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

Now is the time to prepare all the excess produce we have grown to be used in the winter. Canning and preserving was a mammoth task in years past. It filled many kitchens with smells and heat with all surfaces covered with jars filled with fruit and vegetables.

Today it is much easier to store fruit and vegetables. For fruit freeze drying is one of the best ways. Simply clean, allow to dry after washing and bag them. Remove all excess air out by suction before storing in a freezer. Jams can be made at a later time. Fruit at any time can be taken from a freezer and added to ice cream as dessert or made into pies easily even using store purchased pie shells.

Vegetables appear to need more time to prepare but are well worth the effort. Most root vegetables will do well for several months after harvest. Potatoes only need to be placed in fresh air and allowed to be completely dry before handling. Rub all the dirt off and discard any damaged potatoes. Store the good potatoes in brown paper bags or bushel baskets covered to keep dark. Place in a cool place below 15 degrees C. if possible. A garage is a good place if it does not go below the freezing point. Carrots can stay in the ground until freezing temperatures. Then they must be pulled up, laid on newspaper to dry and then rubbed clean. A Rubbermaid tub is ideal for storage. Fill it in layers with carrots and sand or sawdust. Store in the same place as potatoes. Squash must be cut when completely finished growing leaving a small piece of the stem. Allow to dry completely. If there is any moisture on the skin they will rot quickly. A Rubbermaid tub is good to use but do not place the squash too close together and leave the lid off for aeration. I have successfully done this with squash and used them at Christmas time. A string bag is another way to store them and hang it up like other vegetables.

Onions need extra care before they can be stored for use in the winter months. They must be completely finished growing in the garden patch. This can be decided by the spike turning yellow and appearing to dry from the top down. To speed up this process before frost time simply bend the spike a little above the ground. They will quickly dry down and then can be pulled up for storage. Lay them out on dry ground on newspaper to absorb moisture and allow the skins to dry off. I use my garage floor for this. When the green part has dried completely you can cut it off. The onions can then be stored the same way in a string bag to keep them dry and airy. 

Lastly tomatoes can be saved for winter use in several ways. Simply wash them and put them in large bags and place in a freezer. In winter you can take out as many as you need and plunge in boiling water. The skins will split and can be easily peeled off even when the flesh is partly frozen. Use them as you would any canned tomatoes for soups, sauces or filler in many casseroles. Alternately freeze tomatoes overnight and plunge in boiling water the next day to remove skins and boil them. Freeze small portions in containers for use in winter.

It is worth the effort to know that the food we will be preparing is our own produce and that no chemicals have been used to promote growth and perfection.

Monthly meetings resume on Tuesday September 4^th @ 7.30 p.m. in the Senior Centre Auditorium at the Tillsonburg Community Centre. The topic is Fall Decorating with Hilde Makkink  of Sunflower Farm, Tillsonburg who will be demonstrating  for us.

A reminder for members that the Grow and Show Flower Competition is at this meeting. Categories can be found in the Tillogram or website. (Participation can be fun!) Everyone welcome. For more information look on Facebook at Tillsonburghorticultural or on the website www.tillsonburghorticultural.ca.

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

Without bees there would be no fresh food. The bees are one of the most important pollinators. Agriculture increasingly realises the natural value of bees and contract with beekeepers to pollinate crops. You may notice bee hives placed strategically on field sidelines especially melon fields locally. When vegetables and fruit are grown in our gardens we naturally get the pollination done for us. The wild habitat they need is disappearing fast as population needs rise so there is an urgency to allow wild spaces to be replanted with relevant vegetation. Gardeners can help too by growing flowers, vegetables and fruit with good and easy access. A corner of the garden could be planted with wild flowers where they can forage naturally.

There are over 40,000 species of bees worldwide and 1,000 of those are found in Canada. Bees have a round body covered in feathery hairs which transport the pollen as they feed and collect for the nest. They have two pairs of clear wings, large compound eyes and a proboscis to collect the pollen. They have a four stage life cycle – egg, larva, pupa and adult. Not all bees survive over the winter. Honey bees gather inside the hive in what is described as a cluster to survive.

Bees do not naturally sting unless stepped on or attacked when foraging for food. The honey bee can only sting once and then will die. They are not normally aggressive and should not be confused with a wasp. Wasps will sting repeatedly and in swarms. They can be distinguished by their very different appearance to the bee. A wasp has a narrow, thin, shiny body with bright coloring and longer thin legs. In spring they will eat insects but come summertime they invade any rotten garbage to eat the sugars collecting there.

In the garden we can help the bees by growing many plants in all seasons. In spring there is crocus, hyacinth and daffodils. For summer any fruit, cosmos, snapdragons, borage, beans and peas to name a few. For fall grow zinnias, asters, goldenrod and echinacea. There are many more worth mentioning but all have flower heads that are single and easy to reach in to get the pollen.

Now some fun facts about bees. They are the only insect that can make food that we can eat. They recognize the human face. They fly at 24 km/hr. They love caffeine.

The past garden tour in conjunction with the Station Arts Centre at the beginning of the month was very well supported and many thanks to all those who purchased tickets. Many hours went into the preparation of the gardens by the garden owners and the volunteer support so thanks there too. Plans are already in progress for another wonderful day next year.

In August there will be a workshop with Mitchell Hewson. The workshop is Saturday, August 11 from 1 to 4 p.m.  Two different creams will be made by each participant. Mitchell Hewson, world renowned Horticultural Therapist will lead the hands-on workshop as well as teach about the healing properties of essential oils.  Mitchell was extremely well received by the members when he was the society’s guest speaker last October.  Contact Judi Misener at judimisener@gmail.com.  Non- members are welcome. Open to everyone!

Lastly monthly meetings resume on Tuesday, September 4 @ 7.30 p.m. in the Senior Centre Auditorium, Tillsonburg Community Centre. Topic is Fall Decorating with Hilde Makkink of Sunflower Farm, Tillsonburg.

Everyone welcome.  For more information look on Facebook Tillsonburghorticultural or check the website www.tillsonburghorticultural.ca  

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

June is the start of the Japanese beetle invasion on our gardens. No garden will avoid this destruction. It happens as soon as all the hard work is done to get our gardens doing well.

The Japanese beetle originally was confined to Japan. It was only found there as it was surrounded by water and had natural enemies like the parasitic wasp. The beetles arrived in North America as grubs in the soil on iris roots and were first found in a nursery in New Jersey in 1916. A law was introduced in 1912 for no plants allowed in soil to enter the country but it was not implemented at that time. By 1920 an eradication program was dropped as there were just too many beetles to control. In USA it is a huge problem and it is reported that after spraying they can be shoveled up in bucketfuls.

The beetle is very noticeable approx. ½” in size and quite colorful. It is a mix of copper and metallic blue/green and very rarely only one but several appear together. Their cycle runs over two years. They lay eggs in the soil beginning early June where they turn into tiny white grubs approximately ¼” and stay there eating the roots of grass or other plants growing up to 1”. They go deeper over the winter resurfacing late spring as beetles to start the cycle again. Their adult stage is only 40 days long but during that time they are very prolific and destructive.

There are several ways to reduce the infestation at different times of their life cycle. The grass can be treated with nematodes which will kill the larvae in the soil. An alternative treatment of milky spore can be used. It is a longer term treatment but it is more expensive as larger areas need to be treated.

A homemade solution of 2 tbsp of dish soap and 1 gallon of water will treat 1000 sq. ft. sprayed on obvious affected areas in early morning. It will bring the grubs up and will be natural food for the birds.

As adults they can be handpicked into a bucket of soapy water. There are traps for them available in nurseries. They need to be placed away from any vegetation (edge of property). There is controversy about these as they actually can draw them from the neighborhood.

There are companion plants that deter them especially marigolds and geraniums. Geraniums make them dizzy when near them and they will drop to the soil where they can be easily picked up into a bucket of soapy water.

There are some plants they will not eat in the vegetable patch. Squash, onions, lettuce, parsley, spinach and potatoes are just a few. Some trees are also disliked –  Red bud, Dogwood, Red Maple. Shrubs affected could be Rose of Sharon and Burning Bush. They do like most fruit trees, beans and especially Canna lilies.

Good luck with you war on these pests and I hope it helps some of the many gardeners plagued by these “pretty” beetles.

The Horticultural Society has three Summer events planned over the period that there will be no meetings. The first one is the “Beyond the Garden Gate” garden tour taking place on Saturday July 7^th, 11am – 4 pm, rain or shine. Tickets are $10 in advance obtainable at Station Arts Centre, Merle Norman or Tillsonburg Garden Gate. Also contact any board member for one or more, $12 on the day at any of the gardens. This event is open to everyone. 

Beyond the Garden Gate Tour in Tillsonburg coming up on July 7.

The tour comprises of six gardens, all easy travelling distance around Tillsonburg with stops at Tillsonburg Garden Gate and Station Arts Centre. Each location will have a local artisan either artistic or musical. Tillsonburg Garden Gate is giving ticket holders a discount on any purchase for the weekend. Station Arts Centre as usual is admission free. Purchase of a ticket gives you a detailed map and description of all that is available on the tour so come out and see what some of our members achieve with their gardens and enjoy a pleasant drive.

The second event is a social Garden Party/Potluck Supper on Thursday, 26^th July with an afternoon of games, quizs, contests, antique display and music. This event runs from 4 – 8 pm with potluck supper @ 5:30 pm. Watch Facebook for more details, check in the Tillogram or email host Angela Lassam farmer@kwic.com phone 519 936 8117. All members welcome (with spouse/partner/friend too) just bring a potluck dish to share, come and have some fun.

The third event has been prepared as members have requested a workshop. The workshop is Saturday, August 11th from 1 to 4.  Two different creams will be made by each participant. Mitchell Hewson, world renowned Horticultural Therapist will lead the hands-on workshop as well as teach about the healing properties of essential oils. Mitchell was extremely well received by the members when he was the Society’s guest speaker last October.  Contact Judi Misener at judimisener@gmail.com.  Non members are welcome, open to everyone!

Normal monthly meetings will resume on Tuesday, September 4^th  @ 7:30 pm in the Senior Centre Auditorium Tillsonburg Community Centre.  For more information look on Facebook Tillsonburghorticultural or the website www.tillsonburghorticultural.ca .