Author: Rebecca Last, Gardening at Last, Master Gardeners of Ottawa-Carleton; published with permission Browsing seed catalogues and imagining my garden for the coming season are among my favourite activities for these cold winter days. Growing new plants from seed is easy, fun, and economical. But first, you need to know when to start seeds. To…
Author: Rebecca Last, Gardening at Last, Master Gardeners of Ottawa-Carleton; published with permission To the uninitiated, “hardening off” might sound like the name of a heavy metal band. In fact, it’s the final stage of preparation before you can plant your tender seedlings outside. I have fair skin and sunburn easily, so I always take…
Author: Dale Odorizzi, Master Gardeners of Lanark County; published with permission One of my favourite vegetables is the carrot. They are easy to grow and store well in the fall and winter, and most importantly, they taste delicious, especially when pulled straight out of the ground, wiped off, and eaten. As I learned more and…
Author: Dale Odorizzi, Master Gardeners of Lanark County; published with permission Garlic is a wonderful crop. You plant it in October, mulching it well to help the soil stay warm enough for roots to form and to keep it cozy all winter. In the Spring In early spring, you pull the mulch back a bit…
Author: Claire Leduc, Master Gardeners of Ottawa-Carleton; published with permission There are not many treats better than fresh berries. Ripe blueberries are no exception. Growing your own blueberry plants is not too difficult once you understand their particular needs. Soil Preparation Fall is a great time to start preparing for spring planting. Blueberries grow best…
Author: Adair Heuchan, Master Gardeners of Ottawa-Carleton; published with permission Most gardeners think that turning over the soil in their garden is a good thing and may be surprised to learn that there is a better way. For centuries, farming practices involved turning over or “tilling” the soil, which was thought of as simply the…
As usual, the weather is being weird. Freezing cold at one moment and unseasonably warm the next. This is very hard, not only for us but also for our garden. I am taking advantage of the extra snow available to me at this moment and scooping it into my garden. It will be a welcome…
Author: Julianne Labreche, Master Gardeners of Ottawa-Carleton; published with permission Twenty-three different kinds of hummingbirds have been identified in North America, but the rubythroated hummingbird is the only one that visits our Ottawa and Ontario regions. Ruby-throated hummingbirds are not only beautiful but truly remarkable. Weighing less than a nickel, these tiny birds migrate north…
Author: Amanda Carrigan, Master Gardeners of Ottawa-Carleton; published with permission I like roses but grow only two hardy kinds – cinnamon rose (Rosa majalis) and rugosa rose (Rosa rugosa). Neither is affected by disease, yet every year my roses get attacked by caterpillars. Two different types turn up in May and June and wreak havoc…
Author: Shazia Y. Hussain, Master Gardeners of Ottawa-Carleton; published with permission I am an avid gardener and a lifelong learner. My garden is an ongoing experiment, as well as a source of awe and pure inspiration. Even before I put it to bed in the fall, I find myself planning and dreaming about the upcoming…
Author: Claire McCaughey, Master Gardeners of Ottawa-Carleton; published with permission. “We can each make a measurable difference almost immediately by planting a native nearby. As gardeners and so empowered, and the stakes have never been so high.” Bringing Nature Home , Douglas Tallamy By now, having followed the first three parts of our series on…
Author: Dale Odorizzi, Master Gardeners of Lanark County; published with permission Few subjects in gardening are as confusing as the proper pruning of clematis. As Yogi Berra once said, “You can observe a lot by just watching”. The easiest way to determine the specific pruning needs of your clematis is to watch it grow through…
Gardening can be a rewarding yet challenging endeavor. Picture yourself knee-deep in soil. You’re wrestling with overgrown weeds or struggling to prune hard-to-reach branches. It’s a familiar scenario for many gardeners. This common struggle highlights the critical need for the right tools. This article provides a comprehensive checklist of essential farming tools. With the right…
Author: Julianne Labreche, Master Gardeners of Ottawa-Carleton; published with permission As any gardener knows, gardening mistakes are as common as dandelions. Heaven knows, I’ve made a fair share of them myself during nearly four decades of gardening. As the old saying goes, everyone makes mistakes, but wise people learn from them. Here are a few…
Author: Rebecca Last, Gardening at Last, Master Gardeners of Ottawa-Carleton; published with permission I really enjoy finding culinary uses for my plants. So, I was thrilled to learn that those lovely pinky-purple chive flowers make bottles of deliciously flavoured vinegar. It’s so easy that even a non-cook like me can make it. Making Vinegar from Chives Garden…
Wiring shapes bonsai trees by training branches to grow in desired directions. Mastering the technique lets you shape your bonsai into aesthetically pleasing forms, but wiring incorrectly harms its delicate branches. Before you even grab your pliers, learn the essential dos and don’ts of wiring bonsai trees. This guide will help you choose the right…
Author: Julianne Labreche, Master Gardeners of Ottawa-Carleton; published with permission The blue jay is notably recognizable by its shrieking, sharp calls and its beautiful blue, white, grey and black plumage. Considered to be an intelligent bird, it has a complex social system and tight family bonds. Where you can find Blue Jays These birds are…
Author: Nancy McDonald, Master Gardeners of Ottawa-Carleton Nasturtiums (Tropaeolum majus) are wonderful flowers for both our gardens and kitchens. This vibrant annual comes from South America, was brought to Europe in the 1550s and was found in Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello, Virginia, garden in the late 1700s. Some nasturtiums grow as climbers (3 m), others as…
Author: Julianne Labreche, Master Gardeners of Ottawa-Carleton; published with permission White-breasted nuthatches are sometimes called ‘upside down’ birds because of their unusual ability to perch and move upside down on trees. In any position, they can probe into bark furrows, cling to a tree, and move up and down to forage or hide food. It…
Author: Julianne Labreche, Master Gardeners of Ottawa-Carleton; published with permission Frequent visitors to my backyard garden are the curious little black-capped chickadees. They are easily recognizable with their black cap and bib, white cheeks, and warm buff-tone flanks and sides. Usually they visit my garden in small flocks for safety. Sometimes they arrive with other…
The “Plant of the Year” is often designated by various gardening and horticultural societies or organizations, and sometimes by individual countries, so there can be multiple plants receiving this title in a given year. One of the more recognized programs is the “Perennial Plant of the Year,” designated by the Perennial Plant Association (PPA) in…
Author: Gail Labrosse, Master Gardeners of Ottawa-Carleton; published with permission Drying hydrangea flowers from your garden for a winter table arrangement is easy. The best time for picking the flowers is toward the end of the growing season, when they naturally start to dry out. Take a tall container of cool water with you when…
Author: Julianne Labreche, Master Gardeners of Ottawa-Carleton; published with permission Many different species of sparrows visit my backyard garden, no matter the season. Sparrow sightings in the Ottawa area include song sparrows, chipping sparrows, swamp sparrows, house sparrows, white-crowned sparrows, and white-throated sparrows, among others. Even the dark-eyed Junco is part of the North American…
Author: Penka Matanska, Master Gardeners of Ottawa-Carleton; published with permission Testing the boundaries of what can be grown in Ottawa, Canadian climate Zone 5a, brings a thrill of excitement – especially when the attempt is successful. I would like to share my experience with growing ginger plant (Zingiber officinale), while providing a few tips of…
End of content
End of content
GardeningCalendar.ca is supported in part by advertisers. If you click on links and on ads, at no cost to you, the site may earn a small commission that helps run the website.
© 2024 J&S Calendars Ltd.
