Fall is on the horizon and many gardeners are taking advantage of every nice day, trying to eke out the last of the gardening season. Many homeowners and gardeners often neglect the yard at this time of year but there are still a few important tasks to take on. Fall […]
Melanie Mathieson – Gardening Guru
The year 2020 has had many new gardeners emerge. I hope they have been bit by the joy of gardening and continue on again next year. Many gardeners are often confused between the terms, annuals and perennials and understanding which plants belong in each category. The classification of plants is […]
Everyone who gardens, enjoys receiving tips and tricks to make the job of gardening a little bit easier. I offer these tips, all of which I have tried and used in my own garden, with many being part of my everyday regime. My two favourites are the first tip about […]
By now you are well into the growing season of your vegetable garden and hopefully are benefiting from the fruits of your labour. As you think ahead to what you would like to do next year, it is a good idea to take some notes of where things were planted […]
Many people probably do not know that there are quite a few black walnut and butternuts (also known as white walnut) growing in yards in Fort Frances and properties along the Rainy River. It is not intentionally being kept a secret, but many gardeners just don’t know or realize what […]
No matter when you choose to plant trees and shrubs in your yard or garden there are two very important rules to keep in mind to insure the survival and growing success of your plants. Rule #1: Prepare a million-dollar hole for a one hundred dollar tree, and Rule […]
Each fall, hundreds of millions of monarch butterflies migrate from Canada and the United States, to central Mexico, to wait out the unfavourable conditions of northern winters. Each spring, they begin the migration north and need milkweed for food along the way. Milkweed is an important source of nutrients during […]
Due to the mild winters of recent years, earwigs have successfully migrated north and established themselves in the yards and gardens of northwestern Ontario. By far, earwigs seem to be the insect that makes humans cringe the most. When mentioned in conversation, even those that have never seen an earwig […]
Part two of this column of unusual plants for the shade garden, includes descriptions on how to grow Jack-in-the-pulpit and lady slipper. Although a little less common and available in nurseries than trilliums, I strongly encourage you to try either of these plants in your garden, if you can find […]
I am always seeking unusual plant species and varieties, even with over two hundred plant species in my garden, in Thunder Bay, I never stop searching for the rare and unusual to add. Unfortunately, some of those plants always don’t survive my conditions (soil and/or growing zone) but I at […]
With the drier spring conditions this year, you may find that you are seeing some ant hills develop in your yard or garden. As I have deep sandy soils that are drier to begin with, I typically have many ant hills, but with the drought conditions in Thunder Bay last […]
It is true that weeds and unwanted plants are present in almost every garden, but there are some ways to control weeds without them getting out of hand and taking over the garden. With some patience diligence and some early attack methods you’ll soon be keeping weeds at bay and […]
