Category Archives: Uncategorized

Uncategorized, Soil, Garden Cleanup, Advice, Information, winter, Overwintering

The Hidden Garden: What Happens under the Ground in the Winter Months

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By Amanda McIlhone, Master Gardener in Training

“Every gardener knows that under the cloak of winter lies a miracle”.
Barbara Winkler

As the winter months approach and our gardens begin to settle in for a long, cold season, we often assume they enter a long sleep called dormancy. But beneath the soil, an unseen world remains active. Even while our plants enter a state of rest above ground, life beneath the surface continues to work, change and prepare the garden for the season ahead.

Each fall, we tidy our gardens by cutting down and discarding spent flowers and wilting leaves. However, in our efforts to create a neat and tidy outdoor space, we may unknowingly miss an opportunity to support the health of the unseen world beneath the soil and, by extension, the life above ground that plays an important role in the overall health of our gardens.

So, let’s take a moment to explore what’s happening beneath the soil, how these processes contribute to the ongoing health of our gardens, and what we can do as gardeners to support this remarkable microscopic activity.

Soil Microorganisms

Our soil is teeming with life! Even in a very small amount of healthy soil, you can find billions of microorganisms, including beneficial bacteria, fungi, protozoa, nematodes and algae, along with other organisms such as tiny insects and earthworms. Each plays an important role in maintaining the overall health of our soil and, therefore, our gardens.

During the winter months, some of these organisms enter a dormant state, while many others remain active, although their activity generally slows as temperatures drop. Organic matter, including decaying plant material, roots and fallen leaves, is gradually broken down by these organisms. This process supports the soil food web while releasing nutrients that eventually become available for plant growth.

Another important process involves nitrogen, one of the essential macronutrients required by plants. Soil microorganisms temporarily incorporate nitrogen into their own bodies as they break down organic matter. This process helps cycle and retain nitrogen within the soil ecosystem. As temperatures rise and microbial activity increases in spring, nitrogen is gradually released and becomes available to plants as they emerge from dormancy and resume active growth.

The best course of action? Keep your soil healthy throughout the year to give your garden the best possible foundation for a thriving growing season!

What can we do as gardeners to support the health of our soil during the winter months?

Avoid removing all spent foliage, stems and annual plant material at the end of the growing season. Plant tissues contain stored sugars and starches that help plants maintain energy reserves. Leaving appropriate plant material in the garden also provides organic matter that gradually decomposes and feeds beneficial soil microorganisms.

Apply a light layer of organic mulch, such as shredded leaves, straw or wood chips, around the base of perennial plants. Along with a layer of insulating snow, mulch helps regulate soil temperatures and protect plants from damaging freeze-thaw fluctuations. It can also reduce moisture loss caused by drying winter winds and provide valuable overwintering habitat for beneficial insects and other small organisms.

As gardeners, we often focus on what we can see above ground. However, by making an effort to protect our soil, preserve organic matter and allow nature to take its course, we help support the countless organisms that make healthy gardens possible. So, as you prepare your garden for winter, remember the magical world beneath the soil and that sometimes, less really is more!

References

https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/sites/default/files/2023-01/Healthy-Soils-Are-full-of-life.pdf

https://www.elmdirt.com/blogs/news/what-happens-to-soil-microbes-in-winter?

https://bloomineasyplants.com/the-secret-life-of-your-dormant-garden/

https://www.rbg.ca/environmental-responsibility-and-the-art-of-mulching/

Garden Cleanup, Garden rejuvenation, Invasive, Uncategorized, Weed Control

Smothering Periwinkle: A Practical Way to Reclaim Your Garden for Native Plants

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By Silvia Strobl, Master Gardener

Photo: Invasive periwinkle spreading into my friend’s forest.

For years, gardening magazines praised periwinkles (Vinca spp.)¹ for their rapid growth, low maintenance, and adaptability to a wide range of growing conditions. Today, they are recognized as invasive plants that have spread into natural forests throughout much of southern and central Ontario.

Periwinkle has allelopathic properties that can inhibit the growth of other plants and alter soil chemistry, including increasing soil calcium and sulphur levels (see references cited in Mitchell and Simkovic 2025). These adaptations help periwinkle outcompete and displace native understorey plants, such as trilliums, and impede the regeneration of native trees (ibid.).

Have you been putting off removing that patch of periwinkle in your garden? Hand-pulling can be daunting because even tiny pieces of stem or root can regenerate. Nodes along both above- and below-ground runners can also take root and produce new plants.

There is another option: smothering periwinkle with heavy-duty black landscape fabric.

A three-year experiment

Over the past three years, I have helped a friend control a large patch of lesser periwinkle (V. minor) that was spreading into the native woodland on her rural property. Reluctant to use herbicides, she agreed to try heavy-duty black landscape fabric.

By excluding sunlight, the fabric prevents photosynthesis and gradually depletes the carbohydrates stored in the plants’ roots, reducing their ability to regrow.

Area 1: May 2023 to September 2025

We began by brush-cutting the periwinkle as close to the soil surface as possible. We raked the cut vines into clear plastic bags for solarization before disposal, then covered an area approximately 12 × 12 feet with landscape fabric. We carefully worked around a red elderberry and a red trillium, leaving both uncovered.

In September 2025, we lifted the fabric to find that the periwinkle had been completely killed. We immediately planted the area densely with winter-sown native species, including bluestem goldenrod, zigzag goldenrod, wild columbine, and wood poppy, adding leaf mulch to cover remaining bare soil.

Photo: The border between smothered periwinkle (right) and untreated periwinkle (left) in Area 1 after 2 years of being covered by landscape fabric.

Area 2: September 2025 to August 2026

We reused the fabric and landscape staples from Area 1 to cover the adjacent patch, again brush-cutting the periwinkle first. When we lifted the fabric in late August 2026, we found that the periwinkle had again been completely killed—this time after just one year.

We planted Area 2 densely with native plants  and reused the fabric and staples on the next section, Area 3.

Results

Area 1 in Spring 2026
after Fall 2025 Planting
Area 1 in Fall 2026

If the cost of landscape fabric and native plants is not a limiting factor, you can cover a larger area at once. The Peterborough & Area Master Gardeners used this approach in the Sundial Garden at Peterborough’s Riverview Park and Zoo in June and August 2026 as shown in the following photo.


Tips for Success

Prepare the area.
Brush-cut the periwinkle as close to the soil surface as possible. Rake up the cut vines, bag them in clear plastic for solarization, and dispose of them appropriately.

Overlap generously.
Periwinkle can readily grow through gaps between adjoining pieces of fabric. Overlap seams by 4–6 inches and extend the fabric beyond the edges of the infestation. Curved edges around hardscaping require extra care.

Secure the fabric firmly.
Place landscape staples every 2–3 feet along the edges and overlapping seams to maintain close contact with the ground. Using gaskets can make removing and reusing the staples much easier.

Pay attention to slopes.
Sloping ground can make installation more challenging. Additional rocks, along with landscape staples, may help keep the fabric in contact with the soil.

Protect desirable plants.
Take care when working around native plants. Poorly fitted fabric can allow periwinkle to creep back into the treated area, requiring repairs. At the Zoo, periwinkle that had been covered for three months was already white, indicating that it had been deprived of light and could no longer photosynthesize. Landscape fabric will be kept on for several more months though.

Be patient and plan ahead.
Leave the fabric in place for at least one year, and potentially up to two years, depending on conditions and regrowth. Have native plants ready to establish a dense cover as soon as the fabric is removed. In the photograph, native plants are laid out in Area 2 in the foreground, while zigzag and bluestem goldenrods bloom in Area 1 behind them. Farther down the slope, another patch awaits treatment.

Respect wildlife.
At the zoo, we left the three entrances to a fox den uncovered. Foxes had successfully raised kits there the previous spring, and we wanted to leave the entrances accessible in case the adults returned that winter. We will manage the periwinkle emerging around the den by hand-pulling.

Watch for surprises!
After we removed the fabric from Area 1, a native round-leaved hepatica (Anemone americana) emerged from dormant seed in the soil. What a welcome discovery!

Tips for success

What else can you control this way?

Smothering with landscape fabric may also help control other creeping, non-native groundcovers, including goutweed, pachysandra, creeping Jenny, and English ivy. Both spring and fall can be suitable times to install heavy-duty fabric, provided it is secured properly and left in place long enough to suppress regrowth.

Once the fabric is removed, replant densely with native species suited to the site. This helps occupy the space, reduce opportunities for invasive plants to return, and restore habitat for native wildlife.

Could this approach help you reclaim a patch of your garden for native plants?

Uncategorized

Lessons from the Garden

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By Brandi McNeely, Master Gardener in Training

It’s early October in my zone 5b garden, and the season is winding down. Clean up has replaced harvesting, seed packets have long since been packed away and I’m feeling melancholy. I’m mentally preparing myself for a long, cold Canadian winter, and winters seem to feel longer every year that passes. When I start to feel this fall sadness set in, I take a moment to reflect on the lessons my garden has taught me.

Patience

Good things come to those who wait. Whether it’s waiting for spring, waiting for seedlings to emerge, or waiting for your harvest to ripen, the anticipation makes the result that much sweeter. My growing season has a beginning and an end, and that rhythm gives me time to remember what has come to pass and look forward to a new beginning.

“Four Reasons to Cultivate Patience”

Take Risks

Over more than 10 years of gardening, I have made plenty of mistakes. It’s natural to fear failing at a new task, but failure is just an opportunity for learning and growth. Take a chance in your garden next year – grow a plant from seed that you normally buy as an established plant, try a new variety of vegetable, dive in! If it doesn’t work out, make note of what you might change for the following season and try again.

“Why Taking Risks Helps You Grow – and How to Do It”

Resilience

We all face adversity in our lives, and resilience is our ability to move beyond it. I’ve had many instances when my garden was not working out the way I had planned. Drought, extreme weather and insect damage have decimated my crops in the past. Instead of throwing in the towel, I learned to pivot, adapt and come up with a new plan. My garden has taught me that sometimes resilience means accepting things that don’t go as expected and finding a new way forward.

“The Magic of Resilience”

Mindfulness

Our lives are busy. Work, kids, partners, hobbies… And technology connecting it all. When I’m in the garden I can disconnect, slow down and be mindful. The warmth of the sun on my skin, the buzzing of bees, the feel of earth in my hands all make me feel grounded. Calmer.

Taking time to feel centered and reconnect with nature can benefit our mental and physical health, all while pulling a few pesky weeds.

“The Science of Mindfulness”

As another growing season comes to an end, I’m reminded that the garden gives us more than flowers and food. It teaches us to be patient, take chances, adapt, and slow down enough to appreciate the moment. Winter may be long, but I’ll carry these lessons with me until I’m in my garden again.

Uncategorized

An Easier Way to Garden – Raised Vegetable Garden Beds

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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

Uncategorized

The Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Days of Summer

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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.

field of echinacea plants

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!

Information, Perennials, Propagation, Sedums, Uncategorized

Monocarpic Succulents: The Plant That Blooms Once and Says Goodbye

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By Mary-Jane Pilgrim, Master Gardener

If you’ve ever had a succulent like “Hens & Chicks” Sempervivum that suddenly produces a tall flower stalk and then begins to die, don’t panic—you probably didn’t do anything wrong. You may have discovered a monocarpic plant.

The word monocarpic simply means “flowers once.” These plants spend years growing into beautiful rosettes, storing energy in their thick, fleshy leaves. When conditions are right, they put all that energy into one spectacular flowering display. After the flowers fade, the main plant dies.

It may sound sad, but it’s actually a perfectly normal part of the plant’s life cycle.

Many popular succulents are monocarpic, including the already mentioned hens-and-chicks (Sempervivum), but also some Aeonium species (non-hardy succulents), and many Agave varieties (tequila, anyone?). The good news is that these plants often produce offsets, or “pups,” around their base before or during flowering. These baby plants continue growing long after the parent plant has finished its life.

If your monocarpic succulent starts to flower, enjoy the show if you appreciate them! Once the main rosette has completely died, simply remove it and allow the pups to fill in the space. Before long, you’ll have a healthy new generation of plants.

BUT if you’re like me and find the flowers messy, feel free to cut all of the flower stalks out — you aren’t removing anything that isn’t already on the way out. While you’re pruning, keep an eye out for the new offsets that will take their place and push them back into the soil if they pop out with the parent.

Nature has many surprising strategies, and monocarpic succulents remind us that sometimes the grandest finale is also a last hurrah!

Slugs and Bugs, Spring, Uncategorized, Vegetable Gardening

Growing the best cucumbers!

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By Christine Freeburn, Peterborough Master Gardener

Cucumbers (Cucumis sativus) are a warm weather vegetable which means they don’t like cooler spring temperatures. If you are starting from seed, plant indoors and grow under lights 3 to 4 weeks before the last frost date.

Growing in peat or coir pellets will help with transplanting shock, but do not let pellets dry out. Germination takes 6 to 10 days. Remember to harden off, before putting into ground that is warm (18C to 22C), usually the end of May.

If you are purchasing seedlings, be mindful of outdoor temperatures when planting. Anything below 10C and plants could shock, setting them back or even killing them. If June nights are cool (we could still have a frosty night in June), cover your plants with a bed sheet or heavier row cover.

There are many different varieties of cucumber from the ‘Straight Eight’ or ‘Marketmore76’ which are a slicing type, pickling varieties like ‘Avenger’, minis like ‘Manny’ and the popular seedless English type like ‘Summer Dance’.

You may also notice, they are listed as Garden or Greenhouse varieties. Greenhouse types are often thin skinned, want it warm and don’t require pollination, and so are good for growing under cover or in a greenhouse. If you are growing your cucumbers in hills, the garden variety is fine.

When you are reading catalogues or seed packets, check the pollination key for your chosen variety. This tells you what each variety needs to pollinate and bear fruit. Cucumbers that have stubby ends or no growth have not been pollinated fully.

Pollination Key
Monoecious - male and female flowers on the same plant, so one plant will do, however pollination does need to happen, so invite pollinators to your garden. You can also pollinate yourself. The female flower is identified by having a tiny fruit just behind it. You can remove a fresh male blossom and gently rub it against the pollen of the female to help with fertilization.
Gynoecious - plants have only female flowers and need another plant to pollinate
Parthenocarpic - these plants do not require pollination and are usually Greenhouse varieties.

Cucumbers need lots of compost/fertilizer as they are heavy feeders. They also need to be evenly moist. Water the soil, not the plant to prevent powdery mildew and other viral diseases.

You can grow cucumbers up a trellis. In fact, I recommend it as this helps to keep fruit clean, encourages good air flow to reduce disease and can keep pests away. You will need to train the vines. Use clips to gently hold in place. Install your trellis or whatever you are using, when you plant your cucumbers and before they begin to grow.

Cucumbers can also be grown in containers where it is easier to keep them evenly moist and mulched. And you can still trellis them, if you are buying the vining type. I use 3 bamboo stakes which I put in a teepee shape by tying the tops together. You can purchase bush type cucumbers, which are more compact than vining types, but production is not as high with bush types.

The cucumber beetle is the main pest for this crop. Crop rotation is important as beetles overwinter in soil, coming out of soil in mid summer to munch on your plants and transmit bacterial wilt.  Planting nasturtiums, dill or marigolds may help to keep the pests away. The best remedy is row covers. Put row covers on new plants as soon as they go into the ground. Covers will need to be removed for pollination, once flowers appear.

Cucumber beetle

Pick cucumbers in the morning when they hold the most moisture. Pick fruit often to encourage more to grow. Cucumbers contain vitamin K, potassium, antioxidants and fibre. Enjoy them!

References

Cucumber

William Dam Seeds

Book – Growing Under Cover – Niki Jabbour – Storey Publications

Uncategorized

Using Cold Hardy Annuals to Extend the Flowering Season

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By Marilyn Homewood, Master Gardener

Here in Ontario we have a long enough growing season to accommodate both the cold hardy annuals such as sweet peas and the tender annuals like zinnia and celosia.  So why do so many gardeners wait until the third week of May to plant their cold hardy annuals?  Fear of frost.  How many times have you heard the mantra “Don’t plant until Victoria Day weekend”. While that is good advice for many plants, it actually works against this class of plants that like to put down roots in cold soil.

There are actually 2 ways to deal this class of plants:

Direct sow in the spring.  As soon as winter has left and the ground can be worked in April, seed varieties such as Nigella, Ammi, Bupleurum and Calendula.  Seed thickly and thin the seedlings.  This method takes advantage of the abundant moisture that is in the ground, allows plants to develop good root systems prior to facing the heat of summer.  Some types such as Larkspur actually do better this way for many folks as Larkspur is quite heat intolerant and germinates poorly in the average Canadian home.  I actually germinate mine indoors in my sunroom which is kept at 50 F in the winter.

Transplant seedlings in spring.  This is my preferred method for the cutting garden.  This method is more precise than sowing seed into the ground and allows for sequencing of seeding to produce the best sized transplant.  The first seed that I start is Lisianthus (January 1) followed by snapdragons and sweet peas in February.  My seedlings are grown slowly at 50 F which produces less top growth and more root.

Tender annuals waiting to be hardened off before planting out

On average, I plant these varieties out around the third week of April.  The key to planting successfully is proper “hardening off”.  This is a process of gradually acclimating your seedling to the harsher outdoor conditions (sunlight, wind and temperature fluctuations) over 7 days.  This helps to prevent transplant shock, sunburned leaves and weak stems. A rough guideline for hardening plants is as follows:

Day 1-3: Place plants outside in out of direct sunlight and wind for 1-2 hours

Day 4-7: Gradually increase time spent outside by a couple hours each day and move into sunlight for part of that time

By day 7, if temperatures are staying above 7 C, plants can stay out all night.

Avoid the midday sun early on.  Water carefully. Your plants will dry out faster when outside.  Watch the wind initially as it can snap stems.

Snapdragon showing extensive leaf damage with new growth coming from buds at base of stem

Once seedlings are in the ground, the work is still not over.  Watch the weather forecast carefully. Some young seedlings may need protection if temperatures drop below freezing.  If temperatures are going to drop, I cover seedlings with frost cloth.  Frost cloth is a lightweight, breathable garden fabric designed to protect plants by trapping warmth radiating from the soil to create a microclimate.  This cloth can also be used in fall to protect tender plants like dahlias from early frosts.  I also use this cloth as a shade cloth to protect delicate flowering plants from the harsh July sun.

This year has been a real challenge.  We have had a very cold and windy spring.  It was hard to even find consistent conditions in which to harden the plants off.  I held off from my usual third week of April planting and ended up hardening plants for about 11 days.  Most of the seedlings were planted in the first week of May.  A couple days after planting, temperatures were forecasted to be less than 0 C.  Of more concern was the wind.  My cutting garden receives the full force of the wind as it blows across my farm fields.  On went the frost cloth. But the wind must have found its’ way under cloth as the next day some of the snapdragons showed damage to leaves.  However, the seedlings were planted deeply with some stem in the ground and in the next week or so, new growth started to appear from the base of the plant.  I still can’t access the full extent of damage but am willing to wait to see how many plants recover.

In the meantime, there were tulips to harvest, sunflower seeds to sow, weeding to be done.  Soon it will be time to start hardening off the tender annuals like the zinnias!

Overwintering, Perennials, Shrubs & Trees, Uncategorized, winter

Understanding Garden Dormancy

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By Mary-Jane Pilgrim, Master Gardener

Do you ever wonder what’s going on in the garden when temperatures drop below freezing? How do perennials, shrubs and trees withstand the cold and dehydration of winter?  As we prepare for the colder season above ground, a process of adapting to this change is also going on below ground.

What is Garden Dormancy?

Dormancy is a period of reduced growth in plants, allowing them to survive intense conditions such as cold temperatures or drought. During dormancy:

  • Trees and shrubs shed their leaves, reducing water loss and protecting against freezing temperatures.
  • Perennials retreat underground, focusing their energy on the roots rather than above-ground growth.

Dormancy is essentially a plant’s version of hibernation. Even though the plant may appear lifeless, it’s very much alive, just in a resting state.

Why Do Plants Go Dormant?

  • Survival Mechanism: Dormancy helps plants endure harsh conditions, preventing them from growing in unseasonal warm spells only to be killed by a subsequent freeze. 
  • Rest and Rejuvenation: It allows plants to rest, develop stronger root systems and trunks, and accumulate the energy needed for vigorous growth in the spring. 
  • Timing and Environmental Cues: Plants respond to environmental cues like shorter day lengths, decreasing temperatures, and reduced light to signal the onset of autumn and the need to prepare for dormancy. 

The Gardener’s Role During Dormancy

  • Understanding the Cycle: Gardeners learn to recognize the signs of dormancy and understand its importance for plant health and the overall garden ecosystem. 
  • Winter Protection: Proper care during dormancy, such as using mulch or wrapping to protect against frost, helps safeguard plants from potential damage. 
  • Be patient: In spring, don’t panic if some perennials take longer to re-emerge. Late risers like perennial hibiscus, Rose of Sharon and some ornamental grasses may take several weeks longer than others to show signs of growth.
  • Rest and Relaxation: Just like the plants in their gardens need rest, so too does the gardener. The slower seasons of fall and winter allow us to take stock of our gardens — what worked, what didn’t work, what needs to change — so that we approach next spring and summer rejuvenated!

Resources

Dormancy: A Key to Winter Survival

When Plants Go Dormant: How Hibernating Helps Them Survive

Understanding Plant Dormancy

Bees & Pollinators, Native Plants, Uncategorized

Pollinator Week

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By Cheryl Harrison, Master Gardener

Pollinator Week 2025 is scheduled from June 16-22 this year.  It is an annual celebration initiated by Pollinator Partnership to raise awareness of the vital role pollinators play in our ecosystems and food systems. This year’s theme, “Pollinator Cultural Connections,” emphasizes the deep ties between pollinators and human culture.

What Is Pollinator Week?

Pollinator Week is a global event dedicated to celebrating, protecting and promoting pollinators—bees, butterflies, birds, bats, and other insects—that are essential for the reproduction of over 75% of flowering plants and about one-third of the world’s food crops.

The 2025 Theme: “Pollinator Cultural Connections”

The 2025 theme invites reflection on how pollinators are interwoven with human culture, including agriculture, art, and spirituality. Many Indigenous communities have long recognized the importance of pollinators not only for their ecological contributions but also as a foundation for cultural symbolism.

What Can We Do?

You can contribute to pollinator conservation by:

  • Planting native pollinator-friendly gardens: Use a variety of flowering native plants to support pollinators .
  • Supporting local initiatives: Engage with community events and support programs like Bee City Canada, which recognizes and supports municipalities, Indigenous communities, campuses, and schools taking action to protect pollinators .
  • Educating others: Share information about the importance of pollinators and ways to protect them through social media and community outreach.

One of the fun Pollinator Week activities is a Bioblitz.  From the Pollinator Partnership web site:  “A Bioblitz brings together trained scientists and citizen scientists in a fun, friendly competition to record species observations. Community science efforts like this help advance scientific knowledge and foster public engagement, enable widespread participation in the scientific process, and break down traditional barriers between scientists and the public.”

I signed up for the Bioblitz.  For more information see link.

I love taking photos of the pollinators that visit my gardens.

Tips for Creating a Pollinator-Friendly Garden

  • Diverse Planting: Incorporate a variety of native plants with different bloom times to provide continuous food sources for pollinators throughout the growing season.  Native plants are more readily available now.  I only began adding them to my gardens a few years ago.  My gardens consist of lots of the usual perennials eg. day lilies, peonies, iris, daisies.  The natives fit right in!
  • Provide Shelter: Include features like bee hotels, leaf piles and tall grasses to offer shelter for pollinators.
  • Eliminate Pesticide Use: Pesticides can harm pollinators.
  • Water Source: Provide a shallow water source, such as a birdbath with stones for landing.  Pollinators will visit for a drink.

Celebrating Pollinator Week 2025 highlights the interconnectedness between pollinators and human culture.  Participate in local events, support conservation efforts and make informed choices to contribute to the protection and celebration of these essential creatures.

Other Resources

Invite These Super Pollinators and Pest Managers to your Garden by Silvia Strobl, Master Gardener.  See link.

How to Make the Perfect Pollinator Garden.  See link.

Pollinator Partnerships – Threats to Pollinators.  See link.

Ontario Native Plants list.  See link.

PS:  I consider reading the book “Bringing Nature Home” by Doug Tallamy, as my pollinator epiphany.   See link for more information about this book.