Anyone into gardening here?

[matthew]

I started a seed library for my town. The Town decided not to run it this year due to one of the library branches being under construction, so I took it upon myself to start a small one

 

[matthew]

Also, shameless plug for my garden:

Matthew Smith (@smithfarmsgarden) • Instagram photos and videos

204 Followers, 110 Following, 206 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Matthew Smith (@smithfarmsgarden)

www.instagram.com

 

[nobbie48]

I had a few scrap pieces of plastic eaves trough kicking around so I screwed them to a tall fence to use as flower boxes. The Mrs. gets to pick (and tend) the flowers, some probably vine like.

I asked a lady at the garden centre if flowers would grow in an eaves trough. She replied "Hell yes. I've got trees growing in mine."

 

[GreyGhost]

I had a few scrap pieces of plastic eaves trough kicking around so I screwed them to a tall fence to use as flower boxes. The Mrs. gets to pick (and tend) the flowers, some probably vine like.

I asked a lady at the garden centre if flowers would grow in an eaves trough. She replied "Hell yes. I've got trees growing in mine."

Eavestrough is great for strawberries. A little protection against animal attack but mainly keeps them from taking over your whole lawn.

 

[mimico_polak]

I had a few scrap pieces of plastic eaves trough kicking around so I screwed them to a tall fence to use as flower boxes. The Mrs. gets to pick (and tend) the flowers, some probably vine like.

I asked a lady at the garden centre if flowers would grow in an eaves trough. She replied "Hell yes. I've got trees growing in mine."

LoL same! Mine are their own ecosystems…until we got the scaffold…

 

[Hardwrkr13]

I have the interlock walkway done as well as some flower beds space with weed cloth and mulch down for the front of the house and walkway. Now we need to actually add trees/bushes/flowers. Local greenery place said they’d tell us what’ll grow in our soil and give options for $225 or they can give some design advice for $500. Isn’t there some group of people somewhere that just love giving design advice to clueless (cheap) people like me?

 

[GreyGhost]

I have the interlock walkway done as well as some flower beds space with weed cloth and mulch down for the front of the house and walkway. Now we need to actually add trees/bushes/flowers. Local greenery place said they’d tell us what’ll grow in our soil and give options for $225 or they can give some design advice for $500. Isn’t there some group of people somewhere that just love giving design advice to clueless (cheap) people like me?

There are some internet groups that do that. The hard part is coming up with a useful test kit to give them some info.

 

[shanekingsley]

I have the interlock walkway done as well as some flower beds space with weed cloth and mulch down for the front of the house and walkway. Now we need to actually add trees/bushes/flowers. Local greenery place said they’d tell us what’ll grow in our soil and give options for $225 or they can give some design advice for $500. Isn’t there some group of people somewhere that just love giving design advice to clueless (cheap) people like me?

Foe 10 years I volunteered with the Ontario Master Gardener's whose general mandate is to provide free advice to people on sound horticultural practices. It's mostly retried people who are lifelong gardeners with a wealth of experiential knowledge and some (or tons) of formal education. They will have a group that is local to your area (I was with the Etobicoke group) and might have some of their members who would be willing to help you out for free or minimal cost. Local Hort societies may also do this or have members who are into this sort of thing. Then you have a long-term connection with someone local to always help you out....

I know the Region of Peel had (and maybe still ongoing) a program where they gave free advice to homeowners who wanted to reduce their grass and build drought tolerant, low maintenance gardens. Your region or municipality might also have some free hort supports available as well.

 

[Hardwrkr13]

Thanks I’ll do some digging, although I’m not exactly sure where to look for these members.

 

[nobbie48]

I have the interlock walkway done as well as some flower beds space with weed cloth and mulch down for the front of the house and walkway. Now we need to actually add trees/bushes/flowers. Local greenery place said they’d tell us what’ll grow in our soil and give options for $225 or they can give some design advice for $500. Isn’t there some group of people somewhere that just love giving design advice to clueless (cheap) people like me?

I wondered if any community college students would be interested in building a portfolio by volunteering their skills.

Lee Valley used to sell soil test kits that IIRC were litmus papers.

For trees there is software that lets you know how the tree will fit in down the road. Some people plant a sapling too close to the house so it doesn't look lost on the lot. Fifteen years later it's a raccoon ladder or window scrubber.

 

[jc100]

Picked up something I’ve been looking for years. An Ontario native cactus. From Crappy Tire of all places. It’s a prickly pear variety. There wasn’t a lot of choice and they didn’t look amazing but I got one with some buds on it and will see how it does.

It’s called Opuntia Humifusa https://www.ontario.ca/document/201... Pear Cactus (Opuntia,and which bloom in June. Crappy Tire had them for $11.99

 

[LePhillou]

My anti-squirrel approach worked a bit too well!

I hear daffodils are toxic to squirrels too, is that true? ILL PLANT MORE.

 

[shanekingsley]

My anti-squirrel approach worked a bit too well!

I hear daffodils are toxic to squirrels too, is that true? ILL PLANT MORE.

They won’t eat them and will go after the tulips instead.

 

[LePhillou]

They won’t eat them and will go after the tulips instead.

alright so ill keep my netting/jute approach again next fall when i add more!
bulbs are fun and feel like very low maintenance

 

[sburns]

Picked up something I’ve been looking for years. An Ontario native cactus. From Crappy Tire of all places. It’s a prickly pear variety. There wasn’t a lot of choice and they didn’t look amazing but I got one with some buds on it and will see how it does.

It’s called Opuntia Humifusa https://www.ontario.ca/document/2018-five-year-review-progress-towards-protection-and-recovery-ontarios-species-risk/eastern-prickly-pear-cactus#:~:text=Species information&text=Eastern Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia,and which bloom in June. Crappy Tire had them for $11.99

Neat, I didn't know we had Cactus in Canada. Plus my property is all sand, this could be good for me to check out.

 

[Mad Mike]

For trees there is software that lets you know how the tree will fit in down the road. Some people plant a sapling too close to the house so it doesn't look lost on the lot. Fifteen years later it's a raccoon ladder or window scrubber.

I have that problem... a Silver Maple that promised to get big fast was attractive to the owner of the house in 1969.

Today it's got girth... about 18' circumference. Waiting for the next bad windstorm so I can turn it into firewood.

 

[sburns]

Hey, anyone know how to stop animals from eating plants?

I don't garden much, but what little I have is disappearing. I have some pots out front on the steps of the veranda. I was noticing some of them starting to grow, then they disappear, completely from the pot. I noticed this a bit last year. Only thing I can think of is some animal is eating them.

 

[Sunday Rider]

Hey, anyone know how to stop animals from eating plants?

I don't garden much, but what little I have is disappearing. I have some pots out front on the steps of the veranda. I was noticing some of them starting to grow, then they disappear, completely from the pot. I noticed this a bit last year. Only thing I can think of is some animal is eating them.

I've sprinkled some hot pepper powder/chilli pepper seeds around perimeter that helped, but need to apply after wind or rain. What are in the pots? Sometimes the chipmunks will take them out.

 

[jc100]

Hey, anyone know how to stop animals from eating plants?

I don't garden much, but what little I have is disappearing. I have some pots out front on the steps of the veranda. I was noticing some of them starting to grow, then they disappear, completely from the pot. I noticed this a bit last year. Only thing I can think of is some animal is eating them.

Put a tomato cage around them until they are established. We have to use twigs/sticks/cage to stop the vandal squirrels from burying stuff and digging up the plants. One the plants are established everything seems ok.

 

[sburns]

I've sprinkled some hot pepper powder/chilli pepper seeds around perimeter that helped, but need to apply after wind or rain. What are in the pots? Sometimes the chipmunks will take them out.

Thanks, Sunflowers.