|
| |
 |
|
|
|
Get Yardcare Advice for your Canadian Region
|
|
Frequently Asked Questions for the Canadian Prairies
by
Brian Minter
|
|
 |
- Can you have success outdoors with tropical plants in the short prairie summer? Once the night temperatures warm up to about 10 degrees Celsius, many tender plants will thrive during the long, hot prairie summers. They all need to be well acclimatized before going into direct sunshine. The Daisy Tree (euryops) love the heat, as do lantanas, abutilons, canna lilies, Spanish lavender, solaniums, hardy bananas, Dutch windmill palms, and the new colourful cordylines - they create great interest in patio containers. With all of these choices, you can have quite an attractive 'tropical look' for the summer. All of these plants need to be back inside by mid-September in a protected location as they will only take about five to eight degrees Celsius of frost before they become damaged.
- Can I grow hydrangeas on the Prairies? Most folks think of the beautiful Mophead hydrangeas in blue and pink when they ask about hydrangeas. Unfortunately, these varieties set bud in late summer and early fall, and are usually all frozen back during the winter. There is, however, a new variety called, H. 'Endless Summer', which will bloom on new wood to give blossoms the same season. It is a zone four plant but with a little protection, should overwinter quite well. The 'paniculata' hydrangeas are quite hardy and all bloom on new wood. Hydrangea paniculata 'Unique', 'Pink Diamond', 'Tardiva' and 'White Moth' are all hardy to zone three and will make a spectacular show in late summer.
- Can I grow holly on the Prairies? To grow the traditional green leafed variety with red berries all winter would be pretty tough. Ilex x meserveae 'China Girl', along with its pollinator, 'China Boy', is a compact variety hardy to zone four. Deciduous hollies, however, are quite spectacular in winter, if the birds will leave the tasty red berries alone. Ilex verticillata 'Winter Red' is an eastern American native shrub hardy to zone two. Its white flowers, with the help of a male pollinator, will develop and turn into stunning red berries that look stunning against the snow. It can be used as a foundation plant or even as a hedge.
- When is it time to work the ground and start gardening in spring? When the frost comes out completely and the soil regains its composure, it's time to begin working the ground. It is important to make sure your soil has both good drainage and the ability to retain moisture. Break up heavy clay soils by rototilling in or hand digging fir or hemlock sawdust and then add garden compost and manures to provide the beneficial bacteria that are so important to all plants. Check your soil's pH level (the simple balance of acidity or alkalinity) with inexpensive test kits available at garden stores. If the pH reading is between five and eight, you're fine. If it's below five, add lime, and if it's above eight, adjust it with sulphate fertilizer or simply add peat moss. Remember, raised beds will provide warmer soil and even berming up the planting area by eight to ten inches (20 to 25cm), will make a significant difference in warming the soil for an early start. Only set out well hardened and acclimatized plants and have row covers at the ready for late frosts.
- Can I grow fruit trees in a very cold winter climate? It's quite amazing just how many types of fruit trees can be grown in the Canadian Prairies. Hardy apples, like 'Battleford', 'Gemini', 'Goodland' and 'Norland', are great. Cherries, like 'Rose Cherry' and the semi-sweet 'Carmine Jewel' and 'Evans', are excellent. Pears, such as 'Early Gold', 'Golden Spice', 'Phillip' and 'Ure', are also excellent. Plums, like 'Bounty', 'Brook Gold', 'Mount Royal', 'Opata' and 'Permbina', provide an excellent selection. There are also many other hardy novelties, like 'Nanking' cherries, 'Giant' chokecherries and of course, Saskatoon berries. Great soil preparation and planting all these trees in sunny locations out of local wind tunnels will make a real difference in production and the overall health of the trees.
- I love small fruits and berries. Can I grow most varieties in a very cold climate? There is a wide a selection of small fruits and berries that will do well in a cold winter climate with a shorter growing season. You can make a difference in the health and vitality of many of these berry plants simply by providing windbreaks and planting them in more protected locations, with well drained soils and winter mulching. It is also very important to choose the hardier varieties of each type of fruit. For example, hardier grapes are 'Prairie Star', 'Valiant' and 'Kay Gray'. The 'Hinnomaki' gooseberries from Finland are among the best. Low bush blueberries, like 'North Blue' and 'North Country', are amazing. Hardier raspberries, like 'Boyne', 'Red River' and 'Mammoth' are excellent. Everbearing or day neutral strawberries are the quickest to enjoy because they produce fruit the same season. Fruiting currants, hardy kiwis, lingonberries and some thornless blackberries are also excellent fruiting garden additions.
- Is it worthwhile growing roses in a very cold climate? The selection of roses for cold climate growing is becoming quite extensive. The very hardy 'Rugosa' roses are becoming more and more popular with new varieties like the 'Pavement Series'. The Morden Research Station has developed quite a number of excellent Prairie hardy and long blooming varieties like 'Morden Sunrise', 'Morden Centennial' and 'Winnipeg Parks'. The French bred Melliand hardy roses have an exceptional number of varieties of shrub and ground cover roses, like the award winning 'Bonica' and 'Scarlet Mediland'. Most Morden roses can also be grown in very protected locations, but they need careful winter protection. The 'Explorer Rose Series', from the Ottawa Experimental Station, have some great roses aptly named after early Canadian explorers.
- Do I need to grow special varieties of vegetables and annuals to have success in a shorter growing season? Certain unique locations with more challenging weather and elevation situations will require choosing shorter season vegetable and annual varieties, but the beautiful, long, hot Prairie summer with its good heat units creates outstanding growing conditions for most vegetables and annuals. In a world of instant gratification, many gardeners are now using larger transplants and bigger potted flowers and vegetables for faster results. There are definitely newer and improved varieties which are more disease resistant, longer lasting and earlier maturing, but still some of the older reliable performers are the mainstay in many gardens. More protected locations, good soil preparation, raised beds where possible, good transplants and well acclimatized plants make all the difference. Many folks are also starting plants in their homes and small greenhouses in bigger pots to get a jumpstart. As a rule of thumb, I always start a little later rather than earlier so all the conditions are prime for optimum growth. Early, heavy rains, cold weather and late frosts are always a challenge to early starts.
- What are some of the hardier vines for use in my garden on fences and arbors? Vines are very important in the garden to soften, screen and colour up so many areas. The Virginia creeper family (parthenocissus) is fabulous during the growing season and amazing in fall with its brilliant red leaves. 'Dropmore Scarlet' honeysuckle is very hardy with brilliant scarlet flowers from July through October. Hops are becoming the 'hot' vine because of their very fast growth and massive late summer displays of hops. The hardy kiwi, 'Arguta', especially the male form, has very rich dark green leaves with serrated margins and fragrant white flowers. Hardier clematis, especially the species, are amazing. The alpinas, like 'Blue Bell', 'Pamela Jackman' and the macropetalas, like 'Blue Bird', are always reliable early bloomers. For late bloomers, it is pretty hard to beat the yellow C. tangutica 'Gold Harvest'. Most group C clematis, the ones you prune back hard each year, bloom on new wood from summer through fall and are great too. 'Polish Spirit' and red 'Ville de Lyon' are just two of many great varieties.
- How do I care for my lawn to keep it nice and green as long as the growing season permits? When your grass shows signs of life in spring and the ground is firm from the frost coming out, you can begin your lawn care program. A great looking lawn is a true asset to your home and landscape. To enhance growth and revitalize your lawn, a fertilizer program is important. A high nitrogen, slow-release fertilizer with sulphur coated urea is a great way to tone up your lawn, adjust your pH level down in alkaline soils and maintain even growth. Slow-release fertilizers also keep the nitrates within the turf and out of the ground water. Organic fertilizers that have many long term benefits are also now more readily available. Bluegrass varieties compose about 80 percent of most Prairie seed blends and are ideal for overseeding bare spots during the growing season. Spread about five to ten pounds per 1000 square feet and rake in lightly in spring while the soil is still soft. Bluegrass is quite mat forming, and aeration is a great idea, followed by an application of about ¼ inch of sharp sand to improve the drainage and the development of grass roots. Mow higher in the summer to allow more leaf coverage of the soil and roots. Mulching mowers are terrific to add organic material back into the soil. In late summer, an application of a winterizing fertilizer is a great idea to harden off the soft green before severe cold arrives.
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
