Time to Get Our Garden On

It’s gardening season, friends! Whether that gets you excited or not, I have some tips that may bring on that green thumb energy. Don’t have time for a new hobby this spring? In the words of Lyndon Penner, author of the Short Season Yard, “gardening is only as complicated as you want it to be.” Maybe you want to plant a 1,000 square foot garden or maybe you just want to have a lovely few small pots of dill and tomatoes – YUM. Either way, keep it fun and enter the magical world of spring. Your backyard or balcony are going to love you for it.

To bring you these tips, I’ve gone so far as enrolling in gardening courses at the University of Saskatchewan (millennial hobby energy is a real thing). These courses have been full of information that is specific to the prairies and the realities of our short season. She’s a challenge, but oh so worth it. This all coming from a girl who once discovered her row of thriving peas were thriving weeds. I’ve since upped my game and worked hard to learn as much as I can about what is going on in my backyard (which is also fueled by the motivation not to let my in-laws down who left my family an already beautiful, established yard).

And so, I invite you to join me in working on improving Saskatchewan’s sad landscape reputation and help bring sexy back to the prairies. Below is a list of my advice guided by thought-leaders in the field including, Lyndon Penner, Sara Williams, Kim Ross and Vanessa Young.

1.) Find your plants the right location. It’s critical to position the right plant in the right place. Don’t plant a Hosta in a south facing sunny spot…try for some bearded or Siberian irises – they’ll rejoice in the sun.

2.) Know your zone. Our area is in the 3b zone. But it’s important to check plant maps, as the zones move over time. The lower the number, the colder the zone. It’s also important to be mindful that you might be told that a plant won’t grow in your zone, but if it’s something you’re very interested in planting check where the plant is native to. If it’s a climate like your own, you’re good to go!

3.) Find a theme. Search for a yard that inspires you and run with that theme. Do you want minimalist? Natural? Formal? Choose one and stay on task.

4.) Take care of your soil. Soil is three equal parts of sand, silt and clay which makes a beautiful loamy soil. Soil is living and the more you take care of your soil, the better it will take care of your plants.

5.) Compost. One way to give some love to your soil is to top dress an inch of compost once every few years. Compost is an easy and not overly fussy process. All you need are five ingredients:

1.) Greens. ie. grass, weeds, and food waste (fruit, vegetables, coffee, tea, eggshells, bread crusts) .

2.) Browns. ie. dead plant material (leaves and straw), wood products (sawdust/woodchips) and paper products (shredded cardboard, newspaper and napkins) *Every time you put in greens throw in the same amount or a bit more of browns (about 50/50 or 40/60 is a great ratio.

3.) Soil. Adding in a bit of soil or finished compost prevents a bad smell and gives the compost a boost.

4.) Moisture. Keeping the compost moist keeps rodents away.

5.) Oxygen. Your compost needs air. A few ways to ensure this is to stir regularly with a shovel, use a turning barrel or put an aerator in the middle of the compost.

If you’re into environmental stuff it’s important to note that food waste from our homes often takes up to decades to decompose in a landfill and petrifies into methane and other pollution. This process does not happen in a compost bin, which makes it eco-friendly.

6.) Mulch. If you’re not one for pulling weeds, an excellent way to mitigate weeds is the use of mulch. You can use mulch in plant beds and in your garden. Just plant your seeds, heavily water, lay down a 4 to 6” layer of mulch and then head to the lake. No weeding, less watering. Win. Win.

7.) Stop tilling. Nature wasn’t designed to leave soil bare and tilling only messes with the soils aggregates and depletes it. This is where mulch comes in. Mulching your yard offers nutrients to your soil and mitigates the weeds.

8.) Plan for a pesticide free yard. Keep a healthy balance of nature in your yard by abstaining from pesticides. Choose resistant varieties like the Dropmore Linden, Thunderchild Flowering Crabapple and Hazeldean Rose.

9.) Water. Water your plants deeply and thoroughly. The best time to water is early in the morning (before 10am) and try to water the soil rather than the foliage. Plants are princesses and do not like getting splashed, which is another reason that mulch is necessary since it reduces splash. Plus, the mulch conserves moisture in the soil, which means less watering!

I hope these tips serve you well and if you’re looking for more advice, head over to gardening.usask.ca.

Happy planting!