Starting Seeds

Where have all the flowers gone   

Long time passing

Where have all the flowers gone

long time ago..

For some reason I have had this song stuck in my head the past couple of weeks. Maybe it was something I read, or maybe it=s that time of year. Time to put the cold dark months of winter behind us and start thinking about all those beautiful flowers and veggies that will adorn our gardens for the next several months and well into fall.

It=s time for myself and many others to start those many seeds that we either saved from last year's crops, bought online or in-store, or that were passed on from friends. It=s not hard or very time consuming. A little goes a long way and the diversity is endless.

One of the best parts of my Spring is seeing the first seedlings popping out of the soil, reaching for the sky, (albeit through my picture window for the first few weeks). I always start too many, but that is part of the fun. You aren't limited to your choices and sharing the bounty with family and friend is always a bonus.

Flower, fruit, or vegetable? Watching your gardens come to life with plants you nurtured from seed is well worth the effort. If you need some tips check out our gardening section at your local library, that=s 635 in the non-fiction section. You=ll find plenty of great books with lots of helpful tips, like this one: Mini farming : self-sufficiency on a 1/4acre by Brett Markham, or Seed Sowing and Saving by Carole Turner. Do a search for "gardening" on our catalog online for plenty of great books!

I=ve been going through my seed packets and planning this year's crops. Happy gardening!! I CAN=T WAIT!! GONNA GET MY HANDS DIRTY!!

Tim Jackson has been starting and sharing plants for more than 20 years. He works in Technical Services here at Library Headquarters.

Gardening! Flowers vs. Vegetables

Well, Spring is finally here! The time of year when many of our thoughts turn to the garden. Nothing heralds in the season like seed catalogues, plant sales, new tools, and a sunny warm day.

My first love was the vegetable garden.  The excitement of planning out the year's harvest, waiting for that last full moon so that frost wouldn't kill my tender plants - that feeling never grows old.  Which variety of potato or carrot would we try this time?  Remembering to back off on the turnips so we won't be over-run at harvest time.  Recalling the taste of new peas right off the vine.

Growing your own food is a rewarding project for anyone, from the experienced to the novice.  With so much awareness of what is in our food and the local food movement growing every year it's no surprise that vegetable gardening is becoming a must-try for every household.  Whether you plant in containers, raised beds or full size gardens, being able to watch something go from seed to table is an amazing reward.

When I first joined the library system I came in contact with a different kind of gardening.  Flower gardening was the favourite pastime for many of my fellow library employees, with supporters of both perennials and annuals. This gave me a well rounded introduction to this type of gardening. After lots of advice and starter plants it was not long before I became a convert to the flower garden as well.

To sink your hands into the earth and create beautiful landscapes that are pleasing to the eye and soothing to the soul is an experience like no other. You can stroll through your garden and watch as each week something else comes into bloom, colour and scent changing the picture over and over again. The same principle applies:  you can plant in containers, raised beds or full sized gardens with flowers too.

So think about gardening. Feed your mind with flowers and feed your body with vegetables.  Gardening is the ultimate hobby.  Young or old, big or small, anyone can garden. Whether you just pot a couple of geraniums for your patio or plant an acre of potatoes you will be better off for it.    

For tips and ideas check out our catalogue for books like this

Grow cook eat : a food lover's guide to vegetable gardening

Gardener's color palette : paint your garden with 100 extraordinary flowerchoices

 Dig in -- 

Patricia Milner, Head of Reference Services