Angela Lassam Growing Strawberries and other soft fruit
When you are deciding what to do in your vegetable garden consider trying to incorporate some soft fruit. If you do not have any garden but would like to have fresh home-grown fruit this summer plant up a pot or container to enjoy. It is easy to grow most of the common fruit we use in smoothies, fruit salad even garnish for a salad.
Strawberries are the most favoured fruit all over the world and always available but they are the easiest of fruits to grow and when in season are sweeter, fresh and easy to acquire or pick your own locally. You only need to buy a few plants the first season. One plant can increase to several within the first year. They can be purchased either as a potted plant to go directly in the soil or as a bare root with just a compact crown. ‘Albion’ is a good versatile everbearing type, hardy to zone 2.
Before planting the bare root stock you will need to place them in water for a few hours. Plant them 1ft apart and at least 2ft between the rows to form a strawberry bed keeping the crown above the soil. They need at least 6 hours of sunlight. Apply a slow release fertilizer and top dress with straw to protect the roots and help prevent mold forming. They need daily watering. Do not plant where you have had verticillium wilt or fusilarium which is common on tomatoes. After fruiting each plant will put out runners and will root to make new plants. They can be left between the old ones or nipped off and replanted to make the strawberry bed larger.
The strawberry is not a true fruit as its seeds are on the fleshy outer membrane- the yellow seeds, as many as 200 on a single fruit. The fruit is high in vitamin C and manganese and 90% water. It is the protein creating the red colour that causes allergens; specifically hay fever, hives and in some cases dermatitis.
Raspberries are one of the fruits often used in smoothies but best when eaten as a dessert or snack. As with strawberries they are easy to grow and sweetest when fresh picked in season. A few plants will produce a good yield and multiply quickly. They look like green sticks called canes.
They can be found potted up ready to plant or as bare roots. As soon as last frost has passed find a location protected from winds and where they can be supported. Soak the bare roots a few hours before planting. They need to be 18” apart allowing for extra canes to form. As they grow they will need supporting with a trellis or wire, they can grow up to 5’. They like compost dressing and watering frequently. After they have finished fruiting they need the fruit canes pruned to the ground. Leave any new canes for next year and any suckers can be cut out and replanted for next year increasing your raspberry patch. Everbearing are the easier canes to buy as they fruit first year and need to be pruned completely at year end. Heirlooms fruit on second year canes and you need to prune out only those that have fruited.
The raspberry is a perennial of the buckwheat family, hardy to zone 3. It is the same as the strawberry, not a true fruit as it has its seeds in the drupelets – the fleshy part of the fruit which numbers over 100 per fruit. The other difference is it leaves the core on the stem. The raspberry is usually pest free but look out for the Japanese beetle and spider mites.
Interesting note – both these fruits are on the top of a list in California called “Dirty Dozen” for the highest pesticide contamination.
Growing your own fruit is the best way we can be sure we can enjoy its freshness and is good for our health and well being.
The next meeting for the Tillsonburg Horticultural Society is on Tuesday May 2nd 7.30pm in the Senior Centre Tillsonburg Community Centre. The topic is ‘New hostas for 2023’ with Shirley Kosh, Riverbend Gardens & Nursery. Bring cash, plants for sale. Social time. Guest $4 or $20 annual membership. More information www.tillsonburghorticultural.ca or Facebook-Tillsonburghorticultural. Everyone welcome.
It seems every year we are asked to conserve water. Climate change seems to have altered our summers making us reconsider our gardens and grass lawns.
Our lawns are the heaviest user of water so think how you can reduce the footprint in your landscape?
Making walkways with patio stones will save stress on grass when dry and makes for a more interesting view of any garden.
Cut down the size of your grass by cutting back edging by 1’ and place edging or an easy task is to put down a mulch edging.
Build a pond with a circulating system. The sound of running water is relaxing and the air will feel cooler for yard comfort. Stock it with fish and they will eat any mosquito eggs laid on the surface.
Make another flower bed – who doesn’t need more space to grow a new plant? But remember to plant perennials close together to avoid weeding and conserve water.
Better than that, plant shrubs and ground cover which make a complete soil cover and need less water as it matures.
Mulch round trees where you struggle to get shade-loving grass to grow or plant drought tolerant species or groundcover (needs no mowing).
Building a larger deck or patio will give you more space to spend entertaining instead of cutting grass.
Set up a graveled play area for children or even for adults to exercise with bocci, ball toss, horseshoes or other games.
If you must have grass and need to reseed take a look at one with RTF – Rhizomatous Tall Fesque. This grass is newly developed in opposition to Bluegrass, has a shorter germination time and better appearance.
Clover is a good alternative for bare spot repair as it will stay green even when grasses have gone dormant from drought. It is bug resistant as it is a legume. West Coast Seeds have a microclover on line and other alternatives for grass.
Creeping thyme can be very attractive and considered in the ‘steppable’ group. It grows a shallow rooted mat and has tiny purple flowers and needs no mowing. It grows well in between any stones.
Another plant to try in the ‘steppable’ group is Irish Moss which is bright green in colour and drought tolerant.
There is a dwarf sedum which spreads quickly and grows to approximately 2”, soft to tread on and can be mowed.
Remember any lawn alternative will flower and be pollinator friendly so caution walking on it during flowering time.
All lawns require watering at least once a week. The soil should become moist up to 6” deep. An irrigation system on a timer is the most efficient or a sprinkler set early in the morning allowing water to soak deeply before evaporation.
Alternately save rain water in barrels directly from a downspout. You can substitute it for a rain chain which can also be part of your garden décor. Use this water either early in the day or evening to get the most benefit.
Lastly do not mow your lawn lower than 2” to give the root system shade and if possible leave fine lawn trimmings on the grass, it will soon wilt. A sharpened mower will give you a stress free, healthy lawn and well worth the maintenance.
Consider your outdoor space without so much grass. You will practise water conservation, have a more aesthetic garden, spend less time on maintenance and be more cost efficient. Now is the time to take a different approach to your surroundings for the future.
The Tillsonburg Horticultural Society monthly meeting will be on Tuesday April 4th in the Senior Centre Tillsonburg Community Centre @ 7.30pm. The topic ‘ Human Encounters with Wildlife’ . Salthaven Wildlife Rehabilitation & Education Centre Brian Salt will bring a wildlife ambassador and share his wildlife knowledge. Everyone welcome. Come join us $4 guest or annual membership $20.
Squirrels like all the other animals seen in our garden can be considered a ‘friend’ in Winter or a gardeners’ nightmare. In conservation areas and woodland they are a vital element in the health of the undergrowth.
They are the friendly creatures many people feed on their decks in Winter. They will become daily visitors and can be an amusement but beware they will also try to continue in other times of the year. Corn cobs left in the field by the harvester will be collected by squirrels and you can watch them carry a whole cob as big as themselves for storage – an amusing site!
The squirrel is a member of the rodent family. The most common one is called the Eastern Gray Squirrel and is native to Eastern Canada. Its color can vary from almost black, grey and even streaked with brown. The other squirrel you see is the Red Squirrel, smaller and more rounded. Both have bushy tails that reach over their whole body. They build nests high in the forks of trees called dreys, which are lined with small branches, leaves and moss. In severe winter cold they will use any old nest to keep warm, even as many as 3 or 4 squirrels together. In Spring squirrels may get into attics to nest where they can be a hazard chewing electrical wiring. They produce 2 litters of 4-8 twice a year, Spring and early Summer. Only 40% survive as hawks and owls are their main predators. They were thought to be herbivores but proven to be omnivore as well as eating any fruit and vegetables squirrels get their minerals from bones and dead vermin.
Squirrels become the gardeners’ pest when they bury their cache of nuts in the garden and lawns. Walnuts are a favorite and will lay dormant in the ground for years. They can store 1000s in one season. It may be squirrels eating your young vegetables and fruit in the garden. Squirrels are constant visitors to bird feeders and there are numerous purchases at the bird food companies to deter them. The newest one on the market has a battery operated turnstyle that switches on when a squirrel gets to the food. The squirrel goes for a very quick ride and falls off. An amusing sight but also expensive and unproven.
An alternative possible solution is to set a tray of food on the perimeter of your garden leading them away from your social space.
YouTube has many interesting ideas how to stop squirrels eat at your bird feeders. There is a cheap setup suggested www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9tn_uVbxPI using a PVC pipe with a cap fixed on the pole below the feeder. It must be at least 4ft off the ground – the distance a squirrel will jump. PVC pipe is very slippery and a squirrel cannot grip it. Any large cup shape can be a baffle but must be smooth. Greasing a feeder pole can work but must be applied daily.
I personally find a slinky fixed under the feeder works well and you can find them in Canadian Tire.
Squirrels are just a small part of our world and like many of our wildlife are a nuisance in our yards but remember if you think hard enough squirrels have a place in the whole picture even if they only provide exercise for our pets.
The next monthly meeting for the Tillsonburg Horticultural Society will be on Tuesday February 7th @ 6.30pm (NOTE THE DIFFERENT TIME) in the Seniors Centre Tillsonburg Community Centre. SEED EXCHANGE @ 6.30 pm, meeting starts 7.30 pm, speaker Andrew Fleet of Growing Chefs, Ontario with the future of food and family relationships. Social time and refreshments to follow.
All welcome; guest $4 or membership $20 annually so come join us. More info on Facebook Tillsonburghorticultural and www.Tillsonburg horticultural.ca.
Dahlias are one of the easiest and most rewarding flowers to grow. One or more will give you a sense of achievement for the Summer and into Fall with a fantastic array of color.
Dahlias are of the Asteraceae family with Chrysanthemum. Sunflower and Zinnia. They come in many variations – pompoms, globe, spiky cactus and dinnerplate(growing to 5ft and flower up to15” in size) with a rainbow of colors.European explorers discovered dahlias on the hillsides of Mexico. They are still popular in Europe today. It is said that the tubers are edible, tasting like a cross between a potato and radish.
Nurseries always have the bright colored packages of Dahlias with other Summer bulbs. They are not a bulb but a tuber. The package will show you the type and color.When you open the package, you will find a bunch of tubers like a hand usually packed in peat moss. Now this time of year it will already show you its tip as sprouts will already be forming showing which is the top.
Dig a hole deep enough to allow the growth tip to be just above the soil and wide enough to spread the ‘fingers’. Adding bonemeal is a good idea. Cover and water well. It is that simple. When planting them make sure to space at least 3ft apart if possible.Slugs may eat them if they are grown too close together. Japanese beetles will burrow into the flower head and the best way to stop this is a stroll through your garden with a bucket of soapy water and pick them off the flower. Planting a group will give you a continuousdisplay until frost arrives.
Applying fertiliser with a low nitrogen level weekly will produce the best flowers.They are one of the easiest flowers for first time gardeners as they will be almost pest free. The leaves may get very small spider webs which is a sign of spider mites.A spray of 1 gallon of water, 1 tbsp baking soda and ½ tsp Dawn dishsoapshould be applied. This is good for powdery mildew and aphids on all plants.
As soon as the first flower has wilted deadhead it ‘cut it off’ as close to the next branchof the main stem. This will allow many more flowers to form. It can also be done when the first bud appears. This will give it a chance to branch from the base of the leaves on the main stem giving you a plant that looks like a bush.
As soon as frost arrives dig up the tuber and cut off the stem. Allow it to dry off, shake clean and place it in a paper bag with peat. Remember to write the color and type on the bag. Store it in a cool place and check periodically for mold. This is all you will need to do to plant again year after year. So give any dahlia space in your garden even plant one in a large pot with a few small annuals. Sit back and enjoy!
The Tillsonburg Horticultural Society has its main fundraiser – Annual Auction and Plant Sale on Tuesday May 31st at 5pm in the Lions Auditorium Tillsonburg Community Centre. Many plants, containers and hangers, trees and shrubs, $2 $5 $10 perennial table, vegetables and herbs, draw table and then the auction at 6pm. Come and check it out asthe money raised allows us to beautify Tillsonburg.
The Junior Gardeners Program is a ‘go’ this year. Don’t forget to enrol your children.For registration forms and details see Linda Fenn at Tillsonburg Garden Gate or check Facebook Tillsonburghorticultural.Coming on July 9th is ‘Garden Artistry 2022’ a Tour of Gardens hosted with Tillsonburg Station Arts Centre. Call for more information 519 842 6151.
The next monthly meeting is Tuesday June 7th@ 7.30pm in the Senior Centre, Tillsonburg Community Complex, speaker will be Maureen Cocksedge ‘Free plants from division’. Everyone welcome.
Everyone remembers the trees being stripped of their foliage and not being able to sit under a big Maple tree for shade, even finding it hard to go for a walk in a woodlot without being bombarded by small brown beads – yes it was the Gypsy Moth caterpillar munching away in the tree canopy. If left uncontrolled our trees and gardens will suffer dramatically.
The Gypsy moth or its new name ‘spongy moth’ was renamed because of its slur towards the Romani population as it is considered a pest. It was reintroduced to Eastern Canada arriving in soviet freighter.
After the winter when the leaves start to open on a tree the eggs will hatch and become larvae (caterpillar). The newly hatched larvae spin a fine silk thread and it is blown in the wind to infect other trees. They grow very quickly consuming up to one square metre of leaves in a short time and it is during this time we notice the devastation they create. The caterpillar is very easy to see when fully grown. It is dark brown and hairy with a row of red and blue dots. After pupation the male moth, brown in colour will fly between trees seeking the female. Its lifespan is only one week. The female moth which is a cream colour is flightless. She is very easy to see on tree trunks. She lays eggs that look like creamy sacs. There can be as many as 1000 eggs in a sac and many sacs can be seen on the trunks and limbs where they overwinter. The cycle of the gypsy moth starts again.
There are some ways to reduce their population. When the leaves are just forming in May a bio-pesticide BTK can be sprayed on the tree as far up as you can reach. Read the instructions carefully before applying. Wear protection as suggested but it is harmless to humans as the solution has bacteria specifically for insects.
The alternative is to wrap the trunk with a band of burlap 18” wide. Tie it with string round the middle and fold downwards to create a pocket for the caterpillars to crawl into. Remove them daily into a bucket of bleach and dish soap and dispose of later. Use gloves and be careful as the hairs on the caterpillar can cause severe irritation.
Another way is to carefully scrape the egg sacs off the tree and dispose the same way as caterpillars.
There is some happy news that within three years of a severe infestation it is reported they succumb to viral and fungal pathogens.
Another problem in our garden is a tree that can be found in woodlots and many established gardens. It is the Black Walnut tree. If you have moved into a new home you may have one in your garden. They grow quickly and give a large shade canopy but it nothing will grow under it. A chemical called juglone can be found in all parts of the tree. The fruit (nuts), leaves and roots all leach juglone into the soil. Leaves and nuts should not go into the compost and the roots of this large tree make an area of 50’ from the trunk tainted with juglone. Plants will be stunted, have yellow leaves and poor flowers. There are plants that are not susceptible to its toxicity. Ones well known to gardeners are hostas, hollyhocks, astilbes, purple coneflowers, chrysanthemums, snowdrops and grape hyacinths. Also forsythia, mock orange and yucca will do well. Once any flower has been planted under a black walnut tree it cannot be transplanted in another area as the juglone can live on in it and taint the area around it.
. our monthly meeting is May 3. Our speaker is Paul Knowles, author of ‘The Magic Garden’. To quote Paul “This book will not teach you the nuts and bolts of gardening. It’s about the joy and magic of gardens and gardening”. Paul is a gardener, a world traveler and an entertaining speaker.
. We are excited to announce the return of the Spring Buying Trip! We will be touring the Niagara area visiting nurseries with lunch at Rockway vineyards. SIGN UP at the meeting. May 18.
. And once again, we are able to have our Garden Auction. Mark May 31st in your calendars. It will be held at the Lions Auditorium in the recreation complex. This fun event is free and open to the public. Come and get some excellent plants, trees, garden decor items. Have fun bidding on the auction items! Doors open at 5:00 pm .Available at this time are $2, $5, and $10 cash tables; draw table, vegetable and herbs tables. The Live Auction starts at 6:00 pm.
CASH or CHEQUE only. There is an ATM available at the community centre.
Perennials are the backbone of any garden and show continuous color throughout the year. They are so versatile giving structure and texture to create a pleasing picture at any time. You buy them only once for years of pleasure and they need little care and attention.
A perennial is a flower that returns in the garden every year when the soil warms up putting up small buds or tips to remind us where they are.
Most perennials are good to stay in the garden. They go dormant and wait for Spring but there are some that have been introduced from warmer climates and these need to be dug up every Fall and stored to be replanted in the following year. Learning of the types of perennials will help.
Whether you are starting a new bed of flowers or adding to your landscape you will need to read the tags on your choice. The height, width, how much sun and drought tolerance are important. The time of blooming will allow you to have flowers blooming continually to give a glorious show all Summer. Your garden needs to be layered and will be beautiful if the selection of perennial flowers are carefully chosen. A little sketching of a new bed before you buy will give greater satisfaction. Remember they will grow much larger as years go by.
It is less expensive to buy bare root perennials from catalogues, stores or nurseries but their appearance can be disturbing unless you are aware of their characteristics. New gardeners may be surprised at their appearance so let me explain the differences.
Most plants are bare root which is a main centre with hairy roots. These can be planted directly in your garden after risk of frost and watered well to settle the roots. A name marker and a support is a good idea. They will soon produce leaves as the weather gets warmer. Remember the tallest towards the back of a bed. Names of a few are coneflower, poppy, shasta daisy and taller phlox. All of these can be divided in later years to replant elsewhere in your garden or share with fellow gardeners.
Other roots with eyes are called rhizomes, once planted can be left in the soil from there on. The eyes are small tips. The more eyes on the root you purchase the more flowers you can get. Astilbe, Hosta and Peony are in this group and do not require planting too deep, just cover the eyes with soft soil. Peonies will need a cage or other support as flower heads get heavy.
There are other rhizomes that have an underground stem, planted almost on top of the soil. The stem will send out roots, more stem with leaves, and flowers along its length. All irises are like this and will grow into a large clump in a few years. If your iris ’are not producing flowers it may be from the root borer so dig them up and cut away holey parts and replant. The following year – more flowers!
Tubers are bulbous roots with small growing tips which will be the flower. Some of these will need to be lifted in the Fall and stored in peat moss, then replanted the following Spring. They do not like to freeze. Their appearance in packages are tubular with thick skins. For the first year these can be potted and started indoors to give you early flowers. They need to be dug up in the Fall and stored in a dry place preferably in peat moss. Replant the following year for more joy. Dahlias are the best ones which come in all sizes and maturity dates for a continual summer color. Be sure to check the package details.
Of course bulbs should be considered perennial flowers as they will come back year after year. Spring bulbs once planted in the Fall return every year and will naturally multiply and are the first splash of color in the garden- daffodils, tulips and crocus to name a few. Summer bulbs are the Allium and lilies which are very showy planted in groups.
The choices are endless and all gardeners have some of them in their garden because they are the basis of all landscaping both formal and heavily planted beds. They are rewarding every year and need only deadheading and watering with a fertiliser mix to give a wonderful show.
The Tillsonburg Horticultural Society has returned to its monthly meetings in the Senior Centre Auditorium, Tillsonburg Complex.
Come join us at our monthly meeting and meet like minded gardeners. See you there, become a member for $20 per year or $4 meeting (refunded on membership). Check out our website www.tillsonburghorticultural.ca and Facebook Tillsonburghorticultural for all about gardening.
Darren Heimbecker joins our meeting on Tuesday, January 5th at 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium of the Senior Centre. Darren will be providing us with an update on what’s new and what’s happening at Whistling Gardens. As well, he will talk about some new plants that are ideal for small gardens.
