One of the positive lingering impacts of the COVID pandemic is the increase in the number of residential property owners who took up gardening. Reports indicate that novice “green thumbs” were getting their hands dirty in a big way, with just over half of Canadians growing at least one type or fruit or vegetable and nearly one in five starting to grow their own food for the very first time.
The trend continues in a post-pandemic world, and that means large garden centres like the ones at the four Greater Sudbury area locations of Canadian Tire are once again busy preparing for the spring rush.
“We’ve got a great selection of plant products, nursery stock, perennials, annuals and more. We also have a huge assortment of soils, fertilizers, mulches and grass seed,” said Brian Dikdan, owner of Canadian Tire Chelmsford. “We’ve got a real assortment coming in. All four of our Greater Sudbury Garden Centres should be open by the first weekend of May.”
According to Dikdan, popular trends in gardening the past couple years have included things like container fruits and vegetables. A growing trend in complimentary equipment for gardening and landscaping projects includes a shift to battery-operated tools.
“There are a lot of new lines of eco-friendly electric battery powered yard equipment,” said Dikdan. “We now have full-on electric lawn tractors that are new to us. We started to stock them last year and expect a bigger demand this year.”
Whether you’re planting decorative flowers or garden beds full of your favourite vegetables, Canadian Tire’s massive garden centres are a one-stop shop for everything you need. They stock a full selection of soil compound, mulch, fertilizer, dirt, sand and rock. Along with a huge variety of seeds, annuals and perennials, Canadian Tire also stocks a variety of fruit trees. While each store’s selection may be different, Canadian Tire is the place to go for shrubs and trees including plum, cherry, multiple apple varieties, and pear trees. Before you forge ahead with your small-scale family farm or landscaping project, here are a few important tips for both beginners and experience gardeners:
TIPS FOR PLANTING YOUR HOME GARDEN:
Whether you have a small balcony, or a big garden area, are growing flowers or vegetable gardens, it’s easy when you have all the right essentials, tools and tips. Before you buy all the essentials you need for your garden, decide what type of garden you’d like to have. Understand your space and keep sun exposure in mind when determining where you’d like to position your plants, pots, or balcony boxes. Determine the type, size and placement of your garden and keep in mind most fruit, vegetables and herbs require full sun – six or more hours of sunshine a day. Create a vertical garden and save space by growing your plants on trellises, garden shelves, hanging boxes and more. Plus, use good quality soil and fertilizer and water regularly as soil dries quicker in small containers. Finally, make watering easy and efficient and consider soaker hoses and timers for in-ground plants. Be sure to water early in the day to reduce loss to evaporation.
SMALL SPACE OASIS
So you don't have a lot of room but want to garden? Consider container gardening. Some incredibly beautiful and productive gardens can be created in tiny spaces.
GROW YOUR OWN VEGETABLES
There is nothing fresher than vegetables from your own garden. No matter the size of your space, there are options available. Edible gardens can be planted in the ground, in raised beds and containers from seeds or starter plants.
ORNAMENTAL GARDENING
Add a pop of colour, visual interest, and beauty to your outdoor space with an ornamental garden. Woody plants, perennials and annuals are great choice
ESSENTIAL PLANT AND GARDEN SUPPLIES
Get your garden growing and flourishing with all the essential plant growing supplies you need. From beautiful blossoms to lawn care, herbs, fertilizers, evergreens and more. Find everything to get your garden off to a great start and blooming in no time.
WHAT SUPPLIES DO I NEED TO GROW PLANTS AND FLOWERS?
Some supplies you may need to grow healthy flowers and plants include weed control, lawn fertilizers, trimming tools, rakes, garden shovels, garden gloves and kneelers, garden hoses, hand tools, watering cans, burlap rolls, shrub covers and more.
According to Dikdan, Canadian Tire Garden Centre staff will be ready to help you make the right choices, along with offering a huge retail space fully stocked from early May through late August. Come into any Greater Sudbury area location today and start planning!