Melanie Mathieson – Gardening Guru

By now you have your seedlings started and they are growing successfully. With a few more tips, you will get the best from these seedlings so when you plant them outdoors you will have strong plants that will get a jump on the gardening season. Now that the seedlings are […]

By starting seeds indoors you can often extend your growing season by up to ten weeks. This can be very beneficial for plants that have a longer “days to maturity” time frame. You can even start some of the newer hybrid varieties with shorter “days to maturity” time frames indoors […]

Starting plants from seed is a fairly easy task but a review of science behind seeds and of seed germination and growth will help to ensure success and may offer an answer to why those seeds didn’t germinate a few years ago. Follow the tips below when starting any plant […]

Many gardeners already know that most shade-loving plants prefer moist soils, so when a gardener encounters an area that has dry and shady conditions, it can provide a special challenge. You may have an area in your yard that is quite dry and shady because it’s under a grove of […]

The rural school students are getting in the Christmas spirit by planning and rehearsing their parts for their schools concert or activity.  This year’s school concerts/activities are as follows:  Crossroads: December 18 at 6 p.m.  Donald Young School: December 11 at 6 p.m. A holiday craft night and bake sale.  […]

Even if you have very dry soils, you can still successfully grow trees, shrubs and perennials without constant watering in the Rainy River District. The secret lies behind the concept of xeriscaping (Xeriscape landscaping), which by definition, is landscaping designed specifically for areas that are susceptible to drought or for […]

As you may have observed from your gardening experiences and past columns, plants can be fussy things. The right location, amount of sunlight and 101 other factors influence your plant’s growing ability. One factor which is very beneficial in understanding before putting that new plant into the earth is soil […]

Have you ever looked at the soil in your garden and considered it as anything more than soil? If not, you should, because there is a lot more there than meets the eye. It performs many functions that you may not be aware of and having good quality soil in […]

Dahlias are considered one of the most spectacular garden flowers as they can provide the colour and excitement of exotic species that we are unable to plant in our zone. There are thousands of varieties of dahlias that range from the showy dinner-plate size to the bright, little single ones. […]

I don’t know of one person that isn’t mesmerized when they see a hummingbird and you can increase visits from the petite hummingbird by planting a few of their favourite sources of nectar in your yard. Hummingbirds use flower nectar as their food source and like butterflies and bees, they […]

Aphids are common pests to house plants, vegetables, annual and perennial flowers, ornamental trees and shrubs. They can often be found in the garden, on trees and shrubs and sometimes on houseplants. Look for aphids on susceptible plants in the late spring. If they are present they can often be […]