Organic Gardening News

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This is the most important gardening weekend across our country as we finally move into consistent warmer temperatures, which allow even most heat-loving plants to become established and grow successfully. From begonias to impatiens, from peppers to tomatoes, it is the beginning of a long growing season to both beautify our homes and gardens and supply our tables with fresh food well into fall.

Whether we use containers or garden beds, the most important factor in achieving success is our soil. There are so many different brands of growing blends out there today that it’s hard to determine the best ones for our specific needs.

For all our plants, both annual and vegetable, we use either Pro-Mix or Sun Gro Complete mixes. These are professional blends from Canadian companies, and they come in a wide range of sizes to suit individual needs. The largest compressed bales, at 3.8 cubic feet, are the best buy dollar-wise, because when opened and moistened, they will expand to between 7-7.5 cubic feet of planting medium. Both brands come in this traditional blend, as well as a more porous aggregate blend, which plants like portulaca and succulents require for better drainage. Pro-Mix also comes in a two cubic foot half-bale which is much easier to handle and still yields double the volume (about four cubic feet or 112 litres), when loosened.

Many vegetable garden beds are in raised beds now, so I would leave the soil in place, work it up well, add a little of one of the packaged soil blends, and some organic matter like Sea Soil or composted manure to enrich the soil. It’s been a rather wet winter and the addition of dolomite lime, at the rate of about 1.5 kg per 10 square meters of soil, will raise the pH levels so plants can more easily access all the available nutrients.

If we are to protect and preserve our soil and beneficial organisms, “no-till gardening” is the future of traditional in-ground garden plots. The idea is to work in as much organic matter as possible, to a depth of about six to eight inches (15-20cm), to keep soil more open and porous without having to rototill. Done well, the soil will have a far better growing texture, but it takes a little practice to get it right.

For colour to do well and last all summer, it’s very important to select plants that will perform best in the most appropriate spot in your particular gardening situation. Hot sun-lovers like petunias, geraniums, gazanias, zinnias, portulaca and SunPatiens, once acclimatized and planted in good soil, will perform splendidly all summer. Two important factors are thorough watering and the right amount of nutrient to ensure good vigour over the season. Adding organic matter to our soils dramatically increases moisture retention and slow-release fertilizers like Garden Pro 14-14-14 will feed all summer long for good results and minimal fuss.

I know it’s not always possible to use larger containers on decks and patios, but if you can manage a rectangular planter about two feet wide and deep and four feet long, it will be a very productive growing area. All your vining plants, like peas, beans, climbing tomatoes, and cucumbers can be grown vertically — up in the air for more sun and better air circulation. You’ll not only capitalize on space, but you’ll be also amazed at the quality and amount you will produce. Make sure the trellis is well secured before the first vegetables begin to form. The weight of a planter this size will be significant so may not be suitable for balconies, and windy days might challenge your trellis, but overall, they are a very good investment.

I think our food gardens could not only be more productive, but also, with some creativity, look far more attractive. I’ll never forget my visit, along with other garden communicators, to the New York Botanical Garden. Almost every garden bed had a pergola, trellis, or decorative archway loaded with edible food plants. Not only did it look great, but the increased production was truly significant.

The benefits are many: In our in-ground beds as well, getting our vining food plants up in the air will allow for greater production, faster ripening and fewer disease problems. The character these frames bring to our gardens is amazing and adding colour with the flowers of Scarlet Runner beans or the vibrant lime foliage of sweet potato vines adds a beautiful lift.

Today there are so many new varieties of vegetables, available in so many colours, it’s hard to make choices. The golden rule might be to stick with what you’ve been successful with in the past, and each year opt for a few new plants to trial in your own gardens.

Early Girl is still one of the best tomatoes for a tasty, early, mid-sized variety. Sun Gold, Sun Sugar, and Chocolate Sprinkles are by far the sweetest cherry tomatoes and are in a class by themselves. For the traditional larger varieties, Big Beef and Beefmaster are wonderful but if you like huge show-offs, Porterhouse is among the largest and tastiest.

For cucumbers, the Japanese burpless Tasty Green is the standard and Perseus is a delicious snack-sized (15 cm) version. Quick Snack or Mini Me are bite-sized, 10 cm, jewels.

In brassicas, the mini, bunching broccolis like Aspabroc and Artwork have now become the most asked for multi-headed varieties.

Although our younger generations of gardeners seem to love hot and super-hot peppers, sweet bell peppers remain the most popular in their wide range of colours from green, red, yellow and orange to purple and chocolate. They really colour up so many summer dishes!

Watermelon, especially the smaller Sugar Baby, early cantaloupe and honeydews will ripen nicely with our warmer summers.

There is still lots of time to seed, transplant, and grow a wide range of garden colour and food. This weekend is just the beginning of some wonderful, creative growing opportunities.

Related

• Brian Minter: Add these B.C. gardening sales and events to your spring calendar
• Brian Minter: How gardening tools have changed to meet today's needs

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