Category Archives: Vegetable Gardening

Advice, Herbs, Vegetable Gardening

It’s Not Too Late! Try Fall Vegetable Gardening!

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by Rachel Foebel, Master Gardener In Training

In the world of vegetable gardening, the fall garden starts about mid to late summer. This is an unusual time to think about starting seedlings or putting seeds in the ground for many.

Busy summer schedules, hot dry weather and maybe even lack of interest in the garden at this point in the year make the fall garden less popular. Perhaps gardening is not a project that’s high on your list in the middle of summer vacation.

Here is why I think you should do it anyway!

  • A chance to try some cool weather crops that don’t like the heat of summer.
  • Many fall garden vegetables taste better or sweeter in the cooler weather or after a frost.
  • Tasty herbs that can be enjoyed fresh and brought inside for winter.
  • Making use of available space after harvesting a summer crop.  
  • Fewer bugs and weeds to contend with (in theory).
  • Helps the garden to look fresh and tidy and less like a shaggy jungle this time of year (if you’re anything like me).

How To Get Started

In general, you learn the first frost date for your area and count backwards based on the number of days your fall garden varieties need to reach maturity. In the Peterborough area, we can expect our first frost around the end of September or early October. This means there are about 40-50 days to work with from the day of this post (mid-August). Keep in mind, a lot of fall- friendly garden varieties can easily survive light frosts. This means you have more than enough time to grow some delicious food.

Here are some sources to help determine your growing zone’s last frost date:

Below is a list of plants that can be harvested 40-50 days from germination and tolerate light frosts. (The numbers can vary depending on the variety. Choose short season varieties if possible.)

  • Spinach
  • Lettuce (greens, not head)
  • Bok Choy
  • Cilantro
  • Turnips
  • Radishes
  • Green Onions
  • Mustard Greens
  • Swiss Chard
  • Arugula

This website has some more unique varieties to suggest:

Additionally, here are some vegetables that take longer to reach maturity but can also handle light frosts:

  • Carrots (70-80 days, depending on the variety – can be stored in the cool soil until snow comes)
  • Leeks (100-120 days – can be harvested as early as 60 days)
  • Parsley (60-70 days – these can be slow to germinate, so if you can find a plant, perfect!)

Some late season carrot seedlings popping up in the bed I recently harvested my garlic from.

You can also consider some cool weather crops with a slightly longer growing time by starting your fall garden a little earlier next year. Examples: Broccoli, Cauliflower, Cabbage, Potatoes.

Get Planting!

  • You can start your seeds in trays in a sunny window or sow right into the garden, outdoor pot, window box, etc.
  • Amend your soil with compost if you have it available.
  • Plant your seeds and water daily to ensure the seeds have a good chance to germinate. Decrease the frequency as sprouts appear.
  • Don’t forget to leave space to plant your garlic in the fall!

Trouble Seed Sourcing in Late Summer?

  • Use any extra seeds from spring.
  • Look for seed sales as companies look to clear out their seeds that can’t be sold next year.
  • Learn to seed save. It’s easier than you might think!
  • Allow your spring/summer plants to self seed. Ex. kale, cilantro, lettuce, spinach, etc.
Some kale seed pods from my spring plants that I can use for a fall crop.
A few trays of greens to go out into the garden for fall eating.

Good luck!

Active Meditation, Children, Communication, Dreams, Health, Soil, Vegetable Gardening

Finding Natural Connections in a World That is Busier than Ever!

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By Thom Luloff, Master Gardener in Training

Our schedules are brimming, and life is back to “normal” after those challenging years of a global pandemic.  We may be busier than ever, but are things truly back to normal? 

Crises–locally and internationally–politically, socially and economically are unfolding everywhere, and our social bonds and community engagement appear more distant than ever.  

Or does it just seem that way? 

If we take a step back just a couple of years, we had a very different perspective that is worth remembering and taking forward as those memories start to fade.  

Amidst the confusion, anxiety, and fear of the onset of the Coronavirus pandemic, we all took a deep pause.  Without distractions, we were able to focus on the important.  Synchronously with the first lockdown announcement, public health agencies began promoting safe activities.  Without much surprise, almost all of them involved the outdoors and being immersed in nature.  Walking, hiking, biking, roller blading; these merchandise items flew off shelves just as fast as skis, snowmobiles, and fat bikes did.  Not to mention everybody was baking bread and planting seeds in soil, many for the first time in their lives!

We found connections by connecting with and within nature.

As the lockdown progressed, we celebrated stories showing how the retreat of human impact allowed nature the room to thrive.  Whether it be clearer skies, fewer cars on the roads, or less garbage in nature areas, we could see the human impact.  

Yet within almost moments of relaxation of restrictions, our old ways returned.  Our newfound appreciation gave way to the rush for normalcy.

Can we do better than normalcy? 

We think of our human normalcy as being set apart from nature.  In control.  We live in houses, drive cars, and eat food which is specially grown to feed us; and nature exists “somewhere” else. Somewhere where you can go on your terms.  But there are examples from nature that do provide us valuable insight and one of the is in the form of a fungus, Armillaria solidipes (honey fungus).

Armillaria solidipes

Like humans, this honey fungus has enormous potential to affect its local environment.  One of these organisms lives in Oregon’s Malheur National Forest and covers 3.7 square miles (2,400 acres) and is roughly 8,000 years old and weighs over 34,000 tons, making it both the single largest and heaviest terrestrial organism on the planet.

But interesting, this remarkable fungus is not a product of individual success.  It is a product of connections, where individuals connecting together strengthen and enlarge the whole.

Honey fungi grow in individual networks using fibers called mycelia. Mycelia work in a similar fashion to plant roots whereby they take water and nutrients from the soil. At the same time, they make chemicals that are shared with other soil organisms.  When mycelia from different individual honey fungus bodies meet, they can attempt to fuse to each other. When the mycelia successfully fuse to each other, they link their very large fungal bodies together. This, in turn, has created the largest terrestrial organism on the planet.

All. Accomplished. By. Connections. 

This giant organism plays an essential role soil development and maintenance, with mycelium working to prevent soil erosion.   It also happens to be a parasite, killing and consuming conifer trees, and has wrecked havoc on Fir stands throughout the area.

I can’t help but compare this fungus–built by connections–to us, as humans. We are more connected than ever before and our potential to impact our environment (positively or negatively) has never been greater.

We must choose to grow positive connections with positive impacts. 

And you (yes you!) are likely doing exactly that and reaping the rewards of those natural connections that you have carefully nourished.  As gardeners tend to their plants, we develop a deep appreciation for the environment, understanding the intricate relationships between soil, water, sunlight, and living organisms. This hands-on interaction promotes mindfulness and a sense of responsibility toward ecological health.

The act of nurturing plants from seeds to full bloom cultivates patience and respect for the time it takes for nature to flourish and reinforces the idea that the best things are worth waiting for and done for others.  What an incredible feeling of joy it is when we see pollinators thriving on the plants we planted, along with the birds and biodiversity that they in turn support.   

As we grow these connections, we show our neighbours, friends, and visitors a living example of this positivity; making it so much easier to follow themselves.

Our stewardship mentality that encourages a harmonious coexistence with the natural world needs water and sunlight and effort, just like our gardens.  Late July is the perfect time to reset from a busy year, giving us the opportunity to embrace a slower pace and regain balance, prioritize self-care, and set intentions for the rest of the year with renewed energy and clarity. 

Let’s prioritize nature and reap the rewards of those natural connections with those around us!

Photo Credit: Keith Riggs. (2012).  United States Forest Service

Perennials, Sun Gardening, Vegetable Gardening

To Stake or Not to Stake

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By Marjorie Vendrig, Master Gardener in Training

It’s midsummer in the garden and many plants – annuals, perennials, vegetables – need to be staked and pulled upright or back. They might be flopping over to the point where stems break and buds and blossoms are lost, they might be spilling over onto other plants, blocking light and restricting growth. In the event of high wind or heavy rains, unsupported plants can easily be destroyed or can quickly become an unsightly mess.

Staking is one of those jobs that many gardeners avoid; it never seems to get done at planting time or early in the season when the plants don’t really require mechanical support. Another reason for putting off staking is that many stakes or plant supports are unsightly and look out of place, particularly very early in the season. The result is that staking is often done too late; emergency staking often looks more unsightly than a flopped over plant

Staking of some plants can be avoided: late bloomers such as sedums or asters can be maintained at a shortened height. This is done by developing shorter, bushier plants by pinching the plant by about one third in early summer. It’s a common practice for many annuals: cosmos, zinnias, nicotiana, and many other annuals are pinched back before they arrive at the nursery. (Pinching back of annuals has come to be known as the Chelsea chop, the timing for pinching back or ‘chopping’ coincides with Britain’s famous RHS Chelsea Flower Show at the end of May.)

Knowledge of the mature size of the plant, its light requirements, and any specific soil or nutrient needs could avoid the need for staking some plants. A plant with elongated, weak stems will require staking, whereas a strong-stemmed, sturdy plant that is not reaching for light or that has not been overwhelmed by neighbours is a more likely candidate to stand on its own. An honest evaluation of light levels in the garden and the sun / shade tolerance of plants are prerequisites for finding the optimal location for plants, helping to eliminate some staking.

Best advice for avoidance aside, there are still many plants that need to be staked and it’s best to match the type of support to the vigour and growth of the plant:

  • Circular grid supports with epoxy or plastic coated wire squares are best suited to clump forming perennials such as phlox, delphiniums, and some campanulas. These work best when put in place early on in the growing season with care taken to feed growing leaders through the squares. Any escapees can be tied loosely to the outside of the circle. Dahlia, peony and other top-heavy bloomers are also candidates for this approach.
  • Once blooms appear on dahlias, or other tall growers, spiral rings or Y-shaped supports are useful to prop up the blossoms. Several supports are often needed for each plant.
  • Tall, heavy blossomed dahlias and other tall growers might do better with two or even three or more stakes surrounding the plant, making sure to avoid the tuber or roots when pushing or pounding in the stakes. Bamboo, plastic coated metal, or even rebar are good choices for the supports. They should be pounded as far as possible into the grounds so that they won’t get pulled over with the weight of a wet, heavy plant. Using twine, tie a knot around one of the stakes, then a figure eight to encircle one of the stems, do the same for the other supports and stems. An alternative technique with large multi-staked plants is to tie a knot around one of the stakes, then surround the plant and loop around the next stake. As the plants grow and the blooms get heavier, several levels of twine might be necessary. Stems and plants should not be tied too tightly.
  • For shorter plants at the front of a border (penstemon, yarrow, cone flower), pea stakes are a good approach. Pea stakes are multi-stemmed off-cuts from prunings. This is an old method, historically used in vegetable gardens to support pea vines. The twigs, from birch, forsythia, viburnum, etc., are pushed into the ground around the perimeter of the plant. The plant grows up and over the stake, no tying is required, and if done early in the season, the twigs get hidden later in the season. Pea stakes are also a good way to guide climbers over to a trellis. With a bit of practice and creativity, pea stakes can be an eye-catching approach to an otherwise unappealing chore.

References

https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/types/perennials/staking

https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/pea-staking

https://www.finegardening.com/project-guides/gardening-basics/how-to-avoid-staking-plants

Light, Planting, Vegetable Gardening

Planning a Container Vegetable Garden

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By Carol Anderson, Master Gardener in Training

Even with a small space, container vegetable gardening can be successful resulting in the production of a wide selection of fresh vegetables and herbs for consumption available throughout the growing season. Careful planning, ensuring the proper environmental conditions are considered and adhering to the appropriate cultural conditions will all ensure success.

The first step in planning is to consider what you are most likely to consume – growing vegetables with either a low yield or low interest by you and your family will not likely inspire you to provide the proper care and maintenance to be successful. However, choosing vegetables and herbs that deliver throughout the season and which you/your family will enjoy is a good starting place. Next … consider the environmental conditions (sunlight, temperature, nutritional requirements, and watering needs) and cultural conditions (such as space needed, soil requirements and plant compatibility) as this will assist you in the selection and scope of your vegetable container garden.

A chart, such as in the example below, allows you to carefully consider the location, groupings and planting schedule for the vegetables and herbs under consideration. Keep in mind one critical factor in our climate…the growing season in our region is short (~134 days for 5a/b)  https://www.almanac.com/gardening/frostdates/ON

Two strategies to extend this season are: 1. For crops that have a longer growing season, start them by seed indoors or purchase them as a seedling/small plant (e.g. tomatoes), and 2. Plant some cold-hardy or semi-cold-hardy vegetables to extend the season beyond the first frost (e.g. broccoli, kale, radish, carrot). In addition, I recommend that herbs be purchased as small plants as they will begin to provide season-long enjoyment quickly and are quite reasonably priced.

Another consideration to increase yield is “succession planting” – a method whereby the same crop can be sown multiple times, spaced apart in intervals. This strategy can also be utilized with inter-planting whereby a row of one crop is alternated with another crop (in this case with a shorter growing season). Once the early harvest occurs, another row of the first crop can be sewn in its’ place. This allows for 2 different crops to be planted together in the same container (e.g. carrots and radishes) with successive harvests in a small space.

One of the final considerations is time…which as we all know is precious. Understanding how much time you want to invest in the garden is important. As with any vegetable garden, sowing seeds, transplanting, fertilizing, harvesting and inspecting the plants takes time. One added component with container vegetables is the need to additional watering. Depending on the weather some crops may need to be watered daily or even twice/day. If the container garden is significant, a drip irrigation system for containers (e.g. with a backflow preventer), should be considered to reduce the watering workload!!

 Table 1. Example of a Vegetables/Herbs Planning Chart

Vegetable/ HerbDays To Germ.Days to HarvestEnvironmental ConsiderationsOther ConsiderationsYield (kg/3m row)
Beans (Pole) (DS)6-1465-70Sun; Average Moisture; Sandy well drained soilSpace seeds 6-8” around base of pole in tripod; fertilize with 10-10-10 after pods set  2.5-4.5
Kale (T)N/A Sun; well drained loam with high organic matterHeavy feeder; starter and then 30-0-02-3.5
Tomatoes (Cherry) (T)N/A50-65Sun; slightly acidic well drained soilHeavy feeder – use starter, then 33-0-0 two weeks before first ripening and 5-10-5 two weeks after ripening; bury stem deep when transplanting  100-200/ plant
Peppers (T)N/A70-85Sun; well drained loose soil; average moistureLight feeder; transplant when soil is warm  2-8
Carrots (DS)10-1455Sun; Average Moisture; Deep, well-aerated sandy loamSow shallow 3-5 weeks before the last frost; can be sown every 3 weeks for continuous harvest  3-4.5
Radishes (DS)4-720-25As aboveSow in early spring at 1/2”; thin to 2”; inter-plant with carrots+++
Leaf Lettuce (T)N/A40-80Sun/tolerates shade; rich well drained loamMedium to heavy feeder; use starter and side dress if additional needed;  2-4.5
Basil (T)7-14 Sun; Moist nutrient rich soil; well drainedPinch central stem to encourage a bushy plant; harvest the plant often for ongoing growth  Cont.
Oregano (T)N/AN/ASun/part shade; needs good drainage   Cont.
Rosemary (T)N/AN/ASun; well drained sandy or loamy soil; drought tolerantLight feeder: mix compost into the soil and then use balanced fertilizer as needed  Cont.
Thyme (T)N/AN/ASun; sandy/poor soil tolerated; dry conditions preferredAll purpose fertilizer in the spring at half strength  Cont.
DS= direct sew seed/T=transplant small plant

Once you have determined your crops to be considered for your container vegetable garden, it is a good idea to identify the containers to be used and the arrangement of these containers (see Photos 1&2 below). Containers should not only be organized to maximize space and sunlight, but also to be esthetically appealing.

In the arrangement on the left in photo 1, the tall pole beans and cherry tomato plant is set at the back, with the peppers, carrots, radishes, and green onions at the front – providing a layered look and maximizing space on a deck.

Other considerations can be either a “tower” or a Living Wall whereby vegetables/herbs are stacked, utilizing only a small footprint in a small space. A Living Wall can be created whereby multiple planters are suspended by rope or chain under the edge of a deck (as long as there is full sunlight); lettuce, potatoes, and other mixes of vegetables and herbs can be placed together creating an appealing planting with various heights and trailing plants and herbs.

If you have an inclination for growing your own food, do not be discouraged if you do not have access to a traditional garden space. Small space vegetable gardening provides an opportunity to be creative, and if planned properly, you can eat healthy fresh vegetables throughout the season.     

Photo 1. Planter Placement
Photo 2: Various Containers for Deck
Photo 3: Herb Tower
Advice, Garden Design, Vegetable Gardening

Make a planting plan now to grow your best vegetable garden yet!

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By Silvia Strobl, Master Gardener in Training

True confession: In 30 years of growing a vegetable garden I’ve never made a planting plan. I only make a sketch noting what was grown in each planting bed so that I rotate crops over a 3-year cycle to minimize pest build-up.

Recently, I was introduced to the idea of making a planting plan to both optimize garden space for vegetables to be grown and ensure timely harvests and succession sowing/planting–of particular importance in our short growing season! Now is a great time to plan. To illustrate how, here are the steps to grow 6 crops in a hypothetical garden plot 12 feet x 12 feet in size.

Step 1: Identify the Average Date of Last Spring Frost and Average Date of First Fall Frost for your garden location. By consulting this Ontario map, we see that Peterborough is in Zone E with a May 17 last frost and a September 26 first frost, giving a 19-week or 133-day growing season.

Step 2: Identify the vegetables you want to grow, and note the weeks to maturity (i.e., estimated time before you can harvest edible vegetables) on the seed packet. Decide whether you will direct sow or plant seedling transplants that have either been purchased or sown indoors. In short growing seasons, transplants can give you a head start and are recommended for crops that take more than 100 days to mature.

Step 3: Make a schedule either on paper or in digital format, by creating a table with the months of the growing season as columns and the 4 weeks in each month as rows (see Table 1 or this more detailed worksheet). Identify in which weeks the following events for each crop will occur:

  • Direct sowing of cool season crops like lettuce, spinach, kale and snow peas (second week of April in Peterborough)
  • Either direct sowing or planting of seedling transplants of warm season crops like carrots, beans, squashes, melons, tomatoes (third week of May, or later)
  • Count the weeks to maturity and identify when harvest will occur for each crop
  • Identify if there will be enough weeks in the growing season to sow or plant the space with a second crop of after the first crop is harvested
  • If you can sow or plant a second crop, add these actions to the schedule, ensure the second crop in any planting bed is from another vegetable family
  • Finally, add in other key dates, like when seedling transplants need to be sown indoors in spring and hardened off, or in mid-summer (for a second crop), if growing these yourself

Table 1 shows a schedule for 6 crops and identifies that the growing season in this hypothetical garden can accommodate harvests of two kale, lettuce, and bush bean crops, and one carrot crop.

Step 4: Identify where each crop will be planted by sketching a map to approximate scale of your planting beds. Refer to the recommended spacing on the seed packet, to identify how many plants will be sown or planted. Refer to notes about the past 2 years of planting to ensure you don’t grow the same crop in the same location as the years before.

Figure 1 shows the 12-foot square hypothetical garden divided into 6 beds, each 3 feet by 5 feet. We immediately notice that nothing is planted in beds 4 and 5 until the last week of May and the first week of June, respectively. Could radishes (3 to 5 weeks to maturity) and spinach (5 to 6 weeks) have been planted in mid-April in beds 4 and 5, respectively, and mostly harvested just before planting the small tomato and zucchini seedlings?

Ft.= feet; in.=inches; W/in = within; Wk=week

You will likely grow more than 6 vegetable crops. For example, you could plant seedlings of a short-season broccoli instead of kale crop #1 and snow peas instead of bush bean crop #1. But, if you follow these steps to make a planting plan almost every inch of your garden space will be used from as soon as cool-season crops can be sown to when crops such as kale, cabbages, carrots, and parsnips are touched by the first frosts that concentrate sugar content and improve their taste. You might also include annual flowers like marigolds, calendula and alyssum that not only add beauty to the vegetable garden but attract pollinators.

By recording yields in your garden over the years, the planting plan can be fine-tuned so that the number of plants of each crop grown is as much as your family can eat. Nobody wants to be overwhelmed by too many zucchinis!

It is a bit of work upfront to make a planting plan, but it will save time over the growing season because you will know exactly when and where each crop will be planted, at what spacing, and which crop will succeed the one just harvested. You will also save money by only buying seeds for crops that will be grown!

I am going to try this for my vegetable garden this year, how about you?

For more info on growing veggies in Ontario check here.  Also check the Peterborough & Area Master Gardeners resources page here for fact sheets on growing lots of different kinds of vegetables.

Related:

ARE YOU IN THE ZONE?

Are You in the Zone?

METHODS OF GROWING FRUITS AND VEGETABLES EFFICIENTLY IN SMALL SPACES

Growing Food

HOW TO MAKE YOUR VEGETABLE GARDEN BEAUTIFUL

How to Make Your Vegetable Garden Beautiful

GROWING VEGETABLES

Growing Vegetables

 

PREPARING YOUR GARDEN BEDS FOR PLANTING VEGETABLES AND ANNUALS

Preparing your garden beds for planting vegetables and annuals
Advice, Garden Design, Seeds, Vegetable Gardening

Bolting, Botanically Speaking

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By Lois Scott, Master Gardener

Bolting? Run to seed? Wait, my plants are going to pull up roots and escape?! No! These terms are used when vegetable crops prematurely flower and go to seed, very likely making the plant unpalatable and possibly unusable. https://www.rhs.org.uk/vegetables/bolting

According to https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/bolting-in-spring-vegetables, ‘flowering in most annual vegetables (ex. lettuce, arugula, spinach) or biennial vegetables (ex. kale, onions, carrots) is influenced by complex interactions between temperature, daylength and stresses of various kinds. Among these, periods of cool temperature during early growth followed by long daylight hours are often the most important determinant of unwanted bolting in vegetables’. Sounds complicated!

Can a gardener prevent bolting? From my research there does not seem to be a general rule of thumb for all vegetable crops. Suggestions include timing your sowing of seed or planting out of seedlings until temperatures are relatively stable. One could employ succession planting such as planting cool weather crops like arugula in the spring and then again in August to have a more consistently available crop. Providing good growing conditions so that your crop will mature enough to provide a usable portion before flowering, is another suggestion. Dry soil is also reported as a cause of bolting so careful watering may help. Careful watering is never a bad thing. Lastly, using bolt-resistant cultivars is on most lists as a way to ‘control’ bolting.

So why am I talking about vegetable crops going to seed in January? At this time of year, we have the wonderful opportunity to peruse seed catalogues and there you will see specially bred plant cultivars being described as ‘slow to bolt’ or ‘bolt resistant’. They may not always be what I choose when ordering seed but they are an option to potentially extend and improve the vegetable harvest.

Advice, Bees & Pollinators, Birds, Butterflies and Moths, Climate Change, Compost, Drought, Fertilizer, Information, Native Plants, Perennials, Vegetable Gardening

5 Simple New Year’s Resolutions for Gardeners

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by Emma Murphy, Master Gardener

As this year ends, I’m offering a few New Year’s resolutions for gardeners for 2024. If you want more of a challenge, the Chicago Botanic Garden offers 50.

Add Native Plants To Your Garden

  • We’re all seeing the effects of climate change on our gardens.
  • Native plants adapt more readily to stressful and changing weather patterns, such as prolonged droughts or winter cold snaps, than hybrids and non-natives often seen in our nurseries.
  • Native plants help sustain beneficial insects and bird populations because they attract native pollinators and birds that might not be drawn to non-natives.
  • Create less work for you, as native plants tend to be lower maintenance than non-native ones.
  • The Native Conservancy of Canada offers some suggestions to get you started, or consult with your local Master Gardener group or Horticultural Society.
Bloodroot, Sanguinaria canadensis

Start A Compost Bin

  • Composting helps keep waste out of landfill by collecting and processing organics into material that can be used to create nutrient-rich compost used to feed and nourish soil.
  • Canadian Living offers a simple outline, as shared by Ed Begley  Jr.
  • Or more here from the Thames Region Ecological Association, including troubleshooting issues.
Compost bin

Grow More Of Your Own Food

  • The pandemic has highlighted how our agricultural systems are vulnerable to global shocks. Issues with supply chains, migrant workers, transport, trade and border closures have resulted in some foods being in short supply or prices going up (while quality goes down).
  • Insects do all the hard work, and all pollinators benefit.
  • Gardening provides benefits for your wallet, your nutrition, and reduces your environmental footprint. By growing your own food (either from seeds or small plants), your food is automatically more sustainable simply because you are doing it onsite or in a community garden. If you control the ‘inputs’ and do it well, you can save a lot of money.
  • Ultimately there is nothing more rewarding than planting and maintaining your own vegetable garden and harvesting (and sharing) your results. And we all know how much better homegrown produce tastes versus conventional produce at the grocery store. If you have too much produce, then you can just share the love with others!
  • Royal City Nursery in Guelph offers 8 Reasons to Start Growing Your Own Food from Seed
Creating a vegetable garden

Continuous Learning

  • Do what you love but keep on top of what’s trending in garden design to see if anything sparks your interest.
  • Keep track of what’s working and what’s not by documenting your garden happenings in a journal.
  • Expand your garden library and treat yourself to a new gardening book.
  • There are so many amazing (and free) garden webinars available now – learn from the experts.
  • Some of my favourite bloggers – The Impatient Gardener (in Wisconsin, similar climate to us), The Empress of Dirt (Ontario), Niki Jabbour (Halifax), The Laidback Gardener (Montreal), and Garden Myths (Robert Pavlis in Guelph, Ontario).
Online learning is a great opportunity

Reduce Your Use Of Plastic

  • Plastic is a major component in the garden, from plastic plant pots and seed trays to watering cans, and compost bins. Most plastic gardening equipment will end up in landfills, where plastic pots alone can take up to 500 years to decompose.
  • There are a few easy swaps you can make in going plastic-free: Many of us want to use less plastic in the garden, from plant labels to watering cans, tools, plant pots and the sheeting used to suppress weeds. Buying (and therefore using) less plastic will not only reduce your plastic footprint but also sends a message to manufacturers that gardeners want alternatives to plastic (especially single-use plastic).
  • Try to find biodegradable pots that made from natural materials such as coir, bamboo, wood chips, or seaweed (or commit to using your plastic pots year after year).
  • If you use plastic string, make the swap for a natural jute or hemp, and protect your fruits and vegetables with metal mesh instead of plastic netting – it lasts for years.
Find alternatives to plastic pots, or commit to using (and reusing them) for many years

Happy gardening dreams until we can get out into our gardens again….

Bees & Pollinators, Compost, Fruits, Vegetable Gardening

All About Pumpkins…

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By Emma Murphy, Master Gardener

What says fall or October more than the iconic pumpkin? But how much do you really know about them?

Here’s 10 things about pumpkins that might surprise you.

  1. They’re technically a fruit, not a vegetable. Pumpkins are a winter squash in the family Cucurbitaceae (which includes cucumbers, melons, and gourds.) Pumpkins, along with cucumbers, tomatoes, and avocados, grow from the flowers of their plants. So yes, all squashes are technically fruits as well. It is the official State Fruit of New Hampshire.
  2. They’re native to the Americas. Scientists believe that pumpkins originated in the Americas about 9000 years ago. The oldest pumpkin seeds were found in Mexico and date to somewhere between 7000-5550 B.C.. Originally small and bitter, they were selectively bred by native peoples to be bigger, sweeter, and have more flesh.
  3. They weren’t originally called pumpkins. The word “pumpkin” originates from “pepon” – which means “large melon” in Greek. Then it evolved to “pompon” (in French) and “pumpion” (in Britain). The evolution in North America was to “pumpkin,” what we use today.
  4. Every single part of a pumpkin is edible. That means the skin, leaves, flowers, pulp, seeds, and stems. And they’re 92 percent water. Pumpkin and other squash blossoms can be eaten raw or I’m told they are tasty when lightly battered and fried. Pumpkin pie is a traditional part of Thanksgiving meals in Canada and the United States.
  5. Bumble bees and squash bees are the primary pollinators of the cucurbit family of plants. They help transfer pollen from the male flower to the female flower by visiting each flower to drink the nectar located in the flower. As the bee drinks nectar it vibrates and moves its body around and in doing so, collects grains of pollen on the fine hairs of its body and in pollen baskets located in some species on their legs.
  6. Pumpkins (along with other squash) were a historically important food staple among Native Americans. Using the “Three Sisters Method,” three crops (squash, maize, beans) were grown together – usually near riverbanks – so they could sustain each other. Corn is the trellis upon which the beans climb; beans keep the corn stalks stable on windy days, while also nourishing their soil; and pumpkins/squash shelter the corn’s shallow roots and prevent weeds from forming.
  7. They’re a great source of beta carotene (which is what gives it the orange colour). It turns into vitamin A after you eat it, so it’s excellent for your eye and skin health.
  8. They can get REALLY big. The heaviest pumpkin ever recorded was a staggering 1,226 kg (2,702 lb 13.9 oz), grown by Stefano Cutrupi (Italy) in Tuscany, Italy in 2021.
  9. How long do they last? After a pumpkin is cut, it will usually last about seven to 10 days. Find out how to pick the perfect pumpkin.
  10. Each pumpkin contains about 500 seeds. Once they sprout, pumpkins take between 90 and 120 days to reach maturity, which is why it’s recommended to plant them between May and July.

A LAST NOTE: Just a reminder that you’ll see lots of social media posts after Halloween about giving your pumpkins a second life by putting them out for wildlife. In your own garden, break the pumpkin into small pieces and monitor and remove the pieces when they rot, mold, or aren’t eaten.

Check and see whether local zoos or wildlife rehabilitation centres are interested in donations for animal enrichment. NOTE: they must still be fresh – carved pumpkins break down quickly and whole pumpkins that have been sitting in the sun for weeks can quickly become contaminated and shouldn’t be given to animals to eat. Some municipalities also offer a drop-off program.

Please don’t put them on the side of the road or in natural areas, as this creates problems because if they are near ditches or roadsides, animals will be drawn in close to traffic where they may get hit.

Last but not least, if a pumpkin is starting to decompose, turn it into compost! Chop it up to speed up the process.

Advice, Annuals, Bees & Pollinators, Seeds, Vegetable Gardening

Time to take stock of your garden…and collect seeds!

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By Silvia Strobl, Master Gardener in Training

Summer is flying by. You can feel the growing season coming to a close with the cooler morning temperatures in late August. Now is a good time to reflect on which vegetables did well in your garden and, if heirloom or open-pollinated varieties, allow some to go to seed for next year’s planting. Or you could collect more seed than you need and package them to exchange for more new varieties at next spring’s Seedy Saturday/Sunday events.

It is important to only collect seeds from open-pollinated varieties as these will retain their genetic diversity and produce plants that adapt to changing growing conditions. They produce seeds that can be legally grown, saved, and shared. Do not collect seeds from hybrid varieties as these will not grow like their parents.

Last spring, I picked up seeds of several new (to me) varieties that diversified both my vegetable garden and my diet this summer, including:

  • An heirloom basil lettuce leaf variety with a milder peppery basil flavour that enhanced mixed lettuce salads throughout the growing season
  • A purple pole bean, Trionfo Violetto, that unlike the purple pole bean, Blauhilde, that I usually grow was more tender and stringless, although not quite as productive
  • A purple podded sugar snap pea, Sugar Magnolia Pea, that is still producing pods today. The peas are very sweet and unlike the purple pole beans do not turn green when cooked, plus they are easy to spot in the tangle of 6 feet tall vines
  • A cantaloupe, Minnesota Midget,that started producing juicy, sweet, ripe fruits by the second week of August
  • A mix of 2 different Armenian cucumbers with light green, ribbed tender skins rather than the dark green skinned Lebanese cucumbers typically grown and available year-round at the grocery store. Surprisingly, Armenian cucumbers are the same species as cantaloupe! Their denser, less watery flesh makes them ideal for tabouli and cucumber salads.
  • Two different peppers that I grew as container plants: (i) Mini Red Bell that produced early sweet peppers that are 1-1/2 inches tall and wide and (ii) Buena Mulata a hot cayenne variety that changes from a pretty purple to red when ripe although we also enjoyed the early milder purple peppers in fresh salsas. Both pepper varieties are very productive, yielding dozens of peppers on one plant!

Why try growing something new?

While it is easy to get into a routine of growing the same varieties of vegetables each year, there are several reasons to experiment with new varieties. A different variety of beans or tomatoes might grow better in your soil conditions and produce a bigger crop, it might taste better, be easier to harvest, mature earlier, or be better suited to the vagaries of our new climate change world with more drought and/or rainy weather. Aside from these good reasons, growing something new can be a lot of fun!

Contributing seeds to your local Seedy Saturday/Sunday event is an economical way to support experimentation with new varieties. You can trade your seeds for seeds of other varieties collected by other gardeners.

How do you get started with seed collection?

As I learned during a seed collection workshop with Jill Bishop of Urban Tomato, here are some general steps to follow:

  • Ensure the variety is open-pollinated or heirloom. The original seed package should provide this information. Or search for the variety name on the internet.
  • Identify the vegetable varieties you enjoyed and mark healthy plants that you will let go to seed. For example, this year I identified 2 plants in my pole bean row where pods could go to seed.
  • Let seeds mature on the plant and observe carefully to ensure you harvest seed heads just before they start to split open.

For beans and peas which are self-pollinated let pods over-ripen and turn brown on the plant. Keep green beans away from purple ones. When seeds rattle inside pods they are ready to harvest. Let the pods dry further indoors.

For lettuce greens, cruciferous vegetables (e.g., kale, cauliflower, broccoli, etc.) and herbs let a plant bolt. Keep different varieties (e.g., of lettuce) apart to avoid cross-pollination or only let one variety bolt. It will take some time for seeds to form and turn completely dry and brown. You might want to cover the seed head with a gauze bag to capture the seeds when seed heads split open. Note that kale is a biennial and won’t form seeds until Year 2 while most spinach varieties are dioecious and both a male and a female plant are required to obtain seed set.

Pepper seeds are simple to collect but make sure to grow varieties separated from one another to avoid cross-pollination. Growing peppers in pots makes this easy to do as you can move the pot during the flowering period. Scrape seeds from a fully ripe pepper and set seeds on newspaper to dry.

Both tomato and cucurbit seeds require a bit more effort to collect.

  • A recent Peterborough & Area Master Gardener blog post, “Tasty Tomatoes”, provided steps for saving tomato seeds from ripe healthy tomatoes. As described in the blog, seeds should be fermented in water for a week to separate viable seeds and improve seed germination and longevity.
  • For cucumbers, squash and melon, let the fruit get big, overripe, and mouldy on the vine, open the fruit, scoop out seeds and let them ferment like tomato seeds, then rinse and let dry.

Ensure that you label and date the seeds you collect through the drying and packaging process. When packaging seeds in smaller envelopes for Seedy Saturday/Sunday events include variety name, year collected, days to maturity, and spacing for sowing. Store seeds in paper envelopes in a dry cool place. If you use jars to store seeds, put an envelope with a fully gummed flap in the jar as well. If the envelope is sealed when you check the jar a week later, humidity levels are too high in the jar. Seeds will start to germinate if kept in humid conditions.

Follow these steps and you’ll be ready to leave a few seed envelopes of your favourite varieties at a Seedy Saturday/Sunday event that will soon be scheduled near you. And you’ll be able to pick up a few free new heirloom varieties to try in 2024!

Seed Collection Resources

Seeds of Diversity a Canadian organization with 1000+ members that grow rare seeds to exchange. They support Seedy Saturday and Sunday events across the country.

How to Save Your Own Seeds–A handbook for Small Scale Seed Production available from Seeds of Diversity for $15.00

The Seed Savers Exchange publishes a Seed Saving Guide in table format that identifies the primary pollination method, how many plants you should grow to collect viable seeds, and how far apart plants should be from other varieties to avoid cross-pollination for more than 80 varieties of vegetables. For example, for vegetables like tomatoes, beans, lettuce and squash, you should grow each variety at least 10 to 20 feet apart from other varieties. If you have a small garden, you can still grow more varieties together but cover a flower with a gauze or blossom bag to only allow that variety to self-pollinate.

There are lots of resources on the internet for making your own seed envelops, including this one: Make Your Own Seed Envelopes For Cheap

Vegetable Gardening

Tasty Tomatoes

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By Christine Freeburn, Master Gardener

Solanum lycopersicum  are one of the easiest and most popular vegetables to grow. Tomatoes are in the Solanaceae or nightshade family which includes potatoes, eggplants, and peppers. Nightshade plants contain small amounts of alkaloids which are chemicals that affect the human body from a medicinal perspective. Botanically, tomatoes are a fruit and originated in Peru before being introduced into Europe.

Tomatoes need well drained, evenly moist, slightly acidic soil and  full sun. They can be grown from seed indoors started in late March, or you can buy seedlings in May. Varieties available to purchase used to be limited, but many garden centres now stock a wide selection. There are hundreds of varieties available including heritage and open pollinating types. William Dam Seeds has 57 varieties listed in their catalogue including bush, cluster, patio, round, cherry, oval and paste types in reds, oranges, purples, large, medium and small. So many choices!

Plant seedlings when all danger of frost has past. If plants are leggy, plant deeper in the soil as roots will form on the hairy stems. Planting deeper makes the plant more robust. Staking is needed as most tomatoes are indeterminate which means they will continue to grow (some up to 6′ or 8′) until frost kills them. When planting in the garden, place your tomato cage over the small plant before it begins to grow. Encourage branches to stay inside the cage or tie up with garden tape or cloth ties to keep fruit off the ground.  Using leaf mulch or straw helps to keep moisture in the ground, reduces weed growth and also eliminates water splashing soil born pathogens on leaves. Proper watering means never letting soil dry out, and watering the soil, not the leaves. Water from rain barrels rather than cold tap water is also better. Tomatoes are heavy feeders, so it is important to fertilize with organic fertilizers such as fish emulsion, kelp or a slow release tomato fertilizer. You can grow tomatoes in containers but it is best to grow determinate varieties.  Ensure the pot is big enough (at least 12” in diameter and 12” to 16” tall) to balance the plant as it grows. Use good organic soil and make sure there is drainage.

Removing bottom leaves as the plant grows can help minimize early blight. For more on growing healthy tomatoes and preventing diseases, go to https://savvygardening.com/tomato-plant-disease 

Blossom End Rot is a common disease where the bottom of the tomato turns black. Scientifically, studies are still being done on this phenomenon, however many studies show this happens because calcium cannot be absorbed by the plant. Researchers suggest crop rotation, fertilizing, proper watering and purchasing varieties that are not as susceptible to the disease as ways to avoid.

Major pests include Manduca quinquemaculata or Tomato Hornworm. You will know you have them when your healthy tomato plant is suddenly missing leaves. The best way to rid your plants is by hand picking. Check out this site – https://extension.umn.edu/yard-and-garden-insects/tomato-hornworms

It is a myth that removing leaves so the sun can shine on fruit will ripen them quicker. If you still have fruit on your plants when frost is imminent, you can pick and bring indoors to ripen. Some people place them in paper bags, but I have found that laying them on newspaper works just as well.

Seed saving from heritage or open pollinated plants is done through fermentation. If you try to save seeds from hybridized plants, they may not come true. Begin with very ripe tomatoes. Cut open the fruit, scoop out the seeds, along with the pulp they are covered in. Place in a jar, add enough water so seeds can float to the top, and put lid on. Keep in a warm place for up to a week. The pulp will begin to ferment and the seeds will drop to the bottom of the container. Once this happens, add more water and pour off the pulp. Using a fine mesh strainer, rinse the seeds off with more water, then lay them to dry completely before storing in a paper envelope. Remember to label!

If you grow only one vegetable, I recommend the tasty tomato. On my way out to pick one for my lunch right now! Yum!

Resources

https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/solanum-lycopersicum/

https://gardening.usask.ca/

https://savvygardening.com/