Trellis - Edible Summer 2010

Toronto Botanical Garden

edible summer Spring 2010

A special issue of Trellis

10 Veggie

Gardening Secrets Page 6

Dig in &

Cook

Like a Chef Page 21

+ 25 Tips

from the pros

How to

Grow

Vegetables

Anywhere!

6 pages of expert ideas page 14 Your source guide to seeds, farmers’ markets & more! Page 28

welcome to edible summer at the Toronto Botanical Garden

N

othing tastes better than vegetables picked from your own garden. In keeping with the rising interest in eating locally, the Toronto Botanical Garden celebrates growing your own food with this special Edible Summer issue of Trellis magazine.

We’ll show you how to Dig In, with tips from Mark Cullen that guarantee success, seed-sowing how-to from Master Gardener Connie Hunter and TBG instructor Ken Brown’s list of six no-fail veggies. And the TBG’s Director of Horticulture, Paul Zammit, dishes the dirt on what it takes to build the healthiest plot on the block.

Space is a problem for many urban gardeners and our experts help you discover how to make the most of what you have. Toronto Star columnist Sonia Day offers tips on balcony and rooftop veggie gardens. Author Liz Primeau takes a look at transforming front yards into attractive and productive potagers. And get out the drill and screws, because you’ll want to construct the raised bed designed for maximum production by Master Gardener Elizabeth Stewart. But our space-saving ideas don’t stop there. Learn how to create a container herb garden and to train vegetables to grow vertically – and if you do run out of space, we’ll tell you where to find information about allotment and community gardens.

If you grow it, our Grow & Eat section tells you how to get cooking!

L-Eat’s chef, Christopher Palik, who uses produce plucked fresh from the company’s kitchen garden, offers five ways to use pesto. Garden writer (and proud grandma) Lorraine Hunter provides advice on creating a pizza garden that kids will love to tend and harvest. And, along with the story of pioneer vegetable gardens from Black Creek Pioneer Village’s Jannette Porter, we offer a heritage recipe from an old Ontario cookbook. To further tempt your taste buds, don’t miss our review of vegetables used by our multicultural community.

The information doesn’t stop there. To round out this special Edible Summer issue, our Source Guide provides lists of local farmers’ markets, seed companies, farm adventures, food festivals and more! Edible Summer is your guide to growing, eating and enjoying the bounty of the season.

– Lorraine Flanigan, editor All proceeds from the sale of Edible Summer help support the programs and services of the Toronto Botanical Garden.

We thank the following individuals for their contributions: Elizabeth Baird, Ken Brown, Mark Cullen, Janet Davis, Sonia Day, Sarah Elton, Frank Ferragine, Marjorie Harris, Lorraine Johnson, Jannette Porter, Liz Primeau, Jennifer Reynolds, Gayla Trail, the Toronto Master Gardeners and the many volunteer writers and members of the Trellis Committee.

go to www.torontobotanicalgarden.ca

for a full schedule of Edible Summer events, programs

and happenings at the Toronto Botanical Garden.

www.torontobotanicalgarden.ca

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edible summer • special Issue 2010

edible summer

5

$

A special issue of Trellis

contents

Editor Lorraine Flanigan

Design June Anderson

Trellis Committee Lorraine Hunter (Chair) Lorraine Flanigan (Editor) Carol Gardner Marion Magee Gwen Rattle Jenny Rhodenizer Paul Zammit

Volunteer Editorial Assistants M. Magee, M. Nevett, C. Peer, L. Uyeno

Volunteer Graphic Artist Pablo Hernandez

Advertising 416-397-1371

Trellis is published as a members’ newsletter by the Toronto Botanical Garden at Edwards Gardens 777 Lawrence Avenue East Toronto Ontario, M3C 1P2 416-397-1340 Trellis welcomes queries for story ideas, which should be submitted to the editor for consideration by the Trellis Committee at least four months in advance of publication dates.

ABOUT THE TORONTO BOTANICAL GARDEN The Toronto Botanical Garden (TBG) is a volunteer-based, charitable organization whose purpose is to inspire passion, respect and understanding of gardening, horticulture, the natural landscape and a healthy environment. The organization relies on the generosity and financial commitment of individuals, foundations and corporations to help maintain the gardens and support the many horticultural and environmental services we provide to our community.

Opinions expressed in Trellis do not necessarily reflect those of the TBG. Submissions may be edited for style and clarity.

All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited without written permission.

Charitable business number 119227486RR0001

777 Lawrence Avenue East Toronto, Ontario M3C 1P2, Canada 416-397-1340 fax: 416-397-1354 info@torontobotanicalgarden.ca torontobotanicalgarden.ca

Canada Publications Mail Product Sales Agreement #40013928 ISSN 0380-1470 Cover photo: intst/istockphoto

Printed by Harmony Printing

Cert no. SW-COC-002063

By TTC: Exit the Yonge subway line at the Eglinton station and take the 51, 54 or 54A bus to Lawrence Avenue. The TBG is on the southwest corner.

6 Mark Cullen’s 10 Tips for Growing Vegetables It can be easy, fun and oh so satisfying to dig in 8 Ready, Set, Sow! How to sow seeds indoors for a cornucopia of fresh produce this summer 10 6 Easy Vegetables It’s simple to get growing with these tasty vegetables 12 Build It & They Will Grow Paul Zammit dishes the dirt on how to grow a healthy, organic crop right in your back yard

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edible summer • special Issue 2010

PHOTOS: (This Page) Paul Zammit (OPPOSITE) Clockwise from top: Everdale, Angela Sorrentino/iStockphoto, Elizabeth Stewart

M. Bruce, J. Campbell, M. Magee, J. McCluskey, D. Puder, L. Uyeno

dig in

Volunteer Proofreaders

Spring 2010

grow & eat

space savers

Vo lume 37 Numb er 2

14 High-Rise Gardens

10 tips for growing veggies on balconies

15 Make a Simple, Compact Herb Garden Pot up some savoury herbs for a cook’s miniature garden 16 Front & Centre

Make the most of your space – grow vegetables and herbs in your front yard

17 Look Up

Solutions for postage stamp gardens – grow up!

18 Tuck Your Veggies into

Raised Beds Building a raised bed is easier than you think

www.torontobotanicalgarden.ca

21 A Cook’s Garden How L-Eat chef Christopher Palik harvests tomatoes and herbs for his menus 24 Kids Can Grow Tips and ideas for kids’ gardening

26 How Our Gardens Have Grown From our pioneer roots to the diversity of modern food gardens, growing our own continues to sustain us 28 Source Guide

From seed suppliers to farmers’ markets, your guide to growing, eating and harvesting fresh produce 5

edible summer • special Issue 2010

dig in Mark Cullen’s

10 Tips for Growing Vegetables Take it from a gardening expert — with the right techniques, vegetable gardening can be easy, fun, healthy and oh so satisfying!

Feed the soil Before planting, the entire vegetable garden should be covered with three to eight centimetres (one to three inches) of finished compost.

You can work this layer of compost into the garden with a Rototiller or spade, or let the earthworms do it for you.

2

Follow the sun If you have space enough to plant your vegetables in rows, orient them north to south, and plant the tallest vegetables at the east end with plant heights decreasing toward the west end. This way, the tall plants won’t shade the shorter plants later in the day as the sun moves from east to west.

3

Discover the magic of mulch Mulch helps retain moisture, encourages earthworms and fosters microbial activity in the soil. I apply finely ground cedar bark throughout the growing season.

Mulch will also dramatically reduce your weeding.

4

Learn from farmers: Crop rotation Plants in the same family tend to be vulnerable to the same insects and diseases. Keeping plants from the same family in separate beds one year, and relocating those plants to new beds the following year may save your vegetables from predation. Rotating crops in this way also helps keep the soil fertile by allowing light feeders to occupy soil depleted by heavy feeders.

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Manage your watering Vegetables need daily watering at the seedling stage. Thereafter, water consistently as the surface of the soil becomes dry. In locations exposed to wind, more watering may be needed. This can be overcome by laying down a thick layer of organic mulch to conserve moisture in the soil.

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edible summer • special Issue 2010

PHOTOS: (This Page) From top: Courtesy Mark Cullen, Janet Davis.

(OPPOSITE) Clockwise from top: tBoyan/iStockphoto, Courtesy Mark Cullen, Alasdair James/iStockphoto.

1

Pro Tip Replenishing the soil in your vegetable garden at the end of the harvest is crucial. Boost your soil by adding a layer of compost and top it off with a mulch of shredded leaves.

– Lorraine Johnson City Farmer: Adventures in Urban Food Growing

6

Make free fertilizer Rake fallen leaves onto the vegetable garden each autumn. Nothing comes closer to perfection than a garden that has been fed a steady diet of fallen leaves, which are natural soil insulators.

Leaf mulch also promotes the activity of beneficial insects, such as earthworms.

Pile dry leaves up to 50 centimetres (18 inches) thick (or 20 centimetres (eight inches) if they’re wet.

Hose them down as you pile them on the soil to prevent them from blowing away.

During the freeze-andthaw cycles of winter, the leaves will mat down in a thin layer that will prevent the germination of weed seeds in spring and will reduce the need for watering until early summer.

7

Cultivate the soil Vegetables like loose and friable soil (meaning easy to turn over and dig), which enables roots to grow readily and quickly. This is particularly true of root vegetables such as carrots, parsnips, radishes and potatoes. Their roots will often fork or become misshapen in compacted or heavy soil.

8

Chase the sun Locate your vegetable garden in as much sun as possible. Except for leaf lettuce and spinach, vegetables and herbs require at least six hours of sunlight each day. If possible, plant vegetables in a southfacing location. If that isn’t possible, choose a southeastern or southwestern exposure.

9

Grow organic Your vegetable garden provides the best opportunity to enjoy the benefits of organic gardening. You can provide healthy and safe food right from your own garden. Your success depends on proper soil preparation, which is especially true of vegetable gardening.

Earthworms convert organic material into nitrogen-rich castings.

10

Time it right The best planting times for individual vegetables are often given in the number of weeks before or after the last spring frost. Likewise, the sowing of late-harvest vegetables is usually indicated by the number of weeks before the first fall frost.

[Average first and last frost dates can be found for your area at www.almanac.com/content/frost-chart-canada. — ed.]

Mark Cullen’s latest book is The Canadian Garden Primer: An Organic Approach. Sign up for his free monthly newsletter at www.markcullen.com and follow his blog at ca.lifestyle.yahoo.com/home-garden/blog/markcullen.

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edible summer • special Issue 2010

dig in

Pro Tip

Master Gardener Connie Hunter tells you how to sow seeds indoors for a cornucopia of fresh, seasonal vegetables.

Starting vegetable seeds indoors allows you to choose from a wide variety of heirloom and unusual vegetables. It also gives you a head start on ones that need a long growing season.

Here are the basics to get you started.

Choose a soilless mix that’s been specially formulated for sowing. Moisten the growing medium with warm water; it should be moist but not soaking wet.

Containers: Garden centres and seed companies carry a good range of items for starting seeds, including plastic cell packs as well as compostable peat and coir pots that can be transferred to the garden – seedlings and all – making them suitable for vegetables that don’t transplant well. You can also use milk or juice cartons, yogurt cups or plastic containers. What’s important is that the containers be very clean, have good Growing Medium:

drainage (make holes in the bottoms of ones that have a solid base) and are deep enough for roots to develop.

Seeding: Sow seeds according to the information provided on the packet. (See How to Read a Seed Packet, page 9.)

Germination: Place your seeded containers or cell packs in a warm place – a sunny south window, on top of the refrigerator or on a seedling heating mat. The soil must be kept consistently moist throughout the germination period. Many commercial seed-sowing kits come complete with a transparent lid to help keep the soil moist. Plastic bags can be tied over homemade containers or individual pots. Alternatively, place your containers on a tray and slide it into a clear plastic garbage bag. When growing seedlings in pots on a tray, irrigate from the bottom by pouring water into the tray. (Wait half an hour, then drain away any

unabsorbed water.) When watering from above, mist soil with tepid water.

When seedlings emerge, remove all covers, including plastic bags.

Pricking out: Once the seedlings have sprouted “true” leaves (these are the second pair of leaves), the strongest and healthiest ones should be pricked out and transplanted into larger pots where they have more room to establish good roots. Working with one healthy seedling at a time, gently remove each by carefully loosening the growing medium to free the roots (a pencil or chopstick works well). Then, pick up the seedling by its leaves – never by the stem. Transfer each seedling to a sevento 10-centimetre (three- to four-inch) pot filled with soilless mix. Use your finger, pencil or chopstick to poke a hole in the growing medium that’s deep and wide enough to hold the roots and the lower part of the stem. When transplanted, the leaves should be level with the soil. Fill in the hole and gently firm it to rid it of air pockets. Mist the soil.

Light: The transplanted seedlings require 16 hours of light daily. Insufficient light will cause them to stretch and become spindly. Place the seedlings under either cool white fluorescent tubes or full-spectrum grow lights, adjusting the lights so they hang seven centimetres (three inches) above the tops of the leaves. Use a timer to turn the lights on and off each day; seedlings need their rest, so never leave the lights on 24 hours a day.

A sunny south window is a good alternative to fluorescent lights.

go to www.torontobotanicalgarden.ca/mastergardener/growingfromseed.shtml

To read the Toronto Master Gardener factsheet on seed sowing www.torontobotanicalgarden.ca

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edible summer • special Issue 2010

PHOTO: MentalArt/iStockphoto

Ready, set, sow!

Seeds can be started in just about any container with a drainage hole (a good way to use up margarine tubs). Cardboard egg cartons are useful and so are eggshells (poke a hole in the bottom). Set them on unused cookie trays and water from the bottom.

– Marjorie Harris Thrifty

Temperature: Although seeds need warmth to germinate, once sprouted seedlings should be placed in a cooler location – a room or porch that is kept between 10° to 15°C (50° to 60°F).

Damping off: There are several species of fungi that can attack seedlings, causing them to collapse. This is called “damping off”. To help prevent this, give seedlings adequate light and good air circulation. (A small fan can be used to blow air over the surface of pots and cell packs.) Applying a thin layer of coarse sand or vermiculite to the surface of the growing medium will also help control the fungi. Place your potted transplants on a tray so that you can water from the bottom but never allow the growing medium to become waterlogged.

Brush your seedlings: Gently brush the leaves with your hand or a feather duster to encourage sturdier seedlings. Do this daily, even if you have a fan blowing gently over the seedlings.

Not only will it help strengthen them, but it also gives you an opportunity to check the health of your seedlings and the moistness of the soil.

When seedlings are ready to transplant into the garden, gradually acclimatize them to the outdoors. To do this, place them in a sheltered spot out of direct sun for a few hours. Then, bring them indoors, putting them in a cool, bright area. Repeat this for seven to 10 days, gradually extending their time outdoors and exposure to direct sun each day.

Timing: It’s tempting to start seedlings early. But those that languish indoors for too long become spindly and stressed. Know your last spring frost date, which is the date when it’s safe to transplant most seedlings into the garden, and sow seeds the recommended number of weeks before that date.

Hardening Off:

Connie Hunter is a Toronto Master Gardener who grows many of her own plants from seed. Her courses on urban vegetable gardening at the Toronto Botanical Garden takes place on March 27 and September 25.

How to Read a Seed Packet The information on the back of seed packages can seem mysterious to anyone new to sowing. Here’s a guide to unlocking the meaning behind these essential instructions.

Days to germinate: how many days it takes a seed to sprout Depth: how deep to sow seeds Last frost: many seeds may be sown in the garden when all danger of frost has passed. In the Toronto area, the average last spring frost date is May 9.

Light: some seeds need to be exposed to light while others must be completely covered to germinate Maturity: the number of days from seed to harvest

Scarification: a process to

promote good germination by either nicking, sanding or wearing down hard seed coats.

Soaking seeds overnight in warm water is another method of breaking down seed coats.

Surface Sow: indicates that seeds can be sown directly into the garden Temperature: indicated for seeds that require heat to germinate

Date: The year the seed is packaged, how long it is viable or the sow-by date. Always buy the freshest seed possible.

Germination: The percentage of seeds likely to produce plants under ideal conditions. This is important to know when deciding how many seeds to sow at a time.

– with notes from Connie Hunter

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edible summer • special Issue 2010

dig in Ken Brown makes it simple for you to get growing with these productive and tasty vegetables.

Viva Italia!

Each year the Kitchen Garden at the Toronto Botanical Garden features vegetables of a particular culture, country or continent. With the advice and expertise of members of Toronto’s Italian community, the 2010 Kitchen Garden will showcase the vegetables and herbs of Italy. You’ll see a variety of methods for growing vegetables, fruit, flowers and herbs in a sustainable, organic and aesthetically pleasing manner.

Be sure to visit the garden over the summer, and plan to participate in the many Taste of the Garden events that take place throughout the season. For details, visit www. torontobotanicalgarden.ca/edible.

When to Plant *

How to Plant

Broccoli (Brassica oleracea)

1, 4

Start plants indoors four to six weeks before recommended outdoor planting date

Carrots (Daucus carota subsp. sativus)

1, 4

Direct seed in garden about one centimetre (half an inch) deep

Bok choy (Pak choy) (Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis)

1, 4

Start indoors four to six weeks before recommended outdoor planting date or direct seed in garden

Pole beans (Phaseolus vulgaris)

2

Direct seed in garden about two centimetres (three-quarters of an inch) deep; affix strings around a strong, 2.4-metre (eightfoot) high stake for beans to climb

Tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum)

3

Start plants indoors six weeks before recommended outdoor planting date after last frost

Zucchini and other summer squash (Cucurbita pepo)

3

Start a couple of plants indoors four weeks before recommended outdoor planting date after last frost; direct sow a few more in the garden at transplanting time

PHOTOS: Clockwise from top: felinda/iStockphoto, morepixels/iStockphoto, bedo/iStockphoto, timsa/iStockphoto, fernandoah/iStockphoto, dlerick/iStockphoto

Easy 6 Vegetables

Vegetable

Troubleshooting

Harvesting

Growing Tips

Green worms; good organic gardening principles should reduce or eliminate these pests

Pick when heads become solid

Produces many small side shoots after main head is harvested

Minimal pests, especially when grown in well-tilled soil

Use thinned seedlings as baby carrots for the table

Make several sowings two weeks apart for a succession of produce

Slugs can do some damage

Pick as soon as stalks are about two centimetres (three-quarters of an inch) wide

Transplant seedlings 15 centimetres (six inches) apart; thin direct-sown seedlings, using the largest in stir-fries

Typically pest-free; harvest continuously to keep plants producing

Harvest when pods start to show seed development

Grow up compostable string, which can be tossed into the composter along with the bean plants in the fall

Water consistently and especially during ripening

Pick when thoroughly ripe (most of the green colour is gone and fruit starts to soften)

Grow indeterminate types vertically, pruned to one central stem

Grow bush types to save space; mildew is a problem late in the season

Harvest when fruit is small and some fading blossoms remain on the vines

Pick continuously for a successive harvest; feed heavily

* Although dates may vary by season and location, follow these planting guidelines: 1 As soon as the soil is dry enough to work (mid-April) 2 When the soil has begun to warm up (mid-May) 3 When all danger of frost has passed (early June) 4 Midsummer for fall harvest (first of August) Ken Brown is a garden writer and instructor at the Toronto Botanical Garden. He will be teaching during the Getting Started: Spring Crops & Veggie Garden Designs course on April 17. www.torontobotanicalgarden.ca

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edible summer • special Issue 2010

dig in

In an interview with the TBG’s Director of Horticulture, Trellis editor Lorraine Flanigan gets the scoop on how to grow the healthiest crop on the block.

Trellis: After

reading Mark Cullen’s tips on building a vegetable plot [see page 6], we know that vegetables need lots of sun and that the garden should have rich, crumbly soil and be close to a source of water, but what else do we often forget when choosing a site?

Zammit: Wind exposure: drying winds increase plants’ demands for water.

And, as you say, full sun is best, but some leafy veggies will grow in part sun. However, the more sun the better – and the yummier too!

Trellis: There’s been lots of talk about not disturbing micro-organisms in the soil. Does this mean we shouldn’t dig or rototill?

Zammit: I did research in university on the impact of tilling and fertilizer on soil microbe populations – it’s a rather scary story. Whenever possible, I’m a fan of no-dig gardening. However, depending on how the area was previously used or the makeup of the existing soil, I often recommend turning over the earth when creating a new bed or expanding an old one. And I prefer the shovel/dig method rather

than rototilling. It’s also important to keep soil compaction to a minimum.

When working in your beds, lay down boards to avoid stepping on the soil. If treading on the soil is unavoidable, loosen it where you have stepped. To reduce compaction from foot traffic, use mulched maintenance paths.

Trellis: What’s the most important organic amendment you can add to a veggie plot?

Zammit: Don’t get me started. I have been preaching this for years: when gardening in the ground, feed the soil!

Feed the worms, bacteria, fungi and everything else that lives there. These are silent workers that break down organic matter, making nutrients available to plants. Add as much composted organic matter to the soil as possible. I’m a big fan of composted manure – especially rabbit manure. It’s fantastic! If manure is not available, apply composted kitchen waste. Shredded leaves applied as a mulch in late fall can be an excellent source of organic matter, too. The next spring, you can hear the worms “singing” as

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they work the leaves into the ground.

Whether it’s clay or sandy soil, the solution is the same: add organic matter.

Trellis: Is there a trick to knowing what to plant where?

Zammit: Research, experience, learning from others – including parents and grandparents – and good recordkeeping go a long way to helping you plan your garden. Also, consider the mature plant size and height: avoid planting tall vegetables where they might shade shorter ones. Don’t forget to make use of vertical space [for ideas on growing upward, see page 17]. For vines such as cucumber or beans, plant an early crop underneath their supports that will grow, mature and be harvested before the vines shade them out. For example, grow a crop of quickmaturing radishes under an obelisk of cucumbers. Learn to maximize the use of your space.

Trellis: Would you recommend mixing veggies and herbs in the same plot?

Zammit: I love to mix them up. I’m a big fan of using parsley and sage as edging plants in the veggie garden – and in perennial borders. Rosemary, too. All of these are fragrant when you brush up against them, cold-tolerant so they last well into the fall, relatively pest-free and just nice to look at.

Trellis: Can you grow ornamentals with your veggies?

edible summer • special Issue 2010

PHOTOS: (This Page) Paul Zammit

Grow

(OPPOSITE) valarieann/istockphoto

Build it &They Will

Zammit: Why not? I’m a fan of sowing leaf lettuce or mesclun mix around spring-blooming bulbs such as tulips.

This confused people at the garden centre where I once worked. I just loved it!

Follow up later with a planting of nasturtiums to cover the maturing foliage of the bulbs. Get the most colour, beauty and yummy treats you can from every square inch of the garden.

Trellis: Does companion planting really work? What are the best combos?

Zammit: There are a number of great lists of companion plantings available.

One that works for me is planting edible marigolds (Tagetes tenuifolia) around tomatoes. The poor marigolds get devoured by insect pests, sparing the tomatoes – at least for the time being. I also just recently learned from Marjorie Mason that marigolds keep cabbage butterflies away from cabbages. Apparently they become disoriented by the scent. Fun! Garlic has the same effect. It helps keep aphids away from plants such as roses and raspberries – it’s also pretty effective in keeping people away from each other!

Trellis: Is there an advantage or disadvantage to sowing veggies in rows?

Zammit: Planting in rows offers the best exposure to sunlight and allows for proper spacing of plants. And the spacing between rows can often help reduce the spread of some pests and diseases. Growing in rows also helps to control weeds.

Trellis: How wide should pathways be and how do you prevent them from getting muddy in the rain?

Zammit: I recommend a width of about 12 to 18 inches (30 to 45 centimetres) – enough space to allow you to move between the rows and enough space for bending down and kneeling to harvest. I like using a straw mulch, which slowly breaks down over time and adds organic matter to the soil – this also helps reduce soil compaction.

Another option is shredded leaves or cedar. It’s also important to avoid walking on soils that are too wet – it can easily cause soil compaction.

Lorraine Flanigan is editor of Trellis and a Master Gardener.

Paul’s Garden-Tending Checklist • Water responsibly: Water is a precious resource – every drop is important. Although it depends on the crop, rather than applying several light, shallow sprinkles, water less frequently but deeply. Use soaker hoses to deliver water at root level where it’s needed. Sprinklers deliver a lot of moisture to the leaf surfaces, much of which is lost to evaporation.

• Control weeds: Weed often, keeping in mind that it’s easier to remove young seedlings than mature, well-rooted plants. If you can’t remove the entire weed, cut off the flowers and any seed heads to prevent weeds from going to seed and spreading. Planting densely and disturbing or turning the soil as little as possible helps limit weed growth. Mulches are also good weed suppressants.

• Fertilize: Feed, feed, feed. Veggies and herbs can be heavy-feeders, so adding organic matter to the soil is vital.

Supplementing with organic fertilizer and blood and bone meal also helps. It’s important to rotate crops, too, to avoid one type of plant from depleting the soil of nutrients. (A practical way to do this is to swap with neighbours.) Keep a garden journal and a plan (or pictures) as a reminder of where plants were in previous seasons.

• Control pests and disease: Look for insect pests every day, but know the difference between a beneficial insect and a pest. The best organic control is to squish bad bugs between your fingers – it’s fun! And, having a garden that provides habitat for a wide variety of insects and birds offers a natural way of controlling pests.

Also, learn to accept that some plants, depending on the year and the growing season, are prone to various pests and diseases; for example, tomatoes and white fly; and mildew on squash and zucchini. To reduce the spread of fungus and bacteria, avoid wetting the foliage and watering in the evening.

• Vacation planning: If you go away for part of the summer, plan your crops so they’re ready to harvest when you return home. Avoid quick-growing crops like zucchini, cucumbers and beans.

And when you’re back, sow for a late summer or fall harvest. If things do get out of control, you can always donate your fresh produce to a local food bank.

go to www.torontobotanicalgarden.ca/trellis

For more veggie gardening tips from Paul Zammit Hands-on Urban Vegetable Gardening, a series of five workshops from March through September, will take you through the steps of successful and sustainable gardening — from planning your garden to harvesting and preparing for the next growing season. For more information and to register visit www.torontobotanicalgarden.ca/programs

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edible summer • special Issue 2010

space savers

Make Space to Grow

No matter where you live, there’s always space to grow vegetables. In the next pages, we’ll show you how to find and plant the perfect plot, from front yards and balconies to raised beds, crops in pots and veggies that climb the walls. With so many space-saving ideas, you’ll soon be harvesting a bountiful crop of your favourite vegetables and herbs.

Pro Tip Plant veggies you personally like, not what’s trendy. If beets aren’t your thing, don’t be influenced by a gardening pal who’s fallen for some hot new kind of beet from Italy.

In a small space, it pays to be very choosy.

– Sonia Day www.soniaday.com

Sonia Day offers 10 tips for success in growing veggies on balconies.

1

Seek out the sun. Chart its course for a few days. What time does it strike your balcony? When does it move on? Make a note of hot spots – you’ll need them. Many veggies require six hours of sunshine a day to thrive.

Start out with a couple of tomato plants. They’re fun, easy, colourful and everyone likes tomatoes. But skip trendy heirlooms which don’t do well in containers. A cherry or patio variety is best.

Not enough sun? Don’t be discouraged. Lettuce likes a bit of shade.

So do beets, Swiss chard and basil.

Watch that wind. It can be fierce when you’re high above the ground. Install windbreaks around any containers in an exposed location.

2 3 4

5

Plastic containers (cheap and easy to lug around) are fine, but buy really big ones because most veggie roots need room to expand. Moreover, small pots dry out too quickly. Before filling containers with growing mix, put heavy bricks or stones in the bottom to stop them tipping over in strong winds.

Read the labels on bags of growing mix. Buy one that suits what you intend to grow.

Listen to weather forecasts. Late frost predicted? Cover up your plants with cotton sheets (not plastic) at night. Remove them in the morning.

Grow up, not out. That means runner beans and cucumbers trained up a trellis, not rambling all over the balcony to trip people up.

6 7 8

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9

Water, water, water. Wind and hot sunshine dry out containers in a flash. Veggies are particularly susceptible in the early stages. Once they wilt, they may never recover.

Use starter plants whenever possible. But resist the urge to plant six of everything. (Garden centres often sell veggies that way, in cell packs.) Divvy up your purchases with buddies in spring – and think small quantities. Otherwise you may wind up getting awfully sick of your homegrown tomatoes.

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Sonia Day’s latest book is Incredible Edibles, 43 Fun Things to Grow in the City.

edible summer • special Issue 2010

PHOTOS: (This Page) From Left: Carol Cowan, Barrie Murdock

High-Rise Gardens

(OPPOSITE) Paul Zammit

‘Whippersnapper’ cherry tomatoes are one of the best varieties for balcony growing.

Make This Compact

Herb Garden Paul Zammit demonstrates how to pot up savoury herbs for a miniature culinary garden.

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1. Select the right container

Containers must be deep enough and large enough to accommodate the mature roots of the plants. Containers can be made of anything from terra cotta to plastic recycling bins. The one we’ve chosen is a heavy vintage wrought iron one, which has a classic look and holds the heat many Mediterranean herbs like. The pot must have drainage holes. To discourage slugs and snails from crawling through them to hide during the day, cover any holes with fine mesh screening.

6. Add finishing touches

2. Add potting soil

Fill the container with freshly bought, porous potting soil to which you can add up to one-third of well-aged manure or compost.

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3. Prepare the plants

Before transplanting the herbs, water them well while they’re in their original pots. Then, gently remove the plants and tease out and loosen the roots.

This will encourage them to grow into the soil of the container.

4. Start with tall plants

Because this low rectangular planter will be seen from the front, place the taller herbs – three ‘Perpetual Pesto’ basil plants – at the back. The variegated foliage of this basil looks attractive and produces fresh new growth all season.

When planting, firmly pack enough potting soil around the roots to cover and eliminate any large air pockets.

Zammit’s tips • Pinch back herbs frequently throughout the growing season to encourage new shoots.

If plants become long and straggly, shear them back to promote new growth.

• Add edible flowers to your containers: calendula, violas, pansies, nasturtiums and dianthus are good choices.

• Some herbs, such as rosemary, parsley, sage, thyme, oregano and lavender, are cold-tolerant and can be harvested well into late fall.

Top up the potting mix if necessary, allowing for about 2.5 centimetres (one inch) of space between the soil surface and the lip of the container (allow five centimetres/two inches) if mulch is applied.

This ensures water will soak into the soil instead of running off over the sides of the planter. Apply a layer of cedar mulch, about 2.5 centimetres (one inch) deep, onto the soil surface of large containers.

Water well.

5. Have fun – mix it up!

Add two curly parsley plants in front of the basil, positioning them slightly offcentre. Then, to add colour and texture, tuck in three ornamental perennial coral bells. (Note: these are included for ornamental value only and are not edible.

Substitute a golden or purple sage if an entirely edible arrangement is desired.)

Finish off with three specimens of the (non-edible) Hedera helix ‘Pink ’n’ Curly’ ivy or else use lemon thyme.

www.torontobotanicalgarden.ca

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7. Tend with care

Check soil daily and water when it becomes dry at a depth of two to five centimetres (one to two inches).

Herbs in containers need regular feeding with organic fertilizers such as liquid kelp or fish emulsion or slowrelease, granular food.

Paul Zammit is Director of Horticulture at the Toronto Botanical Garden.

edible summer • special Issue 2010

space savers

Liz Primeau takes a hint from the cottage gardens of the eighteenth century and suggests we grow vegetables and herbs in our front yards.

My west-facing front garden has been host to an increasing selection of veggies over the past couple of summers because, unlike the backyard, it offers the six hours of sun most vegetables need as well as some cooler, shady spots for spinach and salad greens. It also has a baking hot microclimate on the driveway near the garage, where big pots of tomatoes, eggplant, peppers and green beans grow beautifully.

Vegetables are perfectly suited to grow with ornamental plants such as roses and coneflowers, too. Earlyharvested arugula and mesclun mix, or peas grown for their sprouts, grow over bare spots the perennials will later fill in. The tall graceful stems of garlic make architectural statements among the phlox and daisies. A few feathery

carrot plants add texture – and something different underground: ‘Purple Haze’ is a lovely dark-hued variety you won’t find at the supermarket.

A few caveats: • Apply mulch to all plants once they’re a few inches tall.

• Keep pots evenly watered.

• Give your plants room to grow; root vegetables such as carrots or garlic won’t develop properly if they’re crammed up against the perennials.

• Think twice about planting cantaloupes or squash, which don’t offer much aesthetic value and are too sprawling for most urban front yards.

• If you’re creating new beds, dig carefully and watch for utility lines: there are apt to be more of these in the front yard than in the back.

The out-of-space garden

You can still grow your own vegetables, even if there’s not an inch of space where you live. Community and allotment gardens offer public plots where you can plant and harvest fresh produce all season long. Here’s where to find information.

• Be ready for some bare spots after you harvest: a few pots of edible nasturtiums or calendula will hide the spaces.

And put a smile on your face when you go out to weed or gather greens.

There’s no better way to meet your neighbours than to have a front-yard garden, whether it contains vegetables or flowers.

An updated and expanded edition of Liz Primeau’s best-selling Front Yard Gardens: Growing More Than Grass will be released this spring by Firefly Books.

Toronto Community Garden Network: Groups who

wish to work together may apply to the City of Toronto for use of a community garden situated in a local park. Visit www.toronto.ca/parks/programs/ community_faq.htm for details.

Sharing Backyards:

This innovative, grassroots community program links homeowners with more space than they need with those looking for room to grow.

To inquire, contact sharingbackyardstoronto@ gmail.com and follow the Sharing Backyards blog at sharingbackyards.wordpress.com.

Toronto Parks, Forestry & Recreation: Rent an

allotment plot for an annual fee of $53.50. Plots are located in four geographic areas, including High Park and the Leslie Street Spit. For more information, call 416-392-8188. www.torontobotanicalgarden.ca

Parsley, dwarf basils and thymes make unusual and useful garden edgings that can be cut for the table all summer long.

– Liz Primeau, founding editor Canadian Gardening

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edible summer • special Issue 2010

PHOTOS: (This Page) Clockwise from top: Paul Zammit, P. Z., candyfloss/iStockphoto (OPPOSITE) From top: Lorraine Flanigan, Janet Davis

Front & centre

Pro Tip

Look Up! If your garden is the size of a postage stamp, Ken Brown shows you how to grow up and feed your family gardenfresh vegetables.

T

here’s lots of room in even the tiniest garden to grow an amazing amount of vegetables. Growing vegetables vertically is the answer. Brussels sprouts are the simplest; they grow on their own vertical stem with no guidance at all. Just tuck the little plants into the ground in early spring and then break the delicious sprouts off after the first fall frost.

Many other vegetables can be encouraged to grow vertically, and everybody’s favourite, tomatoes, is a good example. Simply stake each plant or, for a sky-high tomato garden, build and sink a T-shaped wooden structure into the ground, using an eight-foot (2.5 metre)-long central

In small spaces, grow vegetables against walls, along fences and up through obelisks.

post with an eight-foot (2.5 metre) crosspiece at the top, which extends equally on either side of the post.

Hang lengths of nylon cord about .5 centimetre/one-quarter inch thick from the arms, spacing them every 30 centimetres (12 inches). (Nylon is preferable to other materials because it sheds water well.) Finally, loosely tie the ropes around the base of the plants below. Choose indeterminate varieties of tomatoes because they continue to grow and set fruit all season. Each week over the summer prune them to a single stem by pinching out the side shoots. As the stem grows, twine it around the rope. By late summer you’ll have a tomato garden that’s 2.25 metres (7.5 feet) high!

Share your bounty

If you’ve been bitten by the veggie gardening bug, it’s easy to grow more than you and your family can eat. Here are some generous ways to share your bounty.

Plant a Row - Grow a Row: An initiative of the Garden Writers Association in conjunction with the Composting Council of Canada and a host of local organizations, the Plant A Row - Grow A Row program encourages home gardeners to plant an extra row of produce to donate to those in need. For information in Toronto, contact: 416-535-0240 or info@growarow.org. For details, visit www.growarow.org.

FoodShare Toronto: Not only does this not-for-profit organization distribute donations of fresh produce, it www.torontobotanicalgarden.ca

Another easy vertically-inclined vegetable is beans. Forget about growing the back-breaking, space-consuming bush beans. Search the catalogues for the many interesting varieties of pole beans. At the base of a tall trellis or obelisk, plant beans together with morning glory seeds. By midsummer you’ll boast the prettiest prolific bean patch in the neighbourhood! In the fall, if you cannot eat all the beans fresh, just let them dry on the vines and then harvest them to make baked beans.

Ken Brown is a garden writer and instructor at the Toronto Botanical Garden. For more innovative ways to grow vegetables vertically, visit www. gardening-enjoyed.com.

offers guidelines on starting and maintaining community gardens. For information, visit www.foodshare.net or phone 416-363-6441.

Afri-Can FoodBasket: This communitybased, not-for-profit community development movement is committed to meeting the nutrition, health and employment needs of members of the African Canadian community. Call 416-248-5639 or visit www.africanfoodbasket.com.

Second Harvest: Funded entirely through private donations, Second Harvest accepts and distributes donations of food for those in need. For information, call 416-408-2594 or visit www.secondharvest.ca.

— with files from Gwen Rattle, Weston Family Library

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edible summer • special Issue 2010

space savers

Tuck Your Veggies into Raised Beds Master Gardener Elizabeth Stewart makes building a raised bed easier than you think.

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The first step is to make a plan on paper. (The following instructions are for a 1.2- by 1.8-metre (4- by 6-foot) raised bed.) Then, outline the bed(s) and surrounding pathways right onto the sod using chalk dust or sand.

Keep the bed width to 1.2 metres (four feet) or less so you can reach all parts of the bed without stepping into it.

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Remove the sod from the site where the bed is to be and use a garden fork to loosen the soil to a depth of about 20 to 30 centimetres (eight to 12 inches). Although some beds are constructed with bricks, stones or concrete blocks, these materials can be costly and difficult to work with and, in small beds, such as 1.2-metre (four-foot) squares, they often appear clumsy, heavy and unattractive.

Ideally, use naturally rot-resistant lumber,

such as redwood or cedar boards. Do not use pressure-treated wood, which contains harmful chemicals that may leach into the soil. (For more information on using pressure-treated wood see www. toronto.ca/health/factsheet_ptw.htm#07.)

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Ask your lumber supplier to cut two 2- by 6-inch boards 1.2 metres (four feet) long and two more boards 1.8 metres (six feet) long. With these you can make a simple frame. Just butt the four boards together at the corners, pre-drilling and screwing them together with galvanized screws.

For greater stability and access to the beds without bending, build a bed two-boards high with posts at the corners. To do this you will need twice as many boards and four posts (5 by 5 by 40 centimetres long/2 by 2 by 16 inches long). Set one of the longer boards on edge and screw a post against the inside of one end. Repeat at the other end of the board. Do the same with a second long board. Join the shorter boards to these by driving galvanized screws into the posts. Then, screw a second layer of boards into the posts to form a rectangle two boards high. (Alternatively, purchase raised bed components. Many companies offer metal corner pieces which hold the lumber in place. Complete kits made of vinyl or composite timber are also available.)

Pro Tip For raised beds, my favourite is ‘Sugar Snack’ cherry tomatoes – so sweet, so easy to grow and they produce a whole lot in just a little space.

– Frank Ferragine, Citytv Breakfast Television

Quick and dirty method A raised bed without walls is an easy, fast and inexpensive option. To make it, remove the existing sod and use a garden fork to loosen the soil, as described in step 2. Spread a 15-centimetre (six-inch) layer of quality topsoil mixed with compost and rotted manure over the prepared soil. Rake to level and water gently.

Once the soil has settled, start planting or seeding. The drawbacks of this kind of bed are that it will flatten over the season and the soil may spill over onto the pathways.

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edible summer • special Issue 2010

PHOTOS: (This Page) From top: teacupsandbine/iStockphoto, Lorraine Flanigan (OPPOSITE) Illustration: Jenny Rhodenizer

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ant to ensure that your vegetable beds have the best soil, superb drainage and next to no maintenance and that you’re ready to plant – and harvest – earlier than in conventional vegetable gardens? Then, what you want is a raised bed. Once you’ve found a flat, sunny site, you can decide whether to create beds without walls, permanent walled ones or even almost-instant temporary beds.

Beds for the undecided

If you’re not ready to commit to a permanent vegetable garden, or are unsure where to locate it in your yard, build a temporary bed. Skip the sod-lifting step outlined in step 2 and just cover the grass with a thick layer of overlapping wet newspapers or corrugated cardboard.

Frame the bed with the boards, simply placing them over the edge of the paper or cardboard, butting the corners and holding the boards in place by hammering stakes into the ground about every 60 centimetres (two feet) along each length. It’s a simple task to disassemble the bed at the end of the season, shovel the soil onto a tarp and haul it to where you want to build a permanent bed next year.

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On the site where the raised bed will be placed, dig a 12- to 15-centimetre deep (five- to sixinch) hole for each of the four posts; flip the frame over and place the posts in the holes. Fill in around the posts with soil. Use a spirit level to ensure the frame is even in all directions.

This will prevent soil from running off.

Pro Tip In very large containers (16 to 20 inches/40 to 50 centimetres or more), mix plants that won’t compete for nutrition or root space. For example, pair a fruiting plant, such as a tomato, with some shallow-rooted leafy plants, such as lettuce or basil.

– Gayla Trail growgreatgrub.com

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Level the ground inside the bottom of the frame. Then, line the bed with chicken wire, bending it up to about eight centimetres (three inches) on the inside of the frame.

This will keep out burrowing animals.

Fill the frame with quality topsoil mixed with compost and rotted manure; water the soil well. After a day or two, when the soil has settled, top it off with more soil. (Keep in mind that the soil will continue to settle over the season.) Lastly, rake the bed evenly and you’re ready to plant or seed.

Elizabeth Stewart is a Master Gardener whose urban farm has been featured in Canadian Gardening.

Build this easy raised bed

Using cut-to-order lumber, some basic tools and a little time, you can quickly get started growing and harvesting your own vegetables.

www.torontobotanicalgarden.ca

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edible summer • special Issue 2010

for the birds‌ A birdhouse design competition Entries Due June 12, 2010

Flocktail Party September 8, 2010 Summer Showcase June to September torontobotanicalgarden.ca/birds birds@torontobotanicalgarden.ca

grow & eat

Pro Tip

PHOTO: Courtesy L-Eat Catering

There are three reasons I choose to eat local foods that are produced with sustainable methods: for the taste, for the planet and for community.

– Sarah Elton food columnist CBC Radio One’s Here & Now

a cook’s garden Victoria Stevens talks with L-Eat chef Christopher Palik about the kitchen garden that feeds diners at Paese Ristorante as well as clients of the Toronto Botanical Garden.

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edible summer • special Issue 2010

grow & eat

www.torontobotanicalgarden.ca

“People are talking about what we can do locally to help the environment, like cooking in season. I’ve always felt it’s very important to buy locally,” says Palik, adding that bringing the kitchen staff over to the garden to see their ingredients growing really opened their eyes to what’s involved with the process.

Despite working 12 hours a day, six or seven days a week, Palik says the time he was able to spend in the garden, usually in the morning before his work day began, was restful and restorative.

“I’d walk across the parking lot in my chef’s whites with a big pan of tomatoes. It was very cool for the neighbourhood. We are incredibly fortunate,” he says. “I don’t think there are many chefs in the city who are able to grow their own ingredients.”

Asked what he considered to be the most essential of the plants he grew last year, Palik said if he had to pick one, it would be the herbs.

“The simplest way to add freshness to a dish is to add herbs,” he says. “My favourite is mint, but we use a lot of rosemary with meats and in sauces and parsley is the backbone of Italian cuisine. We also cook a tremendous amount with sage. A traditional Italian dish is just sage fried in butter.” His tip for both herbs and greens is to pick them when they’re young and tender.

Victoria Stevens is a volunteer at the Toronto Botanical Garden and freelance writer formerly with the Toronto Star.

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edible summer • special Issue 2010

PHOTOS: (This Page) Funwithfood/istockphoto

They are the fruits of the first harvest from their garden, which, surprisingly, is just around the corner from L-Eat’s kitchen and adjoining restaurant, Paese Ristorante. L-Eat is one of the caterers for the Toronto Botanical Garden and has a long list of other prestigious clients.

Owner Tony Loschiavo bought a house with a quarteracre lot earlier last year and, together with executive chef Christopher Palik, created a kitchen garden to supply the catering business and the restaurant with fresh produce.

The house and property had been neglected; and the backyard soil had to be scraped off and replaced with new soil and manure before the garden could be planted.

“We learned as we went along,” says Palik. “We installed a proper watering system and timers. We tried to approach the whole thing scientifically.”

They planted greens like lettuce, chicory and Swiss chard that were regularly mowed down by the resident groundhog, skunks and raccoons. And they put in 300 plants of 12 different heirloom tomato varieties. They also grew cucumbers, a variety of hot peppers, some beans, squash and a lot of herbs. They experimented with some more exotic crops like lemon grass, wasabi root and horseradish.

“It was a little like putting a buffet in the backyard,” Palik says wryly.

Organic waste from the restaurant and catering kitchens is added to a compost bin to feed the soil for the following season so that nothing is wasted.

(OPPOSITE) Tanya F/istockphoto

Walk into the office of L-Eat Catering on Bathurst Street and you’ll see shelves lined with glass jars filled with tomatoes, peppers and ramps (wild leeks), gleaming like jewels.

please eat the daisies Flowers are pretty to look at, but some can also be eaten, whether cooked into food, sprinkled on a salad or used as a garnish.

The most common and popular edible flower is the nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus), all parts of which can be eaten, but there’s also a long list of others, including the flowers of any edible herbs as well as violets (Viola odorata), bee balm (Monarda didyma), scented geraniums (Pelargonium spp.), lavender (Lavandula spp.), pansies (Viola x wittrockiana), roses (Rosa spp.), marigolds [the best-tasting ones are Tagetes tenuifolia ‘Lemon Gem’ and T. t.

‘Tangerine Gem’ –ed.] and daisies — common (Leucanthemum spp.) or English (Bellis perennis).

Chef Christopher Palik of L-Eat Catering and Paese Restaurant in Toronto uses flowers in his “living salad” by mixing baby spinach, arugula, popcorn shoots and pea sprouts, and whole herbs such as chervil, tarragon, dill and parsley, with flowers like poppies and daisies.

Be careful, though, some flowers are downright poisonous – lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis), foxglove (Digitalis purpurea), oleander (Nerium oleander) and some spring bulbs like crocus and daffodils (Narcissus spp.) to name a few – and if you’ve got allergies to pollen or other plant products, it might be best to avoid them altogether.

Finally, if you’re going to serve flowers with a dish, make sure they’re organic and haven’t been sprayed with pesticides or fertilizers. — Victoria Stevens

Pesto, the Taste of Italy Pesto is one of the many culinary gifts we can thank the Italians for. The origins of this flavourful basil sauce are unclear, but it is thought to have come from Genoa in Liguria, where the climate and soil are ideal for growing this herb.

“It’s a way of preserving the summer basil,” explains Christopher Palik. He uses pesto in a variety of ways, including: 1. The traditional pasta dish made with potatoes, green and yellow wax beans, cannellini beans and pesto tossed with linguine.

2. Thinned out with olive oil and drizzled over sliced ripe tomatoes and buffalo mozzarella.

3. Drizzled over bruschetta (fresh tomato, garlic and olive oil on toasted slices of bread).

4. As a garnish for minestrone soup.

5. A salsa verde of basil and other soft, green leafy herbs pureed with capers, anchovies, garlic and olive oil to accompany meats and fish for a touch of freshness in the winter. – Victoria Stevens Preparing pesto 3 cloves garlic, peeled 1/2 cup (125 ml) fresh flat-leaf parsley (optional) 2 cups (500 ml) tightly packed fresh basil leaves 2 tablespoons (30 ml) finely chopped pine nuts 1/2 cup (125 ml) olive oil 3/4 cups (175 ml) freshly grated Parmesan cheese 4 tablespoons (60 ml) butter, softened In a food processor, add garlic, parsley, basil, pine nuts and olive oil. Process until smooth, scraping down the sides once or twice. Add the cheese and butter, and blend briefly, just enough to incorporate into the pesto.

– Jenny Rhodenizer

wine picks

Pairing Pesto David Penny, executive chef for both Jackson-Triggs Niagara Estate and Inniskillin Wines suggests two very different wines to pair with pesto: a light citrusy white and a full-bodied red wine.

“For pesto, you want to complement the core flavours of the olive oil and cheese and herbs,” he says, suggesting the Inniskillin Pinot Gris VQA 2008 and the Jackson-Triggs Proprietors’ Reserve Shiraz VQA 2006. For more ideas on food and wine pairings, visit www.jacksontriggswinery.com or www.inniskillin.com. – Victoria Stevens

www.torontobotanicalgarden.ca

There’s No Food Like Slow Food

The International Slow Food Movement began in 1989 as a result of Italian food critic Carlo Petrini’s horror at the proliferation of fast food restaurants in Rome. The movement now has proponents in 132 countries. The goal is to focus on the importance and pleasure of good quality food, to safeguard local cuisines and to ensure that food is grown in a way that is both healthy and ethical. For information about the Slow Food Movement in Canada, visit www.slowfood.ca. – Carol Gardner “A Taste of the Garden” takes place at the Toronto Botanical Garden on three Thursdays throughout the summer. This local culinary series, which includes a guided walk through the gardens, features dining en plein air with à la Carte Kitchen Chef Simon Kattar and special guests. Visit www.torontobotanicalgarden.ca/edible to register.

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edible summer • special Issue 2010

grow & eat

Pro Tip

Kids Can Gr w

Want to hook kids on gardening?

Choose a theme and plan a garden like you would a birthday party.

With a little imagination, you could create Peter Rabbit, outer space and fairy garden themes.

– Jennifer Reynolds, Editor-in-Chief, Canadian Family

Grandma

There are many ways to weave a lifetime love of gardening into a child’s life. Lorraine Hunter offers three simple ways older generations can help plant the seed.

1. Give small children an early lesson in gardening by explaining to them that plants need water to grow. Let them water plants, both indoors and out, with their own watering can. And what kid wouldn’t like a set of their own child-sized but real (not toy) gardening tools?

2. Even toddlers can pick fresh parsley or other herbs from the garden. Wash parsley and snip it into small pieces; then let children help garnish plates.

3. Let older children make plant labels, using Popsicle sticks, to mark where seeds have been planted.

Grow Your Own Pizza

Planting a pizza garden is a great way to introduce children to gardening. Tomatoes, sweet peppers, onions and herbs, such as oregano, parsley and basil, are all easy-to-grow ingredients. Plant your pizza garden in a circular shape.

A Hula Hoop makes a good template. Divide the circle into several wedge-shaped “slices” and plant each with a separate ingredient. Water well and apply mulch. Continue to water and feed. In about two months, your pizza veggies and herbs will be ready to harvest. – Lorraine Hunter

in the Garden The Toronto Botanical Garden’s Teaching Garden is a working production garden that helps 2,500 elementary students and 500 young campers and visitors each year learn about the pleasures of planting, tending and harvesting organic vegetables.

The growing season begins with 70 classes of students, arriving from mid-April to mid-June, who plant the beds from seed. Throughout the summer, campers and special visitors tend the gardens and

www.torontobotanicalgarden.ca

assist with the harvest, which is donated to the North York Harvest Food Bank. From sowing and weeding to the wonders of a first taste of carrots dug straight from the ground, the Teaching Garden gives kids the time, encouragement and resources to become food-savvy gardeners and generous community members. For Children’s Program information, call 415-397-1355 or visit www.torontobotanicalgarden.ca/children — Liz Hood, Children’s Programs Supervisor

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edible summer • special Issue 2010

PHOTOS: (this page) From top: Toronto Botanical Garden, Angela Sorrentino/iStockphoto (OPPOSITE) Renee’s Garden Seeds

says

‘Easter Egg’ radishes

6 Kid-Friendly

Veggies

1. ‘Tiny Tim’ miniature cherry tomatoes (for starting indoors).

These dwarf 30-centimetre (12-inch) plants become literally loaded with small, firm red fruit about 2.5 centimetres (one inch) in diameter.

2. Stringless ‘Sugar Daddy’ snap peas (for planting outdoors) may be eaten raw or cooked at any stage, pods and all.

3. ‘Easter Egg’ radishes grow globe-shaped roots in a delightful array of pink, red, lavender, scarlet and white. Easy to grow and fun for all ages.

4. Kids will love eight-centimetre (three-inch) ‘Jack Be Little’ pumpkins that fit into the palm of your hand. Grown mainly for fall decorations, they have edible sweet-flavoured flesh, too!

5. Scarlet runner beans can be sown around a tepee of bamboo stakes. Plant two or three beans per pole on the outside of the tepee.

6. Children will love ‘Purple Haze’ carrots. The dark purple exterior fades to a bright orange core. Looks great on a plate of sliced vegetables.

Lorraine Hunter is chair of the Trellis Committee.

Savour “A Taste of Italy” in the Toronto Botanical Garden’s Kitchen Garden, designed by Citytv gardening personality Frankie Flowers and featuring a kid-friendly Pizza Garden.

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edible summer • special Issue 2010

grow & eat

How Our Gardens Have Grown Pioneers cleared the land to grow crops to put food on the table.

In more modern times, we enjoy the fruits of a multicultural buffet.

From our pioneer roots to the diversity of contemporary urban and rural agriculture, growing our own food continues to sustain us.

A Pioneer Kitchen Garden

Early gardeners, says Jannette Porter, grew a variety of vegetables for survival.

Up until about the 1860s, pioneer vegetable gardens, or kitchen gardens as they were called, were either for survival or they were estate gardens.

Ken Willis, Black Creek Pioneer Village’s head gardener, explains that gardens tended to be walled four-square gardens. A wall provided a microclimate to protect tender vegetables and it also extended the growing season. Plots had a north/south path, which bisected an east/west path, dividing the garden into four equal squares for best sun exposure and orderly aesthetics.

According to some sources, it was most desirable to have the paths wide enough for an ox cart to turn around.

While today we’re unlikely to have an ox cart, much of the pioneers’ gardening knowledge is still relevant.

They practised crop rotation, believing prevention to be preferable to the treatment of insect infestations. Composting, or manuring, was composed of one part mineral (ashes, lime, sand or clay, depending on soil type), five parts

vegetable matter (weeds, straw, bark or sawdust) and six parts animal manure.

Kitchen gardens would have been a mix of vegetables, flowers, fruit and herbs. Varieties we now refer to as heirloom were grown, including sugar pie pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima) and citron melon (Citrullus lanatus). Village gardeners would blanch the stems of cardoon, an artichoke-like vegetable that is an edible thistle, by tying straw ropes around the base to prevent sun exposure. Once the white stems had been harvested, they were marinated overnight in oil, then pan-fried with bread crumbs – yum!

Nowadays, when you tuck a few leaf lettuce or cucumber plants in among your roses, it won’t be for mere survival, but you will be part of a continuum of rich garden traditions in Canada.

Jannette Porter works at Black Creek Pioneer Village. She is thankful she doesn’t have to grow veggies to survive, but grows some anyway.

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Remove the skin and soft, white inner rind; cut the citron [melon] into various fancy shapes.

Weigh, allowing one pound of sugar to every pound of citron.

Make a strong solution of alum water by dissolving lump alum in hot water. When the water is pungent to the taste, it is strong enough. Boil the citron very rapidly in the alum water for 30 minutes, then drain and drop into clear, cold water. Do this work one morning and allow the citron to stand in clear water until the next; then boil in fresh water until the fruit has changed colour. Meanwhile, make the syrup, allowing one-half pint of water to every two pounds sugar, and a sliced lemon and a small strip of ginger root to every pound of fruit. Boil all together slowly, to draw out the flavour of the ginger. When the fruit is tender and has changed colour, drain it thoroughly through a colander, and cook in the syrup until it shines; fifteen minutes is, as a rule, long enough.

– Drawn from The New Galt Cook Book (1898).

Notes for modern cooks: Citron: Citron melon resembles a watermelon, but is smaller, round and has dense, white flesh. Seeds of this heirloom fruit can be ordered from specialist seed companies. See Source Guide page 28.

Alum: Can be found with the spices in most grocery stores and is still used today to make maraschino cherries and pickles shiny and crisp.

edible summer • special Issue 2010

PHOTOS: (This Page From Top) Courtesy Black Creek Pioneer Village, courtesy Mary Williamson (OPPOSITE) Stacey Newman/istockphoto

Citron Preserves

A Wide World of

Veggies

The multicultural nature of our city has introduced us to a wide range of vegetables from around the world. Here are some that can be grown from seed in our climate. Plants can be started indoors in early spring and transplanted outdoors after the last frost.

Origin

Vegetable

Interesting Information

Eastern Mediterranean

Cilantro (Coriandrum sativum)

Leaves of young plants are used in salsas, chutneys, salads, dips, beans and soups.

Caribbean

Callaloo a.k.a. amaranth (Amaranthus tricolor)

A warm-weather leaf vegetable eaten raw in salads or fried with tomatoes, onions and peppers as a condiment in meat or fish dishes.

China

Bok choy (Pak choy) (Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis)

This succulent non-head-forming Chinese cabbage has white stems with dark green leaves and is great in stir-fries.

Bitter melon (Momordica charantia)

A tropical vine of the cucurbit family, widely grown for edible but bitter fruit. Good steamed or in stir-fries.

Arugula (Eruca sativa)

Adds a delightful nip to salads.

Chioggia beet (Beta vulgaris)

Has alternating red and white concentric rings. Good for pickling or baking.

Radicchio (Cichorium intybus)

Daikon (Raphanus sativus var. longipinnatus)

A type of chicory; adds a distinctive zippy flavour to salads.

Edamame (Glycine max)

This green soybean is harvested at the peak of ripening and parboiled and quick-frozen to retain freshness and its natural flavour. Beans are eaten whole or served as a dip.

Kabocha squash (Cucurbita maxima)

Popular for its strong yet sweet flavour and moist, fluffy texture. Typically cooked in soy sauce and eaten as a side dish.

Jícama or yam bean (Pachyrhizus erosus)

A tuberous vegetable known as Mexican potato or turnip.

Used in salads, slaws, stir-fries and soups. (NOTE: apart from the root, the jícama plant is very poisonous.)

Tomatillos (Physalis philadelphica)

Green, tomato-like tart fruit with a papery pod. Turns bright yellow and sweet when ripe. Used in many Mexican dishes.

South America

Peanuts (Arachis hypogaea)

Valued by the Incas and Peruvians as a protein source.

Many uses, from peanut butter to candy and soups.

Tropical Africa

Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus)

Brought to the New World during the period of the slave trade. Used to flavour and thicken soups and stews.

India

Italy

Japan

Mexico

This large white radish is grated and mixed with soy sauce as a horseradish-like garnish for fish and rice.

– Lorraine Hunter

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edible summer • special Issue 2010

TBG News source guide From seed suppliers to farmers’ markets, here’s your guide to growing, eating and harvesting produce – homegrown or fresh from the fields. Compiled by Gwen Rattle, Weston Family Library Wall Flower Studio 1061 Big Hawk Lake Rd R.R. 2, Minden ON K0M 2K0 705-489-3781 wallflowerstudioseeds.blogspot.com Organic, untreated, open-pollinated, non-GMO & heirloom seeds

Florabunda Seeds 1973 Villiers Line R.R. 1, Indian River, ON K0L 2B0 705-295-6440; florabundaseeds.com Older species; cottage garden flowers

William Dam Seeds Ltd 279 Hwy 8, R.R. 1, Dundas ON L9H 5E1 905-628-6641; damseeds.ca Seeds for European & oriental vegetables & houseplants

Gardens North P.O. Box 370 Annapolis Royal NS B0S 1A0 Fax: 902-532-7949; gardensnorth.com Eclectic collection of rare, hardy, perennial & woody seeds

Pick Your Own & Farm Adventures

Richters Herbs 357 Hwy 47, Goodwood ON L0C 1A0 905-640-6677; richters.com Herb plants, seeds, books, dried herbs Seeds of Diversity/ Semences de patrimoine P.O. Box 36, Station Q Toronto ON M4T 2L7 866-509-7333; seeds.ca A national non-profit group that saves seeds from rare & heritage plants

Stokes Seed Company P.O. Box 10, Thorold ON L2V 5E9 905-688-4300/800-396-9238 stokeseeds.com Vegetable, herb & perennial seeds T & T Seeds Ltd P.O. Box 1710, Winnipeg MN R3C 3P6 204-895-9964; www.ttseeds.com Vegetable & flower seeds for northern climates Urban Harvest Available at Dufferin Grove Farmers’ Market and The Stop’s Green Barn 416-504-1653; uharvest.ca Certified organic & heirloom seeds

Big Curve Acres 65 Line 11 North (off Hwy 11) Oro Medonte ON L0L 1T0 705-487-2000; bigcurveacres.com Rare & endangered farm animals, school tours, sleigh rides, pumpkins Chappell Farms 617 Penetanguishene Rd Barrie ON L4M 4Y8 705-721-1547; chappellfarms.ca Family activities, petting zoo Durham Region Gates Open Regional Municipality of Durham Economic Development & Tourism Whitby ON L1N 6A3 800-413-0017; gatesopen.ca/farms.htm Regional farm tour Everdale 5812 6th Line, P.O. Box 29 Hillsburgh ON N0B 1Z0 519-855-4859; everdale.org A harvest-share group of more than 100 families: farm store, food festivals, school programs; hiking trails Forsythe Family Farms 10539 Kennedy Rd Markham ON L6C 1N8 905-887-1087 forsythefamilyfarms.com Wagon rides, walks, school tours; pick-your-own fruits & vegetables

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Pine Farms Orchard 2700 16th Sideroad, King ON L0G 1K0 pinefarmsorchard.com 905-833-5459/6023 Bakery, café, gift shop, tours, winery, pick-your-own raspberries & apples Puck’s Farm 16540 11th Concession, King Township P.O. Box 284, Schomberg ON L0G 1T0 pucksfarm.com 905-939-7036/800-621-9177 Seasonal produce; hay & sleigh rides Riverdale Farms 201 Winchester St, Toronto ON M4Y 1B8 416-392-6794 friendsofriverdalefarm.com Butterfly garden; farm animals; farmers’ market: Tuesdays, 3 to 7 p.m., May to October Whittamore’s Farm 8100 Steeles Ave East Markham ON L6B 1A8 whittamoresfarm.com; 905-294-3275 Pick-your-own strawberries, raspberries; market store; group tours, pumpkin patch, farmyard fun

Farmers’ Markets in the GTA (Year-round) Dufferin Grove 875 Dufferin St, south of Bloor St Toronto ON 416-392-0913; dufferinpark.ca Vegetables, meats & baked goods Thursdays, 3 to 7 p.m.

St. Lawrence Market 92 Front St East, Toronto ON M5E 1C4 stlawrencemarket.com More than 120 merchants and vendors North Market: Saturdays, from 5 a.m.

South Market: Tuesday-Thursday, 8 a.m.-6 p.m.; Fridays, 8 a.m.- 7 p.m.

Saturdays, 5 a.m.-5 p.m.

Sorauren (West End Food Co-op) 32 Ridley Gardens, Toronto ON M6R 2T8

edible summer • special Issue 2010

(OPPOSITE) Heather Osborn, Janet Davis, courtesy Everdale

Dominion Seed House P.O. Box 2500 Georgetown ON L7G 5L6 905-873-3037/800-784-3037 dominion-seed-house.com All-America and Fleuroselect varieties

PHOTOS: (This Page) janet Davis

Where to Buy Seeds

416-533-6363, www.westendfood.coop Local producers, locally grown fruits & vegetables; third Monday of every month, 3 to 7 p.m.

The Stop’s Green Barn 601 Christie St (Barn 4 in the Artscape Wychwood Barns) Toronto ON M6G 4C7 416-651-7867; thestop.org Year-round greenhouse, garden, compost demonstration area, community kitchen & classroom; farmers’ market: Saturdays, 9 a.m. to noon Village Market Waldorf School 9100 Bathurst Street (north of Hwy 7) Thornhill ON L4J 8C7 416-875-4205; villagemarket.ca Saturdays, 8:30 a.m.to 1:30 p.m.

(Seasonal) Appletree Market North Toronto Community Centre 200 Eglinton Ave West Toronto ON M4R 1A7 appletreemarkets.wordpress.com Thursdays, 3 to 7 p.m.

BirchCliff Village trellis, CDN 1512 Kingston Rd, Scarborough ON www.marketsbythebluffs.com Local food, organic produce, teas

Fridays, 3 to 7 p.m., early June to midOctober; indoors from mid-October through December, at 1668 Kingston Rd; days and times vary.

East York 850 Coxwell Avenue Toronto ON M4C 5R1; tfmn.ca Tuesdays, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

May to November East Lynn East Lynn Park, Danforth Ave East (2 blocks from Woodbine subway station), Toronto ON; 647-898-1492 eastlynnfarmersmarket.com Thursdays, 3 to 7 p.m., May to October EVERGREEN BRICK WORKS FARMERS’ MARKET 550 Bayview Avenue (on the Bayview Extension), Toronto ON; evergreen.ca Saturdays, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Fairview Mall 1800 Sheppard Ave East (Don Mills & Sheppard), Toronto ON M2J 5A7 greenbeltfresh.ca; 905-591-0064 Tuesdays & Fridays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

May to October Guildwood Village 121 Livingston Rd (at Guildwood Pkwy) Scarborough ON M1E 1P1 marketsbythebluff.com

Thursdays, 2 to 6 p.m., mid-June to mid-October MyMarket Liberty Village (Corner of Liberty St. & Atlantic Ave.) Toronto ON; 647-274-8311; my-market.ca Sundays, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

June to October

Metro Hall 55 John Street (near King St.) Toronto ON M5V 3C6 tfmn.ca; Thursdays, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. late May to mid-October North York Civic Centre 5100 Yonge Street; (Mel Lastman Square) North York, ON M2N 5V7

More Farmers’ Markets Greenbeltfresh greenbeltfresh.ca; over 80 markets in the Golden Horseshoe and beyond, including 29 in the Toronto area Farmers’ Markets Ontario farmersmarketsontario.com; 142 Ontario markets Toronto Farmers’ Market Network tfmn.ca; GTA markets

Perennial Seed. Beautiful.

Useful. Native...

To the Planet.

Production · Breeding · Seed Technology USA Office: Jelitto Perennial Seeds · 125 Chenoweth Ln. Suite 301· Louisville, KY 40207 Phone (502) 895-08 07 · Fax (502) 895-39 34 · www.jelitto.com · maryv@jelitto.com

www.torontobotanicalgarden.ca

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edible summer • special Issue 2010

source guide University of Toronto St. George Campus, University College 15 King’s College Circle Toronto ON M5S 3H7 food-beverage.utoronto.ca/food/ FarmersMarket.htm

Harvest Guides These sources offer availability guides that show when fruits and vegetables are ready for picking.

Foodland Ontario 3rd Floor NE, 1 Stone Rd West Guelph ON N1G 4Y2 888-428-9668 foodland.gov.on.ca/english/ availability.html Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association Unit 105, 355 Elmira Rd North Guelph ON N1K 1S5 519-763-6160; ofvga.org/sos.htm Foodlink Waterloo Region 7 Albert St, P.O. Box 601 St. Jacobs ON N0B 2N0 519-513-8998; foodlink.ca

INFORMATION IS ACCURATE AT TIME OF PRINTING. CHECK AHEAD FOR TIMES AND DATES.

Pro Tip

Local & seasonal fruits, vegetables At a farmers’ market let the Wednesdays, 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. fruits and vegetables farmers bring September through April in decide your menu. Revel in the

first asparagus and strawberries, then Withrow Park enjoy peaches, tomatoes and corn.

Between Logan and Carlaw Aves, These markets are a culinary calendar 1 block south of Danforth, Toronto ON with local harvests and the farmers withrowpark.ca providing the inspiration.

Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

– Elizabeth Baird, late May-late October Canadian Living: The Slow

Cooker Collection Trinity Bellwoods Dundas & Shaw Sts (northeast part of park) Toronto ON; tbfm.ca Online Guides Mondays, 3 to 7 p.m.

Local Eating mid-May through October localeating.ca Community blog about eating locally

Food Festivals Ontario Tourism Almonte Herb Festival ontario.worldweb.com herbfest.ca; late July Farms & farm tours Jarvis Cornfest Pick-Your-Own cornfest.ca; mid-August pickyourown.org/canada.htm Port Elgin Pumpkin Fest Playing in the Dirt pumpkinfest.org; October playinginthedirt.ca Organic gardening in Durham Region Kortright Centre Organic Farm Feast of the Fields Urban Agriculture and Home 9550 Pine Valley Drive Food Gardens Woodbridge ON L4H 2Z6 ediblelandscaping.ca www.feastoffields.org September You Grow Girl yougrowgirl.com Stratford Garlic Fest Gayla Trail’s DIY approach to growing stratfordgarlicfestival.com plants for food.

September

go to www.torontobotanicalgarden.ca/library

to search online for vegetable gardening books in the weston family library

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edible summer • special Issue 2010

PHOTOS: Janet Davis

tfmn.ca; Thursdays, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., June to October

Fo

S E A S O N S

s on

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fourseasonstreecare.com

(416) 410-8770

(905) 884-6976

6282 Bloomington Side Rd., Stouffville, Ontario, L4A 7X3

COMPLETE TREE & SHRUB CARE INCLUDING Tree Management Plans Consultations Pruning Cabling Root Treatments Insect & Disease Treatment Removal & Stump Grinding Skoot Rodent Repellent Anti-desiccant Protection Fertilization Soil Amendments Certified Arborists On Staff Fully Insured

charlie

less chores to do more time for you

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