By Christine Freeburn, Master Gardener

Last fall, we replaced our wooden deck and had those old untreated cedar boards to dispose of. I had my handy husband build a 4’ W X 9’ L X 3’ H box in my existing vegetable garden.  We placed it in an area that gets at least 6 hours of sun.

Doing this in the fall allowed me to fill the bottom with the woody stems, disease free plant material, and maple leaves from my yard as I did my fall clean up. We waited until the spring to add a yard of top soil and compost which topped it off.

There are many benefits to raised garden beds

Agility and mobility issues

• As we age, getting up and down in the garden becomes more difficult.

Soil issues

• Because we no longer till our garden beds, compaction is a real problem, but if we are not walking on these beds, soil compaction is not a big issue.
• Soil in raised bed tends to warm up earlier in the spring.
• You need only improve soil in growing beds and not on pathways or unused areas.

Easier to weed

• Planting rows close together because you don’t need to walk between, makes less bare soil for weeds to grow in.
• Weeding on your knees is not necessary.
• Use straw, woodchips or mulch on your pathways.
• There are many options and considerations.

Materials they are made from

• Wood is a common material and there are many prebuilt varieties.
• Use only untreated wood if you are building your own.
• Galvanized metal premade are very popular.

Size

• Ensure your box is only 4’ wide, so you can reach into the bed without climbing in.
• You can make the bed as long as you like…what fits the site and your needs.
• There should be no bottom in your raised bed – for drainage as well as for root growth. Most beds are at least 8” high, giving good space for good garden soil.
• Height can be anywhere from 6” to 4’, depending on how far down you want to bend when gardening and how far up you plan to grow your vegetables
• Check out shapes and sizes in this article from Niki Jabbour.

Placement

• Once installed and filled with soil, these are permanent structures, so be sure they are in enough sun (at least 6 hours).
• For safety, be sure your box is level.

What you grow in raised beds

• Vegetables like carrots, radish, beets, lettuce, chard, kale, cabbage, broccoli, and other brassicas are all good candidates
• Peas and beans do well, but remember you may need to stake or have trellis for these taller vegetables.
• Squash, cucumbers and zucchini may take over your raised bed, so you will have to train the plants to climb or have them trail outside your container.
• Potatoes or leeks that need soil topping, may not work unless they are in a separate bed or area of the raised bed, where you will dig a trench and top up as they grow.
• Tomatoes are often indeterminate, so may grow too tall for a raised bed of 4”. You probably only need a bed that is a foot or two deep.

Over the summer, the material in the bottom of my newly constructed bed composted and compressed and the soil dropped about 8”. If you are setting up your raised bed in the fall, I would recommend adding the top soil/compost in the fall and then topping up again in the spring.

And you will probably have to top up with fresh soil and compost every year as the soil settles and the “filler” you put in the bottom decomposes and shrinks. Also remember that crop rotation will still be important.

I am very happy I don’t have to bend over to pick beans and weeding has become so much easier.

There are many ideas on social media for raised beds. Check out these sites.

Peterborough Master Gardeners website search on raised beds

Raised Bed Gardens

Best vegetables to grow in raised beds

by Marilyn Homewood, Master Gardener

We have now just slipped into the first days of August, a time that most of us can stop and catch our breaths.  Spring cleanup, plant division and new plantings seem to be a distant memory (it wasn’t that much work, was it??). 

Upcoming fall tasks like seed saving, bulb planting and dahlia dividing are still far enough away not to seem real. Settling on a topic for a blog post just seems like too hard a task.  Garden musings might be more in tune with the time of year.

Of course, I am still busy in the garden as there are the omnipresent weeds that need to be dealt with and the harvesting that goes along with a cut flower patch. At least there is something to harvest.  What a change from the drought of last year.  Rainfall was so scarce at my place that most of my cut flowers performed poorly and went uncut.  Being on a dug well means managing water resources. 

As I now look around the garden, the daylilies which came on fast at the beginning of July and were quite bountiful are now fading away.  The purple coneflowers have been blooming for a couple of weeks and with rainfall look to go on for a bit longer. Even the lupines that were planted last fall are still showing some bloom.

The return of the lilies this year was a welcome sight.  Last year, not a single lily bud (Asiatic or Oriental-Trumpet [OT] hybrid) survived the ravages of the chipmunks who were most likely looking for moisture due to the lack of rainfall.  While I am used to the buds being swiped from the shorter Asiatics, my OT hybrids which are 5 to 6 feet tall, usually go untouched.  Not last year!

In my nursery bed at the back, I have a large stand of Liatris ligulistylis. It is starting to be filled with monarch butterflies stopping for some nectar. It truly is a monarch magnet.

In the cutting garden, the Sweet William, Marigold and Zinnia are blooming like crazy and the Lisianthus is just starting to bloom.

Heading back towards the house, I pass by the form of Alium schubertii, planted last fall less for the bloom and more for its architecture. They look rather like a something better suited to outer space than an Ontario garden.  I like the effect and will be adding more.

As I reach the side porch, my gaze falls upon a bulb crate full of drying Bells of Ireland that I am attempting to save seed from and on a seed tray of biennial Sweet William that I have started for planting this fall. 

Better enjoy this break, the fall is coming!

By Thom Luloff, Master Gardener in Training

In the quiet corner of your garden, a story unfolds—one of decay, renewal, and survival. A fallen log, at least 15 cm in diameter, lies undisturbed, its bark peeling away with time. To most, it might seem like nothing more than a lump of rotting wood, but to the creatures of Ontario’s forests and backyards, it is a shelter, a buffet, and a nursery all in one.

The Architects of Decay

The transformation begins with Turkey Tail (Trametes versicolor), a vibrant bracket fungus spreading across the log in waves of blue, green, and brown. Working quietly, it releases enzymes that break down lignin, the tough compound that gives wood its strength (Boddy et al., 2021). Alongside it, Hairy Curtain Crust (Stereum hirsutum) and Split Gill Fungus (Schizophyllum commune) creep across the wood, softening its once-solid structure and preparing it for the next wave of life.

The Engineers of the Wood

As the fungi work their magic, the log becomes an inviting home for insects. Snails and slugs slither across its damp surface, feeding on the growing fungi. Beneath the bark, Carpenter Ants (Camponotus pennsylvanicus) carve out intricate tunnels, not to eat the wood but to create hidden chambers for their colony (Foelix, 2019). Their tunneling allows moisture and air to penetrate deeper into the log, making it an even richer habitat for the next arrivals—Ontario’s native beetles.

Black ground beetles of various species arrive on the log en masse, searching for a place to lay eggs. Their larvae burrow deep into the softened wood, slowly turning it into nutrient-rich humus (Harvey et al., 2011). These beetles, in turn, attract predators like the Six-Spotted Tiger Beetle (Cicindela sexguttata), a metallic green hunter patrolling the log for an easy meal.

A Shelter for Ontario’s Wildlife

As the log softens and cracks, it becomes a refuge. The Eastern Red-backed Salamander (Plethodon cinereus) slithers beneath it, hiding from the drying heat of the day. This moisture-loving amphibian thrives in the humid microclimate the log provides, emerging at night to hunt for small insects. Nearby, the Northern Short-tailed Shrew (Blarina brevicauda) scurries through the leaf litter, using the decaying log as a hiding spot between hunting trips.

Above, the White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) scratches at the log’s surface, searching for insect larvae hiding within. Not far away, the American Toad (Anaxyrus americanus) tucks itself into a crevice, waiting for dusk to begin its nightly hunt. Even the Little Brown Bat (Myotis lucifugus), a species at risk in Ontario, may roost in the log’s hollowed-out cavities, using it as a safe shelter from predators.

A Final Gift to the Soil

As the years pass, the log continues to break down, its nutrients seeping into the soil. Studies have shown that decomposing wood increases soil fertility and microbial diversity, providing essential nourishment for plants and fungi alike (Harmon et al., 2020). What was once a towering tree now gives back to the very land it grew from, ensuring the cycle of life continues.

Leaving a log to decompose in your garden isn’t just an act of neglect— it’s an act of conservation. It creates a thriving ecosystem, supporting species often overlooked in urban spaces. So the next time you see a fallen branch or an aging log, resist the urge to clean it up. Instead, leave it where it lies and witness the hidden world of life it supports.

References

Boddy, L., Hiscox, J., & Gilmartin, E. (2021). Fungal decomposition of wood: Fundamentals and impact on ecosystems. Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics, 52(1), 121-142.

Foelix, R. (2019). Biology of Spiders. Oxford University Press. Harvey, D. J., Hawes, C. J., & Gange, A. C. (2011). The role of dead wood in maintaining beetle diversity. Biodiversity and Conservation, 20(10), 2307-2323.

Harmon, M. E., Fasth, B., Woodall, C. W., & Sexton, J. (2020). Carbon storage and nutrient cycling in decomposing logs: A long-term perspective. Forest Ecology and Management, 466, 118127.

By Christine Freeburn, Master Gardener

Many of us would like to use more fresh herbs in our cooking, especially when they are in season. But we often plant them out in the garden instead of having them close to the kitchen door within easy reach. Why not plant a container this season and place it where you will have it accessible.

For best results, plant herbs with similar water requirements in the same container. Be sure your container has drainage. Put holes in the bottom or use a container with drainage and put inside a pretty pot. Make sure the pot is deep enough… at least 8”. Use good organic potting mix that is light, rather than heavy garden soil and mix in some good compost. You can plant herbs closely, about 6”- 9” apart and they will grow up and out. Herbs in containers will do better with some fertilizer.  Use an organic solution which is higher in nitrogen, but weaken the strength and apply every 4 weeks. Fish emulsion is a good choice.

Choose a spot that gets at least 5 hours of sun. Early morning sun is best. If you have west exposure, you may need to water more often.

Many annual herbs like evenly moist soil, like parsley, basil, lemon verbena & dill. You will want a relatively deep pot for parsley as it does develop a tap root. Lemon balm is a perennial that likes it evenly moist. Chives are a perennial that are sweeter when kept evenly moist, but can take it dry.

There are many flavours of mint available including spearmint, strawberry, chocolate & mojito but beware as mint is a perennial that can be invasive. Better to contain it in a pot.

Thyme, winter savoury, oregano are all perennials that like dryer soil. Add rosemary & sage to the list of herbs preferring it dry. Treat rosemary as an annual. You can try to overwinter indoors if you have a spot that is cool and sunny and let the plant dry between waterings. The perennials can go into the ground in a permanent home in the fall. Sage may overwinter, so plant in the garden and watch for growth in spring. Prune down to active growth.

You can also plant herbs in separate pots and have a collection of pretty pots. Smaller pots will dry out quicker, so be aware of soil moisture.

Here are a few suggestions of combinations:

• Lavender, citronella & marigold for aromatics
• Lemon balm, lemon verbena & mint for teas
• Thyme, sage, savoury & oregano for dry rubs or in a marinade for meats
• Summer savoury is the annual version of winter savoury. It prefers evenly moist soil and has a lighter, sweeter flavour. Cilantro is another annual favourite that needs evenly moist soil. It often bolts with hot weather, going to seed and becoming coriander.
• Perennial herbs like french tarragon and lovage are not suited to container gardening as they get too tall and develop deep roots.

Imagine a lovely tomato salad with fresh basil, or barbeque chicken with a savoury/ thyme rub, or fresh mint in your mojito. All organically grown by you!

For more on herbs, check out other articles on own website, by using the search window on the top right of this page.

Resources

https://www.torontomastergardeners.ca/guidecategories/herbs/

https://www.thespruce.com/best-fertilizers-for-awesome-herbs-1761848

by Thom Luloff, Master Gardener in Training

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.

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:

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🌟 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.

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🌟 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.

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🌟 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.

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🌟 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.

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🌟 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.

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.