Mark's
Gardening Connections
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Garden Days and Education
To say that May is the most exciting month on the gardening calendar is a bit of an understatement. I find this May is the most exciting month on my gardening calendar EVER. I hope that you can share my enthusiasm.
Here is why:
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1. The Birds are Back
My tree swallows are flying outside of my home-office window to beat the band and I thrill at their sight every day.
Mom and Dad swallows are pairing up and staking their claim to nesting boxes in my 10 acre garden. I have 28 boxes to choose from: plenty for everyone. My place is like a bird-convention in Vegas. Without the gambling and expensive night shows on the strip.
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2. My daffodils are officially in bloom.
It becomes official when I cut them and start bringing them indoors and giving them away.
I have 20,000 in bloom so I can afford to be generous. The show continues for a month or so. Who needs Vegas?
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3. My veggie garden is underway.
In April I sowed over 400 tomatoes. Don't ask me why I did this: I sow what I have on hand. Can't waste a seed! But I only have room for 200 in the garden. I will be giving a few seedlings away. It is the experience that counts!
I love my time in the greenhouse this time of year, especially when the sun is shining and the wind blowing. Last week I sowed my onion sets, carrots, beets and peas directly in the garden. You can sow yours too, if the ground is thawed out.
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4. My lawn is outrageously green.
We introduced the new Golfgreen Iron plus lawn fertilizer at Home Hardware this spring, with a guarantee that it will provide a visibly greener lawn in 72 hours.
I spread 8 bags of the stuff two weeks ago and guess what, it works like magic! Exclusive to Home Hardware.
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5. "Can we use your videos?"
An executive from a Horticultural Society asked if they could use my 6 part video series at an upcoming meeting.
Each topic is covered in about 4 minutes for a total of about 20 minutes of quality viewing. To the point, catching all of the important highlights of each topic, nicely produced and shot on location at the Royal Botanical Gardens, the Toronto Star did a great job of putting our first video series together.
They are free (Click here) and include topics like 'Container gardens', 'The greenest lawn on your block', 'Attracting Pollinators', 'Water Conservation' and 'Soil Preparation'.
And if you belong to a garden club or bridge club or whatever, the videos are yours to access as you please and show to the gang. Go for it.
With credit to my friends at the Toronto Star, Premier Tech Home & Garden [our sponsor] and Mark Cullen [www.markcullen.com].
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6. Garden Days
OK, this is not happening in May, but it is big. Our second year that the Nation of Canada celebrates gardens and all of the benefits that they provide.
This year, your street can win a $1,000 Mark's Choice gift card from Home Hardware.
Details here.
Celebrate Garden Days June 19 to 21. www.gardendays.ca.
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7. Canada AM
My buddy, Jeff Hutcheson, and I have lots of great segments planned for May.
Monday, May 11th, I broadcast live from the Ottawa Tulip Festival at 7:45 a.m. [note: time and day change!] and every Wednesday after that my segment airs at 8:45 a.m.
We will be shooting in my garden, a couple of live segments from the Canada AM/Home Hardware Deck and we hope to get into the city to shoot some 'urban gardening' segments later in the month and in June. Stay tuned!
And note that you can see our videos 24/7 and read my blog weekly at www.canadaAM.ctvnews.ca/gardening.
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8. Public Events
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Am I excited that it is May?
Indeed I am.
One more thing...remember the Ride To Conquer Cancer in support of the Princess Margaret Hospital that I am participating in June 13 and 14? You have astounded me!
Almost 100 donations have come in through this newsletter. YOU have shown your generosity and I am so proud of you and my three 'ride-mates' [daughters Emma, Heather, son Ben and son-in law-Martin]. Thanks to you, we have raised almost $3,500.
And then along comes an anonymous donor who has pledged $1,200 for every additional dollar raised this month. So if you donate $25 or $50 [or whatever] your donation will be matched up to $1,200.
Not only that, but I will send you a gift if you donate $25 or more:
a copy of my book 'Lawn and Garden Secrets' book
OR a copy of the book that I wrote about WWII veteran Hugh Beaty 'Extra Ordinary' (www.shareagfoundation.org).
Donate $50 or more, and we will include 4 packets of my Mark's Choice vegetable seeds. I am delighted to do this as a way of expressing my appreciation to you. Together we can beat cancer! Just think of all of the advances that have been made in the field of medicine in a generation and you can see the possibilities. Visit my Sponsor Page.
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Things To Do in your Garden in May
Well, what can't you do? OK, I didn't mean that to sound smart.
My point is that you could easily skip your day job this month and busy yourself in your garden.
Here is a list of priorities, just to keep you focused:
- Plant. While there is still a threat of frost, you can plant all of the frost-hardy plants. Trees, flowering shrubs, evergreens, roses, perennials: you name it. Just not vegetables and annual flowers that are tender.
- Remember Mothers Day. Plant a magnolia [zone 4] to bloom each year on Mothers Day [or thereabouts]. What a great reminder to Mom that you love her! Mothers Day is May 9th.
- Sow flower and vegetable seeds. All of them [as we approach the frost-free period, which is different for each growing zone]. Consult the planting guide on my website. Check out my 12 hand-picked vegetable seeds at Home Hardware. Great taste and garden performance!
- Attract hummingbirds and bees [pollinators!]: sunflowers, cardinal flower, monarda, Echinacea and more [watch the video].
- Build up your soil. Remember that good soil is the foundation of all great gardens. Dig in a 20 kg bag of Bio Max cattle/steer manure for every sq. meter of garden. This enriches the existing soil and adds valuable nutrients and microbes. Your garden will thrive. Without it, not so much. [watch the video]
- Remove existing soil from containers, toss it in your garden [or give it away to a gardener if you live in a high-rise] and replace with quality container mix. I recommend Mark's Choice container mix, exclusive to Home Hardware. It works like magic!
- Fertilize your lawn with Golfgreen Iron Plus for a visibly greener lawn in 72 hours. Really! This is the most sophisticated lawn fertilizer on the Canadian market. Bar none. I put my name and ugly mug on the bag for this reason.
And by the way, that is a real, live weightlifter in the TV commercials. I am such a shrimp!
Have fun. Love your time outdoors, love the sun and the warmth and love connecting with Mother Nature.
Mark Cullen
Merchant of Beauty
www.markcullen.com
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Selfie Contest
Win a copy of the Harrowsmith Gardening Digest
The first 20 people to send me a selfie photo with a bag of Golfgreen Iron Plus, or Golfgreen Lawn Fertilizer, will receive a copy of the Harrowsmith Gardening Digest.
Email the photo to [email protected]. Please include your mailing address.
I will post all of the photos on my Facebook page.
Deadline for entry: May 6, 2015
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Product of the Month
Golfgreen Iron Plus
I'm so excited about this product I want to feature it again this month.
If you applied Golfgreen Iron Plus to your lawn last month, let me know what you think.
Email your comments to [email protected].
The new Golfgreen Iron Plus is an exclusive formula to Home Hardware.
With 10 times the amount of iron in our previous formula the greening effect on your lawn is extraordinarily fast. The chelated 'form' of iron in the new Golfgreen is such that your lawn will take it up efficiently and effectively. Not all forms of iron are so easily 'ingested' by grass plants! And my new iron formula does not stain patios, decks or any hard surfaces as other forms of iron can.
The new Golfgreen Iron plus still contains a slow release nitrogen formula for a greener lawn, longer. The sulphur coated urea in the new Golfgreen releases nitrogen for up to an 8 week period as temperatures rise, rain falls and microbial activity in the soil increases.
It is my view that Golfgreen Iron plus is the most sophisticated lawn fertilizer formula on the consumer market in Canada.
It is made in Canada too.
(HH item# 5024-512)
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Birding Reminders
Hummingbird season is almost here. In fact, some have already seen the 'common-to-eastern-Canada' Ruby-Throated Hummingbird. This is just a friendly reminder to not only put out your hummingbird feeders this year, but to plant for the tiny birds as well. Choose plants that are best-suited to the long-billed traveller by looking at the shape of the flower. Tubular is best and red is a bonus.
Here is a short list of plants you'll be able to easily pick up at the garden centre: beebalm, cardinal flower, red morning glory, the native yellow and red columbine, lupine, delphinium, and flowering tobacco (which you may find in red). Of course, this list is not exhaustive. Look for plants that work well with your conditions (and native, if possible). Keep your feeders filled with dye-free sugar water and clean it out once a week.
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Mark Cullen Approved Garden Centres
Congratulations to our 4 new members.
ALL of these Mark Cullen Approved Home Hardware stores carry Canadian grown, quality garden plants and an extraordinary level of customer service. While the selection varies by store and region [as it should!] I endorse them all as quality plants, many of which I grow in my own 10 acre garden.
I am proud to have my name on each of these stores!
Look for Mark Cullen Approved Home Hardware Garden Centres across the country. 22 in all!
Our Mark's Choice Growers are Sheridan Nurseries [Ontario, east to Newfoundland] and By Lands Nurseries [Manitoba west to B.C.]
New members:
Sooke Home Hardware -Sooke, BC
Wellesley Home Hardware Building Centre - Wellesley, ON B & M Home Hardware Building Centre - Olds, AB Lamonte Home Hardware - Lamonte, AB
Visit a Mark Cullen Approved Garden Centre near you.
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A Seed Library Grows in Regent Park
Libraries may be the ideal environment of the bookworm, but could they be a home for real worms too? What if libraries sprouted more than just facts, but food?
On April 14, the Regent Park Community Food Centre launched their first seed library in support of their community garden program, celebrating the start of the new growing season in conjunction with the start of the Bengali and Tamil new year.
Music, art, and dancing brought the community together to learn more about the Bengali and Tamil culture, with food as the main draw: as Ashrafi Ahmed, Community Gardens Coordinator, noted: "Food catches the people and brings them in."
Read more
(Source: Community Food Centres Canada) |
Submit Your Event Listings
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.
Send your info to [email protected] with the subject line 'Newsletter Event Listing'. Please provide a brief description of the event, along with a website for further information.
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Events from West Coast to East Coast :
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The Butchart Gardens
Brentwood Bay, BC
Spring is an exciting time at The Gardens. Come witness thousands of flowering bulbs, shrubs and trees bursting forth. It's the perfect time to take in fresh colours and to breathe refreshing scents.
More info. www.butchartgardens.com
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VanDusen Botanical Garden
Vancouver, BC
All British Classic Car Show - ABFM
Date: May 17
Time: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Location: Great Lawn.
Known as The Greatest Show On British Wheels, this annual event attracts 6,000 visitors and 600 classic cars with food vendors, brass band music, British goods vendors and lots of nostalgia for all the family.
Special Admission Prices: Adult $16.00, Senior $13.00, Child $8.00, Youth $13.00, Family $32.00, Adult Members $13.00, Family Members $26.00
NOTE: Regular Garden is open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. -- except in the area of the Great Lawn, where the special event is taking place.
More info.
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Muttart Conservatory
Edmonton, AB
Annual Conservatory Plant Sale
Dates: May 21 - 23
Cost: No Admission
The annual bedding plant sale takes place in the greenhouse at the Muttart Conservatory. Please come to the greenhouse to purchase your bedding plants.
More info. |
Compost Day at Harvest
Winnipeg, MB
Date: May 6
Time: 10:30am
Location: 1085 Winnipeg Ave.
Winnipeg Harvest and Green Manitoba invite you to a special event.
Get the dirt on green initiatives at Winnipeg Harvest this summer. Green Manitoba is supporting Winnipeg Harvest make our facility and community garden even more environmentally friendly than ever begore.
Please RSVP to Jason |
Royal Botanical Garden
Burlington, ON
Cherry Blossoms By The Light Of The Moon
Date: May 2nd
Time: 7 to 9 p.m.
Location: The Arboretum
Fee: $35 (Members 10% off)Maximum 20.
Hanami is an important Japanese custom and literally means viewing cherry blossoms. This custom has been celebrated for centuries. RBG is taking up the torch and adding cherry blossoms to our already popular Moonlight Series. It is a magical experience when the cherry blooms are out. Join us for this enchanting evening.
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Compost Council of Canada
Toronto, Ontario
Feed the Soil
Date: May 5
Time: 1pm (come early for soup, courtesy of Soupalicious Toronto)
Location: 1075 Bay St, Toronto. Meet us in the Backyard Garden
On the occasion of the International Year of Soils and International Compost Awareness Week, please join us in the backyard of the office of the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario, Gord Miller, and help us dig in and spread the Compost to Feed the Soil.
More info.
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Friends of the Central Experimental Farm
Ottawa, ON
Date: May 5. Master Gardener lecture - Rejuvenating a Tired Garden with Mary Reid. Step-by-step approach to renovate your garden.
Date: May 10. Rare and unusual Plant Sale. New and returning specialty growers and plant vendors plus new products. Master gardenders ready to answer gardening questions.
Date: May 19. Master Gardener lecture - Plant for Continuous Garden Joy with Judith Cox. Maintaining colour and creating interest throughout the seasons.
Date: May 23. Lilac Walk Tour. Take a guided tour with the Friends' Lilac Team and discover many varieties of lilacs and their history at the CEF.
More info. |
The Great Toronto Tree Hunt
Toronto, ON
On April 22, LEAF launched The Great Toronto Tree Hunt - contest to find and share the greatest trees in our city.
"The goal of this project is not only to have fun and celebrate the important trees in our lives, but also to send the message that Toronto values its trees - in all their diverse beauty", says Janet McKay, Executive Director at LEAF.
Nominations will be accepted online until May 31, 2015.
More info. |
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Ontario Rock Garden and Hardy Plant Society
Toronto, ON
Date: May 3
Time: 11am-3pm
Location: Toronto Botanical Garden, Garden Hall. 777 Lawrence Ave. E.
Beautifully grown plants, rare and familiar, from our members' gardens. Donations from well-established and respected horticultural companies. Members' seed-grown specialty plants: perennial, annual and tropical.
More info.
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The Auxiliary of Royal Botanical Gardens
Dundas, ON
Plant Sale
Dates: May 7-9
Location: Arboretum, Old Guelph Road, Dundas
39th Annual Spring Plant Sale. You will find: specialty annuals, herbs, veggies, hostas, ferns, perennials, shrubs, iris, peonies and hemerocallis from RBG's collection.
More info. |
North American Native Plant Society
Markham, ON
Native Plant Sale
Date: May 9
Time: 10am-3pm
Location: Markham Civic Centre, 101 Town Centre Blvd
Discover the wonder and beauty of native plants. The plant list and member online ordering are available at www.nanps.org. Our sale showcases hundreds of native species and introduces thousands of native plants into GTA gardens.
More info. |
Artists in the Garden
Oshawa, ON
Hearth Place Plant Sale
Date: May 9
Time: 8:30am-1pm
Location: 86 Colborne St. W., Oshawa
5th Annual Hearth Place Plant Sale. Stop by and pick up annuals, perennials and herb plants for your garden. All plants range in price from $1 to $5. All funds raised during this event support programs offered at Hearth Place - Durham Region's only cancer support center.
More info.
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Nepean Horticultural Society
Nepean, ON
Spring flower Show
Date: May 9
Time: 1-4pm
Location: Nepean Museum, 16 Rowley Avenue
Nepean Horticultural Society exhibits of members Spring flower Show. Come and enjoy a variety of flowers/plants judged for prizes by the Society.
More info. 613-228-0153 or 613-224-7184
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Annual Plant Auction/Sale
Date: May 21
Time: 6:30pm
Location: City View United Church, 6 Epworth Avenue
Annual plant auction / plant sale. Cash only. Enjoy a fun evening. Everyone welcome. Free admission. Light refreshments.
More info. 613-226-7102
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Sarnia Horticultural Society - Plant Sale
Sarnia, ON
Date: May 9
Time: 8am-1pm
Location: 1435 Windemere Cres.
35th Annual Plant Sale. Perennials, bulbs, houseplants, shrubs, containers, garden d�cor, dozens of gardening books. Healthy mature plants at bargain prices. Free advice. Donations of plants and other items are welcome.
More info. 519-332-5837
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Richmond Hill Garden and Horticultural Society
Ontario
Spring Plant Sale
Date: May 9
Time: Doors open at 9:00 a.m. and close at 11:30 a.m.
Location: McConaghy Seniors' Centre, 10100 Yonge St., Richmond Hill.
Sale items at this "Cash Only" event include: perennials & annuals; herbs & vegetables; member-grown divisions; and selected nursery grown plants. Come early to avoid disappointment!
More info.
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Canadensis Botanical Garden Society
Ottawa, ON
Date: May 11
Location: The Chambers, Ben Franklin Place, Ottawa
A fundraising lecture for Beyond the Edge: Artists' Gardens 2015
Lecture by Ken Smith, Internationally acclaimed landscape architect from New York.
More info. |
Streetsville Horticultural Society
Ontario
Date: May 12
Time: 7:30-9:30pm
Location: 2630 Inlake Crt. Community Centre
Guest speaker: Diane Greenfield
Topic: Living Life as a Gardener
More info. |
The Burlington Horticultural Society
Ontario
General Meeting
Date: May 13
Time: 7:30pm
Location: Burlington Seniors' Centre, 2285 New St at Drury Lane
Topic: Bugs, Slugs and Other Critters. Entomologist, Stacey Hickman, will explain how to use beneficial insects and natural products to control common pests in the garden.
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North York Garden Club
Ontario
Annual Plant Sale
Date: May 16
Time: 11m until sold out
Location: Willowdale Presbyterian Church, 38 Ellerslie Avenue
Perennials grown by members at exceptional prices, annuals too. Proceeds towards community outreach programs.
More info. __________________________________________
Meeting Date: May 25 Time: 7:30-9:30pm Location: The Church of St Luke Lutheran, 3200 Bayview Ave. Speaker: Marilyn Cornwell Topic: The Romantic Garden More info. |
Wasaga Beach Garden Club
Ontario
Plant Sale
Date: May 23
Time: 8am-noon
Location: Oakview Woods Gazebo (beside the RecPlex), 1724 Mosley St.
We sell out quickly so come early for a great selection of perennials and shrubs.
More info.
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Guelph-Wellington Master Gardeners
Ontario
Spring Plant Sale
Date: May 23
Time: 9am-noon
Location: R.J. Hilton Centre, University of Guelph. 384 College Ave. East
Ample parking on site. Cash & cheques accepted.
More info. 519-824-4120 ext. 56714
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Etobicoke Master Gardeners
Ontario
Plant Sale
Date: May 23
Time: 9am-1pm
Location: 8 Bethnal Avenue, Etobicoke
There are sun and shade plants from members' gardens, herbs and tomatoes for sale as well as planting tips and an advice clinic.
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West Carleton Garden Club - Plant Sale
Ontario
Date: May 23
Time: 8am - 1pm
Location: Carp Farmers Market, Carp Fairgrounds, Carp, ON
More info. |
Christ Church Stouffville - Plant Sale
Ontario
Date: May 23
Time: 9am-noon
Location: Christ Church, 254 Sunset Blvd, Stouffville
Large selection ofperennials, annuals, houseplants & planters at our indoor sale.
More info. |
Oshawa Garden Club - Plant Sale
Ontario
Date: May 30
Time: 9am - 3pm
Location: South Oshawa Community Centre, 1455 Cedar Street.
Unique garden art will be available at reasonable prices. Master gardeners will share their expertise. Plants available include: perennials, specialty geraniums, herbs, heirloom tomatoes, clematis, dahlias and many more all at unbeatable prices.
More info. |
The Hamilton & Burlington Rose Society
Ontario
Date: May 31
Time: 2pm
Location: The Royal Botanical Gardens Centre, 680 Plains Road West, Burlington
2015 Rose Show Chair and Co-Chair answering questions on: How To Exhibit a Cut Rose from the Garden. Everyone is welcome to attend. No entrance nor parking fees.
More info. |
Kids' Run for Nature
Toronto, ON
Date: June 14
Location: Withrow Park, Toronto
Jasmine and Jett have created the Kids' Run for Nature because they care about the earth and want to get kids and their families involved in their great natural community.
They want to support their environment and all the amazing species it holds while getting their bodies active and healthy and they think having a run in their local park with tons of friends and family is a great place to start!
Proceeds from the run will help World Wildlife Fund Canada protect species at risk and the spaces they call home. Jasmine and Jett are focusing their energy on animals like Polar Bears and Caribou who are threatened or endangered in Canada .
GOAL IS TO RAISE $2,000 FOR THE ANIMALS.
More info. |
Montreal Botanic Garden - Bird Fest
Montreal, QC
Come with family or friends for a fund day getting to know our fine feathered friends! With the help of an identification guide and our nature interpreters, try to find and identify as many species as possible in the Biodome's five ecosystems. Remember your binoculars!
(until May 10)
More info.
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Annapolis Royal Historic Gardens
Nova Scotia
Spring Dinner & Auction
Dates: May 24, 2015
Time: 4pm-9pm
A Community Tradition Continues! The 20th Annual Spring Dinner & Auction in support of the Annapolis Royal Historic Gardens. A spring highlight in Annapolis Royal, the evening promises great food, terrific fun, and a lot of laughs. There will be hundreds of items up for grabs, and most guests will be lucky enough to take home a treasure or two at the end of the night.
Tickets for the Spring Dinner & Auction are $40 and may be purchased until May 20 through the Gardens office (532-7018) or via the Historic Gardens Online Shop.
More info. |
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