All posts by peterboroughmastergardeners

Advice, Bees & Pollinators, Garden Design, Perennials

Using Broken Branches as Plant Supports

2 Comments

By Marjorie Vendrig, Master Gardener in Training

Gardeners and municipal services in Peterborough and areas hit by the ice-storm are busy picking up the broken branches and limbs and using them for city compost and recycling programs.

Another use for some of this wood might be found in our own gardens, repurposing them for use as stakes and supports. The timing for the ice storm was perfect; the broken branches are young and supple and without leaves so they can be bent easily and shaped to suit needs. Small branches can be bent or twisted to create low supports for perennials or annuals that become leggy as the season progresses or to prop up flowers as the plants bloom. Heavier and longer branches can be used as poles for teepees in vegetable gardens for beans and peas or for climbers such as sweet peas and clematis.

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA-NC

British and European gardeners have historically avoided plastic and metal as garden supports, instead ‘pea sticks’ are the norm. Pea sticks are usually coppiced hazel branches, but any young pliable wood will work.  Birch, lilac, red dogwood, along with oak and maple twigs and branches are at the top of the list, willow is popular as well but it tends to root and sprout – an advantage or disadvantage depending on where and how it is used. In some cases, a branch with lots of twigs and small growth is the best choice as the plant will grow under and over the branches.  In in other instances the small twigs might appear messy and a visual distraction.  When selecting your sticks, it’s important to take into account your garden aesthetic – are you going for the scrambling abundance of a country garden, or the formal structure of a classic retreat? Sarah Raven, a well-known British gardener has taken things a step further and made an effort to use only native wood when creating plant supports for her vegetable gardens.

In the ice-storm clean up, I collected a few branches for use as supports. My sweet pea seedlings are ready to plant outside, they’ll be perfect growing up and around the broken branch of a very special cornus Kousa, a sad loss from the storm. The long stem on the bottom is cut off at a sharp angle to be pushed into the soft spring soil as deep as possible.  The spread of the small twigs and branches will be close to the ground within easy reach of the seedlings planted around the base where they will quickly grow up and through the twigs and branches. Clematis would also do well on this structure and it’s likely strong enough to withstand several seasons. The popular annual mandevilla vine is another good choice as a climber. All add vertical interest to garden design.

My scrambling cotoneaster became too leggy and suffered a lot this winter. It’s now had a hard prune and I am using the cut offs to create small branch cages around some perennials. Yarrow, nepeta, tradescantia, and phlox are good candidates for this simple approach. Four or more long branches, each about 3’ long and with a similar diameter were chosen.  The new spring growth from the cutoffs will soon turn brown so I snipped off the new

growth and twigs, then pushed the thick end of each branch into the soil about 6” from its base, repeating this at the other three corners, to create four points of a box around the plant. The upright ends of the branches are then bent into hoops towards the opposite corner and wound around one another to create a hoop. More support is provided at the front where the plant flops towards the sun. I’ve made the hoop about 2/3 the final height of the plant and should be able to increase the height a bit by untwisting the ends a bit, if necessary.  At the end of the season, I’ll leave the hoops in place if they are sturdy enough for another season or add them to the compost pile.

My technique is very much that of a beginner; I expect I’ll refine things with more practice. Even still, the natural wood hoops are more appealing than  a plastic pole with string around it. In formal gardens in the UK, I have seen cages of plant supports that are works of art in themselves. It all takes time and patience.

References

Sarah Raven, Using Native Wood Structures (Retrieved May 7, 2025)

Types of Woodland Management, (Retrieved May 7, 2025)

Longfield Gardens, DIY Plant Supports, (Retrieved May 9, 2025)

Gardens Illustrated, How to Make your Own Plant Supports and Protection That Are Easy, Cheap and Full of Charm, (Retrieved May 8, 2025)

Bees & Pollinators, Native Plants, Perennials, Websites

Invite These Super-Pollinators & Pest Managers to Your Garden

Leave a comment

By Silvia Strobl, Master Gardener

You may know that native bees are the most important of our native pollinators, but which insects are the second most important pollinators of food crops and native wildflowers?

Perhaps you’ve never heard of flower flies? Visiting flowers more often and moving more pollen than pollinators such as butterflies, flower flies range in size from less than 1/4 inch long to more than 3/4 inch long, but pollinate at least 72% of global food crops and about 70% of wildflowers (Pollinator Partnership, 2024).

Maybe you have mistaken their strongly contrasting black and yellow bands on the abdomen for a bee or a wasp? Their colouring mimics that of these stinging insects—an evolutionary development known as Batesian mimicry. The English naturalist, Henry Walter Bates, came up with this term for harmless species that take on the physical traits of dangerous or bad-tasting species. So although hover flies lack a stinger, their colouring imitates the warning colours of bees and wasps that do have stingers, thereby offering protection by deceiving predators.

The larvae of flower flies are stellar pest managers, consuming aphids, leafhoppers, mealy bugs and thrips. In fact, one larva can eat up to 400 aphids over its two to three week development!

Females lay hundreds of eggs, depositing each tiny white egg singly on leaves or shoots near colonies of aphids. The larvae hatch in two to three days and resemble small legless maggots,  ranging in colour from creamy-white to green or brown (Mahr 2025).

Four common flower flies that I have observed and photographed in my garden, and whose identity has been verified by experts on iNaturalist, are shown and described in the following. Lists of flowers visited are from Skevington et al 2019).

Caption: This Orange-legged Drone Fly (Eristalis flavipes) is found in a many habitats. It visits a wide range of flowers, including this Zinnia in my garden, but also Spreading Dogbane (Apocynum androsaemifolium), Button Bush (Cephalanthus occidentalis), Thistles (Cirsium spp.) Joe-Pye Weeds (Eupatorium spp), Apple (Malus spp.), Ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius), Primroses (Primula spp.), Sedum (Sedum spp.), Goldenrods (Solidago spp.), Meadowsweet (Spirea spp.), Asters (Symphyotrichum spp.), and Viburnum (Viburnum spp.).
Caption: This adult Eastern Calligrapher‘s (Toxomerus geminatus) beautiful black and white pattern is well disguised on the disc flower of the native Lance-leaved Coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolata). The adults consume both pollen and nectar, and have been recorded visiting: Joe Pye Weeds, Ninebark, Goldenrods, brambles (Rubus spp.), feverfew and tansy (Tanacetum spp.) and blueberries (Vaccinium spp.). The larvae pierce aphids and mites with their hooked mouthparts before feeding on them.
Caption: The Narrow-headed Marsh Fly (Helophilus fasciatus) is one of the earliest and latest flower flies, shown here pollinating late blooming Smooth Aster (Symphyotrichum laeve) in my garden. Some flowers visited include Button Bush, Joe-Pye Weeds, Grass leaved Goldenrod (Euthamia graminifolia), Ninebark and Golden Alexanders (Zizia spp.). The adults lay eggs on vegetation overhanging ponds and when the larvae hatch they fall into the water where they complete their development.
Caption: Transverse Banded Flower Fly (Eristalis transversa) on flower of the native Tall Coreopsis (Coreopsis tripteris).The adults consume pollen and nectar from:
Native shrubs such as Buttonbush, Ninebark, and Viburnums
Native coneflowers (Rudebekia spp.), Goldenrods, and Asters
Non-native winter cress or yellow rocket (Barbarea spp.), sedums, feverfew and tansy

There are 416 known flower fly species in eastern North America (Skevington et al. 2019). So I hope to observe and photograph at least a few more species on flowers in my garden this season! Nearly all flower flies can readily be identified by their:

  • Large heads with large forward-facing eyes that often fuse together. Bees have kidney-shaped eyes on the side of their heads.
  • Stubby, short antennae as opposed to the long antennae that bees have
  • Only 2 wings compared to 4 wings for bees and wasps (Erikson 2020)
  • A “false” vein in their wing venation i.e., a vein that is not joined to any others

From: https://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/S/I-DP-SYRP-KC.003.html#gsc.tab=0

How do you attract these super pollinators and pest managers to your garden?

  1. Flower flies prefer white and yellow flowers that are open and have easily accessible pollen and nectar, for example the disc flowers in the daisy (or Asteraceae family), but they also use orange, pink, purple, and blue daisy-like flowers. According to a recently published book about the flower flies of northeastern North America, native plants are essential to supporting a diversity of flower flies (Skevington et al. 2019). Non-native plants that attract flower flies include: Queen Anne’s lace, wild mustard, sweet alyssum, coriander, dill, broccoli, kale, lettuce, mustards, dandelion, plums and cherries (Mahr, 2025, Pollinator Partnership 2024).
  2. Don’t use pesticides since they can kill both the larvae and the adult flower flies.
  3. To give the larvae something to eat, tolerate some level of aphids and other pests in your garden.

Don’t be surprised if by doing these things you suddenly start seeing flower flies in your garden. Also known as hover flies, you may even observe their darting back and forth flying behaviour i.e., when males hover in the open hoping to attract a female, or when males of some species defend a territory.

Flower flies are some of the most beneficial insects you can have in the garden so invite them in by planting the annual non-native and native flowers they prefer.

Literature Cited

Erikson, B. 2020. Flower flies: insects with a “PR problem”. Wild Pollinator Partners.

Mahr, S. 2025. Hover, Flower or Syrphid Flies (Syrphidae). Wisconsin Horticulture, Division of Extension.

Pollinator Partnership. 2024. Flower flies—masters of disguise. 2-pages.

Skevington J.H., M.M. Locke, A.D. Young, K. Moran, W.J. Crins and S.A. Marshall. 2019. Flower Guide to the Flower Flies of Northeastern North America. Princeton University Press. 512 pp. (Note: all 6 authors are Canadians from Ontario).

Uncategorized

The Year of the Log – Turning Storm Debris into Wildlife Wonder

3 Comments

by Thom Luloff, Master Gardener in Training

Heavy ice weighed down tree branches
Broken limbs snapped hydro poles

In the wake of this year’s icy spring storm, many of us in Peterborough and the Kawarthas are surveying broken branches, toppled limbs, and fallen logs. But before hauling all that brush to the curb, I invite you to consider this: what if this is not just storm debris—but an opportunity?

Let’s make 2025 The Year of the Log.

Leaving a log or brush pile in a quiet, sheltered corner of your yard might seem like neglect. In fact, it’s one of the simplest and most impactful things you can do to support local biodiversity—and save yourself some backbreaking yard work while you’re at it.

A single fallen log is a five-star wildlife hotel. It provides shelter for overwintering insects like native bees, beetles, and butterflies. These pollinators—often struggling with habitat loss—use dead wood to lay eggs, take refuge from predators, and hunker down for winter. Many of them emerge in spring just in time to pollinate our fruit trees and vegetable gardens.

Logs and brush piles also serve as nurseries for amphibians and reptiles. Toads, salamanders, and garter snakes all benefit from the cool, damp conditions under a decomposing log. They, in turn, keep garden pests like slugs and aphids in check—natural pest control at its finest. And then there are the birds. Wrens and chickadees will happily forage for insects in your brush pile, while robins use twigs for nest-building. Larger logs host fungi, mosses, and even young plants, enriching your soil and supporting the micro-ecosystems your garden depends on.

Trametes fungi thriving on a trembling aspen tree stump

By leaving a log or brush pile in a quiet corner of your yard, you’re not just reducing your workload—you’re creating a vital sanctuary. Here are five incredible species that will thank you for it:

🌟 1. Bumblebee Queens (Bombus spp.)
Before flowers bloom in spring, bumblebee queens emerge from hibernation. These big, fuzzy powerhouses need sheltered, undisturbed places—like brush piles or hollow logs—to overwinter and start a new colony. Support them, and you’re supporting the pollination of tomatoes, berries, and native wildflowers.

🌟 2. Red-backed Salamander (Plethodon cinereus)
Small, secretive, and surprisingly fierce for its size, this amphibian lives its whole life under logs and stones, eating garden pests like slugs and ants. No pond required—they breathe through their skin and thrive in moist log-rich corners. Think of them as silent garden guardians.

🌟 3. Mason Bees (Osmia spp.)
Unlike honeybees, these super-efficient, solitary bees don’t sting and nest in tiny holes in rotting wood or hollow twigs. One mason bee can pollinate as many flowers as 100 honeybees. Leaving dead wood means giving them a nesting site—and ensuring bountiful fruit in your garden.

🌟 4. Eastern Chipmunk (Tamias striatus)
More than just adorable, chipmunks are busy ecosystem engineers. They cache seeds (helping plants spread), aerate soil through their tunnels, and feed owls, hawks, and foxes. Brush piles give them safe cover from predators and harsh weather.

🌟 5. Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens)
These energetic little birds forage in fallen logs and tree stumps, chiseling out insects and larvae that might otherwise damage your plants. Plus, their drumming calls add delightful percussion to your yard. Dead wood = good birding.

Downy woodpeckers love the logs…

We understand the urge to “clean up,” but what looks messy to us may be lifesaving habitat for countless species. And in a world where pollinators and wildlife face increasing pressures, your backyard could be part of the solution.

Want to keep things tidy? Try this:

  • Stack broken branches neatly into a low brush pile along a fence or under a shrub.
  • Lay a large log partially buried in a flowerbed as a rustic “nurse log”—watch it slowly become a home to mosses, mushrooms, and tiny critters.
  • Create a “wild corner” with storm debris, leaf litter, and stones—nature will take care of the rest.

This spring, instead of dragging logs to the street, drag them into your garden’s shady corner. Give nature a place to thrive, reduce your workload, and watch your yard come alive in ways you never expected.

Here’s to The Year of the Log—less raking, more life.

Compost, Grass, Information, Natural Fertilizers, Waterwise

Is there a Fungus Among Us?

Leave a comment

By Mary-Jane Pilgrim, Master Gardener

It’s finally spring and that means that soon there will be an explosion in our gardens and yards. I can’t wait! When I survey my lawn (yes, I still have lawn), I can see patches that will need some attention: especially raking and overseeding. I’m hoping that the skunks don’t come to visit this year, which indicates the presence of white grubs.

What I cannot see yet, but know that they’re going to appear in some of the wetter areas: mushrooms. Mushrooms popping up in your lawn in the spring is actually pretty normal and usually nothing to worry about. Here’s what’s going on:

Why they grow:

  • Moisture: Spring brings rain and warming temps—perfect conditions for fungi to grow.
  • Organic matter: Mushrooms feed on decaying stuff underground like old tree roots, buried wood, mulch, or even thatch in your lawn.
  • Healthy soil: Ironically, mushrooms can be a sign your soil is rich in organic material and biologically active.

Are they bad?

  • For your lawn? Nope! Mushrooms don’t harm the grass. They’re just the fruiting bodies of underground fungi doing their natural recycling job.
  • For pets/kids? Some wild mushrooms can be toxic if eaten, so it’s wise to remove them if you have curious little ones or pets around.

Can you stop them?

You can’t totally prevent mushrooms, but you can reduce them:

  • Improve drainage (mushrooms love dampness).
  • Rake up thatch and remove any rotting wood or roots.
  • Don’t overwater.
  • Mow regularly to knock them down.

In summary, mushrooms in a lawn are generally not harmful and can even be beneficial, as they help break down organic matter and release nutrients into the soil.

Resources

https://scotts.com/en-ca/how-to-control/how-to-identify-get-rid-of-prevent-lawn-mushrooms-in-your-home-garden.html

Why Have All These Mushrooms Appeared on My Lawn?
Mushrooms Lawn
Advice, Bees & Pollinators, Compost, Information, Shrubs & Trees

Deadwood in the Garden

2 Comments

By Lois Scott, Master Gardener

It was my sister that put the notion in my head that I would like a snag in my garden and the recent ice storm provided the opportunity.  A standard Serviceberry cultivar was too broken to save but it left a reasonable and safe trunk for my smallish garden.  It also left some small logs to tuck under shrubs.

Dead wood provides positive impacts to biodiversity as many beneficial species are on the search for dead wood.  ‘Some of these species include cavity nesting birds and mammals, beetles, fungi and other plants and beneficial insects.  Decaying wood positively impacts soil keeping your garden sustainable for years to come’.  https://ecologicaldesignlab.ca/site/uploads/2024/12/04_good-garden-practices.pdf 

Ecologically speaking a snag refers to a standing dead or dying tree, often missing a top or most of the smaller branches.  A snag is also known as a den, cavity or wildlife tree.  The following link (Ottawa Field Naturalists’ Club) provides an excellent description of the importance of wildlife trees to wildlife.  They provide food, safe cavity nesting sites and platforms, roosting and denning sites, hunting perches, display stations and foraging sites for a wide variety of species.  https://ofnc.ca/conservation-how-to/the-importance-of-snags-and-downed-logs-to-wildlife. 

Safety first so have a certified arborist advise you on the appropriateness of a potential tree.

Photo:  Top of the snag in author’s garden

Dead wood that is lying in your garden is an excellent addition.  It will be quickly colonized by natural decay fungi known as saprophytic fungi, my new word of the day!  These fungi help recycle the carbon and nutrients stored in woody tissue back into the garden soil which benefits your plants.  A small pile of logs can support many different insects and provide shelter for small mammals, reptiles and amphibians and shelter for over-wintering and hibernating wildlife.  https://www.rhs.org.uk/wildlife/dead-wood-compost-heap-habitats  This may not make everybody’s heart sing but I like the idea.

Photo:  A favourite chunk of wood in author’s garden

The small snag I now have may be more ecologically beneficial as a log on the ground but I have some ideas for it.  I plan on providing some support on it for a vine, maybe a Apios americana (American Groundnut).  There will probably be a small birdhouse attached.  The new logs have joined other decaying wood that I use as garden edging and garden decoration. 

One man’s garbage is another man’s treasure!

Advice, Annuals, Disease, Forcing Plants, Planting, Seeds

Horticultural Hiccups

1 Comment

By Marilyn Homewood, Master Gardener

At times, these blogs seem a little like an Instagram Post. We show our successes in the hope of inspiring you and in turn, provide something of value to you.  However, that can be a little intimidating to less experienced gardeners. Today, I thought I would showcase some of my 2025 failures (so far).

Lisianthus germination (or not)

Lisianthus

This one is a heartbreaker! In January, I had almost 100% germination of my lisianthus. A couple weeks after germination, they looked like this.

What happened? After reading somewhere that cinnamon prevents growth of algae, this grower overzealously applied cinnamon (I had purchased a large bottle at Costco). The covering of spice initially smothered some of the young seedlings.  I then tried to rectify the situation by wetting the plants (cinnamon is extremely hard to wet). 

The overwatering led to a slow decline, killing more seedlings by rotting the roots.  All was not lost however, I potted up the remaining seedlings into other containers and they have been growing on.  Hopefully they will catch up in size over the long growing season.

As Julia Child was fond of saying “everything in moderation….including moderation”

Bells of Ireland

Bells of Ireland

These seeds are notoriously hard to germinate.  They need to be stratified by exposing the seed to cool, moist conditions to help to break dormancy.  The seed is placed on moistened paper towel that is then folded and placed into a Ziploc bag.  Then placed into the fridge for a couple of weeks. After that, remove to a warm place (I use a heat mat). 

After a period of time, the seeds are checked for germination and placed on the surface of prepared soil.  The daily checking goes on for a few days and hopefully you get enough germinated seeds.  This years’ results speak for themselves.  Hard to know what went wrong but it may be the seed source.  My usual source (that does germination testing on every lot) was out of seed so I purchased from another.

Dahlia Splitting

Last fall I used a new method of splitting dahlias that saved time.  I use flagging tape to identify the plants dug up and the tubers being stored.  As the dahlia afternoon wore on, some of the tubers seem to get mixed up and the quality of the labeling seemed to decrease. This tuber might be a Ferncliff Copper and then again, it might not be. Note to self – Take a little more care with the labelling.

Forcing Tulips in Bulb Crates

Seemed like a great idea last October. I do not have a cool place that does not freeze so I opted to chill my bulbs in the refrigerator. Bulbs in paper bags went into the crispers of the fridge for over 14 weeks.  During that time ethylene producing produce could not be kept in the fridge as ethylene can negatively affect bulbs and their bloom. 

After the chill period, bulbs were planted in soiless mix in bulb crates and kept dark for a couple of weeks to develop roots.  The crates were then placed in a sunroom to grow.

I got a total of 20 lovely tulips from about 150 bulbs.  Other bulbs did grow leaves but produced no flowers, some did not grow at all.  When I removed the bulbs from the soil, I did notice reduced root growth on many of the bulbs. This may be from inadequate chilling. 

The crate method is clearly more successful when you can plant the bulbs up in the fall and place in a very cool spot that does not freeze (or a cooler like the flower farmer).  Bulb crates full of soil is messy in the house even if they are on tarps!

Despite these hiccups, I have a roomful of healthy seedlings and large landscape beds awaiting more garden gaffes. 

In the words of Janet Kilburn Phillips “There are no gardening mistakes, only experiments.”

Information, Native Plants, Shrubs & Trees

The Mysterious Magic of Maple Syrup

Leave a comment

By Rachel Foebel, Master Gardener in Training

Recently, I have grown to love maple syrup for more than just its delicious taste. The harvesting and boiling of the sap brings me outside in the fresh air during a time of year when I need it most. But I’ve wondered what makes this harvest season so short, so specific and so unique.

First, the Sap

A cross section of a hardwood tree

During the growing season, sugars needed for tree growth are created via photosynthesis and stored in the tree as starches in the sapwood. When the weather cools, starches are converted back to sugars and passed into water flowing through the xylem of the tree, creating sap.

How Water Moves Through the Tree

Typically, water moves up the tree from the roots through cell channels called xylem. Since the xylem is made up of dead elongated cells, these cells don’t contribute to the movement of the water, they rely on pressure gradients. In maples, a unique pressure is present in the springtime, but only when it freezes at night and thaws during daytime.

A diagram of a plant cell

Maple Magic in Spring Time

Just outside of the xylem vessels are dead wood fibre cells with air inside. When the temperature drops in the evening, the smaller branches at the top of the tree freeze first, and sap frost collects in the air-filled wood fibre cells surrounding the sap-filled xylem. This creates suction, pulling sap up the tree. When the temperature rises in the morning, the frost melts and falls down the tree through the xylem by both gravity and pressure created by the warming air in the wood fibre cells. This is when you get to collect!

What about Fall?

But wait! We don’t just get freezing at night and above freezing daytimes in the spring. That happens in the fall too. Can you tap maple trees and make syrup in the fall too? The answer is yes, but researchers have found you won’t get as much as springtime, and the sap won’t be as sweet. Additionally, it will reduce the sweeter springtime sap yields as well. Worth it? Probably not.   

The Pros Know What They’re Doing

Tapping only once a year also helps to reduce injury and therefore risks to the tree caused by severing its protective layers and exposing it to external factors. Hobbyists and large-scale producers alike want to foster a healthy tree that provides delicious syrup for years to come.

References

Giesting, K. (2020). Maple Syrup. Climate Change Resource Centre. www.fs.usda.gov/ccrc/topics/maple-syrup

Merhaut, D. J. (Feb, 1999). How do large trees, such as redwoods, get water from their roots to the leaves? Scientific American. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-do-large-trees-such-a/

Tyree, M. (Jan, 1984). Maple Syrup Exudation: How it Happens. Maple Syrup Journal. 4(1). 10-11.https://www.uvm.edu/~uvmaple/maplesapexudation.pdf

Invasive

Invasive Terrestrial Plant Species in Ontario – A Refresher

Leave a comment

by Cheryl Harrison, Master Gardener

What is an invasive terrestrial plant?

Invasive terrestrial (grows on land) plants are non-native trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants that are spread by global trade, humans and animals, and gardening. These plants have the ability to out-compete our native plants for space, nutrients and moisture.  This means that they can damage the environment, human health and can have an economic impact.

Some also contaminate the soil so that it is difficult for other plants to grow even after the invasive has been removed (e.g. garlic mustard [Alliaria petiolate] – a herb).

Invasive plants may seem perfectly at home and under control in your garden.  However, seeds can be relocated by an animal or other means.  Other plant parts (e.g. rhizomes) can grow into new plants when you do a clean-up and dump your garden refuse in another perhaps wild area.  This sets the invasive plant free! 

Japanese Barberry

Japanese Barberry (Berberis thunbergii) is an invasive shrub which has green to dark reddish purple leaves.  It has many small, densely growing twigs and branches that have spines.  Its small flowers develop into red fruit which may be eaten then distributed by birds.  It can grow 1-2 m (3-6 ft) tall in full sun to part shade and well drained soil.

I brought home two Japanese Barberry a few years ago.  We had finished building our house and had started landscaping.  At that time, I did not know that Japanese Barberry was a poor choice.  They are not only invasive but also attract ticks.

Japanese Barberry (Berberis thunbergii)

Himalayan Balsam

Himalayan balsam (Impatiens glandulifera) is a striking, but invasive, plant that grows 1-3 m (3-10 ft) tall. It has a reddish stem and produces pink, white or purple flowers. Seed pods are produced which explode when mature. This helps to scatter the seeds. This plant not only out-competes other plants through its prolific seed production and its size, it also produces large amounts of nectar which attracts pollinators. The same pollinators which would normally be pollinating native plants.

This plant prefers a moister soil and grows well in sun or part shade. I have seen a massive area where this plant was growing near a residential location in a moist spot. A gardener showed it to me. She had been discarding her garden refuse in this spot for years. She had not realized that the Himalayan balsam, growing in her garden, was an invasive species until……

Himalayan balsam (Impatiens glandulifera)

English Ivy

English ivy (Hedera helix) is an invasive evergreen (leaves are present and stay green all year round) vine. It can form a thick ground cover and a dense canopy in trees. It prevents other plants from growing and can, eventually, even kill a tree.  

English ivy is also a reservoir for bacterial leaf scorch (Xylella fastidiosa).  This bacterium infects a plant (e.g. many species of trees) and eventually blocks the xylem cells. Xylem cells are responsible for moving water and nutrients from the roots upwards into the plant. This disease will eventually kill the affected plant.

English ivy needs little light once established. I have seen this plant where it had overgrown an area. It was an ugly and truly disheartening spectacle.

English ivy (Hedera helix)

You may come across any of these plants for sale in a garden centre, in a friend’s garden who wants to share, or one may have hitch-hiked with another plant into your own garden.  They are some of the plant world’s thugs and can do a lot of damage.

Please be aware of all of Ontario’s invasive terrestrial plants…..yes there are more.  Eradicate them and inform your garden centre if you see them for sale.

For more information:

Gardeners Action Plan – Government of Ontario

Invasive Terrestrial Plants – Government of Ontario Invading Species Awareness Program

Ontario Invasive Plant Council – list of invasive species and best management practices

When Ground Cover Plants Take Over – blog by Carol Anderson, Peterborough & Area Master Gardeners

Information, Insects, Websites

Why the American Toad Deserves Your Love

Leave a comment

By Thom Luloff, Master Gardener in Training

Tucked away in the cool corners of gardens, beneath leafy cover and damp soil, lives an unassuming champion of ecological balance: the American toad (Anaxyrus americanus). With their warty skin, endearing hops, and golden eyes, these amphibians may not boast the charisma of butterflies or hummingbirds, but their contributions to gardens are unparalleled. Often overlooked, the American toad quietly goes about its work, consuming pests, enriching the soil, and maintaining harmony in ecosystems. It’s time we shine a light on these remarkable creatures and embrace their presence in our outdoor spaces.

American Toad showcasing why warty skin is so great at camouflage

The American toad, native to eastern North America, thrives in a range of environments, from woodlands to suburban backyards (Elliott et al., 2009). Unlike frogs, toads are covered in warty, textured skin, an adaptation that provides effective camouflage against predators. This camouflage, combined with their nocturnal habits, allows them to move unnoticed as they perform their crucial ecological roles. Chief among these roles is pest control. Each evening, American toads emerge from their shelters to feast on insects, slugs, and other invertebrates. By consuming thousands of pests in a single season, they provide natural, chemical-free pest management, an essential service for gardeners and farmers alike (Mitchell & Lannoo, 2020).

In gardens, toads reduce populations of harmful insects like beetles,
cutworms, and mosquitoes, preventing these pests from damaging plants or spreading disease. Unlike chemical pesticides, which often harm beneficial insects and pollute the environment, toads work in harmony with nature, maintaining ecological balance without collateral damage (Relyea, 2005). Furthermore, their waste contributes organic nutrients to the soil, promoting plant health and improving soil quality—a testament to the interconnectedness of life in the garden.

Well-fed American Toad guarding Thom Luloff’s plants from pests

The life of an American toad is a remarkable journey of survival,
reproduction, and adaptation. During the day, toads shelter under
rocks, logs, or thick vegetation to escape predators and prevent
dehydration. At night, they hunt using their long, sticky tongues to
capture prey with incredible precision. In spring, their lives become
even more captivating as males gather at ponds, streams, or garden
water features to call for mates. Their trills, a hallmark of the
breeding season, are a welcome sign of spring. After mating, females
lay long strings of eggs, often numbering thousands, which hatch into algae-grazing tadpoles within days (Elliott et al., 2009). These
tadpoles play a vital role in keeping aquatic ecosystems healthy by
controlling algae growth.

Toads are also experts at enduring winter, surviving through a process called hibernation. As temperatures drop, toads burrow deep into the soil, often using loose dirt, leaf litter, or even garden waste as insulation. These layers protect them from freezing temperatures and provide shelter from predators (Mitchell & Lannoo, 2020). For this reason, leaving leaf piles and garden debris untouched during fall and winter is critical. These natural materials serve as vital hibernation sites, not just for toads but also for other beneficial creatures like pollinators and soil invertebrates. Clearing the garden too early in the spring can disrupt or destroy these overwintering habitats, inadvertently harming the wildlife that supports your garden’s health. Waiting until temperatures consistently rise ensures that these creatures can safely emerge and resume their roles in the ecosystem.

Despite their adaptations, American toads face numerous predators, including snakes, birds, and mammals. However, their warty skin serves as more than camouflage—it secretes a mild toxin that deters many would-be predators (Mitchell & Lannoo, 2020). Some toads even use dramatic behaviors, such as flipping onto their backs and feigning death, to discourage attacks.

Beyond their ecological contributions, American toads are fascinating creatures with unique traits. They can live over a decade in the wild, a testament to their resilience and adaptability (Elliott et al., 2009). They can also change their skin color slightly to blend with their surroundings, shifting between lighter and darker tones based on temperature and humidity. These subtle abilities add to the toad’s allure for those who take the time to observe them closely.

Creating a toad-friendly garden is simple and deeply rewarding. To
attract toads, provide shelter using overturned flowerpots, rocks, or
logs, and allow areas of dense vegetation or mulch for shade. A
shallow water feature is a magnet for toads, especially during
breeding season, but ensure the water source has sloped edges to allow easy entry and exit. Perhaps most critically, avoid using pesticides and herbicides, which can harm toads directly or contaminate their food sources (Rowe et al., 2001). Leaving leaf litter and reducing outdoor lighting can also make your garden more inviting to these nocturnal helpers.

A garden with toads is a garden alive with balance, biodiversity, and
beauty. These humble amphibians are more than just pest
controllers—they are symbols of a healthy ecosystem, reminding us of nature’s intricacy and resilience. By encouraging toads to share our outdoor spaces, we not only protect these vital creatures but also create gardens that are richer, more sustainable, and teeming with life.

________________________________

References

Elliott, L., Gerhardt, H. C., & Davidson, C. (2009). The Frogs and
Toads of North America: A Comprehensive Guide to Their Identification,
Behavior, and Calls. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Mitchell, J. C., & Lannoo, M. J. (2020). Amphibian Declines: The
Conservation Status of United States Species. University of California
Press.

Relyea, R. A. (2005). The impact of insecticides and herbicides on the
biodiversity and productivity of aquatic communities. Ecological
Applications, 15(2), 618-627. https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdoi.org%2F10.1890%2F03-5346&data=05%7C02%7C%7C12574bb3c25c4100183608dd1494ba31%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C638689351237579258%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=GMFHZIGNlxU6ElTdRGFb3QRIoRBvNAY9NFtYojOM%2FNA%3D&reserved=0

Rowe, C. L., Hopkins, W. A., & Coffman, V. R. (2001). Exposure to low
levels of heavy metals can negatively affect amphibians. Environmental
Toxicology and Chemistry, 20(2), 250-256.
https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdoi.org%2F10.1002%2Fetc.5620200206&data=05%7C02%7C%7C12574bb3c25c4100183608dd1494ba31%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C638689351237606364%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=zex7S5eViOAadRc9ys8EUKqe25NQNoGUK9dPcrMeLic%3D&reserved=0

Advice, Climate Change, Information, Planting, Tools

What Zone Am I?

Leave a comment

by Christine Freeburn, Master Gardener

Having just come back from places where tropicals are growing wildly and flowers are blooming, I wanted to discuss growing zones and the importance of knowing your zone for overwintering plant success of perennials, trees and shrubs.

Plant hardiness zones can be a confusing subject. In Canada, we generally use the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) system because it is the one we often see on labels of the potted plants we purchase at greenhouses and big box stores.

Source: PlantMaps – https://www.plantmaps.com/interactive-ontario-plant-zone-hardiness-map.php

The USDA system was designed in 1960, updated in 2012 and again in 2023. These hardiness zones are determined as “geographic areas that have an average annual minimum temperature of a certain degree.”  No other factors are taken into consideration. There are 13 zones with zone 1 being the coldest and zone 13, the warmest.

Natural Resources Canada has their own system which uses factors that include the number of frost free days, amount of rainfall, snowfall, and wind as well as mean temperatures in the coldest and warmest month. There are 9 zones. Interestingly, Ontario has 7 of these zones.

To complicate things further, there are also ‘a’ and ‘b’ zones. Zone 3a is colder than Zone 3b.

When you look at the government of Canada site, you will see zone dates from 1961-1990 and then an update of 1981-2010. In most cases, zones have moved by at least half a zone. In 2024, Natural Resources Canada was to release an updated version. At press time, I did not find an update.

Plants are described as being hardy to a zone #. If a plant is listed as zone 6, it will survive in Zone 6 or higher. If you live in Zone 4, and try to grow and overwinter a Zone 6 perennial, you will probably not be successful. You are better off to look at lower numbered zones from what your area suggests, to be sure a plant is going to survive and be robust.

Reading plant labels and buying plants that are zone appropriate will help you to have more overwintering success. You will notice on most labels the zone is the USDA system. The label may say “perennial” but look at the zone. A plant can be a perennial…..but only in Florida (Zone 8 or higher).

Other factors for overwintering success include snow cover, wind, and humidity. Snow cover is a great insulator, wind can cause windburn, humidity will help plants stay hydrated.

With climate change happening, our Peterborough area has changed from 5a to 5b which means our average annual minimal temperature has moved from -26.1C to -23.3C.

Below are some towns and cities and their current zones:

  • Bancroft – Zone 4a ( interesting to note, this zone did not change in the update)
  • Haliburton – Zone 4b
  • Port Hope – Zone 6a
  • Pickering – Zone 6a
  • Hamilton – Zone 6b
  • Thunder Bay – Zone 3b
  • Lakefield, Lindsay, Norwood, and Ennismore are all the same as Peterborough’s – Zone 5b

Things to Remember

  • Canadian and American systems are not the same. For instance, Zone 5 under the USDA system should be considered Zone 6 in Canada
  • You can stretch the zones, if you have a micro climate or spot protected from wind, good snow cover and a milder winter

So depending on your gardening confidence, you can stick to Zone 3 or 4 perennials for zonal success or be adventurous and try that beautiful Zone 6 perennial.  Just remember to read your labels and check your zones.

Resources

Hardiness Zone Maps

Canada Plant Hardiness Maps

5th National Climate Assessment and an Update on the Plant Hardiness Zone Map – The Garden Professors

Plant hardiness zone maps are not created equal

The Differences Between US and Canadian Plant Hardiness Zones