Category Archives: Websites

Shrubs & Trees, Websites, winter

Winter Protection for Your Garden

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By Christine Freeburn, Master Gardener

The new year arrived with not a speck of snow on the ground and although the ground was frozen and well watered from rainfall, that lack of snow can cause damage in your gardens. Snow, beautiful snow is a great insulator for your perennial beds. I often throw extra snow on things like my rhododendron or hibiscus as I am shoveling sidewalks. Mulch or leaves will also insulate the ground so it is always good to mulch up your garden in the fall, because we can’t depend on snowfall through the cold winter months.

February often brings a thaw as well as the ice and storms that can do damage to trees and flowering shrubs. Cold temperatures, biting winds and the strong winter sun can bleach or dry evergreens when they are not protected by snow. Wrapping in burlap will not save plants from the cold, but it will protect them from wind and sun.

Sunscald can happen when the sun shines brightly on cold winter days, raising the temperature on tree bark which can trigger it to start to grow. When the sun sets and temperatures drop, bark cells in the cambium layer are killed. The cambium layer is just below the tree bark where nutrients travel between roots and leaves. Sunscald will cause scarring or cankers on the trunk and tends to be on the south side of the tree. It usually will not kill a tree but it can put stress on it. It can be harmful on young trees whose bark is thinner. Wrapping your young tree trunk with white tree guards can help with this. Tree guards will also help keep rabbits and other creatures from chewing the bark. Remember to remove this guard in spring.

Dieback can happen on flowering shrubs during a cold dry period. Flower buds that set in the fall can also be killed off from the cold. Plants like forsythia and rhododendron may need to be planted in protected areas with good snow protection and without wind so they produce flowers.  Other shrubs like hydrangea that are not for our zone 5b gardens may not flower in our area because they set their buds in fall and when we get those cold winter days and nights, the buds die. Pruning in fall can encourage growth when the plant should be beginning to rest for winter, so don’t prune too late into fall.

Frost heaving happens when soil freezes and thaws, and when there is not enough snow cover to keep the ground insulated. The semi evergreen coralbell (heuchera) can suffer and die if they heave. Be sure these perennials are well watered and planted into the ground well before freeze up.

When the freezing temperatures and snow arrives, animals like rabbits, mice, voles and deer often feed on the flowering shrubs and trees in your garden, eating bark, twigs and flower buds. I have had rabbits eat euonymus, bridal wreath spirea, yews and willow trees. This winter I have put up burlap fencing around some of my bushes so rabbits can’t “prune” them. I want snow, but I hope it doesn’t pile up too high so the little varmints can just hop over!

References

https://www.gardenmyths.com/sunscald-trees-prevention

extension.umn.edu/planting-and-growing-guides/protecting-trees-and-shrubs-winter

laidbackgardener.blog/2023/12/13/how-will-this-mild-weather-affect-our-plants

www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/crops/plant-diseases/print,winter-sunscald-frost-cracking

tidcf.nrcan.gc.ca/en/diseases/factsheet/1000135

Advice, Houseplants, Light, Websites

Winter Care for Houseplants

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By Lois Scott, Master Gardener

Full disclosure:  Just a few short years ago, before Master Gardener training, I considered my house the place where houseplants came to die.  Changing my plant care routines has saved plant lives but winter has its challenges.

Watering

As a Master Gardener in training, I learned that 80% of house plant “failures” were due to over-watering.  That was empowering for me and changing watering practices has led to success.  In winter, plant growth is decreased and house plants need less water.  Before watering check to see if the top 1-2” of soil is dry.  With smaller plants you can also get to know the weight of a saturated pot relative to a dry pot by lifting them a few times between waterings.  Water thoroughly only when your plant feels dry.  Underwatering is much better than overwatering.  Signs of overwatering include the wilting or yellowing of lower leaves and inner leaves advancing to scorch, leaf drop and plant death. 

Fertilizing

During the winter when houseplants may not be actively growing, they do not need fertilizing.

https://extension.unh.edu/blog/2018/03/fertilizing-houseplants#:~:text=As%20a%20rule%20of%20thumb,from%20October%20until%20the%20spring.

Humidity

Humidity levels are lower in our homes during the winter.  For house plants that prefer higher humidity the only sure way to provide this is by increasing the humidity in your home which may be problematic.  Some people advocate misting plants, placing them on a pebble tray filled with water or clustering plants so that they can benefit from the water that each plant transpires.  The effectiveness of these methods is questionable.  Choosing plants that tolerate less humid conditions, like succulents is another option.  Plants suffering from low humidity may develop drying and browning around leaf edges.

Light

As light levels drop in winter some plants may need to be moved to increase the amount of light they receive or have supplemental light provided such as fluorescent grow lights.  Symptoms of not enough light include pale green, yellow to white leaves, leggy stems, dropping leaves, variegated leaves becoming solid green or flowering plants not flowering.  Lighting for plants is an involved discussion but this article https://extension.umn.edu/planting-and-growing-guides/lighting-indoor-plants has good information. 

Houseplants are a beautiful indoor feature providing pleasure for many.  Mastering winter care for your house plants will keep them healthy and beautiful, a wonderful touch of green in our winter world.

Websites

A Banner Year for Bunnies

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By Lois Scott, Master Gardener

The bunnies have been thick in my garden this summer.  We have seen wave after wave of adorable but hungry juvenile rabbits that have made the chipmunks look like garden angels!

According to Wikipedia the Eastern cottontail habitat “includes open grassy areas, clearings, and old fields supporting abundant green grasses and herbs, with shrubs in the area or edges for cover”.  This, including the neighbours’ property and the adjacent park describes the habitat around my home. 

This article by the Halton Master Gardeners describes two general strategies for protecting your plants from being eaten by rabbits and rabbit (and deer) resistant plants.  They suggest physical barriers and bad smell or taste:

Click to access deer-and-rabbit-resistant-plants.pdf

Hardware cloth (wire-based) is my go-to for plant protection.  I have it around young trees and shrubs year-round to protect them from winter browsing.  I have chosen to protect certain herbaceous plants in my garden by using hardware cloth and other more ‘creative’ barriers such as my ‘lashed together’ log cabin to protect a cylindrical liatris that the rabbits can’t get enough of.  If you are fencing a garden rather than a plant the fencing should be at least 2 feet high and sunk vertically into the ground at least eight inches.  Rabbits dig! 

Hardware cloth deters rabbits

This site https://www.torontowildlifecentre.com/wildlife-emergency-rescue-hotline/conflicts-with-wildlife/common-rabbit-problems/keep-rabbits-out-of-your-garden/  also recommends ‘scaring’ away rabbits by “placing unfamiliar visual stimuli around the yard such as shiny pinwheels, beach balls or foil balloons” or “mesh bags filled with pet fur or human hair hung at rabbit eye level” as long as there isn’t a rabbit nest close by as it may cause the mother to abandon the nest.  I think I may prefer the rabbits!

More creative “log cabin” used to protect rabbit-preferred plants

When it comes to what plants might be rabbit resistant, remember that these plants are only resistant, not foolproof.   I guarantee the rabbits haven’t read the list and when growing bunnies are hungry, they become less selective. 🙂

My garden is looking very full at this time of year so in spite of missing significant parts of certain plants the damage is not really noticeable when looking at the garden as a whole.  Rabbit populations go up and down so next year I may be wondering where all the bunnies are.

Garden Design, Perennials, Websites

Low Maintenance Gardening

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By Marilyn Homewood, Master Gardener

Sound too good to be true??  Years of trial and error on a property with a (shallow) dug well has taught me the value of adequate bed preparation for long term success of the landscape garden that consists primarily of perennials, shrubs and bulbs (with the odd annual and biennial tossed in).  I have large landscape beds and could not keep up without some kind of strategy. 

It may seem somewhat discordant to be discussing bed preparation in July but a little planning and preparation can go a long way towards achieving a garden that requires less maintenance, is easier to work in, requires little to no supplemental water or feeding all while looking attractive. The solution lies under our feet. 

My beds have all been dug to a depth of 18 inches.  This one time initial dig allows for loosening of compacted earth, removal of rocks (or boulders) and generous amendment of the soil with organic matter such as rotted manure or leaf or mushroom compost. This preparation will allow plant roots to reach deeper into the earth (especially those with large fibrous roots or tap roots) where residual moisture is still available during drought. Plants will become more resilient and able to survive on the rainfall alone.  In my garden, I have not watered the landscape beds since they were begun with the exception for first year plants that are getting established.  In dry spells, the blooms may be somewhat smaller but are still found in abundance.   

Coneflowers blooming well despite drought

The loosening of the soil also creates a better-draining soil makes it less likely that plants become water-logged or oxygen-deprived in those times when water is abundant.  This also minimizes loss of plants/bulbs to rot.   

The use of organic matter amendments helps the soil to retain the water that is provided by the rainfall by increasing the porosity of the soil.  And finally, an application of a thick layer of mulch (I use shredded bark) on the surface of the soil helps prevent evaporation of moisture from the ground and well as inhibiting the greedy weeds that will compete for moisture.

Second year delphiniums are 6-7 feet despite no water

Organic matter (OM) amendments provide a number of other benefits which ultimately gives healthy plants while saving us labour.  It enhances soil structure which increases the porosity of the soil leading to improved water infiltration, better drainage/aeration and help soils to resist compaction.  This makes soil more friable and easier for the gardener to work in as well as easing root penetration in the soil profile.  

OM helps to store and supply macronutrients (ex. nitrogen) and makes micronutrients (calcium, magnesium and potassium) available to the plant by increasing the soils’ ability to hold onto these elements (prevents leeching).  Also binds metal micronutrients (iron, aluminum, zinc, copper, manganese) and increases their availability to the plant.  All this means that your need for chemical fertilizers will be reduced or not required. 

Despite my best efforts, I had to make a succulent only garden in a difficult spot

OM also enhances soil microbial diversity that assists in the suppression of disease so plants are healthier. 

Deep beds mean deep roots; improved soil structure means better drainage and water holding capacity; increased biological activity mean more nutrients released for plant use and microbial diversity means less disease.  The result is healthy, vigorous plants that need less watering, less additional feeding/supplementation and less treatment for disease. 

Resources: 

Cornell University Cooperative Extension, Agronomy Factsheet 41, “Soil Organic Matter”, http://franklin.cce.cornell.edu/resources/soil-organic-matter-fact-sheet 

Leslie Cooperband (2002), “Building Soil Organic Matter with Organic Amendments” University of Wisconsin-Madison, 

Lois Berg Stack (2016), “Soil and Plant Nutrition: A Gardener’s Perspective” University of Maine Cooperative Extension: Garden & Yard, https://extension.umaine.edu/gardening/manual/soils/soil-and-plant-nutrition/ 

Advice, Annuals, Websites

Begonias, so many Options!

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By Christine Freeburn, Master Gardener

The choices for summer annuals seems to grow greater every year. Filler plants like geraniums, petunias, marigolds, impatiens are lovely, but the begonia has so many variations of shapes, sizes, colour, and sun requirements, they are worth a try in your hanging baskets or containers.

Begonia are generally easy care with no deadheading and different varieties can grow in sun or shade. Flowers are often smaller but there are lots on the plant. They often just fall off or can be pinched off quickly. Leaves come in many shapes and sizes, colours and textures. When you go into a garden centre, you need to know what type of begonia you are looking for.

Fibrous rooted types include the easy Dragon Wing variety which are great in window boxes and containers. They come in red, pink or white, grow about a foot tall and wide, and can take sun or part sun. There is a new variety called Canary Wing which has yellow leaves and prefers less sun.

Wax begonias Begonia semperflorens are usually sold in cell paks, prefer part shade, can have bronze or green thicker fleshy leaves and white, pink or red flowers. Often called bedding begonia, they are great in the garden as an alternative to impatiens.

Tuberous begonias include the Solenia type Begonia x tuberhybrida which can take full sun and come in a variety of colours from shades of pink to yellow and red. Great in hangers or containers.

Solina begonia

‘Nonstop’  and ‘Illumination’ are  hybrid variety of tuberous begonia that will take the heat but want shade. They come in lovely shades of pink, red, yellow, peach or white. These also work well in containers and hangers.

Reiger begonias can produce double blooms, are more upright and also prefer shade.

Gryphon Begonia is a cane type begonia with stunning foliage and upright habit which will do well in part shade in the garden bed. Although the plant rarely flowers, the maple shaped leaves on a 2 foot plant looks great.

Rex Begonias have amazing furry leaves in many different shapes and colours. They do not want any sun and are often used as houseplants. Flowers are rare on these lovely specimens, but the leaves are the showstopper.

Rex begonia

And if you grew houseplants in the 70s, you might also remember the cute little indoor begonia called Strawberry Begonia Saxifraga stolonifera which grows similar to the spider plant having babies growing from trailing stems. These little houseplants are difficult to find but a nice addition to a houseplant collection.

Although begonias don’t need constant deadheading like so many other annuals, removing spent blossoms will keep the plant looking fresh and encourage new blooms.

Soil should be well draining and evenly moist but don’t over water as this can lead to root rot. Begonia stems are fleshy and brittle, and can break easily, so they don’t do well in wind. Fertilizing for bloom and good health can be done weekly over the summer months.

http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/

https://www.thespruce.com/

Advice, Fertilizer, Websites

To Fertilize or Not Fertilize?

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By Lois Scott, Master Gardener

Gardeners are typically highly invested in having a beautiful and productive garden and want to do what is best for their plants.  Although fertilizers are very often considered a necessary tool in providing optimal growing conditions they should be used with care and only when a soil test says they are needed.  https://www.ontario.ca/page/soil-leaf-and-petiole-tissue-and-forages-and-feed-testing-labs

Commercial fertilizers or ‘plant food’ usually list three major nutrients on their products; nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium or N-P-K.  These are very important plant nutrients but according to Linda Chalker-Scott PhD, author of the book “How Plants Work” https://horticulture.wsu.edu/people/chalker-scott/ “Our home landscape soils usually have enough phosphorus and potassium to meet our plant’s needs.  So, wouldn’t more be better?  She goes on to explain that excess levels of phosphate fertilizer can be bad for soil organisms by inhibiting the “development of the mycorrhizal relationship between fungi and plant roots causing plants to expend more energy for root growth.  Another negative aspect of excess phosphorus is that it reduces the ability of plants to take up iron, a plant micronutrient.  Excess phosphorus may also dissolve in runoff water causing blooms of harmful algae, depleting waterways of oxygen.  Organic fertilizers such as bone meal, guano and chicken manure can also create an excess of phosphate in the soil”. https://gardenprofessors.com/fertilizers-a-cautionary-tale/

When your vegetable garden and/or annuals are growing abundantly but you start seeing older leaves turning yellow, your soil may need a boost of nitrogen-rich fertilizer.  Nitrogen can become deficient in an actively growing garden and using something like alfalfa meal can replenish it.

Slow and steady may be the best approach to providing your plants with the ideal growing conditions.  According to Dr. Chalker-Scott, “using organic mulches like composts, wood chips and pine needles provide a slow feed of nutrients to the soil, the way that nature provides nutrients”.

Advice, Perennials, Pruning, Websites

Pruning Herbaceous Perennials “The Chelsea Chop”

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By Marilyn Homewood, Master Gardener

As the spring bulbs fade and we move past our “last frost” date (or so we hope!), the perennials are starting to grow by leaps and bounds. This can lead us to consider ways to manage their size or bloom time. The Chelsea Chop is a method of pruning that limits the size of a plant, controls the flower season (which can assist in creating peak season bloom combinations) and often decreases the floppiness of a number of herbaceous perennials.

In England, the time for this type of pruning is carried out now which is around the same time as the Chelsea Flower Show is held, hence the name.  In our neck of the woods, timing would be most appropriate in late spring or very early summer when the plant has a fairly substantial amount of vegetative growth.  When I am going to do this, I like to have it done before the onset of our hotter, drier weather so that it does not stress the plant overly (on average by mid June).

Phlox chopped in front to extend blooming season

Plants that have received the Chelsea Chop are not as tall or leggy, so that they may not need supporting.  Flowers are smaller but are more numerous (removal of top shoots encourages branching of laterals).

It should be noted that you can not chop all summer blooming plants.  Woody sub-shrubs do not respond well.  If the spring has been dry, drastic pruning could shock your plants so a light hand is recommended in those years.

Many summer and autumn flowering perennials are good candidates for the chop.  These plants include:

  • Garden phox (Phlox paniculata)      
  • Yarrow (Achillea spp.)
  • Bellflower (Campanula spp)
  • Aster (Symphyotichum spp)
  • Coneflower (Echinacea spp)
  • Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia spp)
  • Upright Sedum Hylotelephium spp)
  • Penstemon (Penstemon spp)
  • Goldenrod (Solidago spp.)
  • Shasta daisy (Leucanthemum superbum)

This list is not complete.  Try experimenting with some of the vigorous plants in your garden.  I have a cultivar of catmint (Nepeta “Six Hills Giant”) that is large and spreading.  In one area of my garden, I prefer it to stand a little more to show the blooms to effect so I chop it back by about one third in the last week of May.

Nepeta more upright and floriferous due to chopping

The chop is done in two ways depending on the effect one desires.  In the first method, clumps of perennials are cut back by one third to one half.  This will delay flowering and keep plants shorter and more compact.  The second method involves cutting back only half of the stems on a plant, this has the effect of extending the flowering season over a longer period.  I commonly used the second method on my Garden Phlox keeping the plants in bloom for a longer time. Pruning can be done with sharp shears or with secateurs.  Garden shears are often faster when there is a large volume of pruning to be done.  Try out the chop and see if you can alter the form or flower of some of your favourites!

Resources

https://www.gardenersworld.com/plants/11-plants-to-chelsea-chop/

https://www.bethchatto.co.uk/discover/our-blog/guides/the-chelsea-chop-how-to-do-it.htm

Houseplants, Information, Websites

It’s Spring… It’s Spring!

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By Cheryl Harrison, Master Gardener

Yes, it is finally spring!  We can feel the sun getting warmer and see the light lasting longer and so can your orchids.

Before the outdoor gardening season starts, have a look at your Phalaenopsis orchids … actually check all of your houseplants but I am going to stick with just Phalaenopsis orchids for now.  Your orchids may have already started to bloom.  I have 5 Phalaenopsis orchids and one of them has been in bloom for a couple of weeks.  The others are not in bloom but, after inspection, I realized that they all needed to be repotted.  How do I know that??

Orchids are epiphytes which means that they grow on other plants but are not parasitic so do not hurt the other plants.  Epiphytes have aerial roots to anchor themselves to a tree, for example, or in a pot. The aerial roots pull minerals, moisture and nutrients from the air.  They are not growing in soil.  When I checked the medium in the pots of my Phalaenopsis, by gently lifting the plant from its pot, the medium had broken down and looked more like soil than the appropriate mixture of bark, perlite and sphagnum moss (or renewable coconut chips).

Phalaenopsis orchids often need to be repotted after purchase because they may have been in the pot for quite some time and the potting medium has decomposed or they may be in an incorrect potting medium.  Incorrect potting mediums include anything that holds too much moisture and/or is compacted around the plant’s roots e.g. regular potting soil or a ball of sphagnum moss.  They also need to be repotted every 2 to 3 years because again, the medium in their pots will have decomposed, begun to become compacted around the roots and hold too much water. Too much water will lead to root rot followed by a decline in plant health and subsequent plant death.

The other indicator that repotting may be needed with Phalaenopsis orchids occurs because the plant is monopodial which means that it grows taller with new leaf growth at the tip of the stem.  The plant can end up top heavy and if not well anchored in its pot, it can fall over as flowers, stem and leaves are pushed up out of the pot by the roots.  With repotting, you can settle the plants roots back down into the pot.  If the potting medium is still in good shape, then it does not need to be replaced but if you are repotting the plant anyway then it may be a good time to replace the medium.

I have collected my supplies to repot my plants.  Note that I am not going to disturb the one that is blooming.  I will leave it until it is done blooming then repot because I do not want it to drop its flowers with the shock of being repotted.  The flowers are way too pretty!

Now you know why my Phalaenopsis orchids need to be repotted, so check your plants before you get too busy with the start of outdoor gardening season … it’s spring!

For more information:

How to Repot an Orchid: Phalaenopsis, Chicago Botanical Garden

Planting, Seeds, Websites

The Case for Coir

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By Christine Freeburn, Master Gardener

For many years, we have been told of the depleted bogs where peat has been harvested and why we should not be buying it. Many gardeners wonder what they would use to replace this product that is a great soil amendment and seed starting medium.

Peat is an organic naturally forming product which can take hundreds of years to replace. We all know the history of peat bogs in the British Isles when peat was used to heat homes and then mined irresponsibly, destroying wetlands and ecosystems. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is a group which is responsible for setting up a Peatland Programme in the UK.

Peat harvesting

Did you know that Canada is the largest producer and exporter of horticultural peat, with about 1.3 million tonnes of peat being mined in 2010? Peat companies must, however, follow federal and provincial guidelines. Just recently, in Manitoba, this ruling occurred: On January 20th, 2023, Moswa Meadows and Fish Lake Fen were designated as provincially significant peatlands in the newly created Provincially Significant Peatlands Regulation in order to ensure the biodiversity of the two areas is preserved. Specified development activities, including mining, forestry, agriculture, and peat harvesting, are now prohibited across the nearly 28,000 hectares that make up Moswa Meadows and Fish Lake Fen and will ensure the areas can continue to provide long-term beneficial goods and services including carbon sequestration and storage, water filtration, and flood mitigation. For more about peat management in Canada, check out

Peat Mining in Manitoba

Coir  (pronounced COY-er) comes from the coconut plant.  It is the part between the meaty white flesh and the hard outer shell. Because coconuts are grown and harvested for food, coir is readily available. India is the largest exporter of coir. It can be used on its own as a growing medium for seed starting and root cuttings or as a soil amendment for holding moisture and is a great replacement for peat.

Sample package of coir

Coir has a pH of 5.7 to 6.5 which is perfect for plants to obtain nutrients. It can be used in containers to help hold moisture and lighten soil. The square foot garden formula is one third peat moss, vermiculite and compost, so coir would be an excellent peat replacement. Coir last longer than peat, being slower to breakdown. It has no odour. It gives sandy soil more structure. Excess salt may be a problem, however, rinsing with fresh water a few times should remove enough of the salt.

Coir is available in many different ways including bales, bricks, pots and discs. Compressed blocks need to have warm water added for it to absorb and expand, just like peat. Place the brick in a bucket, add water and watch it expand. The coir will absorb the water, and can expand by up to 15%. It will soften and have a fluffy texture which can then be placed in pots for planting slips or rooting plants. The small disks also need to have water for them to expand and act like the peat pods we are familiar with. And like the peat pods, these coir disks can be planted directly into the garden. Check out this article:  What is Coconut Coir?

Coir products are available online at many sites like Veseys Seeds. I have also found them in Peavey’s and Home Hardware in Peterborough. Let’s all be responsible by purchasing coir rather than peat.

Advice, Seeds, Vegetable Gardening, Websites

Will This Old Veggie Seed Grow?

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By Lois Scott, Master Gardener

You have probably heard this adage applied to various activities/hobbies, but here I go.  Buying seeds and starting seeds are two different activities.  I engage in both, but sometimes the buying outruns the starting and I find myself looking at an unused package of vegetable seed purchased in the past and wondering if those seeds are viable.  Checking vegetable seed viability is easy and may save you from the disappointment of a poor harvest.

To say a seed is viable is to say it is alive.  Checking for this can be easily done by wrapping a number of seeds (10-20) in a moistened paper towel, placing them in a sealed plastic bag in a warm place (21-26*C) and then checking for germination in a week or so.  Your germination rate is a percentage, calculated by multiplying the seeds germinated by 100 and dividing that by the total number of seeds in your trial.  It is recommended that if your germination rate is below 70% you should buy new seed.  In my demonstration featured in the two photos shown, I used 10 seeds and 7 sprouted.  My germination rate is 70%. 

Checking for seed viability by putting seeds in water and discarding the floating ones is not a reliable test.

Different types of vegetable seeds remain viable for different lengths of time https://today.oregonstate.edu/news/give-seeds-test-performance but proper storage of seeds will optimize their viability.  They are best stored in a cool place like a refrigerator, cool basement or root cellar. https://hortnews.extension.iastate.edu/how-store-seeds-and-test-germination-rates 

Some seed companies also list on the back of their seed packages the optimum germination rate and the year the seeds were packed and tested.  So, I know that the rapini seeds I haven’t used were packed in 2022 and maybe I should plant them this year!

It’s coming to that seed starting time of year so don’t hesitate to give some of your older seeds a chance to prove themselves and save yourself from vegetable garden let-down.