Ready, Set, Grow!
This is typically THE weekend when Calgary gardeners get the green light to put in some long awaited garden work. Of course, every spring is different so we have to take into account factors like weather, the conditions of our tools and soil, and our own health before we get started.
Firstly, I’d like to take a moment to acknowledge our incredible webinar attendees. Despite our weekly practice with hosting webinars, some gremlins found their way into today’s session and significantly delayed things. THANK YOU for your patience and kindness while we quite literally turned it off and back on again. Technology, I tell ya. Honestly though, without you, we wouldn’t be hosting these free gardening events, so we appreciate you sticking around for our lame mug jokes and garden fashion, hahaha! For those of you wondering about Aleasha’s red tomato leaves, we’ll post about it in our IG & FB stories once we learn more from her. Very interesting development in their garden! This is why gardening is so much fun!
Let’s take a look at some of the things you should consider when venturing out into the garden this year.
Soil Preparation
- For Garden Beds: work blended amendments into the top 2″- 4″ of your existing soil and firm down before leveling it with a rake.
- For Raised Planters: Use a potting mix, or add amendments to your existing soil and mix. Firm as you go, but don’t compact because your plants still need some space to stretch out!
- Types of Amendments:
- I want to thicken my soil: Compost, Manure, Sand
- I want to lighten my soil: Peat Moss/Coir, Gypsum, Perlite/Vermiculite
- I want to feed/boost my soil: Volcanic Mineral, Worm Castings, Charcoal.
Plant Preparation
- Types of Plants
- Hardy Plants: Broccoli, Spinach, Pansies, Dianthus, Kale, Carrots, Radish
- Tender Plants: Impatiens, Cucumber, Tomato, Cosmos, Basil, lavender, Peppers
- Typical Calgary Plant Guidelines
- Direct Sow (Seeds in the ground): Lettuce, Spinach, Parsnips, Cosmos, Sweet Pead, Beans, Radish.
- Starter Plant (Plants started Inside): Squash, Cucumber, Zinnia, Pumpkin, Tomato, Lavender, Geranium.
- Check out our Seed Starting Guide for more information and tips.
- Frost Protection Tool Kit
- Frost will endanger tender seedlings and annual plants. If you can’t move plants indoors, have some of these things ready to cover them.
- Frost Blanket
- Dome Cover
- Mini Greenhouse, Vegepod, etc
- Drinking Cups (Solo cups, mugs, pop bottles, etc)
- DIY plant cover
- Frost will endanger tender seedlings and annual plants. If you can’t move plants indoors, have some of these things ready to cover them.
- Plan, Plan, Plant
- Plan where everything is going and consider factors like: sun exposure, mature plant spacing, environmental conditions, time investment, etc
Tool Preparation
- Garden Essentials
- Hose & Nozzle
- Cultivator/Fork
- Shovel/Trowel
- Rake
- Pruners, Shears, Knife
- Plant Supports: Important for taller plants like Tomatoes and peonies
- Hydrogen Peroxide: For cleaning and sterilizing tools
- Sharpening Stone
Self Preparation
- Garden Essentials
- Gloves
- Kneeler Pad
- Good Sunglasses and hat
- SPF 50
- Light and loose clothes (rain gear when applicable)
- Water
- Sunshine
- Benefits: Essential for plants and beneficial for our overall physical and mental health.
- Challenges: Can cause dehydration, sunburn, skin cancer, heat stroke, headaches, fatigue
- TIPS: Stretch, take breaks, garden on cooler days, in the morning, or evening.
Garden is FUN! As Colin says, “It’s a marathon, not a spring”. Enjoy the process, take that selfie, ask for help, and appreciate the effort you put in to create your own brand of beautiful.
The more detailed encore presentation hosted by Colin Hayles is now available to view on our YouTube channel.
If you’d like a copy of Colin’s PowerPoint, click here: Golden Acre Webinars – May Long Weekend Gardening 2022
UPCOMING FREE WEBINARS/SEMINARS:
May 28, 2022: Perennials II Webinar – Maintenance habits and Expectations <<< Register Now
June 4, 2022: Trees II: Care and Encouraging Growth, Flowers, and Fruits <<< Register Now
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