Category Archives: It’s Still Just Dirt

It’s Still Just Dirt

By Sue Healey

April 2024

“April, come she will.”

“When streams are ripe and swelled with rain”. So sings Art Garfunkel in one of my favourite songs of the season (there are few). That pure, crystalline voice always evokes pictures of snowbanks dripping into rushing waters under a brilliant winter sky. As March leaves us, cold and damp with a final, inevitable, dumping of snow, and April is forecast to be rainy, there won’t be many brilliant skies but plenty of swollen streams.

All that water has me thinking and digging into rain gardens. I’ve been hearing the term more often in the last few years, usually in relation to native gardening and urban runoff. On a late winter day, watching the water rush down my street and into the storm drain, I decided to explore a gardener’s way to save that water.

A rain garden is simply that, a garden designed for the rain. More nuanced, it is a collection of plants designed to collect and filter water that would otherwise run overland, into storm drains and eventually into our waterways. This water often sweeps pollutants, debris, and soil along with it leading to the poisoning of aquatic flora and fauna. Rain gardens also help prevent the erosion that so often happens with sudden and intense rainstorms. Usually consisting of plants that tolerate periods of heavy moisture, native species are particularly well suited for rain gardens. Best situated away from buildings, they can be incorporated into areas where water naturally pools, using what is already a feature of the landscape. Gardens can be as large or as small as needed and are relatively easy to achieve; dig out a concave area, partially backfill it with a mixture of black earth and sand, and plant with your choice of species. The Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) has published a comprehensive rain garden guide with detailed plans that are easy to understand and free to print or download. They also offer a long list of recommended plants that range from shrubs such as red-osier dogwood (Cornus sericea) and elderberry (Sambucus canadensis) to low and tall grasses like tufted hairgrass (Deschampsia cespitosa) and big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii). There are also numerous flowering plants to choose from; butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberose), spotted Joe-pye weed (Eupatorium maculatum), New England aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae) and black-eye Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) to name a few of the sun lovers. If you have a more shaded spot, white turtlehead (Chelone glabra) will do better.

My rain garden would be situated in the area where my rain barrel overflows. I’ve been eyeing it up for the last few years and think it has the potential to be a great rain garden. There is already a small garden in the space, but it’s in need of an overhaul. I grow a number of the plants mentioned in the guide and may end up moving some divisions of Joe-pye weed and black-eyed Susan. I am however, intrigued by those grasses and may choose a variety of natives, perhaps mulched with gravel to further help drainage. This garden would share the space with a clothes line that has no plans of moving. Low profile grasses that wouldn’t interfere with waving sheets may be the answer to more than the overflowing rain barrel. As always, any digging would be done after good research and only when the soil is workable. As tempting as April sunshine can be, soil temperatures need to be warm enough to accept those eventual additions.

Regardless of what I choose to plant, the rain garden will help store the water I can’t. The garden will save, purify it, use it to nourish the plants that will in turn, help feed and house pollinators and who will, in their turn, become food for a host of other bird and wildlife, who will continue the cycle. April showers will then bring so much more than just flowers.

And before any major digging, I’ll be doing some warmup with my local Horticultural Society. April’s speaker is Chris Streib, registered physiotherapist, and owner of Talbot Trail Physio. Chris will show us how to “Bend like a Sapling, Not Break like a Twig…”

Meeting begins Tuesday, April 2, at 7:30pm. All welcome. Membership $20/year or $4/ meeting. Come as a guest, stay as a member.

It’s Still Just Dirt

By Sue Healey

March 2024

The season begins.

March always has me scanning the horizon. On the commute home, on trips with my family, anywhere I can, I track the setting sun for signs that the days are finally getting longer. Each day, the sun is a little higher over the barn roofs. More daylight and warming weather kindles in me a restlessness and a familiar urge to get into the garden. I want to dig. Alas, March is too soon to be out, no matter the air temperature. You’ll do more harm than good in that cold and still slumbering soil.

Some gardeners feed that need by nursing seedlings and have been at it for weeks. While I thoroughly encourage the endeavour, limits to time, space, and attention affect how much each of us can grow. March can leave us feeling a bit lost and left behind. What are we to do with our fingers itching for the dirt and noses twitching for the smell of earth and water?

I look again, to my windowsills, scanning my ledges for those plants in need of repotting. The pining or wilting, the ones practically climbing out of their pots. Or the cuttings by my kitchen window that have been rooting in water all winter. These are the first. And this is the beginning of the season for me. I start small, and ease into, stretch out, my favourite time of the year. Larger specimens I leave for later, when the outdoors is an option and the mess matters less.

This year I have a very divergent group that needs my attention; a sansevieria cylindrica (African Spear) which wants fast draining but rich soil, a ficus benjamina (Fig tree), and offshoots of pilea peperomiodes (Money plant), both of which need moister soil. Whatever the mix of plants is, there are a few basic rules that generally apply and make a good starting point if you are new to the game. As with most things in life, there are exceptions and good research is always recommended.

Plants should generally be given a new and larger pot when the roots have filled their container. Young plants and fast growers usually require an annual repotting but as they mature, can live in their quarters for two to five years before needing another move. You will eventually be restricted by pot size. All containers, whatever they are made of, should have drainage holes to allow excess water to escape and be only one size larger than the old one. Too big and roots cannot use up all the water they are sitting in before rotting. Potting soil that is lightweight, sterile and contains a slow-release fertilizer will be suitable for most plants. There are a few; orchids, cacti, and succulents, that prefer a specialty mix of soil which are also readily available. Plastic sheets on tables and floors help protect surfaces and make cleanup a breeze. The actual trick of repotting is easy; fill your new pot ¼ of the way with new soil, remove the plant from the old pot. If the roots are twining in a circle, gently tease them apart. Place the plant in the new pot ensuring that the crown or stem sits at the same soil level as it did in the old pot. Add more soil around the root ball, gently compacting it with your fingers as you fill it. Water thoroughly to remove air pockets and add soil to any pockets revealed. Put them in some light and leave them be for a week before you water again.

You can do as many as you like for as long as you have supplies. Over the years I have repotted the same plants many times and each time I’m amazed at their growth, at their continued beauty and I’m always grateful that I was able to be a part of it. It’s a good way to scratch that itch in March, enough of a start until true spring arrives.

For more answers to these and other burning questions, join the Tillsonburg Horticultural Society on March 5th for their monthly general meeting featuring the “March Plant Madness and the Panel of Knowledge”

Meeting begins at 7:30pm, all welcome. Membership 20/year or $4/ meeting.

It’s Still Just Dirt

By Sue Healey, Tillsonburg Horticultural Society

February 2024

A garden for every window ~

February can be a hard month to endure in Southwestern Ontario. Even though it’s a short one, this month seems to drag on and on. We are deep into the winter and spring seems a long way off. We’ve had storms, and real winter driving, already there are too many coats and boots in the back hall and too many puddles to be avoided. But if there is snow and sun, February can be fine, dazzling even. If it’s overcast, as so much of January was, we must search a little harder for brightness.

I look to my windows and the houseplants crowded around each one for my dose of brightness. Potted plants were my first horticultural love. Having no access or funding for an outdoor garden, I began with one potted succulent: String of Pearls. It was dead within a month, but not before it had me hooked. In the intervening 30 years there have been more successes than failures and my collection now contains many old friends. I am fortunate enough to have unobstructed windows on three sides: north, east, and south. None are as large as I’d like but we make do, as gardeners must, and each window now hosts its own unique, attendant garden.

Northern windows offer a soft, indirect light and is the weakest of the four. Ficus and ferns, both of which do well in less light live comfortably side by side. To boost humidity pebble trays filled with water, are scattered among the pots, receiving a watering whenever the living things do. Rabbits foot fern (polypodium aureum) is a great fern for the indoors. Able to survive in drier conditions, rounded, silvery fronds stand above hairy, brown rhizomes (hence the common name) that crawl across the surface of the soil. Rex Begonias fit in nicely here, their broad leaves adding flashes of colour among the greenery. Consistent moisture is key to Begonia health. Smaller leaved “eyelash” begonias are as hardy as they come and easily propagated from leaf cuttings.

Southern and Western windows offer plentiful, intense light. This is a prime location for sun lovers such as succulents, euphorbias and peperomia, some even blooming during the winter months. Gasteria, with their ridged stacks of spikes, is one of the easiest succulents to grow and sends out tall stems, adorned with delicate bells throughout the winter. The family is a huge one and cultivars come in a variety of sizes and textures. Euphorbia too, is a vast family, containing unique and often imposing, architectural plants that thrive in the dry, winter conditions so commonly found indoors.

But in February, the east window is my favourite. Here is where and when the orchids bloom. The morning light, humidity level, night-time temperature and weekly watering have combined to give them what they want. They reward me with blooms that last until spring. Beginning in late January, the stems begin to stretch towards the light, shy little buds already formed but held close. Throughout the month of February, the buds fatten until at last they unfurl into rounded, pristine blossoms with faces like dragons. Mine are Moth Orchids (Phalaenopsis), the easiest of the lot to grow. Coming in a wide range of colours and patterns, they’re also the easiest to obtain. They like it warm during the day and cooler at night, no wet feet, and a washing of the leaves periodically. Orchids will rest between bloom periods but should be cared for regularly during this period. Given the correct conditions plants can bloom annually for decades. Moth orchids are just a gateway plant into a genus that is as varied as it is vast. There are around 25,000 species that make up the orchid family, each one a marvel of colour and form and often, scent.

Whether you have one window or many there is a plant for you. There is a wide range of easily accessible specimens for every situation. Artificial lighting has come so far in the last decade that you don’t even need windows to grow beautiful, healthy plants. I believe that everyone should care for a green thing. They are good for us. A plant’s tenacity and ingenuity inspire consideration and wonder. Their fragility reminds us that all things need care. Many a visitor has left my home carrying one of my plants and I in turn, have left many with a gift of my own. These gifts are what line my windowsills. They remind me of the giver and brighten the dullest winter’s day.

Learn how to make more plants at the Tillsonburg Horticultural Society’s general meeting on the first Tuesday of the month. February’s speaker is Denise Hodgkins who will be discussing propagation methods. For members of the society, there will be a seed swap starting at 6:30 the same evening. Bring some of your collected seed and leave with something new!

“Dreaming about the garden!”

By Sue Healey, Tillsonburg Horticultural Society

Here we are at the beginning of 2024; a new year, a new season, and a new hand behind “It’s Still Just Dirt”.

After many years and countless articles Angela Lassam has passed the torch, ready to try her hand at something different. I thank her for the knowledge she passed on. She introduced me to subjects that I had never considered before.

New considerations. That’s what I like best about January. Especially January in the garden. In the garden the first month of the year isn’t one of new beginnings or resolutions, it’s a quiet, in-between time. A time when all the work of a garden is either in the past or in the future. There is no weeding, watering, no sowing, or sodding. It’s a time of afternoon naps and dreaming. Dreaming of what the garden could be or should be or will be. Full of promise and choice. Everything is worth considering in the cold, still days and oh so early nights of January.

For fuel and fodder there is nothing better for garden dreams than garden books. I want mine full of gorgeous photos and good information. For many years I never seemed to get to the library, but my husband did and always returned with a selection of gardening books to peruse at my leisure. It became my favourite way to spend Sunday morning and is a cherished memory.

Whether they come as holiday gifts, loans from the library or as audio books, garden reading is always worth the time. There is something new to be learned or old to be reminded of. My dreams this year include rain gardens, and wasp houses, xeriscapes (dry gardens), a cutting garden, bonsai trees, flagstone paths… You can see where a January afternoon might lead.

My January list of reading includes both paper, digital and audio books. Some are old favourites that I return to year after year, and some are new like Noel Kingsbury and Piet Oudolf’s “Planting: A New Perspective”. This one had me at the cover photo, the intertwining of plants and layering of colour is how I like it.

Amazon’s description of the book as “an essential resource for designers and gardeners looking to create plant-rich, beautiful gardens that support biodiversity and nourish the human spirit” tells me I’ll find something worth noting beyond the usual garden advice.

For my commute I’ve chosen an audio version of Suzanne Simard’s “Finding the Mother Tree: discovering the Wisdom of the Forest”. Simard is mentioned in other books I’ve read; “The Hidden Life of Trees” and “Entangled Life” and I now have finally made my way to it.

Audible describes the author, “Simard is a pioneer on the frontier of plant communication and intelligence, is hailed as a scientist who conveys complex, technical ideas in a way that is dazzling and profound.” ‘Plant communication and intelligence,’ how can you not be curious?

One of my beloved old favourites? It’s both a feast for the eyes and brain: “Taylor’s Encyclopedia of Garden Plants” turned 20 years old last year, but is still an excellent reference guide to a huge selection of annuals, perennials, and trees. I usually turn to it first when researching a new plant.

And when my eyes tire or the headphones become irritating, or I just need a little human contact I go to our Tillsonburg Horticultural meeting. I encourage you to drop in as a guest and stay as a member. There are horticultural societies in most towns that offer monthly meetings, a host of resources and a base of knowledge to rival any library. Check out our local Tillsonburg Horticultural Society’s website https://tillsonburghorticultural.ca/ for meeting times, speakers, and the projects they have on the go.

This January, I hope you will join me and spend the cold nights dreaming about the garden and investigating whether it’s still just dirt.

It’s Still Just Dirt – June 2023 – Angela Lassam

Climbers for every garden

In every garden you will find climbers and vines, both annual and perennial. Climbers are commonly used to cover a fence or to transform a structure in the garden. Vines can be used in the same way but can be a ground cover although not thought of in that way by most of us. Climbers add a vertical dimension to any garden as a tower or a fence/wall of color and texture with its foliage.

It is said that climbers and vines are the same but there is a difference. Climbers are plants that have a strong root and need support and tying as they grow. Although they grow slowly, over the years they will produce a full cover of blooms throughout the season. The only care they need is to prune out the dead wood in the Spring and remove any suckers growing at soil level. Many climbers are perennial. Vines are more often annual. Vines are different in that they grow quickly and the stems are generally
very thin.

When considering a new plant, a climber will need a large space over time. Allow for its growth and the other plants around it. Climbing roses will grow up to 10 feet tall and at least 3 ft wide. Prune in Spring to allow air flow and prevent mildew. Clematis can be seen in most gardens. There have been many cultivars over the years. They can be
purple, lilac, pink and even white with single or double flowers. One is an evergreen. To grow them successfully it is said ‘heads in the sun’ and ‘feet in the shade’, It likes its roots covered in mulch or surrounded by a ground cover to keep them cool.

Wisteria will cover an arch and keep trailing everywhere without strict control and regular pruning. It is slow to flower, taking up to 5 years to become established. Then it will flower profusely when heavily pruned annually.

Virginia Creeper (Trumpet Vine) is a haven for hummingbirds with its open bright red trumpet flowers. It will become invasive over time even to the point of sending roots underground in grass.

Boston ivy if grown against a brick wall will send roots into any crevice and loosen the wall over time.

All of these are perennial so beware of their traits.

Annual climbers are most often called vines as the roots are shorter and they grow rapidly with fine thin stems. They still need a structure to grow on so that the tendrils can twine around for support. Flowers are varied, plentiful and bright. They will drop many seeds at the end of the year and often it may appear they are perennial. If you do not plan to grow the same seeds next year pick them up in the Fall. Morning glory is a common one and prolific, but the seeds are quite large and easy to pick up. Maybe
share next year with a friend. Another vine called Mexican flag has dark green heart shaped leaves and pendular flowers that start as yellow and progress to red. It creates a striking accent to a wall or fence. Sweet pea is also a vine but a short one with many delicate flowers with a strong fragrance, a nice addition to a deck fence.

Some vegetables are considered vines and can be grown for color, try scarlet runner bean. Cucumbers grown up a wire panel have large yellow flowers followed by the cucumber which can show the progress of the season to children. Make sure they have strong support. A teepee of canes is another way for support.

Do you have climbers and vines in your garden? They add another dimension to the landscape and always give a wonderful show of color all Summer. Climbers are a great way to show future young gardeners how to grow plants vertically and for gardeners to enjoy their own garden space, large or small. Happy Summer!!!!

The Tillsonburg Horticultural Society has a special event on June 24 th A Tour of Gardens – Garden Artistry 2023 with gardens each with a local artist. A bonus is a ballot for Peoples Choice on a quilted flag found at each garden. Tickets are $15 which can be purchased at Tillsonburg Garden Gate, Station Arts Centre and Annandale NHS.

Monthly meetings will resume on Tuesday September 5 th @ 7.30pm in the Senior Centre Tillsonburg Community Centre. Ken Brown, horticultural consultant and judge with tips and advice on gardening.

Everyone welcome, visit as a guest$4 or become a member for $20 annually, come join us. Check out www.tillsonburghorticultural.ca and Facebook-tillsonburghorticultural.

It’s Still Just Dirt

March Edition

Less watering and more time this Summer

Angela Lassam

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 4^th 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.

For more information check out www.tillsonburghorticultural.ca or Facebook Tillsonburghorticultural

It’s Still Just Dirt

January 2023

Squirrels in the Garden

Angela Lassam

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 by Angela Lassam

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 31^st 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 9^th 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 7^th@ 7.30pm in the Senior Centre, Tillsonburg Community Complex, speaker will be Maureen Cocksedge ‘Free plants from division’. Everyone welcome.

HAPPY GARDENING!

Two Problems In The Garden

ITS STILL JUST DIRT APRIL 2022 by Angela Lassam

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.

Perennial flowers in every garden

Angela Lassam

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.