Prepping for Fall!

This time of year it may seem quiet in our retail area but in the planting area, things are hopping! Our staff is busy planting and spacing our fall mums, cabbage and kale, and plants for our fall planters! We do quite a few mums in different sizes so it keeps us from getting bored. The rain we've had has been lovely, giving them a good soaking. 

Terrific Tomatoes

Growing Tomatoes

Tomatoes require 6 hours direct sun per day....any less and they just won't do well.  Fertile, well-drained soil is important for fruit production and healthy plants. 
Watering tomatoes properly is a must. Avoid watering in the evening when it's calm; getting the leaves wet when there is a lack of proper airflow invites all kinds of fungal and viral diseases. 
 Water heavily but infrequently, concentrating on the soil. Using mulch around the plants also helps to lock in moisture. 
If growing tomatoes in containers, water everyday. These plants need consistent moisture and will dry out quickly. Uneven watering can cause blossom-end rot and over-watering can cause mushy, fruit that splits.One plant per pot is enough, no matter the size of the pot. Add some marigolds or basil with it to ward off pests. 
When choosing a tomato plant for a pot, pick a "determinate" plant. This means they will stay bushier, stopping their growth at a certain point. Pruning and staking will help keep the air moving around the plant and keep the sunlight directed at all areas for more even ripening. 

There are so many varieties of tomatoes out there, from old reliables to new hybrid disease-resistant kinds. The choice is up to you!!

Herbalicious!

Herbs are where it's at. Fresh herbs for cooking, making tea or just to flavor your water, they are an excellent addition to your diet.  Nothing can beat the flavor of freshly chopped herbs on salad or pizza or in a marinade for the BBQ! Try drying your own herbs by using the oven , microwave or hanging upside down to dry naturally. They need a sunny ventilated spot to hang so they can dry evenly. Place in a Ziploc bag when dried to crush, then store in glass jars to keep ultimate freshness. Experiment and go crazy! A great way to "eat local" and know what's in your food!!

Herb Garden

Companion Gardening

Companion planting is nothing new. It has been around for ages. The theory behind companion planting is that some vegetables ward off nasty bugs and pests while others attract the beneficial ones. When strategically placed in the garden, a little eco-system is born. For example, oregano and sage discourage cabbage moths so plant these herbs amongst cabbage.  Dill attracts predatory wasps that eat caterpillars while warding off aphids and spider mites. Marigolds can be for looks or to repel white flies and sometimes rabbits. The possibilities are endless and there is so much info out there!! As with anything, companion gardening tends to be trial and error depending on the garden's location, weather and many other factors. 

Here's a great article by the well-known Burpee company with an abundance of advice and ideas for your garden. A great way to go natural and have fun trying new things at the same time!  

Companion planting guide by Burpee

Impatiens & Downy Mildew

So for years and years you've loved growing impatiens in your shady gardens... but last year you noticed they didn't do so well, or perhaps they died off all together.  Chances are  they had downy mildew.

Impatiens downy mildew is caused by an organism called Plasmopara obducens. It appeared several years ago in Europe, showing up in North America in 2011 in Florida, the Mid-Atlantic and the Northeastern United States. It is now showing up in Southern Ontario.

Downy mildew is spread by spores located on the underside of infected leaves. The spores can be spread by wind or rain as it splashes onto the leaves. The organism is a water mould requiring moist conditions to develop spores and cause new infections.
Downy mildew attacks only Impatiens walleriana (the bedding variety). Other types, such as New Guinea and SunPatiens, are not affected.

There are no fungicides available to gardeners for the control of this disease.

To dispose of infected plants, Do not place infected plants in home composters in case the spores overwinter. Instead, bag and put them at the curb to be composted in a municipal facility (where the heat is high enough to destroy the organism). Alternatively, you can burn or bury the affected plants deeper than 50 centimetres (20 inches).
 Experts advise against planting Impatiens walleriana where infected plants once grew.  If you want to grow impatiens in a container that previously held infected plants, thoroughly wash the container with soapy water and a drop of bleach. Be sure to use fresh planting soil mix. Because the disease is specific only to Impatiens walleriana, you can grow any other bedding plants without any risk.

Should you avoid buying bedding impatiens (Impatiens walleriana) for your garden this year?
Because downy mildew is a relatively new problem, whether it becomes more serious or not remains to be seen.  Perhaps the extreme cold this past winter has destroyed some of the spores, but only time will tell, that so watch for it.  The spores live in the soil they are planted in, and spread in the air.

Seed companies are working on breeding seed varieties that are mildew resistant, however, that may be 4-5 years away.

Downy Mildew - A curse or an opportunity?   read this article from MSU

Treat Your Mom to Flowers!

For years flowers have been a favourite gift for moms.... Often a hanging basket of planter that can go right outdoors is perfect. Due to the late Spring and colder temperatures this year,  you might consider trying something a little different.  We have three different suggestions for you of plants that your mom can enjoy indoors for next couple weeks before enjoying them outdoors all summer long... Or if she would rather they can stay indoors as a perfect year round house plant.

 Mandevilla vine

Beautiful and tropical and will climb a trellis when planted outside.  This plant enjoys part to full sun.

Bougainville 

This plant enjoys full sun and is very well suited for a container to be enjoyed on a deck or balcony. 

Hibiscus

Also well suited as a container plant, which makes it easy to bring back indoors in the fall when the weather turns cool.

And just to sweeten the deal a little we've marked down these 3 beautiful varieties of plants just for this weekend!   

Dividing Perennials

 One of the wonderful things about perennial plants in the garden is that you can start very early in the spring and not be as concerned about late frosts.

We have an amazing selection of plants that will return year after year to bring colour to your garden at various times of the year.
One of the questions we are frequently asked has to do with dividing exiting perennials in the garden Here is a link that will help you.  http://bit.ly/QrtsOw

from Canadian Gardening.com

Resilient pansy plants- great for spring season!

Pansies can take a lot as can be seen in the pictures! That's what makes them a great spring season flower!! Perfect for decorating the front walk- brings a smile to all who see. 

It's all up from here

Vertical gardening seems to be the new trend in gardening. Starting slowly over the last few years, it has blossomed into an incredible art that will only keep on expanding. 

Being a Huron County girl, growing up on farms with wide open spaces and big gardens, it's a little hard for me to "imagine" small. Having said that, I LOVE the creative juices pouring out of those who live in towns and cities with very little space!! A great site for ideas that I was looking at is www.microgardener.com 

She has wonderful ideas that are practical and easy to create. 

You can create too! From something as simple as decorative pots on the wall to a whole wall of plants, all it takes is some time and tools. 

Spring is "springing" up!

Signs of Spring are popping up all over, even with these super cold temperatures! Snowdrops are blooming, tulips are daring to emerge from the earth, snow is slowly melting and swans have been spotted flying overheard!
 It has been a busy 2 weeks for us here, planting hanging baskets, potting perennials and transplanting tiny plants from tray to container. Our benches and greenhouses are being filled with the colour of spring-green and smell like freshly dug earth. This time of year we dress in layers, going from seeing our breath in the morning to a t-shirt by afternoon. We anticipate with excitement the arrival of truly warm weather and you our valued customers and friends.

lettuce plants ready for transplanting

hanging baskets ready to be hung

snowdrops in the snow

sedum

tulips emerging

Soon time to start seeds indoors!

If you like to start seeds indoors, it will soon be time! Peppers, tomatoes, petunias and eggplants are all seeds that need a much longer growing time than we have here in Canada. Peppers and eggplants should be started 8-10 weeks before the last chance of frost so approximately the second week of March. Petunias can be started anytime now as they take 10-12 weeks. Tomatoes can be started late March which is 6-8 weeks before last chance of frost.

There are four essential ingredients needed to start seeds. Water, Temperature, Soil and Light.

Soil: Trays need to be filled with a special growing medium, never regular garden soil. The roots need aeration and garden soil is just too compact.

Water: The soil needs to be kept moist, never drying out or too wet.

Temperature: The temperature of the soil should be kept at 21-25 C in order for seeds to germinate and grow properly. There are special heating mats available which keep the temperature constant.

Light is super important. Ideally, grow lights 3" above the seed trays is the best. Light that is too far away can make the seedlings stretch, becoming straggly and weak. Not a great way for plants to start out.

If you've never started your own seeds before, start small. Experiment with placement, light and warmth. It's a lovely feeling to see a seed grow right before your very eyes!

And the seeding begins!

This week is our first week seeding for spring! From petunias to peppers, we have over 200 trays to be filled and placed in the germination chamber. Once seeds sprout, trays are placed on the bench with heat below to keep the seeds warm while growing. 

What to do on a cold, snowy day?

Make the most of these snowy days and plan your vegetable garden! A good plan makes for a good start. 

Decide what you want to grow the most of; what vegetables do you eat the most of? Are there new ones you want to try? Do you prefer organic seeds? Consider the grow time of the seeds; it might be better to start with plants to ensure a crop to harvest. Do you enjoy making salsa? Spaghetti sauce? Grow your own paste tomatoes, peppers, onions and herbs! Canned tomatoes are also easy to do, it just takes some time but worth it when you crack open a jar in January! 

If the ground is ready in April,  early crops can be planted. Lettuce, spinach, and peas are a good start and gets those itchy hands moving! A garden box is a wonderful solution for those lettuce-hungry bunnies! 

Potatoes are a mainstay for some families; inexpensive and abundant, keeping well into the winter if stored in a dark, cool place. There are different varieties and tastes, some keeping longer than other. I love peeling potatoes in January that I harvested in September! 

Leeks are a new favourite by many when it comes to making homemade potato/leek soup. Easy to grow, leeks can be washed, chopped and frozen for use on a cold, winter day! 

See the theme here? Do you understand the true joy of gardening? For me, it's the sastisfying feeling I get when I take a veggie out of the freezer or mason jar knowing my hard work during the summer -planting, weeding, tilling, harvesting, preserving- has paid off. After preparing, I lift it to my mouth and my tastebuds go "WOW! Thanks for this yummy goodness!" 

Check out this website for starters.

http://www.almanac.com/vegetable-garden-planning-for-beginners

seeds and more seeds

This time of year, we get a delivery of seeds almost everyday! It's exciting to open the box and see what's inside. It feels a little like Christmas! Kevin will begin planting these seeds the week of February 10. He has a calender scheduled with what needs to be seeded each week in order to be ready for planting outdoors in May. Some seeds take longer to germinate and grow than others; some grow faster and could get gangly if started too early. Most of our staff comes back in mid March when the seedlings are ready to be transplanted and Huron Ridge springs to life!

For the  months of January, February and March, our large retail greenhouse is open on Tuesday and Friday from 10-4. The air isn't the warmest but the sidewalks are dry and flat, a safe place for walking. With this extreme cold right now, a coat, mittens and perhaps earmuffs are needed to keep the body and hands warm but comfy running shoes can be worn! By mid February, the heat will be turned up slightly and by March, it's an inspiring place to walk as each week new plants arrive and spring begins in full force here.

Questions? Call 519-565-2122 or email us at info@huronridge.ca

Juicy News for January

The new year has begun and with it new life, even in the dead of winter. These potted primula were transplanted in October and placed in a sunny greenhouse to grow over the Christmas season. Now they are beginning to unfurl their beautiful buds in colours of pink, purple, yellow and blues. The yummy green is a colour we crave this time of year. Primula are a sweet, little plant that can be enjoyed indoors until done blooming, then planted outside. Outside, these plants are hardy and one of the first plants to bloom in early spring.

Pansies have been seeded, transplanted and planted into various sizes of pots for spring. They are grown in a cooler greenhouse to keep the foliage growing larger and when the warmer spring weather arrives, the buds begin to form and by mid March there will be colour!

Keep checking our blog for weekly updates on what's happening in the greenhouse.

Bench of Primula

Primula buds

Pansy Pots