Whether it’s winter chill or just a late, unexpected spring frost, tender plants need to be protected in sub-zero temperatures. Wrapping Roses: Most Roses grown in Canada require winterizing. This means that in the fall it’s best to mound each plant with good garden earth, or compost to a depth of about 12 inches, ensuring… Read more »
Have you ever seen a lawn covered with small holes and plugs of earth? Those are the telltale signs that a lawn has just been aerated. Aeration consists of perforating the soil with small holes usually 7-10 centimetres (3-4 inches) deep. These holes allow the surrounding soil to relax into the holes, allowing water, oxygen,… Read more »
We all love big shade trees. But growing grass under them can be a challenge. Trees not only block sunlight, but compete with grass for nutrients found in soil. To grow lush grass in the shade of a tree, you have to feed both the grass and the tree. Give them their favourite food: a… Read more »
Your grass needs to breathe, too. Gently raking your lawn, or “dethatching”, increases movement of air, water, and nutrients into the soil by removing debris. This debris is known as thatch. Thatch is particularly thick in the springtime. It’s made up of garden junk: old grass stems, roots, clippings, and leaves that have not fully… Read more »
If your goal is a gorgeous green lawn to be the neighbour’s envy, you will need to be smart about how you water your precious blades. Although lawns are fairly low maintenance, watering them wrong can cause a lot of problems — from burning to shallow roots. Follow these tips to keep your lawn lush… Read more »
The sound of a lawn mower in summer is ubiquitous. We all have our routine for when the grass gets tall. But there are some best practices you can follow to bring your lawn from average to something that will make the neighbours jealous. First things first: ensure your lawnmower blade is sharp and… Read more »
Planning is crucial to a successful vegetable garden. Here are a few things to consider when laying out your garden: TIMING: Relate choices and the number of plants to timing. A dozen heads of lettuce may not sound like a lot, but it is a lot if they’re all ready on the same day. If… Read more »
APHIDS Tiny, soft insects that cluster on the underside of leaves, stems and buds and suck plant juices. Aphids multiply quickly and with large numbers will rapidly cause a lot of damage to all crops. Feeding Aphids create a sticky residue on plants called honeydew, which may also attract ants. So if you see ants… Read more »
Perennial plants offer the gardener many years of enjoyment, and many get bigger and better each spring. There are a tremendous number of perennial plants available today. Having a plan in mind when shopping at the garden center will help you keep your quantities, and your budget, under control. Also, remember it’s important to resist… Read more »
Flowering bulbs like crocuses, tulips and daffodils are one of the first signs of spring. They pique excitement for the sunny days to come. Although fairly low maintenance, there are a few things you should do to keep your bulbs blooming year after year. Step 1 Sprinkle bone meal or a specially formulated bulb fertilizer… Read more »
For many people, it’s the preferred way to begin a garden. If you only draw on local resources of bedding and potted plants, you’re likely missing a huge variety of wonderful plants… beautiful flowers and vegetables that are often only available as seed. Many veteran gardeners prefer to grow from seed, for a number of… Read more »
The right plan leads to more good tastes, less food waste. Homegrown produce just seems to taste better… and there’s a reason. Corn, beans, peas, tomatoes and other vegetables taste best when they’re fresh-picked. Store-bought vegetables often have to be picked days ahead of when they appear on the produce shelves, and sometimes that means… Read more »
