10 Reasons Why Growing Vegetables beats Growing Flowers

Well, cold-hardy crops, such as lettuce, broccoli and cabbage are safe to plant, seed potatoes are flying off the shelf and tomatoes are started in greenhouses everywhere. Once again, millions of North Americans will renew their commitment to growing a vegetable garden and promise that 'this is the year' to keep up with the weeding. I applaud you folks, and am one of you. With that in mind, I have composed the following list reminding novice (and not-so-novice) fruit and veggie growers everywhere why your hobby is superior.

1. ·         Have you ever tasted a geranium?
2. ·         None of this pruning/mulching/overwintering business. Just sow. reap. repeat.
3. ·         On Halloween your kids always have the biggest jack-o-lantern on the block.
4. ·         Homegrown vegetables are cheaper
5. ·         Canning tomatoes is a great excuse to spend time with your grandmother
6. ·         Zucchini makes a great hostess gift
7. ·         Anyone can grow petunias. Only gardeners can grow broccoli
8. ·         Harvesting potatoes is like digging for buried treasure
9. ·         You can blame your lack of Brussels sprout consumption on 'crop failure'
10. ·         Seriously. Have you ever tasted a geranium?

How Much?

The weather last weekend here in Acton was (mostly) great. Sunny and 18 on Saturday and Sunday the rain held off til later in the afternoon. And thanks to the avid gardeners and DIYers of the area, here at Reds, we were pretty busy. Besides 'How much does it cost?', the most popular question from customers at Reds seemed to be 'How much is it?', or basically, 'What am I paying for?'. Great questions from conscientious consumers. Apparently, weights and measures in the garden/landscape business are a little wackier than other industries, bouncing between metric, imperial and other industry-made terms.

Consider the area of soil and amendments:  

On Saturday we sold several cubic yards of mulch, a few 25 litre bags of topsoil, some 18kg bags of stone and manure and a couple 3.8 cubic foot bales of potting mix.

For some of you this makes perfect sense- hats off to you. For the 'I-don't-quite-get-it' crowd, this quick little guide's for you.

1- Cubic yard (yard): Bulk product, such as triple mix or mulch, is sold by the cubic yard. By definition, a yard measures 27 cubic feet (picture a box 3' x 3' x 3'). A cubic yard is also about 10 wheelbarrow loads or around 45 minutes work for 2 people.

2- Litre: Topsoil, black earth, triple mix and potting soil are typically sold in 20-30 litre bags. By definition, a litre is 1000 cubic centimetres. A 25 litre bag is around the same size as a normal bag of cat food. For comparison, 30 25-litre bags = 1 cubic yard.

3- Kilogram: Compost and aggregate product are sold by weight (kg). This is because the materials have the tendency to 'settle' and therefore condense in volume. The biggest bag you'll typically see at the retail level is 18kg (~40lbs). When you're buying by weight, the bags/yard ratio will change depending on the product. Basically if it's a little job, get bags. For big jobs, borrow your neighbour's truck and go for a whole yard.

This list is by no means exhaustive. We'll clarify other weights and measures in further posts. Until then, happy planting!   

Hedge Your Bets

Well, it's Spring now, and after a winter spent staring longingly out the window, you're ready to re-open the sandbox, fire up the pool again and start up the old barbeque. There's only one problem: your neighbours decided last fall to put in a hot tub, and sharing a [chain-link] fence line doesn't mean you have to share your summer evenings.

After debating the merits of an 8-foot tall wooden fence to distract Junior from the nightly neighbourhood festivities, you decide a 'natural fence' would be a better alternative. But the cedar hedge at your buddy's place is 14 feet high and out of control and really, what else makes a hedge? The short answer: plenty. 

Depending on your wants and budget, a lot of plants make great hedges, borders and wind screens. So before calling the fence guy to recreate the Green Monster or trooping to the garden centre to load up on cedars, consider the following lesser thought of creative alternatives:

1-  Upright Junipers- Mention 'juniper' and most people think of crawling ground covers or rock-garden fixtures. Though these varieties are definitely juniper, upright varieties such as 'Ontario Green', 'Mountbatten' or 'Wichita Blue', are beautiful specimens with great hedging potential. The cone-shaped trees have a mature height of 10'-12' and the compact growth habit means they won't take over your yard. A nice thing about these guys is at purchase time, they're already 5 feet tall.

2- Grasses- If you have a bit of room, ornamental grass is a great screening plant. Varieties such as Miscanthus sinensis are clump-forming and graceful. They die back every winter in our area, but fill in nicely in the spring. Perfect for around the pool or playground.

3- Barberry- Deer-resistant, prickly, and ornamental, barberry is a versatile landscape plant. Typically used as a specimen or accent planting in a flower bed, barberry also makes a great hedge. From the dwarf, brightly-coloured 'Golden Nugget' variety, to the fan-shaped two-toned 'Rosy Glow' with a 5' mature height, barberry can be used to neatly line walkways or create a stunning prickly fence line that will keep the neighbour's dog from eating your kids' toys.

Of course, this list is not even close to exhaustive. For more conventional (or unconventional) hedge ideas, stop by your local garden centre and listen to their pitch. Or, if this post has you motivated to get out and plant, then stop by Reds, where all of the aforementioned are amply stocked and awaiting a home!

Gardening in April?!

Gardening in April requires a lot of forward thinking. With most shrubs leafless, perennials dormant, and evergreens dominating, it can be difficult to envision the finished look of your landscape. However, if you can get past this, April is a great month to plant a garden in Halton Hills.

Generally as a rule, if you can get your shovel in the ground and water to its roots, you can transplant container nursery stock. With our early Spring thaw and a favourable April forecast, this should not be a problem in our area.

During the winter, deciduous plants drop their leaves and enter a hibernation (or dormant) stage to store energy for the cold winter months. Transplanting in April, while a shrub is dormant, gives the roots time to set up shop in a new location before a stressful growing season. When the weather warms up, the plants wake up, and voila! buds emerge, transforming shapeless sticks into show-stopping shrubs.

The newly planted dormant shrub requires less watering and maintenance than if it were in flower. I recommend using a liquid transplant (5-15-5) fertilizer with the first watering to give the newly planted shrub or tree an added boost.

For inspiration of what to plant and where to plant it, pull out some gardening magazines or stop by your local garden centre and talk to an expert. You may find yourself pleasantly surprised and satisfied with your results.

Sow What?

The other day a friend mentioned to me that she and her infant son spent the morning planting seeds. A premonition of Spring to be sure. Did you know that most annual flowers and vegetables such as peppers, tomatoes and cucumbers can be started from seed indoors?

Besides being easier on the wallet, starting plants from seed is a great way to scratch your gardening itch while snow still dominates the landscape.

Deciding what to plant and when to plant it depends on the varieties of plants you choose to grow. This information is readily available on the back of whatever seed packet you're working with. Nonetheless, if you're planning to start your gardening indoors this season, here're five general rules of thumb to get you started (no greenhouse required):

1. Check your seed packet to see how much time your plant needs before being set outdoors. Seeds should not be transplanted outdoors if there is a risk of frost. Typically the last expected frost date in Halton Hills is May 24.

2. Choose a good-quality potting soil containing a mix of peat moss, perlite, vermiculite and wetting agent. A quality potting mix helps your plants retain moisture and provides aeration and drainage for your seedling's roots. It's also free of weeds, fungus and other pests  

3. Water the soil well before planting seeds. Seeds should be planted at a depth recommended on the package.

4. Cover your newly planted garden-to-be with a clear plastic bag or a clear plastic cover. If using a bag, make sure the plastic is not touching the soil. This creates a greenhouse effect and eliminates the need for regular watering

5. Last, and certainly not least, make sure your garden-to-be is placed in a sunny, warm spot in your house. This means 8+ hours of bright, beautiful light per day. Sorry folks, but no light, no germination.

And there you have it! With a little luck and a lot of patience, come May 24, you've got yourself a project.

Happy growing and may all your seeds be winners. Email us your success stories to info@redsgardencentre.com. We'll read everything you send us and publish our favourites in a future blog. Send pictures. The author of our favourite seed success story will win a $20 Reds gift certificate.