Notes from my Garden: Susan Cox, Group Coordinator

"“I love March as it gives me hope that new beginnings are always beautiful.” ― Anamika Mishra

Well, in Grey County, March blew in like a lion!  So hopefully, the rest of the month starts to move steadily towards spring.  March 1^st was the second in our seminar series and Cathy Kavassalis did an excellent job on presenting the challenges and opportunities regarding invasive species.  Thank you all who attended.

On March 22, Lorraine Johnson will be the speaker for our third seminar called "Take this Lawn and Dump It"

Register soon because we always fill up quickly and Lorraine is not to be missed!

Part of the planning process for my vegetable and flower gardens this year, is reviewing what worked/what didn't last year; determining what I want to plant and then allocating space.

When determining into which bed I will be putting my vegetables, I've considered the need for crop rotation. Crop rotation involves rotating what you plant where, over several years, which is important for soil health, plant health and pest/weed control.  I've  reviewed my saved seeds, ordered some new ones and am now building my planting schedule, including which seeds I want to start indoors and when.  Last year I bought two heat mats and found they worked really well in helping seeds to germinate quickly.  I place these in the bottom of my trays, plant my seeds in cell packs and place the cell packs on the mats. Using LED grow lights, I found germination was much higher than in the past.  When the seeds have germinated, I take them off the heating mat and put them in another tray under the lights. If you have time, plan to go to a Seedy Saturday event. These are held across the province and are a good way to share and acquire seeds.

With the heavy snow load this year, I'm expecting I'll need to do a lot of pruning come spring.  The three D's apply - dead, damaged, and diseased.  I still can't see my shrubs yet but I'm thinking I'll have to get my pruners sharpened soon! And brush up on pruning techniques.  If you are in the same position, these sites may be helpful: Not Far from the Tree (fruit trees) and How, why and when to prune your garden flowers and shrubs.  There are also lots of YouTube videos as well. 

Happy 2025 Gardening!

Gardening resource books & the Gardener magazine subscriptions to libraries in Grey & Bruce counties

Markdale: on-site advice & demonstration on planting & growing food for participating gardeners

Installed Heritage Fruit Trees at Moreston Heritage Village, Grey Roots Museum & Archives