Five Early
Season Gardening Tips
May is one
of the most exciting times of year for gardeners in Cliff Bungalow-Mission. As
the days get longer and everything starts to come back to life along the Elbow
River and our tree lined streets, it’s the perfect moment to get your garden
going.
A few tips
to set yourself up for success this month:
Be patient
with planting:
Calgary weather can still surprise us! Hold off on tomatoes, peppers, and other
tender plants until after the May long weekend, but feel free to plant hardy
greens like lettuce, kale, spinach, and peas now.
Refresh
your soil:
After a long winter, your garden beds will benefit from compost or fresh soil
to bring nutrients back in and support healthy growth.
Start
small (or swap!): Herbs and seedlings are a great place to begin and a perfect
excuse to connect with neighbours. Easy starter options include basil, mint,
chives, parsley, and cilantro, along with beginner-friendly vegetables like
leaf lettuce, green onions, and cherry tomatoes (started indoors).
Support
pollinators:
Adding native or bee-friendly plants helps support our local ecosystem. Great
options for Calgary include wild bergamot (bee balm), prairie crocus, yarrow,
blanket flower, and asters. These are all hardy, beautiful, and loved by
pollinators.
Clean up
with care:
As you clean up your yard, keep an eye out for early pollinators and insects
that may still be sheltering, such as bumblebees, mason bees, ladybugs, and
butterflies emerging from chrysalises. Leaving some stems or leaf litter a
little longer can help protect them.
Gardening
in our community isn’t just about plants, it’s about connection! Whether you’re
tending a plot in the Cliff Bungalow or Mission Community Garden, your
backyard, balcony, or a few pots on your step, you’re contributing to a
greener, more vibrant Mission.
Happy
planting!
Andrea
Visser
Environment
Committee Director, CBMCA
Click here to the Cliff Bungalow Community News home page for the latest Cliff Bungalow community updates.
Click here to the Mission Community News home page for the latest Mission community updates.
