5 Easy Steps To Get Started
By Ava Green
There’s a common myth that you need a lot of space to grow vegetables, but whether you have a few containers, a small sunny corner, or a larger garden bed, there’s lots you can grow! Here in Norfolk County, which is Zone 6 in Southern Ontario, some vegetables can go in the ground as early as the beginning of May, while many others are usually safe to plant around the May 24th weekend, once the risk of frost has passed. Here are five simple steps to get you growing your own food this season if you’re new to vegetable gardening.
Step 1: Decide What You’d Love To Grow
Start with a list of the vegetables you actually want to eat. Coming into Eising Garden Centre with a list in hand makes choosing plants so much easier! When building your list, consider:
- Vegetables you love
- High-value vegetables, the ones that are expensive at the grocery store but easy and economical to grow yourself
- Anything that tastes better when it’s freshly picked, like tomatoes, cucumbers, and fresh herbs
Step 2: Make a Simple Plan
You don’t need an elaborate design; a rough sketch on a scrap of paper is just fine. The goal is simply to get a sense of your space and where things will go before you start digging. We recommend starting a garden notebook or journal to track what you plant each year and how it performs. It will be especially helpful next spring!! A few planning tips to keep in mind:
- Most heat-loving vegetables, such as tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, eggplant and beans, need at least six hours of sun per day
- Cool-weather and shade-tolerant crops like lettuce, chard, kale, radishes, and beets do well with just three to four hours of sun
- Spacing in a vegetable garden can be much tighter than in other types of gardens. Less empty space means fewer weeds and bigger harvests. Square foot gardening is an excellent method to explore
- Layer your garden beds with plants that are great companions. For example, basil and marigolds planted beside tomatoes are said to improve flavour and repel pests. Carrot and beet seeds tucked in beside and between your lettuce plants (which are a cool-weather crop) are a smart pairing; as your lettuce finishes in the summer heat, your carrots and beets will be sprouting up to take their place. This is referred to as succession planting and optimizes the space in your garden
- Make use of vertical space with poles or trellises for peas, pole beans and cucumbers
- Tuck herbs into any gaps between your vegetables; they’re useful, beautiful, and most pollinators love them
Step 3: Prepare Your Space
Once you’ve chosen a spot with enough light, it’s time to get the soil ready:
- Remove any sod or weeds before planting. If you’d rather not dig, the No Dig gardening method uses a layer of cardboard as the base for the new bed. This suppresses weeds naturally and breaks down into the soil over time
- Add a good-quality compost to your soil by either spreading a layer across the top of the garden bed or scooping some into each plant hole
- For container gardening, almost any container works, just make sure it’s deep and wide enough for the mature size of your plants. Also, drainage holes are a must! Fill containers with a soilless mix containing compost, peat moss or a peat alternative, and one of the following: sand, vermiculite, or perlite. Avoid using garden soil, triple mix, or topsoil in containers, as they compact easily and will restrict root growth. Learn more about soil mixes, amendments, and fertilizers here
Step 4: Water and Feed Consistently
Consistent watering and feeding are the foundation of a productive vegetable garden:
- Vegetables need regular, reliable watering. Inconsistent moisture leads to stressed plants and poor yields
- Always water the soil, not the leaves. Plant roots take in water, and wet foliage can invite disease. Water deeply so moisture reaches the roots. Use your fingers to check how far down the water has penetrated into the soil
- Containers dry out faster than garden beds and will need more frequent attention
- Morning is the best time to water. If your plants are struggling on a particularly hot afternoon, a second watering is fine. Just be sure to aim at the base of the plant and avoid the foliage, which can scorch in direct sun
- Feed with organic fertilizers throughout the season to keep your plants healthy and productive. Follow the package instructions for the product you choose
Step 5: Plant Flowers for Your Pollinators
A vegetable garden without pollinators is a garden that won’t reach its full potential. Attracting bees, butterflies and other beneficial insects to your garden is one of the best things you can do for your harvest. Some of our favourite pollinator-friendly flowers for the vegetable garden include marigold, calendula, nasturtium, borage, sunflowers and culinary lavender. As a bonus, most of these are edible, so they earn their space twice over.
It’s Time
Starting a vegetable garden is one of the most rewarding things you can do with an outdoor space. There’s a quiet satisfaction in growing something from seed or a seedling and bringing it to your own table.
Start simple, grow what you love and don’t be afraid to learn as you go.
The team at Eising Garden Centre is always happy to help you choose the right plants for your space and answer any questions along the way. This could be the season that changes the way you think about your garden!
Resources:
Why Use a Garden Journal?: https://eising.ca/why-use-a-garden-journal/
Square Foot Gardening: https://www.almanac.com/planning-square-foot-garden-grow-more-less-space
Fertilizers & Soil Amendments: https://eising.ca/fertilizers-soil-amendments/
Companion Planting: https://eising.ca/companion-planting-with-herbs/ and https://eising.ca/incorporating-vegetables-into-your-garden/
Optimizing the Gardening Season: https://eising.ca/optimizing-the-gardening-season/
No Dig Gardening Method: https://charlesdowding.co.uk/blogs/no-dig-resources/beginners-guide
Reading Plant Tags: https://eising.ca/full-sun-part-shade-what-do-plant-tags-actually-mean/
Growing Vegetables in Pots: https://eising.ca/planters-are-for-more-than-flowers/
Christmas gatherings are special, even without any holiday decorations. A certain Cindy Loo Who schooled the Grinch on that! But oh how special a gathering feels when you’re surrounded by festive lights, and some fresh greenery to liven things up. It truly does make a dinner or party more magical.
While there are folks who can’t wait to unleash the holiday spirit and begin decorating, it may seem a little too overwhelming for some. We’re here to help, no matter which camp you’re in!
If decorating comes easy to you, stop by Eising Greenhouses when you’re ready for fresh greenery, planters and some new decor.
If the thought of decorating is daunting, here are five simple steps to make it easier - for Christmas, or any special holiday!
5 Simple Steps for Easy Christmas Decorating
1 - Where to decorate. Even if it seems like it’s too early, pour yourself a cup of tea, crack open a notepad and let your imagination begin to percolate. Think about the area(s) you would like to “spruce” up! Front entrance? Living room? Dining room? Think about things like where in the house your party will take place, and whether or not you want a theme or a specific colour palette. Pinterest can help if you need inspiration and we have some Holiday Home Decor Ideas You Can Make Yourself to inspire you as well.
2 - Plan early. Look at your ‘Where To Decorate’ ideas and begin to create a wish list. What will you need to decorate the space(s) you’re imagining? Garland? Wreaths? Centrepieces? A tree? Once you have a wish list, make a plan for what to buy, and what to make.
3 - Schedule it. One of our family’s mottos is that if it’s not scheduled and on the calendar, it never happens. If you find that’s the case for you, use the plan you’ve made and begin to schedule dates to pick up the things you will need, and when you will make or decorate. Next, invite family and friends to join in. Why do this alone? Decorating can be a big part of holiday fun. For example, have everything ready to make or decorate while you watch your favourite holiday movies with friends or family.
4 - Declutter. Now that you have a plan and dates are set, reducing what is in the space will make decorating easier when that day comes. Move, or pack away anything that will limit space or detract from the new holiday decor you’re planning. Editing and clearing out what you have will really draw attention to the Christmas items you’re about to add!
5 - Incorporate natural elements. The holidays are the best time of year to incorporate natural decorations. It’s the only time of year we bring evergreens to the front porch and into our living room. If you’ve never used them, here is our How to Decorate with Fresh Greenery for Christmas guide.
Then, come see us at Eising Greenhouses, and pick out your fresh greenery, wreaths and decorations. You can also select from holiday plants like Amaryllis, Paperwhites and Christmas Cactus, and our arranged-for-you planters, urns and centrepieces. We can even create a custom arrangement in one of your favourite vases, urns, or that big Grinch-themed gravy boat from Aunt Martha if you leave it with us!
We hope these five tips and our holiday decorations help to make your Yule celebrations brighter, so you can sit back and enjoy the beauty of the holiday season!
