We anticipate following our COVID protocols in order to garden this coming year. We will follow Public Health directives as we receive them. Seedy Saturday is online this year, including the ability to order seed swap packages online. For the month of February visit https://greenventure.ca/seedy-saturday-2021/ to learn from others on various gardening topics. More detailsContinue reading “Anticipating 2021 Growing Season”
Author Archives: hillstreetgarden
Precautions for 2020 Garden Season: COVID-19
Below are the new policies to be followed:1. At all times, respect social distancing rules: maintain at least 2m / 6ft from anyone else.2. Only registered gardeners and immediate family members should come to the garden. Please try to limit to two at a time. Should you bring children they must be kept close toContinue reading “Precautions for 2020 Garden Season: COVID-19”
Garden Full for 2020
The garden is full for the 2020 season. You can sign up for the waiting list for next year.
Bugs! Good ones keep the bad ones away
The more healthy your plants, the better they are able to withstand bug attacks. Plants can withstand a small amount of bugs – so keep an eye out, but don’t get worried by a little damage. Some good bugs: wasps, ground beetles, dragonflies. Attract the good ones by plants a variety of flowers and herbsContinue reading “Bugs! Good ones keep the bad ones away”
Healthy Soil: helps plants stay healthy
Healthy soil will help to keep your plants healthy and strong. Stronger plants can better withstand bugs, disease and water stress. Ways to keep your soil healthy: Make sure you have mulch on it all year Never walk on it. Make paths and stay on them. Don’t turn it over. This destroys the natural layers thatContinue reading “Healthy Soil: helps plants stay healthy”
Cucumber Beetles
Are your cucumbers, squash, melons or zuchnini getting eaten? Look for cucumber bettles (yellow with stripes or spots). The adults eat the leaves and they aren’t too bad, but the main problem is that they lay their eggs near the roots of the plants and then the larve suck nutrients from the plant. There isn’tContinue reading “Cucumber Beetles”
Mulch and Water Conservation
Raised beds are notorious for drying out faster than regular gardens. There is more exposure and places for the water to evaporate. Plants then get stressed, more water is used, and it take more of your time. What to do? Mulch, mulch, mulch! By covering the soil with a ‘insulating layer’, less water will beContinue reading “Mulch and Water Conservation”
Tomato suckers
Bushy tomato plants are lovely, aren’t they? However, it is important to sucker your tomatoes as a bushy plant will actually have less tomatoes. A sucker is a non-bearing branch that grows out of the stem at a 45 degree angle off the branch that will have tomatoes (these grow straight out). Pinch these off asContinue reading “Tomato suckers”
Roquet and Flea Bettles
If anyone wants to reap the benefits of rape, sai sai, roquet, etc. I suggest the investment in garlic and pepper spray as a natural/organic deterrent and a shade-cover system to send them packing. (They are not a flea at all but are named such for their jumping ability) These tiny black jumping beetles areContinue reading “Roquet and Flea Bettles”
Harvesting Squash and Pumpkin
These are ripe when:– you see a colour change– they have a hard skin (can’t puncture with fingernail)– they sound jollow when knocked– the stem is hard and dry To harvest, cut off the vine leaving as much stem as possible. Wash them to remove bacteria that might cause them to rot (spray with peroxideContinue reading “Harvesting Squash and Pumpkin”
