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Don't let winter get you down. Plan for a great garden season! Check out our upcoming events and the latest blog posts below.
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What are we doing in our gardens right now?
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"If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need" - Cicero
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Master Gardener Upcoming Events
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There is something for everyone
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- 3 seminars to teach you the very best growing practices.
- a vibrant marketplace with loads of seeds and garden supplies, local food, skincare, and decor products.
- educational community exhibits and a seed swap.
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If you love gardening, this is the event you won’t want to miss!
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Join us for three FREE informative and fun talks at Central Library March 4, 12, 19, 7pm-8:30 pm. Learn about Playin in the Dirt, Fruit Tree Maintenance, and Shrubs- The Garden Warriors
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This gardening course teaches how to grow your own healthy food with hands-on time in the greenhouse plus classroom instruction. Get ready to grow!
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Climate Change Report 2024
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The Strawberry flower on the left was damaged by a late frost. It will not produce fruit. The flower on the right is undamaged.How will climate change impact your garden in southwestern Ontario specifically? That's a good question, and with a new report, we can extract some answers. The Ontario government released The Ontario Provincial Climate Change Impact Assessment in …
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Two Good Reasons to Plant Native Species
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BIRDS: Southwestern Ontario is a migrating bird superhighway for birds travelling from their winter residence to their summer breeding grounds. Many birds nest here too. According to the Cornell Bird Lab, bird populations in our ecozone have seen a 22% population decline since 1970. How can native plants help specifically? Almost all birds feed their young insect larvae and caterpillars …
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Embracing the Dark Side: A Guide to Black Fruits and Vegetables
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In the colorful canvas of our garden world, there's always that one intriguing twist that grabs our attention in the seed aisle - black fruits and vegetables! My husband has a fascination with growing black plants and it's through his enthusiasm that I am diving into the realm of these mysterious darlings. From their captivating appearance to their flavorful depths, …
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Yet Another Challenge for Gardeners
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Gardeners are usually faced with a challenge or issue during the growing season. Whether it is invasive insects, plant disease or weeds, it can be very frustrating. One issue I have noticed the last couple of years is that our weather is changing. I recently attended the International Master Gardener conference in Kansas City which was a great learning experience. …
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Spotting the Spotted Lantern Fly
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The Spotted Lanternfly was introduced into the U.S. from Asia. It may look like a butterfly or moth however, it is a type of true bug called a plant hopper. The adult is approximately 25 mm long and 12 mm wide and has uniquely-coloured wings. The front wings are light brown/grey with black spots at the front and dark speckled bands near the back. The rear wings are red in colour and have black spots near the front and white and black bands at the back. The abdomen is yellow with horizontal black stripes.
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The Spotted Lanternfly lays eggs in fall on the host plants, and various outdoor surfaces. Newly laid egg masses are brown and covered in a grey, waxy coating. Eggs hatch in late spring and early summer, and the nymphs start feeding. Early stage nymphs are black and white, while later stage nymphs are black, white and red. The Spotted Lanternfly feeds on various host plants throughout its development. Adults prefer to feed and lay eggs on Tree-of-Heaven (Ailanthus altissima), as well as grape (Vitis), apples (Malus), plums (Prunus domestica), cherries (Prunus avium), peaches and nectarines (P. persica), apricocts (P. armeniaca), pine (Pinus), walnut (Juglans) and oak (Quercus). They will also feed on roses and other important ornamental nursery crops. Both nymphs and adults feed by sucking sap from young stems and leaves. Nymphs and adults tend to congregate in large numbers on the host plant, and winter at the base of the tree or in the canopy.
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5 Witchy Medicinal Plants of SW Ontario
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Embark on a Halloween journey into the uncanny world of Southwest, Ontario's native medicinal plants. These botanical phantoms beckon us to explore their eerie and bewitching secrets. Join us for a spine-tingling adventure as we unveil the medicinal uses and science behind these intriguing plants. Witch-Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) Medicinal Uses: Witch-Hazel, with its ghostly blossoms, conjures relief for our mortal …
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