Pick sunniest spot for your garden plot
Most plants thrive in the heat, and you can compensate with watering
Q:Because of a new large infill house next door, I am considering relocating my garden. My generous neighbour has offered her large, sunny backyard for a shared garden plot. We are trying to decide the best location. The rear of the lot is further from the house and in a somewhat protected area that will get shade later in the day, but it also thaws and dries out later in the spring. Nearer to the house is a super-sunny location, but it might be too hot and dry.
Soil will have to be brought in, so that isn’t a consideration, and I can locate a rain barrel near either spot. In our climate, is it better to go with sunny and hot or a bit shadier? Before I start removing turf this spring I want to make sure we do this right. A: Both locations have some positives going for them. The semi-shaded area offers protection, which can be important for some plants, but the fact that it gets shade is not highly desirable for a garden plot. The fact that it takes longer to thaw and dry out is an important consideration as well. With our shorter growing season, getting as early a start as possible is important.
The other location offers sun and heat, important factors for a successful garden plot. Most garden plants — with the exception of lettuces and spinach — do very well in hot, sunny locations. I would not hesitate to choose the sunnier spot. You can always compensate for the heat through extra watering, but you cannot compensate for the shade and slower start to the gardening season.
A good-quality soil that has good organic content can help with moisture retention and you can mulch the plants to help keep the moisture in as well. Q: We planted an Evans cherry tree three years ago. It hasn’t produced any fruit yet, but this year it grew a lot. It’s about 10 feet tall and looking healthy. Should the bottom branches be trimmed off? If so, how far up from the ground, and should this be done in the spring? A: There really is no need to remove the bottom branches, unless they are getting in the way of something like mowing the lawn near the tree. If the tree had branches attached to the lower part of the whip when planted and you don’t like the way it looks, remove those branches in the early spring before the buds begin to swell. Q: When harvesting my tomatoes this fall, I noticed that one pot was covered in whitefly. As I picked the remaining tomatoes and cut down the plant, the bugs fell onto the strawberry plants and seemed to be staying put there. Will whitefly on the strawberries now be a problem next year? Or will a standard Edmonton winter take care of them? Is there something I should do now, or in the spring for that matter, that will reduce or eliminate problems with next year’s strawberry patch? A: The whitefly that I know is a subtropical insect that will not survive an Edmonton winter. Populations of whitefly can be found on indoor plants and in greenhouses. These are usually the sources of outdoor infestations. The best prevention is to maintain a sharp eye during the growing season. If you see the culprits, hang sticky insect strips near the affected plant. You can also spray with insecticidal soap.
Thank you to everyone who takes the time to drop me a note or ask a question. It never ceases to amaze me how many gardening questions I get yearround. I still try to answer each one either through the column or directly via email. Since this is my last column until the new year I would like to wish all of my gardening friends a most joyous holiday season and may your new year bring health and happiness.