January is for seed catalogues
by: Linda Petite, Head Gardener
For me,seed catalogues arriving in the mail are a sure sign of spring! They are fun to browse through and very informative.
Last year I purchased SOW EASY seeds by Livingston Seed Company.
They are pelletized seeds that makes small seeds like lettuce and carrots easier to handle. Pellets are made of diatomaceous earth, the fossilized remains of diatoms and an organic insecticide. A natural food coloring maybe used, but is not harmful to the seed or the soil.
This seed is also "primed." Priming means to begin the germination process. The seed is pre-germinated, then coated in a layer of diatomaceous earth which stops the germination process until the seed is planted. Primed seed germinates faster , but has a 1 year shelf life.
What is your favorite seed catalogue?
Some of mine include
Stokes Johnny's Renees Garden | Thompson & Morgan Chiltern's Suttons Burpee | and of course the seeds that are sold to perform well in our climate are from West Coast Seeds. |
|
January To-do List
by Linda Petite, Head Gardener
![Seed-Packets](http://hcp.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/seed-packets.png) - inspect stored bulbs of dahlias and begonias for rot
- remove foliage from hellebores to improve the appearance of the plant, making it easier to see the flowers and prevent disease
- check containers under eaves for watering; they dry out faster with cold winds
- dormant spray can be sprayed on fruit trees, roses and lilacs to control overwintering insects and disease (no wind, dry weather and temperatures above freezing)
-
late January, sow seeds indoors of begonia, salvia, snapdragon, dianthus, lobelia and pelargonium
-
place your seed orders early
|
![library](http://hcp.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/library.jpg)
Update From Your Library
Painting and renovating of the "new" premises are going on at a rapid pace. We hope to get shelves in place in the next few days. After that will be a period of sorting and shelving the books. Just when that last stage is finished remains to be seen, but we will be advising our students and members as soon as the end is in sight.
In the meantime, we are not able to accept book donations. (You will doubtless realize that we have no way of knowing at this stage whether or not there will be space for them.)
We'll be looking forward to seeing you all shortly!
|