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Showing 1 - 30 of 300 comments
Kale (also Borecole) 17 Apr, Maria Villa (Canada - Zone 3b Temperate Warm Summer climate)
Hello, can you say if Kale requires a lot of sun to grow or can it grow in shady areas of the garden? Thank you, María
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Jerusalem Artichokes (also Sunchoke) 29 Mar, Susanna (Canada - Zone 5a Temperate Warm Summer climate)
I dug up my Jerusalem artichokes in March when the snow has melted and the soil is easy to work with, usually above 6 degree C. I leave one root, about 1 inch in diameter, behind for growing in the current year. It grows tall. I always gives about 3 to 4 pounds of chokes. You can harvest it in the fall, but I always wait till next year in March because it taste better. I have been doing this for many years and following my dad's practise who has done it a long time.
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Sunflower 08 Nov, Hans von Rosen (Canada - zone 4a Temperate Warm Summer climate)
can I seed giant sunflowers outside in October Ottawa area
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Sunflower 16 Nov, (Canada - Zone 7a Mild Temperate climate)
Check the planting guide here
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Capsicum (also Bell peppers, Sweet peppers) 19 Oct, Sao Witi (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Spacing of capsicum right centimeter
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Capsicum (also Bell peppers, Sweet peppers) 16 Nov, (Canada - Zone 7a Mild Temperate climate)
Check the notes here - it tells you.
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Sweet corn (also corn,maize) 13 Oct, Eugene (Canada - Zone 3a Temperate Short Summer climate)
What’s the best sweet corn to grow in zone 3a
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Sweet corn (also corn,maize) 28 Oct, (Canada - Zone 5a Temperate Warm Summer climate)
Try a few and then grow the variety you prefer.
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Sunflower 27 Aug, Ray Mills (Canada - zone 4a Temperate Warm Summer climate)
Where do I buy sunflower seeds Want to grow 5 feet sunflowers across my back fence.
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Garlic 14 Aug, Jody Hayward (Canada - Zone 5b Temperate Warm Summer climate)
Going to plant my first fall garden in my raised beds. I had a great year. Can you recommend the best place to buy seeds and bulbs that are local to East Coast Canada? I also have downloaded your app so I can take your advice to my garden with me. I love the layout of your website it's so easy to use.
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Lettuce 18 Jul, CANDY (Canada - Zone 5b Temperate Warm Summer climate)
CAN I SOW SEEDS NOW IN A POT AS I AM A A BALCONY PLANTER- THANKYOU
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Broccoli 22 May, Madeleine (Canada - Zone 3a Temperate Short Summer climate)
I planted my seeds directly in the garden over the May long weekend. Will they grow?
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Broccoli 10 Jun, (Canada - Zone 3a Temperate Short Summer climate)
Probably not, depends if you look after them carefully. It is a fine line between over watering and under watering. Then watering them regularly as they grow. Seedlings are very slow growing the first few weeks. Good luck.
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Beans - climbing (also Pole beans, Runner beans, Scarlet Runners) 18 May, Celeste Archer (Canada - Zone 5a Temperate Warm Summer climate)
In addition: Where large amounts of farmyard manure have been used, molybdenum deficiency is less likely.
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Beans - climbing (also Pole beans, Runner beans, Scarlet Runners) 18 May, Celeste Archer (Canada - Zone 8a Mild Temperate climate)
I think everyone knows beans need Mycorrhizal fungi to grow well -- Mycorrhizal fungal filaments in the soil are truly extensions of root systems and are more effective in nutrient and water absorption than the roots themselves. More than 95 percent of terrestrial plant species form a symbiotic relationship with beneficial mycorrhizal fungi. Forest floor duff contains MF and can be easily added to your compost bin, or directly in the desired areas. ADDITIONALLY - beans need Molybdenum (compost banana peels are a good source of Molybdenum). Molybdenum-bearing enzymes are by far the most common bacterial catalysts for breaking the chemical bond in atmospheric molecular nitrogen in the process of biological nitrogen fixation. - In legumes such as clovers, lucerne, beans and peas, molybdenum serves two functions. The plant needs it to break down any nitrates taken up from the soil—in the same way as non-legumes use molybdenum. And it helps in the fixation of atmospheric nitrogen by the root nodule bacteria. Legumes need more molybdenum to fix nitrogen than to utilise nitrates. --- The take away --- don't forget the forest floor duff and banana peels around your beans.
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Carrot 13 May, Celeste Archer (Canada - Zone 8a Mild Temperate climate)
AS an FYI : in addition to rock free loose sandy soil (and a balance of nutrition) Carrots require, in order of importance: copper (pennies work - just toss some good old copper pennies around the carrots - Canadian and American pennies have copper... I'm not sure about other countries), boron (borax like given to sunflowers - borax boost ==> early-morning watering of 4 litres (1 gal.) of water mixed with 2.5 mL (1⁄2 tsp.) of borax.), magnesium, calcium (eggs shells) and manganese. I find that I generally get enough Magnesium and manganese from my general compost. Careful not to overdue the coffee grinds, in excess they can be toxic.
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Peas 30 Apr, Helena (Canada - Zone 2a Sub-Arctic climate)
Is it too early to plant peas?
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Peas 02 May, (Canada - Zone 2b Sub-Arctic climate)
Probably a bit early, best wait for June
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Cardoon 18 Apr, Kim (Canada - Zone 7a Mild Temperate climate)
Do I have to start the cardoon in a seed start before that last frost or can I buy cardoons already started at a nursery/garden center?
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Cardoon 23 Apr, Celeste Archer (Canada - Zone 5a Temperate Warm Summer climate)
I find that SEEDS are much better than potted cardoons. Cardoons have really deep roots -- 5 feet or so -- the cardoon drops its root VERY early in it's growth cycle -- for this reason, I prefer to use seeds. It should be noted that Cardoon requires a uniform supply of moisture. Leaves and stalks become pithy when subjected to water stress, making them unmarketable. About 10-12 inches of water, uniformly distributed throughout its growing period may be necessary. Spineless and spiny types exist. The spineless types are preferred. Named varieties are difficult to find in U.S. seed catalogs. Often the only option is a generic cardoon with no variety mentioned. 'Tenderheart' and 'Gigante' can be found in some current catalogs. One may also search European catalogs. Varieties recently available included Bianco Ameliore, Italian Dwarf, Large Smooth, and White Improved. Any of the above can be considered suitable for trial in the Pacific Northwest.
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Asparagus 29 Mar, Jim Bell (Canada - Zone 5b Temperate Warm Summer climate)
I was planning on planting asparagus between my grape vines which are new and will be I’m hoping on wires 4 ft above ground. Would the ferns be too high to grow without shading out the grapes?
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Asparagus 09 Apr, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I would suggest you don't. Asparagus need their own area to grow in "full sunlight". They will be there for 20+ years and they spread a bit as the crown grows. You pick the new asparagus shoots (they need full sun then) for about 10-12 weeks and then let the ferns grow (they reach about 4').
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Asparagus 26 Mar, Rod Ferguson (Canada - Zone 4b Temperate Warm Summer climate)
I live in Midland, 50 miles north of our largest harvesting area Allison. Asparagus is my favourite vegetable but Ontario seems to have a season of only a month or so. How does asparagus from Mexico or Peru be available year round? If asparagus was planted in northern Ontario—such as in the agricultural belt near New Liskeard—would our harvesting time be correspondingly extended?
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Carrot 25 Jan, Bill (Canada - Zone 6b Temperate Warm Summer climate)
Hello: I live in Zone 6B Stoney Creek. I would like to get 2 harvest of carrots this year but not sure when to plant seeds throughout spring, summer or fall. Can you please advise? I was thinking of planting Bolero Nantes carrot seeds. Thanks for your time! Bill
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Carrot 09 Feb, Celeste Archer (Canada - Zone 5a Temperate Warm Summer climate)
I thought I might mention: after you harvest your first crop of carrots you probably have enough time to grow a crop of the smaller varieties of radish. Radishes: ******** Germination temperatures: ideal 15c - 25c acceptable 10c - 30c ************ Germination time: 5 -10 days *************** Growing temperatures: ideal 10c -18c intermediate to short day lengths -Growth must be continuous and rapid for good quality. Acceptable grow temps 4c – 24c. Roots of globe varieties tend to elongate and develop poor shape in hot weather when the tops also grow taller and larger than in cool weather. Long days induce flowering or seed stalks (bolting) and with warm weather the seed stalk may develop so rapidly that no edible root is formed *************** Days to harvest: Regular radish reach market size in 21 to 28 days. Chinese radish take 50 to 90 days (or more) to mature. ** A regular radish seed can produce a radish from planting to harvest in about 33 days. This crop also likes short day lengths and cooler temps making it an ideal crop to “squeeze” in late in the season, before the first frost. With a first potential frost date of October 15 – you could direct sow radish seeds like Cherry Belle, or French Breakfast (both with about 21 days to harvest from seedlings) on September 7th and reasonably expect to harvest your radishes before the first frost. You could also sow in trays and then plant them out… if real-estate is an issue, or if you need to get the radishes started before your harvest your carrots (timing) ************* Storage and Conditioning the recommended storage temperature is 0 C with a relative humidity of 95% to 100%. Topped radishes packaged in perforated plastic bags will keep for 3 to 4 weeks. Bunched radishes will keep 1 to 2 weeks. ********** Temperature information was gleaned from: ATLANTIC PROVINCES AGRICULTURE SERVICES and amalgamated with information from individual radish varieties such as Cherry Belle. ****** if you don't harvest your radishes on time they will be pithy/mealy
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Carrot 01 Feb, (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Use a shade cover while germinating the seeds - like shade cloth.
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Carrot 30 Jan, (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Best to check the planting guide for your climate zone. No chance to two repeat crops.
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Carrot 16 Feb, Celeste Archer (Canada - Zone 5a Temperate Warm Summer climate)
Just saw your reply -sorry I didn't notice it sooner. What your saying is if I plant my carrots on the 1st day recommended by the planting guide and my neighbor plants a week later they Don't get carrots. Succession plantings take place fairly close together. If the guide says you have a two week window. You can get 3 crops in. - day1 planting. Middle of the window and the end. Personally I would just go for 2 crops with such a tight window -one at the beginning of the planting window and one near the end. Perhaps you where thinking that the 1st crop needs to be harvested before you plant the second crop?
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Carrot 28 Jan, Celeste Archer (Canada - Zone 5a Temperate Warm Summer climate)
Carrots: -- Germination minimum temp is 2c: optimum germination temp is 10c to 25c (the temperatures must be sustained). Seeds germinate over a 2-week period -- if crust forms on the top of the soil, germination will be restricted. *********** Optimum growing temps : 15C to 20C , with a minimum of 5C and a maximum of 24C Outside of the growing range (less than 5c or more than 24c) the carrot goes into "dormancy/holding pattern" with extreme temps killing the carrot. ********* Average days to harvest for carrots is 60 to 80 days. The days to harvest are calculated based on ideal growing conditions (temperatures/sunshine/water). *************** Having lived in your area MANY years ago – I can recall – and checked with environment Canada – Based on last year’s temp – June was a good month to start planting carrots – and September had decent carrot growing temps – as did the first week of October. I would plant carrots in semi-shade as Stoney Creek can get VERY HOT in mid-summer – and this is a problem for carrots that don’t like temps over 24c. ********* So, what I see is a total of 129 days of good carrot growing weather (June 01 – to the first week in October). You need 2 weeks for germination and depending on the type of carrot about 80 days to harvest: total of 94 days. If you plant starting June 01 – you can plant carrots every couple of weeks until around July 5th (07/05 plus 95 days yields a date in the first week in October). If you want to do only 2 plantings – then I would plant on June 01, and again the last week of June. This is based on 80 days to harvest – if you have carrots with a higher number of days to germination and/or days to harvest (like dragon carrots that take 90 days) – adjust accordingly. You need your last harvest in by the first week in October so count backward to find your last planting date. Bolero Nantes have the following stats: Germination 10 - 20 days and days to harvest 70. The site indicates that your last planting should be 3 months before your first expected frost date -- and it looks like your first expected frost date is October 15 -- which yields a last planting date of: July 15th which is a couple of weeks later than what I have calculated .... remember that Nobody can guarantee what your weather will be ..... when it comes to your last planting, I would error to the side of planting a little early -- and I would feel a little bit short on time with a July 15th planting...but I have heard of people planting later and doing just fine.
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Watermelon 02 Jan, (Canada - Zone 3b Temperate Warm Summer climate)
May if you are zone 3b
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Showing 1 - 30 of 300 comments
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This planting guide is a general reference intended for home gardeners. We recommend that you take into account your local conditions in making planting decisions. Gardenate is not a farming or commercial advisory service. For specific advice, please contact your local plant suppliers, gardening groups, or agricultural department. The information on this site is presented in good faith, but we take no responsibility as to the accuracy of the information provided.
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