By Margaret Inwood, Lanark County Master Gardeners We are inside the house a lot in the winter months and the indoor air is often full of pollutants such as formaldehyde from paints and adhesives, chemicals from personal care products and from building materials. Our bodies are constantly exposed to these… READ MORE

by Georgina Bailey-Wicher, Lanark County Master Gardeners Capsicum annuum, a member of the Solanaceae family, originated in Central and South America and was brought back to Europe by Columbus; the Spanish and Portuguese introduced peppers to other parts of the world. They have become a very popular part of our… READ MORE

by Dale Odorizzi, Lanark County Master Gardeners   As the old year ends and the new year begins, many of us make resolutions as to how we can improve our lives and our health. This is also a good time to make resolutions about how we can improve our gardens.… READ MORE

by Dale Odorizzi, Lanark County Master Gardeners A Rain Barrel is a gardener’s second best friend. It is an extremely easy, low tech, low cost way to collect water that is so vital to your plants. If you live on a town water supply, you have to pay for every… READ MORE

by Paul Pospisil, Lanark County Master Gardeners The centuries’ old practice of putting food by for winter has disappeared from many households for a number of reasons: with an abundance of supermarket food, fewer people are growing their own; the time pressure of having both mom and dad working out… READ MORE

by Ankaret Dean, Lanark County Master Gardeners One of the miracles of gardening is found in spring bulbs. We buy them in the fall, plant them before freeze up and then, in the spring, there are our beautiful colourful flowers. No weeding, no watering, no fertilizing. Up they come ready… READ MORE

By Lanark County Master Gardeners  Lily leaf beetles make noise by rubbing two body parts together when they are threatened. Just as their name suggests, their foods are lilies and fritillarias. Even their scientific name, “Lilioceris lilii” tells us the plants they feed on. They do not feed on daylilies… READ MORE

by Margaret Inwood, County Master Gardener Earwigs live for only one year and may die during the winter months. In early spring, any surviving females lay their eggs in tiny nests in the top 5cm of the soil. It is a good time to dig around all plants to disrupt the… READ MORE

by Margaret Inwood, County Master Gardener It is very easy and convenient to grow several salad greens in a small amount of garden space. You can pick them fresh and enjoy their colourful, delicate flavours such as peppery, tangy, or a taste of mustard or anise. Several lettuces can be cut… READ MORE

by Judy Wall Lanark County Master Gardener Are you already yearning to be outdoors in your garden, as you wait for the snow to disappear? This is the time to start planning your spring gardening projects. There are some activities, however, you can do prior to the comfortable spring weather,… READ MORE

By: Paul Pospisil, Lanark County Master Gardeners The centuries-old practice of putting food by for winter has disappeared from many households for a number of reasons. With an abundance of supermarket food, fewer people are growing their own; the time pressure of having both mom and dad working out leaves… READ MORE

by Kathleen Lang, Lanark County Master Gardeners If a new bed is in your plan, now is the time of year to put your plan into action. If this new bed is presently planted in lawn, you probably think that you will have to dig up all that sod. The… READ MORE

by Helen Halpenny, Lanark County Master Gardeners The time is here to harvest the last of the vegetables in the garden; the hardy cole crops like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and kale are at their best, having had a touch of frost. As long as the weather stays around the zero… READ MORE

By Kathleen Lang, Lanark County Master Gardeners The scent of lavender is familiar to all. Whether grown in a border or bed, in a large pot, or as a hedge, it is one of the most attractive and fragrant of all herbs. Lavender is also a traditional country-garden plant. Used… READ MORE

By Dale Odorizzi, Lanark County Master Gardeners It has happened to all of us—maybe we have been away on vacation or working too hard or the weather has been too hot or we have forgotten about a distant garden but all of a sudden, we cannot see our beautiful flowers… READ MORE

by Margaret Inwood, Lanark County Master Gardeners Clematis can be grown in a variety of settings from shade to full sun. Choose a spot where the roots will remain cool. Clematis climb by twining their stems around a support structure such as wire, trellis or netting. Dig a good size… READ MORE