Articles by Ena Clewes
Ena Clewes is a Master Gardener and a graduate of the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. She studied Horticulture and dabbled in Psychology, being unsure of which path she really wanted to follow. The language of plants being more to her liking than the deep recesses of the mind, she studied to become the best gardener, she could be.
Over time, becoming more and more upset at the destruction of our environment, she decided to implement safe and chemical-free ways of achieving the same results in her garden as she would from commercial products.
She lives in Saskatchewan, the "frozen north" to some, and gets great pleasure in trying to grow plants that are semi-hardy in her area, when most of the gardening books say that they will not grow there. Sometimes they are right!
Ena gardens in the English style. Gertrude Jekyll, who wrote Color in the Flower Garden (1908?), gave her inspiration to be a better gardener than perhaps she could have been.
Organic gardening is very simple and does not require a college degree. It is safe for wildlife, which she can attest to with her two very healthy Golden Retrievers and three "Heinz variety" cats!
Ena has written many articles about organic gardening for local newspapers and magazines, and also for online magazines. She speaks at gardening clubs and holds classes in her own garden to teach her organic methods to others who wish to apply them in their own gardens.
Along with snowdrops and daffodils, early-flowering shrubs are one of the first signs of spring. Since there is little color in the garden so early, plant them together to form spring 'cameos' that stand out better in a landscape that is still looking winter-bleak.
Later shrubs, such as Forsythia, Star Magnolia and Bridal Wreath, flower shortly after the new foliage emerges, giving a fresh green halo to the blooms. As spring proceeds, a succession of ...
Posted in Seasonal Garden Maintenance | 1 Comment »
During the short days of winter, the Northern gardener can help to bring spring a little closer by using artificial lights. Many gardeners turn their basements into a tropical oasis with plant life that is induced to grow by being under artificial light. Some people prefer to have their light-garden where they can enjoy it in their living area, and for these people there are many attractive ready-made, wood or metal light units.
For the ...
Posted in Indoor Plants | No Comments »
It is getting to that time of year when we all start thinking about sowing seeds, especially those of tomatoes. Unless you are lucky enough to live in a warm climate, there never seems to be enough warm, sunny days to get tomatoes to ripen. However, I did come across this idea which should help to speed up the process, and hopefully allow tomato plants to mature quicker.
My friend has been growing tomatoes in tires ...
Posted in Fruits, Veggies and Herbs | No Comments »
If you don't want to use tires to start your tomato seeds and you don't have a greenhouse, then start your seeds indoors.
Tomato seeds ought to be sown 6 to12 weeks before the last expected frost date, most varieties will germinate in 5 to 12 days. For optimal germination, the soil temperature should be between 70 to 75 degrees F. Moisten the soil medium before sowing seed. Sow seeds and cover lightly with vermiculite. ...
Posted in Fruits, Veggies and Herbs | No Comments »
I love Hostas. They just seem so elegant as they grow in their shady part of the garden.
I have not long moved house, coming from a very sunny site, to find that it is very shady in the front garden of my new home. So, what to do? buy hostas!
Sales of these plants has been increasing over the years, and I have lost count of how many varieties that now appear in the catalogues and ...
Posted in Shade Plants | No Comments »
The principal factor in determining when to apply compost is its condition.
If the compost is half finished or noticeably fibrous, it could be applied in October or November. By spring, it will have completed its decomposition in the soil itself and be ready to supply growth nutrients to the earliest plantings made.
Otherwise, for soil enrichment, the ideal time of application is a month or so before planting. The closer to ...
Posted in Compost | No Comments »
I have mentioned before the benefit, both financially and healthwise, to grow your own veggies.
There is nothing more satisfying in a garden, than to pull your own carrots, eat your own tomatoes and dig up your own potatoes. The principles of being able to produce good quality vegetables,
relies on good soil. A healthy soil is a living community of tiny organisms that cycle nutrients, which helps plants get those nutrients and overwhelm disease.
Green manures are ...
Posted in Fruits, Veggies and Herbs | No Comments »
I received a question the other day about soil being acid or alkaline, as it relates to flowers.
Cultivated flowers fall into two groups based upon soil preferance. One group will grow only in acid soil with a pH below 6.5, while the others prefer or will tolerate only alkaline soil, pH 6.5 or above.
Acid lovers are plants that thrive on raw humus, such as their ancestors found in the woods, where
leaves ...
Posted in Soil and Fertilizer | No Comments »
Tomatoes are grown by more gardeners than any other vegetable. If the letters that I get indicate anything it is that it seems that this is the only vegetable that many people grow!!
Here are some tips that may help you in your tomato growing:
Grow the correct variety. This may sound obvious but it really isn't. Many gardeners who move around the country still stick to the same variety that they grew in a different climate ...
Posted in Fruits, Veggies and Herbs | No Comments »
Many people ask me how do most insects manage to live through the winter in cold or freezing sections of the country?
A few garden bugs are able to migrate to warmer climates, but most of these cold-bloodied creatures must adjust to freezing temperatures -or die. Specially endowed insects like the cinch bug produce an anti-freeze chemical that keeps their insides from turning to ice. Others calmly freeze without injury and await ...
Posted in Garden Pests and Diseases | No Comments »
