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to do Features News
4 Hort Happenings news in and around the gardening world
Welcome Josh Padolsky green Community Friends of the greenbelt Foundation
5 from the tBg more than a beautiful garden
tBgKids night critters
Yours, mine & ours Volunteers
Blogwatch krazy about kokedama!
6 Controlling Chaos how to pull together an eclectic garden
8 Homegrown World Crops make room for okra, bottle gourds and yard-long beans
10 in a Community garden disasters and miracles in the garden
12 Just ask advice from the toronto master gardeners good Bugs, Bad Bugs Flea beetles in our gardens celebrity gardens garden gear gardener ’s edge
13 Container Crazy colour and texture— with a bite around the garden with head gardener sandra Pella in Your Veggie garden Jobs to do anna’s Plant Pick Abelmoschus esculentus okra
14 Who’s talking niki Jabbour goings on around the tBg
TBGNewsnews
hort happenings
thinking globally, growing locally by 2031, nearly 63 per cent of toronto’s population will have come from an ethnic background according to a report by the Vineland research and innovation centre to feed the hunger of this diverse population for the foods of their homelands, Vineland, together with the greenbelt foundation and a number of other organizations, is looking into the possibility of locally growing callaloo, fuzzy melon, okra, eggplant and yard-long beans, produce that’s usually imported. for more information, visit vinelandresearch.com. —L.F.
Welcome
get them outdoors—kids’ lives may depend on it
Pediatric experts warn that the lives of today’s children may be shortened by between two and five years if the “obesity crisis” goes unchecked. while the research remains controversial, it does give pause for thought—so much so that these dire warnings prompted landscape ontario’s green for life program to create a feature garden at this year’s canada blooms that was devoted to elements that would encourage kids to get outside and be active. the tbg’s nature mom has plenty of ideas for involving kids in outdoor activities. follow her at torontobotanicalgarden.ca/ get-gardening/nature-mom. — Lorraine
Flanigan
garden in a bag garden equipment manufacturers are making it easier for groups, families and individuals to garden in unexpected places. smart Pots, made of geotextile, make it possible to grow just about anything anywhere, from small balconies to big rooftops, pavement or gravel. lightweight, durable and non-breakable, they are available in many sizes (from a few litres to several hundred) from various stores and online at boutique@urbainculteurs.org or amazon.ca.
padolsky children’s education supervisor
Josh’s experiences in education and the environmental sciences have taken him from the high Arctic glaciers of northern canada to the shores of south Korea. With almost a decade of teaching experience at home and abroad and nearly as many years gardening, Josh brings a passion and depth of knowledge that will enrich tBG’s children’s programming.
Green Community
Friends oF the greenbelt Foundation
We now know that some vegetables originating in tropical or semi-tropical regions can be successfully grown here thanks to a grant from the Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation. This nonprofit organization funds activities that support agriculture in Ontario’s greenbelt and increases the amount of local food consumed in the province through grants, education, policy and networking initiatives. Since 2007 the foundation has invested more than $700,000 on world crops with The Stop Community Food Centre, Centre for Land and Water Stewardship at the University of Guelph, Toronto Environmental Alliance, York Region Food Network, Farm Start, Vineland Research and Innovation Centre and the Toronto Botanical Garden. —Lorraine Hunter
—Lorraine Hunter
Josh
From The TBG
harry Jongerden executive Director
more Than a Beautiful Garden
As I put pen to paper in early March, I have just experienced my first Get the Jump on Spring. Like Canada Blooms, this event helped a lot of us get through this relentless past winter. I love the educational components of Get the Jump and Canada Blooms. Yes, we’re seeing the plants and the beauty we crave at these events, but we’re also exposed to learning and networking possibilities. These events are microcosms of the botanical garden experience—come for the beauty, and learn something while you’re at it.
Botanical gardens have a somewhat lofty mandate that pushes us to strive beyond a crowd-pleasing presentation of natural beauty. With artfully arranged plants and gardens, we endeavour to please and attract visitors, members and volunteers. Uncomplicated display gardens are content to do no more than please us with their beauty, and we love them for it. But botanical gardens maintain collections of plants for the following four purposes: display, education, conservation and scientific research.
Our garden’s education programs place us in the front rank of Canada’s botanical gardens, no question. Regarding “display” though, we can agree that our garden is beautiful but tiny. We value its exquisite layout, diversity and high maintenance standards, but where are the numbers of visitors and tourists who flock to other botanical gardens? In terms of visitor-ship, we are the lowest achieving big city botanical garden in North America. That’s no surprise—we’re simply too small. If we want to share our garden with more visitors, TBG must be bigger.
You’ll likely agree that it’s an inspiring idea to acquire bigger and better gardens, with expanded educational opportunities, but you may wonder where conservation and research fit in. An expanded garden that connects to our adjacent ravine lands will help us fulfill all aspects of a botanical garden mandate. I look forward to this happening the way a gardener awaits the coming spring. In other words, I can’t wait!
new! night critters
Join tbgkids this summer for our inaugural family slumber party in the teaching garden. for one night only, from saturday, July 12, 6 p.m., to sunday, July 13, 9 a.m., the garden will sprout tents for an overnight camp-out with nighttime hikes, games and a campfire complete with marshmallows and stories. we’ll lie in the grass to watch the bats, mix up a broth to attract moths and learn all about the many nocturnal animals that call the teaching garden their home byo tents, parents and jammies—stuffed animals optional! families are welcome to bring up to four children per adult. recommended for ages 5 and up. Public $75; members $65. registration required.
Yours, Mine & Ours
Volun T eers
Jean Johnson has been a key member of the TBG’s volunteer team for the past 14 years. Jean combines her role in the Weston Family Library with one in the garden. She is also out and about at many special events, such as TBG lectures, and there is no better ice cream salesperson at Through the Garden Gate! Given the extent of her volunteer involvement it’s amazing that Jean has time for other pursuits but she is active with Scottish country dancing and she enjoys reading and a broad range of music. We count ourselves very fortunate to have so much of her energy and expertise devoted to the TBG. Thank you Jean!
Blogwatch: go krazy with kokedama! —compiled by Lorraine Flanigan goto torontobotanicalgarden.ca/learn/kids to register.
one of our most popular classes last season delved into the art of kokedama, an offshoot of bonsai gardening using string and moss balls to create stunning suspended gardens. if you missed instructor Joe delarge’s class, here are some great blogs that show you how to do it yourself. apartment therapy (apartmenttherapy. com/japanese-gardening-inspirationkokedama-170573) fills you in on the art of
kokedama and links to some great resources that show you how. garden trappings (gardentrappings.com/diykokedama-drama) offers illustrated step-by-step instructions on creating a kokedama moss ball. mini garden guru (minigardener.wordpress. com/2012/03/23/bling-gardens-kokedamacomes-to-americ-huh) puts bling into the kokedama tradition!
controlling Chaos
h ow do you pull together a garden? Carol Gardner asks three landscape architects how to make an eclectic design flow.
One of most amazing residential gardens I’ve ever seen was owned by two professional photographers who had asked their designer to give them a garden that they could use as a background for a wide variety of commercial photos. Their backyard was a typical urban space—long and narrow with an old shed at the bottom of the property.
You would think their request would be a recipe for utter chaos. But the garden was enchanting and very pulled together. Clearly, the couple had a very talented designer. With salvaged blue shutters attached to the shed window, the area became a realistic stand-in for a garden in Provence. There was an area with a Japanese rock garden, a formal English garden and so on. You could easily see how the spaces could be used individually, but when you looked at the whole, instead of being fragmented, it was artistic and charming and flowed beautifully. Their designer had been masterful in pulling together divergent elements.
Happily, most of us don’t have such daunting design challenges, but we do all have issues (some more than others!). Pulling a garden together is probably the toughest design challenge for those of us who aren’t professionally trained.
I asked three designers for inspiration on how to handle the issue of “flow”: landscape architect Victoria Lister Carley (VLC) of Victoria Lister Carley Landscape Architect and James Dale (JD) and Kennedy McRae (KM) of Earth Inc. Here’s what they said.
What do you do if homeoWners start
With tWo (or more) Very different styLe preferenCes?
Km: That’s where we become mediator/designer. Style is one of the last discussions we have with homeowners because, after we’ve worked through the other decisions with them, it becomes apparent what would best suit the garden.
VLC: I avoid discussing style in the beginning, redirecting the initial conversation towards the big picture: the goals of the project; how the garden will be used; what ambience they’re hoping to achieve. A person’s idea of style is often derived from an image that they’ve seen, either in a magazine or in another garden. We assume, too quickly, that that is the style we want. But style is made up of a variety of elements, and it’s those elements we should examine first.
To illustrate, I had a client who had a rather small yard. When asked if she had seen a garden that inspired her, the answer was Versailles. Undeterred, I asked her what elements of Versailles inspired her. It turned out that she loved the calm feel of the garden, the clear divisions of space and the colours. Once she had defined these elements, it was easy to incorporate them into the client’s garden plan; she now has a small garden that is formal, tranquil and elegant.
Photos:
What if you LiKe a Garden type that is quite different from your house?
VLC: Some elements have to relate to the house style; you can’t jump completely out of context, particularly for front gardens. Your back garden is yours. Your front garden is about your relationship with the street and the neighbours. However, no style is without a range.
Km: We want to make all our landscapes harmonious with the house style. But if the house does not have a very distinct style, we have more freedom to do what we call eclectic style. But they still have to work together.
hoW do you inCorporate a pooL into the Garden Without LettinG it taKinG oVer?
VLC: If you have a very large garden, a lot of different uses can be absorbed fairly easily. But if, like most of us, your garden is a more modest size, you have to be clever. One of the biggest issues with pools is scale. The pool surround should contain as much square footage as the pool itself, but that, in itself, is not the problem. The disconnect is often the result of choosing the gigantic garden furniture that is the trend these days. Break down spaces surrounding the pool into groupings, and make sure that the size of the furniture is in scale and reflects the tone of the rest of the garden.
hoW do you inCorporate a pLay area into a formaL Garden?
Km: The thought of incorporating a play area in a formal garden sometimes makes us cringe. However, two typical design elements in formal gardens can assist with the dilemma: formal hedging and garden rooms. What this actually does, if done properly, is to make the play area more of an adventure. Remember that kids won’t stay kids forever, so you should have a long-term plan for the space once the Barney slide or the Thomas the Train sandbox are no longer needed.
VLC: Make sure that when it’s time to redesign the area, it can be converted without upsetting the whole garden. Select a modest size of equipment; unfortunately, the size of playground equipment seems to be growing by leaps and bounds. Plan major garden seating that doesn’t face directly into the play area (other than what is necessary for safety).
Better still, do something modest like a sandbox and a place to kick a ball around and take the kids to the park for the swings and slides.
hoW do you ensure that, WhateVer it may Contain, a Garden has “fLoW”?
Km: The flow in a front garden is often designed with a very clear comfortable passage. There are functional necessities that have to be considered, like having visitors, getting groceries from the car, etc. So flow in the front garden is more of a functional issue whereas in the backyard you have more creative licence and can look at flow in a more adventurous way.
Jd: Garden areas are usually tied together with some sort of footpath and/or walls. The design of that path is made by understanding the destinations. If the destination is a beautiful grove of flowering crabapples, we probably wouldn’t cover the footpath with any overhead structure so you could enjoy the approach. But if the destination is a secret garden, we may try to intensify that feeling of seclusion with an arbour covered in a dense wisteria vine. The approach is very important to the flow of the garden. A good rule of thumb is never to lead people into a dead end if you can avoid it.
VLC: When we think of views, we usually think about looking out. In a garden we are also looking within. The composition of the internal views is integral to making the garden flow. There may be a clear focus to the view, a special feature such as a sculpture for example, or it may be the intrigue of a path that meanders out of view. When considering the layout of the garden plan it is important to bear in mind how each area will look from other parts of the garden. What you see of other parts of the garden when you are sitting, or moving through the space, is important to the feeling of place and flow.
So there you are: advice from the best. Now you don’t just have to ask yourself, “How does my garden grow?” but also “how does my garden flow?” Ah, the pressure and the pleasure of a gardening obsession!
Carol Gardner is an award-winning garden writer and a member of the Trellis Committee.
Whether you grew up eating these exotic-sounding vegetables, have acquired a taste for them or simply enjoy cultivating something different, it is possible to grow vegetables from different parts of the world right here in Toronto.
Last summer the Toronto Botanical Garden’s Kitchen Garden successfully trialled many world crops, including Thai peppers, Chinese chili peppers and both Indian round and Asian long purple eggplants. As one of 22 learning garden sites across the city, the TBG was taking part in a project to see how feasible it is for us to grow foods that originate in countries other than Canada.
Last year, the TBG gardens helped to showcase world vegetable varieties which continue to be tested for both home and commercial growers by Niagara’s Vineland Research and Innovation Centre. Watch for world crops in the TBG gardens this year.
“We grew them in raised beds and containers and children grew them in the Teaching Garden,” said Nancy Eaton Director of Horticulture Paul Zammit. The beans and gourds were planted in the ground, “but we had to wait for the hot weather to transplant the eggplants, peppers and okra, which
HOMEGROWN World Crops
m ove over carrots, peas and tomatoes, says Lorraine Hunter . m ake room for okra, bottle gourds and yard-long beans.
were started inside.” Overhearing visitors identifying vegetables from their homelands, often speaking in their own languages, was gratifying, says Zammit.
The experimental TBG gardens are part of a bigger initiative to encourage local gardeners and farmers to grow vegetable crops that have historically been imported for Ontario consumers. A major objective is to see locally grown varieties for sale at local farmers’ markets and grocery stores.
The benefits of encouraging Ontario residents to grow, look for, buy and eat locally grown world crops are many.
“Local food is fresh and tastes great,” says Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation CEO Burkhard Mausberg.
“Buying food from local Greenbelt farmers helps create jobs and support our economy and is a great way for you and your family to understand where
World Crops, Right in Our Own Backyard
these are some of the locally grown vegetables with roots in other countries that you can now purchase, or even grow in your own backyard.
BottLe gourd (Lagenaria siceraria), native to africa, also grown in asia and central america, is harvested young for its mildly favoured edible flesh, which is similar to zucchini or cucumber. bottle gourds can be used in soups, stews, stir-fries and for making relish. okra (Abelmoschus esculentus), thought to originate in africa, likely came to the americas in the mid-1600s with the atlantic slave trade and became a staple
Make Like a Bee and poLLinate!
Because last year’s summer mornings were cool, with not much bee activity, the bottle gourds were not producing because they need to be pollinated. So paul Zammit set up his own fertility clinic, transferring pollen with cotton swabs from one plant to another. “the same procedure can be used with zucchini and cucumbers when they need help,” he said.
your food really comes from. By eating locally grown produce we reduce the amount of air pollution that contributes to global climate change and smog. This also supports the economy, as every dollar spent on local food generates more than four dollars for other local businesses.”
The ethno-cultural vegetable market has an estimated monthly worth of $61 million in Ontario. Close to 98 per cent comes from imports. As local Greenbelt farmers continue to grow those crops in increasing amounts and as we start to look for and develop a taste for them, much of that worth will become homegrown.
And if you can grow them at home, so much the better!
Lorraine Hunter is a garden writer and chair of the Trellis Committee.
ingredient in the creole and cajun stews called gumbo. it ’s best known for its mucilaginous texture and as a thickener for stews and soups. it may also be eaten cooked, dried or fresh.
Yard-long beans (Vigna unguiculata sesquipedalis) produce pods ranging from 35 to 80 centimetres in length. Widely grown in southeast asia, thailand, southern china and the West indies, they grow very quickly in warm weather. edible pods may be cut into shorter sections and cooked like common green beans and are especially good cooked in oil—sautéed, stir-fried or deep fried.
Photos: Paul Zammit
Dreaming Wedding? of a Garden
In a CommunIty n
garden
Each spring, you hear the hype about the miracle garden: Grow 800 pounds of organic produce on a postage-stamp-sized plot—in just minutes a week! Garden yourself to victory in the coming food security apocalypse— without getting your hands dirty!
But, if you’re planning to grow food in the city, don’t plan on miracles unless you’re prepared to sweat some major disasters. That’s one of the lessons I’ve learned from Joe, Athena, Robert, Carmen, Andy, Maxima and my many gardening comrades in eight years at the Thorncliffe Park Garden Club community garden, one of Toronto’s oldest allotment gardens.
disaster #1: the squash devil
Buoyed by the moderate success of my butternut squash the previous season, I planted several varieties of squash in a raised bed fortified with well-rotted manure. Using my limited carpentry skills honed from childhood tree-fort building, I constructed a kind of folk-art trellis upon which I imagined my squash plants would rocket their way skyward.
I kept the bed well watered, and the plants fairly burst from the soil. Yet while the green foliage exhibited the desired vigour, one by one every single delicate yellow bloom withered on the vine.
One day my allotment neighbour Joe identified the culprit—a small blackand-yellow bug that feasted on squash blossoms. “He’s a devil,” said Joe, showing me the bug before squishing him between his thumb and forefinger.
I trusted Joe. He and his wife Athena grew an orderly Greek-themed garden filled with tomatoes, beans, onions and tasty greens. Joe ferried fresh produce daily back to his nearby apartment on a rickety blue bicycle. Joe’s secret to gardening was soil
preparation, and he spent days carefully hand-tilling his plot each fall to be ready for the next growing season.
And Joe knew his pests. “You gotta pick off every bug and kill ’em,” Joe said, proceeding to smear the bug on my garden fence, possibly as a warning to the devil’s comrades.
This minutes-a-week-to-gardeningvictory thing just wasn’t working. I figured if I quit my desk job I could keep up with the devil squishing. But I needed to pay the mortgage. So my plants continued to rocket skyward that summer without producing a single squash. It was a garden disaster.
Miracle #1: Best Boy special delivery
It was a scorching summer in T.O., a summer for heat lovers. And I’m talking tomatoes. Another garden plot neighbour, Andy, had taken to giving me regular advice in a very direct manner, and booming voice, on many gardening subjects. Andy was the Thorncliffe Park Garden Club’s number 1 “fixer.” When he wasn’t working his own plot, Andy could be found sawing and hammering away doing odd jobs on neighbours’ fences and going for coffee runs in his aging but immaculate Volvo.
every garden disaster makes each garden miracle that much sweeter, says ian Kinross.
My first inclination was to play dumb, or to avoid this nosy gardening neighbour—until Maxima set me straight. “Listen to the old man,” said Maxima, who grew bitter melon and other exotic (to me) vegetables that were standard fare in her native Philippines. “He knows what he’s talking about.”
Andy decreed that the best tomato seedlings could be found at a small garden shop on Pape Avenue. I parked illegally across the road and jay-ran over to spot the shop’s last flat of tomato seedlings. The price was steep but the seedlings had thick sturdy stems and healthy leaves, and an intriguing brand name: Best Boy.
Andy took pity on my initial attempt to plant the seedlings, brushing me aside to show me how to dig them a little deeper and to pick off the lower stems, helping the Best Boys set down a good root system.
In the heat of that summer I had a bumper crop. I convinced my older daughter Alison to join me for the harvest. We picked baskets of deep red unblemished tomatoes and set them in
Joe, athena and robert
the trunk of my Echo. We put aside a good quantity for home use and then played a pair of tomato Robin Hoods, driving through Toronto’s Riverdale streets to bestow a surprise gift of Best Boys upon friends and neighbours. It was a miracle of miracles in the urban garden.
Past president of the Thorncliffe Park Garden Club, Ian Kinross still produces garden miracles—and disasters. Follow his gardening adventures at kinrosscordless.wordpress.com.
Thorncliffe family Garden started in spring 2012 the idea of the thorncliffe family garden grew out of a realization of the profound lack of green space in a neighbourhood where 30,000 people live in apartment buildings with no access to backyards or growing space. the garden includes 15 plots for individuals and families and a larger public children’s garden with special programs for seniors and children. workshops on balcony gardening and organic food growing have been held for garden and community members. thorncliffe family garden is also home to toronto’s first permanent outdoor tandoor oven. summer events include a vegetable market, the annual flavours of thorncliffe festival and the eid bazaar on July 27, with a night market of local vendors: for dates, follow facebook.com/thorncliffepark.womenscommittee. —Sabina Ali, Thorncliffe Park Women’s Committee, with notes from Lorraine Flanigan
leaside Garden society announces the Magical Gardens of leaside annual garden tour, saturday, June 21, 2014, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. tour includes an exciting mix of garden styles and plants, particularly the smaller “city” garden. meet and talk with our friendly gardeners. check www. leasidegardensociety.org for more information.
GardeN tours with Margaret dailey-plouffe. tours that exceed your expectations. JuNe: ireland – wafa; July: hudson Valley; august: chicago & frank lloyd wright; septeMBer: Provence and bordeaux. contact: margaret@ hnatravels.com 416-746-7199 www.hnatravels.com
classifieds
two certified garden designers will come to you and provide design options and planting suggestions that will transform your garden from ordinary to stunning. Gardens: ideas designs results 647-999-8617
make use of vertical space in your garden. obelisks are superb structures to showcase vines or vegetables! Powder-coated steel ensures these 6-foot obelisks remain smart and durable for many years. locally made by eastern precision Machining exclusively for tbg Get yours now at the Garden shop, $65.
in season To Do
Just Ask
Garden Gear in our Gardens
CelebrITy Gardens
Create a tomato tent in your own garden. Visit the Kitchen Garden and discover doug oster’s clever technique and space-saving idea for growing indeterminate type tomatoes. This is one of the many fun and creative veggie gardening ideas inspired by Niki Jabbour’s Groundbreaking Food Gardens which will be featured in our gardens this season.
Gardener’s edGe one tool, so many uses! Tamper handle for tamping stakes, soil and fertilizer spikes; bag and twine cutter; smooth cutting blade plus a serrated edge for cutting through roots; weeder tip for digging out tap roots; graduated blade and handle for measuring depth when planting. Carrying sheath included. Gardener’s Edge: $36.99 in TbG’s Garden shop (10-per-cent discount with TbG membership card).
Are there guidelines for proportions of compost, bone meal, fish meal and seaweed to mix in the soil so that my vegetables will grow well?
In partnership with the City of Toronto, the Toronto Master Gardeners have prepared a number of garden guides on organic fertilizing and soil improvement, including Which organic fertilizers to use with which plants, including vegetables.
torontomastergardeners.ca/index.php/askagardener/organic-vegetablegrowing for links to this and other vegetable growing guides.
Good buGs, bad buGs
flea beetles
bug Lady Jean Godawa tells us why flea beetles are bad and braconid wasps and tachinid flies are good.
If It looks as if the leaves on your cruciferous vegetable plants, such as cauliflower, cabbage and broccoli, have been shot with very small bullets, then you probably have flea beetles in your garden. Typically shiny and darkcoloured, often with varying patterns or stripes, these pests are a subfamily of the leaf beetles (Chrysomelidae). Their tiny size (2 to 5 mm) and their enlarged hind legs distinguish these creatures from other beetles, but it is their jumping behaviour when disturbed that clearly identifies them.
adult flea beetles spend the winter in the soil and emerge in spring as plants start to sprout. They soon lay eggs in the soil around food plants. once the larvae hatch, they burrow down to feed on the roots while the adults feed above on the foliage. as the first adult generation dies off, the larvae pupate and emerge as adult beetles in late July. This generation feeds until fall when they begin hibernation. The entire life cycle takes about seven to eight weeks.
Much of the damage from flea beetles occurs in spring. Young plants are most susceptible to hungry flea beetles coming out of hibernation and looking for food. Transplanted vegetables fare better against these pests than directly seeded plants—the larger leaves of older plants are able to tolerate beetle feeding. Planting trap crops such as radishes earlier in the season can help keep flea beetles off other susceptible vegetables. s ticky traps at the base of vegetables also help eliminate emerging flea beetles. Cultivate the soil often throughout the season to expose beetle eggs, larvae and pupae to predators. braconid wasps and tachinid flies are natural predators of flea beetles and their larvae. Provide a source of nectar from small, shallow-flowered plants such as carrot, dill and fennel to attract these beneficial creatures to your vegetable patch and help control flea beetle pest populations.
torontobotanicalgarden.ca/spinachbeetles to discover another pesky pest that plagues spinach.
container crazy
Colour and TexTure—wITH a bITe!
Edible golden variegated sage (Salvia officinalis ‘Icterina’) and the finely textured foliage of curled parsley (Petroselinum crispum) add spice to a richly layered composition of big-leafed Bergenia, the grassy foliage of Carex buchananii and orange-blossomed Calibrachoa Japanese forest grass (Hakonechloa macra ‘all Gold’) repeats the chartreuse colour of the pyramidal cypress (Cupressus macrocarpa ‘Goldcrest’).
— Paul Zammit, Nancy Eaton Director of Horticulture
Anna’s Plant Pick
around the Garden with head Gardener sandra Pella
This past winter, I had the pleasure of teaching students of the Miziwe biik Pre-apprenticeship Horticulture Program. Two points I emphasized were the usefulness of knowing the botanical names of plants so as to be able to refer to them no matter where you travel, and the importance of feeding the soil for stronger healthier plants— and the environment!
Abelmoschus esculentus okra
lAdIes’ fInGers, bhindi or gumbo. Whatever the regional name, it’s all okra or, horticulturally speaking, Abelmoschus esculentus
This vegetable is actually an immature seed pod that looks like a ribbed finger. It’s a bright dark green and contains pearly mucilaginous white seeds. The entire plant is edible and is very nutritious: high in fibre, vitamin C, antioxidants, folates, calcium and potassium. originating in africa, okra is related to cotton and hibiscus. In our climate, it is an annual hot-weather vegetable. Plants grow from one to three metres tall with large, maple-like leaves. The attractive large creamy yellow flowers have a central purple blotch. Plants can be very attractive when grown in a flower bed. Look for ones that are short and produce early with spineless pods, such as ‘Clemson spineless 80’ (80 to 122 centimetres tall, 55 to 60 days to maturity) and ‘Carmine splendor’ with tiny red pods that become pink (51 days to maturity).
To grow, soak the seeds in warm water for 24 hours and then plant indoors in peat pots at the beginning of May. Transplant outside, without disturbing the roots, in full sun in early June when the soil temperature is above 20ºC. although they will grow in any soil, they prefer it to be fertile and well drained. Water well, mulch and sidedress with compost. Harvest frequently and when pods are young, about 10 days after pollination.
— Anna Leggatt Toronto Master Gardener
in Your veggie Garden
Jobs To do
add a layer of compost around heavy feeders such as eggplants, tomatoes and peppers.
conserve water by applying a 2- to 5-centimetre layer of mulch at the base of vegetable plants.
for high-volume plants such as beans and okra, harvest daily to ensure continuous production. in late june or july, start fall crops such as kale.
mound up the soil around the base of potato plants every few weeks to shade the developing potatoes from the sun.
Plant a combination of early, mid- and late-season radishes, potatoes and tomatoes for an ongoing, seasonlong harvest.
Plant fast-maturing crops such as beans every two weeks from the end of may to mid-july to ensure a continuous harvest.
Protect squash, melons, cucumbers and other cucurbits from squash vine borers by mounding soil on any stems growing along the ground. this helps limit access to the stems by adults laying eggs that will hatch into destructive borers.
to avoid soil compaction, restrict foot traffic to straw or mulch paths.
— Paul Zammit, Nancy Eaton Director of Horticulture
HAPPENINGS
Who’s Ta Lk Ing
LECTURER: NIKI JABBOUR
TOPIC: GROUNDBREAKING FOOD GARDENS
WHEN: THURSDAY, JUNE 5, 7:30 P.M.
PRE-LECTURE LIGHT DINNER AVAILABLE FROM 5:30 P.M.
GOINGS ON
HOGG’S HOLLOW
TORONTO BOTANICAL GARDEN’S 27th annual garden tour WHERE THE RIVER MEETS THE RAVINE THROUGH THE GARDEN GATE
SATURDAY, JUNE 14
SUNDAY, JUNE 15, 2014 11 A.M. TO 4 P.M. A GASTRO-GARDEN EXPERIENCE INCLUDING 19 PRIVATE GARDENS AND FOOD TRUCKS
TICKETS
One-Day Pass
Public $45/TBG Members $40
Two-Day Pass
Public $60/TBG Members $55
NEW Student Pass
One-Day Only $25 (with ID) TAX INCLUDED
BUY YOUR TICKETS ONLINE www.torontobotanicagarden.ca/ttgg FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL 416-397-1341
All proceeds support the Toronto Botanical Garden
Join Niki Jabbour for a dynamic talk showcasing how easy it is to grow food. Learn innovative techniques and designs, and see how food gardens can be just as beautiful as any ornamental space. Niki will offer great ideas for a year-round salad garden, a gourmet potted patio, a fairytale garden for kids, a pollinator plot and even a cocktail garden! Niki Jabbour is the author of The Year Round Vegetable Gardener and Groundbreaking Food Gardens: 73 Plans That Will Change the Way You Grow Your Garden. She also hosts The Weekend Gardener radio show. Members free (and bring a friend for $10), Public $25, Students (with ID) $15. Door sales only. Doors open 6:30 p.m. Lecture: 7:30 p.m.
Passionate gardener? Passionate about volunteering?
Become a Master Gardener!
Basic gardening knowledge entrance exam September 15 Personal interviews September 22, 24, 25 Course start January 2015
To register or for info: training@mastergardeners.ca
• My Big Fab Gay Garden Wedding Say “I Do” surrounded by beautiful gardens that flaunt the rainbow colours of nature. On Wednesday, June 25, at 3 p.m., the TBG is hosting a free mass wedding ceremony for all LGBT2IQ lovebirds to celebrate World Pride. Pre-registration required for participating couples. Capacity is limited. Open invitation to all friends, family and well-wishers.
• Terrific Thursdays, from June 26 through August 28, 2014, is a program of all-around family evenings that includes the TBG Organic Farmers’ Market from 2 to 7 p.m., Gardens of Song, generously funded by the Edwards Family Charitable Foundation at 7 p.m., extended hours at the Garden Café and free family activities in the James Boyd Children’s Centre from 5:30 to 7 p.m.
• Tours and Travel Book a tour for your group to Allan Gardens, the Music Garden or the TBG and Edwards Gardens. We can also help you arrange day trips to private gardens in Ontario or organize international travel experiences. Visit torontobotanical garden.ca/explore, e-mail tourguides@ torontobotanical garden.ca or call 416-397-4145 to book!
A B out
tHE toro N to BotAN ic A l gA r DEN
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 TBG raises more than 95 per cent of its operating funds through membership, facility rentals, retail enterprises, program fees and donations. 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. Charitable business number 119227486RR001.
g ENE r A l H our S AND ADM i S S io N
gA r DENS : Free admission, dawn to dusk
A DM i N i StrAtiv E oFF ic ES : Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
W ESto N FAM ily l i B rA ry: Call 416-397-1343 or check www.torontobotanicalgarden.ca for hours of operation.
gA r DEN S H op: Call 416-397-1357 • shop@torontobotanicalgarden.ca
M ASt E r gA r DENE r S’ iNFo l i NE : 416-397-1345, noon to 3 p.m.
(April & July, Monday to Thursday, Saturday; May & June, daily; August through March, Monday, Wednesday and Saturday).
Visit torontomastergardeners.ca and Ask a Master Gardener
MEMBErSHip: $45 single, $65 family. call 416-397-1483 or sign up online at torontobotanicalgarden.ca/join
SigN up For BiWEEkly gArDEN ENEWS!
Receive the latest horticultural news and information on events, workshops, lectures and other horticultural happenings. Free registration at torontobotanicalgarden.ca
F ri ENDS o F t HE toro N to B otAN ic A l g
A r DEN
toronto botanical G arden (tbG) is deeply grateful to its Friends for providing continued and generous support towards programs and services. our Friends enable the tbG to educate and provide the community with information on horticulture, gardening and environmental issues through lectures, courses and events. the following individuals made their contribution to the Friends program between January 20, 2014 and February 28, 2014.
BENEFACTORS
John & Helen Shaw
Douglas & Marjorie Lenz
FRiENdS
Barbara Fleming
Anna Leggatt
Karen Lockwood
Cathy Park
Bruce & Catherine Peer
Ruthanne Stiles
Mary Vandewater
pAtro NS
Ho N orA ry pAtro N : ADriENNE clArkSoN Brian Bixley, Mark cullen, camilla Dalglish, Sondra gotlieb, Marjorie Harris, lorraine Johnson, Michele landsberg, Susan Macaulay, Helen Skinner
B oA r D o F D ir Ector S
President: Allan Kling. Co-Chairs: Allan Kling and Rebecca Golding. Tim Bermingham, Mark Bonham, Ellen Carr, Heather Cullen, Beth Edney, Colomba B. Fuller, Ryan Glenn, Cathy Kozma, Elaine Le Feuvre, Shelagh Meagher, penny richards, Judy Shirriff, Nancy tong, Barbara yager
StAFF D ir Ectory
ExEcutivE DirEctor
Harry Jongerden director@torontobotanicalgarden.ca 416-397-1346
BuSiNESS AND FiNANcE
Director of Business initiatives and Finance
Margaret chasins business@torontobotanicalgarden.ca 416-397-1484
HEAD, voluNtEEr SErvicES Sue Hills volunteers@torontobotanicalgarden.ca 416-397-4145
MAiNtENANcE
Maintenance Manager, Walter Morassutti
Maintenance officers, Alvin Allen, Jonas kweko-teye, Marcos tawfik maintenance@torontobotanicalgarden.ca 416-397-1344 777 l awrence Avenue East, toron to, o n tario M3 c 1 p 2 , c anada 4 16-397-1340; fax: 416-397-1354 • info@torontobotanicalgarden.ca torontobotanicalgarden.ca • @TBG_Canada
torontobotanicalgarden.ca to learn about the tb G!
By ttc : From Eglinton subway station take the 51, 54 or 54A bus to Lawr ence Avenue East and Leslie Street. The TBG is on the southwest corner.
