Looking out the window this time of year there isn't much to see. But in the not-so-distant future, you can prepare to see a thing of beauty outside your window panes. With the right planning, your property can be transformed into a lush paradise for the few months we Ontarians get to spend outdoors.
The key, however, is to wait until the timing is right.
“Right now is the daydreaming phase,” says Pam Pilon, a custom planter at Vineland's The Watering Can, “or the planning stage. Take a look at your gardens, is there something you want to change? Perhaps there is something you wish you had last year and want to think about getting for this year.”
Pilon says people can start “armchair gardening” around mid-February. While the winter blahs are still in full swing, spring is not too far away and green thumbs should start thinking of how they want their gardens to appear. Browsing seed catalogues for special varieties, reading gardening magazines for inspiration and simply staring out at the snow covered ground are great ways to get started.
Pilon likes to check out Stokes Seeds, located at 296 Collier Rd. S. in Thorold, for hard-to-find varieties of vegetables and flowers. If you are considering starting your garden from seeds, now is the time to get ready, Pilon advises.
It starts with ordering seeds, and for seed lovers, there is no better place than Stokes, which distributes their seeds across North America. The Thorold retail store is the only one in Canada and shoppers have access to the entire Stokes Seeds collection.
“People in Niagara have a one-of-a-kind here,” said Wayne Gale, president, and third generation of the family to run the family business. “We list over 2,500 different varieties of seeds.”
Gale says there are two types of seeds and there is one important decision to make prior to spending a dime.
“I always tell people there are two types of seeds for home gardens – the type you start inside and the types you sow directly into the soil in the spring. The biggest decision you have to make is how much work you want to put into it.”
Sowing seeds can take a great deal of work, but it can also be a source of pride, says Gale.
The first mistake people make, says Gale, is overheating the seed as well as covering the pot with saran wrap. This will lock moisture in and can lead to fungus problems. The best place to store germinating seeds according to Gale, is on top of the fridge. This will require extra watering as drying the seed out is the second biggest mistake people make.
Once the seedlings are formed, Gale moves his vegetables and flowers to the basement. His set up is simple, a fluorescent light hanging from chains over a table. While there are various specialty bulbs for growing, Gales says a standard fluorescent will do the trick. If you don't have a good light source, you are wasting your time, says Gale.
But if you want to put the time and effort into growing your own seeds, there are great rewards starting with being able to plant a variety of plant species not available otherwise. Another advantage is cost savings.
One $5 packet of tomato seeds can last two to three years, Gale says. While an already grown tomate plant will last one season.
If you are looking for ease, Gale recommends cosmos, a throw it in the garden style of seed.
“You literally open the bag, throw the seeds in the dirt, mix it around with your foot and in a few months you have beautiful flowers,” he says.
For a good mixture of plant varieties, Gale recommends using half seeds and half ready-to-be-planted flowers and vegetables.
Once you have visualized your garden and sown your seeds, if you choose to go that route, the next step is preparation. Be wary of venturing into your flower beds to soon, warns Pilon. If the soil is still wet, avoid stepping on the soil.
“You don't want to compact the soil,” says Pilon, adding if water seeps around your footprint, it is still too wet to start gardening. “It can be really bad for the soil.”
Instead, start by doing some clean up. Pick up branches that have been tossed around the wind, rake the lawn and do some other maintenance-type work. Around the end of April, the soil should be dry enough to start preparing the beds for blooming season, says Pilon. Rake and prepare the soil, either by topping it up with three-way mix or top soil. Mulch can also be added at this time.
When it comes to plants, you always want to start with the hardy ones, says Pilon. For perennials, creeping phlox, pasque flowers, Lenten roses and shrubs can all be started in early spring.
Known as the other Easter flower, pasque flowers are bell-shaped and range in colours from lilac to purple, blue, red, pink, yellow and white, all with bright yellow anthers. It is recommended that pasque flower seeds are sowed outdoors in the summer months and planted directly in flats. Once the seedlings begin to show, you can sink them into your spring garden. If you haven't started from seeds, you can pick these plants up at your local gardening store.
Of course, when you are doing any spring gardening, be aware of your spring bulbs. Planted in the fall, flowers like tulips, daffodils, snowdrops and crocuses will start to bloom early on in the season. If they haven't bloomed yet, be careful where you stick that shovel.
“Be patient,” advises Pilon. “The last thing you want to happen is dig up your tulips by accident.”
By Victoria Day long weekend, gardeners should be safe to really get into planting mode. Bedding plants, shrubs, annuals and perennials can be added throughout the growing season. As soon as the ground is warm enough, plants like hostas, which come in a variety of shades and shapes, day lilies, perennial geraniums and hardy annuals can be placed in the ground. Pilon advises that any new garden should start with shrubs, which she calls the backbone of the garden.
Avoid replanting bulbs for canna or calla lilies until June, advises Pilon.
Be sure to pay attention to the environment, and functionality, when planning your garden. If you have young boys who like to kick a soccer ball around your backyard, choose hardy plants which can withstand the occasional ball. If you have selected an area in the shade, be sure to do your homework and find out which plants can thrive in a low-light environment.
“Do your homework,” says Pilon. “The worst thing you could do is spend a bunch of money on plants and have them die.”
The Watering Can, with locations at 3711 King St. in Vineland and 28 James St. in St. Catharines, offers a number of workshops year round. Upcoming workshops include spring planters, hanging baskets and container planting.
For more information, visit The Watering Can online at www.thewateringcan.ca.
Photo captions:
Daffodils and hyacinth
Daffodils and hyacinth are early bloomers but should be planted in the fall.
Primula
Primula, which come in purple, yellow, red, pink, or white, can be purchased now as a way to brighten up the home and transplated into the garden in early spring.
Gardening centres
Gardening centres across the region are getting ready for gardening season. Here, Michael Dodd, an employee at The Watering Can in Vineland, is seen watering plants that will be used for various hanging baskets and container plantings.