It’s mid-June and vegetable growers across the country are gearing up. Will you beat your personal best for the date you pick your first tomato of the season? Will the zucchini get away from you — yet again? Or are you firmly in Camp Floral, and buy your seasonal produce at local markets and farm stands? Interest in vegetable gardening surged with so many more people at home … [Read more...] about Whys and hows of tomato pruning
Geraniums: workhorses in the garden
When I find a genus of perennials that does well for me, I tend to latch onto it — perhaps obsessively so — experimenting with different species and cultivars in that genus. Cranesbills, now more commonly referred to by their genus name Geranium, have played an important, albeit supporting, role in my gardens for many years. There are a huge number of perennial geranium … [Read more...] about Geraniums: workhorses in the garden
Don’t overlook spireas
I’ve written about spireas in this space before, declaring Spiraea thunbergii ‘Fujino Pink’ to be my favourite, but I’ve changed my mind; Glow Girl birchleaf spirea (S. betulifolia Glow Girl) is my new favourite. After all, if you ask any gardener to name her favourite plant, she’ll name whatever is in bloom at the moment, and Glow Girl is in bloom right now, looking crisp and … [Read more...] about Don’t overlook spireas
Easygoing rhododendrons
I’ve never had much success growing rhododendrons. Looking back at the sad specimens I’ve given up on over the years, I blame poor locations (they need more sun than I realized) and exposed locations (winter winds desiccate the foliage and kill flower buds). Just like real estate agents say: location is everything. I think I’ve finally found the right spot in our front … [Read more...] about Easygoing rhododendrons
Garden container combos to try this year
Traditionally, the long May weekend has been the signal for gardeners to start planting, although for many parts of Canada, it’s still too iffy for heat-loving plants to go in the ground. There’s also no reason to cram your entire planting season into one weekend; it’s fine to plant throughout the growing season, up until fall, as long as you can keep new additions watered … [Read more...] about Garden container combos to try this year