Growing Your Own Food and Micro Gardening!

Growing Your Own Food and Micro Gardening! Prepared by: Etobicoke Master Gardeners Presented at: Humber Arboretum April 7, 2018 Etobicoke Master Gardeners Humber Arboretum www.etobicokemastergardeners.ca www.humberarboretum.on.ca 1

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Session Topics Get Growing Room to Grow Plants for Sun, Shade, and Flowers for Food Seeds or Seedlings? Soil Health Preparing the Garden Maintenance Extending The Season Wrap Up Etobicoke Master Gardeners www.etobicokemastergardeners.ca 4

Get Growing An introduction to growing food 5

Why we grow our own food! Panorama Park: The Learning Hub 2016 Etobicoke Master Gardeners www.etobicokemastergardeners.ca 6

Keep a Garden Journal Record what you do in the garden, so you ll remember next year Journals & pictures help you to review and think about; Which plants thrived and why or why not Seeds planted germination times Which plants may do better Assess pollinator activity Problems like insects and disease Yields Allow you to compare your garden from previous years Etobicoke Master Gardeners www.etobicokemastergardeners.ca 7

Observe Observe.in your garden the microclimates moisture patterns Light patterns Etobicoke Master Gardeners www.etobicokemastergardeners.ca 8

Design Process - General Base your selections on: Size of the plot Site conditions (sun, soil, water) Maintenance level Hardiness (herbs, garlic) What you want to eat! Budget Etobicoke Master Gardeners www.etobicokemastergardeners.ca 9

Design Process The bubble diagram This can be a very rough `bubble` diagram The major physical features can be drawn in Veggies or flowers afterwards Notes can also be made of sun/shade patterns, wind direction etc. Etobicoke Master Gardeners www.etobicokemastergardeners.ca 10

Design Process Plot out the hardscape first Hardscape can add: Wildlife habitat Art Raised sections for accessibility A Trellis or other plant supports Fence can also be used as anchor Stepping stones Etobicoke Master Gardeners www.etobicokemastergardeners.ca 11

Design Process Choose what we want to plant. Vegetables Herbs Flowers Native flowers Perennials, annuals Berry bushes Fruit trees What mixture of the above? Etobicoke Master Gardeners www.etobicokemastergardeners.ca 12

Size of plants The tallest should be planted on the north side of the bed Position plants based on required sunlight Give the plants plenty of room to grow Do not pack too many plants into the space! Etobicoke Master Gardeners www.etobicokemastergardeners.ca 13

How much space do plants need? Source: vanputte.com Etobicoke Master Gardeners www.etobicokemastergardeners.ca 14

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Vegetables Source: www.sanzospecialties.com Etobicoke Master Gardeners www.etobicokemastergardeners.ca 16

Companion Planting The practice of planting tow or more plants together for mutual benefit Benefits of Companion Planting Acts as shelter from weather Provides support for others Attract beneficial insects, acting as decoys for others Soil Improvement helps others to grow Etobicoke Master Gardeners www.etobicokemastergardeners.ca 17

Companion Planting Charts Sample Chart Source: www.urbanseedling.com http://www.vegetablegardeninglife.com/companion-planting-charts.html Etobicoke Master Gardeners www.etobicokemastergardeners.ca 18

The 3 Sisters 19

Intercropping Plant a crop that does not take up as much space in between rows of larger vegetables e.g. cabbages and onions Plant herbs, marigolds or trailing nasturtiums in between taller veggies to repel bad bugs The second crop can also trap harmful insects When one crop is done the second one can keep going and fill more space. Source: sweetpotatoknowledge.org Source: www.thegardeningbible.com Etobicoke Master Gardeners www.etobicokemastergardeners.ca 20

Crop Rotation Etobicoke Master Gardeners www.etobicokemastergardeners.ca 21

Secret s to success The secret to success with your crops is to know what the crops need What the best temperatures for germination What s the best temperature for growing What are the critical growth stages What are it s nutrient requirements Etobicoke Master Gardeners www.etobicokemastergardeners.ca 22

Cool-season crops Vegetables that can be planted earlier Etobicoke Master Gardeners www.etobicokemastergardeners.ca 23

Warm Season Crops Etobicoke Master Gardeners www.etobicokemastergardeners.ca 24

Room to Grow Locations where you can grow your food 25

Room to Grow! Large spaces Small spaces (Micro-Gardening) Window ledges Walls Containers Roofs Community Gardens Shared Gardens Etobicoke Master Gardeners www.etobicokemastergardeners.ca 26

Room to Grow! Raised beds Vegetable Trug Vertical pallets Etobicoke Master Gardeners www.etobicokemastergardeners.ca 27

Room to Grow! Recycled containers Veggies in a bag https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=km5nf5w8f5g Etobicoke Master Gardeners www.etobicokemastergardeners.ca 28

Room to Grow Self-watering boxes Upside-down plants http://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/edibles/vegetables/growingvegetables-in-containers.html http://www.mgwater.com/gardening/earthbox.html Etobicoke Master Gardeners www.etobicokemastergardeners.ca 29

Room to Grow Straw Bale Garden: Buy the straw Condition with water and fertilizer for 2 weeks Optional - add soil on top Build a trellis for taller plants if required Compost at the end of the season https://www.denverpost.com/2017/05/05/straw-bale-gardens-grow-without-soil/ Etobicoke Master Gardeners www.etobicokemastergardeners.ca 30

Trellis options for beans http://www.rakeandmake.com/5-trellis-ideas/ http://www.vegetablegardener.com/item/14865/diy-a-frame-veggie-trellis-20 https://www.extension.umn.edu/garden/yard-garden/vegetables/trellises-and-cages/ Etobicoke Master Gardeners www.etobicokemastergardeners.ca 31

Room to Grow: Panorama Community Garden Panorama Park: The Learning Hub 2016 Etobicoke Master Gardeners www.etobicokemastergardeners.ca 32

Lasagna Garden Etobicoke Master Gardeners www.etobicokemastergardeners.ca 33

Plants for sun, shade, and flowers for food 34

Sun Lovers Tomatoes Peppers Squash Zucchini Okra Cucumbers Herbs such as basil, oregano, thyme Etobicoke Master Gardeners www.etobicokemastergardeners.ca 35

Shady Characters Lettuce Beets Kale Parsnips Carrots Spinach Radishes Garlic Peas Parsley Etobicoke Master Gardeners www.etobicokemastergardeners.ca 36

Flowers for Food Edible flowers can be grown as ornamentals or to add color to the salad Daylilies Nasturtiums Violets Borage Hyssop Lemon Verbena Etobicoke Master Gardeners www.etobicokemastergardeners.ca 37

Herb Garden Harvest herbs for culinary use. Wash and store them. Bring in those herbs you wish to grow on a sunny windowsill Trim them and repot in new, clean soil. Rinse the plant thoroughly to remove insects and eggs Monitor the indoor herbs closely Etobicoke Master Gardeners www.etobicokemastergardeners.ca 38

Common Herbs for Cooking Parsley Sweet Marjoram Mint Sage Summer Savory Thyme Chives Caraway Photograph: Isabel Belanger Etobicoke Master Gardeners www.etobicokemastergardeners.ca 39

Common Herbs for Medicinal Uses Feverfew Peppermint Calendula Chamomile http://tryonfarm.org/share/node/336 http://www.homegrownutah.blogspot.ca/ Photograph: Isabel Belanger Photograph: Isabel Belanger Etobicoke Master Gardeners www.etobicokemastergardeners.ca 40

Other Uses for Herbs Fragrance lavender, costmary, scented geranium, lemon balm Insect repellent lavender, wormwood Beauty products sage, chamomile Photograph: Isabel Belanger Etobicoke Master Gardeners www.etobicokemastergardeners.ca 41

Fantastic Fruit Easy growing fruit: Strawberries Raspberries Currants Gooseberries Blackberries Higher maintenance fruit trees: Cherries Peaches Plums Etobicoke Master Gardeners www.etobicokemastergardeners.ca 42

Seeds or Seedlings? 43

Getting Started Panorama Park: The Learning Hub 2016 Why grow from seeds: Economy Variety Start early Quality Control Etobicoke Master Gardeners www.etobicokemastergardeners.ca 44

Planting Tips Dig a hole, then fill with water Plant to the depth of the growth point Break open root balls Water well until a good root system is established Plant late afternoon, avoiding windy or extremely hot days Consider Crop Orientation Etobicoke Master Gardeners www.etobicokemastergardeners.ca 45

Direct Seeding Create a shallow furrow Water the furrow Distribute seeds to the required depth Cover sees with soil Don t forgot to mark which seeds are planted where Keep moist Etobicoke Master Gardeners www.etobicokemastergardeners.ca 46

Saving Seeds Wait until seed pods have dried and are about to open Collect the seeds into any suitable container Do not seal the container! Once dry, place into the refrigerator for storage. This keeps the seeds viable for longer Do not freeze! Add silica gel sachets or corn starch to absorb moisture. Etobicoke Master Gardeners www.etobicokemastergardeners.ca 47

Soil Health 48

Soil What is it made of? Weathered rock material broken down over years Sand, silt and clay Micro-organisms Organic matter Water and Air http://foodstorageandbeyond.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/types-of-soil.jpg http://pnwmg.org/images/soilparticlesize.gif Etobicoke Master Gardeners www.etobicokemastergardeners.ca 49

What does soil provide to plants? Temperature control during very hot/cold periods Oxygen that roots need to breathe Anchoring support to stay upright Water that roots need to drink Food, food and more food!!! Etobicoke Master Gardeners www.etobicokemastergardeners.ca 50

What does soil provide to plants? Temperature control during very hot/cold periods Oxygen that roots need to breathe Anchoring support to stay upright Water that roots need to drink Food, food and more food!!! Etobicoke Master Gardeners www.etobicokemastergardeners.ca 51

Testing for Basic Soil Types Mason Jar Ribbon Test Drainage Test Testing kit Lab Test Visual Test Smell Test Taste Test Etobicoke Master Gardeners www.etobicokemastergardeners.ca 52

Composting: What are the benefits? Reusing and recycling It s natural occurs in nature! Helps grow strong healthy plants Good for soil health and structure Adds micro-organisms to root zone Reduces needs for synthetic fertilizers Helps improve water drainage in clay soils Helps improve water retention in sandy soils Helps clean up contaminated soil (remediation) http://www.planetnatural.com Etobicoke Master Gardeners www.etobicokemastergardeners.ca 53

Greens vs. Browns Greens are high in nitrogen or protein. Greens help microorganisms to multiply fast in the piles. Greens help internal temperatures in hot compost piles. Browns are high in carbon or carbohydrates. Browns supply the energy / food that soil organisms need. Browns also help stop odours. Browns help stop the nitrogen in the piles from leaching. Browns are essential in the faster formation of humus Etobicoke Master Gardeners www.etobicokemastergardeners.ca 54

Preparing the Garden 55

To Till or Not To Till? Etobicoke Master Gardeners www.etobicokemastergardeners.ca 56

New Garden Beds Mark the area Thick layer of moistened newspaper Cover with triple mix or compost Wait patiently Dig Remove grubs/roots Etobicoke Master Gardeners www.etobicokemastergardeners.ca 57

Mulching Add mulch to areas of exposed soil - 3 max Don t touch crowns, stems and/or trunks Use compost or other organic materials, such as leaves, and organic mulch Mulch open soil areas to minimize the spread of weeds Etobicoke Master Gardeners www.etobicokemastergardeners.ca 58

Mulching Add mulch (or top up) to areas of exposed bare soil 3 max thickness Ensure mulch doesn t touch crowns of plants and/or stems and trunks of trees Mulch flower beds with compost or other organic materials Use leaves, and organic mulch Mulch open soil areas to minimize the spread of weeds 59

Maintenance 60

Weeding - Common spring weeds Dandelion Ragweed Purslane Crabgrass Canada Thistle Burdock Garlic Mustard Etobicoke Master Gardeners www.etobicokemastergardeners.ca 61

Eat Your Weeds Garlic mustard Dandelion Plantain Purslane Mallow Lamb s Quarter Etobicoke Master Gardeners www.etobicokemastergardeners.ca 62

Feeding Plants have the ability to tell you what is wrong If you add organic matter, you should not need additional nutrients Despite all best practices, you may need to boost using organic fertilizers Etobicoke Master Gardeners www.etobicokemastergardeners.ca 63

Watering Less frequent but deep watering encourages root growth During critical crop development periods Seed germination Seedling root development Critical growth periods Etobicoke Master Gardeners www.etobicokemastergardeners.ca 64

Pests Japanese Beetles attack over 300 kinds of plants Partial to eggplant Pheromone traps do not work Hand-picking takes time Do not plant ornamentals Like near your veggies Cucumber beetles feed on leaves, flowers and fruits of melons, pumpkins, squash, cucumbers http://www.ontariohopgrowersassociation.ca/japanese-beetle-controlsand-strategies/ http://luv2garden.com/cucumber_beetles.html Etobicoke Master Gardeners www.etobicokemastergardeners.ca 65

Pests Aphids Can affect many kinds of vegetables Like tender growth Can increase quickly! Treat with a blast from the hose, soapy water or neem oil. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/aphid Cabbage Butterflies Will attack all brassicas Small green caterpillars do the damage Plant lavender or white clover to deter them https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/ca bbage/protecting-your-cabbages-from-cabbage-maggotcabbageworm-and-cabbage-moth.htm Etobicoke Master Gardeners www.etobicokemastergardeners.ca 66

Pests There are many, many kinds of pests Slugs, earwigs, tomato hornworms, leaf miners the list is endless The best defense is constant vigilance Leave places for good bugs to hide and overwinter Encourage variety of plants Consult a good source Photograph: Isabel Belanger Etobicoke Master Gardeners www.etobicokemastergardeners.ca 67

Disease Fungus may infect plants Inspect plants often Watch for nutrient deficiency Use clean containers Use clean tools! http://squarefoot.creatingforum.com/t3849-mosaic-virus Etobicoke Master Gardeners www.etobicokemastergardeners.ca 68

Powdery mildew Disease Rust https://www.yates.com.au/problem-solver/problems/sooty-mould/ Sooty Mold https://www.almanac.com/pest/rust-plant-disease Etobicoke Master Gardeners 69 https://u.osu.edu/miller.769/2014/07/11/july-11-2014-cucurbit-powderymildew-is-here/

Extending the Season 70

Extending the season Floating row covers Mini greenhouses Cloches Black plastic mulch Raised beds Etobicoke Master Gardeners www.etobicokemastergardeners.ca 71

Resources 72

Resources Etobicoke Master Gardeners www.etobicokemastergardeners.ca A copy of this presentation is available under Community Activities, Humber Arboretum Workshop Materials Master Gardeners Web Site Seed catalogues www.mgoi.ca Cornell University website www.vegetablemdonline.ppath.cornell.edu Get Growing Toronto toronto.ca/communitygardems Rodale Vegetable Garden Problem Solver by Fern Marshall Bradley Etobicoke Master Gardeners www.etobicokemastergardeners.ca 73

Upcoming Activities Saturday, May 26 th EMG Advice Clinic City of Toronto Bird Festival Colonel Samuel South Park Birds, Bees, and Veggies Outdoor Education (Workshop & Tour) Saturday, August 18 th 10:00 a.m. 12:00 noon Etobicoke Master Gardeners www.etobicokemastergardeners.ca 74

Etobicoke Master Gardeners & Humber Arboretum Thank you! Questions? Etobicoke Master Gardeners www.etobicokemastergardeners.ca Humber Arboretum www.humberarboretum.on.ca 75