http://www.enjoygardening.com A Hole's Greenhouses & Gardens Weblog Thu, 09 Sep 2010 17:23:32 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Hits & Misses: Similar tastes & pushed aside Question of the Week: How do I overwinter my perennial container? Science & Technology: Needed intervention How do 500,000 square feet of show space and 2,500 garden exhibitors grab you? Well, sore feet and getting lost might be a problem for me. But if you ... http://www.enjoygardening.com/?p=2547 Last week, I talked about branding and how Hole’s will identify itself within the Enjoy Centre. Well, the Notebook is also part of that process. For more than a year, the Path to Enjoy has been a way to let you know about Enjoy Centre progress. However, once in our ... http://www.enjoygardening.com/?p=2548 Hits & Misses: Refreshing mums & tomato blights Question of the Week: When can I harvest my onions? Science & Technology: Fuel for thought For the past few years it’s been a family tradition to head up to Jasper for a little hiking prior to the long weekend in September. We’ve had both ... http://www.enjoygardening.com/?p=2530 As you may have guessed, there’s a long to-do list when you move a business. For us, it’s more than just physically relocating; it’s also about changing how we identify ourselves. We’ve developed a recognizable Hole’s Greenhouses & Gardens brand, which has, of course, changed and grown with the business. ... http://www.enjoygardening.com/?p=2531 first published August 19, 2010 Recently, while reorganizing a stack of trade journals in the publication graveyard, I re-discovered a slightly yellowed Pike’s Seeds catalogue dating back to 1942, as well as Dad’s somewhat frayed university textbook, Basic Horticulture, published in 1948. As I thumbed through their pages, what really intrigued ... http://www.enjoygardening.com/?p=2495 Hits & Misses: Blooming complements & a love-hate relationship Question of the Week: Why are maple leaves more intensely coloured some autumns? Science & Technology: Fertilizer analysis Last week when Edmonton was cloaked in smoke from the BC forest fires, I followed the public health warnings and avoided outdoor aerobic exercise. So instead ... http://www.enjoygardening.com/?p=2520 As we prepare to relocate to the Enjoy Centre, we’re also seeking to preserve some of our past. To commemorate our history, we’d like your stories for the Memory Project, an exhibition dedicated to you, our community. This project will be the first exhibit to be featured at the Enjoy ... http://www.enjoygardening.com/?p=2527 Hits & Misses: Evergreens galore & prickly encounter Question of the Week: What’s cutting out big circles in my rose leaves? Science & Technology: Keeping above water Dusty, dirty, hot and sweaty. That pretty much describes my week, which I spent sanding my long-neglected, cedar deck. Of course, I could have resealed the ... http://www.enjoygardening.com/?p=2502 It’s a given that colour brings spaces alive—something we’ve always been attuned to in the plant selling business—and last week our staff got a sneak peek at the palettes we’ve chosen for the Enjoy Centre interior. Our final choices, represented in drawings and sample boards, seem so obviously suited to ... http://www.enjoygardening.com/?p=2504 first published August 12, 2010 My love affair with maraschino cherries is over. That’s right. A new cherry has captured my heart; her name is ‘Carmine Jewel.’ It took but one bite of this tart cherry covered in rich, dark chocolate for me to know I’d never eat chocolate-coated maraschinos again. ... http://www.enjoygardening.com/?p=2498 Did you get your dose of Shinrin-yoku this week? Not sure? Well, it can reduce blood glucose levels, lower blood pressure and you may even have found it in your own backyard. So what exactly it? Well, Shinrin-yoku is not some pill or elixir. It’s the Japanese term for “forest-air ... http://www.enjoygardening.com/?p=2488 first published July 22, 2010 Typically, flower children and guerillas have little in common. But traits of both earth-loving spirits and radicals are definitely evident in a new hybrid—guerilla gardeners. Their approach is a trend that’s taking root (pardon the pun) in urban areas. Guerilla gardeners transform bleak-looking areas in cities ... http://www.enjoygardening.com/?p=2425 Sightlines at the Enjoy Centre continue to evolve. Third floor offices on the south and north of the retail greenhouse are connected by a catwalk This week, the catwalk could be accessed, giving new views looking west and looking east. Meanwhile beams for the roof of the cafe ... http://www.enjoygardening.com/?p=2468 Hits & Misses: Faithful seeds & spotty damage Question of the Week: Why are my tomatoes cracking? Science & Technology: Space bound spruce Cherry Festival was on last weekend and there I was enjoying myself in…Bruno, Saskatchewan. Where the heck is Bruno and what does it have to do with cherries you ask? ... http://www.enjoygardening.com/?p=2463 I can’t avoid thinking about tracks this week. Partly because we’ve been busy preparing and delivering planters and floral arrangements to the racetrack for the Indy in Edmonton this weekend. But also because, at the Enjoy Centre, tracks were being put in place for the travelator. Work on the inclined ... http://www.enjoygardening.com/?p=2459 Hits & Misses: Fungi cropping & deer grazing Question of the Week: How short should my grass be cut? Science & Technology: Blooming-good reasons for plants I’ve just returned from a speaking tour that began in Lethbridge, moved on to Cranbrook and concluded in Kelowna. There were no hitches at the first two ... http://www.enjoygardening.com/?p=2449 Jim is away on a working holiday, which has included speaking to gardeners in Lethbridge, Cranbrook and Kelowna, so the Notebook is on hiatus this week. Other than having to detour around a fire in B.C., Jim says it’s been a good trip. He’ll have more details to share next ... http://www.enjoygardening.com/?p=2430 first published July 9, 2010 Toughness and reliability are attributes we all want in our ornamental plants. The problem is these bulletproof qualities can also relegate plants—even the most beautiful ones—into the noxious weed category. That’s what’s happened to some stalwart ornamentals last month when they were recently reclassified under Alberta’s ... http://www.enjoygardening.com/?p=2416 Work continues on the third floor office space of the Enjoy Centre where the glue-laminate wooden beams are in place, and the roof is nearing completion. On Wednesday, the cement floor for the north offices was also poured. Girders for the catwalk that will link the north offices to the accounting ... http://www.enjoygardening.com/?p=2412 Hits & Misses: Smooth waters & low light Question of the Week: How do I keep my container garden looking its best? Science & technology: City improvements My Canada Day included a family bike ride to Fort Edmonton Park where we enjoyed travelling back in time. The park offers great opportunities to ... http://www.enjoygardening.com/?p=2402 first published June 24, 2010 If you want your newly planted shade tree to have a long healthy life, the first thing you have to do is show a little flare—trunk flare to be accurate. What am I talking about? Well, on a tree, the flare is the transitional zone between ... http://www.enjoygardening.com/?p=2372 Hits & Misses: Planned buying & still cutting away Question of the Week: Is it too late to plant annuals? Science & Technology: Crying the blues If I hadn’t been cutting through Churchill Square in downtown Edmonton last Friday, I’d have missed out on The Works art festival displays. I’d just completed my ... http://www.enjoygardening.com/?p=2389 Structurally, the Enjoy Centre has become a pretty concrete vision. But, unless you’ve been part of the planning process (as I have), a complete picture of how the components within the centre will operate probably isn’t as clear, yet. To help with that visualization, we’ve started offering some sneak peeks ... http://www.enjoygardening.com/?p=2395 Hits & Misses: Gopher-proof plants & less than a beauty Question of the Week: How can I get rid of the non-fairy ring mushrooms on my lawn? Science & Technology: Fine-tuned testing It’s nice to tune in to the World Cup, see that lush turf and know the grass seed came from the ... http://www.enjoygardening.com/?p=2375 It’s no surprise that temperature management has always been critical to greenhouse operation. At the Enjoy Centre, the new challenge is the retail greenhouse. To help manage the environment, the height of the retail greenhouse roof (9 m at the peak) ensures that the rate at which air heats will ... http://www.enjoygardening.com/?p=2377 Today and tomorrow paving will be on the south parking lot. ... and the glue-lam beams are being installed today. -- Post From My iPhone http://www.enjoygardening.com/?p=2365 Standard General working Saturday evening to get ready for Monday morning paving. -- Post From My iPhone http://www.enjoygardening.com/?p=2364 first published June 10, 2010 If someone referred to you as either a vegetable gardener or a rose gardener, you’d likely accept the moniker with a fair bit of pride. But what if I were to call you a crepuscular gardener? How would you feel then? Perhaps you’d be offended or ... http://www.enjoygardening.com/?p=2338 In the plant-growing business, water is a necessity. But because it’s also a precious resource, one of our objectives at the Enjoy Centre is to minimize the amount of water we need to grow plants. Reduce, reuse and recycle—each will come into play. A rainwater collection tank will take care ... http://www.enjoygardening.com/?p=2355 Hits & Misses: Super dads & subterranean attacks Question of the Week: How tall can a tomato plant grow? Science & Technology: Deep-rooted insight Playing the mad scientist always intrigues me. So, I was in my element last week experimenting with fertilizer and a product called PurGro. It’s a naturally occurring rock adept ... http://www.enjoygardening.com/?p=2347 Many of the business partnerships we’re developing at the Enjoy Centre are new, while others are extensions of ones we already have. The latter scenario is the case with 18 Karat, a Vancouver-based company that designs and distributes products for the home and body. We carry some of their line ... http://www.enjoygardening.com/?p=2323 OK, I have a confession to make. It’s a little embarrassing to admit but…well, I saw Sex and the City 2 last week. Yes, me and another guy, and about 500 women watched Carrie and friends haute couture it all the way to the Middle East. I confess I convinced ... http://www.enjoygardening.com/?p=2316 Curbs at the Enjoy Centre are now being installed. http://www.enjoygardening.com/?p=2312 first published May 27, 2010 Corn, fungus and iron. It looks like a rather disparate list at first glance, but looks can be deceiving. Strangely enough, what the members of this trio have in common will delight you if dandelions are the bane of your existence. As you might have guessed, ... http://www.enjoygardening.com/?p=2302 Hits & Misses: Waterproof gardening & weatherproof gardeners Question of the Week: What is a vegetative plant? Science & Technology: Sequencing spruce Who knew chelated iron would capture my fancy. To be honest, using it is quite gratifying. If you’re wondering what I’ve been up to, the answer is testing the latest iron ... http://www.enjoygardening.com/?p=2287 Building a community is a big part of our philosophy for the Enjoy Centre. From the onset, we’ve put a high priority on building business partnerships with people who share attitudes, interests and goals. Other partnerships we want to continue build are with people like you, Notebook followers who are ... http://www.enjoygardening.com/?p=2292 Hits & Misses: Shapely lavender & safety first Question of the Week: I just bought some drought tolerant plants. Do I have to water them? Science & Technology: Sexist scent Ice cubes popping out of potting soil? Yes, it was a little bewildering to one customer who witnessed the rise of what looked ... http://www.enjoygardening.com/?p=2273 The first strips of energy-saving shade cloth slid (or were wrestled, as I witnessed) into channels on the interior of the Enjoy Centre roof. The reflective material in the heat retention curtains coupled with double-paned glass are expected to save 30 percent more energy than would be possible in a ... http://www.enjoygardening.com/?p=2277 first published May 13, 2010 I’m expecting some bee-like behavior from gardeners this spring. Just as bees do waggle dances (yes, that’s what honey bees’ figure-eight movements are called) to alert their hive mates about a new patch of flowers, so too will gardeners react with exuberance to this year’s hot ... http://www.enjoygardening.com/?p=2259 Rain isn’t something anyone in the plant business ever curses, but in the construction business, that’s not always the case. At the Enjoy Centre where the soil has been stripped away, even a little bit of moisture makes for mucky conditions on site. You can imagine then that the paving ... http://www.enjoygardening.com/?p=2254 Hits & Misses: Spectacular statements & mismatched plants Question of the Week: I’ve over fertilized and burned my lawn in places. What can I do? Science & Technology: Fighting moss I may have discovered the world’s toughest plant. It, or rather four of them, are growing in a window box outside our office ... http://www.enjoygardening.com/?p=2248 Hits & Misses: Surprise petunias & concrete wonders Question of the Week: I’ve never grown potatoes before; what do I need to do? Science & Technology: Prey-preferred colours I’d say our ‘Sum and Substance’ hostas would do writer Oren Arnold proud. In case you’re wondering, he said: ”Dear God, I pray for patience…and ... http://www.enjoygardening.com/?p=2232 The latest edition of Enjoy Gardening is hot off the presses and on our shelves just in time to inspire gardeners as they make their spring purchases. But, much to the chagrin of our editor, it sat for two days last week in our warehouse before she found it. At the ... http://www.enjoygardening.com/?p=2234 first published April 29, 2010 If you want to send chills up the spines of seasoned gardeners, just mention clay. Images of cracked soil and hopelessly stunted plants will instantly come to mind. But unless this garden bad boy is dominating your soil, it doesn’t really deserve its bad rap. To ... http://www.enjoygardening.com/?p=2212 Hits & Misses: War on dandelions & below the surface Question of the Week: Why are my spring flowering shrubs blooming so sparsely? Science & Technology: Point-and-shoot analysis Insects—microscopic and large, live and preserved—were a big hit at our open house last Saturday. Much to the delight of bug lovers, Lisa Lumley (a ... http://www.enjoygardening.com/?p=2225 Transforming a working greenhouse into an elegant, dynamic event space is the challenge that Laura Gadowsky has taken as our new Enjoy Centre events consultant. Laura has been coordinating events for 30 years and is one of about a dozen people in the Edmonton area who are certified meeting professionals. She ... http://www.enjoygardening.com/?p=2204 Hits & Misses: Bigger and better pots & soil testing shortfall Question of the Week: My tulip flowers aren’t very big this year, why? Science & Technology: Scannable trees Yes, pansy flowers are edible and dress up plates, but the consensus from 30 or so culinary professionals and students is that the petals ... http://www.enjoygardening.com/?p=2194 first published April 15, 2010 There’s always a little history repeating in the greenhouse business. When I was a kid, Mom and Dad grew most of our plants in brown, fibre pots. The containers provided an excellent environment for roots but had one major problem—the bottoms rapidly rotted. Eventually, we switched ... http://www.enjoygardening.com/?p=2182 Hits & Misses: Fiery and dark roses & morbid fungi Question of the Week: What soil should I use to grow vegetables? Science & Technology: Fuel efficiency The Sarritor has finally arrived. No, it’s not a new sci-fi movie or a much-awaited video game release—it’s a new biocontrol product for controlling dandelions. It ... http://www.enjoygardening.com/?p=2188 first published April 1, 2010 You know gardening’s status has changed to cool when “garden with” is a premium SuperPoke on Facebook. So, why the stellar rise in gardening’s popularity? Well, I’m not a virtual garden expert, but I know what’s motivating people to grow their own gardens. First, there’s a ... http://www.enjoygardening.com/?p=2174