Your cart is currently empty!
Get Event Reminders…
…twice a month by subscribing to our newsletter
Subscribe using the form in the page footer below.
Your cart is currently empty!
…twice a month by subscribing to our newsletter
Subscribe using the form in the page footer below.
They have their little seed leaves (tomato cotyledons) waving at me and are all reaching for the light. I am continuing to leave them on their heated mat until they are ready to pot up to the next level.
Greetings fellow gardeners,
Spring? Sometimes weather happens. On Easter Monday I was able to putter about and even started my pruning chores. On Tuesday morning the temperature was dropping and there was snow. If you have bulbs blooming, don’t panic, as they will pull through.
So, I am inside fussing with my plant stand and organizing seeds. I have to get my small business organized and as well the 2023 calendar which needs to be finished by June. Our Horticultural Society has also taken on a big project as well; we are rejuvenating a park, with an emphasis on using native plantings and plants for pollinators. That is going to be an ongoing project. My work at the farm garden will be starting up soon and I have my volunteer duties with the Master Gardeners including advice tables and talks. I am enjoying this little snowy break.
I, like many of you, have been haunting my plant stand. Are the seeds up? Are they growing? What germinated and what did not? And the new plant stand protection has meant that nothing has been chewed by the too-many cats!
A Cotyledon is an embryonic leaf in seed-bearing plants, one or more of which are the first leaves to appear from a germinating seed. (Thank you Oxford Dictionary!) I am happy to report that eight out of the nine varieties of tomatoes I planted have germinated. They have their little seed leaves (Tomato cotyledons) waving at me and are all reaching for the light.
I am continuing to leave tomato seed pots with their cute cotyledons on their heated mat until they are ready to pot up to the next level. In the daytime I remove the cover as they are strong enough to be exposed to the air. I put the cover back on at night as the heat is turned off. Each day I mist them with water and watch very carefully for any insects that might have been hiding in the soil, as well as watching for mold and the dreaded damping-off. If my seedlings have good airflow I should have no issues with damping-off.
My next task is to prune all of my roses. The little buds are starting to appear so they will need to be pruned soon. I take out all of the dead branches and then check for airflow. Try not to take more than a third when you prune your roses. I also add a nice clump of compost around each rose to start them up and they will be put into my weekly feeding rotation when I start that in late May.
A number of dead sticks and plant material need to be removed, but I don’t like to disturb any over-wintering creatures. I carefully place these materials in a pile and leave them until the end of May so any creatures living there will have a chance to emerge as they see fit.
I am enjoying my little break and am grateful for the greenery of my scented geraniums. Spring is here, it is just shy.
Enjoy your week and watch that you don’t walk on your garden. Judith
(Email: sghorticultural@gmail.com) Veggie Bites are available at https://sghorticultural.wixsite.com/website or https://gardeningcalendar.ca/articles/veggie-bites/
Logging in to comment gives you more features, but it is not required.
Discover how the Bitternut Hickory tree thrives in various environments and provides sweet rewards for wildlife in shady locations.
Milkweed is required for a Monarch Waystation. Butterflies can feed on nectar plants, and can lay their eggs on milkweed in the area.
Common boneset has medicinal uses. It also has a lovely, recognizable appearance. Discover how to care for and use Common Boneset.
Experience a beautiful, self-seeding perennial, Borago officinalis, with bright blue star-shaped edible flowers for your herb or wild garden. Its cucumber-flavored flowers and dark green leaves have various medicinal and culinary uses, such as in salads, fruit salads, and as cooked greens. Borage also attracts pollinators, improves the taste of tomatoes, relieves asthmatic symptoms and more. Learn more about the easy-going benefits of Borage!
Brussels sprouts need to be grown in full sun and in rich soil. I will treat them as I treat my potted tomatoes daily watering.
Discover the secrets to growing beautiful peonies. Learn about dormancy requirements, planting tips, and more.
Ornamental Grasses are very decorative, and well-placed specimens can create very eye-catching points of interest.
Red columbine is a beautiful woodland wildflower that has showy, drooping, bell-like flowers which attract pollinators.
Proper pergola designs are a beautiful and easy way to make your outdoor space feel like an oasis! Pergolas use posts for structural support.
Discover a simpler method for hardening off seedlings and creating protective environments for your plants to avoid sunscald and promote healthy growth.
The beautiful and fragrant Weeping Alaskan Cedar offers a conical form, soft & wispy foliage, and up to 30 ft of height – perfect for even the smallest of city gardens. See why this is a favorite among many and get design and planting advice from Ottawa's own Patricia.
GardeningCalendar.ca gets some funding from advertisers. If you click on links and advertisements at no cost to you, the site may receive a small commission that helps fund its operation.
© 2024 J&S Calendars Ltd.
Notifications