Plant Finder

One of our followers writes: Any ideas on the area in between homes? Ours has a fairly steep slope making it annoying for most everything...and I'm not a fan of lawns. The front part gets a fair amount of sun but the majority is part to no sun. There is a quite well designed swale...which can be very wet - the slope is fairly dry. The soil sucks. We're a newish development...about 7 years All the topsoil was removed...I feel its mainly rocks and weeds...but probably more clayish. Fairly tight...probably 4'. I don't think there's erosion...but can't say for sure. Raspberry bushes have to be ripped out at the back corner...full shade area. Otherwise it's mainly weeds. I have grown veggies before and the front yard has landscaping...no lawn. Our answer: One thing I would suggest before you being to plant, would be to place a 1” (25mm) thick layer of well aged compost over the area, then plant. This layer will help to create a soil condition that is similar to the plant's native home, the forest or meadow. Typically in forests or meadows, the top inch or 2 is mostly compost. Deeper into the native undisturbed soils becomes the parent soils, the clay or sandy soils with very little organic matter. Some plants I would suggest are, assuming that you would just like to fill in the area to reduce the maintenance needs: Even though this plant might be a bit large for the space, it would fill in the area nicely, and could be a nice plant if placed in the back: Flowering raspberry (Rubus odoratus) would be a nice plant for the part shade areas – It is a large plant, about 6 feet (1.8 meters) high and wide and will spread a bit. It forms a nice mound and has large pink to purple flowers on it. Its a native that lives on river edges and does not have thorns. Ostrich Fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris) can take the full shade, moist clay soils. It will grow between 3 to 4 feet (0.90 to 1.25m) tall and will from a mass Woodlawn Phlox (Phlox divaricata) can also take the full shade but does prefer some sunlight throughout the day. It will grow 6 to 12 inches (15 to 30 cm) tall and has some nice rose to blue flowers. To find additional plants for just that spot you can try a plant finder website like the one in the link below. These websites allow you to place in restrictions like plant height, sunlight conditions, etc. http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/plantfinder/plantfindersearch.aspx I hope this helps.

Top 25 Insanely Clever Backyard DIYs That Everyone Must Do This Season

The internet is a great place to get inspiration for your landscape design. If you are designing and building the garden yourself or getting in a professional team of landscape architects and contractors to design and build your space, images of your wish list are every useful. Here is a website with 25 easy to do projects that can help make your landscape as unique as you.Want interesting projects are you creating this year? http://www.architectureartdesigns.com/top-25-insanely-clever-backyard-diys-that-everyone-must-do-this-season/

David Wolfe

Even though it felt very spring like over the weekend, we are only 14 weeks from the Last frost day (chance of frost on this day will occur once in ten year). Spring will be here before you know it! I hope you have started to plan what vegetables you want to grow in your gardens this year. If you have not started planning yet, below is planting schedule for Zone 5 (The zone for Waterloo region). Over the next 14 weeks we will give you reminders for the start dates to sow your seeds indoors and out and when to transplant outside. Always check on the seed package. Some varieties have different germination and growing times and they will be listed on the seed package. Adjust the schedule below to suit. Also if there is a vegetable we are missing below and want to know when to plant it, please let us know and we will be glad to add it to the list. Happy growing! March 15 - Sow onion, celery and celeriac seeds indoors (11 weeks before last frost). March 29 - Sow broccoli, kale, lettuce, escarole, eggplant and thyme seeds indoors (9 weeks before last frost). (Try sowing a few extra early tomatoes - you will need to transplant to larger pots before planting out.) April 5 -Sow pepper seeds indoors (keep temp above 78*F for germination). Also sow indoors marigold, parsley, basil and beet seeds. (8 weeks before last frost). April 17 - Start watching the soil for the first direct planting! As soon as the soil can be worked its time to sow peas, fava beans, arugula, carrots, lettuce, spinach and radish directly in the garden (up to 6 or 7 weeks before last frost). (Note: In warmer climates, where the soil doesn't freeze, this tool may not give an appropriate pea planting date. Check with local gardeners for best date.) April 19 - Sow tomato seeds indoors. Sow cabbage seeds indoors. (6 weeks before last frost). April 26 - Transplant lettuce, broccoli and kale seedlings into the garden (use row cover if necessary). Sow more lettuce seed indoors. (4 weeks before last frost). May 10 - Sow pumpkin, cucumber and zinnia seeds indoors. (3 weeks before last frost). May 17 - Sow summer squash, watermelon and melon seeds indoors. Sow 2nd planting of peas directly in the garden. (Start a 3rd tomato sowing if you want.) May 24 - Sow 2nd lettuce crop, more beets, spinach indoors or in garden. (1 week before last frost). May 31 - Sow directly in garden seeds for sunflowers and nasturtiums. Also direct sow more carrots, parsnips, spinach, radish and lettuce. Plant potatoes, onions sets. (Week of last frost). June 7 - Transplant tomatoes to garden. Plant seeds for corn, beans and soy beans directly in garden. (1 week after last frost). June 14 - Sow 3rd cool-weather lettuce crop indoors or in garden. Transplant peppers, pumpkins, squash, cucumbers and melons to the garden if the soil is well warmed. (2 weeks after last frost). July 5 - Sow warm-weather lettuce crop (Summer Crisp type) indoors or in garden. Sow more beans and radish in garden. (5 weeks after last frost). July 26 - Sow 2nd warm-weather lettuce crop (Summer Crisp type) indoors or in garden (8 weeks after last frost). August 16 - Sow 3rd warm-weather lettuce crop (Summer Crisp type) indoors or in garden. Sow 3rd crop of beans, 4th crop of radish in garden. (11 weeks after last frost).

Even though it is middle of winter right now in Waterloo Region, it is a great time to start to think about your gardens for the 2016 growing year. Is there any interesting projects that you want to complete? Was there an area that just was not right last year? Do you want to grow a vegetable garden this year, or grow more wild edibles to eat? If there is a certain topic that you would like us to cover or if you need help planning your landscape, please let us know. Happy gardening and landscaping.