Rolled Petals
I was stopped by these tulips while out walking with my camera recently. I love the way the petals have rolled down as the flowers die. Nature sure is neat.
Spring
Spring Blooms
I took a few photos of the flowers currently in bloom while out walking the other day. Those of you in warmer climates can feel superior or at least laugh at how behind we are here in Southern Ontario. At least I can stop sending psychic S.O.S signals out into the world. Winter, you have …
Gardener’s Anxiety
Sharp-Lobed Hepatica (Hepatica acutiloba) These tiny, pretty pinkish-white flowers are one of the first blooming woodland natives to make an appearance in early spring. They are happy in partial shade with nutrient-rich soil, and can withstand very mild drought. I was admiring this patch yesterday afternoon when the gardener saw me and stopped to chat. …
Cherry Blossoms
We’re sitting just on the cusp of cherry blossom season here in Toronto. They generally make their stunning appearance in late April/early May. The following poem was included in my local Farmer’s Market newsletter and I couldn’t resist posting it here as a beacon of hope for those of us who have been stuck with …
Seed-Starting Basics
Seed-starting season is in full swing in these parts. I’ve been getting loads of questions about it via email and figured it was time to put together a seed-starting recap here on the site.
I started my own tomato, pepper, and tomatillo seeds this weekend and put in orders with two seed companies to complete my 2007 Scary Mega Plant List.
Lee Valley Windowsill Seed Starter
Last spring the world aligned in such a way leading to what I can only describe as a collapse in judgement wherein I purchased an actual device to start my seeds in. Firstly, I am a gluttonous gardener and had compiled a frightening collection of seeds to grow, and then Lee Valley had the gall …
Grow This – Grape Hyacinth (Muscari)
Famous for candy-sweet cobalt blue blooms that resemble tidy clusters of pint-sized grapes, muscari is a versatile, carefree spring bloom. Pack a punch and plant bulbs in eye-catching “rivers” or clustered together in problem areas under trees and in rock gardens. This hardy bulb will even survive in the toxic soil beneath black walnut trees! …
The Lazy Gardener’s Automatic Seed Starting Chart
Calculate seed sowing and planting dates in seconds with Maggie Wang’s easy-to-calculate version of my original Printable Seed Starting Chart. You’ll never wonder when to start your seeds again! Download the seed starting chart file. If you don’t have excel, you can download a free open-source office suite with a spreadsheet application at openoffice.org or …
Handy Seed Starting Chart
by Gayla Trail Remembering when to sow and when to plant out can be tricky when you’ve got a wild variety of seedlings on the go. Download and print out this seed starting plan to chart out the sow dates, and planting out dates of this year’s crop. Download chart here
A Beginner’s Guide to Vegetable Seed Starting
Guest post by miss gard(e)ner Inhabit Hardiness Zones 5 through 8? Ready to start your growing season? The much anticipated moment has arrived. Planning Keep the following in mind when planning your garden: Climate: What grows well in your region? Space limitations: How extensive will your garden be? Domestic habits: What would you like to …
Seed Starting – Germination
Guest post by Beate Schwirtlich What Happens When A Seed Germinates? The whole purpose of starting seeds indoors is to cheat winter a little. Ironically, even as we cheat nature, we must imitate her. Light, soil, water, air, and a basic understanding of the process of germination are all you need. Once you know the …
A Quick and Easy Germination Test
Guest post by Arzeena Hamir If the holidays have pretty much wiped you out, here is a simple activity that will not only save you money but will help organize your garden for the upcoming year. Like many gardeners, my stash of seeds has accumulated over the years to the extent that I often forget …