permafrog, Author at Shakadoo

Watering Your Garden

Flowers and vegetables need regular watering to ensure their growth. At the same time it is important to be water wise and use only that which you need. The gardener cannot rely on the rain and requires some method to make sure the plants get the water they need.

For watering to be effective you want to give the plants a good soak so that the water goes deep and the roots grow. A micro-drip irrigation system is a great way to get the plants the water they need and not waste any.

The micro-drip system is ideal :

For water-saving irrigation of shrubs, garden beds, vegetable gardens, pots and narrow planting areas
Direct water delivery with reduced evaporation

Canadian Tire has the Gardena Micro Drip System on sale at $47.99 down from $59.99. If I needed a new watering system, I’d be heading there to take advantage of this sale.

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My Favourite? Flower

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When I give a garden talk or hold a workshop I am often asked what my favourite flower is. Some assume that it is a rose because I have a rose tattoo on my right forearm. While I love roses, they are not my favourite.

Actually it is impossible for me to pick just one. I am a big fan of sunflowers and have included them in every garden that I have designed over the past ten years. They are a great plant.

I am a big fan of marigolds, especially the French marigold (Tagetes patula). I think this maybe because they are one of the first flowers that i can remember from my mother’s garden and I have been growing them for quite sometime.

Do you have a favourite flower? Or can you name your top three favourites?

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Edible Flowers

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Have you ever eaten flowers? Well, if not, then you are missing a treat. You can have your garden and eat it too and I am not talking about vegetables. It is possible to work beans such as the scarlet runner bean and other vegetables, as well as herbs, into a great landscape design.

You can also choose from an array of edible flowers, pansies and violets, for example, give seasonal beauty and something extra for your salads and more ,both panises and violets can be candied. The choices range far beyond these two annual beauties.

Borage is one of my favourite plants. It is beautiful, bees buzz around it and it is easy to grow. The blue flowers taste
great in a salad. You can also freeze the flowers in ice cubes for those hot summer night drinks.

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Finding that right plant

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When I talk with people about gardening or hold a workshop, I always refer to the one rule that can help you create your ideal garden. Put the right plant in the right place. The first question that I often get is how do I know what the right plant is?

First get to know your plant hardiness zones. The second thing to know is where you plan to put the plant. Full sun, full shade or somewhere in bewteen. Are you willing to water regulalrly or do you want to let the plant fend for itself?

You can simplify the process by dropping by the Heart Rock Garden blog. There is an interactive guide there that will help you make your plant choices.

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Aquilegia (Columbine)

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I was visiting the flatbush gardener’s blog this morning and I came across this great picture of a yellow warbler in an apple tree in bloom. Warblers are not known for their willingness to sit for pictures so this is a treat.

I’ll be meeting with the city this week to discuss the greening project for the lot next door. One of the plants that I plan on using is Aquilegia (Columbine). Part of the site has dappled shade in the afternoon and the columbine will be perfect.

The site has poor soil and though I will do some amending I need plants that can handle the exisiting conditions. I do not plan on watering the plants, after the first few weeks, so the plants need to be drought tolerant.

Columbine is a native plant for this region and will adapt once it has accepted its new home.

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Brussel Sprouts

by permafrog 2 Comments

Brussel sprouts are, without doubt, my favourite vegetable. I have been known, when dining alone, to make whole meals of them. Steam, top with a little butter and pepper to taste, a glorious feast. I have only grown them once and that was several years ago in a shared garden.

This was a successful experience so I am thinking that I may do it again this year. I was looking for pointers and found some useful information at the Harvest Wizard. It will be necessary to use containers as the soil is mostly sand and the work to amend it more than I, as a renter, am willing to undertake.

So far my backyard garden will be tomatoes, basil, a natural tomato companion and brussel sprouts, all will be container grown. We get plenty of sunshine so that is no problem. I’ll keep you posted on the progress.

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Happy Mothers Day

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I wish mothers everywhere a very, very happy Mothers Day. This is a time to share and a time to care but, perhaps most importanly, a time to remember and honour Mothers everywhere.

photo courtesy Hortico

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Red Osier Dogwood (Cornus stolonifera)

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The red osier dogwood is truly a plant for all seasons and the birds love the berries. The red bark adds colour to the winter yard. This native shrub (it is native across Canada and much of the United States) is an ideal shrub for your front or backyard.

It is hardy to zone 2 and an excellent choice for the banks of rivers and streams. It’s maximum height is nine feet but can be kept vibrant at anywhere down to 3 feet tall. The white berries add their own beauty and the birds will devour them.

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International Migratory Bird Day

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Thanks to birdfeak’s blog I discovered that tomorrow is International Migratory Bird Day. I was going to write about plant choices for the gardener who wants to attract wild birds to their yard but it is more important to recognize this day. I’ll get back to the garden tomorrow.

International Migratory Bird Day celebrates the incredible journeys of
migratory birds between their breeding grounds in North America and
their wintering grounds in Mexico, Central, and South America.

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Songbirds

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Now that Spring is blooming and warm Summer days are looming, I can wake each morning to one of my favouite sounds, the songbirds are returning to their Summer habitat. This can have a downside though as the birds tend to rise up and greet the dawn sometime before I do.

I do find this only a mild annoyance though and one that I am willing to endure for it does not last all that long. In a short time the birds have moved further North to settle into their Summer homes.

You can encourage the songbirds to stop and stay a little longer both on their journey North and in the Fall on the way South, through selective planting of trees and berry bushes that are native to your region. This way you provide food and shelter for the birds on their journey.

Songbirds also devour insects such as mosquitoes. A bird feeder or two can give them a reason to visit your yard. This can be especially useful if you are unable to plant the trees and bushes they need.

Tomorrow, we will look at some planting choices that encourage the birds to hang around and delight our senses throughout the season. Do you garden for the birds?

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