Edible Garden Newsletter November 2019

The Edible Garden Newsletter for November 2019 is now available.  In this issue we show you that there is more to Edibles than eating as one author combines ornamentals and edibles to create a garden in a vase for all occasions.  Our Bee Line series continues with a visit to a beehive to reap the rewards of owning a share in a beehive.  Our unusual edibles series continues by providing information on lovage, a perennial herb that is beautiful and delicious.   Finally, a small tribute to the fruit, berry and seed producing shrubs that help our feathered friends survive the winter. 
One day in November, I found two apples in a Robin's nest in one of my apple trees.  Not sure if the Robin was saving them for a bed time snack or the Squirrel found it a handy spot to store a couple of apples for later.

Edible Garden Newsletter October 2019

The Edible Garden Newsletter October 2019 is now available.  Our Edible Gardeners share with us the ways they enjoy their harvest.  One garden has successfully experimented with making Flower Petal Jelly and shares her successes.  Another tells us of even more ways to share rhubarb, a tart and tasty summer treat.  Yet another gardener tells us of an unorthodox approach she took to harvest an abundance of red currants and an even more unorthodox approach to pruning.  Our Bee Line series continues with a visit to the Corner Pollinator Garden. Enjoy.
Still time to register to our Ontario Native and Invasive Plants--Friends and Foes on October 26. For Details see Featured Post to the right.

Edible Garden Newsletter September 2019

The Edible Garden Newsletter for September 2019 is now available.  Many of us look forward to the fresh sweet taste of Ontario Strawberries that we buy at Farmers Markets or go out to a Pick-Your-Own farm but not a lot of us grow our own.  Our feature article this month walks us through the steps to create your very own Strawberry Patch.  Jerusalem Artichokes provide a beautiful daisy like flower and deliver Sunchokes year after year.  Learn all about growing this interesting perennial vegetable.  Our Bee Line column focuses on a different pollinator in a celebration of Monarchs.  Part 4 of our ongoing Introduction to Soil series focuses on Soil Texture.

Edible Garden Newsletter August 2019

Edible Garden Newsletter, August 2019 is now available.  In this issue, we focus on attraction pollinators and other beneficial insects to our garden.  We start with a tour of the Fletcher Wildlife Garden, located in the Central Experimental Farm in Ottawa right next to the Arboretum.  Another gardener talks about building a simple and easy water feature in her vegetable garden that attracts birds, bees, butterflies and frogs and toads to name a few.  Many people run if they see a Hornets nest but they are another important pollinator and protector from many of the invasive insects that target our gardens.  Finally, we continue our Introducing Soil series with an article on Soil Profile.  Frequently, we are asked "When can I harvest my vegetables?"  We have included a link to our August 2014 Newsletter that describes when your crops are ready and how best to preserve your abundant harvest.

Edible Garden Newsletter July 2019

The Edible Garden Newsletter July 2019 is now available.  In this issue, we are all about growing things in containers.  We describe how to create  Pollinator friendly containers as an additional method for attracting pollinators to your garden.  Also, as many of us downsize our gardens, learn how one gardener still grows vegetables in containers. Gardeners often complain about weeds taking over our garden but in this issue we describe the benefits of eating two prolific weeds--Purslane and Pigweed.  If you grow Plums or Cherries, you may have been impacted by the dreaded Black Knot.  Discover what you can do to treat this problem. Finally a book review of Matthew Biggs book Grow something different to eat.  The butterfly in the above photo found its way to a container on the 9th floor.  A welcome guest.

Edible Garden Newsletter June 2019

The Edible Garden Newsletter June 2019 is now available.  In this issue, we describe how and when to harvest, enjoy and store potatoes, including something we all look forward too, New Potatoes.  Do Potato Towers work? Check it out.  Our Bee Line series continues with information about Honeybees, Native Bees and Butterflies.  Part 2 in the series Introducing Soil describes what components make up soil.  The Herb of the Year for 2019 is Anise Hyssop.  We feature one gardeners experience of growing, and loving this plant.  Finally a recipe for Chive Vinegar.

Ontario Native and Invasive Plants: Friends and Foes

Join us for a one day learning event
Saturday October 26, 2019
8:30 am-3 pm
Kitchissippi United Church, 630 Island Park Drive, Ottawa

An invasive plant is an alien species whose introduction or spread negatively impacts native biodiversity, the economy and society including human health.  Second to habitat loss, invasive species have been identified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as the most significant threat to biodiversity.
The Master Gardeners of Lanark County and Ottawa-Carleton are presenting an all day learning session to help gardeners learn how to deal with these Invasive Plants and learn the benefits to planting Native Plants.  We present a full day of learning with the following speakers:

• Iola Price is the President of the Ontario Invasive Plant council.  She will be describing the Impact of Invasives on our Natural Environment including the social, ecological and financial impact.
• Naomi Cappuccino is an associate professor of biology at Carleton University.  Her current research works to help combat invassive species, using natural population control methods.  She will describe how insects are used to biologically control of weeds and insect pests in the garden
• Trish Murphy--Native Plants.

We will also have two Master Gardener Speakers:

• Julianne Labreche--Lessons Learned after Bee City Ottawa Collapsed in Disorder
• Ankaret Dean--Controversy in Lanark County.

In addition to our speakers we have:

• Displays provided by other groups 
• Silent Auction
• Delicious Lunch.

All this for only $35.  Register now. Individual Registration  Group Registration

Agenda              Printable Poster

Edible Garden Newsletter May 2019

The Edible Garden Newsletter May 2019 is now available.  In this issue, we discuss planting our favorite garden staple, Potatoes.  A current major environmental concern is the amount of plastic that is finding its way into the food chain.  We discuss steps we home gardeners can take to reduce the amount of plastic we bring into the garden.  Finally, our ongoing Bee Line series talks about World Honeybee Day August 17, 2019.  The attached photo is of my Dad, showing off one of his favorite vegetables, a potato. Photo credit Kim Allen.