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Q & A
June? Noooooo! Can't be.
Since I talked to you at the beginning of May I have been to BC, Alberta, Northern, Eastern and Central Ontario. I talked with my buddy Jason in Winnipeg this week and my son Ben in Halifax 10 minutes ago. All of us have had a very different experience with weather in the last month; Wet out west, cold up north, great long weekend for Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal, cool and wet in the Maritimes.
I am here to announce that June is 'nice weather month' across the country. Even my friend Christine Hand at Handyman Home Hardware in Conception Bay South, Newfoundland will get her wish for great gardening weather in June. Watch for the full moon June 23rd Christine! That will mark your time to plant your potatoes.
In the mean time, the questions to 'groundskeeper' [aka 'Brenda'] at www.markcullen.com come fast and furious. We are averaging about 100 questions a day right now and out of them falls this interesting pattern. In this month's newsletter I address some of the 'most asked' gardening questions. See below. And if we missed yours, feel free to connect any time. We get back to you as soon as possible with an answer that makes sense, is credible and if we don't know the answer we will suggest where you might find it.
48th Annual Cloverleaf Garden Tour
Date: June 23
Time: 10am to 4pm
Tickets: $15 available at Sheridan Nurseries and at our Marketplace.
Come explore private gardens in the Mineola East and Lakeview neighbourhoods of south Mississauga.
More info.
Historic Gardens Annapolis Royal
Annapolis Royal Rose Festival
Date: June 29 to July 7
Events, tours & activities in celebration of our roses! We have one of the largest rose collections in Canada.
More info.
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How important is weeding in early June? 
Nematodes. Dormant nematodes (microscopic-sized and naturally-occurring) are sold out of a refrigerator at your local garden retailer. Apply them now for great results but remember two key points: the ground should be wet before you apply them and you should water thoroughly after you apply them.
Welcome to June and July - hummingbird season, especially up north. Many hummingbirds have already passed through Toronto on their way to the boreal forest. Some, however, stay here where they will enjoy the fruits of our labour, provided that they can find lots of nectar-rich flowers in the neighbourhood. They love tube-shaped, bright-coloured flowers like cardinal flower, salvia, foxgloves, and the flowers of hosta. Plant your heart out! 
Easy. If you golf, you already know the secret to divot repair: a shaker bottle of sharp sand/grass seed. Keep a closed bucket of dampened sand and quality grass seed at your back door. The moistened sand predisposes the seed to fast germination. When you see a yellow spot in your lawn developing, simply scoop some of the mix on to the area and step on it. No golf shoes required. 
Not as often as you think. All plants require an exchange of oxygen at their root zone between water applications. When the soil is allowed to dry about 3 to 5 cm deep between applications of water, the pores in the soil become oxygen-charged. This is good for root development and overall plant health. 
Expand your gardening experience upwards with this unique self-watering deck planter!
Every Wednesday I post a new entry in my blog, From the Garden Shed. 
* Weekly Canada AM segment, Wednesdays at 8:40am (EST). You can also watch the segments online 
Echinacea 'Sombrero Sandy Yellow'
Do you have a 'gardening' event you would like to promote? I would be happy to include your event listing in my monthly E-newsletter. 
Date: June 5
Date: June 20
