Trends for Outdoor Living

Part Two of Vegetables, Herbs, Fruit & Edible Flowers in a Container

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Brilliant Ideas! Steal this One!

Growing edibles like veggies, flowers, and herbs is gaining popularity right now. Why? Because it’s easy! Edibles you grow yourself are healthier, taste better, and in many cases are cheaper than buying them at the store.

Not all of us have the space or the desire to grow a large vegetable garden. Container gardening means anyone can grow their own crops, even in a small space.  

What You’ll Need!

You just need the right growing conditions. All vegetables, edible flowers, and herbs need at least 6+ hours of direct sun every day for the best results. You will need a good soil mix – I like Fafard’s Urban Garden Container Mix (Sphagnum peat moss, black earth (humus), coconut husk fibre, Biosol compost, lime, organic fertilizers) as it creates the perfect environment for veggies and herb growing. Don’t forget to fertilizer. Try Farad’s Vegetable Organic 4-3-7 slow release fertilizer. Simply sprinkle the pellets on the top of the soil and as you water, the nutrients break down and are released to plants roots. When selecting a container for growing vegetables, make sure there are drainage holes in the bottom to take away excess water and that you cover the holes with landscape fabric so soil doesn’t seep out when you water. Make sure to water your containers daily – if not twice a day – in warm weather.  Soil needs to be moist but not wet. Just a gentle reminder, wait until frost has pasted usually after the long weekend in May before starting your container gardens.     

Here’s a few brilliant ideas for growing vegetables, edible flowers, and herbs in containers!

Vertical Tee-Pee Vegetables in a Container

You can grow vegetables vertically using just a couple simple items: a large container, soil, seeds, bamboo stakes and twine, making this perfect for a small space. Brilliant Idea! Select a container with at least a depth of 12 inches. Fill the container with Fafard’s Urban Garden Container Mix until the soil is about 2 inches from the top.  Tamp down the soil to remove any air pockets.  Take your bamboo stakes and place one stake at the north, one in the south, one in the east and one in the west locations in the container, pushing the stakes into the soil to a depth of at least 6 inches. Take a couple seeds and place them on the soil close to each one of the stakes and gently push the seeds into the soil to a depth of ½ inch then cover up the seeds with soil. Next pull the bamboo stakes together to the top so they meet and wrap them all with twine about 3 inches down. Now you have a tee-pee. Wrap twine around each of the bamboo stakes creating a web for your vertical vegetables to grow up. As your seeds grow and mature, make sure to guide the vines and stems towards the twine and if needed, tie them to the web. What can you grow in a tee-pee container? Try the following seeds for the best results:

  • Beans (bush, pole, green, or string beans)
  • Cucumbers
  • Zucchini
  • Small squash varieties
  • Peas (green, sweet or snow peas)
  • Nasturtiums
Tee Pee Containers Photo – Vertical Gardening Gardens

Veggies in a Galvanized Trough  

For the last few years, I have been using this method for clients wanting to grow vegetables. One of the greatest advantages of this method means you don’t have to dig out, fill, and cultivate the soil like you would in an inground garden.  Large metal trough gardens are gaining popularity.  So, what is a galvanized container?  Galvanizing is the process of applying zinc to steel to resist oxidation and prevent corrosion or rusting.  Livestock eat and drink from galvanized troughs all the time.  Galvanized troughs can be purchased at hardware stores or farm suppliers. If you choose to use a galvanized trough or two, you will want to make sure it is located on ground level because once it’s filled with soil and plants it will be heavy. For me, I like the trough to be a couple inches above ground so I suggest placing wood (2×4’s) or concrete paver supports under the trough. This will allow for air flow under the trough and provides a place for water to drain.  You’ll want to make sure there are drainage holes in the bottom of the trough.  You can drill or punch holes (using a quarter or half inch metal drill bit) in the bottom about 12 inches apart and then place a piece of landscape fabric over the holes to ensure soil doesn’t seep out when watering. Depending on the depth of the trough, fill about halfway with screened topsoil, and tamp down the soil to remove air pockets. Fill the remaining trough with Fafard’s Urban Garden Container Mix until the soil is about 2 inches from the top of the trough. Firmly tamp down the soil to remove air pockets. You might need to add a bit more soil once you have tamped down to bring the level up to 2 inched from the top. Now you’re ready for planting. Select vegetable seeds that are quick germinating and fast growing for the best results. Remember to place taller plants behind shorter plants so as they grow, tall plants do not shade short ones.  You can place seeds or seedlings directly into the soil. Try out these vegetables, listed by height:

  • 4-5” chives, lettuce, salad greens, radishes, basil
  • 6-7” peas, bush beans, onions
  • 8-9” carrots, swiss chard, leeks, peppers, parsley, rosemary, spinach
  • 10-12” beets, potatoes, dill, lemongrass, green beans
Galvanized Trough from Rona
Galvanized Trough available at Rona

Don’t forget to check your vegetables, daily. Trough vegetables require more water then inground vegetables so you will need to water daily (sometimes twice daily in dry conditions) for the best growing results.

The Edible Flower Container

Edible flowers in containers – okay not for everyone – however I know I spend too much money at our local store when I want edible flowers. There are many flowers that are safe to eat and many of the flowers of culinary herbs are edible. Edible flowers are great for salads, prettying up desserts, adding colour to entrees, and can be sugared. Why not try your hand at planting an edible flower container? Brilliant Idea! How to get started: select a large container as you’ll want to have enough room in your container for growing a mix of flowers. I would suggest a container at least 12 inches deep and at least 20 inches wide.  Make sure the container has drainage holes in the bottom. You can cover the drainage holes with landscape fabric to ensure soil doesn’t seep out when you water. Fill the container with Fafard’s Container Mix. This soil mix promotes 2x more blooms and requires 30% less water than most popular container mixes which is ideal for planting flowering annuals. Most edible flowers can be purchased in cell packs and transplanted directly into a container. I love Rainbow swiss chard so that would be my focal point in the middle for my edible container. Around swiss chard, I would plant a few of the following:

  • Nasturtiums (Tropaeolum majus) produce edible flowers great for salads or as decoration for entrees
  • Pansies (Viola X wittrockiana) flower petals are edible and highly decorative
  • Calendula (Calendula officinalis) edible flower petals
  • Chives (Allium schoenoprasum) the little florets of the flowers can be separated and scattered in salads
  • Basil (Ocimum basilicum) wait for basil to flower, flowers great sprinkled over pasta
  • Radish (Raphanu sativus) let radish go to flower, flowers are spicy-hot great for soups and salads
  • Rose (Rosa spp.) flower petals are edible however you need to remove the bitter white base
Edible Chive Florets photo by Hayley-Maxwell Unsplash

A few tips: remember before venturing out to harvest a bunch of flowers, it’s important to remember that some flowers are poisonous. You need to make sure you identify each variety before using and don’t use flowers that have been sprayed with pesticides or chemicals. Pick edible flowers in the morning before the heat of the day, and keep them on a dampened paper towel inside a sealed container in the refrigerator for best freshness.

Edible Pansy Petals photo by Mostafa-Meraji Unsplash

Something for the Kids!  Rubber Boot Containers

What do you do with rubber boots kids have out-grown? Turn them into vegetable or herb containers, of course.  Brilliant Idea! Wonderful, fun container gardens for kids that are colourful and easy to do. Wash out old rubber boots really well, then poke a couple holes in the sides for drainage. Fill with Fafard’s Urban Garden Container Mix to a level of about 1 inch from the top of the boot.  Tamp down the soil to make sure you remove air pockets.  Now plant with kid fun vegetables, edible flowers and herbs. Give these plants a try either from seed or cell pack:   

  • Mixed greens
  • Chives
  • Parsley
  • Pansies
  • Nasturtiums
  • Strawberries
Kids Container Gardens photo by June Admiraal on Unsplash

Cut out the toes of the rubber boots and plant with herbs like:

  • Basil
  • Parsley
  • Thyme

This is a great way to get kids outside and into the sunshine.  And who knows, perhaps your kids will be our next generation of gardeners.

Use your imagination to create amazing edible containers. Growing vegetables, herbs and edible flowers is easy and fun for everyone!

Happy Gardening

Lexi – The Gabby Gardener

Part One of Vegetables, Herbs, Fruit & Edible Flowers in a Container

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Brilliant Ideas! Steal this One!

Growing edibles like veggies, flowers, and herbs is gaining popularity right now. Why? Because it’s easy! Edibles you grow yourself are healthier, taste better, and in many cases are cheaper than buying them at the store.

Not all of us have the space or the desire to grow a large vegetable garden. Container gardening means anyone can grow their own crops, even in a small space.  

What You’ll Need!

You just need the right growing conditions. All vegetables, fruits, edible flowers, and herbs need at least 6+ hours of direct sun every day for the best results. You will need a good soil mix – I like Fafard’s Urban Garden Container Mix (Sphagnum peat moss, black earth (humus), coconut husk fibre, Biosol compost, lime, organic fertilizers) as it creates the perfect environment for veggies and herb growing. Don’t forget to fertilizer. Try Farad’s Vegetable Organic 4-3-7 slow release fertilizer. Simply sprinkle the pellets on the top of the soil and as you water, the nutrients break down and are released to plants roots. When selecting a container for growing vegetables, make sure there are drainage holes in the bottom to take away excess water and that you cover the holes with landscape fabric so soil doesn’t seep out when you water. Make sure to water your containers daily – if not twice a day – in warm weather.  Soil needs to be moist but not wet. Just a gentle reminder, wait until frost has pasted usually after the long weekend in May before starting your container gardens. 

   

Fafard's Urban Garden Container Mix Available through Ego's Garden Center Online
Fafard’s Urban Garden Container Mix is available at Ego’s Garden Center Online
Fafard's Vegetable Garden 4-3-7 Fertilizer Available through Ego's Garden Centre Online
Fafard’s Vegetable Garden 4-3-7 Fertilizer is available at Ego’s Garden Centre Online

Here’s a few brilliant ideas for growing vegetables, edible flowers, and herbs in containers!

Strawberries in a Hanging Basket


Hanging Strawberries photo by Soo Ann Woon on Unsplash

Love strawberries but lack space? Try strawberries in a hanging basket. For the best performance, try a couple different varieties. June-bearing strawberries produce fruit in early summer whereas ever-bearing strawberries produce fruit mid-summer through to frost. Plant one hanging basket of each variety and enjoy strawberries throughout the summer. Fill hanging baskets with Fafard’s Urban Garden Container Mix to about 1 inch from the top of the basket. Using strawberry starter plants, place plants around the hanging basket leaving enough room for each to grow.  You will need between 5-6 starter plants per hanging basket.  Make sure plants roots are buried in the soil, hang the baskets in a sunny location, and check them daily, watering when needed. You will know when it’s time to harvest because the berries will have turned red.  

Potatoes in a Bag

If you like potatoes, and who doesn’t, try your hand at potatoes in a bag.  A simple way to get home-grown produce.

Start with a potato bag (can be purchased) or a burlap bag, and place 6 inches of soil in the bottom.  For soil I would use Fafard’s Urban Garden Container Mix. Plant 3-5 seed potatoes (mixed potato varieties are okay) in the soil, evenly spacing out the seed potatoes and cover with 3 inches of soil.  At this stage, you don’t need to water.  Overwatering can rot the seed potatoes. Once the foliage emerges, you can water daily when the soil is dry. The idea is to keep the soil consistently moist but not overly wet. When the foliage and stems of the potatoes reach a height of 12 inches above the soil, it is time to add 6 more inches of soil (this is called hilling) around the base of the plants – it’s okay to cover the lower leaves and stems with soil. Mix a couple tablespoons of Fafard’s Organic Vegetable Fertilizer in with the hilling soil for added nutrients.  Continue growing until the potato stems and foliage are once again 12 inches in height and add another 6 inches of soil around the base of the plants. At this point you should have about 18-20 inches of soil in the bag.  Continue to grow until the plants start to wilt and the leaves have turned brown. It’s time to harvest your potatoes. If you are using a burlap bag, you can simply cut down the side of the bag and harvest your crop. Enjoy!

‘How-To’ Plant Potatoes in a Bag from West Coast Seeds

Lettuce in a Barrel

‘Grow Your Own Salad’ photo by Mike Kenneally on Unsplashs

Salad greens and loose lettuce in a barrel (or large container) means you get fresh produce over-and-over. Lettuce is quick growing, takes up little room, and is delicious. Here’s how it’s done. Take a large barrel – you need at least 12 inches of soil for best results – fill with Fafard’s Urban Garden Container Mix to about 2 inches from the top of the container and tamp down the soil to get out air pockets. Take a pinch of lettuce seeds and sprinkle them over the soil thinly and evenly – you don’t want too many seeds in one area. Cover the seeds with a fine layer of soil about ½ inch in depth, and very gently firm down the seeds and soil. This ensures the seeds come into direct contact with soil. Carefully water the newly planted seeds using a watering can – you don’t want to wash the seeds around. Move to a sunny location. You will need to check on your seeds, daily.  Make sure you keep the seed bed moist, not wet.  It will take about 5-10 days for them to germinate.  When the seedlings start at appear and are about 1-2 inches in height, you will need to thin them out. Remove some of the seedlings until there is about 2 inches between each of the plants. Brilliant Idea! You can use the discarded seedling to start a new container garden. Keep watering and check your plants daily. In about 4-6 weeks you will be rewarded with a lovely crop of lettuce.  Use a sharp pair of scissors and cut away the largest outside leaves every couple of days.  This will stimulate new leaf growth. Start a second container (or even a third container) of lettuce a few weeks after the first container for a continuous supply of summer lettuce and salad greens. 

Use your imagination to create amazing edible containers. Growing vegetables, herbs and edible flowers is easy and fun for everyone!

Lexi

The Gabby Gardener

Children’s Garden. Finding Outdoor Joy!

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“You can design and create, and build the most wonderful place in the world… but it takes people to make the dream a reality.” Walt Disney

Are Children’s Gardens a thing of the past?

Sometimes I wonder if ‘gardening’ is becoming a lost art. In today’s world you can build your own virtual garden, grow your own virtual vegetables, feed your virtual animals, and slay the Fire Breathing Dragon. Where does gardening fit in? If this is today’s reality, we really need to be creative to draw children outdoors and into Nature.

Butterflies Flutter & Dance

In many of our new landscape projects, backyards are being gobbled up with stonework, pools, and decks. So where is the space for flowers and vegetables?  The children’s garden?  The garden where fairies come to dance on the petals of dewdrop flowers, where toads come to reside in the dark corners, where birds come to feed on nectar sweet blooms, where little fingers dig in the soil, and where nature comes alive.

A thoughtful children’s garden design creates excitement, it stimulates young minds, provides mystery, and is a place of discovery. Outdoor Joy!

It’s all about creating opportunities. To touch, see, do and be creative. To learn from nature. To learn from each other in play. For families to be able to use their outdoor space for ‘together time’.

Designing for Children. Little Fingers. Big Ideas.

Children learn with their senses. All of them. They want to touch the pretty flowers and soft leaves; smell the fragrant blooms; and watch the dancing butterflies. They will slay the Fire Breathing Dragon with their buddies, play Hide & Seek with neighbour friends, and dig holes in your backyard to create a great hideout. At least they did in my backyard. They will watch bees gather pollen from blooming flowers from a safe distance.  You can plant a few veggies in patio containers so kids can feel the wonder of watching seeds spout.  Hang baskets of strawberries from decks or trees just to see kids sneak the strawberries.  Plant fruiting shrubs like blueberries for late summer harvest. Grow pumpkins and watch the magic of the curling, twinning vines and huge yellow blooms become pumpkins.

Rubber Boot Containers

Not all kids want to run around, some just want to watch and read. Create a great viewing location for ‘watching the world go by’.  It’s okay to be an observer.

Children get bored easily so create areas for them to move from place to place. A chalkboard mounded on a wood fence, a sandbox beach, or a tree swing.  They can make music with pots and pans, blow bubbles, add worley gigs to their gardens for colour and movement, build a toad house, feed the birds, or just lay in the grass and look up at the sky.

If you’ve ever walked through the mall with a child you know, kids can’t just walk in a straight line, they’ve got to skip, and dance, and jump. All that energy has to go somewhere.  Driveways are great for hop-scotch made with sidewalk chalk, a low spot in the yard becomes a great place to jump in a puddle in your rubber boots after the rain. Build a fort in the backyard with lawn chairs and blankets, put up a tent, or construct a simple a raised deck as a stage for dancing and singing – and of course a classic – a simple lawn sprinkler on a hot day and a couple kids in bathing suits.  What could be more fun!

For your peace of mind, ensure you have clear sight lines to watch children play. We want kids to be safe, so keeping an eye on children at play from the house (or a lounge chair) is part of a great landscape design.

It’s All Child’s Play

If you want to create a great outdoor space for children … Think like Them. Children see the world in simple terms so ‘Keep it Simple’.  Give them flowers. Give them space. Give them the joy of being Outdoors.  

 

Trends for Outdoor Living in 2018

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Artic Fire Dogwood | Proven Winners

Winter Berries of Bittersweet Vine

 Seasonal Interest

In any area with snow, winterscaping is an important element for a great landscape design. A garden space in the winter without visual interest can feel very dreary. Select plants to brighten up the long cold season. Brightly coloured stems and fascinating seedheads can liven up even the most dull snow day. Consider selecting plants and combinations for their hardiness, colour, and texture. The fiery red stems of a Red Cornus (Osier Dogwood) against white snow; the peeling golden bark of a Betula (River Birch); feathery brown seedheads of Miscanthus (Japanese Grass); or the bright red berries of Celastrus (Bittersweet Vine) placed along a fence.

Tall majestic evergreens like Picea pungens (Blue Spruce) or Pinus strobus (White Pine) covered with snow, create a winter wonderland in a backyard. You don’t need a vast array of plants to provide winter interest.  Just a few well-selected plants placed in the right location will create a beautiful winterscape.

 

Brown-eyed Susan

Wildlife Habitat

Creating a wildlife habitat at home will be trending again in 2018. With big homes on small lots, landscape designs tend to feature hardscaping (stonework) and less plant materials, there is little thought given to the needs of local wildlife. However this doesn’t have to be the case. We can create beautiful landscapes and gardens while meeting the needs of our wildlife friends. It really is a matter of choice. Select plants that produce berries and seeds, and plants that produce flowers heavy in nectar and fragrance. Adjust your plant selections to support a wildlife habitat.  Many of our indigenous plants will provide food for our feathered friends. Consider Tiarella (Foamflower), Asclepias (Milkweed), Rudbeckia (Brown-eyed Susan), Echinacea (Coneflower), Monarda (Beebalm), and Geranium (Wild Geranium) as a few easy-care, low maintenance wildflowers for your summer garden.