MKR Blog

The love apple of the 17th century is one of the most misunderstood fruit. First, the tomato is a fruit not a vegetable and as a member of the Nightshade Family; it was believed for centuries to be poisonous. Later it became the love apple of the very rich and a symbol of fertility and love.

The roses we see in the paintings of the old masters where the old roses of 18th and 19th centuries. These roses are of the Gallica, Damasks, Portland and Bourbon types. Cross-pollinating them with the modern Hybrid Teas, Floribundas and Climbers creates the modern old English roses. This breeding is designed to bring the rich fragrances and flower shapes of the old roses with the disease resistance, repeat blooming and bush shape of our modern roses.

In the late autumn, many gardeners become anxious to put the garden to bed. They often rush this important step or over look it entirely. This is not always a good idea. For example, many gardeners hill up or mulch their roses before the ground has a frozen crust. This means the ground will stay warmer allowing your roses to grow into early winter. This makes them more likely to be winter killed. On the other hand Freshly planted or divided lily bulbs are given a thick mulch of straw in October.

December is always a busy and joyful month for everyone myself included. To add to my joy this it is also the anniversary of the Open Line Garden Show™. It has been eleven years since I first got the phone call. I was driving down the Q.E.W on my way home from work when I was told to be in Greg Slaight's (CKTB Station Manager) office in the morning if I wanted to do a weekly garden show.

We have all over the last few years seen the effects of very dry weather on our plants. Our trees have shown a general lack of vigour. The symptoms of this lack of vigour are smaller foliage oven stunted, twisted or cupped and sometimes there is a summer shedding of these effected leaves. In autumn these plants may also develop their autumn colours earlier than normal. It should also be noted that plants under stress will usually produce an over abundance of fruit. The cause of these symptoms is a drying up of their root systems. The environmental stress on these plants can be further aggravated by a wet season which then encourages the dried up root system to rot. In short the consistent and timely applications of water and fertilizer avoiding the feast and famine approach will produce stronger, healthier and hardier plants.

In a land far, far, away, in a time long ago Magnolias and Rhododendrons shared a common ancestor. The result of this is that Magnolias and Rhododendrons have some similar traits. The most important trait being that they both like a soil on the acidic side. This means when you are planting Magnolias always ensure that the planting mixture is on the acidic side. To do this just add some peat moss to the existing soil.

Slugs and snails are sneaky because they attack under the cover of darkness. They will go to great lengths to obtain their favourite foods. Slugs to this end will stretch out to twenty times their normal length enabling them to squeeze through the smallest openings. Those slimy trails that they leave behind while unsightly also act as a sign post on the super highway to their favourite foods. Yes, on subsequent evening forages all the other snails and slugs will follow this super highway too.

Almost every Saturday morning on my show I will get the inevitable turf grass question, What is wrong with my lawn? Why? Well remember that our lawns make up a very large proportion of our garden. This large area is also a monoculture of various turf grass species and as such any small discrepancy in colour, height or texture is easily noticed even by the most novice of gardeners. If the question is not about a turf grass disease or weeds then it will be about insects. The question is by far almost always about those turf grass thugs – insects.

Plant a Row for the Hungry (PAR) is a people-helping-people program for home gardeners interested in helping the hungry in their own communities. The food banks are in a crunch. Every year commercial food processors and supermarkets become more efficient. They have fewer odd lots, fewer market test remains, fewer mislabeled cans and packages to deliver to food banks.

In the past groundcovers have been thought of as plants to cover soil areas where either poor soil conditions, heavy shade or steep slopes made it hard to maintain or grow grass. Now groundcovers are recognized for their own striking beauty to accent tree and shrub plantings. For example, a pool of showy blue Vinca or Viola blooms, surrounding two or three glistening clumps of white birch can achieve a dramatic effect in the midst of a deep green lawn.

Wouldn't it be nice to pick fresh oranges, lemons, limes, and mandarins or just to enjoy the fragrance of their blossoms on these dreary winter days? You can. Many garden centers are now starting to carry these citrus plants. But you will have to go looking for them. I prefer the standard or tree form plants as opposed to the bush or multiple branched plants, why? They look good in containers on my patio during the summer. They also stand tall enough to reach up to my sunny southern window in the wintertime.

Spring flowering bulbs are truly the Harbingers of Spring. They bring us the hope of Spring after too long a winter. Winter Aconite will often be the first spring flowering bulb to peak out through the snow with it's bright yellow butter cup like flowers. They are closely followed by the Snowdrops (Galanthus). My favourite Snowdrop is the double flowering variety. Windflowers (Anemones) are the next to show up with their blue and white daisy like flowers. After this there is a riot of colour provided by a wide array of spring flowering bulbs.