Gardening Tips

Storing your own fruits and vegetables at home at the end of the growing season, following a few simple guidelines, will enable you to have food of good nutrition and flavor into the fall and winter.  It is a good way to keep extra produce you can’t eat right away from the garden, and to

Provided is a list of annuals and perennials that grow well in very poor soil. If addtional infromation is required about the plant, please use the search feature on the page. Bartonia (Mentzelia aurea)Were it not for the straggling growth, Barlonia aurea (Menlzelia lindleyi) would be a much more popular annual. The glistening, Poppy-like flowers

ANNUALS WHICH BENEFIT FROM PINCHING To encourage plants to fill out, the growth bud should be pinched at the end of the stem. For bedding plants, is during the time when you’re planting in the garden. The removal of leggy foliage will help balance the plant and help in the transplanting process. Simply pinch out

Notes on Annual Plant Descriptions Detail information addressing 50 types of annuals and how to use them in your garden. Did you know some annuals are hardier than others? Our notes for each plant states the difference from hardy annual to hardy hardy annual. H.A. Indicates that the plant is best raised as a hardy

Raising plants from seed is a most economical means of providing a long-lasting display for the cool greenhouse. Where a minimum night temperature of about 45°F (7°C) can be maintained the choice of flowering and of decorative foliage plants is considerable. Many plants that we normally grow as annuals in the open may prove to

Seed’s are nature’s way of increasing plant life and it is also the simplest method for the gardener to raising annual, biennial and in sometimes a perennial flowering plants. Gardens of in new developments tend to get smaller and smaller, due to the high cost of land, therefore you could plant or grow only the

Seed of hardy annuals may be planted in the open ground where it’s to flower; it is that simple. The main requirements are an full sunny position and a well-drained soil. Obviously, the condition of the soil will be reflected in the quality of the flowers produced and to get the best results the ground

Not all annuals can just be planted in the soil and hope for the best. Most annuals have a special purpose and function in the garden environment. Think about your garden and understand how you can use the annual flower. Enclosed are several options you can use for your annual flowers. Hardy annuals for Autumn

If your property has more exposure to traffic, neighbors, or passersby than you like, you can create a living fence using a mixture of tall ornamental Grasses, flowering shrubs, and large, colorful perennials. Although the diagram indicates a corner location, the recommended plantings could be reconfigured to fit a long border or any other situation.

HEDGES THAT CAN TAKE IT! Seemingly, many home gardeners fail to appreciate the value and proper use of pruning shears, plant food, and mulches in the care of hedges. It doesn’t take a lot of time or effort to grow beautiful hedges, and hedge plants are not especially exacting in their requirements, but a few

The tools and equipment you use for gardening determine how well your tasks go. If your hedge trimmers are not sharp enough, then it could take twice, as usual, to get those hedges in perfect shape. So, always go for the best quality when buying gardening tools. Even if your budget can only afford second-hand

Once summer is in full swing, your backyard or patio will instantly be one of the most-used parts of your home. It’s time to enjoy the pleasant weather and spend more moments outdoors. If you have kids, the more-relaxed schedule being off school allows a lot of opportunities to play in your yard. For parents,

Setting up an inviting outdoor space is the key to enjoying the beauty of nature while staying comfortable and relaxed in the privacy of your home. Whether you have a spacious garden, a cozy balcony, or a small patio, you can transform it into a stylish haven for outdoor living and entertaining. In this blog

Finding the perfect gift can be a delightful challenge for those with a deep-rooted love for gardening. Whether they have a blooming flower garden or a lush vegetable patch, gardeners appreciate presents that nurture their passion and help them easily tend to their plants.  So, if you’re searching for a gift that will genuinely make

The various operations carried out on the soil by the use of a space are all known as digging. The general purpose is to break up the soil to improve its physical nature, rendering it more suitable for supporting plant life. Digging is generally carried out in the autumn and winter when solidly compact soil

From the Latin lupus, a wolf (destroyer), because it was thought that the plants depleted the fertility of the soil by sheer numbers (Leguminosae).  Lupine. A genus of over 300 species of annuals, perennials, and subshrubs, mainly from North America, though there are a few Mediterranean species which, since Roman times, have been used for

Spring is a wonderful time of year to be in the garden. As the temperature starts to rise, new life emerges from the darkness of winter, and wildlife comes out from hibernation, our gardens once again become a hub of activity. The most attractive spring gardens are home to a variety of plants, from colourful

Are you interested in growing your own fresh organic vegetables but worried that it will take up too much of your time? Well, let me tell you that with just 8 hours of effort per year, you can enjoy a bountiful harvest of organic produce right from your own backyard! I have been gardening for

If you already know tomatoes, you might want to shred this booklet and use it as mulch. If you’re new to growing tomatoes, but don’t want to be bothered, we can keep it simple for you: plant deeply in a sunny patch of good soil that is well-watered, and come back in two months. If

You’re in for a treat. Unlike those hard, uniform tomatoes you get at your grocery, your fruit will come in a wide range of shapes, and its flavors will be so much better. Let’s get started! Ripeness & Storage: You may love fried green tomatoes (we do), but in general, the key to great fruit

Being a gardener comes with the understanding that, for the most part, you are in a cooperative relationship with Nature. It’s an ongoing relationship of learning to become a more capable manager of the favorable and unfavorable conditions and variables that present themselves. Acceptance In the past, I’ve experienced major disease loss (10,000 plants killed

The following is a list of tomato terms I assembled to provide you useful information while you shop for the most suitable varieties of tomatoes for your garden. Beefsteak – A type of tomato rather than a variety (although there really is a particular variety named ‘Beefsteak.’) Usually considered a large, irregular shaped tomato with

DATURA — Thorn Apple, Angel’s Trumpet Annual and tender shrubby perennial flowering plants. They are natives of tropical America, Mexico and Europe, and belong to the Nightshade family, Solanaceae. Datura is the old Arabic name. The most familiar kind is Datura (Brugmansia) arborea, which bears large, white fragrant blooms in summer and is a favorite

Tomatoes are a great, nutritious, and rewarding plant that you can enjoy for many months to come – but how do you grow them? And, more importantly, how to grow tomatoes in pots? If you have a small garden or no garden at all, you can still cultivate these wonderful fruits with just a little

Cytisus or Broom Free Blooming Shrubs for sunny location Leaf losing and evergreen hardy and tender shrubs which are very beautiful when in bloom in spring and summer; they bear pealike flowers of various colors.  About fifty species are known; they are natives chiefly of the Mediterranean region and the Canary Isles.  The name Cytisus

How to grow Dahlias  Commemorating Andreas Dahl, a Swedish botanist who was a pupil of Linnaeus (Compositae). Half-hardy, tuberous-rooted perennials from Mexico, were first introduced into Britain in 1789 by Lord Bute. Species cultivated (Few of the following original species are available, although they may occasionally be seen in botanic gardens and the like). D.

The Tomato is highly esteemed as a delicious food when cooked or eaten raw and as a source of juice. It is known to be a source of health­ protective vitamins and because of the ease with which it can be cultivated, it is one of the most popular of home vegetable-garden crops as well

September is the time to plant spring blooming bulbs. Tulips, Daffodils or Narcissus, Grape Hyacinths, Squill and Crocuses are the ones that grow well in Central Alberta. These bulbs need to be planted early in the fall, to give them enough time to develop a good root system, before the ground freezes solid. Careful consideration

While it may be true that April showers bring May flowers, April also brings warmer weather, longer days, and our first chance to do some outdoor gardening. Peas, onions, parsnips, spinach, and other cool weather crops can all be planted in the garden towards the end of the month, provided that the soil isn’t too

Tulips are the gardener’s pot of gold Remember your old “magic set” and the wonderfully colored brews you mixed? And the surprises, and the fun? Spring gardening with Tulip bulbs Today you’ll find there’s greater magic in tulips and even more gorgeous and beautiful colors packed away in their sleek brown bulbs. To work this new magic, think