Gardening Trends - Salisbury Greenhouse · When you have to grow more food in less space, indoors...
Transcript of Gardening Trends - Salisbury Greenhouse · When you have to grow more food in less space, indoors...
springGardening Trends
Say hello to
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
with Salisbury Greenhousersquos
Table of Contents
Introduction
3 Growing Food Indoors
intro table of contents
6 Craving Wellness
9 De-cluttering the Garden
12
17
15
23
Loving Local
Feature Annuals
Natural Mosquito Control
Feature Edibles
The thrill of getting our hands dirty is universal but the ways we do it often change with the seasons Like fashion new trends emerge every spring to inspire our gardens and create some major excitement for that warm weather
From tips and tricks to growing food indoors to ways of bringing balance back into your hectic schedule we have created a collection of spring garden trends you can expect to see going full-bloom in 2017
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
2
When I say ldquohydroponicsrdquo what do you think of Irsquom guessing some kind of elaborate set-up that may or may not involve marijuana The truth is that hydroponics are not complex Itrsquos a matter of growing plants indoors without soil--and itrsquos going mainstream
Therersquos a perfect storm happening The grow-your-own movement is continuing to explode with record numbers of people concerned about chemicals wanting hyperlocal alternatives and needing to save money In 2016 37 of Millennials and 28 of Baby Boomers grew food indoors and itrsquos rising quickly
At the same time our outdoor spaces are getting smaller We have smaller yards balconies or no outdoor spaces at all When you have to grow more food in less space indoors is the natural next step
Wersquove grown windowsill herbs for decades But in 2017 Canadians will grow microgreens medicinal herbs herbal teas and marquis edibles like tomatoes and peppers in record numbers Millennials who excel at making their own rules will lead the way Techniques that were once fringe like aquaponics and vertical gardening will become mainstream
Growing Food Indoors
trends growing food indoors
Section 1
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
3
Technology Making it Easier
trends growing food indoors
In hydroponics yoursquore responsible for creating - artificially - everything the plant needs Itrsquos an intimidating level of complexity but itrsquos getting easier
The internet-of-things is a natural fit for indoor gardening From smartpots that tell you when itrsquos time to fertilize to hydroponic systems that you can run entirely with an app technology is pre-programming the expertise we used to need
Some systems available online need only know what type of plant yoursquore growing and they handle the rest Other systems
will notify you on your phone when to water and when to feed You can buy vertical gardens too complete with lighting and watering systems in which you plant in foam plugs
While internet based hydroponic systems are expensive their increasing popularity and competition is bringing the price down fast Whether you like lsquoem or not it wonrsquot be long before app-based indoor gardening systems are both economical and mainstream with people sitting beside you checking their crops and seeing whatrsquos ready to go into that nightrsquos salad
KryddaVaumlxerDroponic Hydroponic system from IKEASmart planter and plant app
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
4
NIWA
Growing 365
trends growing food indoors
A small but mighty hydroponic system Itrsquos perfect for growing super tasty produce like herbs and small veggies
Our winter is a four month journey of comfort food cocooning and pining for our frost-bitten yards to breathe again May to September is a sprint to grow as much as we can in whatever space we have and itrsquos never enough
Indoor gardening cheats winter It allows us to supplement our typically poor diets with blasts of homegrown vitamins Plants are also one of the best remedies for Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) which afflicts millions of Canadians
There are a few things to remember With our dramatically lower light levels yoursquoll want to invest in a grow light Costs have come way down for these and they pay off fairly quickly if you use them With our dry winter air (especially if you donrsquot have a humidifier on your furnace) yoursquoll want to keep the spray bottle handy for a daily spritz
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
5
Interested
Check out some of the products available on the market today
httpwwwdigitaltrendscomhomeindoor-garden-deviceshttpgetniwacomstorehtml
Wersquove become a stressed-out species On average we spend over 90 of our time indoors and when wersquore outdoors wersquore rarely aware of what nature hidden in plain sight around us can give
Shinrin-yoku is a Japanese term coined in the 1980s that translates into ldquoForest Bathingrdquo Itrsquos become a cornerstone of preventative healthcare in Japan and itrsquos making its way across the Pacific Most of us have never heard of it let alone
considered it to be a mainstream trend But 20 years ago you could say the same about yoga
Forest Bathing is soaking up the sounds smells and sights of natural environments to achieve physical and mental wellness Itrsquos an invitation to walk through a forest park or even through a garden path and allow nature to calm your nerves and help you find your balance
Craving Wellness
trends craving wellness
Forest Bathing
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
6
Forest Bathing isnrsquot ldquopie-in-the-skyrdquo
Scientifically proven benefits include
Reduced blood pressure
Improved mood focus and creativity
Improved sleep quality
Increased ability to focus even in children with ADHD
Boosted immune system
Accelerated recovery from illness or surgery
Find Sanctuary
trends craving wellness
From Aleppo to El Nino to Trump itrsquos been an anxious year Our addiction to technology doesnrsquot help Wersquore either watching bad news on TV or checking our phones every 6 seconds Wersquore surrounded by negative stimuli that we experience but cannot control so it makes us feel helpless We know what people whom we havenrsquot talked to in 20 years had for breakfast but we still feel alone
Nature shows us that wersquore neither helpless nor alone A simple walk through the woods or even our garden alters our perspective from helpless spectator to empowered actor The complex fragility of nature integrates us with it and gives us an immediate sense of purpose
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
7
The Science of Wellness
trends craving wellness
Instinctively we know that nature calms anxiety Taking a moment to smell a flower is a small shield against our daily barrage of stress Recent studies have turned instinct into fact by identifying a soil-borne bacterium in nature that has the same impact on the brain as Prozac
For a Canadian perspective David Suzuki launched the 30X30 Challenge in May 2013 10000 Canadians from 250 different workplaces committed to spending 30 minutes outside every day for 30 days Afterwards participants were asked how the experience affected themOverwhelmingly the participants
reported having more energy feeling more productive at work enjoying better quality of sleep and having less stress overall
The Dutch Office of flowers a worldwide trendsetter in plants and gardening put it this way
ldquoWe live in a world where the sense of imminent threat is increasingly growing The domestic environment is considered to be the eye of the storm a haven of peace and silence in the whirlwind of a complicated and chaotic world () This simplicity can be found in natural plants and is uncultured true and unadornedrdquo
After 4 days on the trail hikers demonstrated an astonishing 50 boost in creativity compared to being inside
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
8
A study consisting of hundreds of thousands of people found a strong correlation
between overall quality of health and living within 1 km of a green space
Clutter happens We live our lives see things we love buy use store stuff and shove it into the closet Life accumulates but itrsquos hard to have clarity in the midst of clutter Once in a while a purge feels darn good
In 2011 a Japanese organizing consultant published a little turquoise book that put her on course to becoming the worldrsquos authoritative voice on how to tidy up Marie Kondorsquos method of defining your possessions by the sparks of joy they give us made her Time Magazinersquos 100 Most Influential People of 2015
Kondo suggests starting with categories not rooms Yoursquoll have books in several rooms so bring them together Lay your hands (literally) on each one Which items give you a spark of joy If yes it stays to build the bookshelf that fills you with joy If no it goes
Her method is simple and a little brutal My wife discovered Kondo last year and I was hooked
De-cluttering the Garden
trends de-cluttering the garden
Marie Kondorsquos Method
Marie Kondo The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing
ldquoThe best way to choose what to keep and what to throw away is to take each item in onersquos hand and ask ldquoDoes this spark joyrdquo If it does keep it If not dispose of itrdquo
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
9
De-cluttering the Garden
trends growing food indoors
Our yards are our sanctuary They should be places of stillness that calm our minds after a long day in the hamster wheel If the amount of stuff outdoors living or non is causing anxiety itrsquos time to declutter
Letrsquos approach this as Kondo would Take a tour through your differing garden spaces or rooms and lay your hands on every plant pot gnome and rusty hoe lost in the weeds Ask yourself is this the source of a spark of joy for me If it isnrsquot it needs to go
In the garden of course ldquogordquo is more complicated than a trip to Goodwill Your
clutter is rooted into the ground and you probably donrsquot want to see it in the compost bin Find friends horticultural groups and anyone else who would take your clutter and nurture it into their own sparks of joy
The goal For every space in your yard to serve a purpose and every plant and element to spark joy Define your success by the calm joy you feel walking through the garden Donrsquot fret if yoursquove made empty spaces Those are places to invent again and plant new sparks of joy
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10
Back to Balance
trends craving wellness
Unlike books plants grow Theyrsquore living sculptures While this opens up new worlds in design it also means that you canrsquot abandon a part of your yard and expect it to be the same when you return to it
De-cluttering is about creating simplicity If itrsquos overgrown cut it back or divide it If you donrsquot love or need it remove it
Respect your tools Pick up clean up and store them neatly in the shed Peek in the shed and roll up your sleeves
Itrsquos not about creating a sterile manicured space but bringing balance back to your outdoor space If pruning isnrsquot your idea of balance then identify the plants you love and let them grow wild If you use pesticides and herbicides stop so that naturersquos rhythms can re-establish themselves
Tidy gardens donrsquot look like Versailles Theyrsquore spaces created consciously that consume less need spraying less and are focused upon the joy you get from the plants you really love vs all the plants you accumulate
Arlene amp Glen MarchandContainer Gardens 2015 winner
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
11
Whatrsquos in your salad The immediate answer is ldquolettuce and tomatoesrdquo but whatrsquos their history The lettuce may be from California the tomatoes from Mexico How were they grown when were they picked and what were they sprayed with
The stories behind our food are getting more complex and wersquove gotten skeptical Add the lower nutrition levels and rising cost of imported food and a quiet revolution happens
In 2017 wersquoll continue our surge of interest in growing our own food Local food is increasingly the only food we trust Growing our own food is one part of the larger trend towards produce meat
baking and other foodstuffs that we want to know the story behind
At the greenhouse Irsquove watched countless new customers many of whom were new to gardening scoop up microgreens veggie seeds seed potatoes garlic and everything else in record numbers Be it for the sake of their pocket book fitness family health or simply knowing what has gone into that tomato yoursquore eating interest in home-grown continues its slow explosion
Loving Local
Michael Pollan
trends loving local
Growing Our Own
ldquoServe the kind of food you know the story behindrdquo
Salisbury Edible Garden
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12
Local vs Organic
trends loving local
A lot of people ask me what the difference between local and organic is sometimes admitting that theyrsquove been assuming that theyrsquore the same thing Theyrsquore apples and oranges
Organic means food grown without pesticides synthetic fertilizers or genetic modifications Sound simple It gets complicated quickly While only growers who meet strict guidelines can be certified as organic non-organic producers tend to adopt the name or the implication
On top of that countries wishing to import ldquoorganicrdquo food make ldquoequivalency arrangementsrdquo with the Canadian government to define what will and what wonrsquot be called organic More on that here httpwwwinspectiongccafoodorganic-productslabelling-and-general-informationregulating-organic-productseng13280827177771328082783032
ldquoLocalrdquo means food grown close by though not necessarily organically The smaller the producer (ie Farmersrsquo Markets or your own backyard) the more you can trust the term
When deciding whatrsquos best for the plant we sometimes have to choose between the carbon footprint of importing organic food vs the chemicals used in growing locally Canadians are increasingly choosing local options and the trend toward growing our own continues to skyrocket
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13
Want to learn more
Dig into the local food movement herehttpwwwsalisburygreenhousecomin-search-of-local
Native Plants
trends loving local
Our love of local doesnrsquot stop with edibles Native plants are flying off shelves in record numbers driven by concerns about environment ease of care and changing weather conditions
In California ravaged by drought people are planting natives because they require little supplemental watering while people with tropical water-intensive gardens are being shamed online While wersquore in a different situation water conservation is climbing to top-of-mind and natives are the way to get there
Environmentally native plants are a win-win They attract pollinators and
beneficial predators into your yard which in turn increases your ediblesrsquo yield and reduces the need to spray toxins
Lazy gardeners (myself included) are turning to natives Overwintering is a breeze they require little synthetic fertilizer and theyrsquoll host garrisons of hungry predators to keep the pests at bay
Aesthetically loving natives doesnrsquot have to mean resigning yourself to a scruffy untamed yard An increasing array of contemporary design options from prairie grass-scapes to xeriscaped rock-gardens are making landscaping with natives more appealing to mainstream gardeners
GaillardiaYarrow Native to North and South AmericaNative to mild Northern Hemisphere
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14
We loathed mosquitoes this year A wet summer led to a million itchy picnics in Western Canada and the Zika outbreak although our mosquitoes donrsquot carry it gave us yet another reason to hate those biting buggers
How dominant this trend becomes depends largely on the weather A wet
spring and summer will lead to blood sucking misery And if we have hot and dry weather Wersquoll talk about those bugs if we have to
In 2017 if the weather ldquocooperatesrdquo expect to see war declared against our sucking friend Besides the chemical DEET here are a few weapons in your arsenal
With their ability to reproduce exponentially the best way to deal with mosquitoes is to not let them be born If yoursquore running around the yard swatting and swearing yoursquove already lost the battle
Take a long but not leisurely walk around your yard This is business yoursquore conducting a standing water audit of every nook wheelbarrow cranny forgotten wine
glass and birdbath Check the shed under the deck and peer into the deep dark corners When you find standing water drain and fix
Sprinkling larvicide on standing water you canrsquot drain (ie the nearby pond) will nip them in the bud Itrsquos a predator that activates in the water and starts chowing down on the skeeter larvae
Natural Mosquito Control
trends natural mosquito control
A Year of Bad Press
Prevention First
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15
Predators
trends natural mosquito control
Prevention is best but we should also know how to kill them Mosquitoes are slow and tasty they have a lot of predators The trick is getting them into your yard
First letrsquos bust up some myths The internet is full of claims that Purple Martins will eat their own weight in mosquitoes daily and that bats are mosquito killing ninjas These hyped-up critters will eat them but not in numbers that will create significant relief Martinsrsquo diet is about 3 skeeters and batsrsquo diet about 1 That being said both predators (especially bats) are helpful to have around
Purple Martins are most famous but other birds will help whittle your population down Barn Swallows who build their ubiquitous nests in old barns and like to swoop at passersby can gobble up
about 60hour Robins Chickadees and Woodpeckers eat their share too
If yoursquore nurturing a feathered army you may want to keep the cat indoors or on a leash Theyrsquore the number one killer of birds in Canada I love my cats but they donrsquot wander freely
Dragonflies are one of the best natural controls you can get Gorgeous harmless to humans and deadly to mosquitoes theyrsquoll often eat over 100 per day diving in at 30 mph and gobbling them up before they know what happened
The snag with dragonflies is they need a pond or boggy area for habitat Theyrsquore highly sensitive to air pollution so seeing them in your yard usually indicates good air quality
DID YOU KNOWSome plants repel mosquitoes
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecommosquito-repelling-plants
16
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Feature Annuals
trends feature annuals
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17
lsquoSuperbellsrsquo Morning Star
Confetti Garden - lsquoPeppermint Candyrsquo
lsquoPrince Tutrsquo Grass
Alocasia lsquoStingrayrsquo
Petunia lsquoNightSkyrsquo
1
2
3
4
5
In the gardening world annuals are big business Theyrsquore the colour powerhouses of the yard The trendiest annuals are high fashion eye-catching specimens in containers in that stick out from all the rest
Every year hundreds of new annuals hit the market Itrsquos my job to look past the
glossy magazine ads and find out which ones have the best combination of beauty and performance in our uniquely Albertan climate
So without further ado herersquos my top 5 for 2017
High Fashion
Ralph Waldo Emerson
ldquoThe earth laughs in flowersrdquo
lsquoSuperbellsrsquo Morning Star
trends feature annuals
Yoursquove probably heard me gushing about Calibrachoa before This genus very closely related to Petunias and hailing from southern South America was largely ignored until it was hybridized into ldquoMillion Bellsrdquo ldquoSuperbellsrdquo along with dozens of other brand names and over 100 colours followed
Imagine a petunia Now imagine if that petunia had smaller flowers bloomed all
the time without deadheading wasnrsquot as fussy about watering and didnrsquot sticky leaves Thatrsquos a calibrachoa
The ldquoStarrdquo series is the latest of stunning bi-colours from Proven Winners It will bloom all season and itrsquos garden performance is off the charts
18
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1
lsquoPrince Tutrsquo Grass
trends feature annuals
By now yoursquove probably heard of the lsquoTutrsquo series of papyrus grass for containers Itrsquos vertical reed-like lines and whorling heads bring intense architectural appeal But while the lsquoKing Tutrsquo is too large for most containers (being over 4rsquo high) and lsquoBaby Tutrsquo is more of a stuffer at less than 1rsquo high the new lsquoPrince Tutrsquo is finally in the happy middle
At 2rsquo high itrsquos an architectural centerpiece that fits the scale of most medium to large containers It loves full sun and water (itrsquos originally a Middle-Eastern swamp plant) so plant with other water lovers like Bacopa and Alocasia
19
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2
Confetti Garden lsquoPeppermint Candyrsquo
trends feature annuals
Itrsquos Canadarsquos year and expect to see red and white everywhere as we celebrate our 150th Confetti Gardens are brilliant little combos of plants chosen for colour design and mutual growth habit that you can plunk into a larger container for a low cost professionally designed container garden lsquoPeppermint Candyrsquo combines red and white bicolour petunias red verbena
and white calibrachoa is a well-balanced celebration of Canadiana in the garden Give it lots of sun water and ample fertilizer (weekly at least) The plants should grow well together but if one of them gets out of hand pinch it back to let the others fill in
20
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3
Alocasia lsquoStingrayrsquo
trends feature annuals
If yoursquore looking to start conversations this one is for you Also known as Elephant Earrsquos Alocasia boast big lush leaves that point upward and outward turning any container theyrsquore planted in into a dramatic tropical statement
lsquoStingrayrsquosrsquo unique feature is the whiptail end of itrsquos leaves Resembling you guessed
it a stingray it grows quickly in a sunny spot (sheltered from the afternoon sun if possible) It wants to be moist but well drained and in the fall you can cut it back to the root and keep it dry until the next spring
21
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4
Petunia ldquoNightskyrdquo
trends feature annuals
Petunias have been around for so long that truly new colours are rare lsquoNightskyrsquo is a mottled colour pattern resembling thick stars on a velvet blue canvas Itrsquos one of the most distinctive petunias Irsquove seen in a long time
Workhorses in containers petunias quickly into mounds of broad colourful flowers Dead-head the spent blooms to keep the show going Theyrsquore best grown in containers where their roots can be warm and they hate drying out
22
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5
Feature Edibles
trends feature edibles
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
23
Tomato lsquoChocolate Sprinklesrsquo
Thyme lsquoSpicy Orangersquo
Pepper lsquoBhut Jolokiarsquo
Cucumber lsquoSalad Bushrsquo
Kale lsquoPrizmrsquo
1
2
3
4
5
The universals of gardening namely the deep urge that makes us get our hands dirty year after year never change But the methods we use and the plants we choose change constantly
20 years ago the vegetable garden was something you kept in the backyard out of sight so the neighbours didnrsquot see Now
edibles are highlighting feature containers at the front door as a badge of honour
The rise of container-garden edibles has led to an explosion of varieties that are compact high-yielding and are all around well-behaved Here are a few of the most notable edibles both new and just plain awesome that Irsquove seen this year
The New Gardening
Unknown
ldquoGardening is cheaper than therapy and you get tomatoesrdquo
Tomato lsquoChocolate Sprinklesrsquo
trends feature edibles
This new cherry tomato variety is a hybrid with the taste of an heirloom It has bite-sized fruit heavy yield and excellent disease resistance The fruit is red and striped with dark green giving it a gorgeous heirloom look in salads or on its own
Itrsquos an indeterminate so it will keep growing as a vine as long as it can The plus side of
this is that yoursquoll get far more fruit than from a determinate type but yoursquoll also need to stake it and keep it watered
Itrsquos resistant to fusarium wilt which is a common affliction that leads to sickly wilting foliage on otherwise healthy plants Donrsquot be cheap on the fertilizer apply weekly for the best yield
24
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
1
Thyme lsquoSpicy Orangersquo
trends feature edibles
A classic Mediterranean herb thyme is famous for poultry and soups its flavour diffusing slowly as itrsquos cooked A zone 4 itrsquos hardy and you can plant it as a ground cover (although it doesnrsquot take much foot traffic)
This variety has a distinct spicy-orange fragrance thatrsquos most pronounced when you rub the bluish-green leaves Use it like
regular thyme the subtle citrus flavour will infuse during cooking and blends well with traditional thyme dishes
Itrsquos drought tolerant once established and feel free to plant it in containers in the full sun If you plant it in the ground as a perennial you can divide it in early fall once it gets big enough
25
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
2
Pepper lsquoBhut Jolokiarsquo
trends feature edibles
Irsquom a self-confessed wuss when it comes to hot peppers and have never tasted a Bhut Jolokia also called the lsquoGhostrsquo pepper As the hottest naturally occurring pepper in the world it packs a million scoville units (4X hotter than a habanero)
Yoursquoll either want to start the seed early or buy mature starter plants The hotter the better so put them in containers (where their roots will be warmer than in the ground) in the full sun Hot peppers have a
longer maturation time than sweet peppers (the seeds take 35 days just to germinate) so be generous with fertilizer and heat to speed things up
Once the fruit appears wear gloves while handling Itrsquos juice is pretty much pepper spray Donrsquot give to kids or elderly who arenrsquot totally comfortable with it and start with a tiny taste on the tongue for yourself Very seriously itrsquos heat that isnrsquot to be taken lightly
26
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
3
Cucumber ldquoSalad Bushrdquo
trends feature edibles
Therersquos nothing new about lsquoSalad Bushrsquo Itrsquos one of the older varieties of cucumbers made to grow in containers Itrsquos also still one of the best
Compact and busy you can grow this one on a trellis or just hanging out the side of the pot The 8rdquo slicers are great in salads
sandwiches or on their own as a snack (which is how I often eat them at the greenhouse)
Fertilize often and donrsquot let it dry out thatrsquos how cucumbers get bitter Yoursquoll want to give it lots of sun and heat for it to yield fast and often
27
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
4
Kale lsquoPrizmrsquo
trends feature edibles
Kale has been headline news lately as a superfood This new variety has a quick 40 day maturity (even less than that if you like young kale) The leaves are elegantly dense and curled making it gorgeous enough to grow in any window box or planter alongside your annuals
The leaves are tender even when mature and so itrsquos good eaten fresh and holds up well in cooking A nutty flavour makes it ideal for salads smoothies or if you ask me chips
28
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
5
Table of Contents
Introduction
3 Growing Food Indoors
intro table of contents
6 Craving Wellness
9 De-cluttering the Garden
12
17
15
23
Loving Local
Feature Annuals
Natural Mosquito Control
Feature Edibles
The thrill of getting our hands dirty is universal but the ways we do it often change with the seasons Like fashion new trends emerge every spring to inspire our gardens and create some major excitement for that warm weather
From tips and tricks to growing food indoors to ways of bringing balance back into your hectic schedule we have created a collection of spring garden trends you can expect to see going full-bloom in 2017
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
2
When I say ldquohydroponicsrdquo what do you think of Irsquom guessing some kind of elaborate set-up that may or may not involve marijuana The truth is that hydroponics are not complex Itrsquos a matter of growing plants indoors without soil--and itrsquos going mainstream
Therersquos a perfect storm happening The grow-your-own movement is continuing to explode with record numbers of people concerned about chemicals wanting hyperlocal alternatives and needing to save money In 2016 37 of Millennials and 28 of Baby Boomers grew food indoors and itrsquos rising quickly
At the same time our outdoor spaces are getting smaller We have smaller yards balconies or no outdoor spaces at all When you have to grow more food in less space indoors is the natural next step
Wersquove grown windowsill herbs for decades But in 2017 Canadians will grow microgreens medicinal herbs herbal teas and marquis edibles like tomatoes and peppers in record numbers Millennials who excel at making their own rules will lead the way Techniques that were once fringe like aquaponics and vertical gardening will become mainstream
Growing Food Indoors
trends growing food indoors
Section 1
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
3
Technology Making it Easier
trends growing food indoors
In hydroponics yoursquore responsible for creating - artificially - everything the plant needs Itrsquos an intimidating level of complexity but itrsquos getting easier
The internet-of-things is a natural fit for indoor gardening From smartpots that tell you when itrsquos time to fertilize to hydroponic systems that you can run entirely with an app technology is pre-programming the expertise we used to need
Some systems available online need only know what type of plant yoursquore growing and they handle the rest Other systems
will notify you on your phone when to water and when to feed You can buy vertical gardens too complete with lighting and watering systems in which you plant in foam plugs
While internet based hydroponic systems are expensive their increasing popularity and competition is bringing the price down fast Whether you like lsquoem or not it wonrsquot be long before app-based indoor gardening systems are both economical and mainstream with people sitting beside you checking their crops and seeing whatrsquos ready to go into that nightrsquos salad
KryddaVaumlxerDroponic Hydroponic system from IKEASmart planter and plant app
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
4
NIWA
Growing 365
trends growing food indoors
A small but mighty hydroponic system Itrsquos perfect for growing super tasty produce like herbs and small veggies
Our winter is a four month journey of comfort food cocooning and pining for our frost-bitten yards to breathe again May to September is a sprint to grow as much as we can in whatever space we have and itrsquos never enough
Indoor gardening cheats winter It allows us to supplement our typically poor diets with blasts of homegrown vitamins Plants are also one of the best remedies for Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) which afflicts millions of Canadians
There are a few things to remember With our dramatically lower light levels yoursquoll want to invest in a grow light Costs have come way down for these and they pay off fairly quickly if you use them With our dry winter air (especially if you donrsquot have a humidifier on your furnace) yoursquoll want to keep the spray bottle handy for a daily spritz
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
5
Interested
Check out some of the products available on the market today
httpwwwdigitaltrendscomhomeindoor-garden-deviceshttpgetniwacomstorehtml
Wersquove become a stressed-out species On average we spend over 90 of our time indoors and when wersquore outdoors wersquore rarely aware of what nature hidden in plain sight around us can give
Shinrin-yoku is a Japanese term coined in the 1980s that translates into ldquoForest Bathingrdquo Itrsquos become a cornerstone of preventative healthcare in Japan and itrsquos making its way across the Pacific Most of us have never heard of it let alone
considered it to be a mainstream trend But 20 years ago you could say the same about yoga
Forest Bathing is soaking up the sounds smells and sights of natural environments to achieve physical and mental wellness Itrsquos an invitation to walk through a forest park or even through a garden path and allow nature to calm your nerves and help you find your balance
Craving Wellness
trends craving wellness
Forest Bathing
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
6
Forest Bathing isnrsquot ldquopie-in-the-skyrdquo
Scientifically proven benefits include
Reduced blood pressure
Improved mood focus and creativity
Improved sleep quality
Increased ability to focus even in children with ADHD
Boosted immune system
Accelerated recovery from illness or surgery
Find Sanctuary
trends craving wellness
From Aleppo to El Nino to Trump itrsquos been an anxious year Our addiction to technology doesnrsquot help Wersquore either watching bad news on TV or checking our phones every 6 seconds Wersquore surrounded by negative stimuli that we experience but cannot control so it makes us feel helpless We know what people whom we havenrsquot talked to in 20 years had for breakfast but we still feel alone
Nature shows us that wersquore neither helpless nor alone A simple walk through the woods or even our garden alters our perspective from helpless spectator to empowered actor The complex fragility of nature integrates us with it and gives us an immediate sense of purpose
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
7
The Science of Wellness
trends craving wellness
Instinctively we know that nature calms anxiety Taking a moment to smell a flower is a small shield against our daily barrage of stress Recent studies have turned instinct into fact by identifying a soil-borne bacterium in nature that has the same impact on the brain as Prozac
For a Canadian perspective David Suzuki launched the 30X30 Challenge in May 2013 10000 Canadians from 250 different workplaces committed to spending 30 minutes outside every day for 30 days Afterwards participants were asked how the experience affected themOverwhelmingly the participants
reported having more energy feeling more productive at work enjoying better quality of sleep and having less stress overall
The Dutch Office of flowers a worldwide trendsetter in plants and gardening put it this way
ldquoWe live in a world where the sense of imminent threat is increasingly growing The domestic environment is considered to be the eye of the storm a haven of peace and silence in the whirlwind of a complicated and chaotic world () This simplicity can be found in natural plants and is uncultured true and unadornedrdquo
After 4 days on the trail hikers demonstrated an astonishing 50 boost in creativity compared to being inside
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
8
A study consisting of hundreds of thousands of people found a strong correlation
between overall quality of health and living within 1 km of a green space
Clutter happens We live our lives see things we love buy use store stuff and shove it into the closet Life accumulates but itrsquos hard to have clarity in the midst of clutter Once in a while a purge feels darn good
In 2011 a Japanese organizing consultant published a little turquoise book that put her on course to becoming the worldrsquos authoritative voice on how to tidy up Marie Kondorsquos method of defining your possessions by the sparks of joy they give us made her Time Magazinersquos 100 Most Influential People of 2015
Kondo suggests starting with categories not rooms Yoursquoll have books in several rooms so bring them together Lay your hands (literally) on each one Which items give you a spark of joy If yes it stays to build the bookshelf that fills you with joy If no it goes
Her method is simple and a little brutal My wife discovered Kondo last year and I was hooked
De-cluttering the Garden
trends de-cluttering the garden
Marie Kondorsquos Method
Marie Kondo The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing
ldquoThe best way to choose what to keep and what to throw away is to take each item in onersquos hand and ask ldquoDoes this spark joyrdquo If it does keep it If not dispose of itrdquo
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
9
De-cluttering the Garden
trends growing food indoors
Our yards are our sanctuary They should be places of stillness that calm our minds after a long day in the hamster wheel If the amount of stuff outdoors living or non is causing anxiety itrsquos time to declutter
Letrsquos approach this as Kondo would Take a tour through your differing garden spaces or rooms and lay your hands on every plant pot gnome and rusty hoe lost in the weeds Ask yourself is this the source of a spark of joy for me If it isnrsquot it needs to go
In the garden of course ldquogordquo is more complicated than a trip to Goodwill Your
clutter is rooted into the ground and you probably donrsquot want to see it in the compost bin Find friends horticultural groups and anyone else who would take your clutter and nurture it into their own sparks of joy
The goal For every space in your yard to serve a purpose and every plant and element to spark joy Define your success by the calm joy you feel walking through the garden Donrsquot fret if yoursquove made empty spaces Those are places to invent again and plant new sparks of joy
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
10
Back to Balance
trends craving wellness
Unlike books plants grow Theyrsquore living sculptures While this opens up new worlds in design it also means that you canrsquot abandon a part of your yard and expect it to be the same when you return to it
De-cluttering is about creating simplicity If itrsquos overgrown cut it back or divide it If you donrsquot love or need it remove it
Respect your tools Pick up clean up and store them neatly in the shed Peek in the shed and roll up your sleeves
Itrsquos not about creating a sterile manicured space but bringing balance back to your outdoor space If pruning isnrsquot your idea of balance then identify the plants you love and let them grow wild If you use pesticides and herbicides stop so that naturersquos rhythms can re-establish themselves
Tidy gardens donrsquot look like Versailles Theyrsquore spaces created consciously that consume less need spraying less and are focused upon the joy you get from the plants you really love vs all the plants you accumulate
Arlene amp Glen MarchandContainer Gardens 2015 winner
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
11
Whatrsquos in your salad The immediate answer is ldquolettuce and tomatoesrdquo but whatrsquos their history The lettuce may be from California the tomatoes from Mexico How were they grown when were they picked and what were they sprayed with
The stories behind our food are getting more complex and wersquove gotten skeptical Add the lower nutrition levels and rising cost of imported food and a quiet revolution happens
In 2017 wersquoll continue our surge of interest in growing our own food Local food is increasingly the only food we trust Growing our own food is one part of the larger trend towards produce meat
baking and other foodstuffs that we want to know the story behind
At the greenhouse Irsquove watched countless new customers many of whom were new to gardening scoop up microgreens veggie seeds seed potatoes garlic and everything else in record numbers Be it for the sake of their pocket book fitness family health or simply knowing what has gone into that tomato yoursquore eating interest in home-grown continues its slow explosion
Loving Local
Michael Pollan
trends loving local
Growing Our Own
ldquoServe the kind of food you know the story behindrdquo
Salisbury Edible Garden
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
12
Local vs Organic
trends loving local
A lot of people ask me what the difference between local and organic is sometimes admitting that theyrsquove been assuming that theyrsquore the same thing Theyrsquore apples and oranges
Organic means food grown without pesticides synthetic fertilizers or genetic modifications Sound simple It gets complicated quickly While only growers who meet strict guidelines can be certified as organic non-organic producers tend to adopt the name or the implication
On top of that countries wishing to import ldquoorganicrdquo food make ldquoequivalency arrangementsrdquo with the Canadian government to define what will and what wonrsquot be called organic More on that here httpwwwinspectiongccafoodorganic-productslabelling-and-general-informationregulating-organic-productseng13280827177771328082783032
ldquoLocalrdquo means food grown close by though not necessarily organically The smaller the producer (ie Farmersrsquo Markets or your own backyard) the more you can trust the term
When deciding whatrsquos best for the plant we sometimes have to choose between the carbon footprint of importing organic food vs the chemicals used in growing locally Canadians are increasingly choosing local options and the trend toward growing our own continues to skyrocket
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
13
Want to learn more
Dig into the local food movement herehttpwwwsalisburygreenhousecomin-search-of-local
Native Plants
trends loving local
Our love of local doesnrsquot stop with edibles Native plants are flying off shelves in record numbers driven by concerns about environment ease of care and changing weather conditions
In California ravaged by drought people are planting natives because they require little supplemental watering while people with tropical water-intensive gardens are being shamed online While wersquore in a different situation water conservation is climbing to top-of-mind and natives are the way to get there
Environmentally native plants are a win-win They attract pollinators and
beneficial predators into your yard which in turn increases your ediblesrsquo yield and reduces the need to spray toxins
Lazy gardeners (myself included) are turning to natives Overwintering is a breeze they require little synthetic fertilizer and theyrsquoll host garrisons of hungry predators to keep the pests at bay
Aesthetically loving natives doesnrsquot have to mean resigning yourself to a scruffy untamed yard An increasing array of contemporary design options from prairie grass-scapes to xeriscaped rock-gardens are making landscaping with natives more appealing to mainstream gardeners
GaillardiaYarrow Native to North and South AmericaNative to mild Northern Hemisphere
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
14
We loathed mosquitoes this year A wet summer led to a million itchy picnics in Western Canada and the Zika outbreak although our mosquitoes donrsquot carry it gave us yet another reason to hate those biting buggers
How dominant this trend becomes depends largely on the weather A wet
spring and summer will lead to blood sucking misery And if we have hot and dry weather Wersquoll talk about those bugs if we have to
In 2017 if the weather ldquocooperatesrdquo expect to see war declared against our sucking friend Besides the chemical DEET here are a few weapons in your arsenal
With their ability to reproduce exponentially the best way to deal with mosquitoes is to not let them be born If yoursquore running around the yard swatting and swearing yoursquove already lost the battle
Take a long but not leisurely walk around your yard This is business yoursquore conducting a standing water audit of every nook wheelbarrow cranny forgotten wine
glass and birdbath Check the shed under the deck and peer into the deep dark corners When you find standing water drain and fix
Sprinkling larvicide on standing water you canrsquot drain (ie the nearby pond) will nip them in the bud Itrsquos a predator that activates in the water and starts chowing down on the skeeter larvae
Natural Mosquito Control
trends natural mosquito control
A Year of Bad Press
Prevention First
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15
Predators
trends natural mosquito control
Prevention is best but we should also know how to kill them Mosquitoes are slow and tasty they have a lot of predators The trick is getting them into your yard
First letrsquos bust up some myths The internet is full of claims that Purple Martins will eat their own weight in mosquitoes daily and that bats are mosquito killing ninjas These hyped-up critters will eat them but not in numbers that will create significant relief Martinsrsquo diet is about 3 skeeters and batsrsquo diet about 1 That being said both predators (especially bats) are helpful to have around
Purple Martins are most famous but other birds will help whittle your population down Barn Swallows who build their ubiquitous nests in old barns and like to swoop at passersby can gobble up
about 60hour Robins Chickadees and Woodpeckers eat their share too
If yoursquore nurturing a feathered army you may want to keep the cat indoors or on a leash Theyrsquore the number one killer of birds in Canada I love my cats but they donrsquot wander freely
Dragonflies are one of the best natural controls you can get Gorgeous harmless to humans and deadly to mosquitoes theyrsquoll often eat over 100 per day diving in at 30 mph and gobbling them up before they know what happened
The snag with dragonflies is they need a pond or boggy area for habitat Theyrsquore highly sensitive to air pollution so seeing them in your yard usually indicates good air quality
DID YOU KNOWSome plants repel mosquitoes
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecommosquito-repelling-plants
16
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
Feature Annuals
trends feature annuals
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
17
lsquoSuperbellsrsquo Morning Star
Confetti Garden - lsquoPeppermint Candyrsquo
lsquoPrince Tutrsquo Grass
Alocasia lsquoStingrayrsquo
Petunia lsquoNightSkyrsquo
1
2
3
4
5
In the gardening world annuals are big business Theyrsquore the colour powerhouses of the yard The trendiest annuals are high fashion eye-catching specimens in containers in that stick out from all the rest
Every year hundreds of new annuals hit the market Itrsquos my job to look past the
glossy magazine ads and find out which ones have the best combination of beauty and performance in our uniquely Albertan climate
So without further ado herersquos my top 5 for 2017
High Fashion
Ralph Waldo Emerson
ldquoThe earth laughs in flowersrdquo
lsquoSuperbellsrsquo Morning Star
trends feature annuals
Yoursquove probably heard me gushing about Calibrachoa before This genus very closely related to Petunias and hailing from southern South America was largely ignored until it was hybridized into ldquoMillion Bellsrdquo ldquoSuperbellsrdquo along with dozens of other brand names and over 100 colours followed
Imagine a petunia Now imagine if that petunia had smaller flowers bloomed all
the time without deadheading wasnrsquot as fussy about watering and didnrsquot sticky leaves Thatrsquos a calibrachoa
The ldquoStarrdquo series is the latest of stunning bi-colours from Proven Winners It will bloom all season and itrsquos garden performance is off the charts
18
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
1
lsquoPrince Tutrsquo Grass
trends feature annuals
By now yoursquove probably heard of the lsquoTutrsquo series of papyrus grass for containers Itrsquos vertical reed-like lines and whorling heads bring intense architectural appeal But while the lsquoKing Tutrsquo is too large for most containers (being over 4rsquo high) and lsquoBaby Tutrsquo is more of a stuffer at less than 1rsquo high the new lsquoPrince Tutrsquo is finally in the happy middle
At 2rsquo high itrsquos an architectural centerpiece that fits the scale of most medium to large containers It loves full sun and water (itrsquos originally a Middle-Eastern swamp plant) so plant with other water lovers like Bacopa and Alocasia
19
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
2
Confetti Garden lsquoPeppermint Candyrsquo
trends feature annuals
Itrsquos Canadarsquos year and expect to see red and white everywhere as we celebrate our 150th Confetti Gardens are brilliant little combos of plants chosen for colour design and mutual growth habit that you can plunk into a larger container for a low cost professionally designed container garden lsquoPeppermint Candyrsquo combines red and white bicolour petunias red verbena
and white calibrachoa is a well-balanced celebration of Canadiana in the garden Give it lots of sun water and ample fertilizer (weekly at least) The plants should grow well together but if one of them gets out of hand pinch it back to let the others fill in
20
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
3
Alocasia lsquoStingrayrsquo
trends feature annuals
If yoursquore looking to start conversations this one is for you Also known as Elephant Earrsquos Alocasia boast big lush leaves that point upward and outward turning any container theyrsquore planted in into a dramatic tropical statement
lsquoStingrayrsquosrsquo unique feature is the whiptail end of itrsquos leaves Resembling you guessed
it a stingray it grows quickly in a sunny spot (sheltered from the afternoon sun if possible) It wants to be moist but well drained and in the fall you can cut it back to the root and keep it dry until the next spring
21
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
4
Petunia ldquoNightskyrdquo
trends feature annuals
Petunias have been around for so long that truly new colours are rare lsquoNightskyrsquo is a mottled colour pattern resembling thick stars on a velvet blue canvas Itrsquos one of the most distinctive petunias Irsquove seen in a long time
Workhorses in containers petunias quickly into mounds of broad colourful flowers Dead-head the spent blooms to keep the show going Theyrsquore best grown in containers where their roots can be warm and they hate drying out
22
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
5
Feature Edibles
trends feature edibles
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
23
Tomato lsquoChocolate Sprinklesrsquo
Thyme lsquoSpicy Orangersquo
Pepper lsquoBhut Jolokiarsquo
Cucumber lsquoSalad Bushrsquo
Kale lsquoPrizmrsquo
1
2
3
4
5
The universals of gardening namely the deep urge that makes us get our hands dirty year after year never change But the methods we use and the plants we choose change constantly
20 years ago the vegetable garden was something you kept in the backyard out of sight so the neighbours didnrsquot see Now
edibles are highlighting feature containers at the front door as a badge of honour
The rise of container-garden edibles has led to an explosion of varieties that are compact high-yielding and are all around well-behaved Here are a few of the most notable edibles both new and just plain awesome that Irsquove seen this year
The New Gardening
Unknown
ldquoGardening is cheaper than therapy and you get tomatoesrdquo
Tomato lsquoChocolate Sprinklesrsquo
trends feature edibles
This new cherry tomato variety is a hybrid with the taste of an heirloom It has bite-sized fruit heavy yield and excellent disease resistance The fruit is red and striped with dark green giving it a gorgeous heirloom look in salads or on its own
Itrsquos an indeterminate so it will keep growing as a vine as long as it can The plus side of
this is that yoursquoll get far more fruit than from a determinate type but yoursquoll also need to stake it and keep it watered
Itrsquos resistant to fusarium wilt which is a common affliction that leads to sickly wilting foliage on otherwise healthy plants Donrsquot be cheap on the fertilizer apply weekly for the best yield
24
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
1
Thyme lsquoSpicy Orangersquo
trends feature edibles
A classic Mediterranean herb thyme is famous for poultry and soups its flavour diffusing slowly as itrsquos cooked A zone 4 itrsquos hardy and you can plant it as a ground cover (although it doesnrsquot take much foot traffic)
This variety has a distinct spicy-orange fragrance thatrsquos most pronounced when you rub the bluish-green leaves Use it like
regular thyme the subtle citrus flavour will infuse during cooking and blends well with traditional thyme dishes
Itrsquos drought tolerant once established and feel free to plant it in containers in the full sun If you plant it in the ground as a perennial you can divide it in early fall once it gets big enough
25
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
2
Pepper lsquoBhut Jolokiarsquo
trends feature edibles
Irsquom a self-confessed wuss when it comes to hot peppers and have never tasted a Bhut Jolokia also called the lsquoGhostrsquo pepper As the hottest naturally occurring pepper in the world it packs a million scoville units (4X hotter than a habanero)
Yoursquoll either want to start the seed early or buy mature starter plants The hotter the better so put them in containers (where their roots will be warmer than in the ground) in the full sun Hot peppers have a
longer maturation time than sweet peppers (the seeds take 35 days just to germinate) so be generous with fertilizer and heat to speed things up
Once the fruit appears wear gloves while handling Itrsquos juice is pretty much pepper spray Donrsquot give to kids or elderly who arenrsquot totally comfortable with it and start with a tiny taste on the tongue for yourself Very seriously itrsquos heat that isnrsquot to be taken lightly
26
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
3
Cucumber ldquoSalad Bushrdquo
trends feature edibles
Therersquos nothing new about lsquoSalad Bushrsquo Itrsquos one of the older varieties of cucumbers made to grow in containers Itrsquos also still one of the best
Compact and busy you can grow this one on a trellis or just hanging out the side of the pot The 8rdquo slicers are great in salads
sandwiches or on their own as a snack (which is how I often eat them at the greenhouse)
Fertilize often and donrsquot let it dry out thatrsquos how cucumbers get bitter Yoursquoll want to give it lots of sun and heat for it to yield fast and often
27
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
4
Kale lsquoPrizmrsquo
trends feature edibles
Kale has been headline news lately as a superfood This new variety has a quick 40 day maturity (even less than that if you like young kale) The leaves are elegantly dense and curled making it gorgeous enough to grow in any window box or planter alongside your annuals
The leaves are tender even when mature and so itrsquos good eaten fresh and holds up well in cooking A nutty flavour makes it ideal for salads smoothies or if you ask me chips
28
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
5
When I say ldquohydroponicsrdquo what do you think of Irsquom guessing some kind of elaborate set-up that may or may not involve marijuana The truth is that hydroponics are not complex Itrsquos a matter of growing plants indoors without soil--and itrsquos going mainstream
Therersquos a perfect storm happening The grow-your-own movement is continuing to explode with record numbers of people concerned about chemicals wanting hyperlocal alternatives and needing to save money In 2016 37 of Millennials and 28 of Baby Boomers grew food indoors and itrsquos rising quickly
At the same time our outdoor spaces are getting smaller We have smaller yards balconies or no outdoor spaces at all When you have to grow more food in less space indoors is the natural next step
Wersquove grown windowsill herbs for decades But in 2017 Canadians will grow microgreens medicinal herbs herbal teas and marquis edibles like tomatoes and peppers in record numbers Millennials who excel at making their own rules will lead the way Techniques that were once fringe like aquaponics and vertical gardening will become mainstream
Growing Food Indoors
trends growing food indoors
Section 1
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
3
Technology Making it Easier
trends growing food indoors
In hydroponics yoursquore responsible for creating - artificially - everything the plant needs Itrsquos an intimidating level of complexity but itrsquos getting easier
The internet-of-things is a natural fit for indoor gardening From smartpots that tell you when itrsquos time to fertilize to hydroponic systems that you can run entirely with an app technology is pre-programming the expertise we used to need
Some systems available online need only know what type of plant yoursquore growing and they handle the rest Other systems
will notify you on your phone when to water and when to feed You can buy vertical gardens too complete with lighting and watering systems in which you plant in foam plugs
While internet based hydroponic systems are expensive their increasing popularity and competition is bringing the price down fast Whether you like lsquoem or not it wonrsquot be long before app-based indoor gardening systems are both economical and mainstream with people sitting beside you checking their crops and seeing whatrsquos ready to go into that nightrsquos salad
KryddaVaumlxerDroponic Hydroponic system from IKEASmart planter and plant app
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
4
NIWA
Growing 365
trends growing food indoors
A small but mighty hydroponic system Itrsquos perfect for growing super tasty produce like herbs and small veggies
Our winter is a four month journey of comfort food cocooning and pining for our frost-bitten yards to breathe again May to September is a sprint to grow as much as we can in whatever space we have and itrsquos never enough
Indoor gardening cheats winter It allows us to supplement our typically poor diets with blasts of homegrown vitamins Plants are also one of the best remedies for Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) which afflicts millions of Canadians
There are a few things to remember With our dramatically lower light levels yoursquoll want to invest in a grow light Costs have come way down for these and they pay off fairly quickly if you use them With our dry winter air (especially if you donrsquot have a humidifier on your furnace) yoursquoll want to keep the spray bottle handy for a daily spritz
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
5
Interested
Check out some of the products available on the market today
httpwwwdigitaltrendscomhomeindoor-garden-deviceshttpgetniwacomstorehtml
Wersquove become a stressed-out species On average we spend over 90 of our time indoors and when wersquore outdoors wersquore rarely aware of what nature hidden in plain sight around us can give
Shinrin-yoku is a Japanese term coined in the 1980s that translates into ldquoForest Bathingrdquo Itrsquos become a cornerstone of preventative healthcare in Japan and itrsquos making its way across the Pacific Most of us have never heard of it let alone
considered it to be a mainstream trend But 20 years ago you could say the same about yoga
Forest Bathing is soaking up the sounds smells and sights of natural environments to achieve physical and mental wellness Itrsquos an invitation to walk through a forest park or even through a garden path and allow nature to calm your nerves and help you find your balance
Craving Wellness
trends craving wellness
Forest Bathing
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
6
Forest Bathing isnrsquot ldquopie-in-the-skyrdquo
Scientifically proven benefits include
Reduced blood pressure
Improved mood focus and creativity
Improved sleep quality
Increased ability to focus even in children with ADHD
Boosted immune system
Accelerated recovery from illness or surgery
Find Sanctuary
trends craving wellness
From Aleppo to El Nino to Trump itrsquos been an anxious year Our addiction to technology doesnrsquot help Wersquore either watching bad news on TV or checking our phones every 6 seconds Wersquore surrounded by negative stimuli that we experience but cannot control so it makes us feel helpless We know what people whom we havenrsquot talked to in 20 years had for breakfast but we still feel alone
Nature shows us that wersquore neither helpless nor alone A simple walk through the woods or even our garden alters our perspective from helpless spectator to empowered actor The complex fragility of nature integrates us with it and gives us an immediate sense of purpose
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
7
The Science of Wellness
trends craving wellness
Instinctively we know that nature calms anxiety Taking a moment to smell a flower is a small shield against our daily barrage of stress Recent studies have turned instinct into fact by identifying a soil-borne bacterium in nature that has the same impact on the brain as Prozac
For a Canadian perspective David Suzuki launched the 30X30 Challenge in May 2013 10000 Canadians from 250 different workplaces committed to spending 30 minutes outside every day for 30 days Afterwards participants were asked how the experience affected themOverwhelmingly the participants
reported having more energy feeling more productive at work enjoying better quality of sleep and having less stress overall
The Dutch Office of flowers a worldwide trendsetter in plants and gardening put it this way
ldquoWe live in a world where the sense of imminent threat is increasingly growing The domestic environment is considered to be the eye of the storm a haven of peace and silence in the whirlwind of a complicated and chaotic world () This simplicity can be found in natural plants and is uncultured true and unadornedrdquo
After 4 days on the trail hikers demonstrated an astonishing 50 boost in creativity compared to being inside
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
8
A study consisting of hundreds of thousands of people found a strong correlation
between overall quality of health and living within 1 km of a green space
Clutter happens We live our lives see things we love buy use store stuff and shove it into the closet Life accumulates but itrsquos hard to have clarity in the midst of clutter Once in a while a purge feels darn good
In 2011 a Japanese organizing consultant published a little turquoise book that put her on course to becoming the worldrsquos authoritative voice on how to tidy up Marie Kondorsquos method of defining your possessions by the sparks of joy they give us made her Time Magazinersquos 100 Most Influential People of 2015
Kondo suggests starting with categories not rooms Yoursquoll have books in several rooms so bring them together Lay your hands (literally) on each one Which items give you a spark of joy If yes it stays to build the bookshelf that fills you with joy If no it goes
Her method is simple and a little brutal My wife discovered Kondo last year and I was hooked
De-cluttering the Garden
trends de-cluttering the garden
Marie Kondorsquos Method
Marie Kondo The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing
ldquoThe best way to choose what to keep and what to throw away is to take each item in onersquos hand and ask ldquoDoes this spark joyrdquo If it does keep it If not dispose of itrdquo
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
9
De-cluttering the Garden
trends growing food indoors
Our yards are our sanctuary They should be places of stillness that calm our minds after a long day in the hamster wheel If the amount of stuff outdoors living or non is causing anxiety itrsquos time to declutter
Letrsquos approach this as Kondo would Take a tour through your differing garden spaces or rooms and lay your hands on every plant pot gnome and rusty hoe lost in the weeds Ask yourself is this the source of a spark of joy for me If it isnrsquot it needs to go
In the garden of course ldquogordquo is more complicated than a trip to Goodwill Your
clutter is rooted into the ground and you probably donrsquot want to see it in the compost bin Find friends horticultural groups and anyone else who would take your clutter and nurture it into their own sparks of joy
The goal For every space in your yard to serve a purpose and every plant and element to spark joy Define your success by the calm joy you feel walking through the garden Donrsquot fret if yoursquove made empty spaces Those are places to invent again and plant new sparks of joy
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
10
Back to Balance
trends craving wellness
Unlike books plants grow Theyrsquore living sculptures While this opens up new worlds in design it also means that you canrsquot abandon a part of your yard and expect it to be the same when you return to it
De-cluttering is about creating simplicity If itrsquos overgrown cut it back or divide it If you donrsquot love or need it remove it
Respect your tools Pick up clean up and store them neatly in the shed Peek in the shed and roll up your sleeves
Itrsquos not about creating a sterile manicured space but bringing balance back to your outdoor space If pruning isnrsquot your idea of balance then identify the plants you love and let them grow wild If you use pesticides and herbicides stop so that naturersquos rhythms can re-establish themselves
Tidy gardens donrsquot look like Versailles Theyrsquore spaces created consciously that consume less need spraying less and are focused upon the joy you get from the plants you really love vs all the plants you accumulate
Arlene amp Glen MarchandContainer Gardens 2015 winner
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
11
Whatrsquos in your salad The immediate answer is ldquolettuce and tomatoesrdquo but whatrsquos their history The lettuce may be from California the tomatoes from Mexico How were they grown when were they picked and what were they sprayed with
The stories behind our food are getting more complex and wersquove gotten skeptical Add the lower nutrition levels and rising cost of imported food and a quiet revolution happens
In 2017 wersquoll continue our surge of interest in growing our own food Local food is increasingly the only food we trust Growing our own food is one part of the larger trend towards produce meat
baking and other foodstuffs that we want to know the story behind
At the greenhouse Irsquove watched countless new customers many of whom were new to gardening scoop up microgreens veggie seeds seed potatoes garlic and everything else in record numbers Be it for the sake of their pocket book fitness family health or simply knowing what has gone into that tomato yoursquore eating interest in home-grown continues its slow explosion
Loving Local
Michael Pollan
trends loving local
Growing Our Own
ldquoServe the kind of food you know the story behindrdquo
Salisbury Edible Garden
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
12
Local vs Organic
trends loving local
A lot of people ask me what the difference between local and organic is sometimes admitting that theyrsquove been assuming that theyrsquore the same thing Theyrsquore apples and oranges
Organic means food grown without pesticides synthetic fertilizers or genetic modifications Sound simple It gets complicated quickly While only growers who meet strict guidelines can be certified as organic non-organic producers tend to adopt the name or the implication
On top of that countries wishing to import ldquoorganicrdquo food make ldquoequivalency arrangementsrdquo with the Canadian government to define what will and what wonrsquot be called organic More on that here httpwwwinspectiongccafoodorganic-productslabelling-and-general-informationregulating-organic-productseng13280827177771328082783032
ldquoLocalrdquo means food grown close by though not necessarily organically The smaller the producer (ie Farmersrsquo Markets or your own backyard) the more you can trust the term
When deciding whatrsquos best for the plant we sometimes have to choose between the carbon footprint of importing organic food vs the chemicals used in growing locally Canadians are increasingly choosing local options and the trend toward growing our own continues to skyrocket
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
13
Want to learn more
Dig into the local food movement herehttpwwwsalisburygreenhousecomin-search-of-local
Native Plants
trends loving local
Our love of local doesnrsquot stop with edibles Native plants are flying off shelves in record numbers driven by concerns about environment ease of care and changing weather conditions
In California ravaged by drought people are planting natives because they require little supplemental watering while people with tropical water-intensive gardens are being shamed online While wersquore in a different situation water conservation is climbing to top-of-mind and natives are the way to get there
Environmentally native plants are a win-win They attract pollinators and
beneficial predators into your yard which in turn increases your ediblesrsquo yield and reduces the need to spray toxins
Lazy gardeners (myself included) are turning to natives Overwintering is a breeze they require little synthetic fertilizer and theyrsquoll host garrisons of hungry predators to keep the pests at bay
Aesthetically loving natives doesnrsquot have to mean resigning yourself to a scruffy untamed yard An increasing array of contemporary design options from prairie grass-scapes to xeriscaped rock-gardens are making landscaping with natives more appealing to mainstream gardeners
GaillardiaYarrow Native to North and South AmericaNative to mild Northern Hemisphere
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
14
We loathed mosquitoes this year A wet summer led to a million itchy picnics in Western Canada and the Zika outbreak although our mosquitoes donrsquot carry it gave us yet another reason to hate those biting buggers
How dominant this trend becomes depends largely on the weather A wet
spring and summer will lead to blood sucking misery And if we have hot and dry weather Wersquoll talk about those bugs if we have to
In 2017 if the weather ldquocooperatesrdquo expect to see war declared against our sucking friend Besides the chemical DEET here are a few weapons in your arsenal
With their ability to reproduce exponentially the best way to deal with mosquitoes is to not let them be born If yoursquore running around the yard swatting and swearing yoursquove already lost the battle
Take a long but not leisurely walk around your yard This is business yoursquore conducting a standing water audit of every nook wheelbarrow cranny forgotten wine
glass and birdbath Check the shed under the deck and peer into the deep dark corners When you find standing water drain and fix
Sprinkling larvicide on standing water you canrsquot drain (ie the nearby pond) will nip them in the bud Itrsquos a predator that activates in the water and starts chowing down on the skeeter larvae
Natural Mosquito Control
trends natural mosquito control
A Year of Bad Press
Prevention First
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
15
Predators
trends natural mosquito control
Prevention is best but we should also know how to kill them Mosquitoes are slow and tasty they have a lot of predators The trick is getting them into your yard
First letrsquos bust up some myths The internet is full of claims that Purple Martins will eat their own weight in mosquitoes daily and that bats are mosquito killing ninjas These hyped-up critters will eat them but not in numbers that will create significant relief Martinsrsquo diet is about 3 skeeters and batsrsquo diet about 1 That being said both predators (especially bats) are helpful to have around
Purple Martins are most famous but other birds will help whittle your population down Barn Swallows who build their ubiquitous nests in old barns and like to swoop at passersby can gobble up
about 60hour Robins Chickadees and Woodpeckers eat their share too
If yoursquore nurturing a feathered army you may want to keep the cat indoors or on a leash Theyrsquore the number one killer of birds in Canada I love my cats but they donrsquot wander freely
Dragonflies are one of the best natural controls you can get Gorgeous harmless to humans and deadly to mosquitoes theyrsquoll often eat over 100 per day diving in at 30 mph and gobbling them up before they know what happened
The snag with dragonflies is they need a pond or boggy area for habitat Theyrsquore highly sensitive to air pollution so seeing them in your yard usually indicates good air quality
DID YOU KNOWSome plants repel mosquitoes
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecommosquito-repelling-plants
16
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
Feature Annuals
trends feature annuals
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
17
lsquoSuperbellsrsquo Morning Star
Confetti Garden - lsquoPeppermint Candyrsquo
lsquoPrince Tutrsquo Grass
Alocasia lsquoStingrayrsquo
Petunia lsquoNightSkyrsquo
1
2
3
4
5
In the gardening world annuals are big business Theyrsquore the colour powerhouses of the yard The trendiest annuals are high fashion eye-catching specimens in containers in that stick out from all the rest
Every year hundreds of new annuals hit the market Itrsquos my job to look past the
glossy magazine ads and find out which ones have the best combination of beauty and performance in our uniquely Albertan climate
So without further ado herersquos my top 5 for 2017
High Fashion
Ralph Waldo Emerson
ldquoThe earth laughs in flowersrdquo
lsquoSuperbellsrsquo Morning Star
trends feature annuals
Yoursquove probably heard me gushing about Calibrachoa before This genus very closely related to Petunias and hailing from southern South America was largely ignored until it was hybridized into ldquoMillion Bellsrdquo ldquoSuperbellsrdquo along with dozens of other brand names and over 100 colours followed
Imagine a petunia Now imagine if that petunia had smaller flowers bloomed all
the time without deadheading wasnrsquot as fussy about watering and didnrsquot sticky leaves Thatrsquos a calibrachoa
The ldquoStarrdquo series is the latest of stunning bi-colours from Proven Winners It will bloom all season and itrsquos garden performance is off the charts
18
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
1
lsquoPrince Tutrsquo Grass
trends feature annuals
By now yoursquove probably heard of the lsquoTutrsquo series of papyrus grass for containers Itrsquos vertical reed-like lines and whorling heads bring intense architectural appeal But while the lsquoKing Tutrsquo is too large for most containers (being over 4rsquo high) and lsquoBaby Tutrsquo is more of a stuffer at less than 1rsquo high the new lsquoPrince Tutrsquo is finally in the happy middle
At 2rsquo high itrsquos an architectural centerpiece that fits the scale of most medium to large containers It loves full sun and water (itrsquos originally a Middle-Eastern swamp plant) so plant with other water lovers like Bacopa and Alocasia
19
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
2
Confetti Garden lsquoPeppermint Candyrsquo
trends feature annuals
Itrsquos Canadarsquos year and expect to see red and white everywhere as we celebrate our 150th Confetti Gardens are brilliant little combos of plants chosen for colour design and mutual growth habit that you can plunk into a larger container for a low cost professionally designed container garden lsquoPeppermint Candyrsquo combines red and white bicolour petunias red verbena
and white calibrachoa is a well-balanced celebration of Canadiana in the garden Give it lots of sun water and ample fertilizer (weekly at least) The plants should grow well together but if one of them gets out of hand pinch it back to let the others fill in
20
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
3
Alocasia lsquoStingrayrsquo
trends feature annuals
If yoursquore looking to start conversations this one is for you Also known as Elephant Earrsquos Alocasia boast big lush leaves that point upward and outward turning any container theyrsquore planted in into a dramatic tropical statement
lsquoStingrayrsquosrsquo unique feature is the whiptail end of itrsquos leaves Resembling you guessed
it a stingray it grows quickly in a sunny spot (sheltered from the afternoon sun if possible) It wants to be moist but well drained and in the fall you can cut it back to the root and keep it dry until the next spring
21
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
4
Petunia ldquoNightskyrdquo
trends feature annuals
Petunias have been around for so long that truly new colours are rare lsquoNightskyrsquo is a mottled colour pattern resembling thick stars on a velvet blue canvas Itrsquos one of the most distinctive petunias Irsquove seen in a long time
Workhorses in containers petunias quickly into mounds of broad colourful flowers Dead-head the spent blooms to keep the show going Theyrsquore best grown in containers where their roots can be warm and they hate drying out
22
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
5
Feature Edibles
trends feature edibles
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
23
Tomato lsquoChocolate Sprinklesrsquo
Thyme lsquoSpicy Orangersquo
Pepper lsquoBhut Jolokiarsquo
Cucumber lsquoSalad Bushrsquo
Kale lsquoPrizmrsquo
1
2
3
4
5
The universals of gardening namely the deep urge that makes us get our hands dirty year after year never change But the methods we use and the plants we choose change constantly
20 years ago the vegetable garden was something you kept in the backyard out of sight so the neighbours didnrsquot see Now
edibles are highlighting feature containers at the front door as a badge of honour
The rise of container-garden edibles has led to an explosion of varieties that are compact high-yielding and are all around well-behaved Here are a few of the most notable edibles both new and just plain awesome that Irsquove seen this year
The New Gardening
Unknown
ldquoGardening is cheaper than therapy and you get tomatoesrdquo
Tomato lsquoChocolate Sprinklesrsquo
trends feature edibles
This new cherry tomato variety is a hybrid with the taste of an heirloom It has bite-sized fruit heavy yield and excellent disease resistance The fruit is red and striped with dark green giving it a gorgeous heirloom look in salads or on its own
Itrsquos an indeterminate so it will keep growing as a vine as long as it can The plus side of
this is that yoursquoll get far more fruit than from a determinate type but yoursquoll also need to stake it and keep it watered
Itrsquos resistant to fusarium wilt which is a common affliction that leads to sickly wilting foliage on otherwise healthy plants Donrsquot be cheap on the fertilizer apply weekly for the best yield
24
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
1
Thyme lsquoSpicy Orangersquo
trends feature edibles
A classic Mediterranean herb thyme is famous for poultry and soups its flavour diffusing slowly as itrsquos cooked A zone 4 itrsquos hardy and you can plant it as a ground cover (although it doesnrsquot take much foot traffic)
This variety has a distinct spicy-orange fragrance thatrsquos most pronounced when you rub the bluish-green leaves Use it like
regular thyme the subtle citrus flavour will infuse during cooking and blends well with traditional thyme dishes
Itrsquos drought tolerant once established and feel free to plant it in containers in the full sun If you plant it in the ground as a perennial you can divide it in early fall once it gets big enough
25
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
2
Pepper lsquoBhut Jolokiarsquo
trends feature edibles
Irsquom a self-confessed wuss when it comes to hot peppers and have never tasted a Bhut Jolokia also called the lsquoGhostrsquo pepper As the hottest naturally occurring pepper in the world it packs a million scoville units (4X hotter than a habanero)
Yoursquoll either want to start the seed early or buy mature starter plants The hotter the better so put them in containers (where their roots will be warmer than in the ground) in the full sun Hot peppers have a
longer maturation time than sweet peppers (the seeds take 35 days just to germinate) so be generous with fertilizer and heat to speed things up
Once the fruit appears wear gloves while handling Itrsquos juice is pretty much pepper spray Donrsquot give to kids or elderly who arenrsquot totally comfortable with it and start with a tiny taste on the tongue for yourself Very seriously itrsquos heat that isnrsquot to be taken lightly
26
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
3
Cucumber ldquoSalad Bushrdquo
trends feature edibles
Therersquos nothing new about lsquoSalad Bushrsquo Itrsquos one of the older varieties of cucumbers made to grow in containers Itrsquos also still one of the best
Compact and busy you can grow this one on a trellis or just hanging out the side of the pot The 8rdquo slicers are great in salads
sandwiches or on their own as a snack (which is how I often eat them at the greenhouse)
Fertilize often and donrsquot let it dry out thatrsquos how cucumbers get bitter Yoursquoll want to give it lots of sun and heat for it to yield fast and often
27
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
4
Kale lsquoPrizmrsquo
trends feature edibles
Kale has been headline news lately as a superfood This new variety has a quick 40 day maturity (even less than that if you like young kale) The leaves are elegantly dense and curled making it gorgeous enough to grow in any window box or planter alongside your annuals
The leaves are tender even when mature and so itrsquos good eaten fresh and holds up well in cooking A nutty flavour makes it ideal for salads smoothies or if you ask me chips
28
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
5
Technology Making it Easier
trends growing food indoors
In hydroponics yoursquore responsible for creating - artificially - everything the plant needs Itrsquos an intimidating level of complexity but itrsquos getting easier
The internet-of-things is a natural fit for indoor gardening From smartpots that tell you when itrsquos time to fertilize to hydroponic systems that you can run entirely with an app technology is pre-programming the expertise we used to need
Some systems available online need only know what type of plant yoursquore growing and they handle the rest Other systems
will notify you on your phone when to water and when to feed You can buy vertical gardens too complete with lighting and watering systems in which you plant in foam plugs
While internet based hydroponic systems are expensive their increasing popularity and competition is bringing the price down fast Whether you like lsquoem or not it wonrsquot be long before app-based indoor gardening systems are both economical and mainstream with people sitting beside you checking their crops and seeing whatrsquos ready to go into that nightrsquos salad
KryddaVaumlxerDroponic Hydroponic system from IKEASmart planter and plant app
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
4
NIWA
Growing 365
trends growing food indoors
A small but mighty hydroponic system Itrsquos perfect for growing super tasty produce like herbs and small veggies
Our winter is a four month journey of comfort food cocooning and pining for our frost-bitten yards to breathe again May to September is a sprint to grow as much as we can in whatever space we have and itrsquos never enough
Indoor gardening cheats winter It allows us to supplement our typically poor diets with blasts of homegrown vitamins Plants are also one of the best remedies for Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) which afflicts millions of Canadians
There are a few things to remember With our dramatically lower light levels yoursquoll want to invest in a grow light Costs have come way down for these and they pay off fairly quickly if you use them With our dry winter air (especially if you donrsquot have a humidifier on your furnace) yoursquoll want to keep the spray bottle handy for a daily spritz
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
5
Interested
Check out some of the products available on the market today
httpwwwdigitaltrendscomhomeindoor-garden-deviceshttpgetniwacomstorehtml
Wersquove become a stressed-out species On average we spend over 90 of our time indoors and when wersquore outdoors wersquore rarely aware of what nature hidden in plain sight around us can give
Shinrin-yoku is a Japanese term coined in the 1980s that translates into ldquoForest Bathingrdquo Itrsquos become a cornerstone of preventative healthcare in Japan and itrsquos making its way across the Pacific Most of us have never heard of it let alone
considered it to be a mainstream trend But 20 years ago you could say the same about yoga
Forest Bathing is soaking up the sounds smells and sights of natural environments to achieve physical and mental wellness Itrsquos an invitation to walk through a forest park or even through a garden path and allow nature to calm your nerves and help you find your balance
Craving Wellness
trends craving wellness
Forest Bathing
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
6
Forest Bathing isnrsquot ldquopie-in-the-skyrdquo
Scientifically proven benefits include
Reduced blood pressure
Improved mood focus and creativity
Improved sleep quality
Increased ability to focus even in children with ADHD
Boosted immune system
Accelerated recovery from illness or surgery
Find Sanctuary
trends craving wellness
From Aleppo to El Nino to Trump itrsquos been an anxious year Our addiction to technology doesnrsquot help Wersquore either watching bad news on TV or checking our phones every 6 seconds Wersquore surrounded by negative stimuli that we experience but cannot control so it makes us feel helpless We know what people whom we havenrsquot talked to in 20 years had for breakfast but we still feel alone
Nature shows us that wersquore neither helpless nor alone A simple walk through the woods or even our garden alters our perspective from helpless spectator to empowered actor The complex fragility of nature integrates us with it and gives us an immediate sense of purpose
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
7
The Science of Wellness
trends craving wellness
Instinctively we know that nature calms anxiety Taking a moment to smell a flower is a small shield against our daily barrage of stress Recent studies have turned instinct into fact by identifying a soil-borne bacterium in nature that has the same impact on the brain as Prozac
For a Canadian perspective David Suzuki launched the 30X30 Challenge in May 2013 10000 Canadians from 250 different workplaces committed to spending 30 minutes outside every day for 30 days Afterwards participants were asked how the experience affected themOverwhelmingly the participants
reported having more energy feeling more productive at work enjoying better quality of sleep and having less stress overall
The Dutch Office of flowers a worldwide trendsetter in plants and gardening put it this way
ldquoWe live in a world where the sense of imminent threat is increasingly growing The domestic environment is considered to be the eye of the storm a haven of peace and silence in the whirlwind of a complicated and chaotic world () This simplicity can be found in natural plants and is uncultured true and unadornedrdquo
After 4 days on the trail hikers demonstrated an astonishing 50 boost in creativity compared to being inside
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
8
A study consisting of hundreds of thousands of people found a strong correlation
between overall quality of health and living within 1 km of a green space
Clutter happens We live our lives see things we love buy use store stuff and shove it into the closet Life accumulates but itrsquos hard to have clarity in the midst of clutter Once in a while a purge feels darn good
In 2011 a Japanese organizing consultant published a little turquoise book that put her on course to becoming the worldrsquos authoritative voice on how to tidy up Marie Kondorsquos method of defining your possessions by the sparks of joy they give us made her Time Magazinersquos 100 Most Influential People of 2015
Kondo suggests starting with categories not rooms Yoursquoll have books in several rooms so bring them together Lay your hands (literally) on each one Which items give you a spark of joy If yes it stays to build the bookshelf that fills you with joy If no it goes
Her method is simple and a little brutal My wife discovered Kondo last year and I was hooked
De-cluttering the Garden
trends de-cluttering the garden
Marie Kondorsquos Method
Marie Kondo The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing
ldquoThe best way to choose what to keep and what to throw away is to take each item in onersquos hand and ask ldquoDoes this spark joyrdquo If it does keep it If not dispose of itrdquo
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
9
De-cluttering the Garden
trends growing food indoors
Our yards are our sanctuary They should be places of stillness that calm our minds after a long day in the hamster wheel If the amount of stuff outdoors living or non is causing anxiety itrsquos time to declutter
Letrsquos approach this as Kondo would Take a tour through your differing garden spaces or rooms and lay your hands on every plant pot gnome and rusty hoe lost in the weeds Ask yourself is this the source of a spark of joy for me If it isnrsquot it needs to go
In the garden of course ldquogordquo is more complicated than a trip to Goodwill Your
clutter is rooted into the ground and you probably donrsquot want to see it in the compost bin Find friends horticultural groups and anyone else who would take your clutter and nurture it into their own sparks of joy
The goal For every space in your yard to serve a purpose and every plant and element to spark joy Define your success by the calm joy you feel walking through the garden Donrsquot fret if yoursquove made empty spaces Those are places to invent again and plant new sparks of joy
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
10
Back to Balance
trends craving wellness
Unlike books plants grow Theyrsquore living sculptures While this opens up new worlds in design it also means that you canrsquot abandon a part of your yard and expect it to be the same when you return to it
De-cluttering is about creating simplicity If itrsquos overgrown cut it back or divide it If you donrsquot love or need it remove it
Respect your tools Pick up clean up and store them neatly in the shed Peek in the shed and roll up your sleeves
Itrsquos not about creating a sterile manicured space but bringing balance back to your outdoor space If pruning isnrsquot your idea of balance then identify the plants you love and let them grow wild If you use pesticides and herbicides stop so that naturersquos rhythms can re-establish themselves
Tidy gardens donrsquot look like Versailles Theyrsquore spaces created consciously that consume less need spraying less and are focused upon the joy you get from the plants you really love vs all the plants you accumulate
Arlene amp Glen MarchandContainer Gardens 2015 winner
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
11
Whatrsquos in your salad The immediate answer is ldquolettuce and tomatoesrdquo but whatrsquos their history The lettuce may be from California the tomatoes from Mexico How were they grown when were they picked and what were they sprayed with
The stories behind our food are getting more complex and wersquove gotten skeptical Add the lower nutrition levels and rising cost of imported food and a quiet revolution happens
In 2017 wersquoll continue our surge of interest in growing our own food Local food is increasingly the only food we trust Growing our own food is one part of the larger trend towards produce meat
baking and other foodstuffs that we want to know the story behind
At the greenhouse Irsquove watched countless new customers many of whom were new to gardening scoop up microgreens veggie seeds seed potatoes garlic and everything else in record numbers Be it for the sake of their pocket book fitness family health or simply knowing what has gone into that tomato yoursquore eating interest in home-grown continues its slow explosion
Loving Local
Michael Pollan
trends loving local
Growing Our Own
ldquoServe the kind of food you know the story behindrdquo
Salisbury Edible Garden
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
12
Local vs Organic
trends loving local
A lot of people ask me what the difference between local and organic is sometimes admitting that theyrsquove been assuming that theyrsquore the same thing Theyrsquore apples and oranges
Organic means food grown without pesticides synthetic fertilizers or genetic modifications Sound simple It gets complicated quickly While only growers who meet strict guidelines can be certified as organic non-organic producers tend to adopt the name or the implication
On top of that countries wishing to import ldquoorganicrdquo food make ldquoequivalency arrangementsrdquo with the Canadian government to define what will and what wonrsquot be called organic More on that here httpwwwinspectiongccafoodorganic-productslabelling-and-general-informationregulating-organic-productseng13280827177771328082783032
ldquoLocalrdquo means food grown close by though not necessarily organically The smaller the producer (ie Farmersrsquo Markets or your own backyard) the more you can trust the term
When deciding whatrsquos best for the plant we sometimes have to choose between the carbon footprint of importing organic food vs the chemicals used in growing locally Canadians are increasingly choosing local options and the trend toward growing our own continues to skyrocket
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
13
Want to learn more
Dig into the local food movement herehttpwwwsalisburygreenhousecomin-search-of-local
Native Plants
trends loving local
Our love of local doesnrsquot stop with edibles Native plants are flying off shelves in record numbers driven by concerns about environment ease of care and changing weather conditions
In California ravaged by drought people are planting natives because they require little supplemental watering while people with tropical water-intensive gardens are being shamed online While wersquore in a different situation water conservation is climbing to top-of-mind and natives are the way to get there
Environmentally native plants are a win-win They attract pollinators and
beneficial predators into your yard which in turn increases your ediblesrsquo yield and reduces the need to spray toxins
Lazy gardeners (myself included) are turning to natives Overwintering is a breeze they require little synthetic fertilizer and theyrsquoll host garrisons of hungry predators to keep the pests at bay
Aesthetically loving natives doesnrsquot have to mean resigning yourself to a scruffy untamed yard An increasing array of contemporary design options from prairie grass-scapes to xeriscaped rock-gardens are making landscaping with natives more appealing to mainstream gardeners
GaillardiaYarrow Native to North and South AmericaNative to mild Northern Hemisphere
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
14
We loathed mosquitoes this year A wet summer led to a million itchy picnics in Western Canada and the Zika outbreak although our mosquitoes donrsquot carry it gave us yet another reason to hate those biting buggers
How dominant this trend becomes depends largely on the weather A wet
spring and summer will lead to blood sucking misery And if we have hot and dry weather Wersquoll talk about those bugs if we have to
In 2017 if the weather ldquocooperatesrdquo expect to see war declared against our sucking friend Besides the chemical DEET here are a few weapons in your arsenal
With their ability to reproduce exponentially the best way to deal with mosquitoes is to not let them be born If yoursquore running around the yard swatting and swearing yoursquove already lost the battle
Take a long but not leisurely walk around your yard This is business yoursquore conducting a standing water audit of every nook wheelbarrow cranny forgotten wine
glass and birdbath Check the shed under the deck and peer into the deep dark corners When you find standing water drain and fix
Sprinkling larvicide on standing water you canrsquot drain (ie the nearby pond) will nip them in the bud Itrsquos a predator that activates in the water and starts chowing down on the skeeter larvae
Natural Mosquito Control
trends natural mosquito control
A Year of Bad Press
Prevention First
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
15
Predators
trends natural mosquito control
Prevention is best but we should also know how to kill them Mosquitoes are slow and tasty they have a lot of predators The trick is getting them into your yard
First letrsquos bust up some myths The internet is full of claims that Purple Martins will eat their own weight in mosquitoes daily and that bats are mosquito killing ninjas These hyped-up critters will eat them but not in numbers that will create significant relief Martinsrsquo diet is about 3 skeeters and batsrsquo diet about 1 That being said both predators (especially bats) are helpful to have around
Purple Martins are most famous but other birds will help whittle your population down Barn Swallows who build their ubiquitous nests in old barns and like to swoop at passersby can gobble up
about 60hour Robins Chickadees and Woodpeckers eat their share too
If yoursquore nurturing a feathered army you may want to keep the cat indoors or on a leash Theyrsquore the number one killer of birds in Canada I love my cats but they donrsquot wander freely
Dragonflies are one of the best natural controls you can get Gorgeous harmless to humans and deadly to mosquitoes theyrsquoll often eat over 100 per day diving in at 30 mph and gobbling them up before they know what happened
The snag with dragonflies is they need a pond or boggy area for habitat Theyrsquore highly sensitive to air pollution so seeing them in your yard usually indicates good air quality
DID YOU KNOWSome plants repel mosquitoes
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecommosquito-repelling-plants
16
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
Feature Annuals
trends feature annuals
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
17
lsquoSuperbellsrsquo Morning Star
Confetti Garden - lsquoPeppermint Candyrsquo
lsquoPrince Tutrsquo Grass
Alocasia lsquoStingrayrsquo
Petunia lsquoNightSkyrsquo
1
2
3
4
5
In the gardening world annuals are big business Theyrsquore the colour powerhouses of the yard The trendiest annuals are high fashion eye-catching specimens in containers in that stick out from all the rest
Every year hundreds of new annuals hit the market Itrsquos my job to look past the
glossy magazine ads and find out which ones have the best combination of beauty and performance in our uniquely Albertan climate
So without further ado herersquos my top 5 for 2017
High Fashion
Ralph Waldo Emerson
ldquoThe earth laughs in flowersrdquo
lsquoSuperbellsrsquo Morning Star
trends feature annuals
Yoursquove probably heard me gushing about Calibrachoa before This genus very closely related to Petunias and hailing from southern South America was largely ignored until it was hybridized into ldquoMillion Bellsrdquo ldquoSuperbellsrdquo along with dozens of other brand names and over 100 colours followed
Imagine a petunia Now imagine if that petunia had smaller flowers bloomed all
the time without deadheading wasnrsquot as fussy about watering and didnrsquot sticky leaves Thatrsquos a calibrachoa
The ldquoStarrdquo series is the latest of stunning bi-colours from Proven Winners It will bloom all season and itrsquos garden performance is off the charts
18
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
1
lsquoPrince Tutrsquo Grass
trends feature annuals
By now yoursquove probably heard of the lsquoTutrsquo series of papyrus grass for containers Itrsquos vertical reed-like lines and whorling heads bring intense architectural appeal But while the lsquoKing Tutrsquo is too large for most containers (being over 4rsquo high) and lsquoBaby Tutrsquo is more of a stuffer at less than 1rsquo high the new lsquoPrince Tutrsquo is finally in the happy middle
At 2rsquo high itrsquos an architectural centerpiece that fits the scale of most medium to large containers It loves full sun and water (itrsquos originally a Middle-Eastern swamp plant) so plant with other water lovers like Bacopa and Alocasia
19
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
2
Confetti Garden lsquoPeppermint Candyrsquo
trends feature annuals
Itrsquos Canadarsquos year and expect to see red and white everywhere as we celebrate our 150th Confetti Gardens are brilliant little combos of plants chosen for colour design and mutual growth habit that you can plunk into a larger container for a low cost professionally designed container garden lsquoPeppermint Candyrsquo combines red and white bicolour petunias red verbena
and white calibrachoa is a well-balanced celebration of Canadiana in the garden Give it lots of sun water and ample fertilizer (weekly at least) The plants should grow well together but if one of them gets out of hand pinch it back to let the others fill in
20
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
3
Alocasia lsquoStingrayrsquo
trends feature annuals
If yoursquore looking to start conversations this one is for you Also known as Elephant Earrsquos Alocasia boast big lush leaves that point upward and outward turning any container theyrsquore planted in into a dramatic tropical statement
lsquoStingrayrsquosrsquo unique feature is the whiptail end of itrsquos leaves Resembling you guessed
it a stingray it grows quickly in a sunny spot (sheltered from the afternoon sun if possible) It wants to be moist but well drained and in the fall you can cut it back to the root and keep it dry until the next spring
21
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
4
Petunia ldquoNightskyrdquo
trends feature annuals
Petunias have been around for so long that truly new colours are rare lsquoNightskyrsquo is a mottled colour pattern resembling thick stars on a velvet blue canvas Itrsquos one of the most distinctive petunias Irsquove seen in a long time
Workhorses in containers petunias quickly into mounds of broad colourful flowers Dead-head the spent blooms to keep the show going Theyrsquore best grown in containers where their roots can be warm and they hate drying out
22
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
5
Feature Edibles
trends feature edibles
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
23
Tomato lsquoChocolate Sprinklesrsquo
Thyme lsquoSpicy Orangersquo
Pepper lsquoBhut Jolokiarsquo
Cucumber lsquoSalad Bushrsquo
Kale lsquoPrizmrsquo
1
2
3
4
5
The universals of gardening namely the deep urge that makes us get our hands dirty year after year never change But the methods we use and the plants we choose change constantly
20 years ago the vegetable garden was something you kept in the backyard out of sight so the neighbours didnrsquot see Now
edibles are highlighting feature containers at the front door as a badge of honour
The rise of container-garden edibles has led to an explosion of varieties that are compact high-yielding and are all around well-behaved Here are a few of the most notable edibles both new and just plain awesome that Irsquove seen this year
The New Gardening
Unknown
ldquoGardening is cheaper than therapy and you get tomatoesrdquo
Tomato lsquoChocolate Sprinklesrsquo
trends feature edibles
This new cherry tomato variety is a hybrid with the taste of an heirloom It has bite-sized fruit heavy yield and excellent disease resistance The fruit is red and striped with dark green giving it a gorgeous heirloom look in salads or on its own
Itrsquos an indeterminate so it will keep growing as a vine as long as it can The plus side of
this is that yoursquoll get far more fruit than from a determinate type but yoursquoll also need to stake it and keep it watered
Itrsquos resistant to fusarium wilt which is a common affliction that leads to sickly wilting foliage on otherwise healthy plants Donrsquot be cheap on the fertilizer apply weekly for the best yield
24
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
1
Thyme lsquoSpicy Orangersquo
trends feature edibles
A classic Mediterranean herb thyme is famous for poultry and soups its flavour diffusing slowly as itrsquos cooked A zone 4 itrsquos hardy and you can plant it as a ground cover (although it doesnrsquot take much foot traffic)
This variety has a distinct spicy-orange fragrance thatrsquos most pronounced when you rub the bluish-green leaves Use it like
regular thyme the subtle citrus flavour will infuse during cooking and blends well with traditional thyme dishes
Itrsquos drought tolerant once established and feel free to plant it in containers in the full sun If you plant it in the ground as a perennial you can divide it in early fall once it gets big enough
25
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
2
Pepper lsquoBhut Jolokiarsquo
trends feature edibles
Irsquom a self-confessed wuss when it comes to hot peppers and have never tasted a Bhut Jolokia also called the lsquoGhostrsquo pepper As the hottest naturally occurring pepper in the world it packs a million scoville units (4X hotter than a habanero)
Yoursquoll either want to start the seed early or buy mature starter plants The hotter the better so put them in containers (where their roots will be warmer than in the ground) in the full sun Hot peppers have a
longer maturation time than sweet peppers (the seeds take 35 days just to germinate) so be generous with fertilizer and heat to speed things up
Once the fruit appears wear gloves while handling Itrsquos juice is pretty much pepper spray Donrsquot give to kids or elderly who arenrsquot totally comfortable with it and start with a tiny taste on the tongue for yourself Very seriously itrsquos heat that isnrsquot to be taken lightly
26
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
3
Cucumber ldquoSalad Bushrdquo
trends feature edibles
Therersquos nothing new about lsquoSalad Bushrsquo Itrsquos one of the older varieties of cucumbers made to grow in containers Itrsquos also still one of the best
Compact and busy you can grow this one on a trellis or just hanging out the side of the pot The 8rdquo slicers are great in salads
sandwiches or on their own as a snack (which is how I often eat them at the greenhouse)
Fertilize often and donrsquot let it dry out thatrsquos how cucumbers get bitter Yoursquoll want to give it lots of sun and heat for it to yield fast and often
27
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
4
Kale lsquoPrizmrsquo
trends feature edibles
Kale has been headline news lately as a superfood This new variety has a quick 40 day maturity (even less than that if you like young kale) The leaves are elegantly dense and curled making it gorgeous enough to grow in any window box or planter alongside your annuals
The leaves are tender even when mature and so itrsquos good eaten fresh and holds up well in cooking A nutty flavour makes it ideal for salads smoothies or if you ask me chips
28
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
5
NIWA
Growing 365
trends growing food indoors
A small but mighty hydroponic system Itrsquos perfect for growing super tasty produce like herbs and small veggies
Our winter is a four month journey of comfort food cocooning and pining for our frost-bitten yards to breathe again May to September is a sprint to grow as much as we can in whatever space we have and itrsquos never enough
Indoor gardening cheats winter It allows us to supplement our typically poor diets with blasts of homegrown vitamins Plants are also one of the best remedies for Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) which afflicts millions of Canadians
There are a few things to remember With our dramatically lower light levels yoursquoll want to invest in a grow light Costs have come way down for these and they pay off fairly quickly if you use them With our dry winter air (especially if you donrsquot have a humidifier on your furnace) yoursquoll want to keep the spray bottle handy for a daily spritz
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
5
Interested
Check out some of the products available on the market today
httpwwwdigitaltrendscomhomeindoor-garden-deviceshttpgetniwacomstorehtml
Wersquove become a stressed-out species On average we spend over 90 of our time indoors and when wersquore outdoors wersquore rarely aware of what nature hidden in plain sight around us can give
Shinrin-yoku is a Japanese term coined in the 1980s that translates into ldquoForest Bathingrdquo Itrsquos become a cornerstone of preventative healthcare in Japan and itrsquos making its way across the Pacific Most of us have never heard of it let alone
considered it to be a mainstream trend But 20 years ago you could say the same about yoga
Forest Bathing is soaking up the sounds smells and sights of natural environments to achieve physical and mental wellness Itrsquos an invitation to walk through a forest park or even through a garden path and allow nature to calm your nerves and help you find your balance
Craving Wellness
trends craving wellness
Forest Bathing
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
6
Forest Bathing isnrsquot ldquopie-in-the-skyrdquo
Scientifically proven benefits include
Reduced blood pressure
Improved mood focus and creativity
Improved sleep quality
Increased ability to focus even in children with ADHD
Boosted immune system
Accelerated recovery from illness or surgery
Find Sanctuary
trends craving wellness
From Aleppo to El Nino to Trump itrsquos been an anxious year Our addiction to technology doesnrsquot help Wersquore either watching bad news on TV or checking our phones every 6 seconds Wersquore surrounded by negative stimuli that we experience but cannot control so it makes us feel helpless We know what people whom we havenrsquot talked to in 20 years had for breakfast but we still feel alone
Nature shows us that wersquore neither helpless nor alone A simple walk through the woods or even our garden alters our perspective from helpless spectator to empowered actor The complex fragility of nature integrates us with it and gives us an immediate sense of purpose
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
7
The Science of Wellness
trends craving wellness
Instinctively we know that nature calms anxiety Taking a moment to smell a flower is a small shield against our daily barrage of stress Recent studies have turned instinct into fact by identifying a soil-borne bacterium in nature that has the same impact on the brain as Prozac
For a Canadian perspective David Suzuki launched the 30X30 Challenge in May 2013 10000 Canadians from 250 different workplaces committed to spending 30 minutes outside every day for 30 days Afterwards participants were asked how the experience affected themOverwhelmingly the participants
reported having more energy feeling more productive at work enjoying better quality of sleep and having less stress overall
The Dutch Office of flowers a worldwide trendsetter in plants and gardening put it this way
ldquoWe live in a world where the sense of imminent threat is increasingly growing The domestic environment is considered to be the eye of the storm a haven of peace and silence in the whirlwind of a complicated and chaotic world () This simplicity can be found in natural plants and is uncultured true and unadornedrdquo
After 4 days on the trail hikers demonstrated an astonishing 50 boost in creativity compared to being inside
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
8
A study consisting of hundreds of thousands of people found a strong correlation
between overall quality of health and living within 1 km of a green space
Clutter happens We live our lives see things we love buy use store stuff and shove it into the closet Life accumulates but itrsquos hard to have clarity in the midst of clutter Once in a while a purge feels darn good
In 2011 a Japanese organizing consultant published a little turquoise book that put her on course to becoming the worldrsquos authoritative voice on how to tidy up Marie Kondorsquos method of defining your possessions by the sparks of joy they give us made her Time Magazinersquos 100 Most Influential People of 2015
Kondo suggests starting with categories not rooms Yoursquoll have books in several rooms so bring them together Lay your hands (literally) on each one Which items give you a spark of joy If yes it stays to build the bookshelf that fills you with joy If no it goes
Her method is simple and a little brutal My wife discovered Kondo last year and I was hooked
De-cluttering the Garden
trends de-cluttering the garden
Marie Kondorsquos Method
Marie Kondo The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing
ldquoThe best way to choose what to keep and what to throw away is to take each item in onersquos hand and ask ldquoDoes this spark joyrdquo If it does keep it If not dispose of itrdquo
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
9
De-cluttering the Garden
trends growing food indoors
Our yards are our sanctuary They should be places of stillness that calm our minds after a long day in the hamster wheel If the amount of stuff outdoors living or non is causing anxiety itrsquos time to declutter
Letrsquos approach this as Kondo would Take a tour through your differing garden spaces or rooms and lay your hands on every plant pot gnome and rusty hoe lost in the weeds Ask yourself is this the source of a spark of joy for me If it isnrsquot it needs to go
In the garden of course ldquogordquo is more complicated than a trip to Goodwill Your
clutter is rooted into the ground and you probably donrsquot want to see it in the compost bin Find friends horticultural groups and anyone else who would take your clutter and nurture it into their own sparks of joy
The goal For every space in your yard to serve a purpose and every plant and element to spark joy Define your success by the calm joy you feel walking through the garden Donrsquot fret if yoursquove made empty spaces Those are places to invent again and plant new sparks of joy
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
10
Back to Balance
trends craving wellness
Unlike books plants grow Theyrsquore living sculptures While this opens up new worlds in design it also means that you canrsquot abandon a part of your yard and expect it to be the same when you return to it
De-cluttering is about creating simplicity If itrsquos overgrown cut it back or divide it If you donrsquot love or need it remove it
Respect your tools Pick up clean up and store them neatly in the shed Peek in the shed and roll up your sleeves
Itrsquos not about creating a sterile manicured space but bringing balance back to your outdoor space If pruning isnrsquot your idea of balance then identify the plants you love and let them grow wild If you use pesticides and herbicides stop so that naturersquos rhythms can re-establish themselves
Tidy gardens donrsquot look like Versailles Theyrsquore spaces created consciously that consume less need spraying less and are focused upon the joy you get from the plants you really love vs all the plants you accumulate
Arlene amp Glen MarchandContainer Gardens 2015 winner
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
11
Whatrsquos in your salad The immediate answer is ldquolettuce and tomatoesrdquo but whatrsquos their history The lettuce may be from California the tomatoes from Mexico How were they grown when were they picked and what were they sprayed with
The stories behind our food are getting more complex and wersquove gotten skeptical Add the lower nutrition levels and rising cost of imported food and a quiet revolution happens
In 2017 wersquoll continue our surge of interest in growing our own food Local food is increasingly the only food we trust Growing our own food is one part of the larger trend towards produce meat
baking and other foodstuffs that we want to know the story behind
At the greenhouse Irsquove watched countless new customers many of whom were new to gardening scoop up microgreens veggie seeds seed potatoes garlic and everything else in record numbers Be it for the sake of their pocket book fitness family health or simply knowing what has gone into that tomato yoursquore eating interest in home-grown continues its slow explosion
Loving Local
Michael Pollan
trends loving local
Growing Our Own
ldquoServe the kind of food you know the story behindrdquo
Salisbury Edible Garden
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
12
Local vs Organic
trends loving local
A lot of people ask me what the difference between local and organic is sometimes admitting that theyrsquove been assuming that theyrsquore the same thing Theyrsquore apples and oranges
Organic means food grown without pesticides synthetic fertilizers or genetic modifications Sound simple It gets complicated quickly While only growers who meet strict guidelines can be certified as organic non-organic producers tend to adopt the name or the implication
On top of that countries wishing to import ldquoorganicrdquo food make ldquoequivalency arrangementsrdquo with the Canadian government to define what will and what wonrsquot be called organic More on that here httpwwwinspectiongccafoodorganic-productslabelling-and-general-informationregulating-organic-productseng13280827177771328082783032
ldquoLocalrdquo means food grown close by though not necessarily organically The smaller the producer (ie Farmersrsquo Markets or your own backyard) the more you can trust the term
When deciding whatrsquos best for the plant we sometimes have to choose between the carbon footprint of importing organic food vs the chemicals used in growing locally Canadians are increasingly choosing local options and the trend toward growing our own continues to skyrocket
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
13
Want to learn more
Dig into the local food movement herehttpwwwsalisburygreenhousecomin-search-of-local
Native Plants
trends loving local
Our love of local doesnrsquot stop with edibles Native plants are flying off shelves in record numbers driven by concerns about environment ease of care and changing weather conditions
In California ravaged by drought people are planting natives because they require little supplemental watering while people with tropical water-intensive gardens are being shamed online While wersquore in a different situation water conservation is climbing to top-of-mind and natives are the way to get there
Environmentally native plants are a win-win They attract pollinators and
beneficial predators into your yard which in turn increases your ediblesrsquo yield and reduces the need to spray toxins
Lazy gardeners (myself included) are turning to natives Overwintering is a breeze they require little synthetic fertilizer and theyrsquoll host garrisons of hungry predators to keep the pests at bay
Aesthetically loving natives doesnrsquot have to mean resigning yourself to a scruffy untamed yard An increasing array of contemporary design options from prairie grass-scapes to xeriscaped rock-gardens are making landscaping with natives more appealing to mainstream gardeners
GaillardiaYarrow Native to North and South AmericaNative to mild Northern Hemisphere
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
14
We loathed mosquitoes this year A wet summer led to a million itchy picnics in Western Canada and the Zika outbreak although our mosquitoes donrsquot carry it gave us yet another reason to hate those biting buggers
How dominant this trend becomes depends largely on the weather A wet
spring and summer will lead to blood sucking misery And if we have hot and dry weather Wersquoll talk about those bugs if we have to
In 2017 if the weather ldquocooperatesrdquo expect to see war declared against our sucking friend Besides the chemical DEET here are a few weapons in your arsenal
With their ability to reproduce exponentially the best way to deal with mosquitoes is to not let them be born If yoursquore running around the yard swatting and swearing yoursquove already lost the battle
Take a long but not leisurely walk around your yard This is business yoursquore conducting a standing water audit of every nook wheelbarrow cranny forgotten wine
glass and birdbath Check the shed under the deck and peer into the deep dark corners When you find standing water drain and fix
Sprinkling larvicide on standing water you canrsquot drain (ie the nearby pond) will nip them in the bud Itrsquos a predator that activates in the water and starts chowing down on the skeeter larvae
Natural Mosquito Control
trends natural mosquito control
A Year of Bad Press
Prevention First
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
15
Predators
trends natural mosquito control
Prevention is best but we should also know how to kill them Mosquitoes are slow and tasty they have a lot of predators The trick is getting them into your yard
First letrsquos bust up some myths The internet is full of claims that Purple Martins will eat their own weight in mosquitoes daily and that bats are mosquito killing ninjas These hyped-up critters will eat them but not in numbers that will create significant relief Martinsrsquo diet is about 3 skeeters and batsrsquo diet about 1 That being said both predators (especially bats) are helpful to have around
Purple Martins are most famous but other birds will help whittle your population down Barn Swallows who build their ubiquitous nests in old barns and like to swoop at passersby can gobble up
about 60hour Robins Chickadees and Woodpeckers eat their share too
If yoursquore nurturing a feathered army you may want to keep the cat indoors or on a leash Theyrsquore the number one killer of birds in Canada I love my cats but they donrsquot wander freely
Dragonflies are one of the best natural controls you can get Gorgeous harmless to humans and deadly to mosquitoes theyrsquoll often eat over 100 per day diving in at 30 mph and gobbling them up before they know what happened
The snag with dragonflies is they need a pond or boggy area for habitat Theyrsquore highly sensitive to air pollution so seeing them in your yard usually indicates good air quality
DID YOU KNOWSome plants repel mosquitoes
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecommosquito-repelling-plants
16
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
Feature Annuals
trends feature annuals
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
17
lsquoSuperbellsrsquo Morning Star
Confetti Garden - lsquoPeppermint Candyrsquo
lsquoPrince Tutrsquo Grass
Alocasia lsquoStingrayrsquo
Petunia lsquoNightSkyrsquo
1
2
3
4
5
In the gardening world annuals are big business Theyrsquore the colour powerhouses of the yard The trendiest annuals are high fashion eye-catching specimens in containers in that stick out from all the rest
Every year hundreds of new annuals hit the market Itrsquos my job to look past the
glossy magazine ads and find out which ones have the best combination of beauty and performance in our uniquely Albertan climate
So without further ado herersquos my top 5 for 2017
High Fashion
Ralph Waldo Emerson
ldquoThe earth laughs in flowersrdquo
lsquoSuperbellsrsquo Morning Star
trends feature annuals
Yoursquove probably heard me gushing about Calibrachoa before This genus very closely related to Petunias and hailing from southern South America was largely ignored until it was hybridized into ldquoMillion Bellsrdquo ldquoSuperbellsrdquo along with dozens of other brand names and over 100 colours followed
Imagine a petunia Now imagine if that petunia had smaller flowers bloomed all
the time without deadheading wasnrsquot as fussy about watering and didnrsquot sticky leaves Thatrsquos a calibrachoa
The ldquoStarrdquo series is the latest of stunning bi-colours from Proven Winners It will bloom all season and itrsquos garden performance is off the charts
18
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
1
lsquoPrince Tutrsquo Grass
trends feature annuals
By now yoursquove probably heard of the lsquoTutrsquo series of papyrus grass for containers Itrsquos vertical reed-like lines and whorling heads bring intense architectural appeal But while the lsquoKing Tutrsquo is too large for most containers (being over 4rsquo high) and lsquoBaby Tutrsquo is more of a stuffer at less than 1rsquo high the new lsquoPrince Tutrsquo is finally in the happy middle
At 2rsquo high itrsquos an architectural centerpiece that fits the scale of most medium to large containers It loves full sun and water (itrsquos originally a Middle-Eastern swamp plant) so plant with other water lovers like Bacopa and Alocasia
19
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
2
Confetti Garden lsquoPeppermint Candyrsquo
trends feature annuals
Itrsquos Canadarsquos year and expect to see red and white everywhere as we celebrate our 150th Confetti Gardens are brilliant little combos of plants chosen for colour design and mutual growth habit that you can plunk into a larger container for a low cost professionally designed container garden lsquoPeppermint Candyrsquo combines red and white bicolour petunias red verbena
and white calibrachoa is a well-balanced celebration of Canadiana in the garden Give it lots of sun water and ample fertilizer (weekly at least) The plants should grow well together but if one of them gets out of hand pinch it back to let the others fill in
20
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
3
Alocasia lsquoStingrayrsquo
trends feature annuals
If yoursquore looking to start conversations this one is for you Also known as Elephant Earrsquos Alocasia boast big lush leaves that point upward and outward turning any container theyrsquore planted in into a dramatic tropical statement
lsquoStingrayrsquosrsquo unique feature is the whiptail end of itrsquos leaves Resembling you guessed
it a stingray it grows quickly in a sunny spot (sheltered from the afternoon sun if possible) It wants to be moist but well drained and in the fall you can cut it back to the root and keep it dry until the next spring
21
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
4
Petunia ldquoNightskyrdquo
trends feature annuals
Petunias have been around for so long that truly new colours are rare lsquoNightskyrsquo is a mottled colour pattern resembling thick stars on a velvet blue canvas Itrsquos one of the most distinctive petunias Irsquove seen in a long time
Workhorses in containers petunias quickly into mounds of broad colourful flowers Dead-head the spent blooms to keep the show going Theyrsquore best grown in containers where their roots can be warm and they hate drying out
22
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
5
Feature Edibles
trends feature edibles
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
23
Tomato lsquoChocolate Sprinklesrsquo
Thyme lsquoSpicy Orangersquo
Pepper lsquoBhut Jolokiarsquo
Cucumber lsquoSalad Bushrsquo
Kale lsquoPrizmrsquo
1
2
3
4
5
The universals of gardening namely the deep urge that makes us get our hands dirty year after year never change But the methods we use and the plants we choose change constantly
20 years ago the vegetable garden was something you kept in the backyard out of sight so the neighbours didnrsquot see Now
edibles are highlighting feature containers at the front door as a badge of honour
The rise of container-garden edibles has led to an explosion of varieties that are compact high-yielding and are all around well-behaved Here are a few of the most notable edibles both new and just plain awesome that Irsquove seen this year
The New Gardening
Unknown
ldquoGardening is cheaper than therapy and you get tomatoesrdquo
Tomato lsquoChocolate Sprinklesrsquo
trends feature edibles
This new cherry tomato variety is a hybrid with the taste of an heirloom It has bite-sized fruit heavy yield and excellent disease resistance The fruit is red and striped with dark green giving it a gorgeous heirloom look in salads or on its own
Itrsquos an indeterminate so it will keep growing as a vine as long as it can The plus side of
this is that yoursquoll get far more fruit than from a determinate type but yoursquoll also need to stake it and keep it watered
Itrsquos resistant to fusarium wilt which is a common affliction that leads to sickly wilting foliage on otherwise healthy plants Donrsquot be cheap on the fertilizer apply weekly for the best yield
24
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
1
Thyme lsquoSpicy Orangersquo
trends feature edibles
A classic Mediterranean herb thyme is famous for poultry and soups its flavour diffusing slowly as itrsquos cooked A zone 4 itrsquos hardy and you can plant it as a ground cover (although it doesnrsquot take much foot traffic)
This variety has a distinct spicy-orange fragrance thatrsquos most pronounced when you rub the bluish-green leaves Use it like
regular thyme the subtle citrus flavour will infuse during cooking and blends well with traditional thyme dishes
Itrsquos drought tolerant once established and feel free to plant it in containers in the full sun If you plant it in the ground as a perennial you can divide it in early fall once it gets big enough
25
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
2
Pepper lsquoBhut Jolokiarsquo
trends feature edibles
Irsquom a self-confessed wuss when it comes to hot peppers and have never tasted a Bhut Jolokia also called the lsquoGhostrsquo pepper As the hottest naturally occurring pepper in the world it packs a million scoville units (4X hotter than a habanero)
Yoursquoll either want to start the seed early or buy mature starter plants The hotter the better so put them in containers (where their roots will be warmer than in the ground) in the full sun Hot peppers have a
longer maturation time than sweet peppers (the seeds take 35 days just to germinate) so be generous with fertilizer and heat to speed things up
Once the fruit appears wear gloves while handling Itrsquos juice is pretty much pepper spray Donrsquot give to kids or elderly who arenrsquot totally comfortable with it and start with a tiny taste on the tongue for yourself Very seriously itrsquos heat that isnrsquot to be taken lightly
26
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
3
Cucumber ldquoSalad Bushrdquo
trends feature edibles
Therersquos nothing new about lsquoSalad Bushrsquo Itrsquos one of the older varieties of cucumbers made to grow in containers Itrsquos also still one of the best
Compact and busy you can grow this one on a trellis or just hanging out the side of the pot The 8rdquo slicers are great in salads
sandwiches or on their own as a snack (which is how I often eat them at the greenhouse)
Fertilize often and donrsquot let it dry out thatrsquos how cucumbers get bitter Yoursquoll want to give it lots of sun and heat for it to yield fast and often
27
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
4
Kale lsquoPrizmrsquo
trends feature edibles
Kale has been headline news lately as a superfood This new variety has a quick 40 day maturity (even less than that if you like young kale) The leaves are elegantly dense and curled making it gorgeous enough to grow in any window box or planter alongside your annuals
The leaves are tender even when mature and so itrsquos good eaten fresh and holds up well in cooking A nutty flavour makes it ideal for salads smoothies or if you ask me chips
28
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
5
Wersquove become a stressed-out species On average we spend over 90 of our time indoors and when wersquore outdoors wersquore rarely aware of what nature hidden in plain sight around us can give
Shinrin-yoku is a Japanese term coined in the 1980s that translates into ldquoForest Bathingrdquo Itrsquos become a cornerstone of preventative healthcare in Japan and itrsquos making its way across the Pacific Most of us have never heard of it let alone
considered it to be a mainstream trend But 20 years ago you could say the same about yoga
Forest Bathing is soaking up the sounds smells and sights of natural environments to achieve physical and mental wellness Itrsquos an invitation to walk through a forest park or even through a garden path and allow nature to calm your nerves and help you find your balance
Craving Wellness
trends craving wellness
Forest Bathing
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
6
Forest Bathing isnrsquot ldquopie-in-the-skyrdquo
Scientifically proven benefits include
Reduced blood pressure
Improved mood focus and creativity
Improved sleep quality
Increased ability to focus even in children with ADHD
Boosted immune system
Accelerated recovery from illness or surgery
Find Sanctuary
trends craving wellness
From Aleppo to El Nino to Trump itrsquos been an anxious year Our addiction to technology doesnrsquot help Wersquore either watching bad news on TV or checking our phones every 6 seconds Wersquore surrounded by negative stimuli that we experience but cannot control so it makes us feel helpless We know what people whom we havenrsquot talked to in 20 years had for breakfast but we still feel alone
Nature shows us that wersquore neither helpless nor alone A simple walk through the woods or even our garden alters our perspective from helpless spectator to empowered actor The complex fragility of nature integrates us with it and gives us an immediate sense of purpose
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
7
The Science of Wellness
trends craving wellness
Instinctively we know that nature calms anxiety Taking a moment to smell a flower is a small shield against our daily barrage of stress Recent studies have turned instinct into fact by identifying a soil-borne bacterium in nature that has the same impact on the brain as Prozac
For a Canadian perspective David Suzuki launched the 30X30 Challenge in May 2013 10000 Canadians from 250 different workplaces committed to spending 30 minutes outside every day for 30 days Afterwards participants were asked how the experience affected themOverwhelmingly the participants
reported having more energy feeling more productive at work enjoying better quality of sleep and having less stress overall
The Dutch Office of flowers a worldwide trendsetter in plants and gardening put it this way
ldquoWe live in a world where the sense of imminent threat is increasingly growing The domestic environment is considered to be the eye of the storm a haven of peace and silence in the whirlwind of a complicated and chaotic world () This simplicity can be found in natural plants and is uncultured true and unadornedrdquo
After 4 days on the trail hikers demonstrated an astonishing 50 boost in creativity compared to being inside
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
8
A study consisting of hundreds of thousands of people found a strong correlation
between overall quality of health and living within 1 km of a green space
Clutter happens We live our lives see things we love buy use store stuff and shove it into the closet Life accumulates but itrsquos hard to have clarity in the midst of clutter Once in a while a purge feels darn good
In 2011 a Japanese organizing consultant published a little turquoise book that put her on course to becoming the worldrsquos authoritative voice on how to tidy up Marie Kondorsquos method of defining your possessions by the sparks of joy they give us made her Time Magazinersquos 100 Most Influential People of 2015
Kondo suggests starting with categories not rooms Yoursquoll have books in several rooms so bring them together Lay your hands (literally) on each one Which items give you a spark of joy If yes it stays to build the bookshelf that fills you with joy If no it goes
Her method is simple and a little brutal My wife discovered Kondo last year and I was hooked
De-cluttering the Garden
trends de-cluttering the garden
Marie Kondorsquos Method
Marie Kondo The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing
ldquoThe best way to choose what to keep and what to throw away is to take each item in onersquos hand and ask ldquoDoes this spark joyrdquo If it does keep it If not dispose of itrdquo
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
9
De-cluttering the Garden
trends growing food indoors
Our yards are our sanctuary They should be places of stillness that calm our minds after a long day in the hamster wheel If the amount of stuff outdoors living or non is causing anxiety itrsquos time to declutter
Letrsquos approach this as Kondo would Take a tour through your differing garden spaces or rooms and lay your hands on every plant pot gnome and rusty hoe lost in the weeds Ask yourself is this the source of a spark of joy for me If it isnrsquot it needs to go
In the garden of course ldquogordquo is more complicated than a trip to Goodwill Your
clutter is rooted into the ground and you probably donrsquot want to see it in the compost bin Find friends horticultural groups and anyone else who would take your clutter and nurture it into their own sparks of joy
The goal For every space in your yard to serve a purpose and every plant and element to spark joy Define your success by the calm joy you feel walking through the garden Donrsquot fret if yoursquove made empty spaces Those are places to invent again and plant new sparks of joy
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
10
Back to Balance
trends craving wellness
Unlike books plants grow Theyrsquore living sculptures While this opens up new worlds in design it also means that you canrsquot abandon a part of your yard and expect it to be the same when you return to it
De-cluttering is about creating simplicity If itrsquos overgrown cut it back or divide it If you donrsquot love or need it remove it
Respect your tools Pick up clean up and store them neatly in the shed Peek in the shed and roll up your sleeves
Itrsquos not about creating a sterile manicured space but bringing balance back to your outdoor space If pruning isnrsquot your idea of balance then identify the plants you love and let them grow wild If you use pesticides and herbicides stop so that naturersquos rhythms can re-establish themselves
Tidy gardens donrsquot look like Versailles Theyrsquore spaces created consciously that consume less need spraying less and are focused upon the joy you get from the plants you really love vs all the plants you accumulate
Arlene amp Glen MarchandContainer Gardens 2015 winner
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
11
Whatrsquos in your salad The immediate answer is ldquolettuce and tomatoesrdquo but whatrsquos their history The lettuce may be from California the tomatoes from Mexico How were they grown when were they picked and what were they sprayed with
The stories behind our food are getting more complex and wersquove gotten skeptical Add the lower nutrition levels and rising cost of imported food and a quiet revolution happens
In 2017 wersquoll continue our surge of interest in growing our own food Local food is increasingly the only food we trust Growing our own food is one part of the larger trend towards produce meat
baking and other foodstuffs that we want to know the story behind
At the greenhouse Irsquove watched countless new customers many of whom were new to gardening scoop up microgreens veggie seeds seed potatoes garlic and everything else in record numbers Be it for the sake of their pocket book fitness family health or simply knowing what has gone into that tomato yoursquore eating interest in home-grown continues its slow explosion
Loving Local
Michael Pollan
trends loving local
Growing Our Own
ldquoServe the kind of food you know the story behindrdquo
Salisbury Edible Garden
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
12
Local vs Organic
trends loving local
A lot of people ask me what the difference between local and organic is sometimes admitting that theyrsquove been assuming that theyrsquore the same thing Theyrsquore apples and oranges
Organic means food grown without pesticides synthetic fertilizers or genetic modifications Sound simple It gets complicated quickly While only growers who meet strict guidelines can be certified as organic non-organic producers tend to adopt the name or the implication
On top of that countries wishing to import ldquoorganicrdquo food make ldquoequivalency arrangementsrdquo with the Canadian government to define what will and what wonrsquot be called organic More on that here httpwwwinspectiongccafoodorganic-productslabelling-and-general-informationregulating-organic-productseng13280827177771328082783032
ldquoLocalrdquo means food grown close by though not necessarily organically The smaller the producer (ie Farmersrsquo Markets or your own backyard) the more you can trust the term
When deciding whatrsquos best for the plant we sometimes have to choose between the carbon footprint of importing organic food vs the chemicals used in growing locally Canadians are increasingly choosing local options and the trend toward growing our own continues to skyrocket
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
13
Want to learn more
Dig into the local food movement herehttpwwwsalisburygreenhousecomin-search-of-local
Native Plants
trends loving local
Our love of local doesnrsquot stop with edibles Native plants are flying off shelves in record numbers driven by concerns about environment ease of care and changing weather conditions
In California ravaged by drought people are planting natives because they require little supplemental watering while people with tropical water-intensive gardens are being shamed online While wersquore in a different situation water conservation is climbing to top-of-mind and natives are the way to get there
Environmentally native plants are a win-win They attract pollinators and
beneficial predators into your yard which in turn increases your ediblesrsquo yield and reduces the need to spray toxins
Lazy gardeners (myself included) are turning to natives Overwintering is a breeze they require little synthetic fertilizer and theyrsquoll host garrisons of hungry predators to keep the pests at bay
Aesthetically loving natives doesnrsquot have to mean resigning yourself to a scruffy untamed yard An increasing array of contemporary design options from prairie grass-scapes to xeriscaped rock-gardens are making landscaping with natives more appealing to mainstream gardeners
GaillardiaYarrow Native to North and South AmericaNative to mild Northern Hemisphere
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
14
We loathed mosquitoes this year A wet summer led to a million itchy picnics in Western Canada and the Zika outbreak although our mosquitoes donrsquot carry it gave us yet another reason to hate those biting buggers
How dominant this trend becomes depends largely on the weather A wet
spring and summer will lead to blood sucking misery And if we have hot and dry weather Wersquoll talk about those bugs if we have to
In 2017 if the weather ldquocooperatesrdquo expect to see war declared against our sucking friend Besides the chemical DEET here are a few weapons in your arsenal
With their ability to reproduce exponentially the best way to deal with mosquitoes is to not let them be born If yoursquore running around the yard swatting and swearing yoursquove already lost the battle
Take a long but not leisurely walk around your yard This is business yoursquore conducting a standing water audit of every nook wheelbarrow cranny forgotten wine
glass and birdbath Check the shed under the deck and peer into the deep dark corners When you find standing water drain and fix
Sprinkling larvicide on standing water you canrsquot drain (ie the nearby pond) will nip them in the bud Itrsquos a predator that activates in the water and starts chowing down on the skeeter larvae
Natural Mosquito Control
trends natural mosquito control
A Year of Bad Press
Prevention First
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
15
Predators
trends natural mosquito control
Prevention is best but we should also know how to kill them Mosquitoes are slow and tasty they have a lot of predators The trick is getting them into your yard
First letrsquos bust up some myths The internet is full of claims that Purple Martins will eat their own weight in mosquitoes daily and that bats are mosquito killing ninjas These hyped-up critters will eat them but not in numbers that will create significant relief Martinsrsquo diet is about 3 skeeters and batsrsquo diet about 1 That being said both predators (especially bats) are helpful to have around
Purple Martins are most famous but other birds will help whittle your population down Barn Swallows who build their ubiquitous nests in old barns and like to swoop at passersby can gobble up
about 60hour Robins Chickadees and Woodpeckers eat their share too
If yoursquore nurturing a feathered army you may want to keep the cat indoors or on a leash Theyrsquore the number one killer of birds in Canada I love my cats but they donrsquot wander freely
Dragonflies are one of the best natural controls you can get Gorgeous harmless to humans and deadly to mosquitoes theyrsquoll often eat over 100 per day diving in at 30 mph and gobbling them up before they know what happened
The snag with dragonflies is they need a pond or boggy area for habitat Theyrsquore highly sensitive to air pollution so seeing them in your yard usually indicates good air quality
DID YOU KNOWSome plants repel mosquitoes
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecommosquito-repelling-plants
16
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
Feature Annuals
trends feature annuals
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
17
lsquoSuperbellsrsquo Morning Star
Confetti Garden - lsquoPeppermint Candyrsquo
lsquoPrince Tutrsquo Grass
Alocasia lsquoStingrayrsquo
Petunia lsquoNightSkyrsquo
1
2
3
4
5
In the gardening world annuals are big business Theyrsquore the colour powerhouses of the yard The trendiest annuals are high fashion eye-catching specimens in containers in that stick out from all the rest
Every year hundreds of new annuals hit the market Itrsquos my job to look past the
glossy magazine ads and find out which ones have the best combination of beauty and performance in our uniquely Albertan climate
So without further ado herersquos my top 5 for 2017
High Fashion
Ralph Waldo Emerson
ldquoThe earth laughs in flowersrdquo
lsquoSuperbellsrsquo Morning Star
trends feature annuals
Yoursquove probably heard me gushing about Calibrachoa before This genus very closely related to Petunias and hailing from southern South America was largely ignored until it was hybridized into ldquoMillion Bellsrdquo ldquoSuperbellsrdquo along with dozens of other brand names and over 100 colours followed
Imagine a petunia Now imagine if that petunia had smaller flowers bloomed all
the time without deadheading wasnrsquot as fussy about watering and didnrsquot sticky leaves Thatrsquos a calibrachoa
The ldquoStarrdquo series is the latest of stunning bi-colours from Proven Winners It will bloom all season and itrsquos garden performance is off the charts
18
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
1
lsquoPrince Tutrsquo Grass
trends feature annuals
By now yoursquove probably heard of the lsquoTutrsquo series of papyrus grass for containers Itrsquos vertical reed-like lines and whorling heads bring intense architectural appeal But while the lsquoKing Tutrsquo is too large for most containers (being over 4rsquo high) and lsquoBaby Tutrsquo is more of a stuffer at less than 1rsquo high the new lsquoPrince Tutrsquo is finally in the happy middle
At 2rsquo high itrsquos an architectural centerpiece that fits the scale of most medium to large containers It loves full sun and water (itrsquos originally a Middle-Eastern swamp plant) so plant with other water lovers like Bacopa and Alocasia
19
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
2
Confetti Garden lsquoPeppermint Candyrsquo
trends feature annuals
Itrsquos Canadarsquos year and expect to see red and white everywhere as we celebrate our 150th Confetti Gardens are brilliant little combos of plants chosen for colour design and mutual growth habit that you can plunk into a larger container for a low cost professionally designed container garden lsquoPeppermint Candyrsquo combines red and white bicolour petunias red verbena
and white calibrachoa is a well-balanced celebration of Canadiana in the garden Give it lots of sun water and ample fertilizer (weekly at least) The plants should grow well together but if one of them gets out of hand pinch it back to let the others fill in
20
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
3
Alocasia lsquoStingrayrsquo
trends feature annuals
If yoursquore looking to start conversations this one is for you Also known as Elephant Earrsquos Alocasia boast big lush leaves that point upward and outward turning any container theyrsquore planted in into a dramatic tropical statement
lsquoStingrayrsquosrsquo unique feature is the whiptail end of itrsquos leaves Resembling you guessed
it a stingray it grows quickly in a sunny spot (sheltered from the afternoon sun if possible) It wants to be moist but well drained and in the fall you can cut it back to the root and keep it dry until the next spring
21
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
4
Petunia ldquoNightskyrdquo
trends feature annuals
Petunias have been around for so long that truly new colours are rare lsquoNightskyrsquo is a mottled colour pattern resembling thick stars on a velvet blue canvas Itrsquos one of the most distinctive petunias Irsquove seen in a long time
Workhorses in containers petunias quickly into mounds of broad colourful flowers Dead-head the spent blooms to keep the show going Theyrsquore best grown in containers where their roots can be warm and they hate drying out
22
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
5
Feature Edibles
trends feature edibles
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
23
Tomato lsquoChocolate Sprinklesrsquo
Thyme lsquoSpicy Orangersquo
Pepper lsquoBhut Jolokiarsquo
Cucumber lsquoSalad Bushrsquo
Kale lsquoPrizmrsquo
1
2
3
4
5
The universals of gardening namely the deep urge that makes us get our hands dirty year after year never change But the methods we use and the plants we choose change constantly
20 years ago the vegetable garden was something you kept in the backyard out of sight so the neighbours didnrsquot see Now
edibles are highlighting feature containers at the front door as a badge of honour
The rise of container-garden edibles has led to an explosion of varieties that are compact high-yielding and are all around well-behaved Here are a few of the most notable edibles both new and just plain awesome that Irsquove seen this year
The New Gardening
Unknown
ldquoGardening is cheaper than therapy and you get tomatoesrdquo
Tomato lsquoChocolate Sprinklesrsquo
trends feature edibles
This new cherry tomato variety is a hybrid with the taste of an heirloom It has bite-sized fruit heavy yield and excellent disease resistance The fruit is red and striped with dark green giving it a gorgeous heirloom look in salads or on its own
Itrsquos an indeterminate so it will keep growing as a vine as long as it can The plus side of
this is that yoursquoll get far more fruit than from a determinate type but yoursquoll also need to stake it and keep it watered
Itrsquos resistant to fusarium wilt which is a common affliction that leads to sickly wilting foliage on otherwise healthy plants Donrsquot be cheap on the fertilizer apply weekly for the best yield
24
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
1
Thyme lsquoSpicy Orangersquo
trends feature edibles
A classic Mediterranean herb thyme is famous for poultry and soups its flavour diffusing slowly as itrsquos cooked A zone 4 itrsquos hardy and you can plant it as a ground cover (although it doesnrsquot take much foot traffic)
This variety has a distinct spicy-orange fragrance thatrsquos most pronounced when you rub the bluish-green leaves Use it like
regular thyme the subtle citrus flavour will infuse during cooking and blends well with traditional thyme dishes
Itrsquos drought tolerant once established and feel free to plant it in containers in the full sun If you plant it in the ground as a perennial you can divide it in early fall once it gets big enough
25
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
2
Pepper lsquoBhut Jolokiarsquo
trends feature edibles
Irsquom a self-confessed wuss when it comes to hot peppers and have never tasted a Bhut Jolokia also called the lsquoGhostrsquo pepper As the hottest naturally occurring pepper in the world it packs a million scoville units (4X hotter than a habanero)
Yoursquoll either want to start the seed early or buy mature starter plants The hotter the better so put them in containers (where their roots will be warmer than in the ground) in the full sun Hot peppers have a
longer maturation time than sweet peppers (the seeds take 35 days just to germinate) so be generous with fertilizer and heat to speed things up
Once the fruit appears wear gloves while handling Itrsquos juice is pretty much pepper spray Donrsquot give to kids or elderly who arenrsquot totally comfortable with it and start with a tiny taste on the tongue for yourself Very seriously itrsquos heat that isnrsquot to be taken lightly
26
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
3
Cucumber ldquoSalad Bushrdquo
trends feature edibles
Therersquos nothing new about lsquoSalad Bushrsquo Itrsquos one of the older varieties of cucumbers made to grow in containers Itrsquos also still one of the best
Compact and busy you can grow this one on a trellis or just hanging out the side of the pot The 8rdquo slicers are great in salads
sandwiches or on their own as a snack (which is how I often eat them at the greenhouse)
Fertilize often and donrsquot let it dry out thatrsquos how cucumbers get bitter Yoursquoll want to give it lots of sun and heat for it to yield fast and often
27
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
4
Kale lsquoPrizmrsquo
trends feature edibles
Kale has been headline news lately as a superfood This new variety has a quick 40 day maturity (even less than that if you like young kale) The leaves are elegantly dense and curled making it gorgeous enough to grow in any window box or planter alongside your annuals
The leaves are tender even when mature and so itrsquos good eaten fresh and holds up well in cooking A nutty flavour makes it ideal for salads smoothies or if you ask me chips
28
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
5
Forest Bathing isnrsquot ldquopie-in-the-skyrdquo
Scientifically proven benefits include
Reduced blood pressure
Improved mood focus and creativity
Improved sleep quality
Increased ability to focus even in children with ADHD
Boosted immune system
Accelerated recovery from illness or surgery
Find Sanctuary
trends craving wellness
From Aleppo to El Nino to Trump itrsquos been an anxious year Our addiction to technology doesnrsquot help Wersquore either watching bad news on TV or checking our phones every 6 seconds Wersquore surrounded by negative stimuli that we experience but cannot control so it makes us feel helpless We know what people whom we havenrsquot talked to in 20 years had for breakfast but we still feel alone
Nature shows us that wersquore neither helpless nor alone A simple walk through the woods or even our garden alters our perspective from helpless spectator to empowered actor The complex fragility of nature integrates us with it and gives us an immediate sense of purpose
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
7
The Science of Wellness
trends craving wellness
Instinctively we know that nature calms anxiety Taking a moment to smell a flower is a small shield against our daily barrage of stress Recent studies have turned instinct into fact by identifying a soil-borne bacterium in nature that has the same impact on the brain as Prozac
For a Canadian perspective David Suzuki launched the 30X30 Challenge in May 2013 10000 Canadians from 250 different workplaces committed to spending 30 minutes outside every day for 30 days Afterwards participants were asked how the experience affected themOverwhelmingly the participants
reported having more energy feeling more productive at work enjoying better quality of sleep and having less stress overall
The Dutch Office of flowers a worldwide trendsetter in plants and gardening put it this way
ldquoWe live in a world where the sense of imminent threat is increasingly growing The domestic environment is considered to be the eye of the storm a haven of peace and silence in the whirlwind of a complicated and chaotic world () This simplicity can be found in natural plants and is uncultured true and unadornedrdquo
After 4 days on the trail hikers demonstrated an astonishing 50 boost in creativity compared to being inside
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
8
A study consisting of hundreds of thousands of people found a strong correlation
between overall quality of health and living within 1 km of a green space
Clutter happens We live our lives see things we love buy use store stuff and shove it into the closet Life accumulates but itrsquos hard to have clarity in the midst of clutter Once in a while a purge feels darn good
In 2011 a Japanese organizing consultant published a little turquoise book that put her on course to becoming the worldrsquos authoritative voice on how to tidy up Marie Kondorsquos method of defining your possessions by the sparks of joy they give us made her Time Magazinersquos 100 Most Influential People of 2015
Kondo suggests starting with categories not rooms Yoursquoll have books in several rooms so bring them together Lay your hands (literally) on each one Which items give you a spark of joy If yes it stays to build the bookshelf that fills you with joy If no it goes
Her method is simple and a little brutal My wife discovered Kondo last year and I was hooked
De-cluttering the Garden
trends de-cluttering the garden
Marie Kondorsquos Method
Marie Kondo The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing
ldquoThe best way to choose what to keep and what to throw away is to take each item in onersquos hand and ask ldquoDoes this spark joyrdquo If it does keep it If not dispose of itrdquo
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
9
De-cluttering the Garden
trends growing food indoors
Our yards are our sanctuary They should be places of stillness that calm our minds after a long day in the hamster wheel If the amount of stuff outdoors living or non is causing anxiety itrsquos time to declutter
Letrsquos approach this as Kondo would Take a tour through your differing garden spaces or rooms and lay your hands on every plant pot gnome and rusty hoe lost in the weeds Ask yourself is this the source of a spark of joy for me If it isnrsquot it needs to go
In the garden of course ldquogordquo is more complicated than a trip to Goodwill Your
clutter is rooted into the ground and you probably donrsquot want to see it in the compost bin Find friends horticultural groups and anyone else who would take your clutter and nurture it into their own sparks of joy
The goal For every space in your yard to serve a purpose and every plant and element to spark joy Define your success by the calm joy you feel walking through the garden Donrsquot fret if yoursquove made empty spaces Those are places to invent again and plant new sparks of joy
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
10
Back to Balance
trends craving wellness
Unlike books plants grow Theyrsquore living sculptures While this opens up new worlds in design it also means that you canrsquot abandon a part of your yard and expect it to be the same when you return to it
De-cluttering is about creating simplicity If itrsquos overgrown cut it back or divide it If you donrsquot love or need it remove it
Respect your tools Pick up clean up and store them neatly in the shed Peek in the shed and roll up your sleeves
Itrsquos not about creating a sterile manicured space but bringing balance back to your outdoor space If pruning isnrsquot your idea of balance then identify the plants you love and let them grow wild If you use pesticides and herbicides stop so that naturersquos rhythms can re-establish themselves
Tidy gardens donrsquot look like Versailles Theyrsquore spaces created consciously that consume less need spraying less and are focused upon the joy you get from the plants you really love vs all the plants you accumulate
Arlene amp Glen MarchandContainer Gardens 2015 winner
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
11
Whatrsquos in your salad The immediate answer is ldquolettuce and tomatoesrdquo but whatrsquos their history The lettuce may be from California the tomatoes from Mexico How were they grown when were they picked and what were they sprayed with
The stories behind our food are getting more complex and wersquove gotten skeptical Add the lower nutrition levels and rising cost of imported food and a quiet revolution happens
In 2017 wersquoll continue our surge of interest in growing our own food Local food is increasingly the only food we trust Growing our own food is one part of the larger trend towards produce meat
baking and other foodstuffs that we want to know the story behind
At the greenhouse Irsquove watched countless new customers many of whom were new to gardening scoop up microgreens veggie seeds seed potatoes garlic and everything else in record numbers Be it for the sake of their pocket book fitness family health or simply knowing what has gone into that tomato yoursquore eating interest in home-grown continues its slow explosion
Loving Local
Michael Pollan
trends loving local
Growing Our Own
ldquoServe the kind of food you know the story behindrdquo
Salisbury Edible Garden
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
12
Local vs Organic
trends loving local
A lot of people ask me what the difference between local and organic is sometimes admitting that theyrsquove been assuming that theyrsquore the same thing Theyrsquore apples and oranges
Organic means food grown without pesticides synthetic fertilizers or genetic modifications Sound simple It gets complicated quickly While only growers who meet strict guidelines can be certified as organic non-organic producers tend to adopt the name or the implication
On top of that countries wishing to import ldquoorganicrdquo food make ldquoequivalency arrangementsrdquo with the Canadian government to define what will and what wonrsquot be called organic More on that here httpwwwinspectiongccafoodorganic-productslabelling-and-general-informationregulating-organic-productseng13280827177771328082783032
ldquoLocalrdquo means food grown close by though not necessarily organically The smaller the producer (ie Farmersrsquo Markets or your own backyard) the more you can trust the term
When deciding whatrsquos best for the plant we sometimes have to choose between the carbon footprint of importing organic food vs the chemicals used in growing locally Canadians are increasingly choosing local options and the trend toward growing our own continues to skyrocket
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
13
Want to learn more
Dig into the local food movement herehttpwwwsalisburygreenhousecomin-search-of-local
Native Plants
trends loving local
Our love of local doesnrsquot stop with edibles Native plants are flying off shelves in record numbers driven by concerns about environment ease of care and changing weather conditions
In California ravaged by drought people are planting natives because they require little supplemental watering while people with tropical water-intensive gardens are being shamed online While wersquore in a different situation water conservation is climbing to top-of-mind and natives are the way to get there
Environmentally native plants are a win-win They attract pollinators and
beneficial predators into your yard which in turn increases your ediblesrsquo yield and reduces the need to spray toxins
Lazy gardeners (myself included) are turning to natives Overwintering is a breeze they require little synthetic fertilizer and theyrsquoll host garrisons of hungry predators to keep the pests at bay
Aesthetically loving natives doesnrsquot have to mean resigning yourself to a scruffy untamed yard An increasing array of contemporary design options from prairie grass-scapes to xeriscaped rock-gardens are making landscaping with natives more appealing to mainstream gardeners
GaillardiaYarrow Native to North and South AmericaNative to mild Northern Hemisphere
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
14
We loathed mosquitoes this year A wet summer led to a million itchy picnics in Western Canada and the Zika outbreak although our mosquitoes donrsquot carry it gave us yet another reason to hate those biting buggers
How dominant this trend becomes depends largely on the weather A wet
spring and summer will lead to blood sucking misery And if we have hot and dry weather Wersquoll talk about those bugs if we have to
In 2017 if the weather ldquocooperatesrdquo expect to see war declared against our sucking friend Besides the chemical DEET here are a few weapons in your arsenal
With their ability to reproduce exponentially the best way to deal with mosquitoes is to not let them be born If yoursquore running around the yard swatting and swearing yoursquove already lost the battle
Take a long but not leisurely walk around your yard This is business yoursquore conducting a standing water audit of every nook wheelbarrow cranny forgotten wine
glass and birdbath Check the shed under the deck and peer into the deep dark corners When you find standing water drain and fix
Sprinkling larvicide on standing water you canrsquot drain (ie the nearby pond) will nip them in the bud Itrsquos a predator that activates in the water and starts chowing down on the skeeter larvae
Natural Mosquito Control
trends natural mosquito control
A Year of Bad Press
Prevention First
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
15
Predators
trends natural mosquito control
Prevention is best but we should also know how to kill them Mosquitoes are slow and tasty they have a lot of predators The trick is getting them into your yard
First letrsquos bust up some myths The internet is full of claims that Purple Martins will eat their own weight in mosquitoes daily and that bats are mosquito killing ninjas These hyped-up critters will eat them but not in numbers that will create significant relief Martinsrsquo diet is about 3 skeeters and batsrsquo diet about 1 That being said both predators (especially bats) are helpful to have around
Purple Martins are most famous but other birds will help whittle your population down Barn Swallows who build their ubiquitous nests in old barns and like to swoop at passersby can gobble up
about 60hour Robins Chickadees and Woodpeckers eat their share too
If yoursquore nurturing a feathered army you may want to keep the cat indoors or on a leash Theyrsquore the number one killer of birds in Canada I love my cats but they donrsquot wander freely
Dragonflies are one of the best natural controls you can get Gorgeous harmless to humans and deadly to mosquitoes theyrsquoll often eat over 100 per day diving in at 30 mph and gobbling them up before they know what happened
The snag with dragonflies is they need a pond or boggy area for habitat Theyrsquore highly sensitive to air pollution so seeing them in your yard usually indicates good air quality
DID YOU KNOWSome plants repel mosquitoes
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecommosquito-repelling-plants
16
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
Feature Annuals
trends feature annuals
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
17
lsquoSuperbellsrsquo Morning Star
Confetti Garden - lsquoPeppermint Candyrsquo
lsquoPrince Tutrsquo Grass
Alocasia lsquoStingrayrsquo
Petunia lsquoNightSkyrsquo
1
2
3
4
5
In the gardening world annuals are big business Theyrsquore the colour powerhouses of the yard The trendiest annuals are high fashion eye-catching specimens in containers in that stick out from all the rest
Every year hundreds of new annuals hit the market Itrsquos my job to look past the
glossy magazine ads and find out which ones have the best combination of beauty and performance in our uniquely Albertan climate
So without further ado herersquos my top 5 for 2017
High Fashion
Ralph Waldo Emerson
ldquoThe earth laughs in flowersrdquo
lsquoSuperbellsrsquo Morning Star
trends feature annuals
Yoursquove probably heard me gushing about Calibrachoa before This genus very closely related to Petunias and hailing from southern South America was largely ignored until it was hybridized into ldquoMillion Bellsrdquo ldquoSuperbellsrdquo along with dozens of other brand names and over 100 colours followed
Imagine a petunia Now imagine if that petunia had smaller flowers bloomed all
the time without deadheading wasnrsquot as fussy about watering and didnrsquot sticky leaves Thatrsquos a calibrachoa
The ldquoStarrdquo series is the latest of stunning bi-colours from Proven Winners It will bloom all season and itrsquos garden performance is off the charts
18
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
1
lsquoPrince Tutrsquo Grass
trends feature annuals
By now yoursquove probably heard of the lsquoTutrsquo series of papyrus grass for containers Itrsquos vertical reed-like lines and whorling heads bring intense architectural appeal But while the lsquoKing Tutrsquo is too large for most containers (being over 4rsquo high) and lsquoBaby Tutrsquo is more of a stuffer at less than 1rsquo high the new lsquoPrince Tutrsquo is finally in the happy middle
At 2rsquo high itrsquos an architectural centerpiece that fits the scale of most medium to large containers It loves full sun and water (itrsquos originally a Middle-Eastern swamp plant) so plant with other water lovers like Bacopa and Alocasia
19
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
2
Confetti Garden lsquoPeppermint Candyrsquo
trends feature annuals
Itrsquos Canadarsquos year and expect to see red and white everywhere as we celebrate our 150th Confetti Gardens are brilliant little combos of plants chosen for colour design and mutual growth habit that you can plunk into a larger container for a low cost professionally designed container garden lsquoPeppermint Candyrsquo combines red and white bicolour petunias red verbena
and white calibrachoa is a well-balanced celebration of Canadiana in the garden Give it lots of sun water and ample fertilizer (weekly at least) The plants should grow well together but if one of them gets out of hand pinch it back to let the others fill in
20
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
3
Alocasia lsquoStingrayrsquo
trends feature annuals
If yoursquore looking to start conversations this one is for you Also known as Elephant Earrsquos Alocasia boast big lush leaves that point upward and outward turning any container theyrsquore planted in into a dramatic tropical statement
lsquoStingrayrsquosrsquo unique feature is the whiptail end of itrsquos leaves Resembling you guessed
it a stingray it grows quickly in a sunny spot (sheltered from the afternoon sun if possible) It wants to be moist but well drained and in the fall you can cut it back to the root and keep it dry until the next spring
21
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
4
Petunia ldquoNightskyrdquo
trends feature annuals
Petunias have been around for so long that truly new colours are rare lsquoNightskyrsquo is a mottled colour pattern resembling thick stars on a velvet blue canvas Itrsquos one of the most distinctive petunias Irsquove seen in a long time
Workhorses in containers petunias quickly into mounds of broad colourful flowers Dead-head the spent blooms to keep the show going Theyrsquore best grown in containers where their roots can be warm and they hate drying out
22
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
5
Feature Edibles
trends feature edibles
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
23
Tomato lsquoChocolate Sprinklesrsquo
Thyme lsquoSpicy Orangersquo
Pepper lsquoBhut Jolokiarsquo
Cucumber lsquoSalad Bushrsquo
Kale lsquoPrizmrsquo
1
2
3
4
5
The universals of gardening namely the deep urge that makes us get our hands dirty year after year never change But the methods we use and the plants we choose change constantly
20 years ago the vegetable garden was something you kept in the backyard out of sight so the neighbours didnrsquot see Now
edibles are highlighting feature containers at the front door as a badge of honour
The rise of container-garden edibles has led to an explosion of varieties that are compact high-yielding and are all around well-behaved Here are a few of the most notable edibles both new and just plain awesome that Irsquove seen this year
The New Gardening
Unknown
ldquoGardening is cheaper than therapy and you get tomatoesrdquo
Tomato lsquoChocolate Sprinklesrsquo
trends feature edibles
This new cherry tomato variety is a hybrid with the taste of an heirloom It has bite-sized fruit heavy yield and excellent disease resistance The fruit is red and striped with dark green giving it a gorgeous heirloom look in salads or on its own
Itrsquos an indeterminate so it will keep growing as a vine as long as it can The plus side of
this is that yoursquoll get far more fruit than from a determinate type but yoursquoll also need to stake it and keep it watered
Itrsquos resistant to fusarium wilt which is a common affliction that leads to sickly wilting foliage on otherwise healthy plants Donrsquot be cheap on the fertilizer apply weekly for the best yield
24
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
1
Thyme lsquoSpicy Orangersquo
trends feature edibles
A classic Mediterranean herb thyme is famous for poultry and soups its flavour diffusing slowly as itrsquos cooked A zone 4 itrsquos hardy and you can plant it as a ground cover (although it doesnrsquot take much foot traffic)
This variety has a distinct spicy-orange fragrance thatrsquos most pronounced when you rub the bluish-green leaves Use it like
regular thyme the subtle citrus flavour will infuse during cooking and blends well with traditional thyme dishes
Itrsquos drought tolerant once established and feel free to plant it in containers in the full sun If you plant it in the ground as a perennial you can divide it in early fall once it gets big enough
25
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
2
Pepper lsquoBhut Jolokiarsquo
trends feature edibles
Irsquom a self-confessed wuss when it comes to hot peppers and have never tasted a Bhut Jolokia also called the lsquoGhostrsquo pepper As the hottest naturally occurring pepper in the world it packs a million scoville units (4X hotter than a habanero)
Yoursquoll either want to start the seed early or buy mature starter plants The hotter the better so put them in containers (where their roots will be warmer than in the ground) in the full sun Hot peppers have a
longer maturation time than sweet peppers (the seeds take 35 days just to germinate) so be generous with fertilizer and heat to speed things up
Once the fruit appears wear gloves while handling Itrsquos juice is pretty much pepper spray Donrsquot give to kids or elderly who arenrsquot totally comfortable with it and start with a tiny taste on the tongue for yourself Very seriously itrsquos heat that isnrsquot to be taken lightly
26
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
3
Cucumber ldquoSalad Bushrdquo
trends feature edibles
Therersquos nothing new about lsquoSalad Bushrsquo Itrsquos one of the older varieties of cucumbers made to grow in containers Itrsquos also still one of the best
Compact and busy you can grow this one on a trellis or just hanging out the side of the pot The 8rdquo slicers are great in salads
sandwiches or on their own as a snack (which is how I often eat them at the greenhouse)
Fertilize often and donrsquot let it dry out thatrsquos how cucumbers get bitter Yoursquoll want to give it lots of sun and heat for it to yield fast and often
27
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
4
Kale lsquoPrizmrsquo
trends feature edibles
Kale has been headline news lately as a superfood This new variety has a quick 40 day maturity (even less than that if you like young kale) The leaves are elegantly dense and curled making it gorgeous enough to grow in any window box or planter alongside your annuals
The leaves are tender even when mature and so itrsquos good eaten fresh and holds up well in cooking A nutty flavour makes it ideal for salads smoothies or if you ask me chips
28
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
5
The Science of Wellness
trends craving wellness
Instinctively we know that nature calms anxiety Taking a moment to smell a flower is a small shield against our daily barrage of stress Recent studies have turned instinct into fact by identifying a soil-borne bacterium in nature that has the same impact on the brain as Prozac
For a Canadian perspective David Suzuki launched the 30X30 Challenge in May 2013 10000 Canadians from 250 different workplaces committed to spending 30 minutes outside every day for 30 days Afterwards participants were asked how the experience affected themOverwhelmingly the participants
reported having more energy feeling more productive at work enjoying better quality of sleep and having less stress overall
The Dutch Office of flowers a worldwide trendsetter in plants and gardening put it this way
ldquoWe live in a world where the sense of imminent threat is increasingly growing The domestic environment is considered to be the eye of the storm a haven of peace and silence in the whirlwind of a complicated and chaotic world () This simplicity can be found in natural plants and is uncultured true and unadornedrdquo
After 4 days on the trail hikers demonstrated an astonishing 50 boost in creativity compared to being inside
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
8
A study consisting of hundreds of thousands of people found a strong correlation
between overall quality of health and living within 1 km of a green space
Clutter happens We live our lives see things we love buy use store stuff and shove it into the closet Life accumulates but itrsquos hard to have clarity in the midst of clutter Once in a while a purge feels darn good
In 2011 a Japanese organizing consultant published a little turquoise book that put her on course to becoming the worldrsquos authoritative voice on how to tidy up Marie Kondorsquos method of defining your possessions by the sparks of joy they give us made her Time Magazinersquos 100 Most Influential People of 2015
Kondo suggests starting with categories not rooms Yoursquoll have books in several rooms so bring them together Lay your hands (literally) on each one Which items give you a spark of joy If yes it stays to build the bookshelf that fills you with joy If no it goes
Her method is simple and a little brutal My wife discovered Kondo last year and I was hooked
De-cluttering the Garden
trends de-cluttering the garden
Marie Kondorsquos Method
Marie Kondo The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing
ldquoThe best way to choose what to keep and what to throw away is to take each item in onersquos hand and ask ldquoDoes this spark joyrdquo If it does keep it If not dispose of itrdquo
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
9
De-cluttering the Garden
trends growing food indoors
Our yards are our sanctuary They should be places of stillness that calm our minds after a long day in the hamster wheel If the amount of stuff outdoors living or non is causing anxiety itrsquos time to declutter
Letrsquos approach this as Kondo would Take a tour through your differing garden spaces or rooms and lay your hands on every plant pot gnome and rusty hoe lost in the weeds Ask yourself is this the source of a spark of joy for me If it isnrsquot it needs to go
In the garden of course ldquogordquo is more complicated than a trip to Goodwill Your
clutter is rooted into the ground and you probably donrsquot want to see it in the compost bin Find friends horticultural groups and anyone else who would take your clutter and nurture it into their own sparks of joy
The goal For every space in your yard to serve a purpose and every plant and element to spark joy Define your success by the calm joy you feel walking through the garden Donrsquot fret if yoursquove made empty spaces Those are places to invent again and plant new sparks of joy
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
10
Back to Balance
trends craving wellness
Unlike books plants grow Theyrsquore living sculptures While this opens up new worlds in design it also means that you canrsquot abandon a part of your yard and expect it to be the same when you return to it
De-cluttering is about creating simplicity If itrsquos overgrown cut it back or divide it If you donrsquot love or need it remove it
Respect your tools Pick up clean up and store them neatly in the shed Peek in the shed and roll up your sleeves
Itrsquos not about creating a sterile manicured space but bringing balance back to your outdoor space If pruning isnrsquot your idea of balance then identify the plants you love and let them grow wild If you use pesticides and herbicides stop so that naturersquos rhythms can re-establish themselves
Tidy gardens donrsquot look like Versailles Theyrsquore spaces created consciously that consume less need spraying less and are focused upon the joy you get from the plants you really love vs all the plants you accumulate
Arlene amp Glen MarchandContainer Gardens 2015 winner
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
11
Whatrsquos in your salad The immediate answer is ldquolettuce and tomatoesrdquo but whatrsquos their history The lettuce may be from California the tomatoes from Mexico How were they grown when were they picked and what were they sprayed with
The stories behind our food are getting more complex and wersquove gotten skeptical Add the lower nutrition levels and rising cost of imported food and a quiet revolution happens
In 2017 wersquoll continue our surge of interest in growing our own food Local food is increasingly the only food we trust Growing our own food is one part of the larger trend towards produce meat
baking and other foodstuffs that we want to know the story behind
At the greenhouse Irsquove watched countless new customers many of whom were new to gardening scoop up microgreens veggie seeds seed potatoes garlic and everything else in record numbers Be it for the sake of their pocket book fitness family health or simply knowing what has gone into that tomato yoursquore eating interest in home-grown continues its slow explosion
Loving Local
Michael Pollan
trends loving local
Growing Our Own
ldquoServe the kind of food you know the story behindrdquo
Salisbury Edible Garden
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
12
Local vs Organic
trends loving local
A lot of people ask me what the difference between local and organic is sometimes admitting that theyrsquove been assuming that theyrsquore the same thing Theyrsquore apples and oranges
Organic means food grown without pesticides synthetic fertilizers or genetic modifications Sound simple It gets complicated quickly While only growers who meet strict guidelines can be certified as organic non-organic producers tend to adopt the name or the implication
On top of that countries wishing to import ldquoorganicrdquo food make ldquoequivalency arrangementsrdquo with the Canadian government to define what will and what wonrsquot be called organic More on that here httpwwwinspectiongccafoodorganic-productslabelling-and-general-informationregulating-organic-productseng13280827177771328082783032
ldquoLocalrdquo means food grown close by though not necessarily organically The smaller the producer (ie Farmersrsquo Markets or your own backyard) the more you can trust the term
When deciding whatrsquos best for the plant we sometimes have to choose between the carbon footprint of importing organic food vs the chemicals used in growing locally Canadians are increasingly choosing local options and the trend toward growing our own continues to skyrocket
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
13
Want to learn more
Dig into the local food movement herehttpwwwsalisburygreenhousecomin-search-of-local
Native Plants
trends loving local
Our love of local doesnrsquot stop with edibles Native plants are flying off shelves in record numbers driven by concerns about environment ease of care and changing weather conditions
In California ravaged by drought people are planting natives because they require little supplemental watering while people with tropical water-intensive gardens are being shamed online While wersquore in a different situation water conservation is climbing to top-of-mind and natives are the way to get there
Environmentally native plants are a win-win They attract pollinators and
beneficial predators into your yard which in turn increases your ediblesrsquo yield and reduces the need to spray toxins
Lazy gardeners (myself included) are turning to natives Overwintering is a breeze they require little synthetic fertilizer and theyrsquoll host garrisons of hungry predators to keep the pests at bay
Aesthetically loving natives doesnrsquot have to mean resigning yourself to a scruffy untamed yard An increasing array of contemporary design options from prairie grass-scapes to xeriscaped rock-gardens are making landscaping with natives more appealing to mainstream gardeners
GaillardiaYarrow Native to North and South AmericaNative to mild Northern Hemisphere
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
14
We loathed mosquitoes this year A wet summer led to a million itchy picnics in Western Canada and the Zika outbreak although our mosquitoes donrsquot carry it gave us yet another reason to hate those biting buggers
How dominant this trend becomes depends largely on the weather A wet
spring and summer will lead to blood sucking misery And if we have hot and dry weather Wersquoll talk about those bugs if we have to
In 2017 if the weather ldquocooperatesrdquo expect to see war declared against our sucking friend Besides the chemical DEET here are a few weapons in your arsenal
With their ability to reproduce exponentially the best way to deal with mosquitoes is to not let them be born If yoursquore running around the yard swatting and swearing yoursquove already lost the battle
Take a long but not leisurely walk around your yard This is business yoursquore conducting a standing water audit of every nook wheelbarrow cranny forgotten wine
glass and birdbath Check the shed under the deck and peer into the deep dark corners When you find standing water drain and fix
Sprinkling larvicide on standing water you canrsquot drain (ie the nearby pond) will nip them in the bud Itrsquos a predator that activates in the water and starts chowing down on the skeeter larvae
Natural Mosquito Control
trends natural mosquito control
A Year of Bad Press
Prevention First
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
15
Predators
trends natural mosquito control
Prevention is best but we should also know how to kill them Mosquitoes are slow and tasty they have a lot of predators The trick is getting them into your yard
First letrsquos bust up some myths The internet is full of claims that Purple Martins will eat their own weight in mosquitoes daily and that bats are mosquito killing ninjas These hyped-up critters will eat them but not in numbers that will create significant relief Martinsrsquo diet is about 3 skeeters and batsrsquo diet about 1 That being said both predators (especially bats) are helpful to have around
Purple Martins are most famous but other birds will help whittle your population down Barn Swallows who build their ubiquitous nests in old barns and like to swoop at passersby can gobble up
about 60hour Robins Chickadees and Woodpeckers eat their share too
If yoursquore nurturing a feathered army you may want to keep the cat indoors or on a leash Theyrsquore the number one killer of birds in Canada I love my cats but they donrsquot wander freely
Dragonflies are one of the best natural controls you can get Gorgeous harmless to humans and deadly to mosquitoes theyrsquoll often eat over 100 per day diving in at 30 mph and gobbling them up before they know what happened
The snag with dragonflies is they need a pond or boggy area for habitat Theyrsquore highly sensitive to air pollution so seeing them in your yard usually indicates good air quality
DID YOU KNOWSome plants repel mosquitoes
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecommosquito-repelling-plants
16
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
Feature Annuals
trends feature annuals
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
17
lsquoSuperbellsrsquo Morning Star
Confetti Garden - lsquoPeppermint Candyrsquo
lsquoPrince Tutrsquo Grass
Alocasia lsquoStingrayrsquo
Petunia lsquoNightSkyrsquo
1
2
3
4
5
In the gardening world annuals are big business Theyrsquore the colour powerhouses of the yard The trendiest annuals are high fashion eye-catching specimens in containers in that stick out from all the rest
Every year hundreds of new annuals hit the market Itrsquos my job to look past the
glossy magazine ads and find out which ones have the best combination of beauty and performance in our uniquely Albertan climate
So without further ado herersquos my top 5 for 2017
High Fashion
Ralph Waldo Emerson
ldquoThe earth laughs in flowersrdquo
lsquoSuperbellsrsquo Morning Star
trends feature annuals
Yoursquove probably heard me gushing about Calibrachoa before This genus very closely related to Petunias and hailing from southern South America was largely ignored until it was hybridized into ldquoMillion Bellsrdquo ldquoSuperbellsrdquo along with dozens of other brand names and over 100 colours followed
Imagine a petunia Now imagine if that petunia had smaller flowers bloomed all
the time without deadheading wasnrsquot as fussy about watering and didnrsquot sticky leaves Thatrsquos a calibrachoa
The ldquoStarrdquo series is the latest of stunning bi-colours from Proven Winners It will bloom all season and itrsquos garden performance is off the charts
18
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
1
lsquoPrince Tutrsquo Grass
trends feature annuals
By now yoursquove probably heard of the lsquoTutrsquo series of papyrus grass for containers Itrsquos vertical reed-like lines and whorling heads bring intense architectural appeal But while the lsquoKing Tutrsquo is too large for most containers (being over 4rsquo high) and lsquoBaby Tutrsquo is more of a stuffer at less than 1rsquo high the new lsquoPrince Tutrsquo is finally in the happy middle
At 2rsquo high itrsquos an architectural centerpiece that fits the scale of most medium to large containers It loves full sun and water (itrsquos originally a Middle-Eastern swamp plant) so plant with other water lovers like Bacopa and Alocasia
19
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
2
Confetti Garden lsquoPeppermint Candyrsquo
trends feature annuals
Itrsquos Canadarsquos year and expect to see red and white everywhere as we celebrate our 150th Confetti Gardens are brilliant little combos of plants chosen for colour design and mutual growth habit that you can plunk into a larger container for a low cost professionally designed container garden lsquoPeppermint Candyrsquo combines red and white bicolour petunias red verbena
and white calibrachoa is a well-balanced celebration of Canadiana in the garden Give it lots of sun water and ample fertilizer (weekly at least) The plants should grow well together but if one of them gets out of hand pinch it back to let the others fill in
20
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
3
Alocasia lsquoStingrayrsquo
trends feature annuals
If yoursquore looking to start conversations this one is for you Also known as Elephant Earrsquos Alocasia boast big lush leaves that point upward and outward turning any container theyrsquore planted in into a dramatic tropical statement
lsquoStingrayrsquosrsquo unique feature is the whiptail end of itrsquos leaves Resembling you guessed
it a stingray it grows quickly in a sunny spot (sheltered from the afternoon sun if possible) It wants to be moist but well drained and in the fall you can cut it back to the root and keep it dry until the next spring
21
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
4
Petunia ldquoNightskyrdquo
trends feature annuals
Petunias have been around for so long that truly new colours are rare lsquoNightskyrsquo is a mottled colour pattern resembling thick stars on a velvet blue canvas Itrsquos one of the most distinctive petunias Irsquove seen in a long time
Workhorses in containers petunias quickly into mounds of broad colourful flowers Dead-head the spent blooms to keep the show going Theyrsquore best grown in containers where their roots can be warm and they hate drying out
22
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
5
Feature Edibles
trends feature edibles
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
23
Tomato lsquoChocolate Sprinklesrsquo
Thyme lsquoSpicy Orangersquo
Pepper lsquoBhut Jolokiarsquo
Cucumber lsquoSalad Bushrsquo
Kale lsquoPrizmrsquo
1
2
3
4
5
The universals of gardening namely the deep urge that makes us get our hands dirty year after year never change But the methods we use and the plants we choose change constantly
20 years ago the vegetable garden was something you kept in the backyard out of sight so the neighbours didnrsquot see Now
edibles are highlighting feature containers at the front door as a badge of honour
The rise of container-garden edibles has led to an explosion of varieties that are compact high-yielding and are all around well-behaved Here are a few of the most notable edibles both new and just plain awesome that Irsquove seen this year
The New Gardening
Unknown
ldquoGardening is cheaper than therapy and you get tomatoesrdquo
Tomato lsquoChocolate Sprinklesrsquo
trends feature edibles
This new cherry tomato variety is a hybrid with the taste of an heirloom It has bite-sized fruit heavy yield and excellent disease resistance The fruit is red and striped with dark green giving it a gorgeous heirloom look in salads or on its own
Itrsquos an indeterminate so it will keep growing as a vine as long as it can The plus side of
this is that yoursquoll get far more fruit than from a determinate type but yoursquoll also need to stake it and keep it watered
Itrsquos resistant to fusarium wilt which is a common affliction that leads to sickly wilting foliage on otherwise healthy plants Donrsquot be cheap on the fertilizer apply weekly for the best yield
24
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
1
Thyme lsquoSpicy Orangersquo
trends feature edibles
A classic Mediterranean herb thyme is famous for poultry and soups its flavour diffusing slowly as itrsquos cooked A zone 4 itrsquos hardy and you can plant it as a ground cover (although it doesnrsquot take much foot traffic)
This variety has a distinct spicy-orange fragrance thatrsquos most pronounced when you rub the bluish-green leaves Use it like
regular thyme the subtle citrus flavour will infuse during cooking and blends well with traditional thyme dishes
Itrsquos drought tolerant once established and feel free to plant it in containers in the full sun If you plant it in the ground as a perennial you can divide it in early fall once it gets big enough
25
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
2
Pepper lsquoBhut Jolokiarsquo
trends feature edibles
Irsquom a self-confessed wuss when it comes to hot peppers and have never tasted a Bhut Jolokia also called the lsquoGhostrsquo pepper As the hottest naturally occurring pepper in the world it packs a million scoville units (4X hotter than a habanero)
Yoursquoll either want to start the seed early or buy mature starter plants The hotter the better so put them in containers (where their roots will be warmer than in the ground) in the full sun Hot peppers have a
longer maturation time than sweet peppers (the seeds take 35 days just to germinate) so be generous with fertilizer and heat to speed things up
Once the fruit appears wear gloves while handling Itrsquos juice is pretty much pepper spray Donrsquot give to kids or elderly who arenrsquot totally comfortable with it and start with a tiny taste on the tongue for yourself Very seriously itrsquos heat that isnrsquot to be taken lightly
26
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
3
Cucumber ldquoSalad Bushrdquo
trends feature edibles
Therersquos nothing new about lsquoSalad Bushrsquo Itrsquos one of the older varieties of cucumbers made to grow in containers Itrsquos also still one of the best
Compact and busy you can grow this one on a trellis or just hanging out the side of the pot The 8rdquo slicers are great in salads
sandwiches or on their own as a snack (which is how I often eat them at the greenhouse)
Fertilize often and donrsquot let it dry out thatrsquos how cucumbers get bitter Yoursquoll want to give it lots of sun and heat for it to yield fast and often
27
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
4
Kale lsquoPrizmrsquo
trends feature edibles
Kale has been headline news lately as a superfood This new variety has a quick 40 day maturity (even less than that if you like young kale) The leaves are elegantly dense and curled making it gorgeous enough to grow in any window box or planter alongside your annuals
The leaves are tender even when mature and so itrsquos good eaten fresh and holds up well in cooking A nutty flavour makes it ideal for salads smoothies or if you ask me chips
28
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
5
Clutter happens We live our lives see things we love buy use store stuff and shove it into the closet Life accumulates but itrsquos hard to have clarity in the midst of clutter Once in a while a purge feels darn good
In 2011 a Japanese organizing consultant published a little turquoise book that put her on course to becoming the worldrsquos authoritative voice on how to tidy up Marie Kondorsquos method of defining your possessions by the sparks of joy they give us made her Time Magazinersquos 100 Most Influential People of 2015
Kondo suggests starting with categories not rooms Yoursquoll have books in several rooms so bring them together Lay your hands (literally) on each one Which items give you a spark of joy If yes it stays to build the bookshelf that fills you with joy If no it goes
Her method is simple and a little brutal My wife discovered Kondo last year and I was hooked
De-cluttering the Garden
trends de-cluttering the garden
Marie Kondorsquos Method
Marie Kondo The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing
ldquoThe best way to choose what to keep and what to throw away is to take each item in onersquos hand and ask ldquoDoes this spark joyrdquo If it does keep it If not dispose of itrdquo
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
9
De-cluttering the Garden
trends growing food indoors
Our yards are our sanctuary They should be places of stillness that calm our minds after a long day in the hamster wheel If the amount of stuff outdoors living or non is causing anxiety itrsquos time to declutter
Letrsquos approach this as Kondo would Take a tour through your differing garden spaces or rooms and lay your hands on every plant pot gnome and rusty hoe lost in the weeds Ask yourself is this the source of a spark of joy for me If it isnrsquot it needs to go
In the garden of course ldquogordquo is more complicated than a trip to Goodwill Your
clutter is rooted into the ground and you probably donrsquot want to see it in the compost bin Find friends horticultural groups and anyone else who would take your clutter and nurture it into their own sparks of joy
The goal For every space in your yard to serve a purpose and every plant and element to spark joy Define your success by the calm joy you feel walking through the garden Donrsquot fret if yoursquove made empty spaces Those are places to invent again and plant new sparks of joy
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
10
Back to Balance
trends craving wellness
Unlike books plants grow Theyrsquore living sculptures While this opens up new worlds in design it also means that you canrsquot abandon a part of your yard and expect it to be the same when you return to it
De-cluttering is about creating simplicity If itrsquos overgrown cut it back or divide it If you donrsquot love or need it remove it
Respect your tools Pick up clean up and store them neatly in the shed Peek in the shed and roll up your sleeves
Itrsquos not about creating a sterile manicured space but bringing balance back to your outdoor space If pruning isnrsquot your idea of balance then identify the plants you love and let them grow wild If you use pesticides and herbicides stop so that naturersquos rhythms can re-establish themselves
Tidy gardens donrsquot look like Versailles Theyrsquore spaces created consciously that consume less need spraying less and are focused upon the joy you get from the plants you really love vs all the plants you accumulate
Arlene amp Glen MarchandContainer Gardens 2015 winner
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
11
Whatrsquos in your salad The immediate answer is ldquolettuce and tomatoesrdquo but whatrsquos their history The lettuce may be from California the tomatoes from Mexico How were they grown when were they picked and what were they sprayed with
The stories behind our food are getting more complex and wersquove gotten skeptical Add the lower nutrition levels and rising cost of imported food and a quiet revolution happens
In 2017 wersquoll continue our surge of interest in growing our own food Local food is increasingly the only food we trust Growing our own food is one part of the larger trend towards produce meat
baking and other foodstuffs that we want to know the story behind
At the greenhouse Irsquove watched countless new customers many of whom were new to gardening scoop up microgreens veggie seeds seed potatoes garlic and everything else in record numbers Be it for the sake of their pocket book fitness family health or simply knowing what has gone into that tomato yoursquore eating interest in home-grown continues its slow explosion
Loving Local
Michael Pollan
trends loving local
Growing Our Own
ldquoServe the kind of food you know the story behindrdquo
Salisbury Edible Garden
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
12
Local vs Organic
trends loving local
A lot of people ask me what the difference between local and organic is sometimes admitting that theyrsquove been assuming that theyrsquore the same thing Theyrsquore apples and oranges
Organic means food grown without pesticides synthetic fertilizers or genetic modifications Sound simple It gets complicated quickly While only growers who meet strict guidelines can be certified as organic non-organic producers tend to adopt the name or the implication
On top of that countries wishing to import ldquoorganicrdquo food make ldquoequivalency arrangementsrdquo with the Canadian government to define what will and what wonrsquot be called organic More on that here httpwwwinspectiongccafoodorganic-productslabelling-and-general-informationregulating-organic-productseng13280827177771328082783032
ldquoLocalrdquo means food grown close by though not necessarily organically The smaller the producer (ie Farmersrsquo Markets or your own backyard) the more you can trust the term
When deciding whatrsquos best for the plant we sometimes have to choose between the carbon footprint of importing organic food vs the chemicals used in growing locally Canadians are increasingly choosing local options and the trend toward growing our own continues to skyrocket
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
13
Want to learn more
Dig into the local food movement herehttpwwwsalisburygreenhousecomin-search-of-local
Native Plants
trends loving local
Our love of local doesnrsquot stop with edibles Native plants are flying off shelves in record numbers driven by concerns about environment ease of care and changing weather conditions
In California ravaged by drought people are planting natives because they require little supplemental watering while people with tropical water-intensive gardens are being shamed online While wersquore in a different situation water conservation is climbing to top-of-mind and natives are the way to get there
Environmentally native plants are a win-win They attract pollinators and
beneficial predators into your yard which in turn increases your ediblesrsquo yield and reduces the need to spray toxins
Lazy gardeners (myself included) are turning to natives Overwintering is a breeze they require little synthetic fertilizer and theyrsquoll host garrisons of hungry predators to keep the pests at bay
Aesthetically loving natives doesnrsquot have to mean resigning yourself to a scruffy untamed yard An increasing array of contemporary design options from prairie grass-scapes to xeriscaped rock-gardens are making landscaping with natives more appealing to mainstream gardeners
GaillardiaYarrow Native to North and South AmericaNative to mild Northern Hemisphere
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
14
We loathed mosquitoes this year A wet summer led to a million itchy picnics in Western Canada and the Zika outbreak although our mosquitoes donrsquot carry it gave us yet another reason to hate those biting buggers
How dominant this trend becomes depends largely on the weather A wet
spring and summer will lead to blood sucking misery And if we have hot and dry weather Wersquoll talk about those bugs if we have to
In 2017 if the weather ldquocooperatesrdquo expect to see war declared against our sucking friend Besides the chemical DEET here are a few weapons in your arsenal
With their ability to reproduce exponentially the best way to deal with mosquitoes is to not let them be born If yoursquore running around the yard swatting and swearing yoursquove already lost the battle
Take a long but not leisurely walk around your yard This is business yoursquore conducting a standing water audit of every nook wheelbarrow cranny forgotten wine
glass and birdbath Check the shed under the deck and peer into the deep dark corners When you find standing water drain and fix
Sprinkling larvicide on standing water you canrsquot drain (ie the nearby pond) will nip them in the bud Itrsquos a predator that activates in the water and starts chowing down on the skeeter larvae
Natural Mosquito Control
trends natural mosquito control
A Year of Bad Press
Prevention First
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
15
Predators
trends natural mosquito control
Prevention is best but we should also know how to kill them Mosquitoes are slow and tasty they have a lot of predators The trick is getting them into your yard
First letrsquos bust up some myths The internet is full of claims that Purple Martins will eat their own weight in mosquitoes daily and that bats are mosquito killing ninjas These hyped-up critters will eat them but not in numbers that will create significant relief Martinsrsquo diet is about 3 skeeters and batsrsquo diet about 1 That being said both predators (especially bats) are helpful to have around
Purple Martins are most famous but other birds will help whittle your population down Barn Swallows who build their ubiquitous nests in old barns and like to swoop at passersby can gobble up
about 60hour Robins Chickadees and Woodpeckers eat their share too
If yoursquore nurturing a feathered army you may want to keep the cat indoors or on a leash Theyrsquore the number one killer of birds in Canada I love my cats but they donrsquot wander freely
Dragonflies are one of the best natural controls you can get Gorgeous harmless to humans and deadly to mosquitoes theyrsquoll often eat over 100 per day diving in at 30 mph and gobbling them up before they know what happened
The snag with dragonflies is they need a pond or boggy area for habitat Theyrsquore highly sensitive to air pollution so seeing them in your yard usually indicates good air quality
DID YOU KNOWSome plants repel mosquitoes
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecommosquito-repelling-plants
16
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
Feature Annuals
trends feature annuals
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
17
lsquoSuperbellsrsquo Morning Star
Confetti Garden - lsquoPeppermint Candyrsquo
lsquoPrince Tutrsquo Grass
Alocasia lsquoStingrayrsquo
Petunia lsquoNightSkyrsquo
1
2
3
4
5
In the gardening world annuals are big business Theyrsquore the colour powerhouses of the yard The trendiest annuals are high fashion eye-catching specimens in containers in that stick out from all the rest
Every year hundreds of new annuals hit the market Itrsquos my job to look past the
glossy magazine ads and find out which ones have the best combination of beauty and performance in our uniquely Albertan climate
So without further ado herersquos my top 5 for 2017
High Fashion
Ralph Waldo Emerson
ldquoThe earth laughs in flowersrdquo
lsquoSuperbellsrsquo Morning Star
trends feature annuals
Yoursquove probably heard me gushing about Calibrachoa before This genus very closely related to Petunias and hailing from southern South America was largely ignored until it was hybridized into ldquoMillion Bellsrdquo ldquoSuperbellsrdquo along with dozens of other brand names and over 100 colours followed
Imagine a petunia Now imagine if that petunia had smaller flowers bloomed all
the time without deadheading wasnrsquot as fussy about watering and didnrsquot sticky leaves Thatrsquos a calibrachoa
The ldquoStarrdquo series is the latest of stunning bi-colours from Proven Winners It will bloom all season and itrsquos garden performance is off the charts
18
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
1
lsquoPrince Tutrsquo Grass
trends feature annuals
By now yoursquove probably heard of the lsquoTutrsquo series of papyrus grass for containers Itrsquos vertical reed-like lines and whorling heads bring intense architectural appeal But while the lsquoKing Tutrsquo is too large for most containers (being over 4rsquo high) and lsquoBaby Tutrsquo is more of a stuffer at less than 1rsquo high the new lsquoPrince Tutrsquo is finally in the happy middle
At 2rsquo high itrsquos an architectural centerpiece that fits the scale of most medium to large containers It loves full sun and water (itrsquos originally a Middle-Eastern swamp plant) so plant with other water lovers like Bacopa and Alocasia
19
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
2
Confetti Garden lsquoPeppermint Candyrsquo
trends feature annuals
Itrsquos Canadarsquos year and expect to see red and white everywhere as we celebrate our 150th Confetti Gardens are brilliant little combos of plants chosen for colour design and mutual growth habit that you can plunk into a larger container for a low cost professionally designed container garden lsquoPeppermint Candyrsquo combines red and white bicolour petunias red verbena
and white calibrachoa is a well-balanced celebration of Canadiana in the garden Give it lots of sun water and ample fertilizer (weekly at least) The plants should grow well together but if one of them gets out of hand pinch it back to let the others fill in
20
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
3
Alocasia lsquoStingrayrsquo
trends feature annuals
If yoursquore looking to start conversations this one is for you Also known as Elephant Earrsquos Alocasia boast big lush leaves that point upward and outward turning any container theyrsquore planted in into a dramatic tropical statement
lsquoStingrayrsquosrsquo unique feature is the whiptail end of itrsquos leaves Resembling you guessed
it a stingray it grows quickly in a sunny spot (sheltered from the afternoon sun if possible) It wants to be moist but well drained and in the fall you can cut it back to the root and keep it dry until the next spring
21
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
4
Petunia ldquoNightskyrdquo
trends feature annuals
Petunias have been around for so long that truly new colours are rare lsquoNightskyrsquo is a mottled colour pattern resembling thick stars on a velvet blue canvas Itrsquos one of the most distinctive petunias Irsquove seen in a long time
Workhorses in containers petunias quickly into mounds of broad colourful flowers Dead-head the spent blooms to keep the show going Theyrsquore best grown in containers where their roots can be warm and they hate drying out
22
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
5
Feature Edibles
trends feature edibles
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
23
Tomato lsquoChocolate Sprinklesrsquo
Thyme lsquoSpicy Orangersquo
Pepper lsquoBhut Jolokiarsquo
Cucumber lsquoSalad Bushrsquo
Kale lsquoPrizmrsquo
1
2
3
4
5
The universals of gardening namely the deep urge that makes us get our hands dirty year after year never change But the methods we use and the plants we choose change constantly
20 years ago the vegetable garden was something you kept in the backyard out of sight so the neighbours didnrsquot see Now
edibles are highlighting feature containers at the front door as a badge of honour
The rise of container-garden edibles has led to an explosion of varieties that are compact high-yielding and are all around well-behaved Here are a few of the most notable edibles both new and just plain awesome that Irsquove seen this year
The New Gardening
Unknown
ldquoGardening is cheaper than therapy and you get tomatoesrdquo
Tomato lsquoChocolate Sprinklesrsquo
trends feature edibles
This new cherry tomato variety is a hybrid with the taste of an heirloom It has bite-sized fruit heavy yield and excellent disease resistance The fruit is red and striped with dark green giving it a gorgeous heirloom look in salads or on its own
Itrsquos an indeterminate so it will keep growing as a vine as long as it can The plus side of
this is that yoursquoll get far more fruit than from a determinate type but yoursquoll also need to stake it and keep it watered
Itrsquos resistant to fusarium wilt which is a common affliction that leads to sickly wilting foliage on otherwise healthy plants Donrsquot be cheap on the fertilizer apply weekly for the best yield
24
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
1
Thyme lsquoSpicy Orangersquo
trends feature edibles
A classic Mediterranean herb thyme is famous for poultry and soups its flavour diffusing slowly as itrsquos cooked A zone 4 itrsquos hardy and you can plant it as a ground cover (although it doesnrsquot take much foot traffic)
This variety has a distinct spicy-orange fragrance thatrsquos most pronounced when you rub the bluish-green leaves Use it like
regular thyme the subtle citrus flavour will infuse during cooking and blends well with traditional thyme dishes
Itrsquos drought tolerant once established and feel free to plant it in containers in the full sun If you plant it in the ground as a perennial you can divide it in early fall once it gets big enough
25
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
2
Pepper lsquoBhut Jolokiarsquo
trends feature edibles
Irsquom a self-confessed wuss when it comes to hot peppers and have never tasted a Bhut Jolokia also called the lsquoGhostrsquo pepper As the hottest naturally occurring pepper in the world it packs a million scoville units (4X hotter than a habanero)
Yoursquoll either want to start the seed early or buy mature starter plants The hotter the better so put them in containers (where their roots will be warmer than in the ground) in the full sun Hot peppers have a
longer maturation time than sweet peppers (the seeds take 35 days just to germinate) so be generous with fertilizer and heat to speed things up
Once the fruit appears wear gloves while handling Itrsquos juice is pretty much pepper spray Donrsquot give to kids or elderly who arenrsquot totally comfortable with it and start with a tiny taste on the tongue for yourself Very seriously itrsquos heat that isnrsquot to be taken lightly
26
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
3
Cucumber ldquoSalad Bushrdquo
trends feature edibles
Therersquos nothing new about lsquoSalad Bushrsquo Itrsquos one of the older varieties of cucumbers made to grow in containers Itrsquos also still one of the best
Compact and busy you can grow this one on a trellis or just hanging out the side of the pot The 8rdquo slicers are great in salads
sandwiches or on their own as a snack (which is how I often eat them at the greenhouse)
Fertilize often and donrsquot let it dry out thatrsquos how cucumbers get bitter Yoursquoll want to give it lots of sun and heat for it to yield fast and often
27
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
4
Kale lsquoPrizmrsquo
trends feature edibles
Kale has been headline news lately as a superfood This new variety has a quick 40 day maturity (even less than that if you like young kale) The leaves are elegantly dense and curled making it gorgeous enough to grow in any window box or planter alongside your annuals
The leaves are tender even when mature and so itrsquos good eaten fresh and holds up well in cooking A nutty flavour makes it ideal for salads smoothies or if you ask me chips
28
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
5
De-cluttering the Garden
trends growing food indoors
Our yards are our sanctuary They should be places of stillness that calm our minds after a long day in the hamster wheel If the amount of stuff outdoors living or non is causing anxiety itrsquos time to declutter
Letrsquos approach this as Kondo would Take a tour through your differing garden spaces or rooms and lay your hands on every plant pot gnome and rusty hoe lost in the weeds Ask yourself is this the source of a spark of joy for me If it isnrsquot it needs to go
In the garden of course ldquogordquo is more complicated than a trip to Goodwill Your
clutter is rooted into the ground and you probably donrsquot want to see it in the compost bin Find friends horticultural groups and anyone else who would take your clutter and nurture it into their own sparks of joy
The goal For every space in your yard to serve a purpose and every plant and element to spark joy Define your success by the calm joy you feel walking through the garden Donrsquot fret if yoursquove made empty spaces Those are places to invent again and plant new sparks of joy
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
10
Back to Balance
trends craving wellness
Unlike books plants grow Theyrsquore living sculptures While this opens up new worlds in design it also means that you canrsquot abandon a part of your yard and expect it to be the same when you return to it
De-cluttering is about creating simplicity If itrsquos overgrown cut it back or divide it If you donrsquot love or need it remove it
Respect your tools Pick up clean up and store them neatly in the shed Peek in the shed and roll up your sleeves
Itrsquos not about creating a sterile manicured space but bringing balance back to your outdoor space If pruning isnrsquot your idea of balance then identify the plants you love and let them grow wild If you use pesticides and herbicides stop so that naturersquos rhythms can re-establish themselves
Tidy gardens donrsquot look like Versailles Theyrsquore spaces created consciously that consume less need spraying less and are focused upon the joy you get from the plants you really love vs all the plants you accumulate
Arlene amp Glen MarchandContainer Gardens 2015 winner
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
11
Whatrsquos in your salad The immediate answer is ldquolettuce and tomatoesrdquo but whatrsquos their history The lettuce may be from California the tomatoes from Mexico How were they grown when were they picked and what were they sprayed with
The stories behind our food are getting more complex and wersquove gotten skeptical Add the lower nutrition levels and rising cost of imported food and a quiet revolution happens
In 2017 wersquoll continue our surge of interest in growing our own food Local food is increasingly the only food we trust Growing our own food is one part of the larger trend towards produce meat
baking and other foodstuffs that we want to know the story behind
At the greenhouse Irsquove watched countless new customers many of whom were new to gardening scoop up microgreens veggie seeds seed potatoes garlic and everything else in record numbers Be it for the sake of their pocket book fitness family health or simply knowing what has gone into that tomato yoursquore eating interest in home-grown continues its slow explosion
Loving Local
Michael Pollan
trends loving local
Growing Our Own
ldquoServe the kind of food you know the story behindrdquo
Salisbury Edible Garden
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
12
Local vs Organic
trends loving local
A lot of people ask me what the difference between local and organic is sometimes admitting that theyrsquove been assuming that theyrsquore the same thing Theyrsquore apples and oranges
Organic means food grown without pesticides synthetic fertilizers or genetic modifications Sound simple It gets complicated quickly While only growers who meet strict guidelines can be certified as organic non-organic producers tend to adopt the name or the implication
On top of that countries wishing to import ldquoorganicrdquo food make ldquoequivalency arrangementsrdquo with the Canadian government to define what will and what wonrsquot be called organic More on that here httpwwwinspectiongccafoodorganic-productslabelling-and-general-informationregulating-organic-productseng13280827177771328082783032
ldquoLocalrdquo means food grown close by though not necessarily organically The smaller the producer (ie Farmersrsquo Markets or your own backyard) the more you can trust the term
When deciding whatrsquos best for the plant we sometimes have to choose between the carbon footprint of importing organic food vs the chemicals used in growing locally Canadians are increasingly choosing local options and the trend toward growing our own continues to skyrocket
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
13
Want to learn more
Dig into the local food movement herehttpwwwsalisburygreenhousecomin-search-of-local
Native Plants
trends loving local
Our love of local doesnrsquot stop with edibles Native plants are flying off shelves in record numbers driven by concerns about environment ease of care and changing weather conditions
In California ravaged by drought people are planting natives because they require little supplemental watering while people with tropical water-intensive gardens are being shamed online While wersquore in a different situation water conservation is climbing to top-of-mind and natives are the way to get there
Environmentally native plants are a win-win They attract pollinators and
beneficial predators into your yard which in turn increases your ediblesrsquo yield and reduces the need to spray toxins
Lazy gardeners (myself included) are turning to natives Overwintering is a breeze they require little synthetic fertilizer and theyrsquoll host garrisons of hungry predators to keep the pests at bay
Aesthetically loving natives doesnrsquot have to mean resigning yourself to a scruffy untamed yard An increasing array of contemporary design options from prairie grass-scapes to xeriscaped rock-gardens are making landscaping with natives more appealing to mainstream gardeners
GaillardiaYarrow Native to North and South AmericaNative to mild Northern Hemisphere
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
14
We loathed mosquitoes this year A wet summer led to a million itchy picnics in Western Canada and the Zika outbreak although our mosquitoes donrsquot carry it gave us yet another reason to hate those biting buggers
How dominant this trend becomes depends largely on the weather A wet
spring and summer will lead to blood sucking misery And if we have hot and dry weather Wersquoll talk about those bugs if we have to
In 2017 if the weather ldquocooperatesrdquo expect to see war declared against our sucking friend Besides the chemical DEET here are a few weapons in your arsenal
With their ability to reproduce exponentially the best way to deal with mosquitoes is to not let them be born If yoursquore running around the yard swatting and swearing yoursquove already lost the battle
Take a long but not leisurely walk around your yard This is business yoursquore conducting a standing water audit of every nook wheelbarrow cranny forgotten wine
glass and birdbath Check the shed under the deck and peer into the deep dark corners When you find standing water drain and fix
Sprinkling larvicide on standing water you canrsquot drain (ie the nearby pond) will nip them in the bud Itrsquos a predator that activates in the water and starts chowing down on the skeeter larvae
Natural Mosquito Control
trends natural mosquito control
A Year of Bad Press
Prevention First
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
15
Predators
trends natural mosquito control
Prevention is best but we should also know how to kill them Mosquitoes are slow and tasty they have a lot of predators The trick is getting them into your yard
First letrsquos bust up some myths The internet is full of claims that Purple Martins will eat their own weight in mosquitoes daily and that bats are mosquito killing ninjas These hyped-up critters will eat them but not in numbers that will create significant relief Martinsrsquo diet is about 3 skeeters and batsrsquo diet about 1 That being said both predators (especially bats) are helpful to have around
Purple Martins are most famous but other birds will help whittle your population down Barn Swallows who build their ubiquitous nests in old barns and like to swoop at passersby can gobble up
about 60hour Robins Chickadees and Woodpeckers eat their share too
If yoursquore nurturing a feathered army you may want to keep the cat indoors or on a leash Theyrsquore the number one killer of birds in Canada I love my cats but they donrsquot wander freely
Dragonflies are one of the best natural controls you can get Gorgeous harmless to humans and deadly to mosquitoes theyrsquoll often eat over 100 per day diving in at 30 mph and gobbling them up before they know what happened
The snag with dragonflies is they need a pond or boggy area for habitat Theyrsquore highly sensitive to air pollution so seeing them in your yard usually indicates good air quality
DID YOU KNOWSome plants repel mosquitoes
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecommosquito-repelling-plants
16
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
Feature Annuals
trends feature annuals
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
17
lsquoSuperbellsrsquo Morning Star
Confetti Garden - lsquoPeppermint Candyrsquo
lsquoPrince Tutrsquo Grass
Alocasia lsquoStingrayrsquo
Petunia lsquoNightSkyrsquo
1
2
3
4
5
In the gardening world annuals are big business Theyrsquore the colour powerhouses of the yard The trendiest annuals are high fashion eye-catching specimens in containers in that stick out from all the rest
Every year hundreds of new annuals hit the market Itrsquos my job to look past the
glossy magazine ads and find out which ones have the best combination of beauty and performance in our uniquely Albertan climate
So without further ado herersquos my top 5 for 2017
High Fashion
Ralph Waldo Emerson
ldquoThe earth laughs in flowersrdquo
lsquoSuperbellsrsquo Morning Star
trends feature annuals
Yoursquove probably heard me gushing about Calibrachoa before This genus very closely related to Petunias and hailing from southern South America was largely ignored until it was hybridized into ldquoMillion Bellsrdquo ldquoSuperbellsrdquo along with dozens of other brand names and over 100 colours followed
Imagine a petunia Now imagine if that petunia had smaller flowers bloomed all
the time without deadheading wasnrsquot as fussy about watering and didnrsquot sticky leaves Thatrsquos a calibrachoa
The ldquoStarrdquo series is the latest of stunning bi-colours from Proven Winners It will bloom all season and itrsquos garden performance is off the charts
18
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
1
lsquoPrince Tutrsquo Grass
trends feature annuals
By now yoursquove probably heard of the lsquoTutrsquo series of papyrus grass for containers Itrsquos vertical reed-like lines and whorling heads bring intense architectural appeal But while the lsquoKing Tutrsquo is too large for most containers (being over 4rsquo high) and lsquoBaby Tutrsquo is more of a stuffer at less than 1rsquo high the new lsquoPrince Tutrsquo is finally in the happy middle
At 2rsquo high itrsquos an architectural centerpiece that fits the scale of most medium to large containers It loves full sun and water (itrsquos originally a Middle-Eastern swamp plant) so plant with other water lovers like Bacopa and Alocasia
19
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
2
Confetti Garden lsquoPeppermint Candyrsquo
trends feature annuals
Itrsquos Canadarsquos year and expect to see red and white everywhere as we celebrate our 150th Confetti Gardens are brilliant little combos of plants chosen for colour design and mutual growth habit that you can plunk into a larger container for a low cost professionally designed container garden lsquoPeppermint Candyrsquo combines red and white bicolour petunias red verbena
and white calibrachoa is a well-balanced celebration of Canadiana in the garden Give it lots of sun water and ample fertilizer (weekly at least) The plants should grow well together but if one of them gets out of hand pinch it back to let the others fill in
20
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
3
Alocasia lsquoStingrayrsquo
trends feature annuals
If yoursquore looking to start conversations this one is for you Also known as Elephant Earrsquos Alocasia boast big lush leaves that point upward and outward turning any container theyrsquore planted in into a dramatic tropical statement
lsquoStingrayrsquosrsquo unique feature is the whiptail end of itrsquos leaves Resembling you guessed
it a stingray it grows quickly in a sunny spot (sheltered from the afternoon sun if possible) It wants to be moist but well drained and in the fall you can cut it back to the root and keep it dry until the next spring
21
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
4
Petunia ldquoNightskyrdquo
trends feature annuals
Petunias have been around for so long that truly new colours are rare lsquoNightskyrsquo is a mottled colour pattern resembling thick stars on a velvet blue canvas Itrsquos one of the most distinctive petunias Irsquove seen in a long time
Workhorses in containers petunias quickly into mounds of broad colourful flowers Dead-head the spent blooms to keep the show going Theyrsquore best grown in containers where their roots can be warm and they hate drying out
22
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
5
Feature Edibles
trends feature edibles
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
23
Tomato lsquoChocolate Sprinklesrsquo
Thyme lsquoSpicy Orangersquo
Pepper lsquoBhut Jolokiarsquo
Cucumber lsquoSalad Bushrsquo
Kale lsquoPrizmrsquo
1
2
3
4
5
The universals of gardening namely the deep urge that makes us get our hands dirty year after year never change But the methods we use and the plants we choose change constantly
20 years ago the vegetable garden was something you kept in the backyard out of sight so the neighbours didnrsquot see Now
edibles are highlighting feature containers at the front door as a badge of honour
The rise of container-garden edibles has led to an explosion of varieties that are compact high-yielding and are all around well-behaved Here are a few of the most notable edibles both new and just plain awesome that Irsquove seen this year
The New Gardening
Unknown
ldquoGardening is cheaper than therapy and you get tomatoesrdquo
Tomato lsquoChocolate Sprinklesrsquo
trends feature edibles
This new cherry tomato variety is a hybrid with the taste of an heirloom It has bite-sized fruit heavy yield and excellent disease resistance The fruit is red and striped with dark green giving it a gorgeous heirloom look in salads or on its own
Itrsquos an indeterminate so it will keep growing as a vine as long as it can The plus side of
this is that yoursquoll get far more fruit than from a determinate type but yoursquoll also need to stake it and keep it watered
Itrsquos resistant to fusarium wilt which is a common affliction that leads to sickly wilting foliage on otherwise healthy plants Donrsquot be cheap on the fertilizer apply weekly for the best yield
24
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
1
Thyme lsquoSpicy Orangersquo
trends feature edibles
A classic Mediterranean herb thyme is famous for poultry and soups its flavour diffusing slowly as itrsquos cooked A zone 4 itrsquos hardy and you can plant it as a ground cover (although it doesnrsquot take much foot traffic)
This variety has a distinct spicy-orange fragrance thatrsquos most pronounced when you rub the bluish-green leaves Use it like
regular thyme the subtle citrus flavour will infuse during cooking and blends well with traditional thyme dishes
Itrsquos drought tolerant once established and feel free to plant it in containers in the full sun If you plant it in the ground as a perennial you can divide it in early fall once it gets big enough
25
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
2
Pepper lsquoBhut Jolokiarsquo
trends feature edibles
Irsquom a self-confessed wuss when it comes to hot peppers and have never tasted a Bhut Jolokia also called the lsquoGhostrsquo pepper As the hottest naturally occurring pepper in the world it packs a million scoville units (4X hotter than a habanero)
Yoursquoll either want to start the seed early or buy mature starter plants The hotter the better so put them in containers (where their roots will be warmer than in the ground) in the full sun Hot peppers have a
longer maturation time than sweet peppers (the seeds take 35 days just to germinate) so be generous with fertilizer and heat to speed things up
Once the fruit appears wear gloves while handling Itrsquos juice is pretty much pepper spray Donrsquot give to kids or elderly who arenrsquot totally comfortable with it and start with a tiny taste on the tongue for yourself Very seriously itrsquos heat that isnrsquot to be taken lightly
26
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
3
Cucumber ldquoSalad Bushrdquo
trends feature edibles
Therersquos nothing new about lsquoSalad Bushrsquo Itrsquos one of the older varieties of cucumbers made to grow in containers Itrsquos also still one of the best
Compact and busy you can grow this one on a trellis or just hanging out the side of the pot The 8rdquo slicers are great in salads
sandwiches or on their own as a snack (which is how I often eat them at the greenhouse)
Fertilize often and donrsquot let it dry out thatrsquos how cucumbers get bitter Yoursquoll want to give it lots of sun and heat for it to yield fast and often
27
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
4
Kale lsquoPrizmrsquo
trends feature edibles
Kale has been headline news lately as a superfood This new variety has a quick 40 day maturity (even less than that if you like young kale) The leaves are elegantly dense and curled making it gorgeous enough to grow in any window box or planter alongside your annuals
The leaves are tender even when mature and so itrsquos good eaten fresh and holds up well in cooking A nutty flavour makes it ideal for salads smoothies or if you ask me chips
28
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
5
Back to Balance
trends craving wellness
Unlike books plants grow Theyrsquore living sculptures While this opens up new worlds in design it also means that you canrsquot abandon a part of your yard and expect it to be the same when you return to it
De-cluttering is about creating simplicity If itrsquos overgrown cut it back or divide it If you donrsquot love or need it remove it
Respect your tools Pick up clean up and store them neatly in the shed Peek in the shed and roll up your sleeves
Itrsquos not about creating a sterile manicured space but bringing balance back to your outdoor space If pruning isnrsquot your idea of balance then identify the plants you love and let them grow wild If you use pesticides and herbicides stop so that naturersquos rhythms can re-establish themselves
Tidy gardens donrsquot look like Versailles Theyrsquore spaces created consciously that consume less need spraying less and are focused upon the joy you get from the plants you really love vs all the plants you accumulate
Arlene amp Glen MarchandContainer Gardens 2015 winner
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
11
Whatrsquos in your salad The immediate answer is ldquolettuce and tomatoesrdquo but whatrsquos their history The lettuce may be from California the tomatoes from Mexico How were they grown when were they picked and what were they sprayed with
The stories behind our food are getting more complex and wersquove gotten skeptical Add the lower nutrition levels and rising cost of imported food and a quiet revolution happens
In 2017 wersquoll continue our surge of interest in growing our own food Local food is increasingly the only food we trust Growing our own food is one part of the larger trend towards produce meat
baking and other foodstuffs that we want to know the story behind
At the greenhouse Irsquove watched countless new customers many of whom were new to gardening scoop up microgreens veggie seeds seed potatoes garlic and everything else in record numbers Be it for the sake of their pocket book fitness family health or simply knowing what has gone into that tomato yoursquore eating interest in home-grown continues its slow explosion
Loving Local
Michael Pollan
trends loving local
Growing Our Own
ldquoServe the kind of food you know the story behindrdquo
Salisbury Edible Garden
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
12
Local vs Organic
trends loving local
A lot of people ask me what the difference between local and organic is sometimes admitting that theyrsquove been assuming that theyrsquore the same thing Theyrsquore apples and oranges
Organic means food grown without pesticides synthetic fertilizers or genetic modifications Sound simple It gets complicated quickly While only growers who meet strict guidelines can be certified as organic non-organic producers tend to adopt the name or the implication
On top of that countries wishing to import ldquoorganicrdquo food make ldquoequivalency arrangementsrdquo with the Canadian government to define what will and what wonrsquot be called organic More on that here httpwwwinspectiongccafoodorganic-productslabelling-and-general-informationregulating-organic-productseng13280827177771328082783032
ldquoLocalrdquo means food grown close by though not necessarily organically The smaller the producer (ie Farmersrsquo Markets or your own backyard) the more you can trust the term
When deciding whatrsquos best for the plant we sometimes have to choose between the carbon footprint of importing organic food vs the chemicals used in growing locally Canadians are increasingly choosing local options and the trend toward growing our own continues to skyrocket
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
13
Want to learn more
Dig into the local food movement herehttpwwwsalisburygreenhousecomin-search-of-local
Native Plants
trends loving local
Our love of local doesnrsquot stop with edibles Native plants are flying off shelves in record numbers driven by concerns about environment ease of care and changing weather conditions
In California ravaged by drought people are planting natives because they require little supplemental watering while people with tropical water-intensive gardens are being shamed online While wersquore in a different situation water conservation is climbing to top-of-mind and natives are the way to get there
Environmentally native plants are a win-win They attract pollinators and
beneficial predators into your yard which in turn increases your ediblesrsquo yield and reduces the need to spray toxins
Lazy gardeners (myself included) are turning to natives Overwintering is a breeze they require little synthetic fertilizer and theyrsquoll host garrisons of hungry predators to keep the pests at bay
Aesthetically loving natives doesnrsquot have to mean resigning yourself to a scruffy untamed yard An increasing array of contemporary design options from prairie grass-scapes to xeriscaped rock-gardens are making landscaping with natives more appealing to mainstream gardeners
GaillardiaYarrow Native to North and South AmericaNative to mild Northern Hemisphere
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
14
We loathed mosquitoes this year A wet summer led to a million itchy picnics in Western Canada and the Zika outbreak although our mosquitoes donrsquot carry it gave us yet another reason to hate those biting buggers
How dominant this trend becomes depends largely on the weather A wet
spring and summer will lead to blood sucking misery And if we have hot and dry weather Wersquoll talk about those bugs if we have to
In 2017 if the weather ldquocooperatesrdquo expect to see war declared against our sucking friend Besides the chemical DEET here are a few weapons in your arsenal
With their ability to reproduce exponentially the best way to deal with mosquitoes is to not let them be born If yoursquore running around the yard swatting and swearing yoursquove already lost the battle
Take a long but not leisurely walk around your yard This is business yoursquore conducting a standing water audit of every nook wheelbarrow cranny forgotten wine
glass and birdbath Check the shed under the deck and peer into the deep dark corners When you find standing water drain and fix
Sprinkling larvicide on standing water you canrsquot drain (ie the nearby pond) will nip them in the bud Itrsquos a predator that activates in the water and starts chowing down on the skeeter larvae
Natural Mosquito Control
trends natural mosquito control
A Year of Bad Press
Prevention First
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
15
Predators
trends natural mosquito control
Prevention is best but we should also know how to kill them Mosquitoes are slow and tasty they have a lot of predators The trick is getting them into your yard
First letrsquos bust up some myths The internet is full of claims that Purple Martins will eat their own weight in mosquitoes daily and that bats are mosquito killing ninjas These hyped-up critters will eat them but not in numbers that will create significant relief Martinsrsquo diet is about 3 skeeters and batsrsquo diet about 1 That being said both predators (especially bats) are helpful to have around
Purple Martins are most famous but other birds will help whittle your population down Barn Swallows who build their ubiquitous nests in old barns and like to swoop at passersby can gobble up
about 60hour Robins Chickadees and Woodpeckers eat their share too
If yoursquore nurturing a feathered army you may want to keep the cat indoors or on a leash Theyrsquore the number one killer of birds in Canada I love my cats but they donrsquot wander freely
Dragonflies are one of the best natural controls you can get Gorgeous harmless to humans and deadly to mosquitoes theyrsquoll often eat over 100 per day diving in at 30 mph and gobbling them up before they know what happened
The snag with dragonflies is they need a pond or boggy area for habitat Theyrsquore highly sensitive to air pollution so seeing them in your yard usually indicates good air quality
DID YOU KNOWSome plants repel mosquitoes
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecommosquito-repelling-plants
16
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
Feature Annuals
trends feature annuals
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
17
lsquoSuperbellsrsquo Morning Star
Confetti Garden - lsquoPeppermint Candyrsquo
lsquoPrince Tutrsquo Grass
Alocasia lsquoStingrayrsquo
Petunia lsquoNightSkyrsquo
1
2
3
4
5
In the gardening world annuals are big business Theyrsquore the colour powerhouses of the yard The trendiest annuals are high fashion eye-catching specimens in containers in that stick out from all the rest
Every year hundreds of new annuals hit the market Itrsquos my job to look past the
glossy magazine ads and find out which ones have the best combination of beauty and performance in our uniquely Albertan climate
So without further ado herersquos my top 5 for 2017
High Fashion
Ralph Waldo Emerson
ldquoThe earth laughs in flowersrdquo
lsquoSuperbellsrsquo Morning Star
trends feature annuals
Yoursquove probably heard me gushing about Calibrachoa before This genus very closely related to Petunias and hailing from southern South America was largely ignored until it was hybridized into ldquoMillion Bellsrdquo ldquoSuperbellsrdquo along with dozens of other brand names and over 100 colours followed
Imagine a petunia Now imagine if that petunia had smaller flowers bloomed all
the time without deadheading wasnrsquot as fussy about watering and didnrsquot sticky leaves Thatrsquos a calibrachoa
The ldquoStarrdquo series is the latest of stunning bi-colours from Proven Winners It will bloom all season and itrsquos garden performance is off the charts
18
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
1
lsquoPrince Tutrsquo Grass
trends feature annuals
By now yoursquove probably heard of the lsquoTutrsquo series of papyrus grass for containers Itrsquos vertical reed-like lines and whorling heads bring intense architectural appeal But while the lsquoKing Tutrsquo is too large for most containers (being over 4rsquo high) and lsquoBaby Tutrsquo is more of a stuffer at less than 1rsquo high the new lsquoPrince Tutrsquo is finally in the happy middle
At 2rsquo high itrsquos an architectural centerpiece that fits the scale of most medium to large containers It loves full sun and water (itrsquos originally a Middle-Eastern swamp plant) so plant with other water lovers like Bacopa and Alocasia
19
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
2
Confetti Garden lsquoPeppermint Candyrsquo
trends feature annuals
Itrsquos Canadarsquos year and expect to see red and white everywhere as we celebrate our 150th Confetti Gardens are brilliant little combos of plants chosen for colour design and mutual growth habit that you can plunk into a larger container for a low cost professionally designed container garden lsquoPeppermint Candyrsquo combines red and white bicolour petunias red verbena
and white calibrachoa is a well-balanced celebration of Canadiana in the garden Give it lots of sun water and ample fertilizer (weekly at least) The plants should grow well together but if one of them gets out of hand pinch it back to let the others fill in
20
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
3
Alocasia lsquoStingrayrsquo
trends feature annuals
If yoursquore looking to start conversations this one is for you Also known as Elephant Earrsquos Alocasia boast big lush leaves that point upward and outward turning any container theyrsquore planted in into a dramatic tropical statement
lsquoStingrayrsquosrsquo unique feature is the whiptail end of itrsquos leaves Resembling you guessed
it a stingray it grows quickly in a sunny spot (sheltered from the afternoon sun if possible) It wants to be moist but well drained and in the fall you can cut it back to the root and keep it dry until the next spring
21
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
4
Petunia ldquoNightskyrdquo
trends feature annuals
Petunias have been around for so long that truly new colours are rare lsquoNightskyrsquo is a mottled colour pattern resembling thick stars on a velvet blue canvas Itrsquos one of the most distinctive petunias Irsquove seen in a long time
Workhorses in containers petunias quickly into mounds of broad colourful flowers Dead-head the spent blooms to keep the show going Theyrsquore best grown in containers where their roots can be warm and they hate drying out
22
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
5
Feature Edibles
trends feature edibles
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
23
Tomato lsquoChocolate Sprinklesrsquo
Thyme lsquoSpicy Orangersquo
Pepper lsquoBhut Jolokiarsquo
Cucumber lsquoSalad Bushrsquo
Kale lsquoPrizmrsquo
1
2
3
4
5
The universals of gardening namely the deep urge that makes us get our hands dirty year after year never change But the methods we use and the plants we choose change constantly
20 years ago the vegetable garden was something you kept in the backyard out of sight so the neighbours didnrsquot see Now
edibles are highlighting feature containers at the front door as a badge of honour
The rise of container-garden edibles has led to an explosion of varieties that are compact high-yielding and are all around well-behaved Here are a few of the most notable edibles both new and just plain awesome that Irsquove seen this year
The New Gardening
Unknown
ldquoGardening is cheaper than therapy and you get tomatoesrdquo
Tomato lsquoChocolate Sprinklesrsquo
trends feature edibles
This new cherry tomato variety is a hybrid with the taste of an heirloom It has bite-sized fruit heavy yield and excellent disease resistance The fruit is red and striped with dark green giving it a gorgeous heirloom look in salads or on its own
Itrsquos an indeterminate so it will keep growing as a vine as long as it can The plus side of
this is that yoursquoll get far more fruit than from a determinate type but yoursquoll also need to stake it and keep it watered
Itrsquos resistant to fusarium wilt which is a common affliction that leads to sickly wilting foliage on otherwise healthy plants Donrsquot be cheap on the fertilizer apply weekly for the best yield
24
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
1
Thyme lsquoSpicy Orangersquo
trends feature edibles
A classic Mediterranean herb thyme is famous for poultry and soups its flavour diffusing slowly as itrsquos cooked A zone 4 itrsquos hardy and you can plant it as a ground cover (although it doesnrsquot take much foot traffic)
This variety has a distinct spicy-orange fragrance thatrsquos most pronounced when you rub the bluish-green leaves Use it like
regular thyme the subtle citrus flavour will infuse during cooking and blends well with traditional thyme dishes
Itrsquos drought tolerant once established and feel free to plant it in containers in the full sun If you plant it in the ground as a perennial you can divide it in early fall once it gets big enough
25
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
2
Pepper lsquoBhut Jolokiarsquo
trends feature edibles
Irsquom a self-confessed wuss when it comes to hot peppers and have never tasted a Bhut Jolokia also called the lsquoGhostrsquo pepper As the hottest naturally occurring pepper in the world it packs a million scoville units (4X hotter than a habanero)
Yoursquoll either want to start the seed early or buy mature starter plants The hotter the better so put them in containers (where their roots will be warmer than in the ground) in the full sun Hot peppers have a
longer maturation time than sweet peppers (the seeds take 35 days just to germinate) so be generous with fertilizer and heat to speed things up
Once the fruit appears wear gloves while handling Itrsquos juice is pretty much pepper spray Donrsquot give to kids or elderly who arenrsquot totally comfortable with it and start with a tiny taste on the tongue for yourself Very seriously itrsquos heat that isnrsquot to be taken lightly
26
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
3
Cucumber ldquoSalad Bushrdquo
trends feature edibles
Therersquos nothing new about lsquoSalad Bushrsquo Itrsquos one of the older varieties of cucumbers made to grow in containers Itrsquos also still one of the best
Compact and busy you can grow this one on a trellis or just hanging out the side of the pot The 8rdquo slicers are great in salads
sandwiches or on their own as a snack (which is how I often eat them at the greenhouse)
Fertilize often and donrsquot let it dry out thatrsquos how cucumbers get bitter Yoursquoll want to give it lots of sun and heat for it to yield fast and often
27
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
4
Kale lsquoPrizmrsquo
trends feature edibles
Kale has been headline news lately as a superfood This new variety has a quick 40 day maturity (even less than that if you like young kale) The leaves are elegantly dense and curled making it gorgeous enough to grow in any window box or planter alongside your annuals
The leaves are tender even when mature and so itrsquos good eaten fresh and holds up well in cooking A nutty flavour makes it ideal for salads smoothies or if you ask me chips
28
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
5
Whatrsquos in your salad The immediate answer is ldquolettuce and tomatoesrdquo but whatrsquos their history The lettuce may be from California the tomatoes from Mexico How were they grown when were they picked and what were they sprayed with
The stories behind our food are getting more complex and wersquove gotten skeptical Add the lower nutrition levels and rising cost of imported food and a quiet revolution happens
In 2017 wersquoll continue our surge of interest in growing our own food Local food is increasingly the only food we trust Growing our own food is one part of the larger trend towards produce meat
baking and other foodstuffs that we want to know the story behind
At the greenhouse Irsquove watched countless new customers many of whom were new to gardening scoop up microgreens veggie seeds seed potatoes garlic and everything else in record numbers Be it for the sake of their pocket book fitness family health or simply knowing what has gone into that tomato yoursquore eating interest in home-grown continues its slow explosion
Loving Local
Michael Pollan
trends loving local
Growing Our Own
ldquoServe the kind of food you know the story behindrdquo
Salisbury Edible Garden
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
12
Local vs Organic
trends loving local
A lot of people ask me what the difference between local and organic is sometimes admitting that theyrsquove been assuming that theyrsquore the same thing Theyrsquore apples and oranges
Organic means food grown without pesticides synthetic fertilizers or genetic modifications Sound simple It gets complicated quickly While only growers who meet strict guidelines can be certified as organic non-organic producers tend to adopt the name or the implication
On top of that countries wishing to import ldquoorganicrdquo food make ldquoequivalency arrangementsrdquo with the Canadian government to define what will and what wonrsquot be called organic More on that here httpwwwinspectiongccafoodorganic-productslabelling-and-general-informationregulating-organic-productseng13280827177771328082783032
ldquoLocalrdquo means food grown close by though not necessarily organically The smaller the producer (ie Farmersrsquo Markets or your own backyard) the more you can trust the term
When deciding whatrsquos best for the plant we sometimes have to choose between the carbon footprint of importing organic food vs the chemicals used in growing locally Canadians are increasingly choosing local options and the trend toward growing our own continues to skyrocket
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
13
Want to learn more
Dig into the local food movement herehttpwwwsalisburygreenhousecomin-search-of-local
Native Plants
trends loving local
Our love of local doesnrsquot stop with edibles Native plants are flying off shelves in record numbers driven by concerns about environment ease of care and changing weather conditions
In California ravaged by drought people are planting natives because they require little supplemental watering while people with tropical water-intensive gardens are being shamed online While wersquore in a different situation water conservation is climbing to top-of-mind and natives are the way to get there
Environmentally native plants are a win-win They attract pollinators and
beneficial predators into your yard which in turn increases your ediblesrsquo yield and reduces the need to spray toxins
Lazy gardeners (myself included) are turning to natives Overwintering is a breeze they require little synthetic fertilizer and theyrsquoll host garrisons of hungry predators to keep the pests at bay
Aesthetically loving natives doesnrsquot have to mean resigning yourself to a scruffy untamed yard An increasing array of contemporary design options from prairie grass-scapes to xeriscaped rock-gardens are making landscaping with natives more appealing to mainstream gardeners
GaillardiaYarrow Native to North and South AmericaNative to mild Northern Hemisphere
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
14
We loathed mosquitoes this year A wet summer led to a million itchy picnics in Western Canada and the Zika outbreak although our mosquitoes donrsquot carry it gave us yet another reason to hate those biting buggers
How dominant this trend becomes depends largely on the weather A wet
spring and summer will lead to blood sucking misery And if we have hot and dry weather Wersquoll talk about those bugs if we have to
In 2017 if the weather ldquocooperatesrdquo expect to see war declared against our sucking friend Besides the chemical DEET here are a few weapons in your arsenal
With their ability to reproduce exponentially the best way to deal with mosquitoes is to not let them be born If yoursquore running around the yard swatting and swearing yoursquove already lost the battle
Take a long but not leisurely walk around your yard This is business yoursquore conducting a standing water audit of every nook wheelbarrow cranny forgotten wine
glass and birdbath Check the shed under the deck and peer into the deep dark corners When you find standing water drain and fix
Sprinkling larvicide on standing water you canrsquot drain (ie the nearby pond) will nip them in the bud Itrsquos a predator that activates in the water and starts chowing down on the skeeter larvae
Natural Mosquito Control
trends natural mosquito control
A Year of Bad Press
Prevention First
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
15
Predators
trends natural mosquito control
Prevention is best but we should also know how to kill them Mosquitoes are slow and tasty they have a lot of predators The trick is getting them into your yard
First letrsquos bust up some myths The internet is full of claims that Purple Martins will eat their own weight in mosquitoes daily and that bats are mosquito killing ninjas These hyped-up critters will eat them but not in numbers that will create significant relief Martinsrsquo diet is about 3 skeeters and batsrsquo diet about 1 That being said both predators (especially bats) are helpful to have around
Purple Martins are most famous but other birds will help whittle your population down Barn Swallows who build their ubiquitous nests in old barns and like to swoop at passersby can gobble up
about 60hour Robins Chickadees and Woodpeckers eat their share too
If yoursquore nurturing a feathered army you may want to keep the cat indoors or on a leash Theyrsquore the number one killer of birds in Canada I love my cats but they donrsquot wander freely
Dragonflies are one of the best natural controls you can get Gorgeous harmless to humans and deadly to mosquitoes theyrsquoll often eat over 100 per day diving in at 30 mph and gobbling them up before they know what happened
The snag with dragonflies is they need a pond or boggy area for habitat Theyrsquore highly sensitive to air pollution so seeing them in your yard usually indicates good air quality
DID YOU KNOWSome plants repel mosquitoes
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecommosquito-repelling-plants
16
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
Feature Annuals
trends feature annuals
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
17
lsquoSuperbellsrsquo Morning Star
Confetti Garden - lsquoPeppermint Candyrsquo
lsquoPrince Tutrsquo Grass
Alocasia lsquoStingrayrsquo
Petunia lsquoNightSkyrsquo
1
2
3
4
5
In the gardening world annuals are big business Theyrsquore the colour powerhouses of the yard The trendiest annuals are high fashion eye-catching specimens in containers in that stick out from all the rest
Every year hundreds of new annuals hit the market Itrsquos my job to look past the
glossy magazine ads and find out which ones have the best combination of beauty and performance in our uniquely Albertan climate
So without further ado herersquos my top 5 for 2017
High Fashion
Ralph Waldo Emerson
ldquoThe earth laughs in flowersrdquo
lsquoSuperbellsrsquo Morning Star
trends feature annuals
Yoursquove probably heard me gushing about Calibrachoa before This genus very closely related to Petunias and hailing from southern South America was largely ignored until it was hybridized into ldquoMillion Bellsrdquo ldquoSuperbellsrdquo along with dozens of other brand names and over 100 colours followed
Imagine a petunia Now imagine if that petunia had smaller flowers bloomed all
the time without deadheading wasnrsquot as fussy about watering and didnrsquot sticky leaves Thatrsquos a calibrachoa
The ldquoStarrdquo series is the latest of stunning bi-colours from Proven Winners It will bloom all season and itrsquos garden performance is off the charts
18
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
1
lsquoPrince Tutrsquo Grass
trends feature annuals
By now yoursquove probably heard of the lsquoTutrsquo series of papyrus grass for containers Itrsquos vertical reed-like lines and whorling heads bring intense architectural appeal But while the lsquoKing Tutrsquo is too large for most containers (being over 4rsquo high) and lsquoBaby Tutrsquo is more of a stuffer at less than 1rsquo high the new lsquoPrince Tutrsquo is finally in the happy middle
At 2rsquo high itrsquos an architectural centerpiece that fits the scale of most medium to large containers It loves full sun and water (itrsquos originally a Middle-Eastern swamp plant) so plant with other water lovers like Bacopa and Alocasia
19
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
2
Confetti Garden lsquoPeppermint Candyrsquo
trends feature annuals
Itrsquos Canadarsquos year and expect to see red and white everywhere as we celebrate our 150th Confetti Gardens are brilliant little combos of plants chosen for colour design and mutual growth habit that you can plunk into a larger container for a low cost professionally designed container garden lsquoPeppermint Candyrsquo combines red and white bicolour petunias red verbena
and white calibrachoa is a well-balanced celebration of Canadiana in the garden Give it lots of sun water and ample fertilizer (weekly at least) The plants should grow well together but if one of them gets out of hand pinch it back to let the others fill in
20
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
3
Alocasia lsquoStingrayrsquo
trends feature annuals
If yoursquore looking to start conversations this one is for you Also known as Elephant Earrsquos Alocasia boast big lush leaves that point upward and outward turning any container theyrsquore planted in into a dramatic tropical statement
lsquoStingrayrsquosrsquo unique feature is the whiptail end of itrsquos leaves Resembling you guessed
it a stingray it grows quickly in a sunny spot (sheltered from the afternoon sun if possible) It wants to be moist but well drained and in the fall you can cut it back to the root and keep it dry until the next spring
21
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
4
Petunia ldquoNightskyrdquo
trends feature annuals
Petunias have been around for so long that truly new colours are rare lsquoNightskyrsquo is a mottled colour pattern resembling thick stars on a velvet blue canvas Itrsquos one of the most distinctive petunias Irsquove seen in a long time
Workhorses in containers petunias quickly into mounds of broad colourful flowers Dead-head the spent blooms to keep the show going Theyrsquore best grown in containers where their roots can be warm and they hate drying out
22
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
5
Feature Edibles
trends feature edibles
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
23
Tomato lsquoChocolate Sprinklesrsquo
Thyme lsquoSpicy Orangersquo
Pepper lsquoBhut Jolokiarsquo
Cucumber lsquoSalad Bushrsquo
Kale lsquoPrizmrsquo
1
2
3
4
5
The universals of gardening namely the deep urge that makes us get our hands dirty year after year never change But the methods we use and the plants we choose change constantly
20 years ago the vegetable garden was something you kept in the backyard out of sight so the neighbours didnrsquot see Now
edibles are highlighting feature containers at the front door as a badge of honour
The rise of container-garden edibles has led to an explosion of varieties that are compact high-yielding and are all around well-behaved Here are a few of the most notable edibles both new and just plain awesome that Irsquove seen this year
The New Gardening
Unknown
ldquoGardening is cheaper than therapy and you get tomatoesrdquo
Tomato lsquoChocolate Sprinklesrsquo
trends feature edibles
This new cherry tomato variety is a hybrid with the taste of an heirloom It has bite-sized fruit heavy yield and excellent disease resistance The fruit is red and striped with dark green giving it a gorgeous heirloom look in salads or on its own
Itrsquos an indeterminate so it will keep growing as a vine as long as it can The plus side of
this is that yoursquoll get far more fruit than from a determinate type but yoursquoll also need to stake it and keep it watered
Itrsquos resistant to fusarium wilt which is a common affliction that leads to sickly wilting foliage on otherwise healthy plants Donrsquot be cheap on the fertilizer apply weekly for the best yield
24
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
1
Thyme lsquoSpicy Orangersquo
trends feature edibles
A classic Mediterranean herb thyme is famous for poultry and soups its flavour diffusing slowly as itrsquos cooked A zone 4 itrsquos hardy and you can plant it as a ground cover (although it doesnrsquot take much foot traffic)
This variety has a distinct spicy-orange fragrance thatrsquos most pronounced when you rub the bluish-green leaves Use it like
regular thyme the subtle citrus flavour will infuse during cooking and blends well with traditional thyme dishes
Itrsquos drought tolerant once established and feel free to plant it in containers in the full sun If you plant it in the ground as a perennial you can divide it in early fall once it gets big enough
25
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
2
Pepper lsquoBhut Jolokiarsquo
trends feature edibles
Irsquom a self-confessed wuss when it comes to hot peppers and have never tasted a Bhut Jolokia also called the lsquoGhostrsquo pepper As the hottest naturally occurring pepper in the world it packs a million scoville units (4X hotter than a habanero)
Yoursquoll either want to start the seed early or buy mature starter plants The hotter the better so put them in containers (where their roots will be warmer than in the ground) in the full sun Hot peppers have a
longer maturation time than sweet peppers (the seeds take 35 days just to germinate) so be generous with fertilizer and heat to speed things up
Once the fruit appears wear gloves while handling Itrsquos juice is pretty much pepper spray Donrsquot give to kids or elderly who arenrsquot totally comfortable with it and start with a tiny taste on the tongue for yourself Very seriously itrsquos heat that isnrsquot to be taken lightly
26
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
3
Cucumber ldquoSalad Bushrdquo
trends feature edibles
Therersquos nothing new about lsquoSalad Bushrsquo Itrsquos one of the older varieties of cucumbers made to grow in containers Itrsquos also still one of the best
Compact and busy you can grow this one on a trellis or just hanging out the side of the pot The 8rdquo slicers are great in salads
sandwiches or on their own as a snack (which is how I often eat them at the greenhouse)
Fertilize often and donrsquot let it dry out thatrsquos how cucumbers get bitter Yoursquoll want to give it lots of sun and heat for it to yield fast and often
27
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
4
Kale lsquoPrizmrsquo
trends feature edibles
Kale has been headline news lately as a superfood This new variety has a quick 40 day maturity (even less than that if you like young kale) The leaves are elegantly dense and curled making it gorgeous enough to grow in any window box or planter alongside your annuals
The leaves are tender even when mature and so itrsquos good eaten fresh and holds up well in cooking A nutty flavour makes it ideal for salads smoothies or if you ask me chips
28
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
5
Local vs Organic
trends loving local
A lot of people ask me what the difference between local and organic is sometimes admitting that theyrsquove been assuming that theyrsquore the same thing Theyrsquore apples and oranges
Organic means food grown without pesticides synthetic fertilizers or genetic modifications Sound simple It gets complicated quickly While only growers who meet strict guidelines can be certified as organic non-organic producers tend to adopt the name or the implication
On top of that countries wishing to import ldquoorganicrdquo food make ldquoequivalency arrangementsrdquo with the Canadian government to define what will and what wonrsquot be called organic More on that here httpwwwinspectiongccafoodorganic-productslabelling-and-general-informationregulating-organic-productseng13280827177771328082783032
ldquoLocalrdquo means food grown close by though not necessarily organically The smaller the producer (ie Farmersrsquo Markets or your own backyard) the more you can trust the term
When deciding whatrsquos best for the plant we sometimes have to choose between the carbon footprint of importing organic food vs the chemicals used in growing locally Canadians are increasingly choosing local options and the trend toward growing our own continues to skyrocket
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
13
Want to learn more
Dig into the local food movement herehttpwwwsalisburygreenhousecomin-search-of-local
Native Plants
trends loving local
Our love of local doesnrsquot stop with edibles Native plants are flying off shelves in record numbers driven by concerns about environment ease of care and changing weather conditions
In California ravaged by drought people are planting natives because they require little supplemental watering while people with tropical water-intensive gardens are being shamed online While wersquore in a different situation water conservation is climbing to top-of-mind and natives are the way to get there
Environmentally native plants are a win-win They attract pollinators and
beneficial predators into your yard which in turn increases your ediblesrsquo yield and reduces the need to spray toxins
Lazy gardeners (myself included) are turning to natives Overwintering is a breeze they require little synthetic fertilizer and theyrsquoll host garrisons of hungry predators to keep the pests at bay
Aesthetically loving natives doesnrsquot have to mean resigning yourself to a scruffy untamed yard An increasing array of contemporary design options from prairie grass-scapes to xeriscaped rock-gardens are making landscaping with natives more appealing to mainstream gardeners
GaillardiaYarrow Native to North and South AmericaNative to mild Northern Hemisphere
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
14
We loathed mosquitoes this year A wet summer led to a million itchy picnics in Western Canada and the Zika outbreak although our mosquitoes donrsquot carry it gave us yet another reason to hate those biting buggers
How dominant this trend becomes depends largely on the weather A wet
spring and summer will lead to blood sucking misery And if we have hot and dry weather Wersquoll talk about those bugs if we have to
In 2017 if the weather ldquocooperatesrdquo expect to see war declared against our sucking friend Besides the chemical DEET here are a few weapons in your arsenal
With their ability to reproduce exponentially the best way to deal with mosquitoes is to not let them be born If yoursquore running around the yard swatting and swearing yoursquove already lost the battle
Take a long but not leisurely walk around your yard This is business yoursquore conducting a standing water audit of every nook wheelbarrow cranny forgotten wine
glass and birdbath Check the shed under the deck and peer into the deep dark corners When you find standing water drain and fix
Sprinkling larvicide on standing water you canrsquot drain (ie the nearby pond) will nip them in the bud Itrsquos a predator that activates in the water and starts chowing down on the skeeter larvae
Natural Mosquito Control
trends natural mosquito control
A Year of Bad Press
Prevention First
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
15
Predators
trends natural mosquito control
Prevention is best but we should also know how to kill them Mosquitoes are slow and tasty they have a lot of predators The trick is getting them into your yard
First letrsquos bust up some myths The internet is full of claims that Purple Martins will eat their own weight in mosquitoes daily and that bats are mosquito killing ninjas These hyped-up critters will eat them but not in numbers that will create significant relief Martinsrsquo diet is about 3 skeeters and batsrsquo diet about 1 That being said both predators (especially bats) are helpful to have around
Purple Martins are most famous but other birds will help whittle your population down Barn Swallows who build their ubiquitous nests in old barns and like to swoop at passersby can gobble up
about 60hour Robins Chickadees and Woodpeckers eat their share too
If yoursquore nurturing a feathered army you may want to keep the cat indoors or on a leash Theyrsquore the number one killer of birds in Canada I love my cats but they donrsquot wander freely
Dragonflies are one of the best natural controls you can get Gorgeous harmless to humans and deadly to mosquitoes theyrsquoll often eat over 100 per day diving in at 30 mph and gobbling them up before they know what happened
The snag with dragonflies is they need a pond or boggy area for habitat Theyrsquore highly sensitive to air pollution so seeing them in your yard usually indicates good air quality
DID YOU KNOWSome plants repel mosquitoes
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecommosquito-repelling-plants
16
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
Feature Annuals
trends feature annuals
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
17
lsquoSuperbellsrsquo Morning Star
Confetti Garden - lsquoPeppermint Candyrsquo
lsquoPrince Tutrsquo Grass
Alocasia lsquoStingrayrsquo
Petunia lsquoNightSkyrsquo
1
2
3
4
5
In the gardening world annuals are big business Theyrsquore the colour powerhouses of the yard The trendiest annuals are high fashion eye-catching specimens in containers in that stick out from all the rest
Every year hundreds of new annuals hit the market Itrsquos my job to look past the
glossy magazine ads and find out which ones have the best combination of beauty and performance in our uniquely Albertan climate
So without further ado herersquos my top 5 for 2017
High Fashion
Ralph Waldo Emerson
ldquoThe earth laughs in flowersrdquo
lsquoSuperbellsrsquo Morning Star
trends feature annuals
Yoursquove probably heard me gushing about Calibrachoa before This genus very closely related to Petunias and hailing from southern South America was largely ignored until it was hybridized into ldquoMillion Bellsrdquo ldquoSuperbellsrdquo along with dozens of other brand names and over 100 colours followed
Imagine a petunia Now imagine if that petunia had smaller flowers bloomed all
the time without deadheading wasnrsquot as fussy about watering and didnrsquot sticky leaves Thatrsquos a calibrachoa
The ldquoStarrdquo series is the latest of stunning bi-colours from Proven Winners It will bloom all season and itrsquos garden performance is off the charts
18
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
1
lsquoPrince Tutrsquo Grass
trends feature annuals
By now yoursquove probably heard of the lsquoTutrsquo series of papyrus grass for containers Itrsquos vertical reed-like lines and whorling heads bring intense architectural appeal But while the lsquoKing Tutrsquo is too large for most containers (being over 4rsquo high) and lsquoBaby Tutrsquo is more of a stuffer at less than 1rsquo high the new lsquoPrince Tutrsquo is finally in the happy middle
At 2rsquo high itrsquos an architectural centerpiece that fits the scale of most medium to large containers It loves full sun and water (itrsquos originally a Middle-Eastern swamp plant) so plant with other water lovers like Bacopa and Alocasia
19
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
2
Confetti Garden lsquoPeppermint Candyrsquo
trends feature annuals
Itrsquos Canadarsquos year and expect to see red and white everywhere as we celebrate our 150th Confetti Gardens are brilliant little combos of plants chosen for colour design and mutual growth habit that you can plunk into a larger container for a low cost professionally designed container garden lsquoPeppermint Candyrsquo combines red and white bicolour petunias red verbena
and white calibrachoa is a well-balanced celebration of Canadiana in the garden Give it lots of sun water and ample fertilizer (weekly at least) The plants should grow well together but if one of them gets out of hand pinch it back to let the others fill in
20
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
3
Alocasia lsquoStingrayrsquo
trends feature annuals
If yoursquore looking to start conversations this one is for you Also known as Elephant Earrsquos Alocasia boast big lush leaves that point upward and outward turning any container theyrsquore planted in into a dramatic tropical statement
lsquoStingrayrsquosrsquo unique feature is the whiptail end of itrsquos leaves Resembling you guessed
it a stingray it grows quickly in a sunny spot (sheltered from the afternoon sun if possible) It wants to be moist but well drained and in the fall you can cut it back to the root and keep it dry until the next spring
21
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
4
Petunia ldquoNightskyrdquo
trends feature annuals
Petunias have been around for so long that truly new colours are rare lsquoNightskyrsquo is a mottled colour pattern resembling thick stars on a velvet blue canvas Itrsquos one of the most distinctive petunias Irsquove seen in a long time
Workhorses in containers petunias quickly into mounds of broad colourful flowers Dead-head the spent blooms to keep the show going Theyrsquore best grown in containers where their roots can be warm and they hate drying out
22
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
5
Feature Edibles
trends feature edibles
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
23
Tomato lsquoChocolate Sprinklesrsquo
Thyme lsquoSpicy Orangersquo
Pepper lsquoBhut Jolokiarsquo
Cucumber lsquoSalad Bushrsquo
Kale lsquoPrizmrsquo
1
2
3
4
5
The universals of gardening namely the deep urge that makes us get our hands dirty year after year never change But the methods we use and the plants we choose change constantly
20 years ago the vegetable garden was something you kept in the backyard out of sight so the neighbours didnrsquot see Now
edibles are highlighting feature containers at the front door as a badge of honour
The rise of container-garden edibles has led to an explosion of varieties that are compact high-yielding and are all around well-behaved Here are a few of the most notable edibles both new and just plain awesome that Irsquove seen this year
The New Gardening
Unknown
ldquoGardening is cheaper than therapy and you get tomatoesrdquo
Tomato lsquoChocolate Sprinklesrsquo
trends feature edibles
This new cherry tomato variety is a hybrid with the taste of an heirloom It has bite-sized fruit heavy yield and excellent disease resistance The fruit is red and striped with dark green giving it a gorgeous heirloom look in salads or on its own
Itrsquos an indeterminate so it will keep growing as a vine as long as it can The plus side of
this is that yoursquoll get far more fruit than from a determinate type but yoursquoll also need to stake it and keep it watered
Itrsquos resistant to fusarium wilt which is a common affliction that leads to sickly wilting foliage on otherwise healthy plants Donrsquot be cheap on the fertilizer apply weekly for the best yield
24
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
1
Thyme lsquoSpicy Orangersquo
trends feature edibles
A classic Mediterranean herb thyme is famous for poultry and soups its flavour diffusing slowly as itrsquos cooked A zone 4 itrsquos hardy and you can plant it as a ground cover (although it doesnrsquot take much foot traffic)
This variety has a distinct spicy-orange fragrance thatrsquos most pronounced when you rub the bluish-green leaves Use it like
regular thyme the subtle citrus flavour will infuse during cooking and blends well with traditional thyme dishes
Itrsquos drought tolerant once established and feel free to plant it in containers in the full sun If you plant it in the ground as a perennial you can divide it in early fall once it gets big enough
25
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
2
Pepper lsquoBhut Jolokiarsquo
trends feature edibles
Irsquom a self-confessed wuss when it comes to hot peppers and have never tasted a Bhut Jolokia also called the lsquoGhostrsquo pepper As the hottest naturally occurring pepper in the world it packs a million scoville units (4X hotter than a habanero)
Yoursquoll either want to start the seed early or buy mature starter plants The hotter the better so put them in containers (where their roots will be warmer than in the ground) in the full sun Hot peppers have a
longer maturation time than sweet peppers (the seeds take 35 days just to germinate) so be generous with fertilizer and heat to speed things up
Once the fruit appears wear gloves while handling Itrsquos juice is pretty much pepper spray Donrsquot give to kids or elderly who arenrsquot totally comfortable with it and start with a tiny taste on the tongue for yourself Very seriously itrsquos heat that isnrsquot to be taken lightly
26
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
3
Cucumber ldquoSalad Bushrdquo
trends feature edibles
Therersquos nothing new about lsquoSalad Bushrsquo Itrsquos one of the older varieties of cucumbers made to grow in containers Itrsquos also still one of the best
Compact and busy you can grow this one on a trellis or just hanging out the side of the pot The 8rdquo slicers are great in salads
sandwiches or on their own as a snack (which is how I often eat them at the greenhouse)
Fertilize often and donrsquot let it dry out thatrsquos how cucumbers get bitter Yoursquoll want to give it lots of sun and heat for it to yield fast and often
27
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
4
Kale lsquoPrizmrsquo
trends feature edibles
Kale has been headline news lately as a superfood This new variety has a quick 40 day maturity (even less than that if you like young kale) The leaves are elegantly dense and curled making it gorgeous enough to grow in any window box or planter alongside your annuals
The leaves are tender even when mature and so itrsquos good eaten fresh and holds up well in cooking A nutty flavour makes it ideal for salads smoothies or if you ask me chips
28
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
5
Native Plants
trends loving local
Our love of local doesnrsquot stop with edibles Native plants are flying off shelves in record numbers driven by concerns about environment ease of care and changing weather conditions
In California ravaged by drought people are planting natives because they require little supplemental watering while people with tropical water-intensive gardens are being shamed online While wersquore in a different situation water conservation is climbing to top-of-mind and natives are the way to get there
Environmentally native plants are a win-win They attract pollinators and
beneficial predators into your yard which in turn increases your ediblesrsquo yield and reduces the need to spray toxins
Lazy gardeners (myself included) are turning to natives Overwintering is a breeze they require little synthetic fertilizer and theyrsquoll host garrisons of hungry predators to keep the pests at bay
Aesthetically loving natives doesnrsquot have to mean resigning yourself to a scruffy untamed yard An increasing array of contemporary design options from prairie grass-scapes to xeriscaped rock-gardens are making landscaping with natives more appealing to mainstream gardeners
GaillardiaYarrow Native to North and South AmericaNative to mild Northern Hemisphere
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
14
We loathed mosquitoes this year A wet summer led to a million itchy picnics in Western Canada and the Zika outbreak although our mosquitoes donrsquot carry it gave us yet another reason to hate those biting buggers
How dominant this trend becomes depends largely on the weather A wet
spring and summer will lead to blood sucking misery And if we have hot and dry weather Wersquoll talk about those bugs if we have to
In 2017 if the weather ldquocooperatesrdquo expect to see war declared against our sucking friend Besides the chemical DEET here are a few weapons in your arsenal
With their ability to reproduce exponentially the best way to deal with mosquitoes is to not let them be born If yoursquore running around the yard swatting and swearing yoursquove already lost the battle
Take a long but not leisurely walk around your yard This is business yoursquore conducting a standing water audit of every nook wheelbarrow cranny forgotten wine
glass and birdbath Check the shed under the deck and peer into the deep dark corners When you find standing water drain and fix
Sprinkling larvicide on standing water you canrsquot drain (ie the nearby pond) will nip them in the bud Itrsquos a predator that activates in the water and starts chowing down on the skeeter larvae
Natural Mosquito Control
trends natural mosquito control
A Year of Bad Press
Prevention First
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
15
Predators
trends natural mosquito control
Prevention is best but we should also know how to kill them Mosquitoes are slow and tasty they have a lot of predators The trick is getting them into your yard
First letrsquos bust up some myths The internet is full of claims that Purple Martins will eat their own weight in mosquitoes daily and that bats are mosquito killing ninjas These hyped-up critters will eat them but not in numbers that will create significant relief Martinsrsquo diet is about 3 skeeters and batsrsquo diet about 1 That being said both predators (especially bats) are helpful to have around
Purple Martins are most famous but other birds will help whittle your population down Barn Swallows who build their ubiquitous nests in old barns and like to swoop at passersby can gobble up
about 60hour Robins Chickadees and Woodpeckers eat their share too
If yoursquore nurturing a feathered army you may want to keep the cat indoors or on a leash Theyrsquore the number one killer of birds in Canada I love my cats but they donrsquot wander freely
Dragonflies are one of the best natural controls you can get Gorgeous harmless to humans and deadly to mosquitoes theyrsquoll often eat over 100 per day diving in at 30 mph and gobbling them up before they know what happened
The snag with dragonflies is they need a pond or boggy area for habitat Theyrsquore highly sensitive to air pollution so seeing them in your yard usually indicates good air quality
DID YOU KNOWSome plants repel mosquitoes
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecommosquito-repelling-plants
16
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
Feature Annuals
trends feature annuals
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
17
lsquoSuperbellsrsquo Morning Star
Confetti Garden - lsquoPeppermint Candyrsquo
lsquoPrince Tutrsquo Grass
Alocasia lsquoStingrayrsquo
Petunia lsquoNightSkyrsquo
1
2
3
4
5
In the gardening world annuals are big business Theyrsquore the colour powerhouses of the yard The trendiest annuals are high fashion eye-catching specimens in containers in that stick out from all the rest
Every year hundreds of new annuals hit the market Itrsquos my job to look past the
glossy magazine ads and find out which ones have the best combination of beauty and performance in our uniquely Albertan climate
So without further ado herersquos my top 5 for 2017
High Fashion
Ralph Waldo Emerson
ldquoThe earth laughs in flowersrdquo
lsquoSuperbellsrsquo Morning Star
trends feature annuals
Yoursquove probably heard me gushing about Calibrachoa before This genus very closely related to Petunias and hailing from southern South America was largely ignored until it was hybridized into ldquoMillion Bellsrdquo ldquoSuperbellsrdquo along with dozens of other brand names and over 100 colours followed
Imagine a petunia Now imagine if that petunia had smaller flowers bloomed all
the time without deadheading wasnrsquot as fussy about watering and didnrsquot sticky leaves Thatrsquos a calibrachoa
The ldquoStarrdquo series is the latest of stunning bi-colours from Proven Winners It will bloom all season and itrsquos garden performance is off the charts
18
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
1
lsquoPrince Tutrsquo Grass
trends feature annuals
By now yoursquove probably heard of the lsquoTutrsquo series of papyrus grass for containers Itrsquos vertical reed-like lines and whorling heads bring intense architectural appeal But while the lsquoKing Tutrsquo is too large for most containers (being over 4rsquo high) and lsquoBaby Tutrsquo is more of a stuffer at less than 1rsquo high the new lsquoPrince Tutrsquo is finally in the happy middle
At 2rsquo high itrsquos an architectural centerpiece that fits the scale of most medium to large containers It loves full sun and water (itrsquos originally a Middle-Eastern swamp plant) so plant with other water lovers like Bacopa and Alocasia
19
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
2
Confetti Garden lsquoPeppermint Candyrsquo
trends feature annuals
Itrsquos Canadarsquos year and expect to see red and white everywhere as we celebrate our 150th Confetti Gardens are brilliant little combos of plants chosen for colour design and mutual growth habit that you can plunk into a larger container for a low cost professionally designed container garden lsquoPeppermint Candyrsquo combines red and white bicolour petunias red verbena
and white calibrachoa is a well-balanced celebration of Canadiana in the garden Give it lots of sun water and ample fertilizer (weekly at least) The plants should grow well together but if one of them gets out of hand pinch it back to let the others fill in
20
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
3
Alocasia lsquoStingrayrsquo
trends feature annuals
If yoursquore looking to start conversations this one is for you Also known as Elephant Earrsquos Alocasia boast big lush leaves that point upward and outward turning any container theyrsquore planted in into a dramatic tropical statement
lsquoStingrayrsquosrsquo unique feature is the whiptail end of itrsquos leaves Resembling you guessed
it a stingray it grows quickly in a sunny spot (sheltered from the afternoon sun if possible) It wants to be moist but well drained and in the fall you can cut it back to the root and keep it dry until the next spring
21
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
4
Petunia ldquoNightskyrdquo
trends feature annuals
Petunias have been around for so long that truly new colours are rare lsquoNightskyrsquo is a mottled colour pattern resembling thick stars on a velvet blue canvas Itrsquos one of the most distinctive petunias Irsquove seen in a long time
Workhorses in containers petunias quickly into mounds of broad colourful flowers Dead-head the spent blooms to keep the show going Theyrsquore best grown in containers where their roots can be warm and they hate drying out
22
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
5
Feature Edibles
trends feature edibles
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
23
Tomato lsquoChocolate Sprinklesrsquo
Thyme lsquoSpicy Orangersquo
Pepper lsquoBhut Jolokiarsquo
Cucumber lsquoSalad Bushrsquo
Kale lsquoPrizmrsquo
1
2
3
4
5
The universals of gardening namely the deep urge that makes us get our hands dirty year after year never change But the methods we use and the plants we choose change constantly
20 years ago the vegetable garden was something you kept in the backyard out of sight so the neighbours didnrsquot see Now
edibles are highlighting feature containers at the front door as a badge of honour
The rise of container-garden edibles has led to an explosion of varieties that are compact high-yielding and are all around well-behaved Here are a few of the most notable edibles both new and just plain awesome that Irsquove seen this year
The New Gardening
Unknown
ldquoGardening is cheaper than therapy and you get tomatoesrdquo
Tomato lsquoChocolate Sprinklesrsquo
trends feature edibles
This new cherry tomato variety is a hybrid with the taste of an heirloom It has bite-sized fruit heavy yield and excellent disease resistance The fruit is red and striped with dark green giving it a gorgeous heirloom look in salads or on its own
Itrsquos an indeterminate so it will keep growing as a vine as long as it can The plus side of
this is that yoursquoll get far more fruit than from a determinate type but yoursquoll also need to stake it and keep it watered
Itrsquos resistant to fusarium wilt which is a common affliction that leads to sickly wilting foliage on otherwise healthy plants Donrsquot be cheap on the fertilizer apply weekly for the best yield
24
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
1
Thyme lsquoSpicy Orangersquo
trends feature edibles
A classic Mediterranean herb thyme is famous for poultry and soups its flavour diffusing slowly as itrsquos cooked A zone 4 itrsquos hardy and you can plant it as a ground cover (although it doesnrsquot take much foot traffic)
This variety has a distinct spicy-orange fragrance thatrsquos most pronounced when you rub the bluish-green leaves Use it like
regular thyme the subtle citrus flavour will infuse during cooking and blends well with traditional thyme dishes
Itrsquos drought tolerant once established and feel free to plant it in containers in the full sun If you plant it in the ground as a perennial you can divide it in early fall once it gets big enough
25
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
2
Pepper lsquoBhut Jolokiarsquo
trends feature edibles
Irsquom a self-confessed wuss when it comes to hot peppers and have never tasted a Bhut Jolokia also called the lsquoGhostrsquo pepper As the hottest naturally occurring pepper in the world it packs a million scoville units (4X hotter than a habanero)
Yoursquoll either want to start the seed early or buy mature starter plants The hotter the better so put them in containers (where their roots will be warmer than in the ground) in the full sun Hot peppers have a
longer maturation time than sweet peppers (the seeds take 35 days just to germinate) so be generous with fertilizer and heat to speed things up
Once the fruit appears wear gloves while handling Itrsquos juice is pretty much pepper spray Donrsquot give to kids or elderly who arenrsquot totally comfortable with it and start with a tiny taste on the tongue for yourself Very seriously itrsquos heat that isnrsquot to be taken lightly
26
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
3
Cucumber ldquoSalad Bushrdquo
trends feature edibles
Therersquos nothing new about lsquoSalad Bushrsquo Itrsquos one of the older varieties of cucumbers made to grow in containers Itrsquos also still one of the best
Compact and busy you can grow this one on a trellis or just hanging out the side of the pot The 8rdquo slicers are great in salads
sandwiches or on their own as a snack (which is how I often eat them at the greenhouse)
Fertilize often and donrsquot let it dry out thatrsquos how cucumbers get bitter Yoursquoll want to give it lots of sun and heat for it to yield fast and often
27
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
4
Kale lsquoPrizmrsquo
trends feature edibles
Kale has been headline news lately as a superfood This new variety has a quick 40 day maturity (even less than that if you like young kale) The leaves are elegantly dense and curled making it gorgeous enough to grow in any window box or planter alongside your annuals
The leaves are tender even when mature and so itrsquos good eaten fresh and holds up well in cooking A nutty flavour makes it ideal for salads smoothies or if you ask me chips
28
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
5
We loathed mosquitoes this year A wet summer led to a million itchy picnics in Western Canada and the Zika outbreak although our mosquitoes donrsquot carry it gave us yet another reason to hate those biting buggers
How dominant this trend becomes depends largely on the weather A wet
spring and summer will lead to blood sucking misery And if we have hot and dry weather Wersquoll talk about those bugs if we have to
In 2017 if the weather ldquocooperatesrdquo expect to see war declared against our sucking friend Besides the chemical DEET here are a few weapons in your arsenal
With their ability to reproduce exponentially the best way to deal with mosquitoes is to not let them be born If yoursquore running around the yard swatting and swearing yoursquove already lost the battle
Take a long but not leisurely walk around your yard This is business yoursquore conducting a standing water audit of every nook wheelbarrow cranny forgotten wine
glass and birdbath Check the shed under the deck and peer into the deep dark corners When you find standing water drain and fix
Sprinkling larvicide on standing water you canrsquot drain (ie the nearby pond) will nip them in the bud Itrsquos a predator that activates in the water and starts chowing down on the skeeter larvae
Natural Mosquito Control
trends natural mosquito control
A Year of Bad Press
Prevention First
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
15
Predators
trends natural mosquito control
Prevention is best but we should also know how to kill them Mosquitoes are slow and tasty they have a lot of predators The trick is getting them into your yard
First letrsquos bust up some myths The internet is full of claims that Purple Martins will eat their own weight in mosquitoes daily and that bats are mosquito killing ninjas These hyped-up critters will eat them but not in numbers that will create significant relief Martinsrsquo diet is about 3 skeeters and batsrsquo diet about 1 That being said both predators (especially bats) are helpful to have around
Purple Martins are most famous but other birds will help whittle your population down Barn Swallows who build their ubiquitous nests in old barns and like to swoop at passersby can gobble up
about 60hour Robins Chickadees and Woodpeckers eat their share too
If yoursquore nurturing a feathered army you may want to keep the cat indoors or on a leash Theyrsquore the number one killer of birds in Canada I love my cats but they donrsquot wander freely
Dragonflies are one of the best natural controls you can get Gorgeous harmless to humans and deadly to mosquitoes theyrsquoll often eat over 100 per day diving in at 30 mph and gobbling them up before they know what happened
The snag with dragonflies is they need a pond or boggy area for habitat Theyrsquore highly sensitive to air pollution so seeing them in your yard usually indicates good air quality
DID YOU KNOWSome plants repel mosquitoes
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecommosquito-repelling-plants
16
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
Feature Annuals
trends feature annuals
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
17
lsquoSuperbellsrsquo Morning Star
Confetti Garden - lsquoPeppermint Candyrsquo
lsquoPrince Tutrsquo Grass
Alocasia lsquoStingrayrsquo
Petunia lsquoNightSkyrsquo
1
2
3
4
5
In the gardening world annuals are big business Theyrsquore the colour powerhouses of the yard The trendiest annuals are high fashion eye-catching specimens in containers in that stick out from all the rest
Every year hundreds of new annuals hit the market Itrsquos my job to look past the
glossy magazine ads and find out which ones have the best combination of beauty and performance in our uniquely Albertan climate
So without further ado herersquos my top 5 for 2017
High Fashion
Ralph Waldo Emerson
ldquoThe earth laughs in flowersrdquo
lsquoSuperbellsrsquo Morning Star
trends feature annuals
Yoursquove probably heard me gushing about Calibrachoa before This genus very closely related to Petunias and hailing from southern South America was largely ignored until it was hybridized into ldquoMillion Bellsrdquo ldquoSuperbellsrdquo along with dozens of other brand names and over 100 colours followed
Imagine a petunia Now imagine if that petunia had smaller flowers bloomed all
the time without deadheading wasnrsquot as fussy about watering and didnrsquot sticky leaves Thatrsquos a calibrachoa
The ldquoStarrdquo series is the latest of stunning bi-colours from Proven Winners It will bloom all season and itrsquos garden performance is off the charts
18
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
1
lsquoPrince Tutrsquo Grass
trends feature annuals
By now yoursquove probably heard of the lsquoTutrsquo series of papyrus grass for containers Itrsquos vertical reed-like lines and whorling heads bring intense architectural appeal But while the lsquoKing Tutrsquo is too large for most containers (being over 4rsquo high) and lsquoBaby Tutrsquo is more of a stuffer at less than 1rsquo high the new lsquoPrince Tutrsquo is finally in the happy middle
At 2rsquo high itrsquos an architectural centerpiece that fits the scale of most medium to large containers It loves full sun and water (itrsquos originally a Middle-Eastern swamp plant) so plant with other water lovers like Bacopa and Alocasia
19
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
2
Confetti Garden lsquoPeppermint Candyrsquo
trends feature annuals
Itrsquos Canadarsquos year and expect to see red and white everywhere as we celebrate our 150th Confetti Gardens are brilliant little combos of plants chosen for colour design and mutual growth habit that you can plunk into a larger container for a low cost professionally designed container garden lsquoPeppermint Candyrsquo combines red and white bicolour petunias red verbena
and white calibrachoa is a well-balanced celebration of Canadiana in the garden Give it lots of sun water and ample fertilizer (weekly at least) The plants should grow well together but if one of them gets out of hand pinch it back to let the others fill in
20
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
3
Alocasia lsquoStingrayrsquo
trends feature annuals
If yoursquore looking to start conversations this one is for you Also known as Elephant Earrsquos Alocasia boast big lush leaves that point upward and outward turning any container theyrsquore planted in into a dramatic tropical statement
lsquoStingrayrsquosrsquo unique feature is the whiptail end of itrsquos leaves Resembling you guessed
it a stingray it grows quickly in a sunny spot (sheltered from the afternoon sun if possible) It wants to be moist but well drained and in the fall you can cut it back to the root and keep it dry until the next spring
21
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
4
Petunia ldquoNightskyrdquo
trends feature annuals
Petunias have been around for so long that truly new colours are rare lsquoNightskyrsquo is a mottled colour pattern resembling thick stars on a velvet blue canvas Itrsquos one of the most distinctive petunias Irsquove seen in a long time
Workhorses in containers petunias quickly into mounds of broad colourful flowers Dead-head the spent blooms to keep the show going Theyrsquore best grown in containers where their roots can be warm and they hate drying out
22
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
5
Feature Edibles
trends feature edibles
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
23
Tomato lsquoChocolate Sprinklesrsquo
Thyme lsquoSpicy Orangersquo
Pepper lsquoBhut Jolokiarsquo
Cucumber lsquoSalad Bushrsquo
Kale lsquoPrizmrsquo
1
2
3
4
5
The universals of gardening namely the deep urge that makes us get our hands dirty year after year never change But the methods we use and the plants we choose change constantly
20 years ago the vegetable garden was something you kept in the backyard out of sight so the neighbours didnrsquot see Now
edibles are highlighting feature containers at the front door as a badge of honour
The rise of container-garden edibles has led to an explosion of varieties that are compact high-yielding and are all around well-behaved Here are a few of the most notable edibles both new and just plain awesome that Irsquove seen this year
The New Gardening
Unknown
ldquoGardening is cheaper than therapy and you get tomatoesrdquo
Tomato lsquoChocolate Sprinklesrsquo
trends feature edibles
This new cherry tomato variety is a hybrid with the taste of an heirloom It has bite-sized fruit heavy yield and excellent disease resistance The fruit is red and striped with dark green giving it a gorgeous heirloom look in salads or on its own
Itrsquos an indeterminate so it will keep growing as a vine as long as it can The plus side of
this is that yoursquoll get far more fruit than from a determinate type but yoursquoll also need to stake it and keep it watered
Itrsquos resistant to fusarium wilt which is a common affliction that leads to sickly wilting foliage on otherwise healthy plants Donrsquot be cheap on the fertilizer apply weekly for the best yield
24
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
1
Thyme lsquoSpicy Orangersquo
trends feature edibles
A classic Mediterranean herb thyme is famous for poultry and soups its flavour diffusing slowly as itrsquos cooked A zone 4 itrsquos hardy and you can plant it as a ground cover (although it doesnrsquot take much foot traffic)
This variety has a distinct spicy-orange fragrance thatrsquos most pronounced when you rub the bluish-green leaves Use it like
regular thyme the subtle citrus flavour will infuse during cooking and blends well with traditional thyme dishes
Itrsquos drought tolerant once established and feel free to plant it in containers in the full sun If you plant it in the ground as a perennial you can divide it in early fall once it gets big enough
25
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
2
Pepper lsquoBhut Jolokiarsquo
trends feature edibles
Irsquom a self-confessed wuss when it comes to hot peppers and have never tasted a Bhut Jolokia also called the lsquoGhostrsquo pepper As the hottest naturally occurring pepper in the world it packs a million scoville units (4X hotter than a habanero)
Yoursquoll either want to start the seed early or buy mature starter plants The hotter the better so put them in containers (where their roots will be warmer than in the ground) in the full sun Hot peppers have a
longer maturation time than sweet peppers (the seeds take 35 days just to germinate) so be generous with fertilizer and heat to speed things up
Once the fruit appears wear gloves while handling Itrsquos juice is pretty much pepper spray Donrsquot give to kids or elderly who arenrsquot totally comfortable with it and start with a tiny taste on the tongue for yourself Very seriously itrsquos heat that isnrsquot to be taken lightly
26
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
3
Cucumber ldquoSalad Bushrdquo
trends feature edibles
Therersquos nothing new about lsquoSalad Bushrsquo Itrsquos one of the older varieties of cucumbers made to grow in containers Itrsquos also still one of the best
Compact and busy you can grow this one on a trellis or just hanging out the side of the pot The 8rdquo slicers are great in salads
sandwiches or on their own as a snack (which is how I often eat them at the greenhouse)
Fertilize often and donrsquot let it dry out thatrsquos how cucumbers get bitter Yoursquoll want to give it lots of sun and heat for it to yield fast and often
27
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
4
Kale lsquoPrizmrsquo
trends feature edibles
Kale has been headline news lately as a superfood This new variety has a quick 40 day maturity (even less than that if you like young kale) The leaves are elegantly dense and curled making it gorgeous enough to grow in any window box or planter alongside your annuals
The leaves are tender even when mature and so itrsquos good eaten fresh and holds up well in cooking A nutty flavour makes it ideal for salads smoothies or if you ask me chips
28
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
5
Predators
trends natural mosquito control
Prevention is best but we should also know how to kill them Mosquitoes are slow and tasty they have a lot of predators The trick is getting them into your yard
First letrsquos bust up some myths The internet is full of claims that Purple Martins will eat their own weight in mosquitoes daily and that bats are mosquito killing ninjas These hyped-up critters will eat them but not in numbers that will create significant relief Martinsrsquo diet is about 3 skeeters and batsrsquo diet about 1 That being said both predators (especially bats) are helpful to have around
Purple Martins are most famous but other birds will help whittle your population down Barn Swallows who build their ubiquitous nests in old barns and like to swoop at passersby can gobble up
about 60hour Robins Chickadees and Woodpeckers eat their share too
If yoursquore nurturing a feathered army you may want to keep the cat indoors or on a leash Theyrsquore the number one killer of birds in Canada I love my cats but they donrsquot wander freely
Dragonflies are one of the best natural controls you can get Gorgeous harmless to humans and deadly to mosquitoes theyrsquoll often eat over 100 per day diving in at 30 mph and gobbling them up before they know what happened
The snag with dragonflies is they need a pond or boggy area for habitat Theyrsquore highly sensitive to air pollution so seeing them in your yard usually indicates good air quality
DID YOU KNOWSome plants repel mosquitoes
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecommosquito-repelling-plants
16
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
Feature Annuals
trends feature annuals
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
17
lsquoSuperbellsrsquo Morning Star
Confetti Garden - lsquoPeppermint Candyrsquo
lsquoPrince Tutrsquo Grass
Alocasia lsquoStingrayrsquo
Petunia lsquoNightSkyrsquo
1
2
3
4
5
In the gardening world annuals are big business Theyrsquore the colour powerhouses of the yard The trendiest annuals are high fashion eye-catching specimens in containers in that stick out from all the rest
Every year hundreds of new annuals hit the market Itrsquos my job to look past the
glossy magazine ads and find out which ones have the best combination of beauty and performance in our uniquely Albertan climate
So without further ado herersquos my top 5 for 2017
High Fashion
Ralph Waldo Emerson
ldquoThe earth laughs in flowersrdquo
lsquoSuperbellsrsquo Morning Star
trends feature annuals
Yoursquove probably heard me gushing about Calibrachoa before This genus very closely related to Petunias and hailing from southern South America was largely ignored until it was hybridized into ldquoMillion Bellsrdquo ldquoSuperbellsrdquo along with dozens of other brand names and over 100 colours followed
Imagine a petunia Now imagine if that petunia had smaller flowers bloomed all
the time without deadheading wasnrsquot as fussy about watering and didnrsquot sticky leaves Thatrsquos a calibrachoa
The ldquoStarrdquo series is the latest of stunning bi-colours from Proven Winners It will bloom all season and itrsquos garden performance is off the charts
18
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
1
lsquoPrince Tutrsquo Grass
trends feature annuals
By now yoursquove probably heard of the lsquoTutrsquo series of papyrus grass for containers Itrsquos vertical reed-like lines and whorling heads bring intense architectural appeal But while the lsquoKing Tutrsquo is too large for most containers (being over 4rsquo high) and lsquoBaby Tutrsquo is more of a stuffer at less than 1rsquo high the new lsquoPrince Tutrsquo is finally in the happy middle
At 2rsquo high itrsquos an architectural centerpiece that fits the scale of most medium to large containers It loves full sun and water (itrsquos originally a Middle-Eastern swamp plant) so plant with other water lovers like Bacopa and Alocasia
19
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
2
Confetti Garden lsquoPeppermint Candyrsquo
trends feature annuals
Itrsquos Canadarsquos year and expect to see red and white everywhere as we celebrate our 150th Confetti Gardens are brilliant little combos of plants chosen for colour design and mutual growth habit that you can plunk into a larger container for a low cost professionally designed container garden lsquoPeppermint Candyrsquo combines red and white bicolour petunias red verbena
and white calibrachoa is a well-balanced celebration of Canadiana in the garden Give it lots of sun water and ample fertilizer (weekly at least) The plants should grow well together but if one of them gets out of hand pinch it back to let the others fill in
20
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
3
Alocasia lsquoStingrayrsquo
trends feature annuals
If yoursquore looking to start conversations this one is for you Also known as Elephant Earrsquos Alocasia boast big lush leaves that point upward and outward turning any container theyrsquore planted in into a dramatic tropical statement
lsquoStingrayrsquosrsquo unique feature is the whiptail end of itrsquos leaves Resembling you guessed
it a stingray it grows quickly in a sunny spot (sheltered from the afternoon sun if possible) It wants to be moist but well drained and in the fall you can cut it back to the root and keep it dry until the next spring
21
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
4
Petunia ldquoNightskyrdquo
trends feature annuals
Petunias have been around for so long that truly new colours are rare lsquoNightskyrsquo is a mottled colour pattern resembling thick stars on a velvet blue canvas Itrsquos one of the most distinctive petunias Irsquove seen in a long time
Workhorses in containers petunias quickly into mounds of broad colourful flowers Dead-head the spent blooms to keep the show going Theyrsquore best grown in containers where their roots can be warm and they hate drying out
22
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
5
Feature Edibles
trends feature edibles
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
23
Tomato lsquoChocolate Sprinklesrsquo
Thyme lsquoSpicy Orangersquo
Pepper lsquoBhut Jolokiarsquo
Cucumber lsquoSalad Bushrsquo
Kale lsquoPrizmrsquo
1
2
3
4
5
The universals of gardening namely the deep urge that makes us get our hands dirty year after year never change But the methods we use and the plants we choose change constantly
20 years ago the vegetable garden was something you kept in the backyard out of sight so the neighbours didnrsquot see Now
edibles are highlighting feature containers at the front door as a badge of honour
The rise of container-garden edibles has led to an explosion of varieties that are compact high-yielding and are all around well-behaved Here are a few of the most notable edibles both new and just plain awesome that Irsquove seen this year
The New Gardening
Unknown
ldquoGardening is cheaper than therapy and you get tomatoesrdquo
Tomato lsquoChocolate Sprinklesrsquo
trends feature edibles
This new cherry tomato variety is a hybrid with the taste of an heirloom It has bite-sized fruit heavy yield and excellent disease resistance The fruit is red and striped with dark green giving it a gorgeous heirloom look in salads or on its own
Itrsquos an indeterminate so it will keep growing as a vine as long as it can The plus side of
this is that yoursquoll get far more fruit than from a determinate type but yoursquoll also need to stake it and keep it watered
Itrsquos resistant to fusarium wilt which is a common affliction that leads to sickly wilting foliage on otherwise healthy plants Donrsquot be cheap on the fertilizer apply weekly for the best yield
24
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
1
Thyme lsquoSpicy Orangersquo
trends feature edibles
A classic Mediterranean herb thyme is famous for poultry and soups its flavour diffusing slowly as itrsquos cooked A zone 4 itrsquos hardy and you can plant it as a ground cover (although it doesnrsquot take much foot traffic)
This variety has a distinct spicy-orange fragrance thatrsquos most pronounced when you rub the bluish-green leaves Use it like
regular thyme the subtle citrus flavour will infuse during cooking and blends well with traditional thyme dishes
Itrsquos drought tolerant once established and feel free to plant it in containers in the full sun If you plant it in the ground as a perennial you can divide it in early fall once it gets big enough
25
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
2
Pepper lsquoBhut Jolokiarsquo
trends feature edibles
Irsquom a self-confessed wuss when it comes to hot peppers and have never tasted a Bhut Jolokia also called the lsquoGhostrsquo pepper As the hottest naturally occurring pepper in the world it packs a million scoville units (4X hotter than a habanero)
Yoursquoll either want to start the seed early or buy mature starter plants The hotter the better so put them in containers (where their roots will be warmer than in the ground) in the full sun Hot peppers have a
longer maturation time than sweet peppers (the seeds take 35 days just to germinate) so be generous with fertilizer and heat to speed things up
Once the fruit appears wear gloves while handling Itrsquos juice is pretty much pepper spray Donrsquot give to kids or elderly who arenrsquot totally comfortable with it and start with a tiny taste on the tongue for yourself Very seriously itrsquos heat that isnrsquot to be taken lightly
26
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
3
Cucumber ldquoSalad Bushrdquo
trends feature edibles
Therersquos nothing new about lsquoSalad Bushrsquo Itrsquos one of the older varieties of cucumbers made to grow in containers Itrsquos also still one of the best
Compact and busy you can grow this one on a trellis or just hanging out the side of the pot The 8rdquo slicers are great in salads
sandwiches or on their own as a snack (which is how I often eat them at the greenhouse)
Fertilize often and donrsquot let it dry out thatrsquos how cucumbers get bitter Yoursquoll want to give it lots of sun and heat for it to yield fast and often
27
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
4
Kale lsquoPrizmrsquo
trends feature edibles
Kale has been headline news lately as a superfood This new variety has a quick 40 day maturity (even less than that if you like young kale) The leaves are elegantly dense and curled making it gorgeous enough to grow in any window box or planter alongside your annuals
The leaves are tender even when mature and so itrsquos good eaten fresh and holds up well in cooking A nutty flavour makes it ideal for salads smoothies or if you ask me chips
28
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
5
Feature Annuals
trends feature annuals
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
17
lsquoSuperbellsrsquo Morning Star
Confetti Garden - lsquoPeppermint Candyrsquo
lsquoPrince Tutrsquo Grass
Alocasia lsquoStingrayrsquo
Petunia lsquoNightSkyrsquo
1
2
3
4
5
In the gardening world annuals are big business Theyrsquore the colour powerhouses of the yard The trendiest annuals are high fashion eye-catching specimens in containers in that stick out from all the rest
Every year hundreds of new annuals hit the market Itrsquos my job to look past the
glossy magazine ads and find out which ones have the best combination of beauty and performance in our uniquely Albertan climate
So without further ado herersquos my top 5 for 2017
High Fashion
Ralph Waldo Emerson
ldquoThe earth laughs in flowersrdquo
lsquoSuperbellsrsquo Morning Star
trends feature annuals
Yoursquove probably heard me gushing about Calibrachoa before This genus very closely related to Petunias and hailing from southern South America was largely ignored until it was hybridized into ldquoMillion Bellsrdquo ldquoSuperbellsrdquo along with dozens of other brand names and over 100 colours followed
Imagine a petunia Now imagine if that petunia had smaller flowers bloomed all
the time without deadheading wasnrsquot as fussy about watering and didnrsquot sticky leaves Thatrsquos a calibrachoa
The ldquoStarrdquo series is the latest of stunning bi-colours from Proven Winners It will bloom all season and itrsquos garden performance is off the charts
18
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
1
lsquoPrince Tutrsquo Grass
trends feature annuals
By now yoursquove probably heard of the lsquoTutrsquo series of papyrus grass for containers Itrsquos vertical reed-like lines and whorling heads bring intense architectural appeal But while the lsquoKing Tutrsquo is too large for most containers (being over 4rsquo high) and lsquoBaby Tutrsquo is more of a stuffer at less than 1rsquo high the new lsquoPrince Tutrsquo is finally in the happy middle
At 2rsquo high itrsquos an architectural centerpiece that fits the scale of most medium to large containers It loves full sun and water (itrsquos originally a Middle-Eastern swamp plant) so plant with other water lovers like Bacopa and Alocasia
19
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
2
Confetti Garden lsquoPeppermint Candyrsquo
trends feature annuals
Itrsquos Canadarsquos year and expect to see red and white everywhere as we celebrate our 150th Confetti Gardens are brilliant little combos of plants chosen for colour design and mutual growth habit that you can plunk into a larger container for a low cost professionally designed container garden lsquoPeppermint Candyrsquo combines red and white bicolour petunias red verbena
and white calibrachoa is a well-balanced celebration of Canadiana in the garden Give it lots of sun water and ample fertilizer (weekly at least) The plants should grow well together but if one of them gets out of hand pinch it back to let the others fill in
20
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
3
Alocasia lsquoStingrayrsquo
trends feature annuals
If yoursquore looking to start conversations this one is for you Also known as Elephant Earrsquos Alocasia boast big lush leaves that point upward and outward turning any container theyrsquore planted in into a dramatic tropical statement
lsquoStingrayrsquosrsquo unique feature is the whiptail end of itrsquos leaves Resembling you guessed
it a stingray it grows quickly in a sunny spot (sheltered from the afternoon sun if possible) It wants to be moist but well drained and in the fall you can cut it back to the root and keep it dry until the next spring
21
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
4
Petunia ldquoNightskyrdquo
trends feature annuals
Petunias have been around for so long that truly new colours are rare lsquoNightskyrsquo is a mottled colour pattern resembling thick stars on a velvet blue canvas Itrsquos one of the most distinctive petunias Irsquove seen in a long time
Workhorses in containers petunias quickly into mounds of broad colourful flowers Dead-head the spent blooms to keep the show going Theyrsquore best grown in containers where their roots can be warm and they hate drying out
22
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
5
Feature Edibles
trends feature edibles
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
23
Tomato lsquoChocolate Sprinklesrsquo
Thyme lsquoSpicy Orangersquo
Pepper lsquoBhut Jolokiarsquo
Cucumber lsquoSalad Bushrsquo
Kale lsquoPrizmrsquo
1
2
3
4
5
The universals of gardening namely the deep urge that makes us get our hands dirty year after year never change But the methods we use and the plants we choose change constantly
20 years ago the vegetable garden was something you kept in the backyard out of sight so the neighbours didnrsquot see Now
edibles are highlighting feature containers at the front door as a badge of honour
The rise of container-garden edibles has led to an explosion of varieties that are compact high-yielding and are all around well-behaved Here are a few of the most notable edibles both new and just plain awesome that Irsquove seen this year
The New Gardening
Unknown
ldquoGardening is cheaper than therapy and you get tomatoesrdquo
Tomato lsquoChocolate Sprinklesrsquo
trends feature edibles
This new cherry tomato variety is a hybrid with the taste of an heirloom It has bite-sized fruit heavy yield and excellent disease resistance The fruit is red and striped with dark green giving it a gorgeous heirloom look in salads or on its own
Itrsquos an indeterminate so it will keep growing as a vine as long as it can The plus side of
this is that yoursquoll get far more fruit than from a determinate type but yoursquoll also need to stake it and keep it watered
Itrsquos resistant to fusarium wilt which is a common affliction that leads to sickly wilting foliage on otherwise healthy plants Donrsquot be cheap on the fertilizer apply weekly for the best yield
24
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
1
Thyme lsquoSpicy Orangersquo
trends feature edibles
A classic Mediterranean herb thyme is famous for poultry and soups its flavour diffusing slowly as itrsquos cooked A zone 4 itrsquos hardy and you can plant it as a ground cover (although it doesnrsquot take much foot traffic)
This variety has a distinct spicy-orange fragrance thatrsquos most pronounced when you rub the bluish-green leaves Use it like
regular thyme the subtle citrus flavour will infuse during cooking and blends well with traditional thyme dishes
Itrsquos drought tolerant once established and feel free to plant it in containers in the full sun If you plant it in the ground as a perennial you can divide it in early fall once it gets big enough
25
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
2
Pepper lsquoBhut Jolokiarsquo
trends feature edibles
Irsquom a self-confessed wuss when it comes to hot peppers and have never tasted a Bhut Jolokia also called the lsquoGhostrsquo pepper As the hottest naturally occurring pepper in the world it packs a million scoville units (4X hotter than a habanero)
Yoursquoll either want to start the seed early or buy mature starter plants The hotter the better so put them in containers (where their roots will be warmer than in the ground) in the full sun Hot peppers have a
longer maturation time than sweet peppers (the seeds take 35 days just to germinate) so be generous with fertilizer and heat to speed things up
Once the fruit appears wear gloves while handling Itrsquos juice is pretty much pepper spray Donrsquot give to kids or elderly who arenrsquot totally comfortable with it and start with a tiny taste on the tongue for yourself Very seriously itrsquos heat that isnrsquot to be taken lightly
26
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
3
Cucumber ldquoSalad Bushrdquo
trends feature edibles
Therersquos nothing new about lsquoSalad Bushrsquo Itrsquos one of the older varieties of cucumbers made to grow in containers Itrsquos also still one of the best
Compact and busy you can grow this one on a trellis or just hanging out the side of the pot The 8rdquo slicers are great in salads
sandwiches or on their own as a snack (which is how I often eat them at the greenhouse)
Fertilize often and donrsquot let it dry out thatrsquos how cucumbers get bitter Yoursquoll want to give it lots of sun and heat for it to yield fast and often
27
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
4
Kale lsquoPrizmrsquo
trends feature edibles
Kale has been headline news lately as a superfood This new variety has a quick 40 day maturity (even less than that if you like young kale) The leaves are elegantly dense and curled making it gorgeous enough to grow in any window box or planter alongside your annuals
The leaves are tender even when mature and so itrsquos good eaten fresh and holds up well in cooking A nutty flavour makes it ideal for salads smoothies or if you ask me chips
28
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
5
lsquoSuperbellsrsquo Morning Star
trends feature annuals
Yoursquove probably heard me gushing about Calibrachoa before This genus very closely related to Petunias and hailing from southern South America was largely ignored until it was hybridized into ldquoMillion Bellsrdquo ldquoSuperbellsrdquo along with dozens of other brand names and over 100 colours followed
Imagine a petunia Now imagine if that petunia had smaller flowers bloomed all
the time without deadheading wasnrsquot as fussy about watering and didnrsquot sticky leaves Thatrsquos a calibrachoa
The ldquoStarrdquo series is the latest of stunning bi-colours from Proven Winners It will bloom all season and itrsquos garden performance is off the charts
18
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
1
lsquoPrince Tutrsquo Grass
trends feature annuals
By now yoursquove probably heard of the lsquoTutrsquo series of papyrus grass for containers Itrsquos vertical reed-like lines and whorling heads bring intense architectural appeal But while the lsquoKing Tutrsquo is too large for most containers (being over 4rsquo high) and lsquoBaby Tutrsquo is more of a stuffer at less than 1rsquo high the new lsquoPrince Tutrsquo is finally in the happy middle
At 2rsquo high itrsquos an architectural centerpiece that fits the scale of most medium to large containers It loves full sun and water (itrsquos originally a Middle-Eastern swamp plant) so plant with other water lovers like Bacopa and Alocasia
19
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
2
Confetti Garden lsquoPeppermint Candyrsquo
trends feature annuals
Itrsquos Canadarsquos year and expect to see red and white everywhere as we celebrate our 150th Confetti Gardens are brilliant little combos of plants chosen for colour design and mutual growth habit that you can plunk into a larger container for a low cost professionally designed container garden lsquoPeppermint Candyrsquo combines red and white bicolour petunias red verbena
and white calibrachoa is a well-balanced celebration of Canadiana in the garden Give it lots of sun water and ample fertilizer (weekly at least) The plants should grow well together but if one of them gets out of hand pinch it back to let the others fill in
20
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
3
Alocasia lsquoStingrayrsquo
trends feature annuals
If yoursquore looking to start conversations this one is for you Also known as Elephant Earrsquos Alocasia boast big lush leaves that point upward and outward turning any container theyrsquore planted in into a dramatic tropical statement
lsquoStingrayrsquosrsquo unique feature is the whiptail end of itrsquos leaves Resembling you guessed
it a stingray it grows quickly in a sunny spot (sheltered from the afternoon sun if possible) It wants to be moist but well drained and in the fall you can cut it back to the root and keep it dry until the next spring
21
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
4
Petunia ldquoNightskyrdquo
trends feature annuals
Petunias have been around for so long that truly new colours are rare lsquoNightskyrsquo is a mottled colour pattern resembling thick stars on a velvet blue canvas Itrsquos one of the most distinctive petunias Irsquove seen in a long time
Workhorses in containers petunias quickly into mounds of broad colourful flowers Dead-head the spent blooms to keep the show going Theyrsquore best grown in containers where their roots can be warm and they hate drying out
22
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
5
Feature Edibles
trends feature edibles
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
23
Tomato lsquoChocolate Sprinklesrsquo
Thyme lsquoSpicy Orangersquo
Pepper lsquoBhut Jolokiarsquo
Cucumber lsquoSalad Bushrsquo
Kale lsquoPrizmrsquo
1
2
3
4
5
The universals of gardening namely the deep urge that makes us get our hands dirty year after year never change But the methods we use and the plants we choose change constantly
20 years ago the vegetable garden was something you kept in the backyard out of sight so the neighbours didnrsquot see Now
edibles are highlighting feature containers at the front door as a badge of honour
The rise of container-garden edibles has led to an explosion of varieties that are compact high-yielding and are all around well-behaved Here are a few of the most notable edibles both new and just plain awesome that Irsquove seen this year
The New Gardening
Unknown
ldquoGardening is cheaper than therapy and you get tomatoesrdquo
Tomato lsquoChocolate Sprinklesrsquo
trends feature edibles
This new cherry tomato variety is a hybrid with the taste of an heirloom It has bite-sized fruit heavy yield and excellent disease resistance The fruit is red and striped with dark green giving it a gorgeous heirloom look in salads or on its own
Itrsquos an indeterminate so it will keep growing as a vine as long as it can The plus side of
this is that yoursquoll get far more fruit than from a determinate type but yoursquoll also need to stake it and keep it watered
Itrsquos resistant to fusarium wilt which is a common affliction that leads to sickly wilting foliage on otherwise healthy plants Donrsquot be cheap on the fertilizer apply weekly for the best yield
24
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
1
Thyme lsquoSpicy Orangersquo
trends feature edibles
A classic Mediterranean herb thyme is famous for poultry and soups its flavour diffusing slowly as itrsquos cooked A zone 4 itrsquos hardy and you can plant it as a ground cover (although it doesnrsquot take much foot traffic)
This variety has a distinct spicy-orange fragrance thatrsquos most pronounced when you rub the bluish-green leaves Use it like
regular thyme the subtle citrus flavour will infuse during cooking and blends well with traditional thyme dishes
Itrsquos drought tolerant once established and feel free to plant it in containers in the full sun If you plant it in the ground as a perennial you can divide it in early fall once it gets big enough
25
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
2
Pepper lsquoBhut Jolokiarsquo
trends feature edibles
Irsquom a self-confessed wuss when it comes to hot peppers and have never tasted a Bhut Jolokia also called the lsquoGhostrsquo pepper As the hottest naturally occurring pepper in the world it packs a million scoville units (4X hotter than a habanero)
Yoursquoll either want to start the seed early or buy mature starter plants The hotter the better so put them in containers (where their roots will be warmer than in the ground) in the full sun Hot peppers have a
longer maturation time than sweet peppers (the seeds take 35 days just to germinate) so be generous with fertilizer and heat to speed things up
Once the fruit appears wear gloves while handling Itrsquos juice is pretty much pepper spray Donrsquot give to kids or elderly who arenrsquot totally comfortable with it and start with a tiny taste on the tongue for yourself Very seriously itrsquos heat that isnrsquot to be taken lightly
26
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
3
Cucumber ldquoSalad Bushrdquo
trends feature edibles
Therersquos nothing new about lsquoSalad Bushrsquo Itrsquos one of the older varieties of cucumbers made to grow in containers Itrsquos also still one of the best
Compact and busy you can grow this one on a trellis or just hanging out the side of the pot The 8rdquo slicers are great in salads
sandwiches or on their own as a snack (which is how I often eat them at the greenhouse)
Fertilize often and donrsquot let it dry out thatrsquos how cucumbers get bitter Yoursquoll want to give it lots of sun and heat for it to yield fast and often
27
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
4
Kale lsquoPrizmrsquo
trends feature edibles
Kale has been headline news lately as a superfood This new variety has a quick 40 day maturity (even less than that if you like young kale) The leaves are elegantly dense and curled making it gorgeous enough to grow in any window box or planter alongside your annuals
The leaves are tender even when mature and so itrsquos good eaten fresh and holds up well in cooking A nutty flavour makes it ideal for salads smoothies or if you ask me chips
28
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
5
lsquoPrince Tutrsquo Grass
trends feature annuals
By now yoursquove probably heard of the lsquoTutrsquo series of papyrus grass for containers Itrsquos vertical reed-like lines and whorling heads bring intense architectural appeal But while the lsquoKing Tutrsquo is too large for most containers (being over 4rsquo high) and lsquoBaby Tutrsquo is more of a stuffer at less than 1rsquo high the new lsquoPrince Tutrsquo is finally in the happy middle
At 2rsquo high itrsquos an architectural centerpiece that fits the scale of most medium to large containers It loves full sun and water (itrsquos originally a Middle-Eastern swamp plant) so plant with other water lovers like Bacopa and Alocasia
19
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
2
Confetti Garden lsquoPeppermint Candyrsquo
trends feature annuals
Itrsquos Canadarsquos year and expect to see red and white everywhere as we celebrate our 150th Confetti Gardens are brilliant little combos of plants chosen for colour design and mutual growth habit that you can plunk into a larger container for a low cost professionally designed container garden lsquoPeppermint Candyrsquo combines red and white bicolour petunias red verbena
and white calibrachoa is a well-balanced celebration of Canadiana in the garden Give it lots of sun water and ample fertilizer (weekly at least) The plants should grow well together but if one of them gets out of hand pinch it back to let the others fill in
20
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
3
Alocasia lsquoStingrayrsquo
trends feature annuals
If yoursquore looking to start conversations this one is for you Also known as Elephant Earrsquos Alocasia boast big lush leaves that point upward and outward turning any container theyrsquore planted in into a dramatic tropical statement
lsquoStingrayrsquosrsquo unique feature is the whiptail end of itrsquos leaves Resembling you guessed
it a stingray it grows quickly in a sunny spot (sheltered from the afternoon sun if possible) It wants to be moist but well drained and in the fall you can cut it back to the root and keep it dry until the next spring
21
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
4
Petunia ldquoNightskyrdquo
trends feature annuals
Petunias have been around for so long that truly new colours are rare lsquoNightskyrsquo is a mottled colour pattern resembling thick stars on a velvet blue canvas Itrsquos one of the most distinctive petunias Irsquove seen in a long time
Workhorses in containers petunias quickly into mounds of broad colourful flowers Dead-head the spent blooms to keep the show going Theyrsquore best grown in containers where their roots can be warm and they hate drying out
22
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
5
Feature Edibles
trends feature edibles
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
23
Tomato lsquoChocolate Sprinklesrsquo
Thyme lsquoSpicy Orangersquo
Pepper lsquoBhut Jolokiarsquo
Cucumber lsquoSalad Bushrsquo
Kale lsquoPrizmrsquo
1
2
3
4
5
The universals of gardening namely the deep urge that makes us get our hands dirty year after year never change But the methods we use and the plants we choose change constantly
20 years ago the vegetable garden was something you kept in the backyard out of sight so the neighbours didnrsquot see Now
edibles are highlighting feature containers at the front door as a badge of honour
The rise of container-garden edibles has led to an explosion of varieties that are compact high-yielding and are all around well-behaved Here are a few of the most notable edibles both new and just plain awesome that Irsquove seen this year
The New Gardening
Unknown
ldquoGardening is cheaper than therapy and you get tomatoesrdquo
Tomato lsquoChocolate Sprinklesrsquo
trends feature edibles
This new cherry tomato variety is a hybrid with the taste of an heirloom It has bite-sized fruit heavy yield and excellent disease resistance The fruit is red and striped with dark green giving it a gorgeous heirloom look in salads or on its own
Itrsquos an indeterminate so it will keep growing as a vine as long as it can The plus side of
this is that yoursquoll get far more fruit than from a determinate type but yoursquoll also need to stake it and keep it watered
Itrsquos resistant to fusarium wilt which is a common affliction that leads to sickly wilting foliage on otherwise healthy plants Donrsquot be cheap on the fertilizer apply weekly for the best yield
24
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
1
Thyme lsquoSpicy Orangersquo
trends feature edibles
A classic Mediterranean herb thyme is famous for poultry and soups its flavour diffusing slowly as itrsquos cooked A zone 4 itrsquos hardy and you can plant it as a ground cover (although it doesnrsquot take much foot traffic)
This variety has a distinct spicy-orange fragrance thatrsquos most pronounced when you rub the bluish-green leaves Use it like
regular thyme the subtle citrus flavour will infuse during cooking and blends well with traditional thyme dishes
Itrsquos drought tolerant once established and feel free to plant it in containers in the full sun If you plant it in the ground as a perennial you can divide it in early fall once it gets big enough
25
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
2
Pepper lsquoBhut Jolokiarsquo
trends feature edibles
Irsquom a self-confessed wuss when it comes to hot peppers and have never tasted a Bhut Jolokia also called the lsquoGhostrsquo pepper As the hottest naturally occurring pepper in the world it packs a million scoville units (4X hotter than a habanero)
Yoursquoll either want to start the seed early or buy mature starter plants The hotter the better so put them in containers (where their roots will be warmer than in the ground) in the full sun Hot peppers have a
longer maturation time than sweet peppers (the seeds take 35 days just to germinate) so be generous with fertilizer and heat to speed things up
Once the fruit appears wear gloves while handling Itrsquos juice is pretty much pepper spray Donrsquot give to kids or elderly who arenrsquot totally comfortable with it and start with a tiny taste on the tongue for yourself Very seriously itrsquos heat that isnrsquot to be taken lightly
26
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
3
Cucumber ldquoSalad Bushrdquo
trends feature edibles
Therersquos nothing new about lsquoSalad Bushrsquo Itrsquos one of the older varieties of cucumbers made to grow in containers Itrsquos also still one of the best
Compact and busy you can grow this one on a trellis or just hanging out the side of the pot The 8rdquo slicers are great in salads
sandwiches or on their own as a snack (which is how I often eat them at the greenhouse)
Fertilize often and donrsquot let it dry out thatrsquos how cucumbers get bitter Yoursquoll want to give it lots of sun and heat for it to yield fast and often
27
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
4
Kale lsquoPrizmrsquo
trends feature edibles
Kale has been headline news lately as a superfood This new variety has a quick 40 day maturity (even less than that if you like young kale) The leaves are elegantly dense and curled making it gorgeous enough to grow in any window box or planter alongside your annuals
The leaves are tender even when mature and so itrsquos good eaten fresh and holds up well in cooking A nutty flavour makes it ideal for salads smoothies or if you ask me chips
28
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
5
Confetti Garden lsquoPeppermint Candyrsquo
trends feature annuals
Itrsquos Canadarsquos year and expect to see red and white everywhere as we celebrate our 150th Confetti Gardens are brilliant little combos of plants chosen for colour design and mutual growth habit that you can plunk into a larger container for a low cost professionally designed container garden lsquoPeppermint Candyrsquo combines red and white bicolour petunias red verbena
and white calibrachoa is a well-balanced celebration of Canadiana in the garden Give it lots of sun water and ample fertilizer (weekly at least) The plants should grow well together but if one of them gets out of hand pinch it back to let the others fill in
20
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
3
Alocasia lsquoStingrayrsquo
trends feature annuals
If yoursquore looking to start conversations this one is for you Also known as Elephant Earrsquos Alocasia boast big lush leaves that point upward and outward turning any container theyrsquore planted in into a dramatic tropical statement
lsquoStingrayrsquosrsquo unique feature is the whiptail end of itrsquos leaves Resembling you guessed
it a stingray it grows quickly in a sunny spot (sheltered from the afternoon sun if possible) It wants to be moist but well drained and in the fall you can cut it back to the root and keep it dry until the next spring
21
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
4
Petunia ldquoNightskyrdquo
trends feature annuals
Petunias have been around for so long that truly new colours are rare lsquoNightskyrsquo is a mottled colour pattern resembling thick stars on a velvet blue canvas Itrsquos one of the most distinctive petunias Irsquove seen in a long time
Workhorses in containers petunias quickly into mounds of broad colourful flowers Dead-head the spent blooms to keep the show going Theyrsquore best grown in containers where their roots can be warm and they hate drying out
22
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
5
Feature Edibles
trends feature edibles
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
23
Tomato lsquoChocolate Sprinklesrsquo
Thyme lsquoSpicy Orangersquo
Pepper lsquoBhut Jolokiarsquo
Cucumber lsquoSalad Bushrsquo
Kale lsquoPrizmrsquo
1
2
3
4
5
The universals of gardening namely the deep urge that makes us get our hands dirty year after year never change But the methods we use and the plants we choose change constantly
20 years ago the vegetable garden was something you kept in the backyard out of sight so the neighbours didnrsquot see Now
edibles are highlighting feature containers at the front door as a badge of honour
The rise of container-garden edibles has led to an explosion of varieties that are compact high-yielding and are all around well-behaved Here are a few of the most notable edibles both new and just plain awesome that Irsquove seen this year
The New Gardening
Unknown
ldquoGardening is cheaper than therapy and you get tomatoesrdquo
Tomato lsquoChocolate Sprinklesrsquo
trends feature edibles
This new cherry tomato variety is a hybrid with the taste of an heirloom It has bite-sized fruit heavy yield and excellent disease resistance The fruit is red and striped with dark green giving it a gorgeous heirloom look in salads or on its own
Itrsquos an indeterminate so it will keep growing as a vine as long as it can The plus side of
this is that yoursquoll get far more fruit than from a determinate type but yoursquoll also need to stake it and keep it watered
Itrsquos resistant to fusarium wilt which is a common affliction that leads to sickly wilting foliage on otherwise healthy plants Donrsquot be cheap on the fertilizer apply weekly for the best yield
24
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
1
Thyme lsquoSpicy Orangersquo
trends feature edibles
A classic Mediterranean herb thyme is famous for poultry and soups its flavour diffusing slowly as itrsquos cooked A zone 4 itrsquos hardy and you can plant it as a ground cover (although it doesnrsquot take much foot traffic)
This variety has a distinct spicy-orange fragrance thatrsquos most pronounced when you rub the bluish-green leaves Use it like
regular thyme the subtle citrus flavour will infuse during cooking and blends well with traditional thyme dishes
Itrsquos drought tolerant once established and feel free to plant it in containers in the full sun If you plant it in the ground as a perennial you can divide it in early fall once it gets big enough
25
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
2
Pepper lsquoBhut Jolokiarsquo
trends feature edibles
Irsquom a self-confessed wuss when it comes to hot peppers and have never tasted a Bhut Jolokia also called the lsquoGhostrsquo pepper As the hottest naturally occurring pepper in the world it packs a million scoville units (4X hotter than a habanero)
Yoursquoll either want to start the seed early or buy mature starter plants The hotter the better so put them in containers (where their roots will be warmer than in the ground) in the full sun Hot peppers have a
longer maturation time than sweet peppers (the seeds take 35 days just to germinate) so be generous with fertilizer and heat to speed things up
Once the fruit appears wear gloves while handling Itrsquos juice is pretty much pepper spray Donrsquot give to kids or elderly who arenrsquot totally comfortable with it and start with a tiny taste on the tongue for yourself Very seriously itrsquos heat that isnrsquot to be taken lightly
26
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
3
Cucumber ldquoSalad Bushrdquo
trends feature edibles
Therersquos nothing new about lsquoSalad Bushrsquo Itrsquos one of the older varieties of cucumbers made to grow in containers Itrsquos also still one of the best
Compact and busy you can grow this one on a trellis or just hanging out the side of the pot The 8rdquo slicers are great in salads
sandwiches or on their own as a snack (which is how I often eat them at the greenhouse)
Fertilize often and donrsquot let it dry out thatrsquos how cucumbers get bitter Yoursquoll want to give it lots of sun and heat for it to yield fast and often
27
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
4
Kale lsquoPrizmrsquo
trends feature edibles
Kale has been headline news lately as a superfood This new variety has a quick 40 day maturity (even less than that if you like young kale) The leaves are elegantly dense and curled making it gorgeous enough to grow in any window box or planter alongside your annuals
The leaves are tender even when mature and so itrsquos good eaten fresh and holds up well in cooking A nutty flavour makes it ideal for salads smoothies or if you ask me chips
28
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
5
Alocasia lsquoStingrayrsquo
trends feature annuals
If yoursquore looking to start conversations this one is for you Also known as Elephant Earrsquos Alocasia boast big lush leaves that point upward and outward turning any container theyrsquore planted in into a dramatic tropical statement
lsquoStingrayrsquosrsquo unique feature is the whiptail end of itrsquos leaves Resembling you guessed
it a stingray it grows quickly in a sunny spot (sheltered from the afternoon sun if possible) It wants to be moist but well drained and in the fall you can cut it back to the root and keep it dry until the next spring
21
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
4
Petunia ldquoNightskyrdquo
trends feature annuals
Petunias have been around for so long that truly new colours are rare lsquoNightskyrsquo is a mottled colour pattern resembling thick stars on a velvet blue canvas Itrsquos one of the most distinctive petunias Irsquove seen in a long time
Workhorses in containers petunias quickly into mounds of broad colourful flowers Dead-head the spent blooms to keep the show going Theyrsquore best grown in containers where their roots can be warm and they hate drying out
22
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
5
Feature Edibles
trends feature edibles
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
23
Tomato lsquoChocolate Sprinklesrsquo
Thyme lsquoSpicy Orangersquo
Pepper lsquoBhut Jolokiarsquo
Cucumber lsquoSalad Bushrsquo
Kale lsquoPrizmrsquo
1
2
3
4
5
The universals of gardening namely the deep urge that makes us get our hands dirty year after year never change But the methods we use and the plants we choose change constantly
20 years ago the vegetable garden was something you kept in the backyard out of sight so the neighbours didnrsquot see Now
edibles are highlighting feature containers at the front door as a badge of honour
The rise of container-garden edibles has led to an explosion of varieties that are compact high-yielding and are all around well-behaved Here are a few of the most notable edibles both new and just plain awesome that Irsquove seen this year
The New Gardening
Unknown
ldquoGardening is cheaper than therapy and you get tomatoesrdquo
Tomato lsquoChocolate Sprinklesrsquo
trends feature edibles
This new cherry tomato variety is a hybrid with the taste of an heirloom It has bite-sized fruit heavy yield and excellent disease resistance The fruit is red and striped with dark green giving it a gorgeous heirloom look in salads or on its own
Itrsquos an indeterminate so it will keep growing as a vine as long as it can The plus side of
this is that yoursquoll get far more fruit than from a determinate type but yoursquoll also need to stake it and keep it watered
Itrsquos resistant to fusarium wilt which is a common affliction that leads to sickly wilting foliage on otherwise healthy plants Donrsquot be cheap on the fertilizer apply weekly for the best yield
24
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
1
Thyme lsquoSpicy Orangersquo
trends feature edibles
A classic Mediterranean herb thyme is famous for poultry and soups its flavour diffusing slowly as itrsquos cooked A zone 4 itrsquos hardy and you can plant it as a ground cover (although it doesnrsquot take much foot traffic)
This variety has a distinct spicy-orange fragrance thatrsquos most pronounced when you rub the bluish-green leaves Use it like
regular thyme the subtle citrus flavour will infuse during cooking and blends well with traditional thyme dishes
Itrsquos drought tolerant once established and feel free to plant it in containers in the full sun If you plant it in the ground as a perennial you can divide it in early fall once it gets big enough
25
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
2
Pepper lsquoBhut Jolokiarsquo
trends feature edibles
Irsquom a self-confessed wuss when it comes to hot peppers and have never tasted a Bhut Jolokia also called the lsquoGhostrsquo pepper As the hottest naturally occurring pepper in the world it packs a million scoville units (4X hotter than a habanero)
Yoursquoll either want to start the seed early or buy mature starter plants The hotter the better so put them in containers (where their roots will be warmer than in the ground) in the full sun Hot peppers have a
longer maturation time than sweet peppers (the seeds take 35 days just to germinate) so be generous with fertilizer and heat to speed things up
Once the fruit appears wear gloves while handling Itrsquos juice is pretty much pepper spray Donrsquot give to kids or elderly who arenrsquot totally comfortable with it and start with a tiny taste on the tongue for yourself Very seriously itrsquos heat that isnrsquot to be taken lightly
26
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
3
Cucumber ldquoSalad Bushrdquo
trends feature edibles
Therersquos nothing new about lsquoSalad Bushrsquo Itrsquos one of the older varieties of cucumbers made to grow in containers Itrsquos also still one of the best
Compact and busy you can grow this one on a trellis or just hanging out the side of the pot The 8rdquo slicers are great in salads
sandwiches or on their own as a snack (which is how I often eat them at the greenhouse)
Fertilize often and donrsquot let it dry out thatrsquos how cucumbers get bitter Yoursquoll want to give it lots of sun and heat for it to yield fast and often
27
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
4
Kale lsquoPrizmrsquo
trends feature edibles
Kale has been headline news lately as a superfood This new variety has a quick 40 day maturity (even less than that if you like young kale) The leaves are elegantly dense and curled making it gorgeous enough to grow in any window box or planter alongside your annuals
The leaves are tender even when mature and so itrsquos good eaten fresh and holds up well in cooking A nutty flavour makes it ideal for salads smoothies or if you ask me chips
28
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
5
Petunia ldquoNightskyrdquo
trends feature annuals
Petunias have been around for so long that truly new colours are rare lsquoNightskyrsquo is a mottled colour pattern resembling thick stars on a velvet blue canvas Itrsquos one of the most distinctive petunias Irsquove seen in a long time
Workhorses in containers petunias quickly into mounds of broad colourful flowers Dead-head the spent blooms to keep the show going Theyrsquore best grown in containers where their roots can be warm and they hate drying out
22
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
5
Feature Edibles
trends feature edibles
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
23
Tomato lsquoChocolate Sprinklesrsquo
Thyme lsquoSpicy Orangersquo
Pepper lsquoBhut Jolokiarsquo
Cucumber lsquoSalad Bushrsquo
Kale lsquoPrizmrsquo
1
2
3
4
5
The universals of gardening namely the deep urge that makes us get our hands dirty year after year never change But the methods we use and the plants we choose change constantly
20 years ago the vegetable garden was something you kept in the backyard out of sight so the neighbours didnrsquot see Now
edibles are highlighting feature containers at the front door as a badge of honour
The rise of container-garden edibles has led to an explosion of varieties that are compact high-yielding and are all around well-behaved Here are a few of the most notable edibles both new and just plain awesome that Irsquove seen this year
The New Gardening
Unknown
ldquoGardening is cheaper than therapy and you get tomatoesrdquo
Tomato lsquoChocolate Sprinklesrsquo
trends feature edibles
This new cherry tomato variety is a hybrid with the taste of an heirloom It has bite-sized fruit heavy yield and excellent disease resistance The fruit is red and striped with dark green giving it a gorgeous heirloom look in salads or on its own
Itrsquos an indeterminate so it will keep growing as a vine as long as it can The plus side of
this is that yoursquoll get far more fruit than from a determinate type but yoursquoll also need to stake it and keep it watered
Itrsquos resistant to fusarium wilt which is a common affliction that leads to sickly wilting foliage on otherwise healthy plants Donrsquot be cheap on the fertilizer apply weekly for the best yield
24
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
1
Thyme lsquoSpicy Orangersquo
trends feature edibles
A classic Mediterranean herb thyme is famous for poultry and soups its flavour diffusing slowly as itrsquos cooked A zone 4 itrsquos hardy and you can plant it as a ground cover (although it doesnrsquot take much foot traffic)
This variety has a distinct spicy-orange fragrance thatrsquos most pronounced when you rub the bluish-green leaves Use it like
regular thyme the subtle citrus flavour will infuse during cooking and blends well with traditional thyme dishes
Itrsquos drought tolerant once established and feel free to plant it in containers in the full sun If you plant it in the ground as a perennial you can divide it in early fall once it gets big enough
25
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
2
Pepper lsquoBhut Jolokiarsquo
trends feature edibles
Irsquom a self-confessed wuss when it comes to hot peppers and have never tasted a Bhut Jolokia also called the lsquoGhostrsquo pepper As the hottest naturally occurring pepper in the world it packs a million scoville units (4X hotter than a habanero)
Yoursquoll either want to start the seed early or buy mature starter plants The hotter the better so put them in containers (where their roots will be warmer than in the ground) in the full sun Hot peppers have a
longer maturation time than sweet peppers (the seeds take 35 days just to germinate) so be generous with fertilizer and heat to speed things up
Once the fruit appears wear gloves while handling Itrsquos juice is pretty much pepper spray Donrsquot give to kids or elderly who arenrsquot totally comfortable with it and start with a tiny taste on the tongue for yourself Very seriously itrsquos heat that isnrsquot to be taken lightly
26
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
3
Cucumber ldquoSalad Bushrdquo
trends feature edibles
Therersquos nothing new about lsquoSalad Bushrsquo Itrsquos one of the older varieties of cucumbers made to grow in containers Itrsquos also still one of the best
Compact and busy you can grow this one on a trellis or just hanging out the side of the pot The 8rdquo slicers are great in salads
sandwiches or on their own as a snack (which is how I often eat them at the greenhouse)
Fertilize often and donrsquot let it dry out thatrsquos how cucumbers get bitter Yoursquoll want to give it lots of sun and heat for it to yield fast and often
27
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
4
Kale lsquoPrizmrsquo
trends feature edibles
Kale has been headline news lately as a superfood This new variety has a quick 40 day maturity (even less than that if you like young kale) The leaves are elegantly dense and curled making it gorgeous enough to grow in any window box or planter alongside your annuals
The leaves are tender even when mature and so itrsquos good eaten fresh and holds up well in cooking A nutty flavour makes it ideal for salads smoothies or if you ask me chips
28
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
5
Feature Edibles
trends feature edibles
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
23
Tomato lsquoChocolate Sprinklesrsquo
Thyme lsquoSpicy Orangersquo
Pepper lsquoBhut Jolokiarsquo
Cucumber lsquoSalad Bushrsquo
Kale lsquoPrizmrsquo
1
2
3
4
5
The universals of gardening namely the deep urge that makes us get our hands dirty year after year never change But the methods we use and the plants we choose change constantly
20 years ago the vegetable garden was something you kept in the backyard out of sight so the neighbours didnrsquot see Now
edibles are highlighting feature containers at the front door as a badge of honour
The rise of container-garden edibles has led to an explosion of varieties that are compact high-yielding and are all around well-behaved Here are a few of the most notable edibles both new and just plain awesome that Irsquove seen this year
The New Gardening
Unknown
ldquoGardening is cheaper than therapy and you get tomatoesrdquo
Tomato lsquoChocolate Sprinklesrsquo
trends feature edibles
This new cherry tomato variety is a hybrid with the taste of an heirloom It has bite-sized fruit heavy yield and excellent disease resistance The fruit is red and striped with dark green giving it a gorgeous heirloom look in salads or on its own
Itrsquos an indeterminate so it will keep growing as a vine as long as it can The plus side of
this is that yoursquoll get far more fruit than from a determinate type but yoursquoll also need to stake it and keep it watered
Itrsquos resistant to fusarium wilt which is a common affliction that leads to sickly wilting foliage on otherwise healthy plants Donrsquot be cheap on the fertilizer apply weekly for the best yield
24
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
1
Thyme lsquoSpicy Orangersquo
trends feature edibles
A classic Mediterranean herb thyme is famous for poultry and soups its flavour diffusing slowly as itrsquos cooked A zone 4 itrsquos hardy and you can plant it as a ground cover (although it doesnrsquot take much foot traffic)
This variety has a distinct spicy-orange fragrance thatrsquos most pronounced when you rub the bluish-green leaves Use it like
regular thyme the subtle citrus flavour will infuse during cooking and blends well with traditional thyme dishes
Itrsquos drought tolerant once established and feel free to plant it in containers in the full sun If you plant it in the ground as a perennial you can divide it in early fall once it gets big enough
25
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
2
Pepper lsquoBhut Jolokiarsquo
trends feature edibles
Irsquom a self-confessed wuss when it comes to hot peppers and have never tasted a Bhut Jolokia also called the lsquoGhostrsquo pepper As the hottest naturally occurring pepper in the world it packs a million scoville units (4X hotter than a habanero)
Yoursquoll either want to start the seed early or buy mature starter plants The hotter the better so put them in containers (where their roots will be warmer than in the ground) in the full sun Hot peppers have a
longer maturation time than sweet peppers (the seeds take 35 days just to germinate) so be generous with fertilizer and heat to speed things up
Once the fruit appears wear gloves while handling Itrsquos juice is pretty much pepper spray Donrsquot give to kids or elderly who arenrsquot totally comfortable with it and start with a tiny taste on the tongue for yourself Very seriously itrsquos heat that isnrsquot to be taken lightly
26
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
3
Cucumber ldquoSalad Bushrdquo
trends feature edibles
Therersquos nothing new about lsquoSalad Bushrsquo Itrsquos one of the older varieties of cucumbers made to grow in containers Itrsquos also still one of the best
Compact and busy you can grow this one on a trellis or just hanging out the side of the pot The 8rdquo slicers are great in salads
sandwiches or on their own as a snack (which is how I often eat them at the greenhouse)
Fertilize often and donrsquot let it dry out thatrsquos how cucumbers get bitter Yoursquoll want to give it lots of sun and heat for it to yield fast and often
27
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
4
Kale lsquoPrizmrsquo
trends feature edibles
Kale has been headline news lately as a superfood This new variety has a quick 40 day maturity (even less than that if you like young kale) The leaves are elegantly dense and curled making it gorgeous enough to grow in any window box or planter alongside your annuals
The leaves are tender even when mature and so itrsquos good eaten fresh and holds up well in cooking A nutty flavour makes it ideal for salads smoothies or if you ask me chips
28
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
5
Tomato lsquoChocolate Sprinklesrsquo
trends feature edibles
This new cherry tomato variety is a hybrid with the taste of an heirloom It has bite-sized fruit heavy yield and excellent disease resistance The fruit is red and striped with dark green giving it a gorgeous heirloom look in salads or on its own
Itrsquos an indeterminate so it will keep growing as a vine as long as it can The plus side of
this is that yoursquoll get far more fruit than from a determinate type but yoursquoll also need to stake it and keep it watered
Itrsquos resistant to fusarium wilt which is a common affliction that leads to sickly wilting foliage on otherwise healthy plants Donrsquot be cheap on the fertilizer apply weekly for the best yield
24
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
1
Thyme lsquoSpicy Orangersquo
trends feature edibles
A classic Mediterranean herb thyme is famous for poultry and soups its flavour diffusing slowly as itrsquos cooked A zone 4 itrsquos hardy and you can plant it as a ground cover (although it doesnrsquot take much foot traffic)
This variety has a distinct spicy-orange fragrance thatrsquos most pronounced when you rub the bluish-green leaves Use it like
regular thyme the subtle citrus flavour will infuse during cooking and blends well with traditional thyme dishes
Itrsquos drought tolerant once established and feel free to plant it in containers in the full sun If you plant it in the ground as a perennial you can divide it in early fall once it gets big enough
25
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
2
Pepper lsquoBhut Jolokiarsquo
trends feature edibles
Irsquom a self-confessed wuss when it comes to hot peppers and have never tasted a Bhut Jolokia also called the lsquoGhostrsquo pepper As the hottest naturally occurring pepper in the world it packs a million scoville units (4X hotter than a habanero)
Yoursquoll either want to start the seed early or buy mature starter plants The hotter the better so put them in containers (where their roots will be warmer than in the ground) in the full sun Hot peppers have a
longer maturation time than sweet peppers (the seeds take 35 days just to germinate) so be generous with fertilizer and heat to speed things up
Once the fruit appears wear gloves while handling Itrsquos juice is pretty much pepper spray Donrsquot give to kids or elderly who arenrsquot totally comfortable with it and start with a tiny taste on the tongue for yourself Very seriously itrsquos heat that isnrsquot to be taken lightly
26
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
3
Cucumber ldquoSalad Bushrdquo
trends feature edibles
Therersquos nothing new about lsquoSalad Bushrsquo Itrsquos one of the older varieties of cucumbers made to grow in containers Itrsquos also still one of the best
Compact and busy you can grow this one on a trellis or just hanging out the side of the pot The 8rdquo slicers are great in salads
sandwiches or on their own as a snack (which is how I often eat them at the greenhouse)
Fertilize often and donrsquot let it dry out thatrsquos how cucumbers get bitter Yoursquoll want to give it lots of sun and heat for it to yield fast and often
27
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
4
Kale lsquoPrizmrsquo
trends feature edibles
Kale has been headline news lately as a superfood This new variety has a quick 40 day maturity (even less than that if you like young kale) The leaves are elegantly dense and curled making it gorgeous enough to grow in any window box or planter alongside your annuals
The leaves are tender even when mature and so itrsquos good eaten fresh and holds up well in cooking A nutty flavour makes it ideal for salads smoothies or if you ask me chips
28
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
5
Thyme lsquoSpicy Orangersquo
trends feature edibles
A classic Mediterranean herb thyme is famous for poultry and soups its flavour diffusing slowly as itrsquos cooked A zone 4 itrsquos hardy and you can plant it as a ground cover (although it doesnrsquot take much foot traffic)
This variety has a distinct spicy-orange fragrance thatrsquos most pronounced when you rub the bluish-green leaves Use it like
regular thyme the subtle citrus flavour will infuse during cooking and blends well with traditional thyme dishes
Itrsquos drought tolerant once established and feel free to plant it in containers in the full sun If you plant it in the ground as a perennial you can divide it in early fall once it gets big enough
25
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
2
Pepper lsquoBhut Jolokiarsquo
trends feature edibles
Irsquom a self-confessed wuss when it comes to hot peppers and have never tasted a Bhut Jolokia also called the lsquoGhostrsquo pepper As the hottest naturally occurring pepper in the world it packs a million scoville units (4X hotter than a habanero)
Yoursquoll either want to start the seed early or buy mature starter plants The hotter the better so put them in containers (where their roots will be warmer than in the ground) in the full sun Hot peppers have a
longer maturation time than sweet peppers (the seeds take 35 days just to germinate) so be generous with fertilizer and heat to speed things up
Once the fruit appears wear gloves while handling Itrsquos juice is pretty much pepper spray Donrsquot give to kids or elderly who arenrsquot totally comfortable with it and start with a tiny taste on the tongue for yourself Very seriously itrsquos heat that isnrsquot to be taken lightly
26
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
3
Cucumber ldquoSalad Bushrdquo
trends feature edibles
Therersquos nothing new about lsquoSalad Bushrsquo Itrsquos one of the older varieties of cucumbers made to grow in containers Itrsquos also still one of the best
Compact and busy you can grow this one on a trellis or just hanging out the side of the pot The 8rdquo slicers are great in salads
sandwiches or on their own as a snack (which is how I often eat them at the greenhouse)
Fertilize often and donrsquot let it dry out thatrsquos how cucumbers get bitter Yoursquoll want to give it lots of sun and heat for it to yield fast and often
27
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
4
Kale lsquoPrizmrsquo
trends feature edibles
Kale has been headline news lately as a superfood This new variety has a quick 40 day maturity (even less than that if you like young kale) The leaves are elegantly dense and curled making it gorgeous enough to grow in any window box or planter alongside your annuals
The leaves are tender even when mature and so itrsquos good eaten fresh and holds up well in cooking A nutty flavour makes it ideal for salads smoothies or if you ask me chips
28
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
5
Pepper lsquoBhut Jolokiarsquo
trends feature edibles
Irsquom a self-confessed wuss when it comes to hot peppers and have never tasted a Bhut Jolokia also called the lsquoGhostrsquo pepper As the hottest naturally occurring pepper in the world it packs a million scoville units (4X hotter than a habanero)
Yoursquoll either want to start the seed early or buy mature starter plants The hotter the better so put them in containers (where their roots will be warmer than in the ground) in the full sun Hot peppers have a
longer maturation time than sweet peppers (the seeds take 35 days just to germinate) so be generous with fertilizer and heat to speed things up
Once the fruit appears wear gloves while handling Itrsquos juice is pretty much pepper spray Donrsquot give to kids or elderly who arenrsquot totally comfortable with it and start with a tiny taste on the tongue for yourself Very seriously itrsquos heat that isnrsquot to be taken lightly
26
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
3
Cucumber ldquoSalad Bushrdquo
trends feature edibles
Therersquos nothing new about lsquoSalad Bushrsquo Itrsquos one of the older varieties of cucumbers made to grow in containers Itrsquos also still one of the best
Compact and busy you can grow this one on a trellis or just hanging out the side of the pot The 8rdquo slicers are great in salads
sandwiches or on their own as a snack (which is how I often eat them at the greenhouse)
Fertilize often and donrsquot let it dry out thatrsquos how cucumbers get bitter Yoursquoll want to give it lots of sun and heat for it to yield fast and often
27
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
4
Kale lsquoPrizmrsquo
trends feature edibles
Kale has been headline news lately as a superfood This new variety has a quick 40 day maturity (even less than that if you like young kale) The leaves are elegantly dense and curled making it gorgeous enough to grow in any window box or planter alongside your annuals
The leaves are tender even when mature and so itrsquos good eaten fresh and holds up well in cooking A nutty flavour makes it ideal for salads smoothies or if you ask me chips
28
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
5
Cucumber ldquoSalad Bushrdquo
trends feature edibles
Therersquos nothing new about lsquoSalad Bushrsquo Itrsquos one of the older varieties of cucumbers made to grow in containers Itrsquos also still one of the best
Compact and busy you can grow this one on a trellis or just hanging out the side of the pot The 8rdquo slicers are great in salads
sandwiches or on their own as a snack (which is how I often eat them at the greenhouse)
Fertilize often and donrsquot let it dry out thatrsquos how cucumbers get bitter Yoursquoll want to give it lots of sun and heat for it to yield fast and often
27
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
4
Kale lsquoPrizmrsquo
trends feature edibles
Kale has been headline news lately as a superfood This new variety has a quick 40 day maturity (even less than that if you like young kale) The leaves are elegantly dense and curled making it gorgeous enough to grow in any window box or planter alongside your annuals
The leaves are tender even when mature and so itrsquos good eaten fresh and holds up well in cooking A nutty flavour makes it ideal for salads smoothies or if you ask me chips
28
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
5
Kale lsquoPrizmrsquo
trends feature edibles
Kale has been headline news lately as a superfood This new variety has a quick 40 day maturity (even less than that if you like young kale) The leaves are elegantly dense and curled making it gorgeous enough to grow in any window box or planter alongside your annuals
The leaves are tender even when mature and so itrsquos good eaten fresh and holds up well in cooking A nutty flavour makes it ideal for salads smoothies or if you ask me chips
28
httpwwwsalisburygreenhousecom
5