Pruning and Other Practices

Pruning and Maintenance of Raspberry Canes

November 5, 2022

General Care:

Mulch to conserve moisture and reduce weeds.
Water 1 inch per week from spring until after harvest.
Keep bushes tidy by removing “suckers” that grow outside of designated rows. This prevents loss of nutrients used to grow the canes which will reduce berry size of next years crop.

Pests & Diseases:

June through August watch for spider mites and Japanese beetles. Also susceptible to cane borers and powdery mildew.
Rabbits will eat canes in the winter. Prevent with chicken wire fence.

Ever-bearing Raspberries AKA Fall-bearing Raspberries

Fruit on first year of growth.
After fruiting in fall, cut all canes to the ground. No pruning is required during the growing season.
Clean up all debris to avoid disease and pests over winter.
NOTE: To harvest both a fall and following summer crop, do not remove the primocanes that produced the fall crop. Prune them back in spring to 12 inches to the last visible node that had fruit and cut off dead tips.

Summer Fruiting Raspberries

Produces fruit on 2-year-old canes.
In the fall, cut canes to the ground that produced berries. These older canes are brown. Do not cut the new green canes as they will fruit next year.

4 Easy steps to Pruning Red Raspberries:

Remove last year’s floricanes
Narrow the row width to 1.5 – 2 feet
Cut out the weaklings. You only want the tallest, thickest and healthiest looking canes left.
Attach remaining canes to a V-shaped trellis. This design has 2 parallel wires spaced 3 feet apart and approximately 4 feet high. Attach canes to the trellis using twine. Tie canes so half are on one side of the row and half on the other side, approximately 1 every 4 inches. This promotes air circulation and encourages new growth in the center for next year. In addition, fruit will be on the outside for easier picking.

Pruning and Maintenance of Gooseberry Bushes

September 15, 2022

General Care:

Mulch to conserve moisture and reduce weeds.
Water 1 inch per week from spring until after harvest.
Every 3-4 years fertilize in early spring with a balanced fertilizer (10-10-10).
Can be grown in containers, trained up a trellis, pruned into small trees or maintained as a small shrub.

NOTE: Very sharp thorns. Wear gloves when handling and picking berries.

Pests & Diseases:

Susceptible to powdery mildew and fungus.

Winter/Early Spring Pruning Steps (bush still dormant):

Remove dead and diseased wood.
Remove tangled, crossed, overcrowded or branches touching the ground.

Branches that are left, make the following cuts just above an outward facing bud:

Cut back the previous seasons grown by half.
Cut back side branches between 1 and 3 buds from the base of the shoot.
Remove any suckers growing away from the main stem.

NOTE: For established plants, remove canes over 4 years old. Ideal bush has about a dozen canes at any one time, half being new shoots and other half a mix of 2- and 3-year-old canes.

Summer Pruning (mid-June):

Pruning of new growth will improve air circulation. Shorten new growth tips to 5 leaves.

Three Invasive Species to Avoid When Planning your Garden

July 29, 2022

Scientific Name: Lythrum salicaria L.

Common Name: Purple Loosestrife

Family: Lythraceae (Loosestrife)

Type of Plant: Herbaceous Perennial

Usage: Ornamental

Identifying Characteristics:

Stems & roots: Stout plant, erect (24-48in); 4 angled stem can be smooth to fuzzy; long, well-established tap root

Leaves: Smooth, opposite (2 per node) or whorled (3 per node); narrow to narrowly oblong and heart shaped at base; 1.25-4 in long, attach directly to stems; upper leaves & those in the inflorescence alternate (1/node) & smaller than lower leaves

Flowers: Magenta – pink, tightly clustered, dense, terminal spikes from 4-20in; sepals united into a column with 8-12 prominent green veins & ending in several, long, thin, pointed lobes; 5-7 petals approx. 1/4in long; several stamens & 1 pistil; small seedpod. Bloom late June – mid Sept. Many garden species previously thought to be sterile can produce seeds by cross pollination with wild & other species, increasing the opportunities for spreading

Habitat: In the wild – wetlands, sedge meadows, open bogs. Can also occur along streams, riverbanks, lake shores. Opportunistic in areas with recent soil disturbance. Grows best in highly organic soils in full sun

Invasive Potential: Introduced from Europe. 2.7 million seeds per plant annually, highly invasive in wetland areas through wind, birds, animals & humans. Readily establishes itself, crowding out native species. Decrease in biodiversity has far reaching ecological implications including displacing plants & animals, eliminating food & shelter for wildlife, degrading native wetlands, reducing habitat for waterfowl. Native to Eurasia

Control: No effective method except in small, localized growth area where it can be intensively managed. Isolated areas, uproot plant by hand ensuring the removal of all parts of plant including all roots

Other methods of control: cutting, burning where permitted, herbicide application although herbicides can destroy other nearby plants

Biological control using root weevil (Hylobius transversovittatus), 2 specie

s leaf eating beetles (Galerucella pusilla & Galerucella calmariensis) have been approved by Canadian government. Research indicate there is little chance of permanent host transfer as these insects only feast on purple loosestrife

Recommendations: Recommended to dig all cultivars of Purple Loosestrife from the landscape and, according to the Manitoba Purple Loosestrife Project, can best be replaced with Spiked Gayfeather (Liatrus); a native plant with pink, purple or white flowers that is an environmentally safe perennial. It requires full sun to part shade, height up to 1.5-2.5m, hardy to CDA zone 3; blooms midsummer to Sept

Scientific Name: Lonicera tatarica

Common Name: Tartarian Honeysuckle

Family: Caprifolaceae (Honeysuckle)

Type of Plant: Flowering Deciduous Shrub

Usage: Ornamental

Stems & roots: Woody, multi-stemmed, upright 2-5m; Branches thin, smooth, becoming hollow; Dicotyledon; bark turns pale grey & shreds with age

Leaves: Opposite, ovate, 3-6cm long, short-stalked & blue-green; Smooth, hairless, bluish-green leaves

Flowers: Usually in 2 pairs developing in axils of leaves at end of branches; 2 leaflets beneath each bud pair, 2 sepals above leaflets; Petals pink to crimson, tubular, 2-lipped, 7-20mm long, fragrant. Blooms May-June. Fruit – abundant berries 3mm diameter, joined at base, ripening orange to red that are available in winter for the birds & other wildlife

Habitat: Adaptable to wide range of habitat; open woods, ravines, woodland edges; prefer moist, sunny areas

Invasive Potential: Moderately invasive in Ontario. Replaces native understory species & ground flora thereby changing vegetation structure; impedes forest seedling & natural tree regeneration; spread by birds & mammals dispersing seed. Native Eastern Asia

Control:
Mechanical: less dense infiltrations – pull ensuring all roots removed
Chemical: systemic herbicides such as Roundup are most effective. Another method is to cut off near ground level & apply herbicide
Biological: There are no current biological control methods available
Recommendations: As with most invasive plants it is best to remove and replace. To contain remove seedlings annually as they appear. Widespread dispersion by birds limits effectiveness. Replacement with North American natives such as Spice bush (Lindera benzoin) – hardy to CDA zone 5 or Viburnum – hardy to CDA zone 3

Scientific Name: Rhamnus frangula L.

Common Name: Glossy Buckthorn

Family: RHAMNACEAE (Buckthorn)

Type of Plant: RBC site consider this plant a deciduous tree but many sites consider it a flowering deciduous shrub

Usage: Ornamental

Identifying Characteristics:
Stems & roots: Most often grow in large shrub habit with a few to several stems shooting up from base; shrubs spreading, loosely branched crowns; Bark grey – brown with prominent, lighter-coloured lenticels (pores in the stem of a woody plant allowing exchange of gases between the plant and the exterior)*. Unusual winter appearance with naked, hairy terminal buds & appealing curved twigs with closely-spaced, prominent leaf scars giving the twigs a bumpy outline against a white snowy backdrop. Tree habit reaches 6-9m high and 26cm diameter

Leaves: Thin, glossy, ovate or elliptic leaves, 3.8-7.6cm long; upper leaf surface shiny; lower surface hairy or smooth with margins that are not toothed – a distinguishing feature from the similar common buckthorn

Flowers: Yellow-green, 4 petals develop in clusters of 2-6 near base of petioles. Plant are dioecious (male & female sex organs on separate plants). Fruits small, black berries 0.6cm in diameter appear singly or in small groups in leaf axils. Fruit is poisonous except to European Starling – primary agent responsible for the spread

Habitat: Prefers range of wetland areas such as marshes and bogs but can grow in upland habitats such as forest, wood edges & old fields. In Ontario, primarily near larger populations

Invasive Potential: Invasive locally in Southern & Eastern Ontario. Rapid spread & ability to invade native wetland areas suggest this will become a serious threat in the future. Detrimental effects include: outcompeting native plants for nutrients, light & moisture; degrading wildlife habitat, serving as host to pests such as crown rust fungus

Control:
Mechanical: Remove isolated plants early before seed production, prescribed burns if permitted by law (may need to do this for several years);
Chemical Control: Best during fall season to lessen risk of affecting non-target plants;
Biological Control: No current biological control methods
Recommendations: As with most invasive plants it is best to remove and replace. As with the Glossy Buckthorn, replacement with same North American natives such as Spice bush (Lindera benzoin) – hardy to CDA zone 5 or Viburnum – hardy to CDA zone 3 is recommended

Resources:
* Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Botany definition
Invasive Plants of the US: Plant Conservation Alliance’s Alien Plant Working Group: Environment of Canada: Royal Botanical Gardens: Ontario Food & Agriculture: Ministry of Agriculture, Food & Rural Affairs: Ontario Federation of Anglers & Hunters: Invading Species: Ducks Unlimited; Talk About Wildlife; Alberta:

Growing Garlic

March 20, 2022

Garlic is one crop that grows well in the sandy growing conditions of the Highlands region. It’s unique in that it’s a bulb that is planted in autumn and harvested nine months later. Choose hard-necked varieties such as “Music” that do well in our temperate climate. Read more…

Growing Garlic

Buy bulbs of garlic from a local and trusted grower. Plant bulbs in your garden in late October or early November before snow fall. Amend your soil with compost or other organic fertilizer. Plant your bulbs 4-6 inches apart and a good 4 inches deep. Too shallow and the frost will heave them out of the ground and too deep and they will expend too much energy trying to reach the surface. Separate a clove from the bulb and place it pointed end up in the hole. Cover it over with earth and then cover with 4-6 inches of light mulch.

Garlic can be planted in rows (run North to South) or in amongst a flower garden where it looks quite attractive. It is a companion to roses, carrots, lettuce, beets and cabbage but not onions, peas or beans.

Leave the mulch in place in the following spring and throughout the summer. The mulch will retain moisture and repress weeds. Water well every week, if there isn’t sufficient rain. After June 21st, the scape should appear. When it forms one curl, cut it off to retain vigour in the bulb. You can use the scapes raw or cooked in salads and other recipes where mild garlic flavour would be desired.

Pull up the garlic in August when three or so outer leaves turn brown. Tie in loose bunches and hang in a shady, breezy, dry place to dry. When dry after a week or so rub off the dirt and outer layer of paper skin with your hands. Snip off the stem about 3 inches above the bulb. Store the bulbs in a dark dry place by hanging them in an old onion bag.

Gardening in Zone 4

March 12, 2022

Canada’s most recent Plant Hardiness Zone map takes a wide range of climate variables into account, like minimum winter temperatures, maximum temperatures, rainfall, snow cover, wind, and elevation. In Canada, there are 10 zones, which are numbered from 0 to 9. The higher the zone number, the warmer the climate. Haliburton County is generally considered to be zone 4.

There may also be areas of exception or ‘micro climates’. Factors that contribute to microclimates may be nearby bodies of water, presence of concrete or stone, slopes, soil type, vegetation, or structures. For example, plantings close to a house that are sheltered from northern winds will do well so you might experiment with a plant rated for a warmer zone, like a zone 5. Read the plant tags when you are buying new plants to ensure they will survive year after year.

Beware of imported plants that have the US hardiness zone information on the tags. This is not equivalent to Canadian hardiness zones. As a general rule of thumb gardeners can simply add one zone to the designated USDA zone. For example, USDA zone 4 is roughly comparable to zone 5 in Canada. Buying locally and asking questions at your local garden centre will help alleviate this confusion.

If you want to overwinter perennials outdoors in containers, it’s best to sink them into the ground. This will protect your planter and the plants.

Growing Food

April 25, 2021

So you’re a flower grower, not a vegetable grower? Did you know that vegetables are actually easier to grow, taste better than grocery store purchases and do not have poisons on or in them (unless you do it). The seeds are cheaper than nursery plants, though granted your produce will be more expensive than in-season store bought vegetables when you consider your time and energy spent – but much more satisfying to eat.

Do not picture acres of row on row of vegetables which means you must harvest, clean, freeze and store vast quantities of produce. Eating cabbages, beans and potatoes until you turn green. No. Simply interplant only your favourites amongst your flowers. Perhaps a pepper or tomato plant. A few radishes, beets, swiss chard or red Russian kale. (In France I saw dill waving in the breeze interplanted with the flowers in the boulevards and rosemary hedges.)

Seed companies now sell many vegetables that grow only to mini sizes. You could even have little carrots in your planters so that you have pretty feathery green leaves. Consider that garlic is a companion plant to roses. Since the former must be planted in the fall you can get it into the ground when you hill up those roses. A 12 inch pot of mesclun (mixed lettuces) is very attractive and will supply you with plenty of salads. Just keep picking those outside leaves and remove any blossom stems.

Vegetables are healthy food. They are better tasting than lilac blossoms, violets and day lily flowers. But I must admit nasturtium leaves should be given a chance by dedicated vegetable growers.

Check out some of our articles on growing food and have fun!