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 cool and warm weather on that last weekend in August, although, historically, it’s always been dry—until this year when our luck ran out. When we began our hike up Whistler Mountain, we were greeted with sunshine. But it gave way to cloud, then showers, then ice pellets and, finally, at 1,500 metres, a good dump of snow that continued all the way to the 2,300 metre summit. Getting soaked and chilled in that flurry reminded me of …cabbage. One of the “joys” of my vegetable farming days was harvesting the last of the cabbage for winter storage. Invariably, that late fall task entailed brushing snow from the cabbages so we could slice the heads from the stems. Trust me, snow-covered mountain rocks and snow-covered cabbage heads look eerily similar. But a 20 acre field of snow-capped cabbage just doesn’t compare to a mountain view.

Hits & Misses
Hit: Refreshing Mums
What do you do when bedding plants begin to fade late in the season? Airlift in a few garden mums. They’re the perfect late-blooming plants for rejuvenating containers or flowerbeds. Garden mums come in a multitude of colours, endure cool weather and require little more than a good regular drink of water to stay in great shape. I always pull out fading annuals and drop in the mums as the calendar turns to September.

Miss: Tomato Blights
Tomatoes don’t like the weather we’ve had; they hate it. Over the past several weeks, many gardeners have seen their tomatoes turn brown before their eyes. The culprit or culprits (as may be the case) are blights that have a penchant for tomatoes. Both early blight and late blight (two similar but distinct plant diseases) can transform green foliage to brown foliage in short order. When these diseases are floating about, all they need to infect susceptible tomato varieties are the right conditions—moderate temperatures and a lot of rain showers—to infect and damage plants. Unfortunately, August provided the perfect environment for these blights, and tomatoes in our region are paying the price. If caught very early, damaged tissue can be pruned out, although that won’t guarantee the blight won’t spread. There is no cure, so plants usually have to be removed. As a preventative measure, avoid overhead watering, whether via a garden hose or Mother Nature. And, yes, I know that’s much easier said than done.

Tomatoes affected by blight.

Question of the Week
When can I harvest my onions?
You can harvest onions as soon they’ve reached a size you like. But if you’re looking to store the mature bulbs, leave them in the ground until the top growth has fallen over and dried. Always ensure that the “necks” are dry, or the bulbs will not store well. To speed up the drying process you can cut the roots. Once dry, cure the onions in a warm (24˚C), dry, well ventilated place for at least a week before putting them into a cool, dry location for winter storage. They’ll last well into the following spring.

Science & Technology
Fuel for thought
Put a cactus in your tank? Researchers are investigating the potential of various agave species as biofuel sources. That’s because agaves use water six times more efficiently than plants such as wheat, and can be grown in poor quality soils. In California, Agave deserti that received just 4.3 cm of rainfall produced 7 dry tonnes per hectare per year. That’s a lot of juice for tequila…er fuel.

Did You Know?
A four-month-old rye plant has over ten thousand kilometres of roots and billions of root hairs.

“Like a welcome summer rain, humor may suddenly cleanse and cool the earth, the air and you.”
–Langston Hughes


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 of going for a jog, I went to the park with my family where on one of these days we roasted marshmallows. Well, by the time I factored in the smoke from the green twigs and grass that the kids threw on the barbecue, I’m pretty sure I’d have been better off running in Edmonton’s forest-fire-filled air than spending 20 minutes fighting through the campfire smoke to see if the marshmallows were brown. Even under the best of circumstances, roasted marshmallows should come with a health warning. Not only do you breathe in ash while trying to create the perfect smoldering embers to roast the marshmallows over, but you also ingest a small log’s worth of charcoal when eating the often-charred marshmallows. Oh well, the kids were happy…plus I did my part for the environment by sequestering carbon—in my body tissues.

Hits & Misses
Hit: Blooming Complements
Last Friday after doing my open line gardening stint on CBC radio, I ran into Edmonton Mayor Stephen Mandel in the downtown core. In our conversation, he let me know how thrilled he was with the containers and hanging baskets adorning Churchill Square and other areas in the city. It was great to hear from “the guy at the top” that the flowers we do up every year for Edmonton are so well received. St. Albert Mayor Nolan Crouse recently made similarly effusive complements about the containers we provide in St. Albert. So now, I feel it’s my duty to pass on the credit to those who really deserve it—our staff members who nurture and plant the flowers, deliver and place the containers, and then water and fertilize throughout the summer. And, of course, a big thank-you to all the residents and visitors who provide feedback on how much they enjoy the results.

Miss: A Love-hate Relationship
I love the cool fresh taste of mint. But while the flavour of mint is cool and refreshing, the plant itself can generate a lot of perspiration and anxiety if left to its own devices. Mint is from the Lamiaceae family, which also includes the herbs lavender, oregano, savory and thyme. But unlike most of its relatives, mint has a very aggressive creeping root system that’s capable of taking over a yard, unless contained. If you’ve struggled to keep mint under control, you probably won’t be surprized to learn it’s also closely related to creeping Charlie—one of the toughest-to-control weeds.

Aggressive mint roots.

Question of the Week
Why are maple leaves more intensely coloured some autumns?
Intensity of leaf colour depends on both the species and the weather. Bright, warm late-summer days with cool nights produce the best fall display because these conditions increase the production of anthocyanins—the leaf pigments responsible for red foliage. But regardless of the weather, sugar maples naturally have the most intensely red leaves while others, such as Manitoba maples, produce mostly yellow leaves.

Science & Technology
Fertilizer Analysis
Vitamin B–1 is sometimes included in fertilizer formulations where it’s listed as a “bio-stimulant.” While it’s true that plants need vitamin B–1, plants actually produce lots of their own. The bottom line is using fertilizers with vitamin B–1 will do no harm, but neither will it simulate plant growth when added to your soil.

Did You Know?
Seeds of the jojoba plant contain about 50 percent wax.

“The love of beauty in its multiple forms is the noblest gift of the human cerebrum.”
–Alexis Carrel

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 cedar years ago but no…that would’ve been too easy! Instead, I left it to the point where the cedar turned a bleak, sky-grey colour and had cracks that looked more like crevasses. To my credit, before starting I thought I’d done my due diligence and insured none of the screws were poking out of the boards. But sadly, eight torn, coarse-grit sandpaper belts later…I’m still not done. The way I figure it, by the time I’m finished, the hedge of cedar trees next to my deck will have grown large enough to use as new lumber.

Hits & Misses
Hit: Evergreens Galore
There was a time when the word “evergreen” would immediately conjure an image of a tall pine or spruce tree. Today that’s all changed and, I must admit, it’s become hard to keep track of all the available varieties. The biggest shift is the increased selection of dwarf and semi-dwarf varieties—great for small and big yards alike. Besides ranging from stately to miniature, evergreens can be coarse or fine textured, spreading or upright. They also come in a surprisingly large range of colours, including variegated tones. One of my favourites is the dwarf Norway spruce, simply because it’s dense and very tough. As summer winds down, don’t forget evergreens also transplant well in the fall…what’s not to love?

Dwarf Norway spruce

Miss: Prickly Encounter
My wife noticed a weedy vine growing through our cedar hedge last week and decided to yard out the offending plant. Big mistake. The vine was common hops and it has what the botanical textbooks describe as, “retrorsely prickly leaves.” In plain English that means sharp, backward-pointing spines that will rip through your skin—should you be foolish enough to grasp and tug on them with your bare hands. Chalk up one for the hops.

Question of the Week
What’s cutting big circles in my rose leaves?
Most likely the holes were made by leafcutter bees, which also feed on other shrubs such as dogwoods. Unlike honeybees, leafcutter bees don’t live in colonies. Instead, individual female bees build brood chambers for their eggs, using those leaf circles as construction material. The damage is purely cosmetic, and since the bees only cut leaves for a short period, new growth will eventually hide the damaged leaves.

Leafcutter bees took perfect bites
out of this golden dogwood.

Science & Technology
Keeping Above Water
Japanese researchers recently discovered two genes that help one rice species outgrow rising waters. Appropriately named Snorkel 1 and Snorkel 2, they allow the rice stems to stay above water and, literally, breathe. Other rice species eventually die if submerged for extended periods of time, but the snorkel-gene rice keeps enough foliage above the waterline to survive. In experiments, some of the rice grew to a height of five metres. The researchers hope new rice varieties can be bred from these giants to withstand devastating floods.

Did You Know?
Aspergillus niger, a soil-inhabiting fungus, is used to produce citric acid for food and drink products, as well as lactase, the active ingredient in products made to help with lactose intolerance.

“Treat the earth well. It was not given to you by your parents; it was loaned to you by your children.”
–Kenyan Proverb

Hits & Misses
Hit: Hidden Potential
One of the difficulties of growing transplants in the greenhouse is that transplants are…well, transplants. What I mean by that is it’s difficult to get a sense of what a bedding plant will become judging by what it looks like in a greenhouse pot. Take, for example, bananas. When I transplanted a Red Abyssinian banana into one of my deck pots last June, the leaves looked good but weren’t anything that would stop you in your tracks. However, every 7 to 10 days since then, a new banana leaf has unfolded, and each week’s leaf is larger than its predecessor. In fact, the last banana leaf that emerged is triple the size of the leaves that were on the banana at transplant time. The extra root space of my large deck pot along with the longer summer days have undoubtedly contributed to the production of spectacularly gigantic banana leaves. And that’s my point. Too often, some truly outstanding bedding plants aren’t taken home because they’re judged by how they look on a greenhouse table at the transplant stage. The lesson here is that a cornerstone of choosing bedding plants is understanding a plant’s potential. That means knowing you’re starting with a high-quality transplant and not being intimidated to ask a garden centre person what it is exactly that you’re looking at.

Miss: Too Much of a Good Thing
Our Angel’s trumpet (brugmansia) plants are not only huge but also loaded with large, yellow, fragrant flowers. I love them, and so do our customers. So why are they this week’s miss, you ask? Well, the Angel’s trumpet is so big that it won’t fit into anything smaller than a half-ton truck. They will fit into the back seat of a convertible (top down, of course), but because of their gargantuan dimensions, you might receive some frowns from the local constabulary.

Question of the Week
Why have the bottoms of my tomatoes turned black?
This condition is known as blossom-end rot and is caused by calcium deficiency. Calcium keeps cell walls solid. Without it, cells literally fall apart and leak, causing the blossom end of the tomato to shrivel and turn black. Tomato plants that aren’t kept consistently moist can’t absorb enough calcium from the soil. So pay careful attention to soil moisture. Note that tomatoes grown in containers are more susceptible to blossom-end rot because the small volume of soil can dry out quickly. Blossom-end rot can also affect peppers and zucchini.

Science & Technology
Shoot First; Count Spores Later
Sphagnum peat moss is a common component of most potting soil mixtures, and virtually anyone who gardens has used it at one time. According to the latest issue of Science, sphagnum, while rather diminutive, is rather aggressive when releasing spores. It seems spore capsules of Sphagnum fimbriatum behave like an air gun, trapping and pressurizing air to blast its spores for dispersal into peat bogs. Approximately 20,000 to 240,000 spores are released from each capsule and at velocities as high as 30 metres per second. Who knew this innocuous-looking brown stuff might also feel at home on a gun registry list?

Did You Know?
Roots of apple trees grow from 3 to 9 millimetres per day.

“Deep summer is when laziness finds respectability.”
–Sam Keen

Being Inspired
by Bill Hole

As the Enjoy Centre progresses, I continue to be inspired by how the architecture reveals itself a little more every week. And I’m not the only one. The guests we bring to tour the building are impressed by it, too. Those tours are also a time when I reflect on how things have changed since the days of my parents’ garden market and how much the business will change again in our new facility. Last week, my brother Jim had a chance to talk about those changes with Rod Kurtz of CBC Radio Edmonton, who interviewed him at the site. As Jim said in that interview: “Both Mom and Dad would be so proud to see this facility because it’s really taking what they started to a new level.” Jim and I both think they’d be inspired by it, too. To listen to Jim’s CBC interview, go to our Unearth the Possibilities website.

‘Carmine Jewel’ is one sour cherry that was developed in Saskatchewan.

Hits & Misses
Hit: Faithful Seeds
While I was in Bruno, a fellow named Noel LaBrash handed me a dozen seeds from a legendary local tomato. I’m told the unnamed tomato produces huge yields of large yellow tomatoes that are somewhat pear shaped. Apparently, it’s been grown in the Bruno area for over a hundred years and local historians attribute the original plants to a Catholic nun, who handed down the seeds year after year. Noel has taken it upon himself to ensure these outstanding tomatoes carry on by giving seeds to people who are interested. I’m just lucky to be one of the recipients!

Miss: Spotty Damage
Leaf spot on trees seem to be everywhere this year. It appears when pathogenic fungi and bacteria attack foliage resulting in black or brown marks. These spots and blotches often show up shortly after periods of wet weather—something we’ve had an abundance of this year. Provided trees and shrubs are healthy and well maintained, most leaf spot is just an aesthetically displeasing nuisance. That said, dormant season sprays (lime and sulphur combinations or horticultural oil) can help reduce some of the fungi and bacteria that overwinter on bark and twigs.

Question of the Week
Why are my tomatoes cracking?
The cracks on the top of tomatoes are caused by very rapid growth, often during a warm rainy period preceded by dry or much cooler weather. Basically, during rapid growth the pressure inside the tomatoes splits the skins. Cracks most often happen when fruit is full-sized and beginning to ripen. Obviously, you can’t control the weather, but keeping your tomato plants as consistently moist as possible will help prevent splitting.

Science & Technology
Space Bound Spruce
Dr. Jean Beaulieu a researcher in Quebec has been working with NASA, and other partners, to test the affects of zero gravity on white spruce. This winter some room on the space station will be allotted to Dr. Beaulieu’s trees so that researchers can examine how weightlessness changes spruce growth at the cellular level.

Did You Know?
There are close to 50 bumblebee species native to North America, while honeybees are non-natives introduced from Europe.

“In the long run the pessimist may be proved right, but the optimist has a better time on the trip. ”
–Daniel L. Reardon

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 engagements, but on the way to Kelowna things went a bit sideways. One highway was closed for four hours because of a head-on collision; another was closed because of a fire. To get to Kelowna, our (yes, this road trip included my family) only choice was to take the detour route, a nine-hour drive that meant we’d barely make it in time for my presentation. Fortunately, we arrived with a half hour to spare, which gave me a few minutes to find a washroom and change my clothes. The Kelowna audience was great, the DVDs kept the kids happy in the car and I don’t think I looked too disheveled at the podium.

Hits & Misses
Hit: Fungi Cropping
With the recent rain, mushrooms are popping up everywhere. The first inclination of many people is to destroy them. Not me. I see them as wonderful, intriguing species in their own right. The diversity of the fruiting bodies (the spore bearing structures of fungi) is amazing. Yes, some, such as the fairy ring fungi, can be rather annoying, although most other species aren’t as intrusive. Some are beneficial organisms (aka mycorrhizal fungi) that associate with tree root systems and help the plants extract nutrients and water from the soil. But if you’re still not sold on mushrooms, remember they’re short-lived and will soon disappear.

Miss: Deer Grazing
Regardless of which community I speak in, whenever I ask if there’s a deer problem, the facial expressions of the audience are strangely similar to those of my tween daughter when I ask her…well, when I ask her pretty much anything. You know, the duh-what-do you-think look. Deer have voracious appetites and there’s a much larger list of what they will eat then what they won’t eat. This week, the latest victims in one garden were tomatoes. The deer not only ate the fruits, but the leaves and stems were consumed with equal zeal. Tomatoes are in the deadly nightshade (Solanaceae) family and, while the leaves aren’t acutely toxic I wouldn’t have thought they were that palatable, even to deer. At the very least, there must be a few deer wandering around with upset stomachs.

Deer decimated this heirloom tomato plant.

Question of the Week
How short should my grass be cut?
When grass is growing fast, there’s certainly a temptation to cut it very short so that you don’t have to mow so frequently. But that’s not the best thing for your lawn. Ideally, the mowing height should be 6–7.5 cm (2.5–3”). During hot, dry periods raise your mower blade and cut a centimeter or two higher than usual. Taller grass provides shade for roots and helps hold water in the soil. In addition, when it’s longer, not-so-lush grass also looks richer.

Science & Technology
Blooming-good Reasons for Plants
A world without angiosperms (all plants that bloom) would also be a lot hotter and drier, says an article in Science. Researchers from the University of Chicago used climate models to show the probable outcomes. Results suggest the biggest impact would be in South America where annual rainfall would drop by 30 cm. In the wettest rainforests, precipitation would decrease by as much as 80 percent. Now that’s another good reason to support plant conservation.

Did You Know?
Grey mold (Botrytis cineria) is detrimental to many plants, however, it also plays a beneficial role in winemaking where it takes on another name—Noble Rot. When Noble Rot attacks grapes, it causes the fruit to dehydrate, thereby concentrating the sugars. The mold also releases compounds that add to the grapes’ flavour.

“If everything seems under control, you’re just not going fast enough.”
–
Mario Andretti

T

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 see what life was like in Canada from the 1800s through to the early 1900s. Throughout the park, actors dressed in period pieces greeted us with “Happy Dominion Day” and gave faux looks of bewilderment to visitors who responded with “Happy Canada Day.” That’s because (for those of you who don’t remember) it wasn’t until 1982 that Canada Day became the official name of Canada’s birthday. Thinking I was pretty clever, I tried to see if I could get the volunteers to break out of character, but their acts were pretty darned polished. Almost makes me suspect they’ve heard from visitors like me before…

Hits & Misses
Hit: Smooth Waters
I’ve been enjoying the Coandă effect recently. What am I talking about, you ask? Well, I’ll spare you the long, complex mathematical formula and just say it explains why water clings and flows around solid surfaces in a smooth pattern. From the vantage point of my office window, I can see a water feature that includes a waterspout above a round stone. As the water flows from the spout, it clings beautifully to the stone causing it to look like a gigantic polished marble. It’s soothing and tranquil, but the Coandă effect is not particularly conducive to getting my work done.

Miss: Low Light
Each year, we grow hundreds of petunia barrels for the City of Edmonton and the City of St. Albert. The petunias’ growth has exploded in the past week, and dozens of flowers are now adorning the foliage. I did, however, notice four pots in downtown Edmonton with nary a flower. The reason is simple: the plants aren’t receiving any direct sunlight. They were all tucked close to the entrance on the north side of a hotel. The objective of the placement was obviously to add colour and fragrance as customers entered the premises. Unfortunately, under low-light conditions, petunia growth becomes soft and lanky, and they won’t flower. To solve the problem, the petunias either need to be moved a few metres away from the entrance or replaced with foliage plants that can tolerate low light. In this case, plant needs and human desires simply aren’t compatible.

Question of the Week
How do I keep my container garden looking its best?
Follow these simple steps and you’ll be rewarded with great-looking containers all season long.

1. Water often and thoroughly—until the water pours out the drainage holes.
2. Remember to remove the finished flowers (a.k.a deadheading) to promote repeat blooming.
3. Fertilize regularly. That’s because the large number of plants in a relatively small space soon use up the original soil nutrients. So, add a generous pinch of 20–20–20 fertilizer to your watering can each time you water.

For a visual review of these tips, see our container care video.

Science & Technology
City Improvements
Urban trees and humans are often on a collision course. Disease or a lack of rainfall is often cited when street trees slowly die. But the real reason has more to do with the soil quality and volume than any other conditions. Soil beneath city streets and boulevards is almost always compacted so that the concrete or asphalt above doesn’t crack or slump. But that’s horrible for root growth. As a result, trees grown in compacted soils often die prematurely. To alleviate the problem, researchers at Cornell University have been working on a structured soil that consists of fairly coarse rock, some clay and a hydrogel (a product that holds water and has the consistency of gelatin). Designed especially for urban environments, it’s strong enough to support pavement yet porous enough to allow for excellent root growth. I believe the City of Edmonton is testing structured soils at a couple of sites. I don’t think the results will be disappointing. My feeling is that structured soil will greatly improve our urban tree quality and dramatically reduce tree replacement costs.

Did You Know?
Soil scientists say there are more species of organisms in a scoop of soil than there are above ground in the entire Amazon rain forest.

“In the long run the pessimist may be proved right, but the optimist has a better time on the trip.”
–Daniel L. Reardon

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 regular CBC gardening open-line radio program and was on route to my car. That’s when I noticed four vehicles erratically parked on the fringe of the square and wondered how those people had scored prime parking real estate. But as I squeezed by the cars, I realized they were works of art—botanical ones! Each vehicle was filled to the top of its dashboard with soil. Spruce and poplar saplings were growing happily in the vehicles’ cozy interior landscapes. I doubt any car companies have considered vehicular greenhouses, but given the impact vehicles have on the environment, producing cars that generate oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide might not be a bad idea.

Hits & Misses
Hit: Planned Buying
Our gardening books did particularly well at the greenhouse last weekend. In fact, people were buying stacks of them. Now, I could say the reason was because the author (me, of course) was there to sign copies. But, alas, I know the real reason was that they were one heck of a bargain. Most people I talked to planned on giving the books as birthday or Christmas gifts. Boy, are they organized. Personally, I consider it planning ahead if I buy a gift the day before.

Miss: Still Cutting Away
As I mentioned a few weeks ago, cutworms have been on the attack. In fact, my sister-in-law Valerie, who kindly donates some of her pickles to me each year, reports cutworms have devastated her cucumber patch. Cutworms are particularly bad in our region this year thanks to last year’s warm, dry fall. That type of weather makes flight easier for the female moths and increases survival of eggs, which the moths typically deposit in or on loose soil during late afternoons in early fall. Considering that one female army cutworm moth can lay 1,000 to 3,000 eggs, it’s easy to see how cutworms can become such a nuisance. Valerie has re-sown her cucumbers. Needless to say, I’m hoping for a long, hot summer and an abundant harvest of pickles…I mean cucumbers.

Question of the Week
Is it too late to plant annuals?
No, it’s not too late. But you will want to make sure you’re not buying overgrown bedding plants because they’ll be rootbound and won’t perform. What you want to look for at this time of the year are large, fully branched plants that are blooming or have lots of buds that are ready to open. That way, you won’t have to wait for results. The other option is to buy pre-planted patio containers that’ll add instant lushness to your yard. And don’t forget about vegetable containers—they’ll look great and likely be ready to harvest.

Science & Technology
Crying the Blues
When red roses turn blue, it’s enough to make you cry—especially if you’ve just shelled out for a dozen long stems. That undesirable characteristic (called bluing) has a lot to do with the chemistry of the aging petals. The older the flowers, the higher pH levels in the plant cells—that in turn break down certain proteins—the higher the degree of bluing. A certain amount of bluing is inevitable as roses age. But if you buy high-quality, fresh roses and keep them cool, it will prevent both you and the roses from developing a serious case of the blues.

Did You Know?
Workers in the pineapple industry wear rubber gloves to protect their skin from an enzyme in the plant stems called bromelain, which can digest protein.

“Canada is an interesting place, the rest of the world thinks so, even if Canadians don’t.”
–Terence M. Green

It’s nice to tune in to the World Cup, see that lush turf and know the grass seed came from the Canadian prairies—Manitoba to be exact. Soccer isn’t one of the sports I’ve played, so there are nuances of the game I don’t fully understand. For example, as hard as I try, I can’t figure out what’s causing some of the world’s best players to suddenly fall and then roll on the turf with grimaces on their faces? In these instances, as far as I can tell, no obvious collisions have happened nor have the soccer players turned their ankles or otherwise injured themselves. Perhaps there’s something wrong with our Canuck grass—like the blades are so stiff and strong that they’re tripping the players? Then again, maybe the grass isn’t to blame because, for some strange reason, complete recovery seems to happen in about 10 seconds—usually just after the referee shows something called a Yellow Card…

Hits & Misses
Hit: Gopher-proof Plants
The sign welcoming everyone at the south entrance of St. Albert has an integrated planter with a sloping flowerbed in front. And every year that we plant this bed, Richardson’s ground squirrels (a.k.a. gophers) test the plants to see which ones suit their discerning tastes. After years of trialing a wide range of gopher-proof bedding plants, we’ve discovered geraniums and dusty millers are quite possibly the only plants those little brown critters don’t touch. Some argue the gophers hate the taste of geraniums and dusty millers, but I believe they’ve finally found the right décor to complement their pasture.

Miss: Less than a Beauty
There are good reasons heirloom tomato varieties have been handed down from generation to generation, but beauty is seldom one of them. ‘Black Russian’ is an excellent example. As I walked through the greenhouse on the weekend, I really noticed how their thin, purple-tinged leaves stood out. But imperfect foliage and fruit are the trademark of heirloom tomatoes, so you need to look beyond the visual shortcomings and focus on the often-superior flavour and texture of these fruits.

Question of the Week
How can I get rid of the non-fairy ring mushrooms on my lawn?
Actually, you don’t need to worry about mushrooms. Unlike fairy rings, they won’t harm your lawn, besides which there aren’t fungicides for killing them. They often appear after rainy weather or when humidity is high and then cease to grow when conditions change. While you wait, consider removing the actively growing mushrooms before you mow. Otherwise they can leave quite a mess.

Science & Technology
Fine-tuned Testing
Precision fertilizer application for crops such as potatoes isn’t something most gardeners worry about. But for commercial potato growers, misapplication can cost a lot of money. That’s why they use the petiole sap test, developed to assess nutrient requirements. By extracting and analyzing a little sap from potato petioles (stems that the leaves attach to), growers can get a fairly accurate measure of the plants’ nitrogen levels. The exact amount of fertilizer needed can then be applied. This new technology isn’t available as a home test, but who knows? Maybe an inexpensive, quick potato sap tester will become a reality in the next few years.

Did You Know?
Kiwi fruits have more vitamin C than oranges and more potassium than bananas.

“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”
–Thomas Edison

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 at absorbing and holding on to nutrients, which makes it an ideal soil amendment. In my experiment, I dissolved 20–20–20 fertilizer in a bucket of water and dumped in a jug of PurGro. Then, once the fertilizer solution was absorbed, I worked the rock granules into the soil of some of my flower containers. My theory is that the fertilizer-saturated granules will act as a slow-release nutrient source and keep the plants vigorous and well fed for most of the season. I’m not suggesting you try this at home; it’s strictly experimental. But in a couple of months I’ll let you know if it was successful. Another thing I don’t recommend is using the laundry room sink as a pseudo science lab. Let’s just say not everyone in our household grasps the importance of scientific exploration.

Hits & Misses
Hit: Super Dads
Father’s Day always generates a lot of tomato sales. In the gift-giving department what could be better than the chance to produce garden-fresh tomato slices to top pizza (my favourite way to enjoy tomatoes). If you have a super dad, give him an outstanding tomato such as ‘Super Fantastic,’ ‘Super Steak’ or ‘Super Tasty.’ Of course, if things have soured a bit with Dad (maybe he carried out experiments in the laundry room), a ‘Lemon Boy’ might be the tomato of choice…

Miss: Subterranean Attacks
Cutworms are coming on like gangbusters this week. This year they’re late to emerge because of the cooler-than-normal weather, but have now woken up from their slumber. The first sign of cutworm activity is usually a bunch of plants napping on their sides. That’s because cutworms, of which there are several species, hide beneath the soil surface where they chew on plants often severing the stems. Lettuce is particularly prone to cutworm attack, so be vigilant. Carefully till the soil around your plants with a hoe to expose the cutworms and then destroy them. If you have a severe problem, spray the soil with a permethrin-based product in the evening, which is when cutworms are near the surface.

Question of the week
How tall can a tomato plant grow?
If the growing season were long enough, an indeterminate tomato plant (as opposed to a determinate variety that stops growing at a certain height) could reach 9 m or better. In practice, indeterminate garden varieties tend to reach 1–1.5 m in a growing season. But the ‘Tomaccio,’ a new cherry tomato we have this year, will grow 4 m in a warm growing season. We’ll see if they reach those heights this summer.

Science & Technology
Deep-rooted Insight
The conventional image many people have of a tree’s root system probably resembles that of a carrot: one deep taproot with a few fibrous roots attached on the sides. However, a survey in England of 4,000 trees (blown down some time ago by a hurricane) showed that taproots occurred in only 2.5 percent of the surveyed trees. The remainder had mostly lateral roots that occupied the top few feet of the soil.

Did You Know?
Aloe vera (used for dressing small cuts and abrasions) contains an enzyme called bradykinase, which destroys bradykinin—a chemical in our bodies that produces pain.

“My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person, he believed in me.”
–Jim Valvano

Hits & Misses
Hit: Memories of Popcorn
Speaking of the movies, the smell of buttery popcorn is wafting through our greenhouses this year. No, not because the growers are eating it or growing it. Rather, it’s coming from the popcorn cassia (Cassia didymobotrya). It’s a semi-tropical plant that has large caragana-like leaves and produces yellow flowers on a tall spike. The flowers and foliage smell distinctly like buttered popcorn and are sure to evoke memories of sitting in a theatre watching movies—even the bad ones.

Miss: Starved Cherries
According to quite a few people I’ve talked to, ‘Evans’ cherries are either leafing out poorly this spring or have died completely. Winter cold can take some of the blame, but not all of it. A key factor for all hardy plants to endure winter is the ability to build up sufficient carbohydrate reserves prior to the onset of very cold weather. That didn’t happen last year because of drought stress, which diminishes carbohydrate reserves thereby reducing plant cold tolerance. As evidenced by the Evans cherries, drought stress followed by deep cold is a simple formula for severe tree injury, or worse, tree mortality.

Don’t expect heavy fruit production from ‘Evans’ cherries this year.

Question of the Week
Are any bedding plants poisonous?
First of all, keep in mind that “poisonous plant” is a broad term. It’s applied to plants that cause reactions ranging from mild skin irritation to serious injury via ingestion. Consequently, “poisonous” can be attached to a wide number of bedding plants. However, very few common bedding plants are particularly toxic. That said, gnawing on bedding plants that aren’t deemed edible isn’t something I’d recommend.

Science & Technology
These Boots are Made for Talking
From the Treehugger website comes an interesting way of generating electricity from your garden gumboots. The rubber boots, developed by the Orange and Gotwind companies, take advantage of the Seebeck effect, whereby temperature differences generate electricity. In this instance, heat from your feet warms the top of ceramic material in the boost while cold from the ground underfoot reaches the other side of the ceramic. So just how efficient is it you may be wondering? Well, you’ll have to do a lot of walking. It takes 12 hours to generate enough power for about an hour of cellphone use.

Did You Know?
The reason you’re not supposed to drink water from garden hoses is because some are made with polyvinyl chloride (PVC), which contains a small amount of lead (a stabilizer) that could potentially leach out.

“Happinesss is a habit—cultivate it.”
–Elbert Hubbard

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 product available to battle dandelions and other broad-leafed lawn weeds. So far, I’m impressed. In my test, the dandelions began to turn to mush within 24 hours of being sprayed. This fast-acting product is also eco-friendly and as a peripheral benefit will turn your grass a richer hue of green. The product information says an additional spraying of iron may be necessary four to five weeks later to deal with any dandelion regrowth. As for those of you who like to eat dandelions (untreated), don’t despair. I can’t image they’ll become an endangered species anytime soon—even with chelated iron doing battle.

Hits & Misses
Hit: Waterproof Gardening
Have you ever worried about watering or under watering your garden plants? Well, there’s a solution: water bowls! Simply fill with water and add aquatic plant species. Provided you keep the bowl filled to a reasonable level, the plants will thrive and you’ll never have to worry about when to water. Many different combinations of water plants will work. For example, you can try cyperus grass, parrot’s feather, lysimachia and rumax. To keep the algae at bay, simply add some PurPond to the bowl. This product is essentially a special type of rock that scrubs nutrients such as phosphorus and ammonium from the water. With the nutrients trapped within the rock structure, algae growth is stopped.

Miss: Weatherproof Gardeners
Let me think…what would make a good miss this week? Hmmm…how about the #!**!# weather! This has to be the worst May weather I can remember. Cold temperatures, rain and, yes, snow—not exactly gardening weather. But hey, we’re hardy prairie folk and I know we’ll get through this maelstrom. Just the same, if Mother Nature is listening, we’re sorry for whatever we did to offend you and promise to behave. Now please turn up the heat!

Question of the Week
What is a vegetative plant?
Vegetative refers to a specific propagation method by which cuttings (usually branches) are taken from plants and rooted to produce genetically identical offspring. The kinds of plants often propagated this way produce either little or no viable seed, or have genetically inconsistent seed. Some plants naturally reproduce this way (think of runners on strawberries). In the greenhouse business, we use this type of propagation to grow bedding plants such as petunias and coleus.

Science & Technology
Sequencing Spruce
According to Science, Swedish researchers are going to spend $10 million sequencing the Norway spruce genome. It’s a significant project not only because it will be the first conifer to be sequenced but also because the Norway spruce feeds Sweden’s timber industry. A better understanding of what makes the species tick is, therefore, crucial for the long-term health of the industry. But if you think the sequencing will be a simple job, think again. The Norway spruce has 7 to 10 times more genes than a human genome. The project leader, Par Ingvarsson of Umea University, says they especially want to identify the genes that control wood properties. Now if Par could identify the genes one needs to put that damn Norway spruce-based Ikea furniture together, I’d be happy too.

Did You Know?
Soft water isn’t soft on plants. It contains high levels of sodium, which are detrimental to plant health.

“Dream as if you’ll live forever, live as if you’ll die today.”
–James Dean

Ice cubes popping out of potting soil? Yes, it was a little bewildering to one customer who witnessed the rise of what looked like ice cubes from the soil of her patio planters. The cubes were actually supersaturated Moisture Mizer granules, and they appeared after several days of heavy rain. The product is a hydrogel—a fine-crystalline structure capable of absorbing large quantities of water, and is touted as being able to prevent containers from drying out. But do they work? Well, the reality is that hydrogels will, at best, buy you a few more hours between waterings. So although, they’re not a miracle product, give them a shot if you have a hot, dry spot. Just don’t be alarmed if the blobs rise from the soil like zombies.

Given the right conditions,
hydrogels can look like ice cubes.

Hits & Misses
Hit: Shapely Lavender
Lavender’s purple flowers, which remind me of bursting fireworks, always stand out from the crowd. They’re even more dramatic when pruned into a tree-form with the blooms set against spherical shaped foliage. These tree-form lavenders are unique-looking potted plants. They’re perfect for patio tables and are sure to get the barbeque crowd talking. And, of course, they smell wonderful too.

Miss: Safety First
Most of us (or maybe it’s just me) have a tendency to use a new product first and to read the label second—usually after the product doesn’t perform as expected. For some products, the worst that happens is you waste your money. But for others, the consequences can be much more serious. I had a customer who erroneously assumed he could use Doktor Doom House and Garden Insecticidal Spray to control bed bugs in his home. Thankfully, he’s okay, although he did suffer from dizziness and need medical attention. The important lesson is that pesticides must be used only for specified purposes—labels must be read thoroughly and followed exactly. The customer’s story ended well, but reinforced the point that you should read first, use second.

Question of the Week
I just bought some drought tolerant plants. Do I have to water them?
You sure do. Just because a plant can withstand drought doesn’t mean it will thrive without watering. It’s also important to regularly water newly purchased drought-tolerant plants until they’re well established.

Science & Technology
Sexist Scent
Women have a greater sensitivity to odours than do men but as always, there’s an exception to the rule. In the May issue of Science, researchers from Linkoping University in Sweden report men are more sensitive to the chemical (bourgeonal) that gives lily-of-the-valley its distinctive fragrance than women are. Strangely enough, in lab experiments the researchers also found that sperm cells make a beeline toward bourgeonal. They don’t know why this is the case, but I know there’s a joke inside that data just screaming to get out…

Did You Know?
The word horseradish probably came from the old German word meerrettich, meaning sea radish, which aptly describes the plant that grew wild in European coastal regions.

“The average pencil is seven inches long, with just a half-inch eraser—in case you thought optimism was dead.”
–Robert Brault

I may have discovered the world’s toughest plant. It, or rather four of them, are growing in a window box outside our office door. They’re ‘Jade Frost’ silver nettle vines (a.k.a. archangel), which are normally thought of as annuals in our area. Well, let me tell you what these plants endured last winter. They were left in long, narrow window boxes that contained only about 10 cm of soil, the boxes sat atop a retaining wall where they were exposed to howling winter winds (at least one day with –43°C), they had no snow cover, and still haven’t gotten a speck of water. Today, in spite of it all, they’re not only producing vines, but also flowering. Now, I’m not endorsing this kind of treatment for Jade Frost…but if its true that cockroaches are one of the few creatures that would survive a nuclear holocaust, you might just find them using this plant as nesting material.

‘Jade Frost’ silver nettle vine is tougher than it looks.

Hits & Misses
Hit: Spectacular Statements
As far as planting in the greenhouse goes, this is my favourite time of year. That sentiment is due entirely to the fact that the gargantuan pots destined for outdoor patios are being planted up. There are few sights more spectacular than five-foot-tall pots filled with a myriad of colourful bedding plants (and possibly a few interesting shrubs) welcoming you to a patio.

Miss: Mismatched Plants
You know, there are a lot of plant combinations that work well with impatiens in hanging baskets —ivy and bacopa being just two choices that come to mind. But somehow, no matter how lush and green a sow thistle looks, I don’t think it complements impatiens at all. How a sow thistle found its way into an impatiens basket of ours is anyone’s guess, but its weeks of pampering came to an abrupt end as this photo proves.

Question of the Week
I’ve over fertilized and burned my lawn in places. What can I do?
First, rake the burned areas to remove the dead grass. Then, water heavily to help flush away the excess fertilizer. Wait a couple of days and flush again. Then use a grass repair kit (which has grass seed embedded in a growing medium), or add 1–2.5 cm of rich loam and scatter grass seed overtop. Water at least once a day for the first two weeks to ensure germination. Then, water twice per week until the grass is well established.

Science & Technology
Fighting Moss
According to researchers from Kansas State University, sodium bicarbonate (a.k.a. baking soda) is quite effective at killing moss in creeping bentgrass, which is used on putting greens. The Department of Plant Pathology researchers dissolved about 40 grams of sodium bicarbonate in a litre of water and drenched the moss patches. They found the mixture outperformed some standard moss control products. Keep in mind that sodium bicarbonate is not registered for use on lawns in Canada and, therefore, I cannot endorse its use…although I can’t imagine being sued for misuse of baking soda.

Did You Know?
Nicotine was the first insecticide to be extracted from a plant.

“Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says I’ll try again tomorrow.”
–Mary Anne Radmacher

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 I want it right now!” Sum and Substance hostas are truly gargantuan and perfect for gardeners who want big plants now—not three years from now. The multi-stemmed plants with massive lime green leaves are about a metre wide and tall. If you plant one of these monsters, you can guarantee that when your neighbours and friends see them, they’ll want you to reveal what fertilizer you used. I tell my friends it’s the result of years of careful nurturing. No need to reveal who did the nurturing…

Hits & Misses
Hit: Surprise Petunias
Petunia plant breeders have really outdone themselves with petunias. Blue, red, white, yellow, green, double, single, trailing, mounding, hedge forming, fragrant…there’s at least one to suit every gardener. One of my favorite petunia series is called Surprise. These trailing petunias are outstanding candidates for window boxes or containers. One variety in the series, ‘Raspberry Blast,’ really jumps out from the pack with its bright pink and deep cerise flowers.

The showy ‘Raspberry Blast’ petunia
is just one of this year’s outstanding varieties.

Miss: Concrete Wonders
I’ve seen TV ads for a grass mixture that will “even grow on concrete!” Well, I’ll let you in on a little secret: every single plant at our greenhouse grows on concrete or asphalt. We add potting soil to our pots, sow seeds or pop transplants into the mixture and place the pots on…our floors! Essentially, the same thing applies to the grass in the ad—except that the seed and soil mixture is placed directly on concrete. In the ad, time-lapse photography shows the grass shoots bursting out from the mix—which is nothing miraculous. What would be miraculous is if that same grass looked good in a year’s time.

Question of the Week
I’ve never grown potatoes before; what do I need to do?
Potatoes are easy to grow and here’s how. Plant certified seed potatoes either whole or cut into thirds or quarters. Ensure each piece has two or three eyes (the dimples on tubers where the buds sprout). Allow cut pieces to dry for several hours or suberize (form a protective corky layer) before planting. Plant the tubers 10–15 cm deep and about 30 cm apart. When the plants are 15–20 cm tall, use a hoe to mound soil around the plants, creating hills about 20 cm deep. This will protect the tubers from sunlight, and is a better environment for tuber formation. The potatoes can be dug whenever they’re large enough to eat. Depending on the variety, you could have small potatoes about 60 days after the plant emerges. You also need to know that blooms are an indication, rather than an assurance of maturity. So, before you pull out a plant, carefully dig down with your hands, and unearth a couple potatoes to see if they’re big enough.

Science & Technology
Prey-preferred Colours
Aphids come in a variety of colours, and according to a recent article in Science, their colour has a direct influence on which beneficial insects prey on them. Apparently, ladybugs tend to prefer red aphids, while beneficial parasitic wasps (not the ones that steal hamburgers from your picnic table) prefer green aphids.

Did You Know?
Coir fibre is actually the stringy material that surrounds coconut seeds.

“Learning is not compulsory…neither is survival.”
–W. Edwards Deming

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 U of A entomology grad student) brought live tomato hornworms along with other preserved insects. And our integrated pest management expert, Sherrie Lang, showcased the predatory insects we use as biological controls in the greenhouse. Kids (and adults) loved looking at magnified beneficial insects and watching ladybugs eat aphids. The kids even got to eat a few ladybugs—chocolate ones wrapped in foil, of course.

Hits & Misses
Hit: War on Dandelions
If you’re panicking about dandelion control because of the new Alberta ban on weed-and-feed products (effective January 1, 2010), you don’t need to. Other more ecologically friendly products are making their way into the market. We’ll have three in our garden centre this spring: corn gluten to inhibit dandelion seed germination, Sarritor (a fungus) to attack mature dandelions and an iron-based spray (available mid May) to kill dandelions and clover. Of course, you can still purchase old standbys, such as Killex, but these new products are exciting alternatives in the war on dandelions.

It’s always easier to conrol weeds when they’re small
and haven’t gone to seed.

Miss: Below the Surface
The pros and cons of plastic and fabric groundcovers for weed control were a topic of discussion on my regular CBC radio appearance on Monday. Porous landscape fabrics, used sparingly and in the right place, are usually fine, but impervious plastic sheets are never a good choice for gardens. A case in point was the experience of a CBC technician who couldn’t understand why the plants in the yard of his newly purchased home were growing so poorly. That is until he noticed a tiny piece of blue tarpaulin poking out of the ground. He discovered the tiny piece was, in fact, one of many tarps buried on the property. The previous owners apparently thought they could eliminate weed problems with the tarps but, instead, caused desirable plants to suffer. Plants, like icebergs, have a large amount of mass hidden below the surface. As good gardeners and good mariners bothknow, ignoring what’s below the surface can make the journey perilous.

Question of the Week
Why are my spring flowering shrubs blooming so sparsely?
This year, my bet is that dry conditions are a factor. But the reason could also be that some sensitive buds have been injured by the cold. Cold snaps can wipe out flowerbuds, depending on the plant species, the degree of cold and the stage of bud development. Flowerbuds are typically more sensitive to cold than are leaf buds.

Frost can be the cause of uneven
blooming on trees and shrubs.

Science & Technology
Point-and-Shoot Analysis
Near-infrared spectroscopy. Yes, it’s a mouthful, but that’s the name of the latest technology being used to look at the chemical composition of plants and soils. The Star Trek-like NIR spectrophotometer looks like a gun and when aimed at a plant leaf, it measures the amount of reflected light. An analysis of that measurement reveals a picture of the chemical composition of the plant. The point-and-shoot analysis for a wide range of plant nutrients still has a way to go, although meters already exist for the analysis of chlorophyll levels in crops such as corn. But sorry, Trekkies, it’s not called a tricorder.

Did You Know?
Corn plants grow prop roots for support.

“When we tug at a single thing in nature, we find it attached to the rest of the world.”
–John Muir

Yes, pansy flowers are edible and dress up plates, but the consensus from 30 or so culinary professionals and students is that the petals are rather bland. I must say, I agree. We jointly came to that conclusion last Sunday as I toured the greenhouse with a group from the Canadian Culinary Federation for Cooks and Chefs. The tour focused on how to grow herbs properly and the parameters for maximizing both yield and flavour. We also stopped to sample unconventional herbs, including pansies and begonias. Despite our best-growing practices, the aforementioned pansies weren’t a hit. But the sharp vinegar-like flavour of the white ‘Non-Stop’ begonias got much better reviews. Flowers are often overlooked as culinary ingredients even though many have interesting and wonderful flavours. One word of caution, make sure you know the pest-control product history of edible flowers before chowing down.

Hits & Misses
Hit: Bigger and Better Pots
One pot, two pots, red pot, blue pot. With apologies to Dr. Seuss, my point is pots are the hot item this year. Everyone’s trading up and dumping small, uninspiring containers for bigger and better ones. It makes perfect sense. Not only are the big pots made of long-lasting, fade-free materials, but their capacity for more soil also means you can grow bigger, more striking plants.

Miss: Soil Testing Shortfall
A customer of ours had a soil test done by a laboratory, which is fine, but the report certainly isn’t user friendly. The terminology reads more like Egyptian hieroglyphics than something a home gardener could interpret. Am I chastising the soil testing company? Well, yes. The report cost the customer $265 and didn’t come with much interpretation or provide recommendations for the garden soil. In my opinion, most gardeners don’t need an expensive soil test. Yes, if something is seriously wrong, such as suspected herbicide contamination, a soil test is warranted. But for most soils—even those that look bad—spend your money on good old compost or well-rotted manure because that’s most likely what your garden’s lacking.

Adding organic material helps soils, including
those with too much clay.

Question of the Week
My tulip flowers aren’t very big this year, why?
There are several possible reasons. Hybrid tulips require a long growing season that’s not too hot or dry. Without these conditions, tulip bulbs won’t fill out properly and may produce smaller flowers or even fail to bloom in subsequent years. In fact, some hybrid varieties only produce good blooms the first growing season. Non-hybrid or species tulips will bloom year after year and are a good choice if you want early blooms. Keep in mind that species tulips will multiply and spread, which can be a good or bad attribute depending on your perspective.

Tulipa tarda multiplies readily and
produces generous blooms.

Science & Technology
Scannable Trees
Computer chips imbedded into trees sounds futuristic, but research results in the most recent issue of HortScience prove otherwise. The radio frequency identification devices (RFIDs) were actually implanted beneath the bark of citrus trees six years ago. Now US Horticultural Research Laboratory researchers report the little computer chips are still functioning well and haven’t caused any deleterious affect on the health of the trees. RFIDs would allow growers to easily identify trees with a hand-held scanner and pertinent information could be downloaded from the chip. In the future, RFIDs could be useful for urban forest management as tools to help ensure that trees have a long and healthy life.

Did You Know?
Meadow voles (also known as field or meadow mice) love tulip bulbs but dislike snowdrops and daffodils.

“A bird doesn’t sing because it has an answer, it sings.”
—Maya Angelou

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 contains a particular strain of a fungus called Sclerotinia minor that will kill your dandelions without doing the same to your lawn. It’s amusingly displayed in what looks like a mini-bar fridge because the fungi need to be cool to stay alive. One shake-on container will treat about 750 dandelions, but don’t be tempted to apply it on a hot, dry day. The fungi need humidity and reasonable warmth to multiply and infect dandelions. Therefore, the recommendation is to water your lawn on a warm evening and then to apply the product. It’s also important to remember that this product can’t be stored on a shelf. If you aren’t applying it immediately after purchase, it’s prudent to refrigerate Sarritor at home before unleashing it on your unsuspecting dandelions.

Hits & Misses
Hit: Fiery and Dark Roses
The nursery is ablaze with roses because our warm weather has made the flowers open early. There’s a wide array of colours and scents to enjoy. One of my favourites is ‘Morden Sunrise,’ from the hardy Parkland series. It has fiery orange and yellow flowers with a nice fringe of pink on the petals. I also really like the tender hybrid tea rose ‘Black Baccara’ simply because its flowers are so dark—not pure black, mind you, but strikingly dark nonetheless.

Miss: Morbid Fungi
Whereas, Sclerotinia minor is a good fungus that destroys evil dandelions, Apiosporina morbosa is a dastardly fungus that’s causing unprecedented damage to cherries, plums, chokecherries and pin cherries in our region. It’s more commonly known as black knot because it develops into swollen knots loaded with black spores after it invades branches through wounds or soft new tissue. Spores spread to create new knots and, eventually, the affected branches die. The solution is to prune 15–25 cm below the knots and to dispose of the infected branches to avoid spreading the disease. The problem is so common this spring that when I see a customer crossing our parking lot with a branch in hand, odds are the problem is black knot.

Question of the Week
What soil should I use to grow vegetables?
If you’re growing vegetables in a container, I always recommend Hole’s soilless potting mix. However, if you’re establishing a vegetable garden, good quality loam is a must. The recommended soil depth to grow vegetables is 20–25 cm. Once your garden is established, it’s important to amend it each year with 2.5–5 cm of organically rich material such as triple mix.

Science & Technology
Fuel Efficiency
Based on the how much water is used to produce fuels, diesel is more efficient than biofuels, according to the March issue of Science. In fact, diesel production yields more than twice the energy using the same amount of water. In other words, in a world of diminishing fresh water supplies, plant-based fuel sources aren’t so advantageous. To be a viable fuel source, we definitely need to squeeze more energy out of biofuels for every litre of water the biofuel crops use.

Did You Know?
The world’s largest sequoia tree, named General Sherman, is more than 80 metres tall and is estimated to weigh 2,500 metric tonnes.

“Anything else you’re interested in is not going to happen if you can’t breathe the air and drink the water. Don’t sit this one out. Do something.”
–Carl Sagan

When it comes to the best gardening shows in Canada, I’d rate those in Calgary and Saskatoon at the top of my list. This past weekend, I spoke at the Calgary Horticultural Society Garden Show, which is held at Spruce Meadows. It is very well organized and attracts over 10,000 gardeners—both avid and novice. But, more significantly, there’s an air of enthusiasm and optimism shared by those touring the exhibition halls and lecture theatres. Yes, there are other great shows, such as Canada Blooms in Toronto, but when it comes to attendee exuberance, the Prairies really blossom.

Hits & Misses
Hit: Impressive Performance
As our geranium crop grows, so does my enthusiasm for our biodegradable rice pots. They are a bit taller than the plastic pots we’ve previously used for geraniums, which translates into extra soil volume. The geraniums are growing so well, in fact, their roots are beginning to escape out the drainage holes of the containers. Safe to say, the biodegradable pots have passed the growth test with stellar results—and look good doing it!

Miss: Watering Myth
After reading an article in Discover, one of my favourite science magazines, I nearly cancelled my subscription. I still like the magazine, but I’m wincing about one of their sections entitled, “20 things you didn’t know about water”. According to the article, water droplets magnify sunlight which, in turn, burns leaves. Well that’s just not true. To prove it, try this little experiment yourself: on a hot, sunny day, water your tomatoes, petunias, apples or any other plants. Then kick back, have a lemonade and wait for the droplets to dry. If you can find a single leaf that develops measles, you’re well on your way to rewriting the laws of physics. Certainly, cold water can damage sensitive leaves of plants, such as African violets, and viruses can leave strange-looking ring spots on leaves. But water droplets causing spots? No. Where this water-droplet theory actually belongs is on an episode of Myth Busters.

Question of the Week
I think I planted my fall bulbs upside down. Will they still grow?
Don’t worry. Thanks to gravity, the bulbs will grow regardless of whether or not they were planted right side up, on their sides or upside down. That’s because plant roots always grow downward in response to gravity—a phenomenon known as gravitropism. However, if the bulbs were planted upside down, you may experience a setback in bloom time or even in the plant’s development.

Science & Technology
Growth Triggers
Have you ever wondered what triggers trees and shrubs to grow and bloom. Well, the latest issue of Science answers that question in an article on phenology—the study of seasonal and cyclic phenomena. Plants such as lilacs and cherries begin to grow in spring after a sufficient number of winter chilling hours. In other words, the sooner the temperatures warm in the spring, the sooner they begin to grow. Others, such as oaks and hackberries, also require winter chilling, but their growth is triggered by a succession of long days. What this means is that cherries and plums often bloom too early for prairie gardeners because a series of warm days in, say, early March could trigger growth. If cherries and plums responded to day length rather than to temperature, they would simply remain dormant until the days were sufficiently long and most of the risk of frost had passed. On the Prairies, this early bloom tendency of some fruits often results in frost damage to flowers, which typically reduces or eliminates fruit set. That’s why hardy plants that respond to day length rather than temperature often perform much better in our climate.

Did You Know?
Welwitschia mirabilis, which is only found in the Namib Desert of South Africa, produces only two leaves that continuously grow throughout the plant’s life.

“If I had to live my life again, I’d make the same mistakes, only sooner.”
–Tallulah Bankhead

Today is a very exciting day for our family. That’s because it’s the grand opening of the Lois Hole Hospital for Women—the highly anticipated world-class facility named after our mom. The genesis of the Lois Hole Hospital was to create a centre of excellence that specialized in women’s health issues—a place where women would receive first-rate care in an environment that catered to both their physical and spiritual needs. Our entire family is extremely proud and honoured that such a wonderful hospital would be named after our mother. It took the passionate commitment of many generous organizations and individuals to bring this project to fruition and, for that, we should all be proud. As Mom said at the official announcement of the Lois Hole Hospital for Women, “My hope is that when people come to this hospital and see my name, they’re going to have a little extra hope—that real, uplifting hope—that things will turn out OK.” I think they will.

Hits & Misses
Hit: Pecks of Peppers
Hanging baskets of trailing peppers are the cool, hot thing this year…or perhaps “hot, cool thing” is the better description. However you describe them, these peppers are the perfect container garden for small spaces. As you’d expect, the plants grow upright for a time and then trail over the basket, providing a cascade of peppers at your fingertips. The varieties range from mild to hot, satisfying all culinary preference. Peppers, being peppers, thrive in hot, sunny locations, so find them a spot they’ll love and be rewarded all summer.

Miss: Educated Guesses
I found a 1942 copy of Pike’s Seeds catalogue buried on a shelf in our plant library. Pike & Co. was located just down the street from where my dad grew up in Edmonton, and it sold a wide variety of rose bushes, bulbs, roots, trees, shrubs and plants. While many of the plant varieties in the catalogue are long gone, a surprising number are still hanging around. The thing, however, that struck me most was the product list in the “Insecticides & Fungicides” section. In 1942, you could buy two types of arsenic products: the rather beautiful sounding Paris Green (copper arsenate) and the rather blatant Arsenate of Lead. If you wanted to “fumigate” your soil, you could buy either naphthalene flakes or—if you really wanted to nail the aphids on your roses and lilies—a can of nicotine sulphate. Today, because of human health and environmental issues, none of these pest-control products are allowed or even manufactured for home garden use. It’s interesting to note that five years after this catalogue was published, a new pest-control product became available for home gardens. That product was DDT.

Question of the Week
My lawn is all trails and very little grass. What’s happened?
Mice have chewed off the grass and caused the damage you see. To repair the areas, rake to remove the dead grass, then add 1–2.5 cm of rich loam and scatter grass seed overtop. Water at least once a day for the first two weeks to ensure germination. Then, water twice per week until the grass is well established.

Science & Technology
Fast-Track Technology
An article in a recent issue of Science described how automation is helping plant breeders trim years off the development of plant varieties. Apparently, these highly automated greenhouses allow seedlings to travel on conveyor belts as the plants grow. As they travel, the plants pass through stations where they’re exposed to drought, heat and other stressful environmental conditions, all the while being photographed and monitored without human intervention. The toughest plants are then selected and, subsequently, used for field testing.

Did You Know?
Because mangrove trees grow in swampy areas where the soil lacks oxygen, they develop air roots, which pop up and out of the mud to avoid suffocation.

“I have often repented speaking, but never of holding my tongue.”
–Xenocrates

Sharing stories with Regina gardeners this past weekend certainly reaffirmed the fact that gardeners are the same everywhere: we all love to grow things, we face similar challenges and we all revel in our successes. But I have to say, for me, one of the highlights of speaking at the Regina Spring Home Show was the opportunity to meet Gainer the Gopher. For those of you who don’t know, he’s the seven-foot-tall Saskatchewan Roughriders’ mascot. However, I admit it was hard to look Gainer in the eye that day. And not because of his height, but because the Saskatchewan government had just classified gophers as pests. I sure hope he’ll get special status and not have to go into hiding. Long live Gainer!

Hits & Misses
Hit: Screaming for Summer
Two plants in the greenhouse really screaming “I can’t wait for summer!” are the Surprise series ‘Blue’ petunias and the ‘Little Tut’ Cyperus papyrus. The velvety-blue petunias are still quite tiny, but their fragrance is absolutely wonderful. Meanwhile, the cyperus grass, which was a real hit with customers last year, looks great too. At about two-thirds the height of the ‘King Tut’ variety, it makes an outstanding addition to slightly smaller spots. I love both cyperus varieties because they grow rapidly and are problem free. And, yes, it’s the same grass crafted into paper by ancient Egyptians.

Airy heads of cyperus grass add superb visual interest to containers.

Miss: Too Good to Be True
I don’t know if it is coincidental, but around April Fool’s Day there always seem to be an inordinate number of ads for gigantic tree tomatoes, jumbo strawberries, lawn grasses that don’t need cutting—the list of super plants goes on. The reality is if these plants lived up to their billing, every garden centre would be growing and selling them. Unfortunately, the hype and the reality of these plants are often polar opposites…so don’t be fooled.

Question of the Week
When do I start my begonia tubers?
Tuberous begonia bulbs you’ve purchased, or ones you have overwintered, should be started four to six weeks before the average date of the last spring frost in your area. In our area, that date is May 6. Once started, begonias typically flower 12 to 15 weeks later.

Science & Technology
Manufacturing Capsaicinoids
Where does the heat in a hot pepper come from? Researchers in Mexico have determined that capsaicinoids—the chemicals that generate the heat—are found entirely in the fruit and not at all in the leaves and stems. According to a HortScience article, the heat-producing compounds are manufactured in the “placenta interlocular septum” of the fruit, which is a fancy way of saying the white stuff the seeds are attached to…white hot, in other words.

Fiery hot ‘Super Cayenne II’ peppers score high
at 50,000 to 60,000 Scoville units.

Did You Know?
The Ostrich fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris) is the fern most widely used around house foundations in Canada.

“April 1. This is the day upon which we are reminded of what we are on the other 364.”
–Mark Twain

Upping the game when it comes to planters has clearly become a trend in the last few years. Residential and commercial customers alike are seeking bigger and better. In fact, many restaurants we supply patio planters to are no longer satisfied with traditional-sized containers and traditional plants. They want large—sometimes even gargantuan—pots loaded with non-traditional choices, such as Japanese maples, variegated willows or canna lilies. At one time, the pots used to be a bit of an afterthought, but now the containers make as dramatic a statement as the plants. Taking the game up another notch this year is one restaurant that’s requested we pot up their order in lime-green pots that have lights inside their double walls. It’s a new line that I’m not surprised is catching on. The glowing pots should be absolutely stunning at night.

Lit pots shine!

Hits & Misses
Hit: Timely Hydrangeas
Our hydrangeas are hitting their stride just in time for Easter. It’s always a worry as to whether or not these plants will flower on time. This year, thanks to sunny days and careful tracking of the crop, they’re blooming right on schedule. Timing is everything with crops such as hydrangeas, Easter lilies and poinsettias. If temperatures are just a little off, plants can miss the mark and bloom out of their prescribed dates. Ideally, hydrangeas should be in bloom about 10 days prior to Easter Monday, and this year they nailed the date.

Miss: Colour Ratios
Some hydrangea varieties can be manipulated to turn either pink or blue by the judicious adjustment of soil. However, in spite of our best efforts to produce an equal number of pink and blue hydrangeas, we’ve had more pinks than usual. A large percentage of it boils down to soil chemistry: the more acidic the soil mix, the bluer the flowers; the less acidic, the pinker the flowers. But there’s also the matter of genetic dominance totend with. Since pink is more dominant than blue, all the soil tweaking in the world can’t even out the numbers.

Question of the Week
How do I revive an old, thinning lawn?
Spring is a great time to rejuvenate your lawn. Start by raking and aerating after the frost is out of the ground and your lawn is dried out enough to work. Then add 1–2.5 cm of rich loam. Scatter grass seed over top. Of course, you will need consistent moisture for the grass seed to germinate, so water at least once per day for the first two weeks. Then water twice per week until the grass is well established.

Science & Technology
Switches for Pigments
Lights in patio pots are the real deal; lights in the plants are…well, not as surreal as you think. An article I read in Science talks about installing “warning lights” in plants. Apparently, scientists are studying how to trigger a pigment gene to automatically turn on in times of stress. The aim is to have plants change colour to alert growers to fire up the irrigation. And, no, I’m not talking about letting your plants turn from green to brown. That’s not new technology; that’s called “Damn it, I’ve forgotten to water the petunias!”

Did You Know?
Duckweed has the distinction of being one of the smallest plants to produce flowers.

“Success is getting what you want; happiness is wanting what you get.”
–Ingrid Bergman

Tomatoes fascinate me. It’s intriguing to see large, red fruits grow from small yellow flowers. But it’s the enormous diversity of shapes, colours and sizes that’s downright magical. This year, one particular variety has caught my interest. It’s called ‘Tomaccio,’ and it’s been bred so that its fruits dry on the vine. Shortly after maturing, the cherry-style tomatoes begin to dehydrate, concentrating the sugars. When shrivelled and dry, you get rich, burgundy-coloured fruits that are very sweet. These tomato-raisins can be eaten as is, or tossed into salads or sauces, or eaten before they dry. Red, yellow, purple and striped. Tiny, medium, large and enormous. Squat, round, oval and ridged. And now, raisin-like—there really is a tomato to suit everyone’s taste.

Tall and new, ‘Tomaccio’ is this year’s
must-have tomato.

Hits & Misses
Hit: All About Height
I love the pink-flowered ‘Alice Dupont’ mandevilla because it blooms profusely and thrives in hot, sunny spots. The only problem is it doesn’t start blooming until the plant is about a metre tall. Fortunately, now there’s the Sun Parasol series of mandevillas, which trumps Alice Dupont because the series flowers when plants are only a few centimeters tall. The ‘Pink’ variety also blooms profusely and is, in fact, already flowering in the greenhouses.

‘Pink’ is one mandevilla in the Sun Parasol series.

Miss: All About Timing
One thing you don’t want to forget to do over the next two weeks is prune your American elm trees. That’s because it’s actually illegal to prune them from April 1 until October 1. No, I’m not kidding. The fresh cuts from pruning during that time are very appealling to elm bark beetles, which spread Dutch elm disease. However, that doesn’t mean you should be the one pruning now—it’s often a job best left to certified arborists who have the right equipment and training. But if you have one annoying elm branch that whacks you on the head when you’re mowing your lawn—and you think you can tackle it yourself—then proceed, but with caution.

Question of the Week
Why are the petunia seeds I bought coated?
To make planting easier, tiny or irregularly shaped seeds, such as petunias, are often pelletized. Seed companies simply coat each individual seed with clay to enlarge them and/or to produce uniform shapes, which is especially useful for mechanized seeding.

Science & Technology
Daffodils and Memory
Galanthamine, a compound in daffodils, shows potential for delaying or reducing the affects of Alzheimer’s disease. According to an article in The Grower, researchers from the University of Guelph have teamed with an Ontario-based pharmaceutical company to explore galanthamine’s potential. They’re testing 12 daffodil varieties to see which ones produce the most galanthamine when grown in southern Ontario. For me, it was also interesting to read that Dr. Theo Bloom from the University of Guelph is part of the project. I’ve known Theo for many years, and not only is he a top-notch researcher, but he’s a heck of a nice guy as well.

Did You Know?
Wheat germ, which is actually the seed embryo, accounts for only three percent of a wheat kernel’s weight.

“The best friend on earth of man is the tree. When we use the tree respectfully and economically, we have one of the greatest resources on the earth.”
–Frank Lloyd Wright

The American National Garden Bureau has declared 2010 the year of the marigold and the year of the squash. They’re great choices—in my opinion—because of their venerable history in gardens around the world. Each of these plants, which originated in North America, adds colour and flavour to our yards. Few flowers can match marigolds for their rich, golden hue, and few vegetables offer the nutritional excellence of squash. They’re indeed two golden choices.

Hits & Misses
Hit: Vibrant Pennisetum
This year’s hot, new grass for pots is Pennisetum x advena ‘Fireworks.’ Its gorgeous pinkish-red leaf blades intensify in colour with summer heat, which is exactly why it’s my new favourite. This annual grass makes an outstanding centerpiece in any container and, as with most grasses, requires very little care. Mark it down on your list of container plants to buy.

Miss: When First is Last
Of the hundreds of hydrangeas we’re growing for Easter, there’s one that just doesn’t have any patience. It’s been blooming a glorious pink for the past week, but by the time Easter rolls around, it will have faded into oblivion. I think the only possible explanation for the hydrangea’s early peak is that it took the Own the Podium concept to heart. Trouble is, there’s no hydrangea-crop gold medal for finishing first.

Question of the Week
The seeds I started germinated perfectly but then rotted. Why?
Your seedlings are rotting because fungal diseases commonly called damping off have affected them. Regardless of which fungus is responsible, try these preventative measures. Start with a pasteurized seedling mix. It may seem unnecessary, but most organisms that cause damping off are found in soil. Next, keep the soil moist but don’t over water; damping-off organisms flourish in wet soil. Finally, make sure your seedlings receive adequate spacing, otherwise, they become stretched and weak, which makes them more susceptible to disease.

Science & Technology
Super Weed
You think you have problems with weeds…well, be thankful you don’t have to contend with striga. According an article in Science, this weed native to Africa can produce 50,000 tiny seeds per plant—all of which are easily spread by people, animals and Mother Nature, and can remain dormant for 15 years. Striga affects crops such as corn, rice, sorghum and sugarcane. When seedlings germinate, they parasitize plant roots, siphoning off nutrients and water thereby stunting and withering the host plants. Striga also produces a toxic substance that causes further injury host plants. It sure makes Canada thistle seem like a lightweight by comparison. Thankfully, striga isn’t a problem here.

Did You Know?
A cabbage head is just a mass of overlapping leaves covering a short stem.

“Life is not a problem to be solved, but a reality to be experienced.”
–Kierkegaard

What bedding plants will be hot this year? Well, 2010 is shaping up to be the year to garden. My sister-in-law Valerie Hole, who orders all the bedding plants for our greenhouses, says we’ve got a total of…count them…100 new varieties! Now, I’m not suggesting you try to grow all 100, but at the very least, save some space to try a few. Some of them are nearly exclusive to us, as is the case with a bronze-leaf canna lily (‘Bronze Red’) and a Coleus series called Emotions. I guarantee some of your future favourites will be among this year’s hot new 100.

‘Passion’ is one coleus variety from the Emotions series.
Photo courtesy of Ball

Hits & Misses
Hit: Super Flower-to-Foliage Ratio
Cineraria are at the peak of spring perfection right now. Few indoor potted plants can match cineraria’s high ratio of flowers to foliage. They’ve also got a delicate fragrance, which takes them from superior plants to superlative ones when it comes to raising spirits as we wait for spring to arrive.

Miss: Inferior Resistance
Garden phlox are great-looking bedding plants that don’t require a lot of care. But one problem that afflicts some varieties is powdery mildew—the fungus that turns green leaves white. This year we trialled a couple of phlox varieties that were supposed to be highly resistant to powdery mildew. But judging by the white film on the leaves of these “resistant” cultivars, I’d say they rolled out the welcome mat rather than fended off the mildew. Consequently, the powdery-mildew-resistant trials are now residing in the compost bin.

Question of the Week
How early in the spring can I rake and fertilize my lawn?
The urge to rake can be strong once the snow melts, but you need to wait until the frost is out of the ground, the night temperatures remain consistently above 2°C and your lawn has dried sufficiently. Therefore, the timing depends on the weather as well as the specific conditions of your yard. If you don’t wait, you’ll cause excessive soil compaction and likely damage the crowns of the grass. As for fertilizer, it should be applied when your grass is actively growing (when it’s at least 60 percent green). Use a slow-release spring fertilizer (the formulation will have a high percentage of nitrogen), or use an organic product such as corn gluten, which also suppresses weed germination.

Science & Technology
Worm Grunters
An intriguing article about worm grunters—people who charm worms out of burrows and sell them as bait—caught my eye in the latest issue of Scientific American. The grunters, typically from the southern U.S., pound a wooden stake into the soil and then rub the stake repeatedly with a piece of metal called a rooping iron. In response to the resulting vibrations, hundreds of earthworms emerge from the ground—sometimes as far away as 12 metres! Apparently, the vibration frequency mimics the noise made by an eastern American mole, the worms’ natural enemy. So, from the worms’ perspective, they’re anything but good vibrations.

Did You Know?
The tumbleweed (Salsola), a staple in North American Western movies, is native to Eurasia.

“There are two possible routes to affluence. Either produce much, or desire little.”
–Anonymous

You’d think after so many years in the gardening business I wouldn’t get very excited about new plant introductions. But this year there are two that have me jumping around like a spring lamb. Sorry, bad visual. Instead try envisioning the impressive hydrangeas we’re growing. Hydrangea arborescens ‘Incrediball’ promises huge, basketball-sized white flowerheads, and H. arborescens ‘Invincibelle Spirit’ is the first-ever pink variety with signature globe-shaped heads. Yes, I know the true test will be how they perform, but spring is all about promise, and spring’s not that far away.

Hits & Misses
Hit: Lemons and Limes
There’s something about growing an indoor lime or lemon tree that I find both intriguing and rewarding. So, I’m delighted that we’ve got a new shipment in. Citrus trees grow well in homes but with one big caveat—they must be located in a very sunny, south-facing window. If you don’t have a sun-drenched spot in your home, then do yourself a favour and don’t buy a citrus tree. However, if you have plenty of sunlight, keep the lemon meringue pie recipe handy.

Miss: Primula Opportunity
Primula sold as indoor plants have more potential than you may think. People tend to see them as beautiful, fragrant plants that bloom once and that’s it. But did you know primula can be planted outside in a shady spot in the spring? Outdoors, they will often rebloom in the fall and, given reasonable snow cover, will emerge the following spring.

Question of the Week
Can I take an offshoot from my aloe to start a new plant?
Yes, and here’s how. If the offshoots of your aloe have their own roots, they can be safely separated from the mother plant and potted up. If the offshoots don’t have their own roots, you can take cuttings by following this procedure:

1. With a sharp knife, remove the offshoot at the point where it joins the stem of the mother plant. Next, the fresh cut on the offshoot must be allowed to dry and harden for two to three days. This will prevent harmful fungi from invading the tissue.
2. Once the cut on the offshoot has healed, dip the end of the offshoot into a rooting hormone; then nestle it gently into a pot of fresh, loosely packed soil. The cutting should be planted just deep enough that the stem is buried and remains in the soil if the plant leans over.
3. Water in well.

Of course, the best time to take cuttings is in the spring or early summer when plants are actively growing.

Science & Technology
Term Primer
Sometimes it’s hard to get a handle on scientific terms that describe categories of plants, so here’s a primer on some common terms.

Species: a group of closely related plants that, as a rule, have similar characteristics and can usually interbreed

Variety: a uniform, genetically identical group of plants from the same species

Cultivar: a variety that is bred for commercial production

Wild Relative: no, not your cousin, the ancestor of modern crops

Did You Know?
Some plants follow the sun’s path through the sky and orient their leaves perpendicular to it to catch as many rays as possible (diaheliotropism). Others orient their leaves parallel to the sun’s rays to avoid overheating and excessive water loss (paraheliotropism).

“Until man duplicates a blade of grass, nature can laugh at his so called scientific knowledge.”

–Thomas Edison

I brought a coconut palm home last week, and my daughter was thrilled about it. Of course, I don’t know if she was more intrigued by the sight of the fronds growing out of the split-open, hard coconut husk (sitting half way out of the soil), or if visions of a coconut harvest were dancing in her head. Regardless, it’s great to see fascination and wonder in children’s faces when they see how miraculous the world of plants can be. No matter how sophisticated computers, cellphones and iPods become, the best they can provide is an electronic depiction of a coconut tree—there’s no substitute for the real thing.

Coconuts are tough to crack,
but they’re no match for emerging seedlings.

Hits & Misses
Hit: Succulent Wreaths
I love the succulent wreaths growing in our indoor plant greenhouses. The wreaths can be placed in a large bowl and used as a table centerpiece, or they can be hung indoors as a living picture. The wreaths—featuring an assortment of species—add tremendous interest to small spaces. And because the plants are succulents, they need very little water to survive.

Miss: Drainage Solutions
Bob Stadnyk, one of our merchandisers, was lamenting that people are missing out on some truly great-looking indoor pots, just because some containers don’t have drainage holes. Although it’s true that drainage is critical for growing healthy plants (waterlogged soils essentially suffocate plant roots), there are ways to ensure plants get the drainage they need. One way around the issue is to drop an indoor plant (plastic pot and all) inside one of the drainless pots. Then, each time you water, when the water flows from the plant pot into the decorative pot, just pour out the excess water. Of course, if the plants are exceptionally large and heavy, this might be difficult. Otherwise, it’s relatively simple to care for plants in fantastic-looking pots without drainage holes.

Question of the Week
How can I tell if the seeds I saved from last year are viable?
There are two methods you can try. The first is to place several seeds between two layers of moist paper towel and to keep it consistently moist and warm (20–24°C) for several days. If most of the seeds start to germinate, you have your answer. The second method is simply to put some seeds in a small container filled with water. Generally, seeds that float are not viable, and the ones that sink should germinate.

Science & Technology
Consumer Cutflower Preferences
In the latest issue of HortScience, researchers reported on consumer colour preferences for cutflowers, specifically comparing people’s Mother’s Day selections to other events such as anniversaries. For the purposes of the study, researchers grouped the flowers into six categories: blue/purple, red/bronze, peach/pink, white, yellow and other. What they found was while women had a more diverse colour palette than men, both men and women were more likely to buy red/bronze cutflowers for an anniversary and peach/pink flowers for Mother’s Day. Demand for blue/purple and yellow flowers was also shown to have increased over the past decade. In addition, researchers found that the combination of flower type and colour also convey specific messages. Apparently, three red roses say “I love you,” as well as “I apologize.” Sounds like a “Can’t-lose bouquet” to me.

Did You Know?
The only real difference between clay and sand is that clay particles are about 100 to 1000 times smaller in diameter than grains of sand are.

“Inside myself is a place where I live all alone and that is where I renew my springs that never dry up.”
–Pearl S. Buck

I’m going to be in the Guinness World Records! OK, my name won’t actually appear in the book per se…but I will have the satisfaction of knowing I participated in the world’s largest dodge ball game along with 1,199 University of Alberta students, staff and friends. Together we smashed the old record of 450 set by San Diego State University. As president of the U of A Alumni Association, I was thrilled to be part of the record-setting event, which you can check out on YouTube ). I even managed to take out two opposing-team members in last Friday’s competition, before suffering a shot to my left elbow. I also managed to nail an innocent bystander with an errant throw. Sorry about that…whoever you are.

Hits & Misses
Hit: Diverse Beauty
Orchids are endlessly fascinating. Besides being beautiful, the range of shapes and colours in this plant group is truly remarkable. Currently, we have a display of orchid species that highlights this amazing diversity. If you’ve never tried to grow orchids, don’t be put off by their undeserved reputation of being difficult to grow. True, some do need specialized care. But many, such as Phalaenopsis, Oncidiums and Paphiopedilums, are easy to grow. To succeed, give these orchids bright indirect sunlight and avoid overwatering.

Miss: High-salt Diets
As spring approaches—yes, I promise it’s coming—our sidewalks and driveways inevitably accumulate a fair bit of ice. Now, while de-icing salts are very efficient at making slippery steps safer, they’re also very efficient at killing plants. No matter what the label says, de-icing salts will kill plants if applied at excessive rates. To avoid damage, use as little salt as possible. While not perfect, sand is a good alternative and won’t harm any plants when it gets into lawns or flowerbeds. Just remember, humans aren’t the only species that suffer from diets too high in salt.

Question of the Week
I’d like to repot my houseplants; what do I need to know?
Water the plant the day before you repot; it will soften the roots and make them easier to manipulate. Next, tip the plant out of the container and into your hand (or onto a drop cloth if it’s too large to hold). Gently loosen bound roots, and use scissors to cut away any damaged roots. Place 3–4 cm of good-quality potting soil into the bottom of the new, one-size-larger pot. Then, gently place the plant into the pot. Add or remove soil so that the plant sits at the same height as it did in the original pot. Fill around the plant with additional soil. Tap the pot so the soil settles, but don’t pack down the soil. Finally, thoroughly water the plant.

Science & Technology
Going to Great Heights for Heat-loving Edibles
High tunnels sound like things trains roll through in the Rockies. But the ones I’m referring to are structures designed to extend the growing season for market garden operations. High tunnels, at their simplest, are tall metal hoops anchored into the ground and covered with clear plastic. So, what’s the difference between a high tunnel and a coldframe? Well, not that much. But, commercially built coldframes usually have a heater, whereas high tunnels don’t. As well, high tunnels are often made of less heavy-duty materials than coldframes. That means high tunnels are relatively cheap, easy-to-erect structures, which protect vegetable plants from poor weather and, simultaneously, provide extra heat to grow warm-season vegetables. Cucumbers, melons and sweet potatoes are examples of heat-lovers that benefit enormously from high tunnels. If you want to know more about high tunnels, check out hightunnels.org.

Did You Know?
Vanilla is extracted from the dried and fermented seedpods of an orchid. However, over 95 percent of all vanilla that’s consumed today is derived synthetically.

“Most marriages recognize this paradox: Passion destroys passion; we want what puts an end to wanting what we want.”
–John Fowles

Mea culpa. It seems there was a flaw in my opening argument last week. So, my thanks to the faithful and well-educated readers of the Notebook, who e-mailed regarding my corn rant. My premise was that since corn is a native North American plant, it couldn’t possibly have been fed to the animals of Ancient Greece. But as readers pointed out, corn can be a generic term for many types of grain and, historically, didn’t refer specifically to Zea maize (the Latin name for corn). In hindsight, I remember my horticulture professor warned me that Latin was the only way to bring clarity to plant identification.

Hits & Misses
Hit: Time-lapse Photography
I love gadgets, and I’m thrilled with the latest one in our garden centre. The GardenWatchCam is a time-lapse camera that can be used to capture the lifecycle of plants. The camera is weather-resistant and has six pre-sets that let you take pictures in intervals ranging from one minute to 24 hours. There’s a mounting stake to hold the camera into the ground, or the device can be attached to a standard tripod. I think it will be a cool way to watch plants grow and bloom. The cool factor also means it will be a great teaching tool to show kids how plants develop. The camera costs over $200, so you want to make sure no one can walk away with it. In my case, I’ll have to watch out for our wonder dog, Ginger.

Miss: Caught on Tape
This past week, I failed to gracefully negotiate myself over the 15-cm wide ribbon of sticky tape that separates one greenhouse from the next. The exceptionally sticky tape is used to trap insects for identification and monitoring purposes. I found out it’s also quite good at trapping pant legs. For some strange reason, several staff members thought it was hilarious that I couldn’t make my way around the tape. They didn’t actually see me get stuck, but they kept saying I was caught on tape. No kidding.

Question of the Week
I stopped fertilizing my houseplants for the winter. When should I restart?
We recommend restarting your fertilizing program in February. That’s because February is when our hours of daylight begin to increase, and houseplants begin to show signs of new growth. Without that active growth, a plant is unable to utilize fertilizer. Where we live, indoor houseplants generally go dormant from November through January and, therefore, do not benefit from fertilizer during that time.

Science & Technology
Becoming Weed Wise
I had a great meeting with Virginia and Don Battiste from the Alberta Invasive Plants Council. The council’s primary mission is to make people aware of the problems that can arise with aggressive, non-native plants. The spread of invasive plants threatens the biodiversity of natural areas, watersheds and rangeland. So, in consultation with Alberta Agriculture, the council uses a science-based approach to determine which plants lose the ornamental moniker and are, subsequently, labelled noxious weeds. To help gardeners, the council has an excellent brochure titled Weed Wise Gardening in Alberta, which not only lists some of the more invasive plants but also recommends some alternatives to grow. Check out their website (invasiveplants.ab.ca) for more information.

Did You Know?
Some tropical hawk moths have sucking mouthparts that are nearly 30 cm (12”) long.

“Holding an Olympic Games means evoking history.”
–Pierre de Coubertin

Part of my daughter’s Grade 6 science course involves developing a basic understanding of the universe. The task was made a little less daunting, and a lot more interesting, by having the students research the mythological history of the stars. Now, in my daughter’s report, the Greek god aspect looked fine to me (keeping in mind that I’m more than a little rusty on ancient deities), but I had a problem with the ancient Greek horticulture information. According to Internet sources, ancient Greeks fed corn to their livestock. That’s a little odd because corn is indigenous to North America—a continent not discovered until centuries later. Perhaps, I’m being too picky. But, it seems to me, the Internet has a fair amount of cut-and-paste information that’s a bit like a griffon—the mythological beast with the head of an eagle and the body of a lion. So, as with all info, consider the source.

Hits & Misses
Hit: Nice Rice Pots
This year, we’ve made a major shift towards recyclable pots. And I must say that not only are the rice pots compostable, they look outstanding. The rice hulls provide a nice earthy look to the pots, which also have a nice smooth finish. The toughest part of growing plants in rice hull pots will be composting the pots because they look too pretty to throw out.

Miss: Deficient Hydrangeas
Iron deficiency is a common plant problem that happens when soil pH gets too high (alkaline) and limits iron absorption. The result is leaves that look veiny. And that’s exactly what happened to a handful of our hydrangeas. Fortunately, the problem is easy to correct with a small dose of iron sulphate to lower the pH and simultaneously provide extra iron to be absorbed by the hydrangeas. Once the iron levels increase in the plants, the hydrangea leaves will once again turn a rich green…long before Easter.

As with some of our hydrangeas,
the veining on these maple leaves indicates
an inability to absorb enough iron.

Question of the week
The new houseplant, which sits on my coffee table, has lost its dark colour and vigor. What’s happened?
The problem is most likely a lack of sunlight. Placing plants even a few feet away from a window dramatically reduces the amount of sunlight they receive and affects their health. For example, if your plant is a sun lover, such as a calamondin orange, it needs sunlight to directly strike its leaves for at least three hours per day. Some plants want bright indirect light, which means they need to be close to a sunny window, but where light doesn’t directly strike their leaves. Other indoor plants like lower light conditions or indirect light—which means they don’t need to be near a window but still need a room that’s brightly lit with sunlight.

Adequate light is essential to indoor plant health.

Science & Technology
Wormwood Fights Malaria
The species of wormwood known as Artemisia annua isn’t just a pretty plant. According to the journal Science, the plant contains a powerful anti-malarial compound called artemisinin. To date, synthetic versions of artemisinin haven’t proven as effective as the naturally produced compound. So, scientists are fast tracking breeding efforts to develop Artemisia varieties that yield high levels of artemisinin. Since it has been estimated that one million people die annually from this horrible disease, the development of new cultivars can’t come too soon.

Did You Know?
The fibrous roots of native Prairie grasses anchor soils, thus preventing wind and water erosion.

“Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face.”
–Victor Hugo

It’s been a week since I carried the Olympic torch through St. Albert. When people ask me what it was like, the first word that comes to mind is humbling. That’s because the flame is the star—it represents the hopes, wishes and pride of countless Canadians. My job was merely to move it along my 300 metres, at a reasonable pace, and let everyone along the route have a chance to soak in the spirit. What was the best part of the relay? Undoubtedly, it was the people. Meeting the dozen other torchbearers who ran in St. Albert and seeing the hundreds of enthusiastic and passionate people along the route (including my family) was inspiring. It truly was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Go, Jim, go!

Hits & Misses
Hit: Colour Me Blurple
Producing blue or pink hydrangea flowers requires specialized feed programs. Acidic for blue; non-acidic for pink. If the fertilizer programs are mixed up, the flower colours can be a blend of blue and pink, sometimes referred to as blurple (although I prefer blink).

For this year’s Easter crop, the growers put up signs that say either “I’m Pink” or “I’m Blue,” along with a description of each feed program. Now, there’s nothing revolutionary about separating blue and pink hydrangea varieties or in posting treatment programs, but somehow signage written in the first person makes me a bit more attentive to the hydrangeas…or maybe I’m just getting more sentimental as I age.

Miss: Overheated in the Coldframe
From the we-thought-we-were-doing-the-right-thing file is the storage of our bedding-plant transplant line. The line—a new purchase last year—is comprised of conveyor belts, seats and a watering tunnel, which includes PVC pipe. After transplanting was finished last season, the line was stored in a coldframe to protect it from the weather, which was a good idea. To prevent deterioration of the PVC pipe from the sun’s bleaching rays, the tunnel was covered in black plastic, which wasn’t a good idea. That’s because we didn’t consider that during summer the temperature in an unventilated coldframe can climb over 55°C (130°F), and under the black plastic…well, who knows how high the temperature climbed. What I am sure of, however, are the consequences: heat-resistant pipes bent and twisted into snake-like positions that now need replacing. Yes, we’re reconsidering our storage plan.

Science & Technology
Developing Plant Efficiency
Most climate experts predict many parts of the world will become hotter and drier in the future. As a result, plant scientists are putting a greater focus on the water efficiency of plants. Plants lose the most water through their stomata (the tiny, but numerous pores on the undersides of their leaves). So, scientists are trying to gain a better understanding of how those pores open and close. They know that when water evaporates from the open stomata, the plant cools and lets carbon dioxide in while letting oxygen out. However, the longer the stomata are closed, the less water the plant loses. Since stomata open and close based on the amount of abscisic acid (ABA) present in the guard cells surrounding them, scientists want to tweak the concentrations of ABA in plants to reduce excessive water loss. In fact, some products that effectively slam shut the stomata for an extended period of time are currently being tested. If you think about it, a 10 percent reduction in water loss spread over a few million hectares of cropland amounts to a lot of water conserved.

Question of the Week
What shrubs work well as groundcovers?
Shrubs that root where their branches touch the soil or that sucker and spread profusely are best suited for groundcovers. In addition to covering the ground, these plants are also good at preventing soil erosion. Good choices include cutleaf Stephanandra, spreading junipers, yellow bud willow and rock cotoneaster.

Did You Know?
North American Natives and settlers used horsetail, a common weed, to scour pots. It’s the high silicon content of the plant that makes it so abrasive.

“The only way to have a friend is to be one.”
–Ralph Waldo Emerson

How many kilograms did you get off your prize tomato plant this summer…two, four, maybe ten? Well, how many kilos could you get off one tomato in a single season if you really pushed the limits? How about 522 kilograms! That’s how many kilograms a single tomato plant (grown like a tree) in Disney World produced in one year. Kathy Crook, one of our growers—who apparently can’t get greenhouses out of her mind, even while on holidays—visited Epcot Center and brought back photos of a tomato tree. In our climate, it’s easy to forget that tomatoes aren’t just annual plants that grow for four months. Given the chance, tomatoes are more like Audrey from Little Shop of Horrors.

Hits & Misses
Hit: Predators in the Grass
Ornamental grasses are great additions to flowerbeds and containers. But to have them at a marketable size by spring, they need to be started in the greenhouses in January. Grasses grow well with supplementary light during the winter, although certain varieties are susceptible to pesky spider mites. During the last few years, we’ve adopted a biological control program to deal with the spider mites. Predatory mites are sprinkled onto the grasses where they dine on spider mites. Once all of the spider mites are consumed, the predators die and what remains is a healthy, spider-mite-free crop of grasses.

Miss: Light Under Glass
January is the one month when we need a fair number of HID (High Intensity Discharge) lights to keep our crops growing. Unfortunately, our demand for light sometimes outstrips electrical capacity in certain zones of the greenhouses. The math is quite simple. If you put 4 HID lights that draw 16 amps onto a circuit that has a breaker with a capacity of 15 amps, all of the lights go out. I’m learning…but it’s a slow process. On the other hand, I know where all the electrical boxes are to reset tripped breakers.

Question of the Week
Is a windowsill a good place to start seeds?
Yes and no. The bright sunlight will encourage healthy seedling growth, but windowsills can become overheated in the day, causing seedlings to stretch. Conversely, cold night air by a window can chill seedlings and inhibit growth. For germination, the flats need to be consistently warm and moist until the seedlings emerge. Then, ideally, the seedlings need to be in a bright but relatively cool spot until they can be transplanted.

Both light and temperature are critical
to successful seedling growth.

Science & Technology
Unsavoury Fruit
I was reading about a Decaisnea insignis, also know as Dead Man’s Fingers, at the Royal Botantic Gardens, Kew. Kew Gardens (which it’s more commonly called) is in London and has the world’s largest collection of living plants. What made this particular plant newsworthy was it’s the first time it has bloomed at Kew Gardens. Dead Man’s Fingers is a member of the cocoa family, and produces unappetizing-looking fruit—which resemble a shrivelled, purple finger—that’s, apparently, edible. Sorry, but I’ll stick with cocoa in a mug, thank-you very much.

Did You Know?
Cactus thorns are just modified leaves.

“He who knows all the answers has not yet been asked all the questions.”
–Author unknown

On January 13, I’ll have the honour of carrying the Olympic torch in St. Albert. A friend submitted my name to the 2010 Vancouver organizing committee, and I was fortunate enough to be chosen as a torchbearer. According to the official information, I’ll start my run “approximately” at 3:29 p.m. and will carry the torch 300 metres. The torch enters St. Albert from the north on St. Albert Road, and my section starts near the Staples store. I’ve already got my Olympic attire, including a white tracksuit, toque and a great pair of red mitts. So, I’m all set. I intend to carry the Olympic torch proudly and to try not to fall and extinguish the flame. In fact, I even plan on wearing my best pair of running shoes. You know, the ones with good traction and a secret compartment for a lighter… just in case.

The Olympic torch relay route through St. Albert.
Source: VANOC website

Hits & Misses
Hit: Dressed to the Nines
An interesting trend this past Christmas was for picture-perfect, value-added poinsettias. Perfection wasn’t just about the quality of the plants; it was also about the ribbons, sparkles, chic pots and other plants combined with poinsettias. The poinsettias adorned with only a plastic pot cover didn’t seem to have the same cache as those dressed to the nines. We have high expectations for perfection at Christmas. And this year, poinsettias weren’t immune to the trend.

Miss: The Fun of Fungi
Soils are complex ecosystems. In fact, they can be a little too complex for some people. Recently, we had a somewhat distraught person come into our garden centre with a piece of—for lack of a better description—black, hairy soil.

The hair was actually a fungus feeding on the rich organic matter in the soil. Numerous species of fungi reside in potting soils and pose no harm to houseplants. But when conditions are just right, some pretty strange-looking fungi can arise. If you have children, use the opportunity to teach them about these often strange and remarkable creatures. My advice is to not worry about fungi, unless you have mould allergy in which case you should get rid of the fungi.

Science & Technology
Roses in Decline
Cut roses, once the queen of Dutch greenhouse crops, have all but disappeared according to Dutch grower Hans de Vries. His article in Floraculture International says 90 percent of Dutch rose production has shifted to lower-cost regions, primarily in Africa. The problem to de Vries’ way of thinking is twofold. First, there’s the loss of business to offshore companies, which hurts Dutch growers. Secondly, there’s the loss in quality, not because African producers are bad growers, but because of the relentless pursuit of cheaper roses. The unfortunate result is roses that simply don’t perform as well in consumers’ homes. In de Vries’ opinion, the loss is insidious and means a generation of consumers will grow up not knowing what a high-quality cut rose really is.

Question of the Week
Why do cedars turn brown in the spring?
The simple answer is they’ve dried out over the winter. When the ground is frozen, there’s no way for cedars or other evergreens to replace moisture lost through their needles. Bright, warm and windy days—which are common in early spring—followed by much colder days are especially hard on cedars. Sheltered locations, screens to block drying winter winds, and consistent and generous watering during the growing season all help minimize browning on cedars.

Did You Know?
Agar—a gelatinous substance derived from red algae—is used as a thickener in products such as salad dressings, to make pill capsules and is also used as an anti-drying agent in baked goods.

“Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.”
–Benjamin Franklin

Ah…there’s nothing like record-low temperatures to get one dreaming about spring. Right now we’re on the cusp of sending our spring 2010 edition of Enjoy Gardening to press. Our editor extraordinaire, Carmen Hrynchuk, and her team have been working flat out to finalize all the details before handing the magazine over to the printers. It should arrive on store shelves across the country in late January or early February. Here’s a sneak peek at the cover.

In case you’re wondering, the cute golden bear on the cover is McGregor; the guy in the corner is me. Yes, people have already alluded to the similarities between the two of us. “Hey, you played football for the Golden Bears and spent most of that time sitting on your rear end looking just as dejected.” Funny…very funny.

Hits & Misses
Hit: Brave Birds
The other day I watched birds, a blue jay in particular, feed in my neighbour’s yard. What fascinated me was how the jay happily flew about in total disregard of the record low daytime temperature of –40°C! The paradox is that a bird’s body temperature is, on average, a balmy 40°C. How birds can manage to maintain their body temperatures when it’s that cold is beyond me. But it was an uplifting experience to see a robust blue jay flitting about the yard, seemingly oblivious to the frigid Arctic air. Let’s keep the feeders full!

Miss: Biting Cold
The cold is definitely the miss of the week. In fact, if last weekend’s temperatures had held, we’d have been forced to completely shut down poinsettia deliveries this week. That’s because the plants wouldn’t have survived the short trip from the vans to homes and offices, even with double bagging. Fortunately, the weather is improving, and the poinsettia frostbite risk has diminished considerably.

The Business
Special Delivery
Speaking of poinsettias, ‘tis the season for our delivery department to be really busy. We normally have one delivery truck on the road, but for the Christmas season that jumps to five. From the beginning of December, our five drivers and their swampers average 125 separate stops a day. However, the total number of poinsettias, floral and indoor arrangements each day is usually twice that number—and sometimes even three or four times. The entire process is an amazing feat of logistics. First, orders are taken. Then, poinsettias are picked from the growing range, bagged, tagged, and sorted into the appropriate delivery quadrant. Of course, the final step is the actual delivery. For me, finding all those addresses would be a Christmas miracle. But, fortunately, it’s not my responsibility, and our staff does a great job.

Question of the Week
I need to sod my yard and plant trees and shrubs this spring. Which should I do first?
Practically speaking, it’s much easier to plant the trees and shrubs first. That’s because you’ll need to dig a hole that is one-and-a-half times the depth and twice the diameter of the plant container. You also need to amend the soil in the planting hole. We recommend one part topsoil, one part peat moss and one part compost or manure. Then when you place the sod, keep a grass-free area around each plant that’s at least twice the diameter of the container.

Did You Know?
Sodium and potassium salts from kelp are used for industrial purposes.

“Think of giving not as a duty but as a privilege.”
–John D. Rockefeller Jr.

We really lucked out with the recent weather. Yes, I know you’re probably questioning my sanity, considering the huge dumps of snow and low temperatures we’ve had. But had temperatures plunged without that snow, a lot of our garden plants would have suffered. Snow is the plant equivalent of a down-filled blanket and offers a lot of protection to crowns and roots. The foot or so of snow prior to the arrival of the frigid arctic air means plants—especially the more tender ones—will have a better chance of surviving winter relatively unscathed. Remember, though, that no amount of snow will protect the potted banana plants you left on your deck…I should know; I’m speaking from experience.

Hits & Misses
Hit: Grass for the Dogs
If cat owners can buy cat grass, then why can’t dog owners buy dog grass? Well, now they can. “Organic dog grass” (a.k.a. barley grass packaged in a biodegradable rice-hull pot) has hit the market and should make Rex happy. This trendy product is, apparently, good for dogs because barley grass is full of essential vitamins and minerals that can improve their vitality. Plus, biodegradable pots might just transform your dog from tree destroyer to tree hugger.

This trendy new seed kit—complete with a biodegradable pot
—is meant to be grown for fido.

Miss: A Furry Threat
Can you hear that chewing sound? It’s the sound of mice and voles feasting on the bark of your tender fruit trees. OK, to be honest, these furry little critters likely haven’t begun to attack your trees, yet. However, the recent, heavy snowfall has provided rodents with good shelter from predators, as well as from the cold. Therefore, when they do eventually attack, you won’t even be able to see them. So, as unappealing as the idea may be in this cold weather, I’d suggest caging the trunks of young trees now. It’s a far better option than having trees damaged beyond repair in the spring.

Science & Technology
Killer Tomatoes
According to Dr. Mike Fay, from Kew Royal Botanic Gardens in England, tomato plants can be carnivorous. Well, he’s not saying you have to watch your back in the tomato patch. But, he did discover that some wild species of tomatoes can trap insects in their sticky stem and leaf hairs, and absorb the dead insect nutrients through their epidermis. As well, insects trapped on the hairs often fall to the ground where they decompose and provide nutrients for the tomatoes. I’m beginning to think that Attack of The Killer Tomatoes, while definitely not a documentary, might be a movie based on a true story.

Question of the Week
Why are the bracts on my poinsettia turning black?
It’s quite simple—they got too cold. More than likely, the damage happened during transportation. Poinsettias are extremely sensitive to cold and have to be wrapped in an insulating material (paper as opposed to plastic) before they go from store to vehicle. And when single-digit or negative temperatures exist, you can’t leave them in an unheated vehicle, even for a short time. Before turning black, the first sign of cold damage will be wilting bracts. You can even get wilting bracts from cool drafts in your house (although usually not blackening), so, remember to keep your poinsettia away from the front door.

Did You Know?
Claviceps purpurea, a fungus that infects rye, produces an alkaloid that is a precursor to the hallucinogenic drug LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide).

“Content is a word unknown to life; it is also a word unknown to man.”
–John Fowles

It was exam time for me last week. I was back in the classroom because I wanted to become recertified as a professional arborist. Yes, I confess, I didn’t keep up with the mandatory continuing education credits, so the only alternative was to rewrite the International Society of Arboriculture exam. If you’re unfamiliar with the ISA, it’s an organization whose objectives include “fostering a greater appreciation for trees.” Of course, an arborist is a professional in the field of tree care, so to become certified you need practical experience, as well as a passing grade on that darn 3.5-hour exam. If you’re wondering, yes, I did pass and, yes, I will help the ISA “promote research, technology and the professional practice of arboriculture.” I also promise to retain my certification by completing my yearly credits. But, no, I will never, ever climb a 50-foot tree with a chainsaw in hand—and neither should you.

Hits & Misses
Hit: Feathered Wreaths
Christmas greens and wreaths are popular once again and it seems one type of wreath is practically flying out the garden centre this year. The wreaths I’m talking about have a few ostrich feathers strategically placed in with the usual complement of boughs, cones and ornaments. I guess it reflects people’s desire for traditional Christmas items that still have flair. Hmmm…I suppose that since the ostrich is a flightless bird, the wreaths are actually walking rather than flying out the store.

Miss: A Not-So-Fine Feathered Friend
Staying with the trees-and-feathers theme, here’s a skill-testing question: what looks like a tree and feels like a tree, but isn’t a tree? A hot tub, obviously. Well, obvious to one persistent pileated woodpecker, at least. Just ask Linda Bodo, who is both friend and the author of Enjoy Life Outside. She owns a wooden hot tub that was, apparently, the perfect surrogate tree for one woodpecker. Having a soft spot for these beautiful birds, Linda patched the hole with a metal cover and all was forgiven—until the woodpecker moved down a few inches and bored another hole. Sometimes there’s just no fighting nature.

It doesn’t look much like a tree; nevertheless,
it still caught the attention of a woodpecker.

Science & Technology
Small and Mighty
Some of the world’s smallest plants are poised to become some of the world’s most important plants. That’s what I learned from David Bressler, a specialist in the field of biofuels, at a lecture sponsored by the University of Alberta’s Faculty of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Sciences. He said companies, such as Exxon Mobil and British Petroleum, are funding research into extraction of biofuel from algae. They’re doing so to the tune of $600 million and $500 million, respectively. Who’d have thought big, multinational oil companies would see pond scum as the solution to the world’s insatiable appetite for energy?

Question of the Week
Can I grow potted herbs indoors?
Yes, but remember that herbs need at least four or five hours of direct sunlight per day to thrive. That means you’ll need a west- or south-facing window to catch that much light, especially during our short winter days. Unfortunately, the diminished intensity of indoor light means an indoor herb garden will never be as productive as one grown outdoors. With our climate, that means gardeners who want fresh herbs year-round have little choice but to make the best of indoor light.

Did You Know?
Silk production in China was a closely guarded secret in ancient times. In fact, the punishment for anyone caught smuggling silkworms or eggs out of the country was execution.

“One kind word can warm three winter months.”
–Japanese proverb

Last Thursday, our annual Christmas open house kicked off the holiday season in fine style thanks to the great work of our wonderful staff. Of course, the hot apple cider, chocolate treats and wine sampling elevated everyone’s spirits. And the demos, which included tablescaping and wreath making, pleased the do-it-yourself crowd. But what I found most interesting was the opinions about our new biodegradable pots. The poinsettia tour group favoured the rice-hull and wheat-chaff pots, but the straw pots were…well, check out this week’s Miss.

Hits & Misses
Hit: Charmed Christmas Cactus
Our Christmas cacti look better than ever this year, which is a bit illogical. I say that because we went against the norm and added much more fertilizer to the soil than is recommended. The Christmas cacti have responded by producing lots of lush green leaves and tons of extra flowers. Now I can’t attribute the abundance of foliage and flowers entirely to the fertilizer—there’s a lot of TLC provided by our growers—but there’s little doubt the cacti loved being bathed in luxurious amounts of nutrients. I suspect the Christmas cacti benefited from higher fertilizer levels because they have relatively small root masses and fewer roots to absorb nutrients. In any case, logical or not, next year’s cacti will be spoon-fed the same way as the 2009 crop.

Miss: The Short Straw
Ah, yes, the straw pots. We’re continuing to trial various biodegradable pots, this time with our poinsettia crop, and most have made the grade. But the straw pots are coming up short. They’re actually too darn good at biodegrading. Even though the sides of the straw pots retain their integrity, the pot bottoms break down fairly rapidly and get mouldy. And while I mentioned to some ladies on the poinsettia tour that a bit of mould is normal for things that biodegrade, they countered with “mould is fine for biodegrading, but not fine if one has a mould allergy.” Good point. Score one for the mould-sensitive customers and zero for the straw pots.

Science & Technology
Immunization Shots for Elms
Dutch elm disease (DED) has killed vast numbers of American elms across the continent. So far, Alberta is one of the few places in the world that is Dutch-elm-disease free. Up until recently the only control for DED was to keep the beetle that transmits the disease out of the province. But now a new product called Dutch Trig can be used to vaccinate elms. Dutch Trig contains a fungus that, once injected into American (or European) elm trunks, triggers an immune response comparable to how our bodies respond to vaccinations. Now, before you rush out to buy Dutch Trig, remember you need specialized equipment to inject it into tree trunks, it has be applied each year and…oh yeah, you have to be a licensed pesticide applicator to buy and use it. For the average citizen worried about DED, my advice is to stick to the basics: recognize the symptoms of DED and report suspicious trees to your local municipality, don’t transport or store elm firewood, don’t prune elms from April 1 to October 1 and take care of your elms by giving them plenty of TLC. As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of Dutch Trig.

Question of the Week
My shrubs didn’t perform that well this year, what can I do for them next spring?
First, inspect your shrubs for winter damage and prune branches as necessary. Also clean up twigs, leaves and any other debris around the base of your shrubs—this will help reduce insect problems and make weeding easier. Cultivate or loosen the soil, being careful not to damage roots (be extra cautious around shallow-rooted shrubs, such as azaleas, rhododendrons and daphnes). Finish by top-dressing with compost and then fertilize with a slow-release granular product. These steps will get your shrubs off to a strong, healthy start.

Did You Know?
Some fairy rings are estimated to be 500 years old.

“What is a friend? A single soul dwelling in two bodies.”
–Aristotle

Looking for something to get you into the Christmas spirit? Well, join us tonight for our annual Hole’s Holiday Event. One of the highlights will be greenhouse tours, where you’ll be able to immerse yourself in a sea of over 40,000 poinsettias. You’ll get a behind-the-scenes look at how we grow our popular Christmas crop and see some of the wonderful new varieties for 2009. There will also be food tastings and tablescaping sessions with our design staff. Tablescaping, as I just recently learned, is the art of designing your table for the holidays so that it’s both beautiful and functional. As well, we will show you the “recipe for making an urn” so that you can create a sensational outdoor arrangement. Come reconnect with the holiday spirit.

Hits & Misses
Hit: Sunny Days
I’ll concede the hit of the week to the central star in our solar system—and so will our poinsettias. Sunny, warm November temperatures really help to put the finishing touches on the crop and colour it up nicely for Christmas. With the days being short and the sun angle being low, our plants are just like us—happy to get as many blue-sky days as possible in November.

Miss: A Tale of Two Bulbs
I declare 2009 the year of the dichotomous amaryllis bulbs. That’s because this year the bulbs definitely fall into two distinct categories. Some bulbs are the best quality I’ve ever seen; others are the worst I’ve ever seen. A good amaryllis bulb should be dormant, have solid roots and no blemishes or signs of rot. My favorite variety, ‘Red Lion,’ arrived in fantastic shape and will have knockout flowers by December. But another shipment of amaryllis bulbs arrived in horrible shape. The excellent quality bulbs went straight into pots and will root beautifully in a few weeks. But the horrible ones will never see the light of the greenhouse. One thing you learn in the greenhouse business is that there’s no successful rehab program for bad plants—compost bins are the only solution.

Amaryllis are a holiday favourite, second only to poinsettias.

Science & Technology
A New Automotive Plant
Toyota Motor Corporation has given a whole new meaning to automotive plant by developing a new variety of shrub designed to absorb harmful gases. ‘Kirsch Pink’ is a type of cherry sage (Salvia microphylla) that Toyota has bred to absorb nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide and a few other air pollutants. It’s supposed to be more efficient than many other plants at absorbing harmful vapours. And while I applaud their efforts, it sounds like Kirsch Pink is a hybrid that’s designed to market hybrid cars. Excuse the skeptic in me.

Question of the Week
Last winter something ate the bark off several trees in my yard. What can I do to prevent it from happening again?
Prevention—as you’ve already determined—is the right approach because it’s basically impossible to repair a trunk damaged by animals. However, if the damage is limited to a small area, the tree will eventually heal itself. To prevent further damage, you need a physical barrier, such as a protective tree collar around the base of the trunk.

Did You Know?
It’s hard not to touch the tactile, fuzzy leaves of an African violet but you should resist. Studies have shown touching the leaves reduces plant size and quality, especially if your hands have had lotion on them.

“Without the human community one single human being cannot survive.”
–the Dalai Lama

So what does one do with leftover Halloween pumpkins? Feed them to an elephant, of course. Well, at least that’s what we decided to do. Lucy, the resident elephant at Edmonton’s Valley Zoo, loves to munch on pumpkins, so we sent her a box full of them. Of course, Lucy was in the media recently thanks to Bob Barker, animal rights activist and former game-show host, who advocated relocating her to a sanctuary in California. Now, I’m not sure how Lucy feels about emigrating, but I am sure she loves the taste of pumpkins—she ate six in one meal. If I could’ve tapped into Lucy’s mind while she was chomping on the jack-o’-lanterns, I’d bet she was thinking these taste great…and the price is right!

Hits & Misses
Hit: Glorious Colouration
In my opinion, ‘Ice Punch’ is the most intriguing poinsettia variety we’ve got this year. I love its art deco look. If you’re not familiar with this newer variety, let me explain that what sets it apart is the mottled splash of white in the middle of each deeply serrated, red bract. It looks like a rich-red poinsettia touched by a thin layer of hoar frost.

‘Ice Punch’ is one of the most interesting looking of approximately
30 poinsettia varieties being grown in the greenhouse this year.

Miss: Fading Glory
I think the novelty of white pumpkins is—pardon the pun—fading. Sales were brisk the last few years, but this Halloween the ghostly pumpkins didn’t sell as well. My wife said it best, “I think white pumpkins are modern, edgy and elegant. If I were having a fall wedding, I would use them for centrepieces. But for Halloween, orange rules with the kids.” Oh, and just for the record, my wife is not planning on remarrying.

Science & Technology
French Fry Perfection
Is the inner flesh of your french fry too dark coloured for your taste? Then blame it on gas accumulation, specifically carbon dioxide and ethylene. In the right combination, at even low concentrations, they can cause dark flesh colour. At least, that’s what researchers at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Atlantic Food and Horticulture Research Centre in Nova Scotia found. These naturally occurring gases team up to increase sugar levels, which in turn darken tuber flesh. Affected potatoes (and french fries) are fine to eat, but they’re visually unappealing. The potatoes themselves give off carbon dioxide in storage, whereas ethylene can come from ripening fruit (apples, for example), vehicle exhaust or even disease organisms. Remove the gases and you prevent off-coloured fries. That’s certainly easier said than done for most of us, but for commercial growers, ventilation will certainly be worth the effort.

Question of the Week
I haven’t had a chance to prune my hardy roses. Should I have?
Actually, hardy roses don’t need much pruning (unlike tender roses, which should be pruned back in late fall and then mulched). For hardy roses, prune back any dead growth in the spring, just before their leaves begin to open. To rejuvenate mature, hardy roses, remove one-third of the oldest canes every year or two. This will encourage new growth.

Did You Know?
Less than five percent of all insect species in Canada and the US are deemed to be pests.

“Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.”
—Winston Churchill

Despite some eye rolling and grimacing on my wife’s part, I went to see Zombieland. I should explain that I honestly intended to watch This Is It with her. But we arrived late, and I thought the logical choice was to see the one movie that hadn’t already started— Zombieland. She didn’t agree with my argument (nor understand my desire to see a zombie movie). So, my wife stuck with Michael Jackson, while I went to watch Woody Harrelson dispose of partially decomposed zombies. Besides compost, there was another horticultural angle to Zombieland. Part of Woody’s zombie-fighting arsenal included hedge trimmers and the darling of infomercials, the Garden-Weasel. And although neither was used, I’m sure the zombies were really metaphors for weeds, and Zombieland symbolized every gardener’s fear of being overwhelmed by them! Or not…

Hits & Misses
Hit: Fungal Frontiers
As part of our biological control program for poinsettias, we’re trialing a naturally occurring soil fungus that kills insect pests. The fungal species is called Beauvaria bassiana and, while it’s harmless to people, it’s deadly to insects such as whiteflies and aphids. The fungus penetrates the insects’ skin and multiplies in their bodies. Within days, the insects turn ghostly white and fuzzy because of the masses of fungal strands emerging from their bodies. Yes, it is a rather macabre sight. But it’s proven to be a very effective, organic way to control pests that can otherwise destroy a crop in a remarkably short time. Unfortunately, the fungus is really only effective in greenhouse environments and is not registered for home use. But who knows? Perhaps one day a cousin of Beauvaria bassiana will be available for our gardens.

On the underside of this poinsettia leaf are
whitefly pupae, which can quickly infest a crop.

Miss: Something Not Cricket
There’s an impending cricket crisis in North America, according to an e-mail I received from Dr. Mark Goettel, a research scientist at the Lethbridge Research Centre. Apparently, rearing crickets (to be used as food for amphibian and reptilian pets) is a multi-million dollar industry. However, a new variant of a cricket-killing virus is plaguing the industry. So, the call is out for a colony of indigenous crickets that might be virus free or, at least, virus resistant. Let’s hope they find some because I doubt there’ll be any mass vaccination programs for crickets on the horizon.

Science & Technology
Breathe Easier
Indoor plants are proven to effectively remove a variety of indoor air pollutants. But some species of indoor plants are better at scrubbing out certain types of pollutants than others. For example, Ficus benjamina (weeping fig) is excellent at removing octane and pinene from the air, whereas Tradescantia pallida (purple heart or wandering jew) is great for absorbing benzene and toluene. Still, others such as Hemigraphis alternata (red ivy) are superior for ridding the air of trichloroethylene. So what is the take-home message here? Fill your home with a variety of beautiful plants and breathe a whole lot easier.

Add a purple heart plant to your indoor collection. As an air
purifier, it will absorb benzene and toluene.

Question of the Week
I brought my hanging basket inside, but now the petunias aren’t doing so well. Why?
Unfortunately, most annuals quickly fade once brought inside because light levels aren’t sufficient. Compared to being outside, the amount of light available—even close to a window in a south-facing room—is severely reduced. Of course, the number of daylight hours per day has also decreased, which just exacerbates the problem.

Did You Know?
Wine fermentation is usually stimulated by the addition of yeast, but some winemakers rely only upon yeasts that are naturally present on the grape skins.

“Experience is simply the name we give our mistakes.”
–Oscar Wilde

It was my great honour last Thursday to accept the St. Albert Chamber of Commerce’s Pillar of Business Award on behalf of Hole’s Greenhouses & Gardens. In the chamber’s words, the award—which was a surprise—recognized us as “a business that has proven its long-term commitment to our community by staying and growing in St. Albert for over 30 years.” Of course, what enabled us to win this prestigious award was the hard work and vision of our parents, our dedicated staff and the tremendous support of the community. Our congratulations go to other St. Albert businesses that also won awards.

Hits & Misses
Hit: Howling Success
Our Halloween event last Thursday was a great success. While I was attending the chamber event that evening, about 500 children came to our Pumpkin Patch, where they were entertained and given treats. To really set the tone for the evening, 10 of our staff dressed up as witches. Which witch was which, and which witch was most witchy? I’ll never tell…

Miss: Falling Short
Fall is bulb-planting season, but it’s tough to plant them when there’s blowing rain and snow flurries. So, although bulbs rapidly moved out of the store early in the fall, their exodus has been a little more leisurely of late. But don’t despair if you haven’t planted any yet. Bulbs, such as tulips, can be transplanted late and will still bloom wonderfully come spring. Since they’re easy-as-pie to plant, have them on hand and be ready when the weather cooperates—which it’s sure to do any day now.

Question of the Week
My lawn is hard and compacted—what can I do?
This is one of those situations in which the better question is “what should I have done?” Compaction is often the result of too much foot traffic, especially when the lawn’s extremely wet. To help alleviate compaction, aerate your lawn in the fall and spring. You can also top-dress your lawn with compost or manure—this addition of organic material will help lighten the soil.

Science & Technology
A Dash of Horseradish
Horseradish root extracts might be the ticket for controlling potato scab, according to preliminary research in Ontario. Scab (Streptomyces scabies) is a bacterium that causes ugly, but harmless, lesions on potato skins. A potato grower gave anecdotal evidence about horseradish’s ability to control scab to Dr. Eugenia Banks (of the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture). She followed up with trials, and the preliminary results indicate a horseradish-solution soil drench offers considerable control of scab on ‘Yukon Gold’ potatoes. Of course, more testing will have to be done before a horseradish treatment could be recommended and registered for use on potatoes. But stay tuned!

Did You Know?
Plant structures called domatia provide nesting sites for ants or mites. It’s a mutually beneficial relationship—the plants provide food to the ants and, in turn, the ants protect the plants from other insects.

“It’s bad luck to be superstitious.”
–Bill Backman

The Attack of the Killer…Beet? Bill Franche, a good customer of ours, brought a gargantuan beet into the Garden Centre. It weighed an astounding 3.1 kg (6.83 lb) and had a circumference of 60 cm (2’). We were eager to find out what the variety was, but all Bill could remember was that he bought it here. One thing is for certain: that beet could make enough borscht to keep a family in soup for a month! Hmm…“It was quite a feat for Bill to grow such a beet.” Ah, forget it. I’ll never be a “Beet Poet!”

Bill Franche and his killer beet.

Hits & Misses
Hit: Late Bloomers
Garden mums flew out the door this past weekend. Why, you ask? Well, it’s always the late-season varieties that are the biggest and most spectacular. And what better addition to Halloween than a mum nearly a meter in diameter and jam-packed with fragrant flowers? Good looking, good price—good bye, garden mums!

Miss: Off-Coloured Bloomers
OK, not all colours of garden mums flew out the door this week. Bronzes, yellows and reds are always fall favourites, but the whites just don’t capture gardeners’ imaginations this late in the season. They’re great for events with non-fall themes (such as weddings), but they just don’t scream Halloween. Thankfully, there aren’t many of the less-favoured mums left.

Question of the Week
The grass is very sparse under my spruce tree—is the soil too acidic?
What’s more likely affecting the grass is a competition for water and, possibly, a lack of sunlight. While evergreen trees like acidic soil, they have a minimal impact on soil pH. Unfortunately, even drought-resistant and shade-tolerant grasses can be difficult to grow under evergreens. Personally, I don’t think it’s worth the fight. Try bark mulch or decorative rocks instead of grass.

Science & Technology
Nothing Fishy About Tomatoes
I recently wrote an article in the Edmonton Journal about a relatively new growing technique developed at the Crop Diversification Centre South in Brooks, Alberta. It’s called aquaponics and involves growing plants, such as tomatoes, in a tank along with fish. Following publication, a reader wrote to the Journal concerned that she might die from her severe fish allergy if she ate vegetables grown in a tank of fish. I can understand her anxiety, but it is unfounded. Tomatoes (or any other plants, for that matter) are incapable of absorbing large molecules such as fish proteins. Just as you wouldn’t expect tomatoes to ever contain animal proteins after manure was added to garden soil, neither would tomatoes grown in fish waste contain fish proteins.

Did You Know?
The world’s largest beet weighed in at a whopping 23.4 kg (51 lb 9oz).

“If a building looks better under construction than it does when finished, then it’s a failure.”
–Douglas Coupland

Did you notice September’s weather was like August’s weather, while October’s weather is turning out to be more like November’s? In the topsy-turvy weather world, we gardeners must do our best to adapt to everything—including snow in early October. The one good thing about a sudden drop in temperature, however, is that while we humans have trouble living with the adjustment, garden insects have trouble living through it. It may sound cruel, but somehow it’s easier looking at frozen geraniums when I know that aphids have been transformed into tiny green ice cubes.

Hits & Misses
Hit: Careful Carving
In my opinion, pumpkin carving ranks right up there with sword swallowing—both can lead to unnecessary bleeding. So I’m sure the popularity of our pumpkin-carving kits is a testament to those of us who are tired of running for bandages to stem the blood oozing from our fingers. The kits have four different cutting tools, each designed to cut the skin and flesh of pumpkins but to spare the skin and flesh of people! If you want a bloodstained pumpkin for theatrical effect at Halloween, I would stick with the fake stuff from a bottle.

Miss: Spotty Results
Insecticidal soap is a great tool for keeping insect pests at bay. It’s easy to use and, while not the most powerful insecticide, works quite well at the early stages of insect infestations. We have sprayed it on hundreds of varieties of plants without seeing any plant damage, yet one annual we treated this past week looked like it had succumbed to a case of measles within hours of receiving soap treatment. The plant is called Talinum. It’s a relatively new bedding plant that we’re growing two varieties of: ‘Limon’ and ‘Verde.’ Fortunately, we have only a handful of these plants. It just goes to show how important it is to trial treatments.

Talinum ‘Limon.’

Question of the Week
How do I store winter squash?
Storage life—which varies from variety to variety—is severely compromised if you don’t have a cool and humid location. Squash is best stored at about 10°C and with 50–70 percent relative humidity. Practically speaking, that means you need a cold room. Also to determine if squash will store well, try to pierce the outer skin with your thumbnail. If it doesn’t pierce, the squash is mature and ready for storage.

The Business
A Spooky Evening
It’s time to eat, drink and be scary! Last year our Halloween evening was a huge success, so we’re doing it again. Join us for a night of spooktacular fun on October 22, from 6–8 p.m. in our Pumpkin Patch. It’s a great opportunity for families to come in their Halloween best, take pictures and enjoy themselves.

Did You Know?
Plants get 90 percent of their dry weight from the air—more specifically, from the carbon dioxide in our atmosphere.

“Change your thoughts and you change your world.”
—Norman Vincent Peale

This past weekend, I had the pleasure of acting as host and master of ceremonies at several U of A homecoming events. For me, the most awe-inspiring event is always the alumni awards ceremony. The award recipients are not only accomplished academically, but also show tremendous leadership and generosity in their communities—both at a local and international level. This year’s recipients ranged from internationally recognized experts, such as chemist Lewis E. Kay (whose field is biomolecular nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy), to more recent alumni, such as Mark Haroun, whose accomplishments include editing and writing for TV. Of course, the award I’m especially touched by is the Lois Hole Student Spirit Award. It recognizes student spirit and contribution to the betterment of the university community and beyond. This year’s winner was Eric Fung. He’s an outstanding 2009 medical graduate who served on student associations and did volunteer work with drug abuse education. Congratulations to everyone!

Hits & Misses
Hit: Novel Squash
Novelty squash have invaded the Pumpkin Patch! This year our Halloween pumpkins are sharing the spotlight with their cousins, who come in a myriad of interesting shapes, textures and colours. The great thing about these novelty squash—beyond their strangeness—is that they’re fantastic cooked. A feast for both the eyes and the stomach!

Miss: Broken Branches
I can’t recall another fall with so many tree branches scattered across the ground. Stress from drought (which I’ve written about a lot) coupled with a series of storms have pushed the trees to the breaking point, literally. To keep branches healthy and to prevent breakage, the trees need water and judicious pruning. And when should they have been pruned? Well…that would have been about 10 years ago.

Question of the Week
How do I keep my potatoes from turning green in storage?
It’s all about the light—natural or artificial. Potatoes exposed to light, for even short periods, respond by turning green. So you need to make sure your potatoes are stored in a dark (and, of course, cool) place. And don’t eat green potatoes—they contain toxic alkaloids.

Science & Technology
Feeling Their Way Home
According to the latest issue of Science, monarch butterflies use their antennae, rather than their brains, to navigate from northern latitudes to their overwintering sites in Mexico. Researchers Christine Merlin, Robert J. Gegear and Steven M. Reppert have discovered that the butterflies’ “antennal clocks” provide the timing mechanism for sun compass orientation. They believe other insects may also use this same orientation mechanism.

Did You Know?
The Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Norway is home to seeds from about 100 countries and includes 200,000 types of wheat and 30,000 types of corn.

“Thanksgiving, after all, is a word of action.”
–W.J. Cameron

The microgreens are here! The microgreens are here! For those of you unfamiliar with microgreens, the mini salad fixings are essentially 2.5–5 cm (1–2”) vegetable seedlings (such as peas and corn). And therein lies the novelty of these gourmet greens: pea and corn plants aren’t palatable when mature, but harvest them when they’re seedlings and all that changes. The other beauty of microgreens is that you can have fresh greens within two weeks. The 21 varieties we received came from the Crop Diversification Centre in Brooks, Alberta, where Dr. Nick Savidov is researching microgreens. Our job was to have staff and customers sample the microgreens and record their favourites. Survey results are complete, and the flavour winners are…drum roll, please…’Bull’s Blood’ beet, ‘Flo’ fennel and ‘R Rus’ kale.

Microgreen taste testing was the order of business this week.

Hits & Misses
Hit: Classic Halloween
In addition to the microgreens, our Halloween decorations also arrived this week. After taking a look at the merchandise, I have to say Halloween has come a long way from the one-night event of my youth. Gone is the lone jack-o’-lantern on the doorstep, and replacing it is a barrage of decorations and festivities that last for weeks. A note to the trendy: in keeping with everyone’s penchant for retro, vintage-themed decorations are all the rage this year.

Miss: Sizzling Poinsettias
Last week a few poinsettia leaves turned a little crispy. The scorching wasn’t due to some disease or insect pest, nor was it a nutritional problem. In fact, the mystery wasn’t really a mystery at all—it was Mother Nature’s doing. As outdoor temperatures climbed to 33ºC last week, the greenhouse temperatures reached 35ºC. That heat combined with low humidity and full sun caused the leaf scorch. Fortunately, damage amounted to about one leaf per plant, which—thankfully—will have no affect on the aesthetics of the mature plants.

Question of the Week
When should I put my onions into storage?
First of all, you don’t want to dig onions until top growth has dried and toppled over. After digging, you need to “cure” onions so that they will store properly. Curing vegetables means exposing them to heat for a couple of days to remove moisture from the outer layers. This can be done outdoors if temperatures are above 24ºC. Otherwise cure them indoors. If you follow these steps, onions can last for nine months in storage. But also remember this: onions won’t store properly at all if damaged by frost.

Science & Technology
Tears to Flavour
Chopped onions make us cry because an enzyme called lachrymatory factor synthase is released when we slice them. The enzyme reacts with amino acids in the onion to produce compounds that irritate nerve fibres in our eyes. Plant breeders have tried to make non-cry-inducing onions, but flavour is greatly sacrificed in the process. So next time you cry cutting onions, try to focus on the great-tasting end goal…if your tears don’t get in the way.

Did You Know?
Mountain ash trees aren’t related to green ash trees. In fact, mountain ash is from the Sorbus genus and is more closely related to roses and strawberries than it is to ash trees.

“The road to success is always under construction.”
—Lily Tomlin

This past week at the beautiful Blackhawk golf course in Edmonton, I had the honour of co-chairing the 10th Annual Dave Hancock Charity Golf Classic with Richard McCallum, of McCallum Printing. The tournament is dedicated to raising funds for Success By 6, a community initiative focused on ensuring that preschool children develop skills that support a lifetime of healthy growth and learning. The golf tournament has raised over a million dollars for the program since its inception. As for the golfing itself, if you want to know what my score was…forget it! I am not a golfer. In my defense, though, I did drive a mean golf cart.

Hits & Misses
Hit: Purple Hedges
Everyone is talking about the Verbena bonariensis (verbena ‘Buenos Aires’) that is growing in the show garden. It is about 1.5 metres tall and full of gorgeous purple flowers that the bees have been enjoying since early summer. In addition to making an unforgettable hedge, it’s the perfect drought-tolerant plant for those difficult spots in the yard.

Verbena bonariensis ‘Buenos Aires’

Miss: A Lack of Concentration
Where did the nutrients go? The last sample of poinsettia soil we sent to the lab showed rather low levels of nitrogen and phosphorus. Fortunately, this is an easy problem to correct: just increase the fertilizer concentration by punching a couple of numbers on the fertilizer-injector keypad. I attribute the low numbers to a long string of sunny days and warm temperatures—the perfect combination to increase a poinsettia’s demand for nutrients. The one thing that’s without question, though, is this: lab tests are worth their weight in gold when you’re growing thousands of poinsettias.

Question of the Week
Why do my corncobs have missing kernels?
Spotty filling of corncobs is a very common problem and likely due to poor pollination. To help prevent this problem next year, plant your corn in blocks rather than in single rows. It may sound like a weird solution, but by clustering the corn, you increase the chance of the pollen hitting the corn silk instead of the ground—and that’s a big deal. Corn pollen has to touch each thread of silk for complete pollination because each strand is attached to a single kernel. Heavy rainfall at the time of pollination can also produce poor fill.

Science & Technology
Garlic Trials
I came across an interesting article about garlic in the August issue of HortScience. Apparently, researchers from the National Center for Genetic Resources Preservation at the US Dept. of Agriculture tested garlic varieties to see how they performed in various growing regions, one of which was a test site in Ontario. Among other things, the trial results revealed just how much one variety of garlic can vary from location to location. For example, the colour of a bulb’s wrapper was highly dependent on location. Some red cultivars grown in southern areas had much more intense violet stripes and blotches than those grown in northern areas.

Garlic’s skin colour can vary dramatically,
depending on where it was grown.

Did You Know?
Small concentrations of nickel will injure most plants. All it takes is as little as five micrograms of nickel (one millionth of a gram) per gram of a plant’s dry weight. But, as always, there’s an exception—alyssum can tolerate nickel levels 10,000 times higher.

“Thoughts can be used one of two ways, like a Band-Aid or like a rubber band. Choose to stretch.”
–Rhonda LaShae

The laughter at my jokes sounded genuine during my speech for friends and supporters of the University of Alberta’s Faculty of Science, but I’ve been fooled before. The one thing I was self-conscious of—throughout my entire talk—was how many of the attendees had PhDs in biology, entomology, pathology and other “ologies.” I, of course, spoke about gardening. Specifically, about sustainable gardening. Thankfully, judging by the enthusiastic questions at the end of my talk, I didn’t mangle the science from anyone’s field of specialty….or were they just being polite?

Hits & Misses
Hit: Perfect Poinsettia Weather
Our poinsettias are benefiting from the exceptionally warm and sunny fall. Under these conditions, poinsettias develop more growth before the onset of the shorter days, which invariably commence in late September. So this year, our poinsettia plants are destined to be bigger and have even more green leaves than usual.

Miss: Not-So-Cute Behaviour
OK, squirrels are cute—I’ll give you that—but those little brown tree rats have managed to cut every spruce cone off my trees and drop them onto my flowerbeds and driveway. And as if that weren’t enough, Rocky and his friends have begun tunnelling beneath one of my concrete pads. I suspect that’s where they plan to stuff the spruce cones and who-knows-what-else they feel inspired to store for winter. The definition of cute originally meant clever and shrewd…seems tailor-made for those beady-eyed tree climbers.

Question of the Week
When should I plant my fall bulbs?
For the most successful results, you shouldn’t wait too long. Aim to have your bulbs planted before October rolls around. That’s because fall-planted bulbs need time to develop a root system before winter arrives. Besides, bulbs are perishable and should be planted promptly after purchase. Of course, you also need to start with healthy bulbs—firm, heavy-for-their-size ones that don’t have visible cuts or bruises.

The Business
Fall Myth Busting
Have you ever wondered if cedars should be wrapped for winter, if you should be pruning your trees and shrubs in the fall, or if your grass should be cut short before winter? Then join me in our Show Garden on Saturday, September 19 from 1–2 p.m. I’ll be available to answer your questions and help dispel some common myths about fall gardening.

Did You Know?
Conifers, such as spruce and cedars, lose water through their foliage during the winter, but the water loss is only about one percent of the amount lost in summer.

“Like a welcome summer rain, humour may suddenly cleanse and cool the earth, the air and you.”
–Langston Hughes

Over the weekend, I had the wonderful opportunity to speak to gardeners at the Reynolds-Alberta Museum’s Harvest Festival. For those of you who don’t know, the museum in Wetaskiwin is dedicated to showcasing Canada’s amazing automotive and aviation history. While there, I couldn’t help but marvel at the spirit and ingenuity of mankind as I looked at the larger-than-life Avro Arrow jet a mere stone’s throw away from a steam-powered threshing machine. Of course, the homemade cinnamon buns baked on site were nothing to sneeze at either.

Hits & Misses
Hit: Disappearing Pots
Our experiments with biodegradable pots this year look very promising. We’ve tested ones made from wheat, rice, coconut and straw. I’m impressed with how they hold up to greenhouse conditions yet still manage to breakdown in soil. In the future, you should be able to toss the biodegradable pots into your composter or simply transplant your plants—pot and all—straight into the garden.

Miss: Rotting Tomatoes
I’ve had an inordinate number of questions from gardeners about “mysterious” black patches on the bottoms of their tomatoes. It’s called blossom-end rot, but it isn’t a plant disease. The rot is typically caused by a fluctuation in soil moisture levels, particularly at the time fruit is filling out. When the movement of water to the fruit is interrupted, plant cells collapse and the result is rotting fruit. Exceptionally cool or hot conditions during fruit fill can also cause blossom-end rot. The solution? Be vigilant with watering, and hope for good weather.

Consistent moisture levels are key to
avoiding blossom end rot.

Question of the Week
What can I do to combat apple maggot?
Apple maggots have become firmly established in Edmonton and, unfortunately, look as though they are here to stay. The maggots are the larvae of small black flies that have a particular affinity for apples but that also infect other fruits from the rose family (e.g. plums, cherries and pears). How they attack is like this. The black flies lay their eggs in the fruit and, after hatching, the larvae (apple maggots) tunnel through the fruit. From late summer through fall, the larvae move out of the fruit, tunnel into the ground and overwinter there as pupae. The following summer the flies emerge to, once again, wreak havoc on the apples. The best way to control them is to break the reproductive cycle by picking up all fallen fruit. Special pheromone-baited traps, which attract the flies, also help to reduce apple maggot populations. Finally, insecticidal sprays can be used during the summer to control the adult flies. But keep in mind that all three controls are often needed to reduce apple maggot populations down to reasonable numbers.

Traps with pheromone bait help control apple maggots.

Science & Technology
Toughening Petunias
I read a very interesting (but not surprising) study on petunias in the latest issue of Hortscience. Researchers selected a couple of petunia species and studied how much influence short days and slow, sustained reductions in temperature had on the plants’ cold tolerance. They found day length had little influence on the petunias’ frost tolerance but that a gradual drop in temperatures was extremely important in helping petunias battle the cold. In fact, one experiment showed that dropping temperatures from 15ºC to 3ºC enabled the petunias to endure lows of –5ºC. Can’t say I’m surprised. We’ve had comparable results through trial and error at the greenhouse, but it’s nice to see some scientific proof to back it up.

Did You Know?
At any given time, a single plant cell can contain 10,000 or more types of proteins.

Life is something that happens when you can’t get to sleep.
–Fran Lebowitz

While I was in the mountains this past weekend, enjoying the great weather and phenomenal scenery, the Jasper Park Lodge kindly provided me with a quiet spot to take phone calls for my regular Friday CBC radio show. As I listened to callers describing the myriad of bugs attacking their plants, I watched a couple of elk traversing the grounds, looking for a free meal. The more I watched, the more I realized that bug problems pale in comparison to having elk in the garden. It really is a strange relationship. In fact, I suspect Jasper elk see humans as benevolent paparazzi who relentlessly snap photos, while thoughtfully providing a variety of plants that complement an otherwise mundane diet. I’m just glad I don’t have to stare down one of these deer-on-steroids in my own yard.

Hits & Misses
Hit: Big-rooted Perennials
Many of the perennials we’ll be selling next spring have already arrived. And because many of them (hostas, daylilies and peonies) arrive as bare-root plants, they’ll need to be potted up and allowed to root in the coldframes for a couple of months before we let them become dormant for the winter. The bare-root perennials are some of the biggest I’ve seen in years, which means by next spring they should be very impressive specimens.

Miss: Dry and Dire
I know I’ve harped on about the drought in our region…but here I go again. This has got to be the driest summer I’ve ever experienced, and I fear the consequences could be dire for numerous trees. In fact, based on the amount of crispy, yellow leaves I saw fall in August, I suspect the worst is yet to come.

Dry weather means trees are likley to drop their leaves early and
show drought damage the following year.

Question of the Week
How do I make sure my pumpkins ripen before the frost?
The best way to increase your chance of carving homegrown pumpkins at Halloween is to pick off all new the blossoms as soon as three or four fruits have formed. You’ll know it’s time to harvest the pumpkins when they are a deep, rich-orange and have skins that cannot easily be pierced by a fingernail. Harvest them too early, and they probably won’t turn orange.

Science & Technology
Honeybee Mystery a Matter of Genetics
According to an article in Discover magazine, the mystery of the great honeybee die-off seems to be solved. And, no, contrary to speculation, the problem doesn’t appear related to cellphones or pesticides. Instead, it seems that the population crash is due to inbreeding. In short, there hasn’t been a lot of mixing of outside genetics. And that’s thanks to us, not nature. You see, by selecting and breeding bees to pollinate huge plant monocultures, such as apples and almonds, we’ve restricted genetic diversity and reduced their ability to withstand environmental changes. Hmm…chalk one up for natural evolution—I guess it’s still a better system for long-term survival of a species.

Did You Know?
A grey garden slug (Deroceras reticulatum) eats the equivalent of 40% of its body weight each day. To quantify that a bit more accurately, slugs chew through about two square centimetres (60 milligrams) of plant tissue per day and will travel about 90 centimetres to get it done.

“The guy who wrote ‘A job well done never needs doing again’ has never weeded a garden.”
—Anonymous