Winter Watering Tips:

It has been quite alarming this winter with the wind and warm temperatures. We have a lot of new little plants that can sure use the moisture!

Although we watered up things pretty good before freeze-up, because it has really been above freezing for about 2weeks straight, we have been out checking on landscapes to see how things are looking and have decided to put the water on things.

I have been watering any newly planted sod because it is so shallow rooted and it needs to have reserves to green up in the spring!





Other than yesterday and today it seems that temperatures are going to continue to be above 0ºC during the day again. I am going to begin the watering of the more sensitive herbaceous perennials and newly planted shrubs, because they really
don’t have much to draw from! 

Here are some quick tips
for watering in the winter: 

• check the soil around roots to see if it is dry
• water when the ground is not frozen for a prolonged period and there is no snow( it will absorb into the soil and roots)
• the temperature should be at least +4ºC (mid day is best)
• if the warm dry weather continues to persist water about twice monthly
• spruce, cedars, sod, and shallow rooted herbaceous perennials will benefit most from watering
• most roots in deciduous trees can be equal or more to its height in spread but try to water the critical part of the roots system in trees. This is the drip zone (the area below the outermost part of the branch to the trunk)
• don’t water sod too much that a layer of ice forms, because this will suffocate it.

Rarely have I had to pull out the hose or water buckets during the winter
but so far this winter I have no doubt whatever I can give they’ll take!

Is it too early to say I’m looking forward to spring?

Happy Gardening!

City of Surprise

I recently had the opportunity to visit Mexico City, Mexico with my sister.

"Mi hermana"

Although this was not a horticultural visit I was still able to take in some of the flora amidst the hustle and bustle. Being a Zone 3’er, when I go south (even just a few hundred kilometers) I am always intrigued by the increase in plant variety. You then can imagine how I react whenever I travel to places that stay above freezing all year round. My horticultural brain is on overload! It is very fun and exciting.

While away, I was completely immersed in the Spanish language. On occasion Susan and I would find someone who could speak a little English and we felt some sort of comfort. It was a similar feeling when I would see a plant that was remotely related to something we can grow here in Lethbridge. For example: I just had to take pictures of this iris we saw because it reminded me of home.

We had the opportunity to go “Downtown” frequently during our visit and it was fun seeing the boulevards transformed with mass plantings of poinsettias (indigenous to Mexico) for the Christmas season. I regret not taking actual pictures of this happening while buzzing by in the car……..


Susan and I did manage to stop to buy other flowers from a street vendor and I could not believe how inexpensive the flowers were in Mexico City! We bought a bunch of flowers that would have cost at least $45 in Canada for $3.50.











One thing I noticed here was that, even though the population is incredibly dense, there is a desire to add green. There is typically no front or back yard for most residents but they almost all find nooks and crannies to add greenery. Lupita, my sister’s mother-in-law, was nursing potted plants on her 5’ x 5’ deck, and trees were planted in front of homes where you would think that no plant could survive. 


On our way home we stopped for a day and a half in Puerto Vallarta where we took time to walk around the downtown core. We stopped and admired this wall that was made of recycled tires.

Here, as in Mexico City, it is necessary to reuse everything possible in order to reduce waste. I thought it was ingenious to take rubber tire waste and turn it into a gorgeous retaining wall.

In Mexico City I saw first hand the results of urbanization and lack of planning. We saw a lot of garbage everywhere and clean water is in high demand. Despite this I saw the people’s resilience and willingness to make changes. They really do feel it’s better now than never. In some neighbourhoods, they have already begun mandatory garbage separation in order to recycle and compost anything possible. In fact I just heard that because of these changes one of their “dumps” has been closed. I truly have come away from this grateful for the resources we have and even more, inspired to use them wisely.

Happy Gardening!

Kirsten

Deciphering Plant Labels

When you are heading out to the garden centre make sure you check the labels on the plants you are purchasing. All too often a plant is not planted properly for conditions or size and eventually will cause damage and have to be removed. Take this cute little spruce for example:

You see it at your local nursery and you think to yourself, "Awww, what a cute little tree! It would look so good in such-and-such a place!" You take the little guy home and give it some lovin'. But after a few years your cute tree has now turned into something... not so cute.

Your intentions in the beginning were purely innocent! You just didn't know your little tree's full potential. After some tossing and turning, you come to the realization that there is only one solution:

Choppity-Chop-Chop!

To help in avoiding this problem we can use the plant labels.  These labels help aid us in our search for the right plant for the right space.

A label usually tells us:

• max. growth of the plant
• amount of sun it needs
• soil conditions
• hardiness rating

These are general guidelines that may not always be exact but definitely helpful. If the label says it will grow 10’ wide and you need to fill a 3’ space- don’t plant it!  If it needs full sun – don’t put it in deep shade….etc. 

Lethbridge is rated a zone 3b, but if you have a sheltered location some zone 4 can be grown.  These are, again, general guidelines as the zone rating takes into account various factors such as the number of frost free days, day length, precipitation etc.  It's funny though, it does not take into account CHINOOKS!

Happy Gardening!

Kirsten

Lethbridge Home and Garden Show

It's that time of year again! The Lethbridge Home and Garden Show is now in full swing and it has been a busy week! Last weekend, Clayton and his crew began construction of the Earthlings exhibit. Below you can see a few pictures taken during the process. You'll see a photo of Clay and part of the concrete waterfall that he designed and constructed himself. Yup, we have a running waterfall at the exhibit, because we're cool like that. Hahaha! Getting the exhibit built is a lot of work, but we enjoy the experience every year, as it gives us an opportunity to share our ideas with the community.

The next few photos are of the finished product. We are very happy with the end result. Anyone who wants to can stop by and say hi! The show ends on Saturday at 5:00, and runs noon to 9:00pm today and tomorrow.  Check out the Exhibition Park website for more info on the Home and Garden Show. We hope to see you there!

 

Also, as an added plus, you can check out the video on the side bar ----> 

Global News did a special on the HGS, and I was fortunate enough to be interviewed!

Happy Gardening!

Kirsten

Waiting for Spring.....

In the Winter I am always looking forward to spring, but this winter has been a test to my gardening soul. I cannot believe how much snow we have had and that it doesn’t show any sign of letting up.  Oh well… I am hoping the old adage is true “In like a lion out like a lamb”!  In February it helps me to rethink my garden; what I did right, what I did wrong, and what I want to try for fun this year.  I have got some great ideas for my annual planters that I am going to experiment with and I am trying out some new seeds one called...

                                              “Gremlins for the Garden”

It's for the kids because these gourds looked awesome!  I had to order “Orange smoothie pumpkins” again because they truly are the absolute perfect pumpkin.  I am really hoping that spring will be warmer and that my cucumbers will do better than they did last year.  Here’s Hoping!

Happy gardening!

Kirsten

P.S. Here's a picture of some of the planters at my house last year….

The "Lady Bug"

Every fall I get a few calls from concerned clients regarding “a small grey bug with orange spots” on trees, shrubs and around the garden. I then get to tell them that there is no need to worry it is just a Lady Bird Beetle Larvae. A What? Well the bug is commonly called the Lady Bug. Lady Bugs are a beneficial insect in the garden and are predators to many pests. In fact the Lady Bug attacks the frustrating Aphids in our garden. In 2009 there was an unusual amount of aphids in the spring and through the summer and that fall the Lady Bug adults and larvae were larger in numbers. So don’t worry about these little creatures and let them do their amazing work as our garden warriors!

Happy gardening!

Kirsten

Tulips in a Planter

A Fall Project

Have you wondered how other gardeners grow tulips in their planters without freezing over winter? I’ll let you in on a secret..... They don’t leave them in a planter they put them in the ground over winter.

Here is how they do it.

Step #1 fill an icecream pail with 5 quarter sized holes in the bottom 1/2 full with either a potting soil mix or soil from your own garden. Plant your bulbs (hairy side down) into the soil and cover the bulbs up with soil to the top of the pail.

Step #2 - find a sunny side of the house that defrosts earlier in the spring an plant your pail as deep as the pail but exposing the top ring (this helps for finding it in the spring)

Step #3- As soon as the frost is out of the soil pull out the pail and plant the entire pail into the desired planter. At this point you can watch as your tulips awake and flower.

Step #4- When your tulips begin to die down (lose color and wilt ) dig the pail back into its original sunny spot where it can stay until next spring.

These pails can be done any time in the fall until the ground freezes. One year I had some bulbs hanging around that I hadn’t got a chance to get them the ground right way so I planted them the first week in December!

Happy Gardening!

Kirsten