It’s Still Just Dirt, The Tillsonburg News – February 2018
by Angela Lassam

Gardening has gone full circle and renewed interest is rising especially with the millennials. They are looking to grow their own fruit and vegetables. Knowledge through social media has made it easy to find out where food comes from and its content. They are looking to their childhood memories and this is where heirloom seeds can take a part. The seed companies are offering more of these seeds every year making it easier for gardeners both old and new to grow them.

Gardeners who know heirloom seeds know they are valuable to them for their hardiness, disease and pest resistance and there is no need for chemicals making them organic too. Heirloom produce appears to be more flavourful, and colourful (grocery store produce is dull and plastic-like in comparison). It is also a fact they have a higher nutritional value.

As the word indicates they must originate from 1950 or before to get this title. Many originate much earlier and some go back as far as biblical times where it is said grape vines were found on the walls of the city of Babylon. Many people had a pastime of gardening years ago. People today are returning to experimenting growing their own fruit and vegetables and in turn helping the environment by encouraging the natural diversity our planet needs A garden can be at least two degrees cooler than any paved area so why not grow food and not grass to reap other benefits.

Heirloom seeds are generally open-pollinated by nature through birds, insects and weather. Seeds can be saved for the following year but may not replicate the same due to some cross pollination. This could be an interesting task to encourage children to go forward in gardening.

There is a Millennium Seed Bank Partnership ( also known as the International Conservation Project) which in 1996 was established for the insurance against extinction of plants by storing seeds for future use. Over a billion seeds had been secured by 2007 and by 2015 13 per cent of the world species had been saved. The program grew quickly and became international in 2001 and is ongoing.

Colour is one attribute for heirloom varieties with tomatoes being a good example. There is even a striped green tomato called Green Zebra. Many heirloom vegetables are bright making any table presentation more pleasing to the eye. Chefs are using them more now as they become popular and easier to source.

Another reason to plant heirlooms is they are GMO free and generally organic. The growing time to maturity is normally longer giving gardeners more time to enjoy them.

The seed catalogues are a good source for specific names to look for. Here are just a few with the reason behind their name. In depression times (1920s) a gardener grew tomatoes for sale when he became unemployed. He made enough money to pay off his mortgage and subsequently the name of that tomato was Mortgage Lifter and is still available today. Carrots came from the Netherlands in the 17^th century. A common variety is the Nantes Coreless. Queen Victoria named a potato after Prince Albert when potatoes arrived in England. Cabbage (Copenhagen Market and Danish Ballhead) commonly used for sauerkraut and coleslaw came to America from Europe. Captain Cook’s ship doctor used sauerkraut for wounds and as a preventive for gangrene. Cucumber, a member of the gourd family came with Christopher Columbus from Spain in the 16^th century. A most famous pickling cucumber is the Chicago Pickling.

Heirloom seeds have been proven for their ease to grow without all the downfalls of newer hybrids and the value of the biodiversity the world needs.

I hope everyone can attend at least one of the upcoming garden shows to jumpstart Spring. Stratford Garden Festival is March 1^st-4^th and Canada Blooms in Toronto is March 9^th-18^th. The theme this year is ‘ Let’s go to the Movies’.

The next monthly meeting for the Tillsonburg Horticultural Society will be on Tuesday March 6^th @ 7.30pm in the Senior Centre Auditorium Tillsonburg Community Complex. The speaker is Farlee See from Moores Water Gardens Port Stanley talking all about water gardening. Everyone welcome. Non-members $2 per meeting or join for extra benefits. Visit us at www.tillsonburghorticultural.ca or Facebook Tillsonburghorticultural for more information.

It’s Still Just Dirt, The Tillsonburg News – January 2018
by Angela Lassam

It came to my notice that we do not need to go very far to meet people with a gardening flair who have used their interest to create a small thriving business. There are two families locally whom I would like to introduce to you and hope to talk about others at another time.

Hilde Makkink of Sunflower Farm Tillsonburg and her family are successfully running a business where they offer many products and workshops on a regular basis. Hilde and her family came from the Netherlands in 2009, started a family and opened their flower business at their farm in 2011.

The farm is aptly named Sunflower Farm and borders the Trans Canada Trail north east of Tillsonburg. Every year they plant over 2000 seeds – 35 varieties of flowers which are cut twice daily for freshness in season. There is a farm store where cut flowers and rustic craft can be purchased. It is also the pickup spot for ordered arrangements for occasions like weddings, anniversaries and similar occasions. Besides this you can have the experience of pick your own. She attends the Tillsonburg farmers market on Saturdays in the summer.

Hilde has extended her floral interest into giving workshops on the farm appropriate to the season. She can accommodate small groups (maybe a sisters day out or a mothers day gift) which are all personally arranged.

Her husband works with her on the land work and makes the bases for her creations. He builds wooden frames, boxes and any other piece for the projects Hilde requires for her designs. These materials are also for sale in the farm store. Hilde is easy to find on www.makkinks.com or on facebook .

Jane Magri of Wildflowers Tea is another local small farming enthusiast whom along with her family has created a small business on their organic 9 acre farm south of St Thomas. They grow herbs, perennials and wild flowers and her husband’s interest compliments this with his bees and beekeeping. Teas are made from herbs, roots, spices and other plants. Nettle, dandelion and burdock are among the wild plants used. There is no caffeine or additives. There is also a line of natural products that have materialized from the demand for natural ingredients. Soaps, ointments, syrups and oils are all for sale at the farm store.

Jane spent time in university studying herbal medicine and has travelled extensively. She realized where there was poverty herbal medicine was widely used successfully. During this time she met her husband. They returned to St Thomas (her husband’s hometown) where they purchased the farm and have since realized their dream. She now uses her knowledge and skills to help people who are running out of traditional health solutions and she can produce a tea, salve or oil to suit individuals upon consultation.

Jane also has yoga sessions on the farm for adults and children in the shop/barn. This is a great addition to the products available there. Tea tasting, herb walks, and see the bees enterprise are offered. Now she is branching out to weddings and dinners. More on Jane can be found at www.wildflowerstea.com or on facebook.

We have many more interesting people locally but both of these young people include their families in their endeavors and they are raising their children to appreciate the land around them and the return it gives them. I hope to profile more families like this in the future.

The next meeting for the Tillsonburg Horticultural Society will be on Tuesday February 6^th @ 7.30pm in the Senior Centre Auditorium, Tillsonburg Community Complex. Speaker will be Suzanne Steed talking all about lavender.  Everyone welcome. $2 per meeting or join and become a member for added benefits. More information www.tillsonburghorticultural.ca or on facebook.

It’s Still Just Dirt, The Tillsonburg News – December 2017
by Angela Lassam

Christmas cactus has no real connection to Christmas except the flowering time and the original bloom colour. It is easy to grow as an indoor plant. You can start new ones from a mature plant and give as an inexpensive gift if you are a good ‘potter’. For colour at Christmas time they are as popular as poinsettias.

Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera) is not a true cactus but a forest cactus – a tropical plant native to the mountains in Southeastern Brazil. It was discovered by a French botanist named Charles Lemaire and named after horticulturalist Frederic Schlumberger. The native plant is actually an epiphyte – grows on a tree and takes its moisture from the rain and air.

The plant comes in many colours (red, white, peach and pink).The leaves consist of flat round segments with serrated edges on a stem. The flower comes from the top of the leaf and is a tubular shape. The double structure shows the outer flower curled back and the inner flower protecting the stamen. It blooms for an average of eight weeks from November to January. A mature plant will produce a beautiful display and last for many years with the correct care.

Care of these plants as an indoor plant is a little different as it does not like to be placed near opening doors (drafts) or in a warm location. It prefers a temperature of 20C during bloom season and a sunny location. Misting frequently is necessary as it likes humidity. Fertilize as you would any other houseplant. This cactus also likes a regular dose of magnesium for growth and it can be done by using one teaspoon of Epsom salts in one gallon of water.

In November you can encourage a mature cactus to flower in time for Christmas. You will need to place it in a dark cool cupboard for at least 12 hours a day. Do not overwater just keep soil surface moist. It will take six to eight weeks for buds to form on the end of the leaf segments and these will be the new blooms.

After flowering is the best time to repot the cactus although it does prefer to be a little pot- bound. When not in flower it needs to be placed in a cooler spot and indirect light. Summertime it can be easily set outdoors in a shady area. Direct sunlight will cause yellowing at this stage in its cycle.

Propagation is quite easy using the cutting method and it is best done in late spring. The soil medium to use should consist of 60 per cent potting soil and 40 per cent perlite (well draining). You will need to take leaf segments and allow them to dry off at the end – leave for at least two days. Then press four of these leaf segments upright in a pot. Mist regularly but do not water too heavily or stand in water.

I hope you will consider one of these unusual Christmas time plants. Merry Christmas and a happy healthy prosperous New Year to you all.

Our regular monthly meetings will resume Tuesday January 2^nd 2018 @ 7.30 p.m. in the Senior Centre at the Tillsonburg Community Complex. The speaker will be Jane Magri from Wildflowers Teas. The topic is Tea and Remedies for Well Being. For members it is time to renew your membership. Non-members welcome $2 per meeting or become a member and get extra benefits.

For further information check out www.tillsonburghorticultural.ca or join us on Facebook – tillsonburghorticultural.

by Angela Lassam
It’s Still Just Dirt, The Tillsonburg News – November 2017

We are now going into a slow time for any gardener. When the snow comes, the ice rain or just a good frost our garden takes on a very different view. With a little ingenuity it can be made to come alive and interesting. We have a variety of shrubs, trees and plants that add both colour and structure to the landscape outside our windows. It is a time to take notice where there is an uninteresting spot and plan a future purchase for a new focal point. Maybe you can place a floodlight to highlight an unusual planting. Perhaps think of an item of steel, wood or cast concrete to add to the appearance of your own garden.

For colour there are many shrubs which keep their red color. We all know the dogwoods, holly (newer varieties do not need two bushes), burning bush and barberry. There is a yellow dogwood which would stand proud in the snow. Consider a yew that has yellow tips that can peak through the snow. Many evergreens can be trimmed to form shapes for year round interest.

Euonymus is an easy shrub to grow and keeps its variegation over the winter. It can be used to add interest to Christmas arrangements. There are spiky plants that are variegated like iris and yucca.

Trees that show well in winter are the weeping branch type and usually grafted (I have a lilac). Just to name a few that we are familiar with – Weeping Alaska Cedar (Nootka False Cypress), weeping copper beech for both leaves and draping appearance and Japanese larch. Snow looks great on all weeping trees as does an ice storm. Japanese maples seem to hold snow on them and look great at night under floodlights.

Some trees keep their fruit throughout the winter giving us a different view to summertime. A corkscrew witch hazel tree is both interesting in structure and also keeps some tassel-like flowers. Honey locust has long flat pods. A crabapple tree holds its tiny apples. One named Harvest Gold has clusters of small yellow apples. A viburnum called American Cranberry Bush is very showy. Winterberry  ‘Winter Red’ has branches with many red berries. Cotoneaster has many red berries and can be a shrub or groundcover. All of these feed the birds and give us life to watch in our gardens.

Many ornamental grasses left with their feather tops add interest to the winter garden as do the dead heads of many perennials. Sea holly and echinacea both look interesting poking up through the snow. You can leave the dead heads of allium as they can also look attractive.

There is no monthly meeting for December. The Christmas Potluck Supper (for members only) is on Tuesday December 5^th @ 6 p.m. in the Lions Auditorium, Tillsonburg Community Complex. The next monthly meeting will be Tuesday January 2, 2018 @ 7.30 p.m. in the Senior Centre. Speaker will be Jane Magri from Wildflowers Teas. Topic is Tea and Remedies for Wellbeing. Remember it is time to renew your membership to get all benefits the society has to offer. For more information follow us on facebook – tillsonburghorticultural or online www.tillsonburghortical.ca.

by Angela Lassam
It’s Still Just Dirt, The Tillsonburg News – October 2017

Thanksgiving has been celebrated here in Canada and yet to come in America ever since the pilgrims in Boston. All countries have a celebration when their major crops have been harvested successfully. For most people it is just another long weekend and the real reason seems to be forgotten. It is a celebration for the end of another gardening year when we can gather and collect food we have grown for the wintertime.  Sometimes it is called harvest festival which seems appropriate. Vegetables and fruit that we grow in our own gardens are still similar to back then and most are grown in the same way. Some of them are native although the ways we garden have changed. The traditional dinner has origins from many sources, some having evolved into different dishes but most of them are connected to the settlers from Europe.

Vegetables are primarily squash, sweet potatoes, root vegetables and corn. Also we must not forget the pumpkin for both Thanksgiving and Hallowe’en. Fruit includes apples, cranberries and grapes.

Root vegetables were stored dry like potatoes but they were dried before storing in sacks. Carrots and parsnip could be stored in dry sand if available. All squash need to be placed where they are dry and well aired. Corn could be canned although in days past it was dried and the corn was ground for cornmeal and used as flour for cooking. The settlers learned this from the Indians to replace flour in the early days. Pumpkin was used as a vegetable and in desserts.

When the settlers arrived they had no way to make pies so they made a dessert by removing the seedy center. They probably dried the seeds for the next year or cooked them and ate them as what we would call nowadays a snack. The original dessert made with pumpkin was a custard within the pumpkin called a Pie in a pumpkin. They filled the centre with a mixture of milk, honey and eggs and cooked it whole. I found a recipe online and wish to share it with you http://soufflebombay.com/2014/11/the-original-pumpkin-pie-way-pilgrims.html . Of course the pumpkin is also used for Hallowe’en and can be found in all shapes, colours and sizes.

Fruits that were readily available in early settlers’ time were apples, cranberries and grapes. They used them just to eat as a fruit. Apples came with the settlers and the first orchard according to history was established in Boston but not as we grow them today as cordoned but as regular trees. They made cider as a main drink which was fermented apple juice and used as the drink for Thanksgiving. They also dried them in rings for winter use. In later years they preserved them as apple sauce and butter in jars.

The early German settlers found cranberries in the bogs and marshes and introduced the cranberry sauce for meat accompaniment. Grapes, native to America were used as a juice or made into jelly. The grapes used in the wine industry today is not from the native grapes but an import from Europe.

Corn, pumpkins, squash and ornamental gourds have all the colors depicting the end of the growing season and are being used as natural decorations with dried leaves both inside and outside of our homes for fall and Thanksgiving. Most of these fruit and vegetables can be found in or around our gardens making the connection with Thanksgiving.

Next meeting will be on Tuesday, November 7th @7.30 pm in the Senior Centre Auditorium, Tillsonburg Community Complex. This month there will be Hilde Makkink from Makkink Sunflower Farm, Tillsonburg demonstrating decorating ideas. There will be three draws for her creations!  Members remember this meeting is the Photo Competition results and tour sign up.  Non-members welcome $2 per meeting or become a member and get extra benefits.

For further information check out www.tillsonburghorticultural.ca or join us on Facebook – tillsonburghorticultural.