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Starting Seeds in August
The weather continues to lurch to extremes! Humidity, high heat, and torrential rains. A big test for our gardens. It can be disheartening to…
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Please Touch the Plants: The Sense of Touch in the Garden
Author: Claire McCaughey, Master Gardener of Ottawa Carleton Gardening is an active, hands-on pursuit where the gardener has her hands in the soil, feeling…
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Fish Emulsion Fertilizer and Nanking Cherries
This month has flown by, and life seems to be so very busy. It has been dreadfully hot and then there were torrential rains…
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Fresh from the Garden: The Gardener’s Sense of Taste
Author: Claire McCaughey, Master Gardeners of Ottawa Carleton One of the true joys of gardening is eating the vegetables, herbs, and fruits that you…
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Mixing it Up: Combining Edibles with Ornamentals
Author: Claire McCaughey, Master Gardeners of Ottawa-Carleton Just a few decades ago, planting ornamental plants and food crops together would have been frowned upon…
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Gardening for Birds: Planting for Cedar Waxwings
Author: Julianne Labreche, Master Gardeners of Ottawa-Carleton One late winter day, just as the weather was turning mild, a large flock of cedar waxwings…
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Gardening for Birds: Planting for American Robins
Author: Julianne Labreche, Master Gardeners of Ottawa-Carleton The American robin, with its brick-red breast, yellow beak, and grey wings, is a much-loved harbinger of…
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Light Pollution and the Importance of Darkness For Wildlife
Author: Julianne Labreche, Master Gardeners of Ottawa-Carleton As days become shorter, winter solstice approaches. Long shadows fall over the garden while many migratory birds…
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Gardening for Birds and Planting for Owls
Author: Julianne Labreche, Master Gardeners of Ottawa-Carleton That winter’s night when a snowy owl perched in the boughs of my old crabapple tree will…
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Gardening for Birds: Planting for Woodpeckers
Author: Julianne Labreche, Master Gardeners of Ottawa-Carleton. Three species of woodpeckers visit my well-wooded, older suburb. Usually, they are most noticeable during mating season…
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The Amazing Life Cycle of the Aphid
Author: Dale Odorizzi, Master Gardeners of Lanark County Like every gardener I know, my garden has been visited – or should I say, attacked–…
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Water Wise Gardening
Author: Rebecca Last, Gardening at Last, Master Gardeners of Ottawa-Carleton; Why bother to save water? In my house, water bills are a big motivator. Like many…
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In Defence of Earwigs in Your Garden
Author: Dale Odorizzi, Master Gardeners of Lanark County Mention the word earwig to a group of gardeners, and you get a strong negative reaction.…
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Annuals: Why We Love Them and Tips for Success
Author: Claire Leduc, Master Gardeners of Lanark County After months of winter and pandemic restrictions, gardeners will be eager to get outdoors and enjoy…
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Gardening for Birds – Planting for Mourning Doves
Author: Julianne Labreche, Master Gardeners of Ottawa-Carleton If my bedroom window is open, one of the best ways to wake up on a summer…
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Pollinator Tips for Summer Gardens
Author: Julianne Labreche, Master Gardeners of Ottawa-Carleton Hot, lazy July days bring busy pollinators to visit our orchards, flower, and vegetable gardens. These small…
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Sense of Smell in the Garden
Author: Claire McCaughey, Master Gardeners of Ottawa-Carleton. In this article, the first of a five-part series on the five senses in the garden, the…
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Keystone Plants Trees – Ecoregion Five
Author: Adair Heuchan, Master Gardeners of Ottawa-Carleto.. “Oaks support more forms of life and more fascinating interactions than any other tree genus in North…
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An Overview of Garden Plant Suggestions for Birds
Julianne Labreche, Master Gardener, Ottawa-Carleton N= Native Plant Bird Friendly Shrubs and Small Trees Evergreen Trees for Birds Deciduous Trees for Birds Perennials for…
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Understanding Soil
Author: Barbara Long, Master Gardeners of Ottawa-Carleton; published with permission. We begin our study of what lies beneath our feet by looking at the…
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Abundant Lemon Verbena
Author: Nancy McDonald, Master Gardeners of Ottawa-Carleton; published with permission. If you are like me and grow lemon verbena, you now have a very…
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Gardening In Small Spaces
Author: Andrea Knight, Master Gardeners of Ottawa-Carleton My husband and I have owned our home in Ottawa for over twenty years, giving me lots…
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Edible Flowers You Can Grow
Author: Claire McCaughey, Master Gardeners of Lanark County. Edible flowers have long been part of the cuisines of distinct cultures. Take, for example, squash…
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Getting a Head Start on the Summer Growing Season
Author: Rob Stuart, Master Gardeners of Ottawa-Carleton; published with permission. Mid-March in Ottawa is usually the ideal time to start sowing seeds of annual…
