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20 April 2009
Posted in
Spring Gardening: Your Green Thumb
If you’re really thirsting for knowledge about your garden, peruse the 2009 Seed Catalogue, available in pdf file on the Halifax Seed website at http://shop2.itnweb.com/halifaxseed. It’s full of incredibly detailed facts about vegetables, herbs and more, including information about plant care, maturation and other relevant growing details. With all this, all you’ll have left to do is wait to reap your harvest!
It’s that time of year again! The snow has finally disappeared and life has come back to the garden. With help from Halifax Seed you’ll be back in the garden with your rubber boots and gardening gloves on in no time!
- Growing Your Meals
- Food Safety
- Vegetables: Starting Out
- Basics for Growing a Vegetable or Herb Garden
- Helpful Hints for Herbs & Vegetables
- Popular Vegetables (Peas, Beans, Carrots, Tomatoes, Lettuce, Spaghetti Squash)
- Herbs (Basil & Chives)
- Growing on a Balcony
- Organic & Natural Lawn Care
- Lawn Care
- Fertilizing & Weed Control
- Watering & Insect Control
- Halifax Seed – Who We Are
Growing Your Meals
a. Food Safety
The garden trend for 2009 is to grow your own vegetables and herbs. Not only will you benefit from the nutrients found in fresh, off-the-vine food, but it’s easier on your wallet and you’ll have the piece-of-mind knowing that your food is SAFE. Food safety is a major concern to many consumers. By growing your own produce, you get the advantage of having full control over the process, while vegetables are still growing (ie: fertilizers, insect & disease control, etc…).
b. Vegetables: Starting Out
Most vegetables start out as a seed. However, sometimes it may be easier to use a transplant established in a greenhouse than to start from seed, especially if maturation times are longer.
Some of the best vegetables to grow from seed are:
- Carrots
- Cucumbers
- Peas
- Beans
- Squash
- Lettuce
Other vegetables such as tomatoes and peppers are sometimes easier purchased at the transplant stage. Transplants are typically available mid-late May through June (weather dependent).
c. Basics for Growing a Vegetable or Herb Garden
Here are a few basics to help you grow your vegetable or herb garden:
- Start with nice nutrient-rich soil.
- Add composts and manures or organic fertilizers to help to richen the soil, if desired.
- Choose a sunny location.
- Choose commonly or more easily grown vegetables such as: peas, beans, cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, lettuce, squash and zucchini.
- Choose commonly or more easily grown herbs such as: chives, basil, thyme and sage. They are very easy to grow and add lots of flavor to your dishes and even drinks.
A great hint for growing herbs is to grow them in pots, this way you are able to bring them inside when the weather gets cool and still get the benefits of fresh herbs all year long. For more advanced gardeners try growing some hot peppers, leeks or watermelons. These are more challenging to grow but always worth the work. When it comes to your own vegetable garden, always grow your favorites and try one or two new things as well.
Helpful Hints for Herbs & Vegetables
a. Peas & Beans:
Pole Peas and Beans grow very tall so you will need to stake them. A great way to grow both is to make a tee-pee out of 5-6 bamboo poles and plant seeds around the base of each pole. This is a great way to grow vegetables in a more compact garden to help save a bit of space.
b. Carrots:
Sometimes carrots can be difficult to grow. Be sure the soil is deep since it is a root vegetable. The most important factor when growing carrots is the moisture level. This always needs to be kept very constant. Carrots can only be grown from seed and be sure to “thin” them out when they start to grow (pulling carrots that aren’t developed as much as the others out so the good ones have more room to go).
c. Tomatoes:
Tomato seeds need to be started early inside – sometimes it is easier to purchase tomatoes as a transplant. There are two different categories of tomatoes, determinant and indeterminate. Determinant varieties will only grow to a certain height and stay at that height. Indeterminate vine varieties will continually grow taller and need to be trellised; a bamboo support system works well. Some tomatoes grow well in containers making them a great plant for on the balcony.
d. Lettuce:
Always make sure you have lettuce growing so you can make a salad anytime you want. To ensure continual lettuce growth stagger your seeding dates. Lettuce seed can be planted directly in the garden. Try different varieties such as a mesclun mix, butter crunch or even radicchio.
e. Spaghetti Squash:
For “carb conscious” eaters that have a craving for spaghetti and meatballs try growing spaghetti squash. When fully grown, remove the squash from the vine, cut squash in half and roast in oven until tender inside (350°F for about 45mins). After cooking, use a fork to scrape out flesh – you will notice it looks like spaghetti – plate it up and smother in sauce.
f. Basil:
Fresh basil is a staple in the garden – it can be added to almost any dish. A big supply of basil is great to make pesto with and can be added to lots of tomato dishes and dressings.
g. Chives:
If you cook potatoes you should always have chives growing. Chives are very easy to grow and take up little room in the garden.
h. Only have a balcony?
There are still lots of options when you only have a balcony. Culinary herbs can be grown in pots on your back deck along with patio tomatoes (Patio Hybrid Tomato) and cucumbers (Salad Bush Cucumber). Small strawberries can grow very well in hanging baskets that you can hang above your growing space. A larger balcony could hold a tee-pee with beans and peas as well.
i. Remember Flowers:
Don’t forget about the flowers either! Not only do flowers provide beautiful scenery but some flowers are even edible. Nasturtiums and Johnny-jump-ups (violas) add a splash of tasty colour to your plates. Be sure to line your balcony railings with window boxes. This a great way to get lots of colourful flowers into a small space.
Organic & Natural Lawn Care
It’s easy to create a lush beautiful lawn and “bad-bug” free gardens. Follow some simple steps to keep both looking beautiful.
a. Lawn Care:
The best prevention is maintenance! Top dressing and overseeding your lawn once a year is very crucial. Regular lime (twice a year) and fertilizer applications will provide a healthy start to your lawn. Be sure to always read and follow stated label rates and recommended actions. When mowing, ensure you are not cutting grass blades too short. Watering is the final factor to proper lawn maintenance. By starting a lawn care routine and sticking with it, insect and disease issues can be kept at bay.
b. Fertilizing & Weed Control:
Organic fertilizers start by building up the nutrients and elements in the soil. When using an organic fertilizer on your lawn, start by fertilizing twice a year for two years (early spring and autumn). Then fertilize just once a year after that (spring). Gaia Green Organic Turf & Lawn Blend Fertilizer (6-2-3) is a slow release fertilizer that produces a healthy, vibrant lawn. The increased vigor of the lawn will help choke out unwanted weeds.
Corn Gluten is a great way to prevent the germination of weed seeds such as dandelions and crabgrass. The corn gluten must be applied 3 times a year. Corn gluten is classified as a pre-emergent weed killer, this product prevents the germination of seeds. As such, this should be taken into account when over-seeding the lawn. Ensure there is enough time in between applications of grass seed and corn gluten so that the corn gluten does not prevent the germination of the grass. Corn gluten is also okay to use in and around flower gardens where the plants have already established themselves in the soil.
There are many organic fertilizers that are great for both vegetable and flower gardens. Neptune’s Harvest Fish and Seaweed Fertilizers come as a liquid and when mixed with water get sprayed over into the soil. Once a week walk through the garden and pull out stray weeds ensuring that you have a good portion of the roots as well. Be sure to dispose of the weeds quickly as you don’t want the weed seeds spreading.
c. Watering & Insect Control:Proper watering is essential to a healthy lawn. Watering on a regular basis will ensure good root development and can also hold off insects that can severely damage your grass like Chinch Bugs. When watering, be sure that it is a deep watering and not a frequent shallow watering. To gauge how much water your lawn is getting you can place a tuna can in the center of the lawn, in really dry periods it is best to do one good watering a week where the tuna can is filled.
Halifax Seed is pleased to offer nematodes – these are biological controls that will kill grubs, leather jackets and black vine weevils. The nematodes are a fantastic way to control and kill these insects without using a harsh chemical. Other biological insect controls we carry include lady bugs (great for aphid control).
Halifax Seed – Who We Are
Halifax Seed is a family owned and operated company that was established in 1866. We are leaders in our industry in providing not only high quality products but high quality service as well. Halifax Seed carries a wide variety of products that include many natural and organic solutions to growing healthy meals, flowers and lawns.
Both retail locations are open all year long – during spring and fall our outdoor garden centre is full of everything from unique perennials and roses to tasty vegetable and herb transplants (spring) and lots of wonderful grasses, potted mums and pansies (fall). In store we have everything you need to keep your outdoor living space looking great! From tools and soils, to seasonal bulbs and advice, Halifax Seed has everything a gardener would need to get the job done.
Spring is a great time to learn how to plant and grow! Visit one of our retail stores today.
Locations & Hours
Halifax, NS
5860 Kane St
Mon-Fri: 8:30-5:30
Saturday: 8:30-5:00
Sunday: CLOSED
Saint John, NB
664 Rothesay Ave
Mon-Wed: 8:00-5:00
Thurs-Fri: 8:00-6:00
Saturday: 8:00-4:00
Sunday: CLOSED
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