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 America. They produce enormous root systems over their lifetimes, and these help make them champions when it comes to soil stabilization, carbon sequestration, and watershed management.” Douglas Tallamy: The Nature of…
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 Birds Bird-Friendly Annual Flowers Bird-Friendly Vines Grasses for Birds These are alternatives to Miscanthus, considered an invasive plant species. www.ontarioinvasiveplants.ca/grow-instead Groundcovers for Birds Useful Birding Apps Merlin Bird ID Website: merlin.allaboutbirds.org…
Author: Barabara Long, Master Gardeners of Ottawa-Carleton; published with permission. We begin our study of what lies beneath our feet by looking at the five soil layers, also called horizons. From top to bottom, we have: organic (leaf litter and humus), topsoil (minerals with humus), the leaching layer (sand and silt with very little minerals),…
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 large plant. What started as a small seedling in the spring has grown in size, approaching 60 cm (2 feet). So, what to do with this abundance? A Delightful Herb Let…
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 of time to learn and practice gardening in small spaces. My backyard garden is an L-shaped area around our deck (west facing), and my front garden is a rectangle that I…
Author: Claire McCaughey, Master Gardeners of Lanark County; Edible flowers have long been part of the cuisines of distinct cultures. Take, for example, squash blossoms (the flowers of Cucurbita pepo). The genus Cucurbita originated in the Americas and has been an integral part of Native American and Mexican cuisines. Squash blossoms were adopted into Italian…
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 flowers, vegetables, and herbs that you plan to grow this summer. Hopefully, you already have the seeds ready, either saved from last year’s harvest or purchased at a local store or…
Author: Julianne Labreche, Master Gardeners of Ottawa-Carleton; published with permission “In the past, we have asked one thing of our gardens: that they be pretty. Now they have to support life, sequester carbon, feed pollinators, and manage water.” – Douglas Tallamy A fundamental change in thinking is happening among many Canadian gardeners. Gardening styles are…
Author: Rebecca Last, Gardening at Last, Master Gardeners of Ottawa-Carleton; published with permission Are you excited to start seeds? Me too! Before starting, I like to assemble my supplies and equipment. Here’s what you will need to start your own seeds: Most of these things can be found or improvised from household items, so there is no…
Author: Rebecca Last, Gardening at Last, Master Gardeners of Ottawa-Carleton; published with permission A rose by any other name may smell sweet, but failing to document seeds that you have collected or purchased can lead to great frustration for gardeners. Avoid Mystery Seeds! For example, here is a bag of mystery seeds that emerged from a recent…
Author: Lee Ann Smith, Master Gardeners of Ottawa-Carleton, Published with Permission However you define a garden oasis, I’d like to encourage you to grow some memories! Consider choosing specific plants to celebrate the people and places most important in your life. You can give yourself the pleasure of revisiting favourite friends, family members, events, and…
Author: Penka Matanska, Master Gardeners of Ottawa-Carleton; published with permission. “Restoring viable habitat within the humandominated landscapes that separate habitat fragments – with as much of this land as possible – is the single most effective thing we can do to stop the steady drain of species from our local ecosystems.” Douglas W. Tallamy For…
Author: Nancy McDonald, Master Gardeners of Ottawa-Carleton; published with permission It’s not only new gardeners who assume that wildflowers and native plants are the same. And that when we purchase a wildflower packet of seeds to plant, it will mean many years of bloom with very little gardening maintenance. We may be envisioning a meadow…
Author: Julianne Labreche, Master Gardeners of Ottawa-Carleton; published with permission One pleasure every summer is watching American goldfinches forage for seeds among the flowers and grasses of my front-yard pollinator garden. These beautiful little birds, only about 10 cm in length, are attracted to many of the same plants as butterflies. According to The Cornell…
Author: Rebecca Last, Gardening at Last, Master Gardeners of Ottawa-Carleton; published with permission Why Save Seeds? Saving my own seeds saves me money and ensures I can get the seeds I want. So many people started gardening during COVID that the seed vendors couldn’t keep up! Perennials grown from seed tend to be hardier and better able…
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…
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: 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…
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