Welcome back to the Helpful Gardeners podcast. It’s another episode of garden court and this month we’re tackling HOA’s. WHAT IS AN HOA? Homeowners Association (HOA) is a private, legally-incorporated organization that governs a housing community, collecting dues, and setting rules for its residents, often found in planned communities, condos, or townhomes. They can create […]
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Seed Swaps – Growing Community, One Seed at a Time Seed swaps have been around for a looooong time. Even indigenous groups and farmers would share seeds to grow their crops or medicinal plants. Today, seed swaps are commonly organized into large events with one of the most popular being “Seedy Saturday” across Canada. The […]
This week, we’re visited by two of the coolest ladies gardening in Southern Alberta; Sheryl Normandeau and Janet Melrose! They are the coauthors of the popular “Prairie Gardeners Go To” series! In a digital world full of general information, their books provide specific knowledge for gardening in climates like Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Plus, everything […]
Water restrictions FAQs Quick fire round – all answers obtained from City of Calgary. Can I still water my Garden? YES Can I still plant, grow and water tomatoes and veggies? YES Can I still water my planters and annual flowers? YES Can I still water my trees and shrubs? YES Can I still water my […]
The term ‘polar vortex’ may have been living rent free in your brain the last couple of weeks. As temperatures plunged across the country, we saw people doing boiling water to throw into the air, people eating frozen noodles, and toilet paper sculptures. In this episode, we explore how this extreme weather event impacts our […]
Garden Birds & Critters Have you ever felt that sense of satisfaction when a robin, or other friendly yard bird, comes in to enjoy a quick bath, a snack, or raise a family in a fruit tree? It’s a nice feeling, right? It’s like the biggest high five that you’re doing all the right things. […]
You’ve planned, planted, and now you get to enjoy! Learn simple ways to keep you garden looking beautiful all season long. Garden Maintenance Weeding Everyone’s favourite garden chore, right? Weeds are unwanted plants. In Alberta, these can be the dandelion, creeping bell, chickweed, etc. While they are beautiful and are often indigenous to our region, […]
The moment we’ve all been waiting for…. *drumroll* the big green thumbs up to plant our garden! Why do we have to wait until the May Long Weekend to do this? Well… we don’t have to wait. You can plant your garden when you like! Truthfully, you could have planted last weekend if you were in […]
Do you have #lawngoals? Does it involve a lush mix of Kentucky blue and fescue you can enjoy from your patio? Do you want to support pollinators with clover and dandelions? What you want from your lawn is personal. We want you to feel happiness and pride when you look at your lawn. A big […]
What are some of the most common houseplant pests you can think of? Spider mites, mealy bugs, fungus gnats… dare I say, THRIPS?! Sorry for the swear word, but as keepers of plants, we’re bound to run into one of these pests. The worst part is, they can come from an open window, or the […]