Spring Plant Sale
Date: May 26th
Time: 9am
Location: The parking lot of Dufferin Mutual Insurance, 712 Main St. East
There will be a selection of hardy perennials that are acclimatized to the Shelburne area.
Typical plants that you might find are: Hostas, Heuchera, Iris, Phlox, Day Lilies and ground cover.
Do you have some gardening questions? Not sure where to start?
Come out and meet some of our members and get your questions answered.
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Some neat Garden Tips
Thought I would share some neat ideas that I am thinking of implementing this year in my garden.
Rain Barrel Collection (using Garbage pails) - Click Here for the details
If you do raised beds you can add in frame work for mini greenhouse that can be taken off once it is warm enough.
Here is the link of how to do it yourself - Click Here
Don't have a lot of growing room but want to try growing potatoes? Try this solution. Plant multiple levels of potatoes in a single box - Click here
Use wire cages for vertical Vine Growing, then use the shade they create to grow lettuce.
Click Here for more information
Add a wire cage or nylon cage to protect berries from the birds - Click Here
Do you have a bunch of tomato cages that you no longer use? Put them to use as for your peas.
Cut them in half, straighten them out and weave them together until they are long enough for your rows. On the outer edge curl the cut end back against itself so that you don't scrape yourself on them. Here is a picture.
Resources
This DVD has all of the articles ever written by Mother Earth. A great resource.
http://www.motherearthnews.com/shopping/detail.aspx?itemnumber=5745
Online Gardening Resource
http://www.growveg.com/freetrial.aspx
A great magazine
http://www.gardenswest.com/qry/page.taf?id=66
Don't want to grow your own? Here are some great lists for local CSA's (Community Supported Agriculture) and local farmers.
http://csafarms.ca/farms%20counties%20A-K.htm#dufferin
http://harmonyhealthclinic.ca/uploads/forms/Local%20Food%20Reference%20List.pdf
Rain Barrel Collection (using Garbage pails) - Click Here for the details
You could also add a solar timer with a shut off valve to allow for automatic watering with drip irrigation hoses.
If you do raised beds you can add in frame work for mini greenhouse that can be taken off once it is warm enough.
Don't have a lot of growing room but want to try growing potatoes? Try this solution. Plant multiple levels of potatoes in a single box - Click here
Use wire cages for vertical Vine Growing, then use the shade they create to grow lettuce.
Click Here for more information
Add a wire cage or nylon cage to protect berries from the birds - Click Here
Do you have a bunch of tomato cages that you no longer use? Put them to use as for your peas.
Cut them in half, straighten them out and weave them together until they are long enough for your rows. On the outer edge curl the cut end back against itself so that you don't scrape yourself on them. Here is a picture.
Resources
This DVD has all of the articles ever written by Mother Earth. A great resource.
http://www.motherearthnews.com/shopping/detail.aspx?itemnumber=5745
Online Gardening Resource
http://www.growveg.com/freetrial.aspx
A great magazine
http://www.gardenswest.com/qry/page.taf?id=66
Don't want to grow your own? Here are some great lists for local CSA's (Community Supported Agriculture) and local farmers.
http://csafarms.ca/farms%20counties%20A-K.htm#dufferin
http://harmonyhealthclinic.ca/uploads/forms/Local%20Food%20Reference%20List.pdf
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Celebration
Join us on May 12th for our 50th Anniversary.
Click here for all the details
A little history of the past 50 years and then some.
In 1973 Mrs. Martha Collins donated a plaque to be given annually to the member with the highest points in the Flower Shows. We are now on our 2nd. plaque.
In 2006 the Society, in
co-operation with the woodshop class at Centre Dufferin
District High
School, donated two A-Frame planters to Dufferin
Oaks Home for Seniors.
Click here for all the details
A little history of the past 50 years and then some.
The first Horticultural
Society in Shelburne was formed in the 1880s. The President was Mr. F,G.
Dunbar. They planted maple trees in the downtown, some of which are still
standing.
The 2nd. Society
was formed in April 1927 with Dr. J.H.
Zinn as president, Mrs. R.W. Brett 1st. Vice and Dr. W.J. McLean 2nd.
Vice. This society folded in the 1930s. Peonies, a gift to
Horticultural Societies from the Prince of Wales, were planted in the gardens
of the first officers.
The current Shelburne &
District Horticultural Society was organized on May 9th, 1962 with Mrs. Eric Gray as
President. There were 43 members. The Hydrangea was adopted as
the official emblem on March
24th, 1986.
Membership then was 223.
Since 1963 the Society has
been involved in planting flowers in several locations in the town.
For many years the Society
has had a display at the Shelburne Fall Fair, as well as donating prizes for 2
classes.
The first Flower Show was
held in 1966 with a total of $25 in prize money! Later a second show was added.
Now there are three – in May, June and August with approx. $400 given in
prizes.
From 1972 to 1979 a Junior
Horticultural Society was active. The young members each had a small garden 10’
x 10’ in which they planted 4 rows of vegetables and 2 of flowers. Other
activities included learning about flowers and entering in the Flower Show.
In 1973 Mrs. Martha Collins donated a plaque to be given annually to the member with the highest points in the Flower Shows. We are now on our 2nd. plaque.
In November 1983 Mr. Alex and
Neil Noble presented the President, John Hoddinott, a trophy in memory of their
mother, Mrs. Edna Noble, who was president in 1977 and 78. This trophy is
passed to each succeeding president.
The Society continues to have
excellent speakers at our meetings, to holds Flower Shows, do Civic Plantings,
take interesting trips and has an annual Photography contest.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Lasgna Gardening
Is there anything better than eating fresh vegetables from the garden? We always had access to a large garden as children. In the winter we enjoyed the spoils of the garden through canning and frozen vegetables. It was quite a shock when I moved to the city and purchased produce from the grocery store and it didn't taste anything like what I was used to.
After Mom got frustrated with us raiding the carrot rows before they were ready she starting giving us our own little plot, we could plant what wanted and the best part - we could eat it when ever we wanted. My carrots always disappeared well before they were ready.
I really wanted a vegetable garden but knew that I wouldn't have a lot of time to dedicate to it. So I started looking for "less work" gardening solutions. I found a book at our library by Patricia Lanza called Lasagna Gardening and it has changed the way I garden.
We started a little vegetable garden 4 years ago using the "Lasagna Garden" method and have had great success. I would highly recommend using this method if you want lots of produce with little or no maintenance.
The concept is layers of straw, manure, compost, soil, newspaper etc that create a raised bed. It is a very rich soil base so you plant things close together. One great advantage of doing this is that once the plants are up there is very little weeding to do.
The ratio is one layer green to four layers of brown. Here are some examples of types of layers.
Green Layers:
Grass clippings (make sure they have no chemicals on them)
Barn litter
Coffee grounds
Seaweed
Blood meal
Brown Layers:
Newspaper (use as your first layer)
Cardboard (use as your first layer)
Shredded office paper
Fall leaves
Wood chips/twigs/shredded branches
Mulch
Peat moss
Hay
Straw
Sawdust
A blog article she wrote with great explanations - http://ourgardengang.tripod.com/lasagna_gardening.htm
Layers described hhttp://www.oprah.com/home/Lasagna-Gardening-101/3
Here is her blog - http://firstlasagnagardener.blogspot.ca/
The Shelburne Public Library has the original Lasagna Gardening book and Small Spaces by Patricia Lanza. They are worth the read. Click here to request them
We have a 4x10 plot and have harvested tomatoes, peppers, yellow/purple bean, peas, beets and radish off of it, enough for two people to eat and a some for the freezer.
Here is a picture of my garden last year.
Our first harvest of last year.
Len Pense from Missouri has taken this concept to a whole new level of gardening. A former engineer he has it down to a mathematical equation. I am hoping to implement some of his plans this summer to start my own larger garden. You can check out his site at www.gardeningrevolution.com
After Mom got frustrated with us raiding the carrot rows before they were ready she starting giving us our own little plot, we could plant what wanted and the best part - we could eat it when ever we wanted. My carrots always disappeared well before they were ready.
I really wanted a vegetable garden but knew that I wouldn't have a lot of time to dedicate to it. So I started looking for "less work" gardening solutions. I found a book at our library by Patricia Lanza called Lasagna Gardening and it has changed the way I garden.
We started a little vegetable garden 4 years ago using the "Lasagna Garden" method and have had great success. I would highly recommend using this method if you want lots of produce with little or no maintenance.
The concept is layers of straw, manure, compost, soil, newspaper etc that create a raised bed. It is a very rich soil base so you plant things close together. One great advantage of doing this is that once the plants are up there is very little weeding to do.
The ratio is one layer green to four layers of brown. Here are some examples of types of layers.
Green Layers:
Grass clippings (make sure they have no chemicals on them)
Barn litter
Coffee grounds
Seaweed
Blood meal
Brown Layers:
Newspaper (use as your first layer)
Cardboard (use as your first layer)
Shredded office paper
Fall leaves
Wood chips/twigs/shredded branches
Mulch
Peat moss
Hay
Straw
Sawdust
A blog article she wrote with great explanations - http://ourgardengang.tripod.com/lasagna_gardening.htm
Layers described hhttp://www.oprah.com/home/Lasagna-Gardening-101/3
Here is her blog - http://firstlasagnagardener.blogspot.ca/
The Shelburne Public Library has the original Lasagna Gardening book and Small Spaces by Patricia Lanza. They are worth the read. Click here to request them
We have a 4x10 plot and have harvested tomatoes, peppers, yellow/purple bean, peas, beets and radish off of it, enough for two people to eat and a some for the freezer.
Here is a picture of my garden last year.
Len Pense from Missouri has taken this concept to a whole new level of gardening. A former engineer he has it down to a mathematical equation. I am hoping to implement some of his plans this summer to start my own larger garden. You can check out his site at www.gardeningrevolution.com
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Vegetables, vegetables and more vegetables
I was so excited to attend the first horticultural meeting this year! I love vegetable gardening - there is really nothing like produce picked fresh from the garden. Eating from my garden is one of my favorite parts of summer.
Cameron Dolson shared a wealth of information from his years of growing vegetables. I will share a few of his suggestions here. Mr. Dolson was kind enough to leave notes with us, so if you are a member and would like a copy please contact Brenda Speers.
He broke vegetable growing into 6 parts
1) Location 2) When to plant 3) What to plant and how 4) Harvesting 5) Autumn clean-up 6) Maintenance
Location
- A garden needs at least 6 hours of sun
- Try to stay away from trees (roots and shade issues)
- An area that drains well (you don't want to put your garden where water lays in the spring)
- Consider where your water source will be - Gardens need up to 1 inch of rain per week ( A 4x8 plot works out to about 20 gallons/week)
When to Plant
- Plant by the weather rather than by the calendar
- Use a soil thermometer to determine the soil temperature. When it reaches 10C you can plant peas and potatoes, when it reaches 16C you can plant everything else. (you also want to take into consideration the last frost)
Planting and Harvest
He reminded us that each year certain vegetables will do extremely well, while others may not. This is Mother Nature, and it shouldn't discourage us from planting a vegetable that did poorly last year.
He recommends getting new seeds each year to be safe. Crop rotation each year is also important to cut down on disease and nutrient loss. If possible plant moisture loving plants near each other (potatoes, peas, beets, carrots)
Tomatoes
- He recommend buying young plants and a book specifically about growing tomatoes
- Plant them 30" apart
- Suggested variety - Sweet Million
- Stake with Lee Valley Tomato Spirals Click here to see them
- As tomatoes like heat, they thrive up against walls
- Harvest - When the tomatoes are starting to ripen, check them every day
Beans
- Better to plant in a single long row rather than several short rows beside each other as they need good air circulation to prevent mold.
- Need full sun, don't plant them where they will be shaded by other plants
- Plant the seeds with the eye facing up they will come up faster this way
- Harvest - Pick every day, but don't touch the foliage when it is wet as this could cause mold. Harvest could last for up to a month
Peas
- Cool weather crop - they don't like hot summer days
- Try the Lincoln homesteader variety
- Use a 3' chicken wire "fence" between two row of peas to let them climb up to keep them off the ground
- Harvest - Start producing early in July and continues for a month. Check daily for plump pods.
Carrots
- Plant very close to the surface
- While you are waiting from them to come up, check the surface often. If there is a thin crust, put a little water on the row to soften the dirt to allow the seedlings to push through.
Beets
- Very easy to grow
Radish and Lettuce
- Don't like hot weather, can plant them in between things to shelter them from the hot sun
- Do multiple plantings during the summer
- Suggested variety - Early Scarlet Globe
- Harvesting lettuce - pick often and replant
- Harvesting Radish - usually 21 days after planting, can be replanted
Corn
- Likes heat
- a square block of corn is better that a couple of rows
- not the best crop to grow if you are short on space and time
Squash
-Plant them at the edge of the garden and let them grow across the lawn
- Suggested varieties - Butternut and acorn
- Harvest - Leave as long as possible but don't let them freeze
Potatoes
- Buy new seed each year
- Plant them early
- Seed potatoes can be cut into pieces as long as each piece has an eye and is no smaller than a golf ball.
- Suggested variety - Red Chieftain
- Harvest - Leave as long as possible, dig when vines have withered up.
General tips for autumn clean up and maintenance
- Water early in the morning to prevent scorching (from afternoon watering) and mold (from evening watering)
- A leaf shredder, a chipper and a rear tine tiller (no vibration) are recommended for serious gardening.
- He has found that tilling leaves into the garden in the fall has prevented potato bugs, and oak leaves seem to work the best
- Never ever work clay soil when it is wet - you'll end up with rock hard lumps and chunks!!
- Adding compost builds fiber and helps balance the soil temperature
- Add peat moss if your soil is too sandy
- If you have never had a vegetable garden before - start with 100 square feet.
Hope this encourages everyone to add at least one vegetable to your garden this year!!
Cameron Dolson shared a wealth of information from his years of growing vegetables. I will share a few of his suggestions here. Mr. Dolson was kind enough to leave notes with us, so if you are a member and would like a copy please contact Brenda Speers.
He broke vegetable growing into 6 parts
1) Location 2) When to plant 3) What to plant and how 4) Harvesting 5) Autumn clean-up 6) Maintenance
Location
- A garden needs at least 6 hours of sun
- Try to stay away from trees (roots and shade issues)
- An area that drains well (you don't want to put your garden where water lays in the spring)
- Consider where your water source will be - Gardens need up to 1 inch of rain per week ( A 4x8 plot works out to about 20 gallons/week)
When to Plant
- Plant by the weather rather than by the calendar
- Use a soil thermometer to determine the soil temperature. When it reaches 10C you can plant peas and potatoes, when it reaches 16C you can plant everything else. (you also want to take into consideration the last frost)
Planting and Harvest
He reminded us that each year certain vegetables will do extremely well, while others may not. This is Mother Nature, and it shouldn't discourage us from planting a vegetable that did poorly last year.
He recommends getting new seeds each year to be safe. Crop rotation each year is also important to cut down on disease and nutrient loss. If possible plant moisture loving plants near each other (potatoes, peas, beets, carrots)
Tomatoes
- He recommend buying young plants and a book specifically about growing tomatoes
- Plant them 30" apart
- Suggested variety - Sweet Million
- Stake with Lee Valley Tomato Spirals Click here to see them
- As tomatoes like heat, they thrive up against walls
- Harvest - When the tomatoes are starting to ripen, check them every day
Beans
- Better to plant in a single long row rather than several short rows beside each other as they need good air circulation to prevent mold.
- Need full sun, don't plant them where they will be shaded by other plants
- Plant the seeds with the eye facing up they will come up faster this way
- Harvest - Pick every day, but don't touch the foliage when it is wet as this could cause mold. Harvest could last for up to a month
Peas
- Cool weather crop - they don't like hot summer days
- Try the Lincoln homesteader variety
- Use a 3' chicken wire "fence" between two row of peas to let them climb up to keep them off the ground
- Harvest - Start producing early in July and continues for a month. Check daily for plump pods.
Carrots
- Plant very close to the surface
- While you are waiting from them to come up, check the surface often. If there is a thin crust, put a little water on the row to soften the dirt to allow the seedlings to push through.
Beets
- Very easy to grow
Radish and Lettuce
- Don't like hot weather, can plant them in between things to shelter them from the hot sun
- Do multiple plantings during the summer
- Suggested variety - Early Scarlet Globe
- Harvesting lettuce - pick often and replant
- Harvesting Radish - usually 21 days after planting, can be replanted
Corn
- Likes heat
- a square block of corn is better that a couple of rows
- not the best crop to grow if you are short on space and time
Squash
-Plant them at the edge of the garden and let them grow across the lawn
- Suggested varieties - Butternut and acorn
- Harvest - Leave as long as possible but don't let them freeze
Potatoes
- Buy new seed each year
- Plant them early
- Seed potatoes can be cut into pieces as long as each piece has an eye and is no smaller than a golf ball.
- Suggested variety - Red Chieftain
- Harvest - Leave as long as possible, dig when vines have withered up.
General tips for autumn clean up and maintenance
- Water early in the morning to prevent scorching (from afternoon watering) and mold (from evening watering)
- A leaf shredder, a chipper and a rear tine tiller (no vibration) are recommended for serious gardening.
- He has found that tilling leaves into the garden in the fall has prevented potato bugs, and oak leaves seem to work the best
- Never ever work clay soil when it is wet - you'll end up with rock hard lumps and chunks!!
- Adding compost builds fiber and helps balance the soil temperature
- Add peat moss if your soil is too sandy
- If you have never had a vegetable garden before - start with 100 square feet.
Hope this encourages everyone to add at least one vegetable to your garden this year!!
Thursday, March 15, 2012
First Meeting in 2012
Welcome Back!!!
Our first meeting for 2012 is fast approaching.
Join us Tuesday, March 20th at 7:30pm to hear Cameron Dolson speak about Growing Vegetables. The meeting starts at 7:30pm in the New Horizon's Room at the Mel Lloyd Centre.
2012 is a special year for the Shelburne and District Horticultural Society. We are celebrating our 50th Anniversary !!! Click here for the details of the celebration.
Click here to see the upcoming meetings.
Click here to see the upcoming events in the area.
Our first meeting for 2012 is fast approaching.
Join us Tuesday, March 20th at 7:30pm to hear Cameron Dolson speak about Growing Vegetables. The meeting starts at 7:30pm in the New Horizon's Room at the Mel Lloyd Centre.
2012 is a special year for the Shelburne and District Horticultural Society. We are celebrating our 50th Anniversary !!! Click here for the details of the celebration.
Click here to see the upcoming meetings.
Click here to see the upcoming events in the area.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Gardening Ideas
Where do you get your gardening ideas from?
How do you organize all of your ideas so that you can implement them "sometime" during the gardening season?
I like to look at books at the library, when I find things I like I take a picture of them.
I also love searching online for ideas.
I have recently become addicted to Pinterest.com This is an online bulletin board site that allows you to collect all of your ideas in one place and easily add comments. You can link to websites and upload your own pictures from your computer. You can create multiple boards and search other peoples boards.
Here is a sample of mine...
Click Here to see them online
Click Here to see some other garden collections.
Here are some neat things I found through this site this week.
Some great ways of making better use of your sunny spots.Vertical Gardening
Image by Abby Henderson
http://poppytalk.blogspot.com/2010/07/this-week-with-abbey-hendrickson_29.html
Image by Kate Djupe
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/a-diy-freestanding-vertical-ga-148641
And a great re-purpose idea. Fasten rain gutters to a Sunny Wall. Wouldn't this look great along a Barn or shed.
Image Suzanne Forsling
http://juneauempire.com/stories/072508/nei_309624417.shtml
Creative Ideas for adding interest to your garden
Add a little "fairy fun" to your garden
http://fourgirlies.blogspot.com/2009/06/fairy-land.html
Moss words on a wall
Image by Becky Striepe
http://craftingagreenworld.com/2010/09/22/all-natural-graffiti-made-from-moss/
And some gardening Tips
How to Prune Basil to go from this
To this
Images by author of the blog below
http://mybyrdhouse.blogspot.com/2008/07/basil-pruning-tutorial-really.html
10 Tips for Growing Tomatoes
http://www.organicgardening.com/learn-and-grow/secrets-tomato-growing-success
Or maybe you are looking for some floral design ideas
http://pinterest.com/search/boards/?q=flower%20design
How do you organize all of your ideas so that you can implement them "sometime" during the gardening season?
I like to look at books at the library, when I find things I like I take a picture of them.
I also love searching online for ideas.
I have recently become addicted to Pinterest.com This is an online bulletin board site that allows you to collect all of your ideas in one place and easily add comments. You can link to websites and upload your own pictures from your computer. You can create multiple boards and search other peoples boards.
Here is a sample of mine...
Click Here to see some other garden collections.
Here are some neat things I found through this site this week.
Some great ways of making better use of your sunny spots.Vertical Gardening
http://poppytalk.blogspot.com/2010/07/this-week-with-abbey-hendrickson_29.html
Image by Kate Djupe
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/a-diy-freestanding-vertical-ga-148641
And a great re-purpose idea. Fasten rain gutters to a Sunny Wall. Wouldn't this look great along a Barn or shed.
http://juneauempire.com/stories/072508/nei_309624417.shtml
Creative Ideas for adding interest to your garden
Add a little "fairy fun" to your garden
http://fourgirlies.blogspot.com/2009/06/fairy-land.html
Moss words on a wall
http://craftingagreenworld.com/2010/09/22/all-natural-graffiti-made-from-moss/
And some gardening Tips
How to Prune Basil to go from this
To this
http://mybyrdhouse.blogspot.com/2008/07/basil-pruning-tutorial-really.html
10 Tips for Growing Tomatoes
http://www.organicgardening.com/learn-and-grow/secrets-tomato-growing-success
Or maybe you are looking for some floral design ideas
http://pinterest.com/search/boards/?q=flower%20design
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