by Simon Brame
All gardeners in Calgary have been waiting for spring so that we can start our new growing season. Every year, it seems to be a never-ending delay for the snow to disappear and the ground to thaw. But April 1 is the opening day for our Springbank Hill Community Garden and we can start to dream about new tree buds and the planting of our new crop of flowers and vegetables.
Jobs that should have been done already: the garlic was planted in the autumn, the garden shed has been arranged so you can find your tools and pots, packages of seeds have been bought, the remaining snow has been placed around the trees, and your seedlings for a May planting are growing nicely inside your home.
Now is the time to be planning what we want to do in our yards and gardens. Is there a need for a change of layout? The vegetable plot was in the shade last year and needs to be moved into the sun. The dog has killed the grass on the front lawn and this patch of lawn should be replaced with a small native tree (perhaps an Evans sour cherry which has lovely red berries that the birds adore). The Mugho pine has grown much bigger than expected and needs to be replaced with a miniature variety of pine.
The last frost is usually in mid to late May, but many ‘cool crops’ can be planted in late April (peas, cabbage, spinach, lettuce, carrots) and will germinate in cool soil. Seed potatoes can also be planted early to give them an extended growing season. Provided that any above ground growth is not frosted, early plantings usually do very well. Plants that need warmth (beans, tomatoes, peppers, squash) should be delayed until after the last frost. Cloches, over-turned plastic milk containers, sheets of glass, and greenhouses can all be used to extend our limited growing season.
What do you want to grow in your garden? What does the family like to eat? There is no point growing a huge crop of kale if nobody likes to eat it! What seeds do you have remaining from last year? Most seeds have a 2-to-3-year lifespan, but some (beets) need to be replaced yearly. Look for seeds that have a ‘days to maturity’ of less than about 75 days for optimal success. Most species of corn, for example, take 100 or more days and are unlikely to mature in a Calgary summer. Do you want to repeat what grew well last year, or plant something different?
It is best to not grow vegetables in the same place each year. Space permitting, try to do some form of crop rotation. This reduces the chance of disease and better protects the soil from nutrient deficiency. Most vegetables and flowers grow best in organic rich soil. Soil quality is the single most important factor for a good garden. If you didn’t mulch last year, then a 2-to-3-inch layer of mulch is recommended where you intend to plant. Large bags of soil, compost, and/or mulch, can be delivered directly to your garden by many local suppliers.
Get a rain barrel so that rainwater can be stored rather than it flowing off down the road. The City of Calgary has excellent articles about being water-wise. Regular watering, particularly during seed germination, is very important and plants much prefer (neutral pH) rain versus (chlorinated, hard, alkaline) tap water.
To improve success, consider buying a soil testing kit to help evaluate if your soil has any organic or chemical deficiencies. Cheap wands for temperature, pH levels, and water humidity levels (that are usually used to test indoor plants) can also be very useful to check your garden soil.
The garden centres are opening and will gladly accept your money! Walk around them and smell the spring in the air. Even if you are just buying a few annuals for boxes on your deck, we can have so much fun looking forward to an exciting summer ahead.
