December has arrived and with it a realization of only 23 days left until Christmas! We encourage you to shop local, support the people who live among us who have unique gift ideas and amazing products! Here are some links for you to check out that might help decide what to buy for the person you know who might just have everything! And if you can't decide, gift certificates are always a winner!

http://www.huronridge.ca/pdfs/Website-gift-ideas.pdf

The Village Bookshop

http://www.ruralist.ca/try-shopping-local/

https://www.facebook.com/thevillagebookshop?fref=ts

http://www.goderich.ca/en/visitors/antiqueshops.asp

http://www.villageofbayfield.com/shop/

 Blyth Festival Theatre

There are just so many places, I can't list them all! Have fun shopping!

Giving back at Poinsettia Festival

Christmas is on its way!

We are gearing up for our big Christmas event after a quiet fall. For two weekends or 6 evenings, we light up our greenhouse with candles and many trees and displays. It is a wonderful time to come and stroll through the colorful poinsettias while enjoying a cookie and a cup of hot cider. We have many colours to choose from as well as bunches of greenery and fresh cut Christmas trees for your home. We can take orders for custom outdoor planters or can decorate a poinsettia for you on the spot. There are decorating accessories to choose from or just a traditional red poinsettia. Workshops are being held as well so check our website for details. www.huronridge.ca

Come join us November 21-23 and 28-30 for our Candlelight event!! 

Candles lit from 5-8. Open 9-8 

Allergies?

Although allergy season is almost over, here are some tips for smart gardening.

Sneezing?…coughing?…watery eyes?  For some an annoyance, but for those with allergies it’s a way of life.  

Fall gardening season is upon us and for the millions who suffer from allergies, renowned allergist Dr. Clifford Bassett, has some important tips to follow when working outside:

• Wear a pollen mask when gardening
• Wear gloves to minimize local contact and reduce “irritation” to the skin of your hands and arms
• Limit gardening to a minimum on “high” pollen count days
•  Take advantage of rainy, cloudy or windless days, which usually have lower pollen counts
• Keep your garden and lawn free of flowering weeds

Dr. Bassett is the Director of Allergy & Asthma Care of New York.  Dr. Bassett graduated from New York Medical College. He is affiliated with Long Island College Hospital, New York Downtown Hospital and NYU’s Elaine A. and Kenneth G. Langone Medical Center. He is board certified by The American Board of Allergy and Immunology as well as a member of both The American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology and The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Society.

As Autumn arrives and we enjoy the array of colour, bursting forth from everywhere we look, here the honk of geese, and clean up our, maybe weedy, and mostly empty vegetable gardens, it's also the time to plant! If tulips and hyacinths bring you great joy in the beginning of spring, it's now time to plant those inconspicuous looking bulbs. Robin William's quote is about Mother Nature having a party and for a party there is lots of planning and doing ahead of time. So decorate now for the party ahead! 

Spring Bulbs ranging from Tulips and Frittilaria to Allium and grape Hyacinths, 

are 25% off beginning Oct.4 until Thanksgiving!

The Great Bulb Giveaway!

Beginning September 20, you can win a bag of spring bulbs! Just leave a comment on one of our blogs or click on this link Great Bulb Giveaway to like us on Facebook and be automatically entered into the contest! We will announce the winner on Monday, September 30th!

Contest closes September 28th at midnight. 

Keep watching for info on our Kid's Fall planting day!

Dig.Drop.Done

Planting spring bulbs this time of year is a super easy task and brings rewards in the months of March and April when we are hungry for color other than grey and brown! From tulips and hyacinths to fritillaria and alliums, we have a great selection of ready to plant packages!

Ornamental Cabbage and Kale are a lovely way to add colour to your fall decorating! These hardy plants are not going to come back every year but cooler temperatures do not make them afraid! In fact, they welcome the Jack Frost who gives them a vibrant sparkle! Kale and Cabbage will even tolerate snow and slightly freezing on the Celsius scale. Plant them in your gardens, pots or urns, you can even eat them if you want (I wouldn't really recommend that) and enjoy the whole season long!! 

Ornamental Cabbage and Kale

Friday the 13th is your lucky day!!

Tomorrow on Friday the 13th, we invite you to our One Day Sale!

• Perennials 50% off
• Mulch $5 per bag with multiple pricing
• $2 off spring bulbs
• No tax on Mums!
• Garden gloves - all sizes- $5
• Landscape fabric $10
• Pelletized Hen Manure $4.99

      and more in house specials!

The Girl Guides will be here to serve hot dogs and popcorn from 5-7. Please give generously to keep this great organization going!

We have extended our hours from 9-8 this day only!

Hope to see you on Friday the 13th! 

Petunias in the fall??

Check out this link to learn how to keep your Wave petunias looking great for the rest of the season!

http://www.wave-rave.com/Blog/2013/08/23/good-looking-wave-gardens-after-labor-day.html

Hot and Chunky Summer Salsa

Since it's tomato time, I thought I'd share my yummy salsa recipe with you. I used to think salsa was a lot of work and even though it can be time consuming, it's very worth it! In the dead of winter when a craving for garden fresh comes, crack open a jar of your homemade salsa, serve with chips and sour cream and it will bring back that warm summer feeling!

Hot and Chunky Summer Salsa

8 c.peeled, chopped roma tomatoes
3 finely chopped hot banana pepper
4-6 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
1 c. chopped green pepper
2 c. chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 c. vinegar
2 T. dried basil or use more fresh
2 T. salt
1 t. pepper
3 T. sugar (optional)
1 t. dried cilantro leaves or use more fresh

Other:
1 can black beans
1 can corn or 2 c. frozen
1 can tomato paste

Mix together in large pot and cook approx 1/2 hour or until vegetables soften. Add 1 jar tomato paste to thicken.  I also add a can of black beans and 1 can corn before sealing in hot jars. Heat lids in boiling water while adding hot salsa to hot jars. Place lids on jars and place in a spot where jars won't be disturbed for a day or two. Make sure sealed before putting away.

Makes approx 5 pints. I usually make a double batch.

A truckload of sunshine

We regularly supply Masse's Vegetable Stand at St. Joseph's with cut sunflowers and pick-up bouquets. These were heading there this morning along with fresh beets, carrots and cucumbers we grow.

Is Autumn around the corner?

It seems summer has come and gone and left us with this Autumn-like weather. Cool nights and warm days- notice I said warm, not hot? Some enjoy the cool but others are missing the heat. Included in those who miss the heat are our hardy garden mums that are normally ready by now. The cooler temperatures have slowed down the growing and flowering but happily, we do have smaller ones ready! Plant into planters or antique tea kettles as a quick, colourful addition that will make your creative juices tingle! Ready-to-go
planters filled with perennials and annuals that look fresh and new are available as well! Another option for fall decorating is to buy some colourful perennials, place them in any old clay pots you may have in the garden shed, place them here and there and when the blooms are past, dig them into the flower garden where they will be resurrected next spring!

Smaller mums budding a luscious, orange colour

Larger Mums are growing but still pretty green. Some should be ready beginning in September

Ornamental Kale and Cabbage growing in the field

All the makings for our Autumn Planters

Colourful Black-Eyed Susans (Rudbeckia)  Great late summer and Fall colour!

Black-Berry Lily- A unique and beautiful Perennial

Fall Planter

Mum season is upon us!

Our hardy garden mums are starting to colour! We've been busy shipping the small ones for a few weeks now and more are coming into bloom. The bigger ones have a few weeks to go yet and unfortunately, the cooler weather isn't helping them along any faster.
Some go to local stores and garden centres, others are shipped to Ontario Flower Growers flower auction in Mississauga twice a week.

The True Gardener

A true gardener is never done. That's the truth. Something in them cannot turn down a new, unique plant or digging and dividing a neighbour's abundantly large perennial when asked. An empty spot can always be found, or a corner that just needs "a little something" which usually ends up being a plant. The true gardener can be found out in the gardens at any time of day snipping, rearranging, weeding, digging or singing to the flowers. Their thumb is camouflaged as the colour of their natural skin but underneath it really is green. Some prefer fancy garden gloves, others like it "oh natural" and don't mind the dirt under their fingernails. 

In honour of the True Gardener, our large selection of perennials will be on sale starting August 1. With all this moisture in the ground, it's an ideal time to find those "little" spots or create a new perennial paradise. 

For the next few weeks we are offering this savings: 
Buy 2 pots and get the 3rd one free!

Herb Cubes

Freezing fresh herbs is easy! All you need is a knife, ice cube trays and freezer bags. Here's how:

*Choose your herb, wash, drain and chop finely.

*Place about half full in ice cube trays.

*Cover with fresh water and place in the freezer until frozen.

*Pop cubes out and place in LABELED freezer bags. The reason I stress labeling bags is because I haven't always done this and not all herbs have a scent when frozen. Either that or my nose doesn't work anymore :)

*This winter when you are craving Fresh, grab some "herb cubes" from the freezer and place in a stir fry, pot of soup or stew, or even spaghetti sauce! I love adding cubes of chopped basil or oregano to my homemade canned tomato sauce when I'm cooking up spaghetti for supper. So yummy and makes it feel like summer again!

Customer Feed-back...

It's always good to hear from customers who have good results with the plants they purchase at our greenhouse.   I received this email from Gini S, who wrote:

Attached are pics of the baby eggplant grown from plants that I bought from you in May.  They survived the frost at the end of May, are growing in former "blue boxes" , are healthy and doing really well.  I picked my first one today,  sliced it thinly, fried slices in olive oil and tossed them with one of my favourite spices - Thai Coconut (not too hot).  Absolutely delicious!!!!

Thank you for all your hard work.  All my plants, vegetables and flowers are growing like crazy.  The "giant" begonias are so huge that they're crowding my walkway into the house.  I'm not complaining!

Cucumber city!

This year for the first time, we are growing greenhouse cucumbers. Both minis and long slicing ones, these veggies are a tasty treat! Great for veggie trays, dipping, salads, or just for a quick snack-to-go!
These pictures show the progress over the past 5 weeks.

Raspberry time!

If you love raspberries and have an abundance of them, here is Carol's delicious pie recipe.

Either buy or make your own pie crust
Fill pie crust 2/3 full of raspberries
Beat 2 eggs, 2/3 c.sugar, 1/2 c. milk
Pour over raspberries and sprinkle with cinnamon
Bake until custard is firm, approximately 40 min.


When freezing your freshly picked raspberries, don't wash them first. I spread them out on a tray or cookie sheet in a single layer, making sure there are no bad ones or "uninvited guests". Place in the freezer for a few hours until solid then transfer to labeled containers or freezer bags. I like containers best because raspberries tend to be fragile. Easy as pie!

Fabulous

If you've got a few little spots that just need a little burst of colour, we've got pots just for that! Marigolds, impatiens and dusty miller are great additions for only $1!

Dave - a gardener for life

Dave, who along with his wife Carol, established Huron Ridge, has always loved gardening and along with that, propagating plants from cuttings or seeds. From the time he was a little boy, who planted seeds from spruce tree cones and kept them warm behind his mother's wood cookstove, until now when he is "retired", growing plants has been both a hobby & a career.  One of the beautiful benefits of his propagation is in our backyard now, a Dorothy Perkins rose bush.

choosing a cutting in the late '80's 

About 25 years ago, he got several cuttings similar to the one shown on his hand below, from his sister Eva's plant.  He rooted them, shared a couple of started plants with friends, and planted one in our backyard.

A cutting ready to root

Our backyard Dorothy Perkins rose bush, this week.
As with a lot of the old varieties of rose bushes, this beauty only gives us colorful display for 2-4 weeks, depending on the temperature.  This weeks cooler temps will make it last longer.
Totally hidden in the centre of this plant, is a steel 6 foot tall obliques, that supports it & keeps it erect.

Information about viewing this garden along with many other private gardens in Huron & Perth Counties by visiting www.gardensofhuronperth.com

Canada Day Summer Sale

Now through Saturday the savings are huge!  We hope you'll stop by and take advantage of these great deals!

All fertilizers and garden sprays are $2 off regular price!

Add some instant color! -  All hanging baskets are just $12!

 Fill in those gardens!  - All 6 packs and 4.5" Vegetables and Flowers are just $.73

Pick from a large variety of Red & White Perennials -  $2 off regular price

(look for the Canada Flags)

Patio Tomatoes and Peppers loaded with fruit are only $5.99 each!

As well we have

Seed potatoes for just $.40 per pound

Hurry In for the best selection!  We will be closed Sunday and Monday for the holiday.

Summer Solstice

Where has time gone?  Here we are at the longest day of the year, and it feels only a short time ago since it was dark while children boarded their school buses in the morning!
What a wonderful time to enjoy the outdoors and the beauty of all your work in gardens, especially since the evenings are warmer now. 
Let me just give you a reminder to fertilize your containers regularly to keep them looking fresh and healthy all through the summer months.  For most flowering plants, the 15-30-15 analysis is a good one to use.  A few special plants, like trailing type petunias, verbena and bacopa respond really well to a high calcium fertilizer put out under the brand of "Jacks"
The picture of this "Petunia Tree"  was taken on October 27th.... it was starting to deteriorate a little, but still looked amazing for this late in the season.  It was fertilized weekly with "Jacks" which proved to be well worth the effort!
With all the rain we have been having, the slugs are all set to attack your hosta plants and leave them full of holes in the leaves.  A good preventative solution is to apply some slug & snail bait around the base of the plants.  It is totally safe for children & pets and it will protect your hosta plants

Plant some Savings Sale

This week, June 10-15, most of our annuals on sale. It's not too late to plant that pot you found in the shed or hang an extra hanging basket on the hook by the garage!

Open 9-5 Monday- Saturday!

Keeping those annoying pest away

We always have a lot of people asking "how do I keep rabbits out of my garden? or "My cat out of my flower bed?" or "the dog from laying in or digging around my plants?" So I would like to offer some ideas to you, the gardener, to keep your investment safe and so you don't get angry at your pet whom you normally love!

Critter Ridder

 A product we carry that's easy to use is called Critter Ridder. It works on cats, dogs, racoons, skunks, squirrels, and chipmunks. Just shake the granular mixture onto the soil and keep the critters away. Check out their website for more details.

 http://www.havahart.com/ourbrands/critter-ridder



If you don't have time to get out and pick up this amazing product, try one of these homemade recipes.

To repel dogs:
1 garlic bulb ground in blender
1 med. onion, chopped
1 L water
1 tsp tabasco

Let sit for a few hours, strain and pour into handheld sprayer and apply to areas where your dog digs or lays. It will need reapplying after rain and on occasion when needed.

Check out this link to our Pinterest board  for another homemade recipe for keeping rabbits away. 
 http://pinterest.com/huronridgeacres/onatural-pesticides/

Planning ahead when you plant!

There is nothing more rewarding than growing your own food and ending up with a great finished product.  For years Lorraine has had great success with this salsa recipe, so we decided to share it with you now, to make sure you plant the right ingredients.  We have all the produce you need here ready to plant in your garden for a summer harvest!

Hot and Chunky Summer salsa

8 c. peeled, chopped Roma/plum tomatoes

3 c.finely chopped banana pepper

6 jalapeno peppers, chopped

1 c.coarsely chopped gr.pepper

2 c. chopped onion

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 can black beans

2 cups corn

2 T dried basil (or sub fresh to taste)

2 T. salt

1 t.pepper

3 T sugar

1 t.cilantro dried (or fresh according to taste)

1/2 c.vinegar

1- 2 jars tomato paste

Mix together and cook approx. 1/2 once mixture is heated. Add tomato paste, depending on how thick you like salsa. Seal in hot jars or in canner for 20 min.. Makes approx 5 pints. 

Confetti Gardens

We've had this product around for a few years now, but want to tell you a bit more about it.  These 6" pots come with a combination of 3 different plants in them to create an instant hanging basket or container for you.... you don't have to guess what will grow nicely together, just plant it and voila!

There are a variety of different options.  This photo shows Carol with one of the purple combinations.  You can plant the confetti gardens in a container you already own or you can pick one of our many containers.  We love these Harmony containers (several different kinds available) as they have a large reservoir in the bottom for water to help keep you plants watered and looking great even if you are away for a few days.  Ideal for cottages too!

Congratulations also goes out to Candice Blyde who was the winner of our $40 gift card last week.  This is our final week of the $40 gift card give away so be sure to enter!!



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Recipe for Great Flower Beds All Summer Long

It's no secret that having great flower beds requires some good soil for your flowers and plants to grown in.  The question is what do you do when that great growing ground isn't just naturally there?  Don't worry we can help.

First off you need to take into account the ground you have.  If it's too heavy you will want to add some peat moss to help lighten the soil.  This will help the roots to grow more easily and also aid with drainage.  If your soil is too sandy you can add bags of top soil and black earth.  This will help the ground to retain water.  No matter the kind of ground you have, it's always a great idea to add some sort of compost - sheep manure is ideal and does a great job.   You might also want to consider working some slow release fertilizer into the soil as well.  All of these products are available in our retail center and come with instructions about how much to use for the size of your flower bed. I think you will be pleased with the results if you take the time to really work the ground well before you plant in it this spring.   Our staff is also on hand to answer any questions you may have about prepping your flower and vegetable gardens.

Also - don't forget about our $40 gift card give aways!  This week is week 3!  Please be sure to enter to win. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Many Thanks

A big thank you to everyone who came out this weekend to support us in our 40th Anniversary Celebrations and Open House.  It was a great weekend.  A special thank you to our Mayor - Bill Dowson,  our MPP - Lisa Thompson and our MP - Ben Lobb who were all on hand for the cutting of our cake on Sunday afternoon!

It was also neat to have on hand both the Member of Parliment from 1973 when we opened, as well as our current member.  Here's a photo of former MP - Bob McKinley enjoying a chat with MP - Ben Lobb.

Thanks again to everyone!

Congratulations also to our $40 gift card winner from last week - Steve Donohue.  There are 3 more weeks you can enter to win!  Enter often!!

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