Roseanne Ballast from Stonepath Greenhouses in Tweed was the guest speaker at the May meeting of the Tweed and District Horticultural Group. Roseanne and her husband, John started Stonepath Greenhouses 30 years ago and Roseanne admits, “I love getting my hands dirty today as much as I did when we started the business.”
For years, people have gardened for enjoyment, relaxation and simply to be outdoors after a long winter. Now people are gardening to grow their own food and to eat healthier. However, due to the effects of climate change, gardening today comes with many challenges-shorter growing seasons, late spring frosts, early fall frosts, wet springs, dry summers and sudden heavy rains…and add in the occasional tornado and forest fires.
Throughout her presentation, Roseanne highlighted trends that are occurring in gardening.
-smaller, smarter growing spaces-bigger is not necessarily better, using raised beds, container gardening, what matters is how well we use the space we have
-water efficiency and climate adaptation-using drip irrigation, soaker hoses, use mulch to hold moisture; group plants according to water needs, water deeply
-use better seeds and better variety-the right variety can make a huge difference in the garden in terms of produce grown
-high yield crops-use crops that will give several harvests throughout the growing season like basil, pole beans, zucchini, kale, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, parsley
-become more aware of soil as better soil creates better plants- it takes time to amend soil but well worth the effort
-mix pollinator friendly plants with flowers and veggies
-using simple technology assisted gardening programs to help you make better decisions concerning what to grow, how and when
-grow what you and your family eat and perhaps some to share
Roseanne provided a handout that explained the trends for 2026 and how gardeners can implement some of these trends into their gardening practices. Members also received a Starter Kit which included 10 bean seeds and a tomato plant. Roseanne selected beans for the starter kit as beans are easy to grow and a great way to start growing food. The tomato plant also included in the kit is “the starter plant” which helps create the feeling, “I can do this!”
In closing, Roseanne suggested try growing one crop, improve one garden bed by adding much and compost and select plants that will truly earn their place in YOUR garden! According to a Roseanne, a garden can feed us in many ways-through food, beauty, generosity and connection.
LOOKING AHEAD….
May 16…Plant Sale at Memorial Park in Tweed starting at 8 am
June 2…Lise Bois will discuss the Miyawaki method of restoring natural vegetation by planting native species in a dense multi layered manner. She will share her experiences about the Miyawaki mini forest project in Ameliasburgh.