WHERE TO START
The best way to decide what makes the cut in your garden bed is figuring out what you like eat! Go look in your fridge right now and see what veggies you like to stock. You won't be able to grow all the things found in the grocery store, but there are many options of easy growing vegetables. There are also fruit options, however these can take more space to grow, and time for them to establish and produce fruit, therefore growing fruit is not covered in-depth in this guide.
At The Botanist one of our main seed suppliers is Westcoast Seeds. Check out their site for a robust resources including the gardening guide published every year. They have also broken it down into vegetables and flowers, making it easier to follow. We also carry unique or hard to find varieties like Strathcona 1890, Piccolo or RT1 Home seeds.
We pre-select seed varieties that grow well in Calgary, with plants that either mature quickly, are hardy to our area, or are disease resistant. We have broken them down into categories on our website:
There are also ornamental plants, seeds, tubers and others available on our site.
There are 3 options to get growing:
-
Grow from seed inside
2. Buy seedlings
3. Direct sow outside
Benefits to grow from seed are wider and more unique seed selection. Can save money over time, however there is cost to getting the initial start up. Disadvantage of starting seeds is that it can be more labour intensive, takes space and needs time/attention in the younger stages.
Although some gardeners may say buying established plants is cheating, it can be a great way to get some small wins for a new gardener.
Buying established seedlings is an absolute advantage for the busy gardener. You will be limited to what the greenhouses choose to grow. There will still be an overwhelmingly large amount to choose from. We recommend to do a bit of both. As well some plants don’t need to be grown inside first you can direct sow the seeds outside when timing is appropriate see quick list below for examples.
Easy to start by direct sowing:
- Beets
- Carrots
- Bush beans
- Peas
- Lettuce
- Spinach
- Kale
- Zucchini
- Squash
- Radish
A little more work :
- Tomatoes
- Peppers
- Celery
- Eggplant
- Onions
- Leeks
- Garlic
Some important terms for seed starting are direct sowing, seedlings and transplanting. Please refer to our garden lingo guide on our last pages.
WHERE TO GROW
It will be important to determine where your garden will be. Then you can figure out how much to fit in you garden.
- Balcony
- Yard
- Community garden plot
- Farm rental plot
- Friends yard
You can grow food indoors all year round, but to partake in outdoor gardening, you will need an outdoor space.
Balconies
The can vary greatly in size some even allowing space for small raised garden beds, but mostly you will be growing in containers. Opt for containers on the bigger side for more moisture holding ability. Terracotta pots or grow bags are an inexpensive option for container or opt for nice ceramic ones for better visual appeal.
Yard
Whether you are renting or own yards can be maximized for full growing potential. As a renter it’s best not to invest too much money in perennials unless you plan on staying for awhile, stick to annuals! Highly recommended to do your sun chart for yards so you can get a good idea on lighting and be able to plant accordingly. Calgary soil is clay heavy and will take several years to amend in ground garden beds, building raised garden beds for edibles is a great idea.
Community Garden Plot
For those that don’t have a yard or a balcony we highly recommend to find a local garden. Try to find something close to home so it’s not an inconvenience to get to. This is a great way to meet other gardener and also lean on people for advice or help with watering if you go on vacation. These are usually beds around 4 x 8 feet in size so planning of space is crucial. A technique called square foot gardening can be used to maximize growing space. Be sure to check it out!
Farm Rental Plot
Maybe not the best for a newcomer gardener, but we wanted to include it in the guide. If you really want to get big yields this is the way to go. You can even share the plot with friends to lessen the work load as there is always plenty to share. You will not want to use any planting techniques used for small spaces or urban gardening. Space plants enough to be able to use stand up tools to help with the low back soreness! We love our plot at Crittenden Farms check availability for the season.
Friends yard
You may have a friend or a neighbour that isn’t using their yard or growing space. Usually if you share some of your harvest with your friend they are more than willing to let you use the space.
GARDEN PLANNING
Planning your garden can be beneficial to map out the correct plants for the space, the light and generally what you want to grow in you garden. It can also take a few years to get everything growing, maturing and also to help break up the costs. It can be a big project to do major garden upgrades so breaking it up over time season to season can help. We love using our garden journals as well to write down plans, things that have been planted and other general information that would be important to remember. We love the Garden Journal with Plant Labels or The Sunflower Garden Journal
Sun Chart
To help determine what plants go where, figure out how much sunlight your garden bed receives throughout the day and then plant full sun, part sun, and full shade groups accordingly. If you are unsure how much sun your area is receiving, take a day to chart the light. Starting in the morning, observe every few hours and take note of the strength and duration of sunlight. For example, if in the morning the bed is getting full sun and in the afternoon it is in the shade, you would determine that the bed will receive partial sun or shade.
In-ground gardening in yards is the best option for planting perennials. This protects the plant's roots over the winter and they tend to hold more moisture. In Calgary our soil is very clay-like and it can take several years to amend the soil (adding to the soil to improve its growing abilities). Azomite is a great mineral and trace element amendment to can help reduce the compaction of clay soil over time. It double as being very great supplement for plants.
Raised beds offer a few benefits such as complete control of what soil you use, and easier access to the garden, requiring less bending over. Some perennial plants can overwinter in raised beds, but not always, so choose wisely. Gardening is about experimenting though so it never hurts to try!
Container gardening is the only way to garden on patios, however many people with yards can still utilize containers as they have a nice visual appeal and can be moved. The biggest thing to remember with container gardening is moisture. Containers must be watered more frequently than in-ground and raised bed gardens. For continued health of plants, pots with drainage are best. If there is no drainage in the pot, be mindful of overwatering or heavy rains which can lead to issues. Check out the Doug Garden cedar box kits here!
Soil
Let's talk briefly about soil, although it deserves its own guide! Growing your plants in nutrient rich soil with good drainage is key. Drainage refers to water holding capacity and particles in the soil that create space in the soil for air and reduce compaction of soil over time like bark, LECA (lightweight expanded clay aggregates) , perlite and more. For smaller projects you can get potting soil at plant stores (check out our soils and more here) , for larger projects look into bulk options through a local supplier. In Calgary, companies like Eagle Lake Nursery or Site One Landscape Supply are good options.
HOW TO GROW
Starting Seeds, Buying Seedlings and Direct Sowing
Seed Starting Checklist
- Seeds
- Medium
- Trays or vessels for planting- 10"x20" tray, 2.5" square cells or 6 cell inserts
- Grow light
- Humidity Dome
- Misting bottle
Read Seed Pack
Check how many days to maturity they need. Anything that is over 60 days will typically need to be started inside. Work backwards from last frost day ( May 21) and start accordingly.Some flowers and other varieties can take up to 100 days to maturity so these plants need to be started inside to be able to enjoy their blooms in spring. If they are cool season crops you will want to time the transplant for spring, where as warm season plants will need to be transplanted much later. Mark when you should be starting the seeds in your calendar. On average, Calgary's frost-free growing season is 117 days, from May 21 - September 16.
Sowing seeds
You will need :
- Tray with no holes
- 6 cell, 4 cell, seed starting pots or some other containers with holes
- Seed starting mix
- Mister & watering can
- Humidity dome
- Watering can
For your growing medium or soil we recommend a seed starting mix. These are light, fluffy soil mixes with no large particles to obstruct baby seedling roots. For trays and vessels our favourite brand is Bootstrap Farmer. There are many shapes and sizes you can get.Standard size is 10" by 20". Also available in 10" x 10" and 5" by 5".
Depending what size tray without holes you choose will dictate how many cells or pots it holds. Here is the following combos:
10x20
- 6 cell trays x 12
- 4 cell trays x 8
- 2.5" seed starting pots x 32
- 5" seed starting pots x 8
10x10
- 6 cell trays x 6
- 4 cell trays x 4
- 2.5" seed starting pots x 16
- 5" seed starting pots x 8
5x5
We do not recommend using these for seed starting only microgreens or propagation.
Grab your soil and either pre moisten the seed starting mix then fill your inserts. You want a "Goldilocks" amount of soil moisture - Not too wet, not too dry. Don't press or compact the soil, just fill to the rim of insert (some soil will settle).You could also fill the trays with dry soil, lightly compact and then water in seeds. The soil will settle if it has not been pre-moistened.
Seeds come in different sizes, and the smaller the seed, the closer to the surface they need to be. Likewise, the bigger the seed the deeper. The general rule of thumb is to plant the seed as deep as it is large. Seed packages always specify planting depth guidelines. Small seeds like basil, salad, and carrots work best planted almost on the surface of the soil, or with a light dusting of soil over top.
To ensure that each planting hole grows a plant put 2-3 seeds per hole. After sowing the seeds at the right planting depth, take a spray bottle and moisten the seeds thoroughly. It's important that seeds do not dry out while they are germinating - it is crucial they remain moist. Make sure the spray is not to strong so it doesn't blast away the seeds. After moistening the seeds, place a humidity dome over them. This helps preserve moisture and prevent the seeds from drying out
Once you see the baby seedlings popping up they will need to be introduced to lights. We recommend grow lights and not windows to develop strong seedlings. Check the seedlings twice daily to ensure everything is germinating properly. Once they have germinated and produced their second set of leaves, thin back the weaker seedlings.
When seedlings are established and ready to go outside, make sure you harden them off properly to ensure their success in the garden. This is weather dependant.
When buying seedlings/things to look for
- Bring your list
- Shop early
- Check for healthy plants
Make sure you have brought your list to the garden centre. We can't stress enough how important it is to stay organized, especially when you don't have much space! However, there's always room to add something fun that catches your eye to your cart - this is half the fun of going plant shopping.
All the best stock will get picked over if you wait too long to purchase. Get your shopping done before the May long weekend and plan to plant around then as well for most varieties. You may need to keep some plant babies inside until they are ready to go so plan for that!
When buying seedlings, checking for healthy plants is the single most important thing. The healthier the plant is initially, the better it will grow for you. It's common to want to buy the biggest, bushiest, in-bloom plant. However, these aren't always the best choice. Plants don't like being transplanted when blooming and bigger plants are often root bound, which can stress them during transplanting. Some root tips poking out of the container bottom are okay, but large protruding roots are a sign of being root bound. Plants with healthy green leaves are best - even if the plants are smaller gravitate towards these. Healthy plants will grow quickly once transplanted.
Transplanting
Location, timing, and weather are important factors. Different plants need different amounts of sunlight. The amount of sun plants need will determine what plants you can grow in your gardening space. For example, if it doesn't receive much sun, you will have to grow plants that are more shade tolerant. Planting tags will tell you if plant needs full sun, part sun, or full shade.
- Full sun 6+ hours
- Part sun 4-6hrs
- Full shade 2hrs or less
Avoid transplanting in the midday sun as this can stress plants. Remove plants out of vessels carefully, gently handling the root ball to to minimize any root damage. Using a trowel, dig a hole deep enough to fit the shape of the plant's root ball. Best practice is to sprinkle some Gaia Green 444 and worm castings into hold then place the plant. Gently backfill the soil around the plant, finishing off by gently patting down the soil around the base of the plant. Don't push too hard, just enough to firm up the soil and avoid compaction. Transplanting is finished off by watering the plants in. Young plants will need more attention in the beginning so check them everyday for at least a week until they have established
Direct Sowing
Probably one of the easiest ways to garden. The drawbacks are going to be later harvests. Not all seeds can be directly sown into garden because they have very long maturity days sometimes up to 100 days. In Calgary we just don’t have that kind of growing time.
On the flip side if you were wanting to get a head start on the garden and decided to sow seeds inside to transplant later you might be unsuccessful as some plants detest being transplanted. If you were confused reading those two paragraphs don’t fret lets break it down into two categories. Plants that can be directly sown outside and ones that hate being transplanted.
Seeds that are good to direct sow
Please note that last and first frost dates will be applicable here to read the seed packs to figure out appropriate timing.
- radish
- beets
- cucurbits ( squash, cucumber, zucchini etc
- arugula, mustards, spinach, lettuce etc
- beans
- peas
- carrots
- corn
- raddichio
- fennel
- garlic (the year before)
- onions
- potatoes
- swiss chard
- turnips
Seeds/seedlings that hate being transplanted
- Any root veg- beets, radish, carrots, etc
- Cucurbits- take special care to not disturb roots if you do transplant
- Beans
- Peas
- Corn
Please note that it’s not impossible to transplant the above examples, usually just recommended not too. Remember gardening is about experiments to you can know the rules and still break or bend them with success.
MAINTENANCE & HARVEST
Watering
Long, deep waterings are recommended for in-ground and raised garden beds. This develops strong, deep roots. Shallow waterings will make garden beds higher maintenance. Containers will dry out faster on hot days. Try to avoid small pots as they will also dry out fast. Avoid watering overhead when possible, especially during the heat of the day as the water droplets magnify the strength of the sun and can cause sunburn to plant tissues. The best times to water are first thing in the morning or in the evening when the sun is less strong. This also helps prevent water evaporation and reduces the water usage. Mulching around plants is also a good way to reduce water loss and highly recommended for Calgary’s lack of precipitation. Please note outside garden plants require more frequent watering every 2-3 days at most. During heat waves daily or twice a day may be necessary.
Fertilizing
This is a very important step of gardening, and often overlooked. Growing veggies can have high nutrient demands. Amending your soil each year in the beginning and end of the season is recommended with organic matter like animal manure or ocean based organic matter. We use organic fertilizers like Gaia Green or liquid fish based fertilizers like Marphyl throughout the season. A new fave fertilizer is our pals over at Doug Gardens making easy to use pellets for small or large scale growing based of timing of application. Use the Spring Root for rejuvenation and root development, Summer Green to keep soil thriving through summer with its Nitrogen rich formula, and of course for all your fruit and flower needs Full Bloom Always follow the manufacturers directions for strength and frequency of fertilizer applications. It’s also good to amend your soil at the end of the year. If you can’t do that than apply a layer of compost in the very beginning of the season.
Weeding
Everyone's favourite task! But seriously, keeping up on weeding is important for several reasons. Weeds steal the nutrients away from your plants and can also provide shelter for pest and diseases. Our favourite tools for weeding are ergonomic weeding picks and the Japanese multi tool called the hori-hori knife. You can also use mulch to suppress weeds around plants and many other natural methods. A plant anywhere you don't want it is can be considered a weed.
Harvest & Storage
Enjoying the fruits of your labour is the best part of gardening! Days to maturity is a good idea of when things will be ready, but you can always pull early and enjoy baby carrots, potatoes etc. You can also look for visual cues - for example a beet will start pushing itself out of the ground when it's ready. Try picking smaller and larger vegetables and compare the flavours and see what you like better. In general, don't let your plants mature too long, especially root vegetables, as they can become woody and inedible. Humidity and temperature will play a roll in storage life. Be sure to know what freezes well or try out a new pickling recipe for things like beets, carrots, onions and more!
TROUBLE SHOOTING
Trouble Shooting Seeds/Seedlings
Problem: Poor or no germination
Why:
This can happen if you are using old seeds, seeds that weren't stored properly (either getting wet and/or hot and cold exposures), or using poor quality seeds. Also inconsistent moisture can affect the germination process. Some seeds also require certain prep first like cold stratification (periods of cold exposure).
Solutions:
Choose trusted seed brands with high germination rates. Use seeds that claim 70% germination or more for best results. If you have old seeds you can do a germination test to check viability. There are lots of tutorials for this online! Use humidity domes when starting seeds and make sure the soil isn’t sopping wet. Just moist and check new seeds 2x a day am and pm. Read seed packs to see if they need stratification, soaking, scratching of seed husks, etc.
Problem: Seedlings suddenly die
Why: Healthy seedlings can suddenly die from a disease called damping off. Improper watering, moisture and airflow can also negatively affect seedlings.
Solutions:
Make sure seedlings are planted in vessels that have drainage to prevent overwatering. Check often with small amounts of water. Using a humidity dome will help maintain moisture in younger stages, but be sure to remove once true leaves (second set of leaves) come and increase air flow. Damping off is caused by cold wet soil and lack of airflow. Decrease watering and increase airflow.
Pests
Pest: Aphids
These soul sucking insects are born pregnant. They come in a beautiful array or colours like green, red, yellow, brown and grey.They hang out on stems and underside of leaves often grouping in clusters.
Solutions:
We've only come across green, black, brown, and red aphids in Calgary. They have soft bodies so killing them is easy. Use trusted brand of insecticidal soap like Safers, Bios make your own. A bit of dish soap, vinegar and water in a spray bottle, and shake before use. Spray vigorously every 3 days for 2 weeks. You can also blast with water to displace them between sprays or physically squish them in few numbers. They hang out on stems and underside of leaves.
Pest : Spider mites
These tiny insects are not quite spiders, but more closely related to vampires (just kidding!). A sucking insect that multiply quickly, draining the life out of plants. They are almost impossible to see with the naked eye - look for white dust speckles on back or leaves or cobwebs on plants.
This insect loves the dry conditions of Calgary. Creating moist environments can help deter them from settling, try semi frequent showers. You can also use insecticidal soap, be sure to get stem, backside and top of leaves. Repeat every 3 days for 2 weeks. Cut off any heavily infested parts.
Pest: Thrips
Nemesis to all plant growers and lovers worldwide. These sneaky insects lay eggs into plant tissue making it hard to treat. Another soul sucking pest that can do big damage.
Solutions:
You can also treat plants with insecticidal soap every 3 days for a few weeks however they can become resistant to sprays. Best natural method is to blast plants with cold water daily or every other day focusing on underside of leaves preferably am. Remove any heavily effected plants or foliage and bin them do not put in compost!
PEST IDENTIFICATION
APHIDS
Pictured above you can see a few different stages of life. Nymph and adults as well as exoskeletons the weird white stuff to the right.
Pictured Below: Pear shaped, with or without wings, 6 legs. Green, red, yellow, brown or gray in colour.
Fun fact is that ants will farm aphids for their continual supply of sap (ants go crazy for sap)! You will find aphids on the stems and the underside of leaves.
Did you know that lady bugs are good bugs...they have crazy appetite for aphids! If you see lady bugs it's a great 24/7 security bug for your garden.
SPIDERMITES
Pictured above and below fine webbing that resembles a spider web, but really looks more like cob webs. There are several types including spruce or red. They can crystallize your plants and have them turn to dust by sucking them dry! Dahlia growers beware spidermites love them!
THRIPS
Adult thrip easily identified with it’s pointy butt!
Thrip in larval stage after eggs hatch from leaves. Wiggly little slivers of rice yellowish in colour.
Example below of thrip damage is browning of leaves. Usually a sign there are evil pests at work!
TROUBLE SHOOTING DISEASES
Root Rot
Problem:
A common disease in houseplants, but can also occur in outdoor plants.Mushy black or brown leaves is a sign of root rot, as well as black spots on the leaves.
Solution:
If you don't see any pests on plants and it's suddenly taken a turn for the worse check the roots! If you indeed have rotted roots do the following:
Remove dead mushy roots and plant material
Hydrogen peroxide root drench 1 part hydrogen peroxide to 2 parts water for 30 minutes.
Let roots dry and plant in new soil
Avoid overwatering or pots without drainage
Powdery Mildew
Problem:
A fungal disease mostly afflicting, but not limited to cucurbits AKA squash and zucchini. It looks like fuzzy white patches and is more prevalent in moist climates.
Solution:
Spray a fungicide on leaves to control. Avoid overhead watering or moisture on the leaves if possible. Cut back any heavily afflicted leaves.
*Please note the when spraying plants avoid midday treatments. Try to spray early in the morning or at night. Do not spray flowers directly to protect pollinating insects. We prefer to use gentle sprays like insecticidal soaps or Bios Insecticidal Plant Soap when possible to minimize damage to non-pest species.
DISEASE IDENTIFICATION
ROOT ROT
Example above of root rot damage setting in on plant, dark and/or blacked roots and soil areas. Image below of a house plant with some root rot. The darker brown pieces are the unhealthy part of the root system.
An example below of a beautiful, and healthy root system. White in colour, robust and fibrous roots.
POWDERY MILDEW
Easily identifiable due to its powdery nature. hence the name “powdery mildew”. A heavily affected cucurbit plant above.
The beginnings of mildew will come show up on tops of leaves in small irregular patches below.
TROUBLE SHOOTING WEATHER
Hail
Sadly Calgary is located in an area people call "Hail Alley". Hail storms can completely destroy a garden in the blink of an eye.
- Solution:
Old sheets are one way you can protect your garden. If there is a possible chance a storm is coming throw over your garden.
You can also build structures over your garden with pvc or 1" fence posts available at hardware stores in which you would secure garden cloths, plastics, etc depending on time of year.
Frost
Some plants can handle frost and others not so be aware of what you planted. If you have planted your garden early on in spring keep notice of frost warnings. Towards the fall some plants are best harvested after a frost while others can benefit from protection to prolong their growing season.
Solution:
If a frost warning comes up on the weather you can use either old sheets or frost cloth. Place over plants to protect. If you are container garden you can also move non hardy plants inside if possible. On some weather apps you can be notified of frost warnings straight to your device.
GARDEN LINGO
DIRECT SOW:
This means you are starting plants from seeds and starting them in the place they will grow for the season. This could be in your raised or in ground garden bed or any container outside. Not all seeds are good for direct sowing, for example long maturity times, since Calgary has a short growing season. This is can be the easiest way to grow plants, but take longer to enjoy your harvest.
DAYS TO MATURITY:
After your seeds have germinated this will be the number of days you have to grow the plant before it will be ready for harvest. Some plants have a range and can be eaten as young and tender baby vegetables. Please note that germination time is not included in this number.
SEEDLING:
These are young plants. The first set of leaves to emerge are known as the cotyledons ( think microgreens!) the next set of leaves are the “true leaves”. They will start to mature and look more like the actual plant in question. It is important to transplant seedlings at the right time or up pot them to keep them strong. They need lots of light. Windows are in insufficient source of light to start seedlings. You can start your own seedlings or buy them from and garden centre or store. If you are looking for unique plants you will typically have to source seeds and grow your self.
TRANSPLANTING:
Transplanting occurs when you are planting your seedlings in their forever home, or at least home for the season outside in a pot or garden bed. Considerations for when to transplant will be weather dependent for each plant. The prairie planting guide pg 82 from Westcoast Seeds describes timelines for transplanting as well as other useful info.
HARDENING OFF:
This is a very important step! Any seed you start inside will need to be hardened off before being planting outdoors. This is usually a week long process which allows the seedlings to adapt to the change in environment. Make sure you are looking out for stress indicators like sunburns, wilting or colour change of the plants. The easiest way to start the process is placing plants in a shadier area day 1 and leave outside for 2 hours. Increase the exposure by 2 hours everyday. For example Day 1: 2 hours, Day 2: 4 hours, Day 3: 6 hours, Day 4: 8 hours and on Day 5 leave them out overnight. If there are signs of stress at any stage don't increase exposure and repeat a day.
ANNUAL/PERENNIAL /BIENNIAL
It's amazing how long I struggled with this one. Annuals are new plants grown every year. Think annual/yearly so you will have to get these plants every year most veggies are annual. Perennials are plants that regrow every year after winter. An important side note is that plants have to be zone hardy to our zone or they will not regrow the next season. Biennial plants usually live 2 years, but not always and spend the first year of their life developing roots and the second year going to flower and producing see. Parsley is a good example of a biennial.
ZONE HARDINESS
In Canada we use 7 variables when considering plant hardiness. There are 10 zones from 0-9 and sub zones an and b. Calgary is used to be considered Zone 3b and is currently rated 4a, although certain areas can be slightly higher or lower in microclimates throughout the city.
FIRST AND LAST FROST DATES
These dates are important because some plants can handle frost and some can’t (like basil lol!) This also dictates when seeds and transplanting is done. On average Calgary's last spring frost day is May 21 and our first fall frost day is September 16 leaving us with around 117 days to grow our precious veg! Be expected to have some sudden weather changes in Calgary which could require special attention to protect your plants. Sheets, plastic jugs, cold frames, or plastic coverings can help protect plants from frost.
GERMINATION
This is when the seed starts to grow after a period of dormancy after dry storage.When possible buy seeds that have a high germination rate. For example a germination rate of 80% means 8 out of 10 seeds will germinate. When sowing seeds it's recommended to put 2-3 per hole, which will almost guarantee you have a plant started. Please account for germination time when starting seeds, some seeds can take weeks or even months to germinate and when you read days to maturity on seed packs this does not include your germination time. You might read a term called cold stratification or vernalization like on strawberries seeds. As a beginning steer clear of these seeds your better option is to buy bare root plants or seedlings from a store, but if you are up for the challenge it can be rewarding.
THINNING
The new gardener always struggles with this one the most! Thinning is when you have to play the role of a roman emperor and choose which seedlings live or die. Best practice is to cut back the smaller, weaker seedlings and let the strongest single plant remain..the gladiator if you will. Very important for fruit bearing plants like tomatoes, peppers, squash etc. Some plants can grow in groups without thinning like radish or beets, but generally overcrowding can poorly affect your plants growth by having to compete for nutrients. And remember always trim, don’t pull so the root system of remaining plant isn’t affected.
COOL AND WARM SEASON PLANTS
This one is pretty straight forward. Cool season plants prefer the cooler growing temperatures of spring and fall. Example peas, lettuce and spinach. Warm season plants like the daytime temperatures to be above 15°C (this includes our nighttime lows, which can be a struggle in Calgary as nights can get cold). Example tomatoes and peppers.
BOLTING
This term refers to when a plant flowers or goes to seed. It can change the flavour of a plant as well like with cilantro plants that have bolted become bitter and not edible. Cool season crops tend to bolt when the temperatures get too warm. Keep this in mind when planting or sowing seeds. Co planting larger plants around cool crops helps to provide shade for those plants.
OPEN POLLINTATED SEEDS
Varieties that produce seeds that are 'true' to the mother plant growing nearly identical plants as the plant the seeds were collected from. Unless classified as a hybrid they will usually be considered open pollinated.
HYBRID SEED
Modern F1 (filial 1) type hybrid are plants that have been cross pollinated by hand or insect. Two specific parent varieties are bred to achieve a first generation hybrid aka F1. The reason to do something like this is to gain stronger plants more resistant to pest and disease.
HEIRLOOM SEED
Are open pollinated seeds that have been around for 50 years or more passed down the generations. In Europe they are often referred to as heritage seeds.
GMO SEEDS
Unlike the above seed types GMO stands for genetically modified organisms these seeds are engineered in a lab to have certain traits like being disease resistant. Companies like Monsanto even engineer seeds to they can't be regrown by home gardeners and other alarming issues. There is much controversy over GMO products.
MEDIUM
Not referring to people that can speak with the deceased, but rather a term for different materials we use to grow plants in. Examples are potting soil, perlite, bark, moss, vermiculite and pumice to name a few. You can use them as a single material or a blend to create the perfect mixture for your plants!