Queen Bee Gardening

05/15/2021

Seedlings outside now for the hardening off process. This will entail gradually exposing them to sunlight and wind over the next week, and putting them into a covered space if nights are cold. It takes a lot of moving trays around! All the seedlings are looking healthy!

07/03/2020

There’s lots of colour and bees in the garden right now!

05/03/2020

I just love the baby leaves of my tulip tree - Lireodendron tulipifera.

03/04/2020

And we have lift-off! First seeds have germinated. Lavender “Scent White”, Sown on Feb 29th, Heat mat under the tray. Light added today, and moisture dome removed.

10/21/2019

If you’re looking for a narrow tree with spectacular fall colour, this sweet gum tree would fill the bill. Liquidambar styracifolia “Slender Silhouette”. Will get to over 20 ft high but stay about 5 ft wide. (Sources differ. Some say 9 ft) the tree pictured here was planted 2yrs ago as a 6 ft. Check out the Hendrie garden at RBG to see slightly older specimens.

06/26/2019

This week’s beauties. If you ever had doubts about ninebarks, take a look at how gorgeous they can be in a shrub border. Pictured are the cultivars Centre Glow, Diablo and Tiny Wine. I don’t think it would have been possible to pack on any more blossoms than these beauties did this year. And the seed heads in red are even more beautiful. The blue bellflower ( lost the cultivar name) looks great with yellow and lime green tones. And poppies are just starting to pop. There are lots around the garden from seed I scattered in the fall. It’s great to be a gardener at any time, but especially in June!

06/12/2019

A new bird has taken up residence in my garden and its song is so beautiful I wanted to share it. I think it’s a Northern Waterthrush. Can you birders weigh in and let me know?

06/11/2019

Correction
To my recent post. The plant is Asphodeline taurica.
Lutea has yellow blooms.

06/11/2019

Another great addition to my garden from Ontario Rock Garden and Hardy Plant Society Seedex. Propagated these Asphodeline lutea last year, and despite being chewed by the rabbits, they are flowering beautifully this year. Love the architecture of this plant.

09/16/2018

Tips on what to sow in September.

September is a great time to sow annuals for flowers next year - here are five that you can try.

09/01/2018

If you like to grow beans, why not grow Scarlet Runner beans? They climb, so don’t take up much ground space. They have beautiful red flowers beloved by pollinators, including hummingbirds; and these Heirloom beans taste great too!

08/25/2018

Dahlias are easy to grow, and one of the showiest summer flowers. They are very attractive to pollinators, especially Monarch butterflies. The dahlias in my garden were grown from seed. Some of these are from seed I planted this year, and some from last year. Last fall, after the frost had killed the foliage, I dug up the tubers that had formed and stored them in peat moss in the basement for the winter. A garden staple I recommend you try!

05/22/2018

What I saw on this mornings walk around my garden.

05/17/2018

More good info about bees.

Bumblebees in Ontario

Of all the bee species in Ontario, the bumblebee (Bombus species) are easy to identify with their bigger, rounder and fuzzier bodies compared to that of a honey bee. Here in Southern Ontario we have 16 species of bumble bees, of which 3 are at risk - rusty-patched, gypsy cuckoo and yellow-banded bumble bee. Bumblebees are very effective pollinators and you’ll definitely want to attract these busy bees to your gardens.

What makes them so effective? Those fluffy bodies of course! When foraging for pollen the bumblebees fuzzy bodies easily pick up and help to transfer pollen to other plants. They also perform ‘buzz pollination’ which is when the bumblebee places its upper body close to the flowers anthers and vibrates its flight muscles. This causes the pollen to be shaken from the anthers and efficiently pollinates crops like tomatoes, blueberries and strawberries. As part of the Pollinator Paradise Project we are always encouraging the community to plant native gardens to attract and support our native pollinators. Not only can they be beneficial to your own home garden, but for our local ecosystems as well.

05/07/2018

Graduation day! For those of you new to propagating your own plants from seed, here’s my tip on how to help the seedlings make the transition from under lights indoors to their outdoor life in the garden. I have the perfect spot for the first day, which is a location that’s in shade and protected from wind. I choose a day with light or no winds, and the temp today is about 15c. Before any sun reaches this spot, I will move the seedlings into the garage for the night. For the next week to ten days, I will gradually start exposing them to sun. I start with an hour or so of late afternoon sun, which is less likely to burn the plants, and increase each day until they can tolerate a full day of sun. Then, depending big on the weather, they can be planted. Be sure to check regularly for water needs, as they will dry out a lot faster in the sun and breeze. Good luck with your seedlings!

04/23/2018

Most years in my garden, the bees are out to gather pollen from the crocuses. But with the cold spring we’ve had, that didn’t happen. Yesterday I saw bees in the garden for the first time this year, finding pollen on this willow.

04/16/2018

A little cuteness to brighten your day.

Harvest mice inside the tulip
Photo: Miles Herbert

04/12/2018

Growing lavender from seed. A lot of people report this to be challenging, so I’ll share my method that has always worked for me. Most of the Lavandula angustifolia species can be grown from seed. I start them in a seeding tray ( 6” x 4”) in a fine, sterile seeding mix. At sowing time I spray the rows of seeds with a humic acid solution, which I believe encourages germination and plant health. Germination can be uneven. In the photo you can see the seedlings after one month. Keep the medium on the dry side. You can see how robust the root system is on this 1” high seedling. The roots are 6” long! Having the soil dry at transplanting time really helps avoid breaking and losing roots. Tease the roots apart very gently. The third photo shows the seedlings in their 3” pots, in a regular potting medium, to which I add some crushed volcanic rock and worm castings. I feed them a weak solution of seaweed fertilizer at transplanting and once a week until they are planted out.

04/09/2018

Plant production from seed is in full swing. I’m growing lots of lavender and other perennials this year, some annuals for containers, and my usual bounty of tomatoes and peppers. I don’t have a greenhouse, so all of this is done wherever I can find space for trays and lights around my house.

02/14/2018

What a great idea and the dogs have fun at the same time!

After the worst wildfire season in Chile's history, border collies are spreading seeds to regrow the forest by running, something they know how to do.

02/14/2018

True Love.

Singing Frogs Farm Center for Food Safety

02/13/2018

An informative piece about the relationship between tilling soil and soil health.

No-till farming started as a way to keep costs down for conventional farmers in danger of losing their land. Now it has become a subculture and a way of life for outsider farmers all over rural America.

12/19/2017

A very merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!

12/06/2017

More new research on the amazing life of trees!

11/16/2017

Before and after shots of my most recent garden project. This was a design and build project, including remediation of a former parking spot. I moved more than 10 cu yds of gravel from the periphery to create the central gravel courtyard. Plant choices were limited by the proximity of large black walnut trees. I think it turned out quite well!