|
|
A Life Worth Living
"Eternal optimist, doting grandfather, gardener, gentle man" that is how the obituary read earlier this month, announcing the passing of Ben Henry Greuel of Sudbury, Ontario.
Reading in detail I felt drawn to a very special person whom I had never met. We had something in common and that was a love for what the soil produces.
The text explained: "Everyone knew that Ben and the garden were intimately tied and one could not exist without the other. It was no surprise that when Ben could no longer plant, he passed away after a 10-year fight with cancer."
Now when I explain that Ben enjoyed his vegetable garden in the extreme you may be tempted to think that his enjoyment from it was limited to the mere production of fruits and vegetables. In fact, no, the fruit of his labours consisted of much more than what he pulled from the vine, tree or dug from the soil. He harvested the joy that comes from a partnership with nature that only gardeners understand.
"The produce of his garden will also be missed. The first asparagus, carrot, potato, corn and tomato were anxiously awaited. When he no longer needed to feed his children, the produce would find its way onto neighbours' plates and to the local soup kitchen."
That, in my opinion, is a life worth living.
We nurture and grow, we gardeners, much more than meets the eye.
Thanks to his children for writing this message in the January 10 edition of the Globe and Mail. You made my day.
 |
|
|
February
This is the first month of the spring season that exists in your head.
The other one - the real spring - arrives with the robins and the crocus.
It is the spring in your head that I would like to address here.
The vegetable and flower garden that is going to bring you so much joy and pleasure this coming season is, in its current form, a seed. More accurately, seeds with an 's', in packets with another 's'. And now is the time to get started.
The image that you have of a spring filled with colour and fragrance and bird song starts here.
Petunias, geraniums, pansies and impatiens need to be started now in order to have them sized up for planting out come spring. If you live in Newfoundland or on the prairies you are allowed a bit of grace - start yours later this month, as your real spring arrives in early June.
If you have geranium plants in pots, sitting in a sunny window somewhere, now is a good time to strike cuttings and get them planted up. For details on how to do this click here and watch Jeff Hutcheson of CTV Canada AM ask me all of the pertinent questions as we demo this one for all Canadians.
* Be sure to shake the snow off of your evergreens, especially the heavy, wet stuff.
*Avoid using salt on your walkways and driveway - all I use is Alaskan Ice Melter. It does not hurt plants when you use it as directed, has a lower 'melting' point than salt and contains a blue marker that tells you where you laid it down. Handy, safe and Canadian, in spite of its name.
For more info on Alaskan Ice Melter
|
|
|
|
|
Communications
On the Communications front I have some exciting news.
1. The radio feature Green File that I have written and produced for 680 News in Toronto for the last couple of years is now carried weekly in Ottawa on 1310 News, in Calgary on 660 News and in Vancouver at News 1130.
Each station will receive their own customized version of the Green File and I guarantee that the information will be 100% appropriate for the growing zone and time of year relative to the radio station location.
Here are the weekly air times for each station:
680 NEWS Toronto: Listen every Thursday, Friday and Sunday
1310 NEWS Ottawa: Thursdays 11:49am, 3:49pm, 1:49am. Saturdays 1:49pm, 8:49pm, 1:49am. Sundays 12:49pm, 6:49pm, 11:49pm
660 NEWS Calgary: Thursdays 10am hour, 1pm hour, 7pm hour. Saturdays 6am hour, 10am hour, 3pm hour
NEWS 1130 Vancouver: Times to be announced.
2. My weekly Toronto Star article will be carried bi-weekly in the Brant News, Brantford Ontario. I am hoping to build the syndication of 'Mark Cullen' and will keep you up to date on that score. In the meantime I am delighted to have a voice in the Brantford market where I have many friends and where there are some great gardens and gardeners!
|
|
|
|
Hockey fans and gardeners? What? Yes, you heard right. 
Speaking in a venue with the name Mermaid sounds like a lot of fun. This is an historic place in the heart of old Windsor and I will be on stage with my good humoured friend Denis Flanagan with a colour PowerPoint presentation that will thrill and excite you. 
The Mark's Choice product development team at Home Hardware has been looking for a premium collection of vegetable seeds for years for Canadian gardeners, and we have finally found it.
February 10 - Mermaid theatre, Windsor Nova Scotia. Hosted by Windsor Home Hardware. For more information visit 
You have 2 chances to win a signed copy of my gardening book each week on Facebook. Submit photos of your amaryllis. If you have the most blooms, tallest leaves or tallest flower stalk, you could win a book. 