gardens4everybody

Fall is time to get houseplants back inside, or to bring new tropical purchases indoors. We chat about checking the plants for insects, preparing the plants for coming indoors and preventing insects hitching a ride into your home.

We now have a website and you can find a fact sheet about this topic there.

Evergreens seem so able to manage without any help but as the climate changes they need more TLC. We discuss types of evergreens, their fall needs and when to prune.

Elizabeth gets to ask Maryanne for tips on getting as many tomatoes as possible to ripen before the end of the growing season. We also talk about the advantages of leaving plant roots - especially of bean plants in the ground.

Wilson shares his path to politics. He has a passion for transit and makes that a priority. He is also championing improved tree cover in Ottawa. Wilson is supporting a citizen led pollinator project in Barrhaven and discusses how the City is passing bylaws to make this type of initiative easier. Maryanne and I then try to persuade Wilson to update his mainly grass and weed backyard. We offer advice- he listens - we will have to follow up to see what happens!

Mike is the fourth generation running Ritchie Feed and Seed. This Ottawa garden center is nearly 100 year old. Mike shares his vast experience to talk us through some of his products that we use regularly in our gardens. From seed starting to fertilizer. He also has some tips on managing Japanese beetles.

Succession planting is all about using the growing area we have to maximum capacity. When one crop is finished you can plant a new crop. Choose either seeds of crops that mature within 60 days or cool weather crops with longer days to maturity that you started indoors in June. Its as simple as choosing the right seeds.

As gardeners we have to adapt to the weather. We've been having wet weather and that can cause garlic to start to rot. We discuss how to manage this and save your harvest. We also discuss managing problems from dry or cold weather.

There are lots of different opinions on care of tomato plants- especially around pruning. We discuss some of the pros and cons of pruning and why you might decide to give it a go or not. We also discuss general care including staking the plants, mulching and watering. Oh and Fozzie decides to try to get out attention away from Tomatoes by licking us - oh dogs!

We love growing sweet and hot peppers and eggplants. They have such vibrant colours that looks great in the vegetable garden or even in garden borders. Harvesting and eating them at the end of the Summer is such a treat. Danielle Aldous shares some nutritional facts and then 2 great recipes.

Charred vegetable and lentil Antipasto https://www.cookspiration.com/recipe.aspx?perma=QPiqLgsbPwe&g=18

Baba Ganoush

https://www.thezerowastekitchen.ca/all-recipes/babaganoush/

Maryanne and I discuss how to grow garlic starting from selecting the cloves to plant in October to harvesting the following July. The process starts with the correct depth of planting, and protecting the planted cloves over winter. In Spring the protection is removed and the plants are monitored. Around June scapes are harvested and in July the bulbs can be lifted. Then its time to store and eat them - delicious.

Don't forget to listen to the complementary podcast with dietitian Danielle about the nutritional benefits and uses of garlic.

Danielle explains why Kale is so good for us and also helps us to understand how to prepare it so the whole family will enjoy it. She even gets her teens to eat it so she knows what she's talking about.

Try this wonderful Kale salad for yourself and fall in love with this under appreciated green.

from leafwmc.com

Southwestern Kale Salad

Danielle shares her nutritional knowledge of these essential flavour builders. We all love garlic but do you know why its so good for you as well as being delicious? She also shares great recipes you may never have tried.

recipes from the Ontario garlic growers can be found at

https://www.garlicgrowersofontario.com/recipes

Spring can be a busy time in any garden. Growing vegetables for the Barrhaven Food Cupboard we need to keep on top of clean up. repairs, planting and harvesting. We go through the different jobs discussing what went well and what didnt. More fun is the amazing food we can harvest in Spring. There's rhubarb and onions as some of the first crops.Get inspiration for your own garden.

This is always a fun task, Just thinking about what you might plant is so exciting, but first you have to create a bed. We discuss several easy ways to make a new garden bed.

Our third discussion with registered dietitian Danielle Aldous. We explore some of the ways to use rhubarb. Danielle shares a strawberry rhubarb cobbler recipe form the dairy farmers of Canada.

We also discuss that Rhubarb is a vegetable and is very versatile and can be used in savoury recipes. Check out this link below for 18 surprisingly savoury recipes

https://simplyfamilyrecipes.com/savory-rhubarb-recipes/

The second in our series with dietitian Danielle Aldous. This episode features cilantro, dill, basil and parsley. These herbs are easy to grow and so worth the flavour they add. The feature recipe is from Canadian Living and is a Cilantro-Jalapeno sauce

https://www.canadianliving.com/food/appetizers-snacks/recipe/cilantro-jalapeno-sauce

This is the first of a series of talks on nutrition related to the plants we can grow in Ontario. We are delighted to share the expertise of Danielle Aldous a registered dietitian. In this episode we discuss the uses and benefits of Asparagus. Danielle also gives an excellent explanation of prebiotics. Danielle shares recipes in each of her episodes and the link to Spring Goddess Salad from the Asparagus Growers Ontario is below.

https://ontarioasparagus.ca/spring-goddess-salad/

I can't wait to try it.

This episode discusses the basics of removing dead branches. We plan a more in depth series on pruning in the Winter.

We discuss how to manage pests without pesticides. There's actually a lot you can do.

Preparing garden tools for the new season sounds a bit tedious, but it is important if you want them to work well. They don't need a lot of care but some basic tips will help them last longer and work better.

There are many views on what to do with the dead plant stalks and stems. Each gardener can decide for themselves but we discuss the benefits of leaving them one of which is its a lot less work.

How to care for the lawn in Spring. We break down the simple steps to look after your Spring lawn so it thrives through the year.

we discuss the pros and cons of whether to "No Mow" in the Spring. This movement to not Mow in May and sometimes in June started in the UK for various reasons that may not apply to the Canadian gardener.

We discuss what to do with the fall leaves that are on the lawn or garden beds. Hint once again we opt for the easy way out.

Attracting pollinators helps our plants be productive. Its also a lot of fun to observe insects and small animals. A great way to enjoy insects is to learn more about them. Try using the free App inaturalist . You can take a photo of any creature and get responses regarding identification from enthusiasts and experts. By using inaturalist we also help researchers as they can see the prevalence of creatures in different areas. Sometimes it leads to the discovery of new insects. It also helps track the movement of invasives.

We discuss the types of composting done by the City, a large community garden and in the backyard. There are many benefits to using compost so learning how to get free black gold is a neat trick.

Here we discuss how the climate we live in affects how we plant, but also we talk about the micro climate conditions that exist in our gardens and are important to be aware of so that we give each plant the best conditions for success, Tip that makes life easier in the long run. We also explain zones and how the plant label helps us check what will thrive in our own climate conditions.

Whether you started plants from seed or bought from the store , its time to plant outside. We focus on peppers , eggplant and tomatoes because we love them , but a lot of the principals apply to all plants.

you have a lovely seedling or a new plant to plant outside, it is hard to wait but giving them a gradual introduction to their new home outside will improve survival.

Maryanne shares her knowledge of soil structure. We explain that Organic matter is derived from living organisms that decay and add nutrients to the soil.

We talk about the history and touch on principals of permaculture. This method of growing sounds new but like most good things is old- actually as old as the first types of agriculture.

We discuss the texture of soil. What that means and how to find out what texture your soil is and how to improve your soil. Maryanne also adds some interesting facts about the soils in our Ottawa area.

I explain that this podcast is aimed at anyone hoping to gain confidence gardening we focus on climate and growing in Ottawa, Ontario , but also discuss basic principals that are applicable to all gardens anywhere. Each episode has a different topic ranging from some gardening basics and specific advice growing different plants as the season progresses. Plants are a lot of fun and gardening is a relaxing fulfilling hobby. We hope you'll feel excited to try new garden projects.

This podcast series is in support of the Barrhaven Food Cupboard. Dawn explains how the BFC operates to help our neighbours. We welcome volunteers in the BFC garden. It's a great place to meet friends and learn about gardening.

Donations to BFC can be sent by e transfer to donations@barrhavenfoodcupboard.ca

In this introduction we explain how we started gardening and discuss the Barrhaven Food Cupboard Garden.