Greetings!
Welcome to our first newsletter from the Dufferin Garden Centre. There has been a garden centre on this site since 1974 and under current management since 2000. We are true to our agricultural roots as this was originally the Rennick dairy farm.
It has been a long (and snowy) winter and we know that you are looking forward to spring as much as we are! Looking ahead in our 'gardening calendar' we see Earth Day coming up on April 22. We sometimes forget how much we depend on our environment everyday to provide what we need to live. We are becoming more and more aware about the connection between the way we live and the health of our natural environment. Earth Day is a chance to increase our awareness and to improve our surroundings by taking positive action.
As spring unfolds, it is time to re-assess our environment (including our garden) and time to get busy! Perhaps it's starting a new habit of composting, choosing to grow our own vegetables, shopping locally, or choosing an environmentally sensitive product to use on your lawn or garden. Let's give back to Mother Earth by taking care of our environment including the trees and shrubs in our garden by... Pruning! |
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Pruning
Pruning is a large subject that has filled many books. But the basic pruning principles are relatively simple. Do you have mature shrubs such as a forsythia that has become leggy, or have you purchased a new home and not quite sure how to start? We will cover the very basics of pruning in this newsletter.
Pruning can be defined as the removal of any part of a plant to encourage it to grow, flower and fruit in the way the gardener wants. The amount of pruning can vary from removing a large tree limb to dead-heading roses, to pinching back growths on young potted plants, such as geraniums to make them branch. Even cutting down the old growth of perennials in the fall is a form of pruning. To do the job well, you need to know when (in what season) to prune, what to cut away, and how to do the cutting. For most jobs, all you will need are a few simple hand tools, although power tools are sometimes handy.
Mother Nature does a great job of pruning with her ruthless winds, snow and ice storms. Weak branches die and drop, thick undergrowth kills with its dense shade. But this is a slower process and we get better results with our pruners!
Read the complete article >
As part of our Earth Day Celebrations, we will be holding a Pruning Seminar on Saturday April 19, 2008 at 11:00 am.
Pruning Links:
Pruning Tips
Plants to Prune while Dormant
Plants to Prune after Flowering
Pruning Seminar
Do you know another gardener who might enjoy this article?
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Hand Pruners
These handy tools are a must have for gardeners who rarely walk through the garden without them. A quick snip here removes a wayward branch, and snip there might yield more flowers next year.
When looking at pruners, make sure that the handle is easy to hold with a comfortable fit. As well, make sure you are choosing the right tool for the job. The Dufferin Garden Centre has a wide selection of tools from bypass pruners, ratchet pruners right up to loppers for a bigger job.
Regular
Price $8.99 - 24.99 (see coupon below)
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Pruning Sealer
This product (which also contains natural bees wax) is effective in reducing injuries caused by pruning, lawn mowers, weed trimmers, animals, wind etc.
It sets quickly and seals the wound, preventing the drying of exposed wood tissue. Products available at the Dufferin Garden Centre.
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Dormant Oil
Dormant Spray Kit is available at the Dufferin Garden Centre.
It contains a Horticultural Oil and Liquid Lime Sulphur.
It is very effect for the control of over-wintering insects, insect eggs and diseases on fruit trees, roses and ornamentals.
Find out more information and when to use it >
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Primrose flowers (Primula) are a true sign of Spring.
 They are one of the most popular of the spring-flowering perennials, blooming for weeks on end and combine beautifully with all kinds of flowering bulbs. They grow best in a lightly shaded area with rich, most soil that will not dry out during the summer months. On average, they will grow about 6" in height and spread about 8" wide. Primrose flowers are a perfect addition for a small, shaded area that might be close to a walkway or patio where you will be able to see and enjoy the wide selection of colours and different variations of flowers. These tough little plants are exactly what we (and our gardens) need to welcome Spring. Come to the Dufferin Garden Centre and choose the right colour and combination to suit your garden today!
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Garden Tip - Easter Lilies
 We all enjoyed the wonderful blooms and fragrance of our Easter Lilies during the grey and snowy days of March. The question we are being asked is can we plant it outdoors and will it bloom again? The plant you purchased last month was forced into bloom by the florists but it is possible although the success rate will vary.
- Wait until all the flowers have withered and been removed from the plant. Keep it watered and in indirect sunlight until the danger of frost has past.
- Find a sunny, well drained spot in your garden. Amend the soil
with some organic matter and plant your Easter Lily bulb to the same
depth it was in the pot.
- Add an additional 2" layer of organic mulch (lilies like sunshine but cool soil)
- When the original leaves and stem start to brown, cut the plant
down to a healthy, green leaf. New growth should soon emerge from the
base of the plant. Let the plant grow foliage the first year.
- The new growth will turn yellow in the fall and the lily plant can then be cut back to soil level
- Top dress the soil with bulb fertilizer or blood meal. Work into surrounding soil, making sure not to disturb the lily's roots
- Apply a few more inches of mulch to insulate the plant through the winter
- Remove the mulch as the weather warms in the spring.
- Begin applying a balanced fertilizer as soon as new growth appears and monthly until the lily blooms
- Be patient. It may take a couple of years for your plant to
build up enough resources to set flower buds. Easter Lilies naturally
bloom in June-July, so don't look for flowers next Easter.
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Design Tip
Let's take the tired winter urns and turn them into a bright spring colourful display! First of all, remove all the evergreens and cut them up to add to the compost heap. Next, work some good soil into the urn or pot. Do you have dogwood branches or a focal point in the centre of your display? Keep them and add real or silk forsythia and/or pussy willow branches. This gives the display height and extends your arrangement.
The plants we are adding are cool weather annuals that tolerate a wide range of sometimes harsh conditions but allow us to enjoy the first few flowers of spring. Work up some new potting soil into the container and make a nice arrangement of pansies with your pussy willows. You will have a created a sight for sore and winter weary eyes!
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Name That Bloom!
Can you name these spring bloomers? These are flowers you would see outside and inside this time of year. Please send your answers via email, we will accept either Common or Latin names! The first three entries with the correct answers will receive a $5.00 gift card from the Dufferin Garden Centre. The answers will be published in next month's newsletter.
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