Growing nutritious vegetables
Jim Fitzgerald has shared the presentation he made to the Stratford Horticultural Society. Lots of good stuff in this 30 minute presentation!
The importance of keystone species
If you were told that beaver, bees, an oak tree and a purple sea star were keystone species, you might wonder, “What does that mean?” Simply stated, this means that each of these species fills a critical niche in its ecosystem which no other species can. This makes them vital to the function of the
Here’s Help to Create a Pollinator Garden
There is a lot of information on our website about the importance of insects, native plants and caring about our ecosystem. Many people, organizations and whole cities have dedicated themselves to biodiversity, reducing carbon emissions and encouraging pollinator insects. Environment Hamilton and the Hamilton Naturalists Club have developed an excellent website called Hamilton Pollinator Paradise.
Kiss the Ground
I recently watched a documentary called “Kiss the Ground ”. The basic premise is that by healing the soil we can heal our climate crisis. The story asks us to honour natural processes versus chemical processes. Soil damaged by chemicals and excess tillage gives off carbon dioxide whereas healthy soil sequesters carbon dioxide. Poor land
Book review: The Suburban Micro-Farm
The book by Amy Stross, published in 2017, is a treasure trove of useful tips for busy people who would like to grow some of their own food. With more people moving to the suburbs (about 50% of Americans now live in suburbs), the impact of converting lawns to small micro-farms would have tremendous impact
A fly, a wasp, or a bee?
As we watch the flow of bees and insects pollinating our vegetables and flowers, we may be struck by bee-like insects that are slightly different. These insects may be flower flies, also called hover flies. Most of us know that bees are important pollinators of our food crops. Yet flower flies are also an important
Caring for rhododendrons
When choosing a site for your rhododendron dappled shade is best. To set buds, rhododendrons need light but require protection from the hot summer sun. Buds are set in the late summer for the following year. If you plant your rhododendron in deep shade, it will flower poorly and develop leggy growth. Rhododendrons perform best
A beginner’s guide to growing tomatoes
As I am writing this, most Canadians are physically distancing themselves to prevent spread of the virus. I would suggest planning a garden is a great way to deal with these uncertain times. It is a great at home activity, provides for healthy eating, and exercise and is great for children as well. Gardening can
Pruning Deciduous Flowering Shrubs
Your first job would be to decide if your flowering deciduous shrub needs pruning, You will need to step back and look at your shrub and determine what kind of look do you want. Do you want a compact, bushier, one that produces more flowers, blooms longer, or a shrub that has a more natural
Deciduous tree pruning
Here are a few guidelines to follow when pruning deciduous trees. The tools needed to properly prune trees are a pair of sharp bypass pruners, a pair of loppers for thicker branches, and a pruning saw for larger branches. Tools should be sharp to prevent ragged cuts. The ideal time to prune trees is in