Never stop learning to grow

I’ve been out “in the field,” as they say, doing a heap of landscaping all over the city. It’s been something. Every time I’m out, I learn something new.

Here’s one I picked up: when you are moving soil with a crew, it’s best to cover the back of your neck.

 I bet you all knew that. Now there’s a crescent moon smiling crimson just below my hair line. I just need the proverbial eyes back there, and I’d be all set.

The best thing about gardening is the fact that there will always be more to know. Because
 there are so many factors involved in a single garden, no “one way” will do. With this in mind, I am always ready to ask “how come?” when I see some new technique being put to practice.

One of the best little tips was this: when you are plopping a plant in a hole, you should wet the hole and the root ball, since the wet soils create a cement-like stick. It’s the fastest way to acclimatize your plant to its new home. Now, obviously this won’t work with small plants, with loose roots, but for a tree or a shrub with a proper root ball? Perfect. I adopted this technique this weekend when I was laying sod. Worked like a charm. Grass feels great and isn’t sliding around, which is super, because it is on a slope. It’s good to find stuff out.

And there’s no shame in not knowing — cripes, I feel positively green sometimes, in the provincial sense. But that’s okay. If we share what we know, then we’ll all get further ahead.

Did you know that the Sudbury Master Gardeners are there to answer all of your questions? Like, they have a built-in mandate to answer questions and give handy tips. Go ahead! Ask one and you’ll get a seasoned response. Plus they love talking gardens.

Who are these Masters of the Garden, you ask? They are folks who have been trained through either the University of Guelph or the Nova Scotia Agriculture College in topics like soil management, disease control and plant identification. The course is open for anyone interested through distance learning.

Part of their mission is to share this information with the public through events like the Horticultural Fair that just took place at Market Square over the weekend. I was there and took in some of the booths, bought some heritage tomatoes, and took some pictures. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a happier bunch of folk, I tell you.

So here’s what I’m thinking: If you have some pressing questions or some interesting tips, e-mail me and, with the help of Linda Hugli and the other Masters of the Garden, we’ll come up with some answers and even offer up a few secrets. Don’t be shy! Let’s work through it together.

Visit the Sudbury Master Gardeners website at mgsudbury.mgoi.ca.

Anne Boulton is an avid gardener who lives in Sudbury. Visit her blog at greenboots.ca or contact her at [email protected].

Posted by Heather Green-Oliver