The Negative Side of Peat Moss

Some plants come in peat pots and the home gardener can start plants in peat pots or use the Jiffy peat pellets.  The premise is peat pots are biodegradable and it is as well as being a nice soil amendment.  They are biodegradable but my experience like many home gardeners is peat pots do not break down over the course of a year.  They definitely do not break down in the turn over time when using the square foot gardening method.  

I personally avoid peat pots if at all possible in preference of fiber pots or reusable/recycled pots.  I have used the Jiffy peat pellets in the past but moved away from using them as well.  My experience with them has been hit or miss with the most common problem being seedlings drying out quickly once they are big enough to have the humidome of the seed starter flat removed.  I also limit the use of peat moss in my gardens.  Peat pots and the use of peat moss is not environmentally friendly as they help to deplete our global peat bogs.  Using reusable/recycled pots and even recycled containers (eg. yogurt cups, toilet paper rollers) is eco-friendly as is using fiber biodegradable pots that do not deplete peat bogs.   They also help with water retention once the humidome is no longer needed.

Happy Gardening!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2012

The Home Gardening Season is Fast Approaching

Today is the last day of February, in a leap year no less.  I can't believe the first two months of 2012 have flown by so fast!  We normally have the furnace on late October to mid-April but this past winter has been extremely mild to a fault.  Just last week a couple of farmers were talking in the local ER waiting room about the lack of cold weather, specifically a hard freeze.  One said that the upcoming growing season would be adversely affected and he is quite correct.  Winter wheat in particular will be affected by the lack of a hard freeze. 

Our hard freeze usually happens in January followed by another cold snap in February and while we still may get a cold snap in March, it's doubtful this year.  Unfortunately, lack of a hard freeze has had more than agricultural affects in our area with a lot of illness especially norovirus.  We've had plenty of precipitation but little to no ice in the local waterways and standing water in the fields.  The days are getting longer and the temperatures will soon be rising giving the mosquitos a head start on their season.  On the plus side, home gardeners will be able to get their gardens in a bit earlier than the Victoria Day weekend, celebrated this year May 19 to 21.  I'd say the ground will be workable by a good two weeks earlier meaning we will have an extended growing season this year.  Predictions are for a hot, dry summer though so that will affect many home gardeners.  Time will tell but at any rate I am in high gear starting seeds.

Happy Gardening!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2012

Two New Gardening Finds

This is a wonderful time of the year when a wide range of new gardening finds make their way onto the store shelves.  I have been buying seeds since they first appeared on the shelves a couple of weeks ago.

As a Canadian home gardener I tend to support Canadian plant and seed growers.  While this helps to keep other Canadians employed, there is the practical side to it as well.  Bringing back seeds from the US is quite doable but Agriculture Canada has a problem with bringing in plants potted in soil and understandably so as that is one way plant diseases spread.  Now, Canada Customs will let the plant in but then you have to wait for the plant to be inspected which could take hours!  The second reason is seeds and plants grown in Canada are those that will thrive in our climate.


McKenzie Seeds located in Brandon, Manitoba is Canada's leading seed packet company.  This is the first time I've seen their collections line of pre-spaced seed on discs for a 4 - inch pot.  I bought the basil collection consisting of sweet basil, purple basil, lemon basil, thai basil and sweet basil.  Each disc is pre-seeded ready to use.  Simply fill the pot with seed starting mix then put the disc on top and water.  The disc is a fiber material that will help keep the seeds moist for germination.  The discs are available in pepper, tomato and herb collections as well.  I paid $2.99 which is a bit higher for seeds but potted 4 - inch plants usually go for that price each and I will end up with five potted plants from the package.

The dollar store can be a mecca for gardening supplies, some of them made in Canada but others manufactured elsewhere.  I spotted these individual mini greenhouse pots.  They were 3/$2 so I bought six.  The mini greenhouse pots consist of a 5 - inch pot with a vented, removable clear plastic dome lid.  The height when assembled is nine inches so will accommodate a seedling up to about 4 - inches tall.  What I really like is the venting system so the dome can be completely closed, partially open or fully open. 

I planted the basil collection in the mini greenhouse pots.  Lavender was planted in the last one.  The seed discs were very easy to use as were the mini greenhouse pots.  I will be transplanting the plants when big enough into larger, self-watering pots for the patio.  With proper care the mini greenhouse pots should give a few years of seed starting.  I actually like these enough to buy a few more.  As I type this, the seeds planted in the mini greenhouse pots have sprouted so I'll share their progress.  I am rather pleased with both the discs and pots!

Happy Gardening!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2012