check the date on the package before you buy. The sell-by date is equally important for seeds as the items you purchase from your grocery store, and guarantees freshness and successful germination. On the reverse side of each package you will find complete growing advice, including the number of days you can expect to maturity and whether to plant in sun or shade.

Sowing seeds can be as simple or sophisticated as you choose. A sunny window can provide sufficient light or you may opt for supplemental grow lights. Plastic-domed mini greenhouses with cell pack inserts are available at most garden centres. The humidity dome helps to seal in moisture and encourages germination. Indoor lighting systems, heating coils and self-watering equipment are available for those looking for a more advanced approach.
Light weight potting mixes, like Green Earth Seed Starting Mix, promote optimum growth.
Seed starting mixes contain sphagnum peat moss and perlite or vermiculite. They have great water retention and drain well.

Peat pellets are another option. They are made from compressed sphagnum peat moss and have a mesh cover. Add water to these pellets and they expand. You can use peat pellets to sow seeds or to root cuttings.
Plant starter fertilizer from Plant-Prod helps all plants develop a strong root system. It has a high concentration of phosphorous, 10-52-10, for strong and rapid root growth in seedlings.

Next Week: Canada Blooms
Celebrating 15 great years
At the Direct Energy Centre
Preview Party March 15
Festival March 16-20
http://www.canadablooms.com/

The Countdown to Spring. Starting Seeds, Bulbs and Forcing Flowering Shrubs.

~ March 2, 2011

For many gardeners, March is the start of the growing season. While you are waiting for the temperature to warm up and spring to officially arrive you can keep busy with a number of activities. Starting seeds indoors, potting up tuberous begonias and forcing blooms on cut branches are just a few ideas to get you thinking about spring.

Starting Seeds Indoors:
Always check the date on seed packets before you make your purchase. The sell-by date ensures that the seeds are fresh and will germinate successfully. It is important to read seed package instructions carefully as each variety of plant will have its own specific needs. Different plants and vegetables have different maturity requirements and this information will be listed on the seed packet. Seeds which should be started in March include Asters, Carnation, Dianthus, Dusty Miller, Nicotiana, Pansy, Phlox, Portulaca, Salvia, Snapdragon, Celery, Eggplant, and Peppers. You can wait until early April before starting Castor Bean, Celosia, Dahlia, Marigold, Cauliflower, Cabbage, Cucumber, tomatoes, watermelon and Onion.

Tuberous Begonias:

If you are searching for an impressive plant for a shaded area in your garden, tuberous begonias are a winner. They can provide a wide range of flower and leaf colour in areas of the garden which do not receive a lot of light. This is the time of year to start tuberous begonias, early March. They will need 2 to 3 months before you set them outside at the end of May. Tubers should be started in a shallow tray with a layer of peat moss on the bottom. Place the tubers hollow side up in the moss and add enough peat moss to just cover the tuber. Keep the peat moss slightly moist until the tubers have developed roots. The tray should be kept in a warm spot while the roots form. You will need to transfer your tuberous begonias to a 4" clay pot once they have developed roots. Make sure the pot has good drainage and use fresh potting soil. Leave the pots in a sunny window until top growth starts. Tuberous begonias can be moved outdoors at the end of May once the danger of frost has passed.

Forcing Blooms on Cut Branches:
Branches of spring flowering trees and shrubs can be cut and forced into bloom indoors. Wait for the flower buds to begin swelling and then harvest the branches with a pair of sharp pruners. Choose branches at random from all parts of the plant to maintain the natural shape. As soon as the branches are cut they should be placed in water. Treat branches like any cut flower and keep the vase full of clean water. Keep branches away from hot air vents and heat sources to prolong the life of the blooms. A short list of branches which are easy to force indoors includes: Forsythia, Camellia, Redbud, Dogwood, Flowering Cherry, Crabapple, Witch Hazel and Pussy Willow. Once a pussy willow branch has produced its catkins (fuzzy flowers) you have two options. If you remove the branch from water it will dry and can be used in everlasting arrangements. The second option is to leave the branch in water and allow the catkins to mature and fall off. You will see new leaves emerge and the branches will take root. Plant your new pussy willow outdoors once the danger of frost has passed.

A Reminder that Canada Blooms comes to Toronto, Direct Energy Centre March 16 to 20th. Get your discounted tickets on line at http://www.canadablooms.com/

Veggie Garden Primer

~ February 23, 2011

Canadians have fewer diversions in late winter: swimming, boating, fishing and, yes gardening, are distant memories. It is difficult to even remember what warm sunshine feels like, never mind get outdoors and absorb some vitamin D.
Oh for those spring time diversions!!

If mid-winter blahs are a concern to you, I am here to give you hope. Useful diversions are as close as your local garden centre, hardware store and even on line. Read on!

This brings me to food; the kind of food that you grow in your garden. We are in ‘prime’ seed buying season. Now is the time to get into your local garden centre or hardware store and look over the fresh seeds on the racks. Check out what is new and plan on starting some of your seeds early, indoors.

I order many of my vegetable seeds by ‘mail’, even though you can do this very easily over the internet.

Some of my favourite on-line seed suppliers are:
Veseys Seeds in P.E.I. (http://www.veseys.com/)
Dominion Seeds in Ontario (http://www.dominion-seed-house.com/)
Ontario Seed (http://www.oscseeds.com/)
Stokes Seeds in Niagara(http://www.stokeseeds.com/)
Early’s Seeds in Saskatoon (http://www.earlysgarden.com/)
and of course the granddaddy of them all, McFayden Seeds in Brandon Manitoba (http://www.mcfayden.com/)

Some seed buying tips:
Assuming that you are a ‘home gardener’ and not a commercial producer, avoid the varieties that are recommended for production purposes.
You are looking for freshness and flavour, above all.
Of course, if you want to grow some squash to save for months into the winter, by all means look for that quality in the variety that you choose.

Some of my favourite vegetable varieties include:
- Snap beans – ‘Provider’ - Veseys
- Pea – Sugar Sprint (new) - McFayden
- Runner Bean – Scarlet Runner – everywhere – great for a fast fence, screen, garden tee-pee and the beans are o.k. too, when picked young.
- Radish - Sparkler – high in vitamin C: easy to grow – get the kids involved in this one! - McFayden
- Tomato - Brandywine – a favourite ‘heirloom’ variety. Produces 2 lb fruit in 75 days. Everywhere that heirlooms are sold.
- Tomato - Early Canadian Beef. A small beefsteak (7 to 10 ounces) that produces early, 75 days. - McFayden
- Carrots – I always buy ‘coated seed’: it is easier to sow and requires less ‘thinning’ than non-coated varieties. For me, the coating has been the difference between success and failure some years!

I will provide you with an extended list of vegetable favourites as we get closer to spring.

Keep in mind that now is the time for planning your veggie garden AND acquiring seeds – but it is too early to start vegetable seeds indoors. Stay tuned to this blog for timely information in that regard.

Early as it may be for vegetable seed starting, it is not too early to start some herbs indoors from seed. Go to http://www.richters.com/ for the best selection of on-line herb seeds on the continent.

Basil.

I like to have some basil on the go all of the time: it is useful indoors for cooking even before you plant it out in the garden come May. Keep some growing on your kitchen window sill where it is handy when making soups, pasta sauce, etc.

Some basil facts, courtesy the Horticultural Therapy association of Canada (http://www.chta.ca/) with special thanks to Yvonne Snyder:

Basil is a symbol for ‘Love and good wishes’.
Sacred to the Hindu tradition, considered an aphrodisiac in Italy (what isn’t?).
Look for a wide selection of varieties: lemon, dark opal, bush type, ornamental and of course many culinary types.

Cultivation:
Best started from seed and transplanted outdoors in late May or early June, when the soil has warmed.

Harvesting:
Serve fresh.
Can be dried or stored in olive oil, but the flavour is not as intense when preserved.

Uses:
Culinary: makes great pesto, use in culinary vinegars, ‘cooked in’ with tomatoes. A good companion with garlic.

Household: place potted plants on window sills to deter flies.

Folk Medicine: An infused tea can aid digestion, many uses in aromatherapy.


My 18th book!

Pick up a copy of my book, The Canadian Garden Primer, for more information on the above subjects. There is a chapter dedicated to growing your own veggies and a separate chapter on growing herbs. Available at Home Hardware and retail book stores.

And keep your knees dirty,

Mark

A reminder that Canada Blooms comes to the Direct Energy Centre in Toronto Wednesday, March 16 to Sunday, March 20th. Get discounted tickets on line at www.canadablooms.com. I will be there each day (though not Sunday) to open the festival with Denis Flanagan at 11:30am. Bring a camera, walking shoes and a relaxed attitude… you are going to have a good time!