Covid 19 has really changed how we live this year. Every month seems to have new challenges. It seems we never know how things will be. Our community has been very lucky so far to stay healthy with everyone doing their part.
The September meeting of our club, which was to be a slide show of the gardens that Penny Stewart has visited, has been cancelled. The library has not yet opened the meeting room for use. With our regular numbers and social distancing this location may not be able to work for us for future meetings. Our executive will meet in the near future to discuss our options and the upcoming AGM.
A glimpse of a few of the gardens cared for by TweedHort during this season of social distancing. And thanks go to Rachelle Hardesty of the Municipality of Tweed for her weekly garden waterings.
Spring was definitely in the air as 53 people attended the March meeting of the Tweed and District Horticultural Society. Kailey Bosch, co-owner of the Melrose Market located on Melrose Road near Shannonville Road, was the guest speaker for the evening. Kailey spoke about getting your garden ready for spring planting-evidently a topic of interest to many members!
Healthy
soil is needed to start the garden. Kailey uses aged horse manure and compost.
She plants her garden in 30-inch rows with an 18-inch walkway and raised 6-inches.
Kailey
used organic and heirloom seeds in her plantings. She recommends seeds from
High Mowing seeds, West Coast seeds and Village Green located in Foxboro.
Starting
Seeds…
-use
peat/vermiculite and worm castings (available at Thrashers in Belleville); pro
mix is a good pre-mixed starter; wet soil prior to planting
-seed
depth should be 2 x the size of the seed deep; 1 ½ inch cells and soil blockers
were recommended
-as
soon as you see sprouts, move plants to south facing window or place under a
full spectrum light for 12 hours a day; light should be 3 inches above leaves
-place
a fan on low to keep air moving around plants
-keep
the soil consistently wet by using a cover; as soon as seed germinate, remove
cover and let soil dry out a bit between watering
-harden
off plants before moving outdoors
Kailey
discussed planting times appropriate planting times for our area…
Feb-March…leeks
Mid-March…peppers,
tomatoes, greens/herbs
April…greens,
lettuce, beets, broccoli and outside you can plant green onions, peas and
spinach
May…outside
you can plant squash, melon and cucumber
Pesta
can be controlled by….
-using
row covers
-companion
planting-bail with tomatoes deters aphids
-planting
nasturtiums
-using
organic pesticide-Diatomaceous Earth, Insecticidal Soap and Neem Oil
Suggestions
to yield a bountiful harvest all season long….
-do
succession planting where one crop is pulled and another is planted
-do
not plant all the seeds of one variety at the same time; this will prevent
having all the same produce ready at once
-use
companion planting…. plant two different plants together in one area
-if
using raised beds, it is important to add compost every 2 weeks to build up the
soil; Kailey suggested adding pelleted chicken manure to raised beds
-keep
records so you know dates when seeds were planted, varieties planted, where planted
in garden and any issues you had with seeds, and the yield your garden produced
Kailey’s
Market Garden is open the weekend prior to the long weekend in May…this year
that will be May 9th. Plants as well as produce are available at the
Market Garden!
Members
of the Tweed and District Horticultural Society were excited to attend the
first meeting of 2020…a sign that spring is coming in spite of piles of snow
and the Groundhog’s predication of six more weeks of winter! Elizabeth Churcher
and George Thomson shared photos of their “Garden Friends at Hepatica Hill”.
Hepatica Hill is the name of their 100 acre farm south of Tweed.
Elizabeth
and George are active members of the Tweed and District Horticultural Society.
Elizabeth
started the presentation by a photo walk through their property highlighting
their various gardens. They like to think of their 100 acres as one large garden
overflowing with flowers, trees, bushes, shrubs, herbs, vegetables and fruit.
They
try to plant a variety of tree, bushes and shrubs to provide shelter for the different
wildlife that come to visit their property…and they are always welcome!!! In
fact, Elizabeth and George even plant extra crops so the wild life can enjoy
the produce just like they do!
Their
plants are carefully chosen so they will attract pollinators to their gardens.
George,
an avid photographer shared photos of the various wildlife that have visited Hepatica
Hill throughout the years. Butterflies, moths, grasshoppers, bees, spiders, frogs,
toads, salamanders, milk snakes, garter snakes to mention a few. Many species
of birds have also been spotted on their property….red headed woodpeckers, Baltimore
orioles, tree swallows, bluebirds, juncos, chickadees, blue jays, cardinals and
even a great gray owl (twice in 46 years but George has a photo of this!)
Mammals also drop by to visit…red squirrels, chipmunks, woodchucks, rabbits,
groundhogs, raccoons, skunks, porcupines and of course deer.
Elizabeth
and George have implemented strategies to support a harmonious relationship among
all living things on their property…and it seems to be working judging by the
beautiful plants and wildlife seen in their presentation.
COMING
UP….
March 3 …Kailey Bosch, owner of Melrose Market Garden will
discuss ways to help members grow a vegetable garden… planning the garden, seed
starting, succession planting, companion planting and creating healthy soil.
June 8…Bus trip to Peterborough to visit gardens and do
some spring plant shopping. Cost $40.
GENERAL
INTEREST EVENTS…
April
18…AGM in Ameliasburgh. Register with our Club if you
are interested in attending.
April 24-26…Peterborough Garden Show at Fleming
College, 599 Brealey Drive.
Members
of the Tweed and District Horticultural Society welcomed the holiday season
with their annual Christmas Pot Luck dinner at their December meeting. Tables
covered in bright red tablecloths and decorated with evergreen boughs
intertwined with beads, ornaments and poinsettia plants created a very “holly
jolly” feeling to the meeting room at the Tweed Library.
The
dinner was just as amazing as some of our members’ gardens…..roast turkey, ham,
quiche, and a wonderful variety of salads, meatballs, veggie trays, rolls, potatoes
and several vegetable casseroles. The dessert tables were filled with cookie platters,
pecan pie, apple pie, cakes, tarts and squares…a wonderful variety for that
sweet tooth that we all have during the holiday season! A variety of punches completed the menu!
Several
members were presented with their 10 year pins to recognize their years of
service to the club. Congratulations to these members!
Members
enjoyed Linda Holmes’ annual video presentation that showcased the speakers and
club activities during 2019. Our club had a busy year as seen in the presentation.
Many thanks to Linda for continuing to coordinate this presentation as it was
certainly enjoyed by all.
Then
it was time for “Quarter Frenzy”….a bidding game that used quarters. Valerie
and Dave did a wonderful job showcasing the prizes and encouraging everyone to
keep bidding! Laughter and the sound of quarters dropping into cups could be
heard throughout the room. Lots of excitement as members bid for the prizes…and
several members won more than one prize!!!! Members were also given the
opportunity to win a poinsettia plant….lots of fun was had by all!!!
Wishing
all our members and their families a joyous holiday season and best wishes for
2020!
NOTE: First
meeting for 2020 will be Tuesday February 4th @ 7:00 pm at the Tweed
Library.
Annual
memberships will be on sale at the meeting.
