Composting - It's all give and take!

Compost and organics soil maintenance is at the heart of organic growing: don't feed the plants, feed the soil -- the plants will look after themselves. The extremely complex subject of soil maintenance can happily be summed up in one word: composting.

The composting process will be more effective if you follow these suggestions.

To get started, make a layer of leaves or other brown vegetation. Then add a layer of green plant material. Add kitchen wastes as they accumulate. Dig these into the pile or cover with a thin layer of soil.

Continue adding material, alternating layers of brown material, green yard waste and kitchen waste. Brown yard waste is generally high in carbon. Kitchen scraps and fresh yard waste are high in nitrogen. Both carbon and nitrogen are needed to build a balanced compost pile.
Fine materials such as grass clippings should be added in thin layers so that they do not compact.
Keep the material as moist as a wrung-out sponge. Covering the pile with a plastic sheet may help to retain moisture. Water the pile occasionally if it becomes too dry.

Turn the pile every few weeks or whenever it becomes compacted, too wet, or develops an odour. A garden fork, commercial aerator, rake or pitchfork can be used to keep the pile properly turned and aerated.
Mix the material from the edges of the pile into the middle for more even decomposition.

Why Make Compost?

Compost is one of nature's best mulches and soil amendments, and you can use it instead of commercial fertilizers. Best of all, compost is cheap. You can make it without spending a cent.

Using compost improves soil structure, texture, and aeration and increases the soil's water-holding capacity. Compost loosens clay soils and helps sandy soils retain water. Adding compost improves soil fertility and stimulates healthy root development in plants. The organic matter provided in compost provides food for microorganisms, which keeps the soil in a healthy, balanced condition. Nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus will be produced naturally by the feeding of microorganisms, so few if any soil amendments will need to be added.

Most gardeners have long understood the value of this rich, dark, earthy material in improving the soil and creating a healthful environment for plants. Understanding how to make and use compost is in the public interest, as the problem of waste disposal climbs toward a crisis level. Landfills are brimming, and new sites are not likely to be easily found. For this reason there is an interest in conserving existing landfill space and in developing alternative methods of dealing with waste. Don't throw away materials when you can use them to improve your lawn and garden! Start composting instead.

One by one, cities are refusing to haul off our leaves and grass clippings. About one third of the space in landfills is taken up with organic waste from our yards and kitchens, just the type of material that can be used in compost. With a small investment in time, you can contribute to the solution to a community problem, while at the same time enriching the soil and improving the health of the plants on your property.

Following is some suggestions listing common composting materials:

*Algae, seaweed and lake moss - Good nutrient source.
*Cardboard -S hred into small pieces if you use it. Wetting it makes it easier to tear. If you have a lot, consider recycling instead.
*Coffee ground and filters - Worms love coffee grounds and coffee filters.
*Cornstalks, corn cobs -Best if shredded and mixed well with nitrogen rich materials.
*Dryer lint - Compost away! Moistening helps.
*Eggshells - Break down slowly. Crushing shells helps.
*Hair -Scatter so it isn't in clumps.
*Manure (horse, cow, pig, sheep, goat, chicken, rabbit) - Great source of nitrogen. Mix with carbon rich materials so it breaks down better.
*Newspaper - Shred it so it breaks down easier. It is easy to add too much newspaper, so recycle instead if you have a lot. Don't add slick colored pages.
*Oak leaves - Shredding leaves helps them break down faster. They decompose slowly. Acidic.
*Sawdust and wood shavings (untreated wood) -You'll need a lot of nitrogen materials to make up for the high carbon content. Don't use too much, and don't use treated woods.
*Pine needles and cones - Don't overload the pile. Also acidic and decomposes slowly.

Site Selection
Any pile of organic matter will eventually rot, but a well-chosen site can speed up the process. Look for a level, well-drained area. If you plan to add kitchen scraps, keep it accessible to the back door. Don't put it so far away you'll neglect the pile. In cooler latitudes, keep the pile in a sunny spot to trap solar heat. Look for some shelter to protect the pile from freezing cold winds which could slow down the decaying process. In warm, dry latitudes, shelter the pile in a shadier spot so it doesn't dry out too quickly.
Build the pile over soil or lawn rather than concrete or asphalt, to take advantage of the earthworms, beneficial microbes, and other decomposers, which will migrate up and down as the seasons change. Uncovered soil also allows for drainage. If tree roots are extending their roots into the pile, turn it frequently so they can't make headway.

Using Compost
Finished compost is dark brown, crumbly, and is earthy-smelling. Small pieces of leaves or other ingredients may be visible. If the compost contains many materials which are not broken down, it is only partly decomposed. This product can be used as a mulch, but adding partly decomposed compost to the soil can reduce the amount of nitrogen available to the plants. The microorganisms will continue to do the work of decomposing, but will use soil nitrogen for their own growth, restricting the nitrogen's availability to plants growing nearby.
Allow partly decomposed compost particles to break down further or separate them out before using compost on growing plants. Or add extra nitrogen such as manure, to ensure that growing plants will not suffer from a nitrogen deficiency. Compost is great for flower gardening, herb gardening, organic lawn care and vegetable gardening.

A compost mulch can benefit trees and shrubs just as it does other plants. Spread a ½" to 1" layer of compost on the bare soil under the tree as far as the drip line. Then cover with a 2-3" layer of some other kind of organic mulch, such as chopped leaves or pine needles. The mulch will hold the compost in place and keep it from drying out.
Adding compost to the planting hole of small perennial plants is valuable, particularly perennial food plants. Annuals will also benefit from a dose of compost at planting time.
Compost is the ultimate garden fertilizer. It contains virtually all the nutrients a living plant needs and delivers them in a slow-release manner over a period of years. Compost made with a wide variety of ingredients will provide an even more nutritious meal to your growing plants.
Compost is the best material available to enliven your soil no matter where you live. Farmers around the world will testify that healthier soil grows healthier plants that naturally resist disease, insects, and other environmental pressures. Adding compost to your garden is a long-term investment - it becomes a permanent part of the soil structure, helping to feed future plantings in years to come.

Second Annual Earth Hour

This is the second annual Earth Hour.

The first one was held in Sydney Australia and during the 60 minutes of darkness, when 2.2 million Sydney residents and 2,100 businesses turned off their lights, energy usage decreased by 10.2 percent -- the equivalent of taking 48,000 cars off the road for a year.

Turn off to plug in --- http://www.wwf.ca/EarthHour/

On Saturday, March 29, from 8:00 pm - 9:00 pm, turn off the T.V., switch off the lights and join millions of people for Earth Hour. During this quiet hour of darkness, dream about how we can make the Earth a healthier place to live.

Pass it on...!

A MUST watch movie - The World According to Monsanto

The World According to Monsanto

Present in forty-six countries, Monsanto has become the world leader in GM crops, as well as becoming one of the most controversial companies in industrial history. Since its foundation in 1901, the firm has faced trial after trial because of the toxicity of its products. Today it has reinvented itself as a "life sciences" company which has been converted to the virtues of sustainable development.
Using hitherto unpublished documents and the testimonies of victims, scientists and politicians, The World according to Monsanto pieces together the origins of an industrial empire, built upon lies, collusion with the American government, pressure and attempted corruption, which has become the world's leading seed manufacturer, spreading GM crops worldwide - amid a lack of any proper controls with respect to their effects on nature and human health.

Available in English Audio Version
http://torrentportal.com/details/1799757/The_World_according_to_Monsanto_National_Geographic_english.divx.torrent

http://www.arte-boutique.fr/detailProduct.action?product.id=245754

http://plus7.arte.tv/fr/detailPage/1697660,CmC=1940000,scheduleId=1933560.html

Slow Food Toronto - Farm To Home Fair

Slow Food Toronto - Farm to Home Fair
Saturday, March 29 - 1:00 - 5:00 Gladstone Hotel - 1214 Queen St. West, Toronto Suggested donation at the door Students / Children $5 - Adults $10 - Exhibitors $25

Connecting good, clean, fair, local farms with Toronto households Learn about: Community Supported Agriculture Farmer’s Markets / Direct Delivery Farmers’ Organizations Farm work and volunteer opportunities Food Policy / Urban Agriculture

All mindful eaters should come, including: Families with kids [activities provided] Farmers Local snacks will be served
A community building event generously supported by the Gladstone Hotel For more info: http://www.gladstonehotel.com
Interested in exhibiting?: paul[at]toronto.slowfood.ca

More info - http://www.toronto.slowfood.ca/

Documentary on TVO - Toxic Trespass

Toxic Trespass - May 14, 2008 - TVO
WHEN event -->
Start: 2008-05-14 22:30
WHEN: Wednesday May 14, 2008WHERE: TVOTIME: 10:30 p.m.
Toxic Trespass (2007).
In Toxic Trespass, filmmaker Barri Cohen launches an investigation into the detrimental effects of the chemical soup around us. Journeying into toxic nightmares all too common in industrialized countries, Cohen meets passionate activists working for positive change, along with doctors and scientists who see evidence of links between environmental pollution and health problems. Cohen also learns just how quickly barriers can go up when anyone tries to ask questions about the connection between toxins and serious health problems.

Hummingbirds - Nature's sonic jet!

Hummingbird trivia:

A Hummingbird will feed on more than 1,500 flowers during one day

Hummingbirds are attracted to red flowers, but will obviously go to other coloured flowers in search of food.

A Humming bird is the only bird that can fly backwards.

The average hummingbird weighs less than a penny.

More interesting info on these incredible creatures!

http://www.naturalsciences.org/funstuff/faqs/hummers.html

http://www.hummingbirdsociety.org/HB101/

http://www.birdwatchers.com/debtips.html

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Ruby-throated_Hummingbird.html

http://www.rubythroat.org/

Food colouring is not needed in this creatures feeders. Just sugar and water. Easy.

I can't wait until they return this Spring!

Well, I suppose today is "bash Monsanto" day. When I looked up information for the previous article, I came across some very interesting things that should be shared. Especially to Milk drinking Americans....

Monsanto, the same giant bio-tech company who created “Agent Orange”, PCB’s, and Roundup®, has been producing and selling to farmers, (with the FDA’s blessing, which is another strange story in itself), recombinant bovine growth hormone (rbGH), a hormone that increases milk production in dairy cattle, at the expense of these animals health.
The story could stop there, and readers might inquire as to why I’m passing this information on, however.....
Monsanto certainly doesn’t want consumers to know much about recombinant bovine growth hormone (rbGH), because it’s been widely reported that rbGH can increase toxicity in cows and cancer risk in humans, hence Monsanto is trying to bully labellers NOT to put ingredient information on the milk you drink, so as not to scare of the buying public....
Funny, but I think people's health should be a little bit more important than this corporations profit margins, but hey that's just my humble opinion.

Now don’t shoot the messenger. Check out these very interesting and informative links for yourself.

http://vvv.com/healthnews/milk.html
http://www.organicconsumers.org/rBGH/rach621.htm
http://home.intekom.com/tm_info/rw80626.htm#Monsanto%B4s
http://www.thecampaign.org/canada/monsantofiles.php
http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/food/foodsafety/dairy/no-rbgh

As for me, you ask? I’m going to get a glass of milk that is free of anything produced by the producer of Agent Orange.

Monsanto's Toxic roundup

I recently read a fellow gardener's blog claiming that Roundup® by Monsanto is safe and natural, and all the talk otherwise is purely hype.
Well, I won't mention names of fellow blogger's here because I don't believe in pointing fingers; I want to provide facts to back up why I didn't agree with this person's claim.
I did a little digging, pardon the pun, and came up with a whole lot of reasons NOT to purchase products like this, not only from this manufacturer, but any corporate entity claiming that their poison is safe, (when indeed, this is NOT the case....)
The following links are in reference to products produced, and at one time, deemed to be safe and harmless to people and the environment, when in all actuality, they are not.
Read the information from these links, and you can be the judge.

http://www.holisticmed.com/ge/roundup.html
http://www.mindfully.org/Pesticide/Monsanto-Roundup-Glyphosate.htm

Premiere of "Hijacked Future" - a film about seeds, climate change, and the future of agriculture Sat Mar 22, 2008, Global TV

Airing March 22 on Global Television, Hijacked Future warns that our current agricultural system is unsustainable - one that will be unable to support us and our grandchildren in the future. It's an increasingly fragile system that literally runs on oil – from fertilizers and pesticides, to the trucks and planes that transport food – and is vulnerable to the effects of climate change. And the source of our food – seeds – is being hijacked by a handful of corporations from the farmers who have for millennia, grown and saved them.

"Global Currents" With Host Kevin Newman Returns With New Episodes Saturday, March 22 - 7pm ET/PT On Global Television

This information was sent to me via Planet Friendly. You can sign up for their newsletter. Excellent source of eco-info.
http://planetfriendly.net/calendar/events.php?id=8584

For more information about this must see documentary, here is their website:
http://www.hijackedfuture.com/

So Much For Spring, at least in my neck of the woods...

Yesterday was filled with the promise of Spring. Mother Nature provided a day of hope to us impatient gardeners, only to pull the rug out from under us today, with so much snow falling, that this garden blogger can`t see the mailbox from the house.
Now don`t get me wrong, I`m not dissing the Mother as she has her perrogatives. It`s just that like most of you, reading this now, and still living with a world of white stuff on your garden, are getting just as eager as I am to get into the garden.
Can you blame me?! ; )

When In Doubt, Dry It Out!! Houseplants that is…

Whether you grow mother in law’s tongue, orchids, African violets, or a ficus, your houseplants are going to need water, but take care not to overdo it! Like the title suggests, if you suspect your plant is suffering from too much of a good thing, ease back with the water.
Many people associate water with care, however, watering plants on a daily basis, when the plant doesn't need it, or if the plants are in containers with no drainage holes will only result in a death by drowning.
Roots need oxygen, just like we do. If roots sit in water overlong, they’ll rot. If your plant has been over watered in the past, then let the plant dry out and vow never to over water again.
How do you keep from over watering? Sure, a Peace Lily will need more water than a cactus, and it will do one spectacular fainting act if you don't give it water, but to keep on the straight and narrow, there are some rules of (green) thumb.
First of all, don’t believe everything you see. Stick your finger in the soil about an inch or two below. If it’s still moist, let it go a day or so. Some pots and potting soil hold water better than others but will look dry on top. Sandy soil will dry our far quicker than peat-based soil mix.
Some people also use little watering indicators that you stick it in the soil. If the plant has enough water, the little dial tells you, and likewise if it’s dry. Unfortunately though, I’ve found out that these are just gimmicks and stop working after a few months.
Generally, I water plants once a week, but only if they need it. My corn plant, or Dracaena, only gets water once a month, but it’s a good drink, not just spillage from the watering can! If plant is blooming or setting buds, I'll water a little more often to keep up the plant's strength. When it's winter, I'll water less, but depending on the humidity in your house, the warm dry air can dry out the soil quick.

Some plants prefer different watering methods. Orchids and African violets like to be watered from below, which means putting water in the saucer, not from the top. Both are prone to leaf spotting and crown rot. Let the plant stand in the water-filled saucer, or even the sink, depending on the size of the pot, for about a half hour, then drain excess off. Others prefer watering directly on the soil. Always ask questions when you buy a plant. The seller is usually happy to share their knowledge.
Fertilizers in the water help the plants because frequent watering leach out nitrogen from the soil. In most cases, depending on the plant, fertilize once a month. Using fertilizer every time you water the plants builds up salt in the soil, which eventually kills the plant if not leached out.Hope that helps you keep your plants happy and healthy! So remember, a good drink when the soil's a bit drier is best for most!

Image of watering can and design by : Nicolas le moigne from Switzerland. http://www.designboom.com/contest/view.php?contest_pk=6&item_pk=1807&p=1

Gardening Trends For 2008

Gardening Trends for 2008, In my own humble opinion.....

1. Home Vegetable Gardens:

Due to the ominous downturn in the economy and the growing concern of chemicals used by food manufacturers, there is resurgence or renaissance with cuisine gardens. Food and gasoline prices are going up, so reliance on domestic plantings as a food source will become the norm. Gardening, for some time has been considered more of a hobby, but will become more important as people develop into a more cautious attitude about what food they eat and where it comes from.

2. Kitchen Herb Gardens:

Indoors and outdoors will become a source for this type of garden, which will be small in size, but intricate and including unusual items. These flavourful gardens will continue to become popular as people learn how vast the choices are for herbs in which to grow and use in their food.

3. Garden Rooms:

Rooms out of doors will continue to pick up steam and people will spend more time entertaining with friends and family at home. Replacing travel with a new home patio, barbecue pit, pool, and other landscaping options is already becoming popular for a lot of folk. House decks will be utilized to the fullest and individuals will create their own version of paradise with the use of exciting new varieties of plant material, variety of planters, and weatherproof decor.

Horticultural Societies in Canada

Not just great info, but tons of eye candy too!

Alberta Native Plant Council
Conserve Native Plants Society
Friends of Glencoe Cove
Native Plant Society of British Columbia
Native Plant Society of Saskatchewan
Bond Head and District Horticultural Society
Calgary Horticultural Society
Canadian Hemerocallis Society. - Canada's national daylily society
Canadian Iris Society
Canadian Peony Society
Communities In Bloom - Canadian beautification program
East York Garden Club - Horticultural organization in the community of East York in Toronto Hensall Horticultural Society -concerned with the environment.
Herb Society of Manitoba - The Manitoba Herb Society
Metro Moncton Horticultural Society
Ontario Horticultural Association - Provides information, organization, and networks for Ontario gardeners.
Ontario Horticulture
Ontario Regional Lily Society
Ottawa Horticultural Society
Ottawa Valley Rock Garden & Horticultural Society
Parkhill Area Horticultural Society
Pelham Horticultural Society
Saskatoon Horticulture Society
Vancouver Island Rock and Alpine Garden Society

Looking for a Career in the "Green"?

Then this site is a must to check out.... (Canada's Green Job Site Since 2001)

Jobs, contracts, voluteering, internships, opportunity...All within the green industry.

http://www.goodworkcanada.ca/

Everything You Wanted To Know About Composting...and then some!

Included in these links is everything from, how to build a composter, what should and shouldn’t go into it, and even how to make compost tea. Enjoy!

http://www.rrfb.com/pages/compost/Complan.html

http://www.bluegrassgardens.com/how-to-build-a-compost-bin.htm

http://extension.missouri.edu/xplor/agguides/hort/g06957.htm

http://www.gnb.ca/0009/0372/0003/0010-e.asp

http://www.environnement-canada.ca/envirozine/english/issues/15/any_questions_e.cfm

http://www.compost.org/ICAW2007_events.htm

http://www.binsforcompost.com/howtomakecompost.htm

http://www.ottawa.ca/city_services/recycling_garbage/compost/home_en.html

http://www.ec.gc.ca/education/default.asp?lang=En&n=BAE2878A-1

Happy St. Patricks Day, even if you aren't Irish!

I found this brainteaser at: http://www.funbrainteasers.com/brain_teasers_collection_1/find_four_leaf_clover.htm

Have some fun and find the Four Leaf Clover for Good Luck!

Spring arrived today!

Well at least in my mind it did. As I waited outside for my son to arrive home on the school bus, I wandered around the driveway, (what little there is of it, considering the amount of snow), and happened upon a small patch of driveway below the ice and snow.
Every year I seem to go through this ritual of seeking signs and evidence that the earth actually exists beneath all that cold white stuff.
While the patch of ground I saw is no larger than the size of, perhaps a toilet seat, it was enough to make this gardener smile.
I guess it's true what my mom always used to say..."small things amuse small minds" ; )

Steps To A Great Garden

Steps to a great garden

1. Find the Right Spot.
Gardening is all about finding the right location. A spot in your yard with full sun (at least 6 hours is best), well-drained soil, and one that's within easy reach of the house is perfect.

2. Improve with organic matter.
Grass clippings, leaves, compost, manure, hay and straw each fall should be applied. Laying down 1 to 2 inches of good compost before planting will keep weeds down and your garden happy, no matter what you're growing.

3. Create raised beds.
By mounding a patch of soil and flattening off the top, soil in raised beds warms up and dries out faster in spring and is easer to work with. This can be done each spring or make the beds permanent by framing them with rot-resistant wood or stone.

4. Cultivate known crops.
Food you and your family love to eat such as bush beans, lettuces and tomatoes are some of the easiest vegetables to grow. Don’t grow what you won’t eat!

5. Opt for proper Varieties.
Grow vegetables and fruits hardy to your zone. Check with local garden centres and fellow gardeners to find the best varieties to grow.

6. Purchase Transplants.
For the beginning gardener, purchase as many vegetables as possible as transplants from the garden centre. Seeds are necessary for some crops, such as beans and radishes, but transplants of most other vegetables like kale, lettuce are more likely to be a success.

7. Design Properly.
Design your garden with a mix of flowers, vegetables, fruits and herbs. A mixed planting is less likely to get completely destroyed by insect, animal or disease attacks.
Plant Correctly. Follow package directions and plant at the proper spacing and depth. Thin out seeded crops to the proper distance. Crowded plants become easily stressed and don't produce well.

8. Mulch.
Keep up with a constant soil moisture and keep weeds at bay by mulching. Examine plants for Insects. Inspect the garden every few days for any activity. Handpick damaging insects and place in a container of hot soapy water.

9. Relax and Enjoy!
Every gardener should take the time to sit and enjoy the fruits of their labour! A good book and and a comfortable chair are essential in the garden.

Annuals in the garden

For continual colour in the garden, consider planting Annuals.
Wherever you want easy-care colourful blooms all summer long, annuals, (or bedding plants as they are also known), will provide just that! Annuals grow and bloom for one season. Some, such as like marigolds will grow, bloom and go to seed all in one season. Geraniums, though, are really perennials that just aren't hardy enough to make it through our Canadian winters.

You can plant annuals during the spring, summer or fall, and they'll bloom continuously until the first frost. Make sure to plant them after the last frost. Check your zone to find out when is most appropriate for your area. Here in zone 4b, it’s usually towards the end of May.
Some annuals like petunias and pansy’s will tolerate cool conditions better than others. Some pansies can be planted in the fall to achieve color all fall, winter and spring, depending on your location. Don't forget to mass plant and group containers together for a focal point and and amazing effect. Visually stunning!
When you go to a garden centre, you'll see hundreds of annual flowers from which to choose. Some annuals that do well in more sun, and some perform better in part sun to shade. Cleome, zinnia, marigold, flowering tobacco, sunflower and snapdragon are all sun lovers, and some shade lovers include impatiens, begonia, lobelia and coleus.
Experiment with different colour mixtures and heights, and of course, make sure to read the labels if you're unsure whether a particular plant is right for your situation.Add some zing to your landscape. Annual flowers are stars that will perform all summer long, in the garden and in containers!
Suggestions:Plant Canna's in the centre of containers to give height. Add lower growing plants around them, and then some trailing plants to complete for a great professional look!

Gardening With Native Plants

Gardening with Native Plants

One of the most positive gardening trends is the commitment of Canadian gardeners towards organic practices in their garden. There is an increased awareness and interest by Canadian to view the natural landscapes of woodlands, meadows, and wetlands for inspiration in their gardens
There are many ecological and environmental reasons to use native plants in the garden. It makes for an increase in biodiversity, provides habitat for creatures such as butterflies, birds and other pollinators, and can become a refuge for the many native plants that are increasingly becoming rare in their natural habitats.
Using native plants helps to conserve water and eliminates the need for pesticides, fertilizers and other chemicals that we are realizing are unhealthy practices on our planet.
The benefits of native plant gardening can include less work and a beautiful garden.

Native plants have evolved here and adapted to the environment in which they grow. That means the weather patterns and the other flora and fauna that have evolved with them are equally comfortable together. These variations of adaptability to the regional environment are what make native plants so effortless to raise.

Some links of interest.

www.nanps.org/index.shtml
www.cnf.ca
www.cwf-fcf.org
www.ontariowildflower.com/links.htm
www.acorn-online.com/hedge/h-socs.htm
www.wildflowermag.com
http://www.butterflygardeners.com/ -USA

Painting of tulips makes me long for Spring...

"Ninety-Nine Tulips", a painting by Canadian artist, Karen Sloan. Link to her website http://groups.msn.com/PaintedCanvasCommunity

She must have been longing for spring when she painted this. Just the antedote I needed today so here it is to share.

Enjoy!

Orchids indoors

Popular belief is that orchid growing is too difficult and can only be done under greenhouse conditions.
The fact is that if you can grow African violets, then growing orchids will be a cinch!

Orchids compromise the largest family of flowering plants on the planet, and grow right here in Canada.
These durable plants with long blooming cycles, (up to 20 weeks), will provide a spectacular show during the winter when most indoor plants are recharging their batteries.
A friend of mine has a collection of 50 or so plants and she has told me countless times how orchids, particularly the Phalaenopsis, known to most as the Moth orchid because of the flower shape, is one of the easiest plants to bring into bloom.
Due to the foolproof nature of the orchid, it’s key to success is in the adaptability to thrive under different circumstances and conditions.
Whether it’s a bright window sill or under fluorescent lights, this orchid, with colours ranging from yellow, pink, purple, white, spotted, and yes, even striped, and it’s unusual foliage will likely become a favourite addition to your home.

My advice is to purchase from a florist or garden centre where the orchids are well cared for during their wait for you to find them. The foliage should be a solid colour of green, without spots or other marks on them.
The potting medium used is bark, peat and vermiculite. It’s best when not mushy, since this could signify rotting roots, and the roots themselves, should be firmly entrenched in the pot.

One or two orchids will demand little of your attention. Providing them with a natural east or south facing window, (never full sun, but indirect, or they will burn), or if you have the room and feel like investing more money with a fluorescent light garden stand, success will be yours with these unusual and spectacular plants.

Don’t believe it when you are told that Phalaenopsis orchids require high humidity. During winter, when the air is really dry, just placing them on a tray, atop some rocks to keep their feet dry, which should provide ample humidity.

This addition to your home should be watered on a schedule, unlike other plants that get watered by demand. Once a week, fill the sink with tepid water, with the level at half of that of the pot, and place your orchid in for one hour. Watering from the bottom, as with violets, will ensure there will be no damage to the foliage. The exception to the timing of watering is during the five or six weeks that the orchid plant has it’s dormancy period. At that time, cut your watering schedule to once every two weeks instead.

Feeding is recommended every third of fourth week. Water soluble fertilizer works best, and I suggest something high in nitrogen. All that is required is about one teaspoon to a quart.

Having said that, orchids need to be repotted at the most, every five years or so. If you feel uncomfortable with doing that, the florist or garden centre that you purchased it from is usually happy to do this for you, if you ask nicely!
Orchids are relatively pest free, but if problems do develop with mealy bugs, scale or mites, a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol and dabbed on the pest will usually fix the issue.
Once people realize that orchids are not difficult to grow, then success with these unusual beauties is almost guaranteed and will be appreciated as a beautiful addition to your home plant collection for many years to come.

Vermicomposting - Composting with Worms!

Vermicomposting is composting with worms. Very simple, really!
Earthworms to turn organic wastes into excellent quality compost. This is the best way of composting kitchen wastes. Small amounts of wet kitchen scraps are added to a large compost pile in the garden day by day can disrupt the decomposition process so that the compost is never really done. But it works just fine with vermicomposting.

Worm castings contain five times more nitrogen, seven times more phosphorus, and 11 times more potassium than ordinary soil, the main minerals needed for plant growthThe casts are also rich in humic acids, which condition the soil, have a perfect pH balance, and contain plant growth factors similar to those found in seaweed. What could be better for your garden?

In Canada, where snow covers our composter and we all make excuses as to why we are putting vegetable scraps in the landfil instead of the garden, you should know that vermicomposting cans be done year round, right in your kitchen, and without the smell!

Here's how:
Purchase a plastic storage tote from the hardware store. It is best to drill ¼-inch holes in the bottom, sides and top of the box, not just for drainage but for aeration.

The box should one square foot of surface area for each person in the household. e.g: A 2' x 2' x 2' box can take the food waste of four people.

Bedding materials can include shredded newspaper, corrugated cardboard, peat moss, and partially decomposed leaves. Worm boxes should be filled with bedding to provide the worms with a mixed diet as well as a damp and aerated place to live.
Tear newspaper or cardboard into strips before first. Bedding material should be moistened by in water for several minutes. Squeeze out excess water before adding it to your worm box.
Cover food waste with a few inches of bedding so flies won't becom a problem.

Red wigglers are the best for vermicomposting. They thrive on organic material such as yard waste and fruit and vegetable scraps.

Do feed them:

Coffee grounds or filters
Bread
Fruit and vegetable scraps
Small plant material
Tea leaves with bags

Do NOT feed them:

Bones
Milk and Dairy products
Fish
Greasy foods/Meat
Peanut butter
Pet/cat litter/feces
Vegetable oil/salad dressing

To Harvest castings, feed one end of the box for a week or more. Most worms will find their way to that side. Remove two-thirds of the worm castings from the opposite end and apply fresh bedding . Start burying food waste in the new bedding, and the worms will move back.

A couple of links to get you started! Have fun!!

http://www.vermiculture.ca/vermiculture_resources/vermiculture_resources_canada.htm

http://www.thewormfactory.net/

http://www.cathyscomposters.com/

GMO's - Declare your concern!

For generations, the world's farmers have harvested seeds from theircrops to replant for the next season. Yet this practice, which iscrucial to farmers in developing countries, is being threatened by multi-national corporations who seek to control the world's food supply.We must not let this happen in Canada.

Canadians are joining communities and countries around the world to declare their communities GE-Free Zones. If you are concerned about Canadian food sovereignty and safety and want to learn more about what you can do about it visit http://www.canadians.org/ and join the GE Free Canada campaign. To learn more about global campaigns visit http://www.viacampesina.org/.
As consumers and citizens we have enormous power to demand responsible regulations that require a precautionary approach to the release of these dangerous organisms into our environment if only we act to exercise it.
Our own government does NOT give us the choice to choose foods without gmo's in them because thet will not make manufactures of these foods label them as such. What kind of democracy is that? Is the government more concerned with coroporate profit than it is the heath and well being of it's citizens??? Makes me wonder...

Why should YOU be concerned?
Read on... Excerpt from http://www.banterminator.org/The-Issues/Introduction

"Introduction to Terminator Technology
Terminator technology refers to plants that have been genetically modified to render sterile seeds at harvest – it is also called Genetic Use Restriction Technology or GURTS. Terminator technology was developed by the multinational seed/agrochemical industry and the United States government to prevent farmers from saving and re-planting harvested seed. Terminator has not yet been commercialized or field-tested but tests are currently being conducted in greenhouses in the United States.
“Terminator is a direct assault on farmers and indigenous cultures and on food sovereignty. It threatens the well-being of all rural people, primarily the very poorest.” - Rafael Alegría of Via Campesina, an organization representing over 10 million peasant farmers worldwide.
Genetic Use Restriction Technology (GURTs) is the “official” name for Terminator technology that is used at the United Nations and by scientists. It refers to technologies that, in their design, provide a mechanism to switch introduced genes on or off, using external inducers like chemicals or physical stimuli such as heat shock (called an inducible system). This mechanism allows for restricted use or performance of transgenes. There are two tyoes of GURTs technologies that rely on the same mechanism, variety-related or V-GURTs and trait-related or T-GURTs. V-GURTs aim to control reproductive processes to result in seed sterility, thus affecting the viability of the whole variety; T-GURTs aim to control the use of traits such as insect resistance, stress tolerance or production of nutrients. The ability to switch the GURTs mechanism on or off externally would, theoretically, enable control over the viability of seeds or over traits. (Source: EcoNexus http://www.econexus.info/)

Why is Terminator a problem? The top 10 largest seed companies control half the world’s commercial seed market. If Terminator is commercialized, corporations will likely incorporate sterility genes into all their seeds. That’s because genetic seed sterilization would secure a much stronger monopoly than patents — instead of suing farmers for saving seed, companies are trying to make it biologically impossible for farmers to re-use harvested seed.
Canadian farms of all sizes save seeds and this practice is growing as the farm income crisis gets worse each year. Across the world, over 1.4 billion people, primarily small-scale farming families in the developing world, depend on farm-saved seed as their primary seed source. Terminator seeds will force dependence on external seed sources and disrupt the age-old practice of farmer seed selection, exchange and breeding - centuries of Indigenous and farmer seed variety development is the foundation of the Canadian seed stock.

What impact will Terminator seeds have on farmers?
Terminator is a major violation of the rights of farmers to save and reuse their own seeds. Through pollen movement in the first generation, Terminator genes could contaminate farmers’ crops - farmers might then unknowingly save and reuse seeds that are contaminated and will not germinate. This could also happen if imported grain contains Terminator genes.
Farmers who depend on humanitarian food aid risk devastating crop loss if they unknowingly use food aid grain containing Terminator genes as seed.

Terminator would ensure a corporate stranglehold on seeds and result in higher seed prices at a time when farmers are experiencing the worst income crisis in the history of modern agriculture. If Canadian farmers were forced to buy Terminator seeds every year, the cost would be crippling. For example, an estimated 90% of Canadian wheat is planted with saved seed – in total, the annual cost to buy this seed would be $95 million dollars.

Who holds patents on Terminator?
Monsanto has acquired Delta & Pine Land (DPL), the world’s largest cotton seed company, which jointly holds three US patents on Terminator technology with the US Department of Agriculture. In October 2005, DPL won new Terminator patents in both Europe and Canada. Also, the multinational seed and agrochemical company Syngenta is requesting a Canadian patent on its Terminator potatoes. But Indigenous potato farmers in the Andes of Peru have asked Syngenta destroy this patent.

Will Terminator stop genetic contamination?
The multinational seed industry is waging a public relations campaign to promote Terminator technology as a means to stop unwanted genetic contamination from genetically engineered (GE) plants (particularly for potential use in GE trees and plants modified to produce drugs and industrial chemicals).
Escaped genes from GE plants are causing contamination and pose threats to agricultural biodiversity and the livelihoods of farmers. For example, Saskatchewan organic canola farmers are suing Monsanto and Bayer for GE contamination (www.saskorganic.com/oapf).
Industry argues that engineered sterility would offer a built-in safety feature for GE plants because if genes from a Terminator crop cross-pollinate with related plants nearby, the seed produced from unwanted pollination will be sterile – it will not germinate. But Terminator technology is a complex system involving multiple inserted genes that all work together in a sequence. Scientists warn that Terminator will not be 100% effective. The likelihood of system failure means it could never be a reliable tool for “biocontainment”. If Terminator is used for “biocontainment” and fails, it would introduce new, dangerous biosafety risks.

Container Gardening for Small Spaces

Container Gardening: A Solution for Small Spaces

Garden enthusiast’s, who lack space for gardening aspirations, shouldn't fret because Canada’s favourite pastime is not necessarily out of range. Smaller spaces, balconies, decks, and even windowsills, will accept a container garden. This can bring great pleasure and allow even apartment dwellers to have a little piece of paradise.

Choice of containers is limited only by your imagination, dwelling space, and the size of your wallet. Clay pots, wooden barrels, hanging baskets, and urns, are all excellent examples. Just imagine, all this without the aggravation of maintaining a lawn or weeding flowerbeds! Personally, I am happy to mow the lawn and weed the garden, but this may be an exception to the rule!

As with conventional gardening, containers require suitable preparation. Space, light, access to water, and weather, must be taken into account. Restricted root space may put added constraints on your plant preferences since some are prolific in producing these over the course of a growing season. Containers may have to be stored in a protected area to keep from freezing, and tender plants may not over-winter due to exposure of colder temperatures and wind. Knowing your hardiness zone will help you identify suitable plants for your new oasis.

You can plant bulbs, seeds, or plants in your containers. Layering bulbs beneath other plants offers year-round interest, and experimenting with different plant combinations is half the fun. This strategy will help get the most show from your containers.

Consider planting bulbs for spring blossoms, veggies for food, herbs for scent, and hardy mums for fall to winter flowers. Evergreen boughs can be rammed into the soil with dogwood branches before the frost hardens the soil, which can be left in the containers all winter for a festive look. Nearly any plant can be grown in a container, (size being the main limitation), so get out and experiment!

Potting soil works better than gardening soil, which is too heavy for most containers, and fertilizing is require more often than in a standard garden because annuals and vegetables diminish the nutrients rather quickly. Drainage is also a consideration. I have used Styrofoam peanuts for drainage, which is great because it keeps them out of our landfill sites.

Not sure what to plant in your containers or how to attend to them? There are ample resources available. Books, magazines, websites, and local garden centres are all great places to start, and volunteering at a local garden club is another link to meet garden enthusiasts who are usually happy to share their knowledge.

Happily, container gardening is rather inexpensive. There are initial expenses with containers, soil, and a periodic investment in plants, but with such ranges in size and material, there is something available for every budget and taste.
Start experimenting and experience the pleasure developing your container garden, and in the meantime look for my next article about butterfly gardening!

Seed picks from Zone 4 Gardening

Understandably, winter is a part of the natural cycle, however, as much as I enjoy it, admittedly, I'm really itching for spring. I just want to get into my garden!!
To help me through the "dog days of winter" I read (and purchase) from certain seed companies.

This blogger believes in only using open pollinated seeds, (as well as other ecological gardening practices that will be talked about in future blogs), so provided below is a list of excellent Canadian sources for just such items. Enjoy!

Ontario
• William Dam Seeds - European, Oriental vegetables and houseplant seeds.. (Dundas)
• Terra Edibles - emphasis on heirloom seeds for tomatoes, culinary herbs and flowers. Organically grown seed.. (Foxboro)
• Seeds of Diversity Canada - save seeds from rare and unusual garden plants. (Toronto)
• Richters Herb Specialists - we do not knowingly buy or sell genetically engineered seeds. (Goodwood)
• Greta's Organic Gardens - organic, open-pollinated seeds, no GMO's, vegetables, flowers and herbs. (Ottawa)
• Urban Harvest Garden Alternatives - Supplies organic heritage vegetable, herb and native seedlings, seeds, soil amendments. (Toronto)
• Planetary Pride - Body care, clothing, books, snacks, miscellaneous. (Sault Ste Marie)
• Sila Nutrition - Sila Nutrition Organic Flax Products. (Toronto)
• Fairwind Farm - Naturally, from earth to table.. (Sherkston)