Weeding

I am not a huge fan of weeding especially in my vegetable beds.  Weeds in moderation can serve a valuable service as companion plantings protecting vegetables from certain pests.  Many common garden weeds are edible as well.  Weeding is a necessary evil of gardening even if you take the lasie faire approach I do.   Weeds like bind weed can strangle out just about any plant, they make garden beds unsightly and they rob garden beds of nutrition.  The weeds provided a bit of welcomed shade for some of the vegetable plants.  So today, I took one look at my new raised beds that are still struggling with the adverse weather conditions and decided a good weeding was in order just to remove a bit of nutrient competition.  Weeding is always a bit easier when the ground is wet aka after watering or a rain.  The beds look lovely now off to tackle the ornamental beds.

Happy Gardening!  

Garden Gnome
©2006-2012

A Frustrating Gardening Season

Everyone is talking about the weather!  We had a two week heat wave in March so the fruit trees blossomed only to hit with heavy frosts after the heat wave.  The frosts damaged the blossoms so fruit production will be low and it took out several local crops that broke ground too soon due to the heat wave.  April was cold with below average precipitation.  May was quite warm with below average precipitation but we were away for most of it.  That meant I had a slow start to setting up new vegetable garden beds.  Within days of being home from vacation the heat waves started.  It's been one right after another broken only briefly by vicious thunderstorms.  Warmer than average temperatures are predicted for Southwestern Ontario for the remainder of July through August possibly stretching into the fall. 

There really is little we can do other than keep the gardens watered.  I've left some weeds in the beds to help shade some of the tender plants like lettuce but even that isn't working well.  I think I will try shade cloth for the beds as long as it doesn't create a heat trap for the plants.  I'm also considering bringing the herbs in smaller pots back indoors as they dry out within a day even with the self watering reservoir.  The deck is a real heat trap.  My husband put up a large gazebo on the deck for shade which really helps shade the house.  Still the deck is too hot for some of the potted plants.  It certainly has been frustrating to say the least!

Happy Gardening!  

Garden Gnome
©2006-2012

My Ornamental Garden Plans

When we first viewd our new home, the garden that accent the front and sides of the house as well as the perimeter of the back yard appeared lush.  When we moved in, we quickly realized thistles were quite problematic in most of the garden beds.  The plantings were ecclectic, and too much.  Once again we resigned ourselves to ripping out the gardens and starting fresh with the look we wanted.

There is a small garden bed between the sidewalk and the west side of the garage.  There was a large Rose of Sharon that was quite lovely but blocked being able to use the sidewalk without battling branches.  It was simply too large for that location.  We cut it down shortly after moving in.  In the spring, this little garden started coming to life but it certainly wasn't what we wanted.  It was too cluttered.  Adding to the cluttered feel, the previous owners had placed a one row brick retaining wall partially onto the sidewalk pavers around the entire little garden.  A matching but higher wall (not shown) on the other side of the garden runs the width of the house, wrapping around to contain another tree that is too large for its location and then abruptly ends with jagged rock taking over to define the side garden bed.  We are ripping it all out!

Once the garden bed was completely cleaned out, we installed a red cedar trellis.  I have two more of them to be installed either on the west wall of the house or the east wall of the garage.  I planted a clematis that will give a nice impact of colour without impeding sidewalk traffic or damaging the siding.  I finished off the bed with red cedar mulch.  I like the clean, uncluttered look.  I may add a decorative element but want to see how the garden looks once our steps are refinished and the front garden bed is redone. 

We are being hampered by weather between heat waves and storms so not much is getting done in the gardens.  Well, we are getting things done but it's slow going.  I keep puttering away at the ornamental garden beds.  The front garden bed is going to be a lot of work with the removal of a tree, two shrubs and moving all of that brick for the retainer wall.

Happy Gardening! 

Garden Gnome
©2006-2012

My New Square Foot Garden Raised Bed

Yesterday I told you about my new PVC raised gardening boxes in the far top left corner.  At $59.97 each on sale, they certainly were not a cheap way to build raised garden beds especially since between the two I ended up with 16 square feet of growing space.  My husband doesn't like the new PVC beds so he picked up some spruce to build me a wooden raised bed.

The new raised bed is 4' x 12' x 10" giving me an additional 48 square feet of growing space.  The new bed construction took a couple of days due to weather but finally it was ready for soil.  Again we were delayed due to weather but finally the bed was ready to lay out the grid then plant.

The cost for the lumber and brackets totaled $38.45, considerably less expensive per square foot than the PVC beds.  I've had wooden square foot garden beds last well over five years so if you want neat and tidy raised beds that are easy to set up for square foot gardening, untreated spruce is more than reasonably priced.

By then end of the afternoon, I had the bed mostly planted.  Three squares remained unplanted.  I planted bistro salad blend, dill, habs, golden acre cabbage, super chili peppers, muskmelon, watermelon, holy moly peppers, celery and sweet million tomatoes, beefsteak tomatoes, roma tomatoes and lemon boy tomatoes.  Within a couple of days something had got to the celery and dill but the dill is coming back.  I noticed a couple of small grasshoppers so that is not a good sign.  Something is already eating the cabbage but I haven't seen what yet.  I'll just have to keep and eye out to identify the pests then work on control from there.

Happy Gardening!  

Garden Gnome
©2006-2012

My PVC Raised Garden Boxes

I use a variety of garden bed styles, preferring raised beds but like in ground beds for flower beds.  Shortly after arriving home from our spring vacation, Home Hardware had 4' x 4' PVC raised garden boxes on sale for $59.97.  As raised beds go, these were expensive but I reasoned the PVC would out live the untreated spruce I normally use for my raised garden beds.  The looked slick and a bit upscale.  I bought two of them.

The Canadian made (Home Gardener) PVC beds (Home Hardware, 5010-044) are maintenance free.  They are made of heavy duty PVC that will not rot or rust making them ideal for creating permanent raised garden boxes.  The ready to assemble boxes came in large, moderately heavy cardboard boxes. 

Each box is 4' x 4' x 15", providing ample depth for planting.  The design is such that the box could be moved to another location later if desired making it suitable for those renting.  The snap system would make it harder to disassemble the walls though.

The boxes are easy to assemble using a snap lock system.  There are no instructions included in the box.  Be warned when assembling that each side consists of two PVC boards one of which has a finished top.  Be sure you have the finished top upwards before snapping on an end post.  Given the way the boxes are assembled one side at a time, it would be easy to create the box around a pre-existing structure.

As promised the assembly was very easy.  I put both together the same day.  Assembly required no tools.  I thought there would be some type of bottom as the boxes are raised off the ground a bit.  There isn't.  Basically the box is just a fancy raised frame.

I put the assembled boxes along the back fence.  Although the previous owners had a garden in that location at one time the area is over grown and quite weedy.  It is going to take considerable work to make the area look nice.  The first problem is ridding the area of thistles!  Near the top left there is a patch of unidentified plants thought to possibly be in the onion family.

The raised boxes are nice and it would be rather easy to add a hoop house topper.   I planted strawberries in one and asparagus in the other.  I am rather up in the air as to wether I like the boxes as much as I thought I would.  They don't lend themselves well to establishing a grid for using the square foot garden method but they do have the benefit of not harbouring carpenter ants, rotting or rusting.  I will report back on how well I like them at the end of this gardening season.

Happy Gardening!
Garden Gnome
©2006-2012

Hibiscus at Captain J's, Cocoa Beach, Florida

 Hibiscus at Captain J's

(Cocoa Beach, Florida)

May 10, 2012

We left beautiful Ontario, Canada for our spring vacation on May 8.  Another couple came with us who would also join us in Aruba then head back home on May 20 while we would not arrive home until the early hours of May 30.   We didn't fly out to Aruba until May 12 so that gave us a bit of time for sight seeing around our vacation home area.  The second day there we made a side trip to visit Cocoa Beach and have lunch with one of their kids.   I just couldn't resist taking this picture of their gorgeous hibiscus, wondering if the weather had been kind enough to spare the potted hibiscus I had put just outside the front entrance before leaving for our vacation.

Back in the late spring of 2011 while our previous house was still on the market, I bought two potted hibiscus at Wal-mart.  They were on sale for $5.  I popped them in their pots in two larger containers on either side of the front entrance just to make it look friendly.  When we moved, we brought them with us.  Well my husband took one to the office then proceeded to neglect it so I brought it back home to nurse back to health.  Now this variety of hibiscus doesn't do well below 50ºF so would be considered an annual where we live.  The temperatures dipped in the fall and I lost one of them.  I brought the other in the house to over winter.  Surprisingly, the plant did quite well, rewarding me with stunning peach colour blooms the entire winter.  It survived being attacked by gnats, moving outdoors and me being away.  The tree is quite healthy looking although it is not in bloom.  As soon as it blooms I will share a few pictures with you.


Happy Gardening!  

Garden Gnome
©2006-2012

The Heat of the Day

Now that we are back home from our three week spring vacation, attention has been turned to outdoors.  We have opened the pool, bought a few plants and we are getting to know our new property.  I actually discovered a gooseberry bush yesterday!  What I have noticed is this is definitely a hot property.  Unlike our last house, there is very little in the way of shade.  Our last house was so shaded that it was a hindrance and yet this house is the opposite!

While we were well aware of the heat of the day (12 PM to 4 PM) it is not as big of a problem here in beautiful Ontario, Canada.  At the same time, unless working farm labour or other employment that requires you to be outdoors during that time period, many stay indoors if possible.  When it come to home gardening, here's a few tips for dealing with the heat of the day:

• watering - Do not water during the heat of the day as that can cause plants to burn or become distressed.  Water before to help your garden beds cope with the heat of the day.  Use self watering planters wherever possible and keep the reservoirs filled.
• take a break - The sun is at it's peak with the strongest UV rays so take a break from your gardening chores.
• protect yourself - Anytime you are in the garden you should protect yourself with a good sun block with high SPF, long sleeves, wide brim hat and pants and closed toe shoes (preferably boots).  UV rays are not the only enemy in the garden.  There are biting insects, snakes, and poisonous plants so wearing some type of barrier to protect yourself is prudent.  Encounters with snakes are more common during the heat of the day as they are out sunning themselves.  Increased perspiration will attract biting insects and enhance the effects of poisonous plants like poison ivy.  Don't use scented products like hair gel, perfume or anything with a floral scent as that will attract biting insects as well.  
• provide shade - Set up a shaded sitting area where you can take a break if you have to be out in the garden during the heat of the day.  Take regular breaks so you don't become overheated or dehydrated.
• stay hydrated - Always carry a water bottle with you to stay hydrated and drink small amounts often.  If your mouth feels dry you are already dehydrated.  Dehydration can quickly lead to heat stroke!

Happy Gardening!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2012

Call Before You Dig

This is the time of year many home gardeners are tilling up plots, putting new beds in, revamping old beds and planting trees or bushes.  In many areas, utility lines are in the ground meaning there is a very good chance you could sever one of them.  The rule of thumb before digging anywhere on your property is to get free line locates.  In our case, the possible lines include: telephone/satellite, cable tv, water, hydro and natural gas.  If there are any registered easements on your property, chances are good they are for utilities meaning the is a very good probability of finding utility lines in the ground in the easement.  Even if you don't use a service the lines could still be below where you want to dig.  For example, we don't use cable tv but there is a junction box next door only about 18 - inches from the property line.  It's reasonable to speculate that we could possibly have a cable tv line running through our property.  We have hydro, telephone, satellite (phone line), natural gas and water.  Of those the phone lines are quite easy to sever because they aren't buried very deep in the ground. 

In Ontario, Canada the line locates are free which means you should use them before digging.  If you sever a utility line you are held responsible for the repair costs, any resulting damages, you are fined and you be sued. A few years ago, a guy was doing a bit of digging and severed the fiber optics line running between two communities. Both communities were without internet until the line was repaired.  Just imagine the costs and legal penalties if that severed line led to the death of another person which could easily happen if you were to sever a telephone line!  In Ontario, Canada homeowners and contractors are require by law under the Occupation Health and Safety Act of Ontario to ascertain the location of buried natural gas pipes.

In Ontario, Canada use the ON1Call service.  Simply fill out the form online.  If you don't hear from them within 2 business days call 1-800-400-2255.  You may have to call one or more utility companies as well if they are not part of ON1Call service.  Line locates generally are completed within 5 to 7 business days after making your request.  You should not dig before the lines are clearly marked on your property.

Lines will be marked usually with flags and spray paint according the utility service.  The flag colours are:

• red - electricity
• yellow - gas, oil, steam, chemical
• orange - communication, cable tv
• blue - water
• green - sewer, storm drain
• pink - temporary survey markings
• white - proposed excavation

Happy Gardening!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2012

A Garden Update

I recently wrote about my neighbour's instant garden.  I'm not kidding, it went from barren to lush growth!  We left on May 8 for our spring vacation to Florida, a side trip to Aruba, then back to Florida arriving home side in the early morning hours of May 30.  Gearing up for the vacation, I put what plants I could outdoors but really didn't do much in the garden.  I was envious of my neighbours here (Ontario, Canada) who were busy little beavers in their yards.  Then our neighbours in Florida were busy planting but there was little to do in the way of gardening at our vacation home as we have a gardener there.  I have been itching to get out and start my new garden beds!

Our neighbours here are very much into instant gardens though.  I was amazed to see porches in full bloom, a multitude of hanging baskets and potted plants brightening their homes!  The nice thing is a lot of the plants in our garden beds are in full bloom so now I have a better idea of what needs to be cleaned out and what doesn't.  I bought two 4' x 4' raised PVC garden beds (will post pictures in a day or two) but still have to pick up wood for more raised beds.  I started working on the small garden beds on both sides of the garage.  I'm digging them out completely to start fresh.  I bought 4 red cedar trellises, two will go on the east side of the garage, one on the west side of the garage and I'm not sure where I will put the last one yet.  I want to put clematis on the trellises even though we have four nice looking clematis in the back yard.  Clematis is rather problem free and the vines don't damage the siding.  I have red cedar mulch to finish off these beds but now I'm considering a low growing ground cover.

I lost a few potted herbs and almost a full flat of vegetable plants while away.  Apparently it turned quite warm which caused them to burn on the deck even though some were in self watering planters.  The sun must have been quite strong.  Although I was not happy with the loss, there is nothing I can do about it.  Yesterday, I stopped a nursery and picked up ten various cell packs of vegetables, dill, and two larger tomato plants.  A family member picked up ever bearing strawberry plants, asparagus roots and rhubarb from the greenhouse she works at.  It's been raining quite heavily today so I won't get much done in my gardens or my new project (community garden).

On the community garden front, things are progressing nicely.  We now have a huge water storage tank and a few 50 gal plastic drums with a pump to get water to the back of the property.  Strawberries, tomatoes, cabbage, peppers and beans are planted.  We still have to plant asparagus roots and potatoes.  We are working on getting items like a garden shed, gardening tools, and fruit trees.  Between my own garden and the community garden, I am going to be a very busy gardener!

Happy Gardening!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2012

Frost Damage

Our ADLF was April 15 this year and despite the unseasonably warm weather in March, we had heavy frost through the last week of April.  I don't know how much damage was done to our fruit trees that were in bloom.  The local media have reported severe frost damage to apple trees in the area which is not a good sign at all.  Some farmers have reported frost damage to early emerging crops.  None of this sounds promising.  We can expect higher costs for local fruits and corn.  I doubt we will have a good peach or pear crop either but this is our first year for fruit so I have no previous crop to compare it too.  As long as we get some type of crop.

Happy Gardening!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2012

The Instant Garden

We moved here in September of 2011 so really this will be our first year gardening here.  Last fall we watched our one neighbour pull out oodles of pots.  There had to be at least 20 large planters full of dead plants.  Today, I watched as he unloaded about 20 large planters of plants all in full bloom.  Obviously he is not one of those get your hands dirty gardeners.  However, at the moment his front gardens look a lot nicer than mine do and while it cost him a lot more than ours' will, the effect is instant garden.  I must say it does look rather nice!

Happy Gardening!  

Garden Gnome
©2006-2012

A Short Word on the Comment Policy on this Blog

All comments on this blog are moderated meaning I have to approve them before they are posted.  I'm sorry if you don't like this policy but it greatly reduces comment spam.  Aside of being annoying, comment spam add no actual content.  Over the past few days some spammers have seen fit to leave comment spam.  Here's a clue, leave comment spam here and your comment doesn't get posted, period and end of!

Happy Gardening!  

Garden Gnome
©2006-2012

Knowing What You Are Up Against

We moved here last September (2011) and while I had no real chance to do much in the way of gardening I have been using sound gardening practices to get this year's gardens up and running.  The first tendency when moving into a new home is to put the vegetable garden in the same place the former owners had it.  However, this is a mistake.  What you really need to do is determine whether or not that is the best location on your property for the vegetable garden.  You need to be aware of any potential problems like poor soil, rocky soil, too many tree roots and critters.  So I have been doing a lot of behind the scenes garden sleuthing!  Here's what I found:

• natural lighting - The original garden as we saw it was when the sun was getting lower in the sky.  I've tracked it as the sun has moved higher.  It does get good east/west coverage as well as some south exposure.  I'm confident the original garden bed will be a good location for my new raised beds.  In addition to the main gardening area, there are several locations around the perimeter of the backyard that get good but restricted natural lighting.
• soil conditions - I'm not too worried about soil conditions for most of my vegetable garden as it will be in raised beds.  The perimeter gardens seem to be doing well.  The soil is a bit heavier than I would like so I will be using a couple of soil amendments as I work them up for planting.
• drainage - We live in what our insurance company deems a high flood risk area even though we are not really close to a natural waterway.  There is a farmer's field behind us so I've been watching it since we move in.  During heavy rainfall the field does flood with large pockets of standing water.  They just put in a tiling system to help with drainage which will only help us.  Our house is elevated a bit from the field and while we have not noticed any drainage issues with our property, it could be an issue.
• rabbits - I knew with the field we would have rabbits.  We have at least two.  One loves sitting in the front garden bed looking at the herbs on my windowsill while smacking his lips waiting for me to put them outdoors.  The other one simply rang the doorbell, baggage in hand ready to move in.  My new raised beds will be constructed in such a fashion to deter the rabbits.  I'm using 15 - inch raised PVC beds so will add extra protection to keep rabbits out of those beds.  I'm still debating what to use as a barrier for anything planted in the ground so will cross that road when the problem occurs.  We also have to replace our fence so the new design may help keep rabbits out but I doubt it as they can easily dig under fences.  
• carpenter ants - Carpenter ants are not a problem for actual fruits and vegetables but they are a problem for wood raised beds.  We have a carpenter ant problem that is being treated so I decided to go with PVC raised beds that will eliminate any problems in that respect.
• yellow jackets - We have four fruit trees.  The ripe fruit attracts yellow jackets in large quantities creating a safety issue.  I covered all of the openings to the pool filter where they were swarming and blocked holes in the two bird houses left behind.  The biggest thing we will have to do to discourage the yellow jackets is keep the fruit picked before it has a chance to become over ripe. 

Happy Gardening!  

Garden Gnome
©2006-2012

Foiled by the Weather

Gardeners talk a lot about the weather.  It's just a natural thing to do.  Well, I can tell you one thing, the weather has been very peculiar here and if this is what global warming is about, I don't like it one bit!  Our winter was almost non-existent with very little snowfall.  Then in March, our traditional transition month, we had two weeks of very unseasonable warm weather to the point folks were walking around in shorts and we had the furnace off.  Trees began blossoming and it looked very much as if the warm temperatures would continue.  Then they suddenly plummeted, waking every morning to heavy frost and blustery weather.  Our ADLF was April 15 so I held off cutting the grass to as close to that date as possible.  The weather has not warmed to any real degree since the warm spell in early March.  We've experienced horrific, damaging winds that have downed power lines and made driving hazardous.  Driving rain and hail has accompanied some of the winds, but other days it has remained dry yet quite windy.  Here it is almost the end of April with temperatures still dipping below freezing at night.

Things have been slow and frustrating on the gardening front.  There are several plants coming up that need identification and just a lot of gardening work in general to have to do.  Where I want the main growing area for the raised beds is pretty much a disaster.  At one end near the peach trees it looks like onions or garlic coming up and there is a lot of it!  We pulled out an arbor loaded with trumpet vine but didn't get the stumps out before the weather turned.  I started redoing one small garden bed between the walk and garage figuring I could move the plants there but the weather turned so it is at a stand still.  I did buy four new cedar trellises but haven't installed them yet.  Three are for the garage and one for either the back or side of the house (haven't decided yet).  I ordered two 15 - inch high, 4' x 4' raised PVC beds.  I think they will be nicer than my traditional raised wood beds and there won't be the issue of carpenter ants.  They are on sale right now but weren't in stock so are on order with a rain cheque.  I think I will get two more to fill in the one stretch for the main raised garden sections.  I also bought a nice rain barrel on sale but haven't installed it yet.  I have three downspouts in the backyard area that could all have rain barrels or a line of three along the fence with one downspout feeding into one and each one feeding into the next is likely what I will do.  I know I want them raised to use as a gravity fed watering system.

I have herbs in self watering planters ready to go outdoors as well as my hibiscus and several geraniums.  I also have a nice flat of tomato plants ready.  Just this past week I started battling and insect infestation indoors, mainly spider mites but I did spot a couple of aphids.  I'm not sure how the infestation began as no new plants have been introduced in the past three weeks but at any rate they are being treated aggressively with Safer's Soap.  I'm not impressed but should be able to save the plants with a bit of TLC.  And so the 2012 garden season begins...

Happy Gardening!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2012

Unseasonably Warm Weather with Record Breaking Temperatures

The past two weeks have been unseasonably warm with record breaking temperature in the 70's (F) highs and lows in the 50's (F).  Now that is just unheard of here in southwestern Ontario this time of the year.  Folks are walking around in shorts and sandals.  Our neighbours actually had their AC on yesterday!  Folks have been out doing spring yard clean-up but at the same time some are really pushing it by fertilizing and mowing their lawns.  The reason being this is still March.  In southwestern Ontario our average day of last frost (ADLF) this year is April 15.  That means before that date there is a good chance of a heavy frost and up to that date a 50% chance of a frost. 

Folks are funny in that they cut their grass too early and too late in the season then wonder why they are fighting the rest of the year to have healthy grass.  As tempting as it is, do not touch the mower until after the ADLF for your area.  DO NOT and I repeat DO NOT fertilize, treat for weeds or seed your lawn until after the ADFL.  Lawns cut too early or too late in the season are very susceptible to irreparable frost damage.  So resist that urge to mow too early even if the weather is gorgeous!

Happy Gardening!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2012

Hybrids vs Heirloom Plants

When it comes to gardening there are two types of plants - hybrids and heirloom.  In order to understand the difference, you need to know a bit of basic genetics.  An heirloom plant is one that has not been modified other than by nature.  It breeds true  meaning if you collect seeds from the plant, the resulting plants from the seeds will be the same as the parent plant (P).  An hybrid is the crossing of two parent plants with different characteristics to result in a unique plant.  Now, let say we cross a plant with white (rr) flowers and a plant with red (RR) flowers.  I'm using r as the recessive allele and R as the dominant allele.  The rr and RR are the alleles for the flower colour so in this case the only way to get white flowers is to have two alleles that are recessive while the only way to get red is to have two dominant alleles.  Two of the same alleles is called homozygous.  A hybrid occurs when you cross two homozygous plants to form a heterozygous plant for that particular trait.  So in this case the cross is RR x rr.  The resulting pink flower plant (F₁) is the hybrid that in terms of alleles is Rr and it does not have the same flower colour as the parents (white, red).  What happens if we take that hybrid and cross it with the same hybrid for the next generation (F₂)?  Consider a cross between a pink flowered plant (Rr) and a pink flowered plant (Rr).  What we end up with is a 1:2:1 ratio of 1 RR (red):2 Rr (pink):1 rr (white).  In other words seeds collected from the hybrid do not breed true so you may get the one you want (pink) but there is also a chance of getting one you don't want (white or red).

To complicate matters further, plant reproduction can be sexual (seeds) or asexual (cuttings).  Even if you start with a hybrid, if you propagate via asexual methods, the resulting plant will be the same as the parental plant.  However, as we see above if a hybrid is propagated sexually the resulting plant may or may not be the same as the parental plant.  As a home gardener, what this means is seed collection should be done from heirloom plants not hybrids.   These are the seeds you want to keep to grow the same variety the following year.  Some hybrid plants are propagation protected meaning you can collect seeds but you cannot legally propagate via cuttings.  If you want to take cuttings from tomatoes to grow indoors, you should not take them from a propagation protected hybrid tomato plant.  There is nothing wrong with collecting seeds from hybrids but be aware some seed developers have introduced a gene into their hybrids that essential render the plant sterile meaning any seed produced will not germinate.  It would be a shame to collect seeds from hybrids anticipating the same variety the following year only to find you end up with something else (not always a bad thing) or worse yet the seeds don't germinate.  In addition to this, some seed developers have also introduced a marker gene into the plant's genome so they can identify plants illegally propagated.  This is not a huge concern for home gardeners unless you are selling or trading plants that are propagation protected.

I use a combination of hybrids and heirloom plants in my gardens.  I collect seeds from both but tend to focus on seed collection of heirlooms first to replenish my gardens for the following year.  I am careful to label as to whether the seeds were from an heirloom plant or hybrid plant but the reality is plant tags get lost over the growing season so sometimes a clipping gets through that shouldn't.  I'm not selling plants though.  When it comes to hybrids, I try to use hybrids that are not propagation protected especially for tomatoes that I like to grow indoors during the winter months.  Heirloom seeds are the ones you want to collect and protect!

Happy Gardening!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2012

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

Common Watering Problems

Many, many problems are caused for houseplants and garden plants by common watering mistakes.  These include under watering, over watering, watering at the wrong time, improper watering and watering on a schedule.  All of these can lead to plant diseases especially those caused by fungus.  They can aid in the spread of plant disease and the leaching of nutrients in container plants. I can't tell you how many times I have gone by a house with the sprinkler going full force while it was raining.  What an absolute waste of resources!  Sprinklers by their design waste water so an eco-friendly home garden doesn't use sprinklers to begin with.  I've talked about watering problems before so here are a few more comments on the subject.

• under watering - Under watering causes the soil to dry out enough that the plant can wither and die.  Unless a plant's care stipulates it must dry fully between waterings, do not allow plants to dry out.   Avoid this problem especially in indoor or outdoor container plants by using self-watering planters, watering globes or gravity fed self-watering system.
• over watering - Over watering is a very, very common problem both indoors and outdoors because the home gardener fails to realize the needs of the plant.  Outdoors, overwatering can occur naturally (eg. a week of storms with heavy rains) or by improper watering (eg. watering too much or watering when it is raining).  Over watering leaches nutrients from the soil and causes problems for plants that don't like their feet wet (eg. tomatoes).  It can lead to plant diseases caused by a variety of fungus and cause damping off in seedlings.  Avoid over watering by using self-watering planters, watering globes or a gravity fed self-watering system. 
• watering at the incorrect time - It is important to water plants as they need the water.  Outdoor plants should be watered in the morning after the dew has burned off, before the heat of the day (1 PM - 4 PM) and early enough they have a chance to dry a bit before the evening hours.  Always water during daylight hours when watering indoors to allow the soil to dry a bit before lights go out.
• improper watering - Plants should be watered at the soil level without getting the foliage wet.  Wet foliage aids in the spread of plant fungal diseases and cause sunburn on both indoor and outdoor plants.  Indoor plants can benefit from a shower to clean off dust on the leaves but should be allowed to dry fully before returning the plant to its location.  Outdoor plants get sufficient rain to wash off any dust although if you have a container plant in a location where rain will not reach it, a short shower from a watering can can be beneficial.  
• watering on a schedule - Home gardeners make the mistake of watering on a schedule rather than on the basis of whether or not the plant needs watering.  Watering should always be tailored to the plant's needs.  If in doubt or on vacation use self-watering planters or water globes both indoors and outdoors.  Avoid using timed watering devices (eg. timed sprinkler systems) for watering your plants outdoors as this can result in over watering if it happens to rain.

Happy Gardening!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2012

Preventing Damping Off

This is the time of year where I have multiple trays and pots of started seeds in various stages from just planted to just emerging to seedling and young plants.  There is nothing more frustrating than to see damping off go through a carefully cared for seed tray.  Damping off is a fungal infection that affects seeds before germination or young seedlings.  The very conditions of warm and wet that encourage seed germination are also ideal for the fungal growth that causes damping off.  Damping off in young seedlings is noticeable by a thinning of the stem at the soil level.  Here are a few tips for preventing damping off:

• Always use sterilized soil for starting seed.  This can be a commercial mixture or a homemade mixture of 1 part sterilized soil, 1 part vermiculite and 1 part peat moss.
• Spray the soil with an anti-fungal agent like chamomile tea.  Make two cups of chamomile tea.  Allow to cool.  Pour into a spray bottle.  Use the spray as you would water to keep the soil moist for germination.
• Use drier germinating conditions with air circulation.  If using the mini greenhouse pots open the vent at the top to allow air circulation.  If using the 72 cell mini greenhouse seed staring trays, prop the lid open for 5 or 10 minutes daily.  If using plastic wrap as a make shift cover, poke a couple of holes in it for air circulation.
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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