All of the predictors including the Farmer’s Almanac are saying the summer ahead of us is going to be a dry one. That means we are going to have to look after watering our outdoor spaces. When it comes to watering the lawn and the garden, there are some many myths and facts floating around (pun intended) that I thought it might be time for a refresher for all of the homeowners and gardeners out there. 

The best time to water your plants and the lawn is not at dusk, it’s only at dawn. When we water at night, the leaves of the plants have less opportunity to dry off fast, promoting fungal growth in our plants. The worst offenders include powdery mildew and anthracnose, which both need damp leaves and warm temperatures to invade a garden.

The proper amount to water the yard varies because your plants all have different needs. During the cooler months, your lawn needs approximately 1” of water per week. The best way to measure this is with a rain gauge, but if you don’t have one, 20 minutes of watering from the sprinkler 3 times a week is about right. During the hot summer months, your lawn needs twice as much water. 2 inches per week in July and August is the best way to ensure your lawn stays as green as possible. There are a few plants that flower all summer, but you’ve probably noticed that you get more flowers early and again heading into fall. This is because these tend to be cooler months and there is more moisture available to the plants.

When your plants are in bloom, they often need more water, which is partly why most of our gardens are in flower in May. When it comes to the plants, most of your garden perennials need 2 inches per week. This is a general rule of thumb only! There are hundreds of varieties of plants that do very well with less water and many that require more. Your vegetable garden is a perfect example. Veggies need the most amount of water in the yard, coming in at 2.5 inches. To be successful with your tomatoes and peppers, be diligent and water often in the early morning and keep the moisture on the roots instead of the leaves.

There is one more myth I want to address. I promise, there is no such thing as sunburnt grass or plants. Watering in the full sun has been shown to have no impact on your plants. Growing up I was taught that the water droplets would act as little magnifying glasses and scorch the lawn. Even though this is a complete myth, it does serve a great purpose. We should never be watering in the full sun because it’s a waste of water. More water is evaporated when exposed to sunlight before it gets to the roots and on hot and sunny days, you need twice as much to water to care for your plants. 

The best answer, water your plants when they need it. They will give you signs of stress like brown patches, wilted leaves, and drooping flower stems. The better you pay attention…the happier your garden will be.

The garden shed has made an amazing transformation over the last few years. No longer are homeowners satisfied with a little wooden shed in the back corner of the yard. Sheds now have to look good, as they are becoming a focal point in our outdoor living spaces with faux finishes, painted trims and decorative window boxes!

There are two reasons why this is happening. The first, backyards are getting smaller as homes are getting bigger. The available space outside is shrinking, which means that we can’t hide our beat-up tins sheds behind a large bush anymore. The other main reason has to do with our need for more. With all of the fantastic tools, backyard games and outdoor furniture available, our need for storage has increased dramatically as we acquire more things. This means that our sheds are getting larger, making them even harder to keep discrete. 

Instead of helping my clients hide their sheds, I am bringing them front and centre. Here are two perfect examples of how sheds can be so much more in your backyard space than a spot to put the wheel barrow or the lawn mower.

Tracy’s shed

I used this saltbox roof styled shed to both anchor Tracy’s backyard, but also to hide the neighbour’s 2-storey house which towered over the back fence. The average height of a peaked roof on these new sheds is 12-15’ and by adding a pair of lattice panels topped with a decorative arbour, I was able to create instant privacy that is beautiful and functional at the same time. My favourite part of this transformation is that the shed not only holds all of the tools, but Tracy’s kids have hijacked the space as their playhouse, making it multi-purpose for the whole family.

Shoana’s shed

Shoana, like Tracy, wanted a shed at the back of her property but for a very different reason. Shoana wanted to use her shed as a backdrop for a long and linear space. With a modern aesthetic, Shoana wanted her shed to blend with the grey tones of her patio and fire pit, but also to have character and personality that is often lacking in modern design. In this case, I covered a simple asymmetrical panel shed with a stone veneer. The stone took about 5 hours to install, but completely changed the look of the shed. 

With so many ways to make your shed more than a storage space, why wouldn’t you want to make a change? Try something different this summer and make sure you send me a picture. I’d love to see what you are able to create with a little imagination.

It was about 10 years ago that real estate agents and experts starting warning homeowners about the risks of having swimming pools in the backyard and how they can lower the value of the property. Thankfully for all of us who like to take a dip in the comforts of home, this stat no longer holds water (pun intended). We now know that while some buyers prefer to not have a pool in the backyard, there is a completely separate market of ones who do.

When buying their county home, Stew and Rebecca overlooked the weeds and neglected backyard when purchasing their home because they saw the potential of the saltwater swimming pool that was already installed. They just needed to take a really BIG step towards creating the space of their dreams. In this case, this backyard just needed a really big deck to cover over absolutely everything. With all of the different elevations and slopes around the pool, there really wasn’t any useable space. Adding a massive wood deck is the easiest, and most affordable to get them enough room for lots of neighbours all summer long. 

Although adding a deck was an easy solution to many of the problems in the backyard, there were a few design elements that had to be incorporated.

First was the choice of wood. I was pretty adamant that MicroPro’s Sienna was used for a couple of reasons. Sienna wood has been endorsed by several registered environmental agencies to be safe for use in areas that include water and children’s playgrounds. I also felt that it was important for homeowners to have a pre-stained wood so that it’s easy to maintain with an application of a water repellent.

I also wanted the linear lines in the space to help make the yard feel even bigger. Too often with backyards that have pools, the pool visually dominates the area. In this situation, I wanted the deck to be prominent enough so that it wasn’t dwarfed in the yard.

Even though we went with a wood deck, it was important to have a stone coping around the edge of the pool. This bullnose coping from Rinox is perfect for getting in and out of the pool with ease and it visually creates the perfect transition between the wood and the water. 

Even if you don’t have a pool in your backyard, use some of these design principles to help make your space look bigger and last longer as well. Just replace the pool with gardens or even a lawn and the stone coping with the rounded bullnose is prefect as a transition between a deck and a garden bed.

Its officially time to prune your fruit trees! I know it seems like an odd time to be pruning your apple, pear, plum, peaches, cherries (and any fruit trees I may have missed) but the deep part of winter is the perfect time to start trimming. The reason...if you prune a fruit bearing tree when it's not dormant, the tree immediately sends growth hormones to that area to replace what was lost. Unfortunately, the new growth is in the form of suckers which are canes that grow straight up and rarely produce any fruit.

This year I have to take it one step further than just a little trim on my own trees. I unfortunately have lost a leader on one of my dwarf Empire apples. There is an incorrect belief that if you cut the tree’s central vertical stem, called the leader, the tree will stay small and more easily managed. Unfortunately, this not true. You will however end up with a poorly shaped tree that will struggle throughout its growing period to re-establish a new leader! In my case, I had the central leader of my tree split due to some severe freezing temperatures followed by unseasonably warm temperatures. There are some rules when pruning an apple tree, especially when you are doing some damage repair like I have to.

Start by removing all of the dead, damaged and diseased wood. Another benefit of pruning in the winter is that all of the trees sap, the fluid that transports nutrients from the roots to the shoots, is safely protected in the ground. If you prune in spring or even in summer, some of this sap would be lost before the tree can naturally form a scab over the cut wood.

The above-ground parts of a tree are broken down into three main components.  The trunk of the tree is the part that connects the leafy greens to the roots. Much of a tree’s stability comes from the trunk. As a tree grows and ages, the trunk gets thicker, making it structurally stronger. The leader of the tree is the top part of the trunk that grows vertically. In my case, I have to train a new branch to take over this role. Luckily, I have a branch that is already growing somewhat vertically near the centre of the tree that I am able to train into a new leader.

From the leader/trunk of the tree are the scaffold branches. These are the primary branches that form a trees canopy. When pruning these branches look to remove crossing and rubbing branches then identify the best shape for your tree and remove the small branches that form on the trunk around the desired scaffold branches. The strongest scaffold branches grow at between 45 and 60 degrees from the trunk

From the scaffold branches are the lateral branches. These are the secondary branches that grow out from the scaffold branches. Sometimes called twigs, the lateral branches of a tree support much of the leaf and fruit development.  REMEMBER!!! It is important to never remove more than 30 percent of these branches per year otherwise it will hinder the tree’s ability to replenish sap and food stores via photosynthesis.

Pruning your apple trees is never a one-and-done situation. It takes time, done over many years so be patient. As long as you give your tree time to grow in between trimmings, you can always avoid doing any serious damage. 

One of the most popular additions to the backyard is the outdoor fire pit with seating around it. Having an area for entertaining that is separate to the patio table has been featured in magazines, websites and all types of social media. Even the designs that I’ve been doing for homes in downtown areas seem to always include high-end wood or gas burning fixtures.

Before you go any further in exploring if an outdoor fireplace is right for you, check your municipal bylaws. Some areas ban outdoor burning altogether. Others allow outdoor fireplaces, but regulate the smoke to ensure that your neighbours are not disturbed. Some municipalities require that grills be in place so that these fire pits fall under barbeque laws. Just because a store in your area sells you a fireplace doesn’t mean that you can actually use it.

If however you’re like me and love the smell of burning wood, the sound of crackling logs and can spend hours watching flames and coals, then there is nothing like an outdoor wood-burning fireplace. That said, burning wood always comes with lots of risks and rewards. Live fires are unpredictable and as a result, can be dangerous if not handled properly.

When it comes to fire safety, make sure that you allow for at least 6ft. of space between the edge of the fireplace and the chairs. Sparks can easily fly from natural burning fires. If you don’t have sufficient clearance, choosing a natural gas or propane option would be a safer solution. If you do go with wood burning, then make sure you have either a source of water or a fire extinguisher nearby. 

Also consider where the best spot is for you fire pit and what surface it is going on. The best surface solution is always stone. Whether its manmade pavers, natural flagstone or even gravel, stone is perfect for dispersing heat or flying sparks. I have created fireplaces on wood decks but I always make sure that the area under and around the fire pit is either gravel or concrete. When it comes to locations, wood-burning fire pits need to be away from the house. Smoke always seems to get into open windows or patio doors. You’ll want to choose a spot that is away from large trees or anything that is burnable.

Having an outdoor fireplace can be an amazing way to spend a summer night or even host an après ski party. Just make sure you do your research first.

Want tulips or daffodils next spring?  NOW is the time to plant your bulbs.  

Here is my foolproof way to plant bulbs that will last for many years of enjoyment.

1. Choose the right bulbs! Whether you are shopping at a retail store or ordering online, make sure to look at the growing specs of all of the options. Not all tulips are the same! A few years ago I planted white tulips from big healthy looking bulbs. I didn’t realize that these tulips were giants, growing over 4’ tall. Unfortunately, I planted them in front of a basement window. (They have now been moved) 

2. Flat bottom holes work best. When planting your bulbs, I often group them in clusters in larger flat bottom holes that have good drainage. Bulbs can easily rot if they are in saturated soil. The depth of the hole should be about three times the height of the bulb. On average, I aim for 3" deep!

3. Delayed Flowering. Bulbs prefer to be planted ‘Tips Up, Roots down’. I’ve found that if you lay some bulbs on their sides, it takes them a little longer to bloom because they have to grow just a little further. This is an easy way to extend the flowering time from two weeks to three!

4. Amendments and squirrel deterrents. Often, gardeners will add fertilizers, bone meal or other products at this stage to help growth or to prevent squirrels from stealing your tubers because they don't like the smell. Even leftover chicken wire with 1 or 2” holes works well as a covering for your bulbs. After you dig the hole and put in your bulbs, cover them with the wire and then back fill with soil. The tulips have no problem growing through the mesh and the squirrels are unable to get the bulbs out from under it. 

5. Back fill and Disguise. Bury your bulbs and chicken wire with soil, being careful to not pack it down too firmly. Once this is done, spend a few minutes to disguise your planted space. Squirrels are attracted to disturbed soil because they think a rival has hidden a nut in that location. I like to add mulch to the whole bed at this point to keep the little critters guessing.

Bulbs really are the perfect way to pre-plan for an amazing spring. Whether you love them for you or looking to add a little curb appeal, do the work now and enjoy the rewards after the snow melts. Just make sure that you wait for the cooler weather…bulbs like soil that is 4C or colder. I NEVER plant bulbs before the first frost. Be patient, I promise that they are worth it.

A few years ago, my inquisitive nephew wanted to help out with the fall to-do-list. We spent an afternoon doing some yard work and  I showed him all of my fun yard tools and how they worked. As I taught him about the jobs that needed to be done, he constantly asked “but why?” to each of my demos. I realized afterwards that most homeowners may know what they should do when it comes to fall cleanup, but few know the real logic behind it. 

Today I’m answering a few of the “but why’s” so that you will know why we do what we do when it comes to our fall outdoor yard work.

1. String trimmers (weed whackers) have always been the handy tool that lets you cut the grass in spots that you can’t easily get to with the mower. Around trees, on steep slopes or near the raised concrete paths, the string trimmer has become a staple in the garage mostly for its ease of use in problem areas. We cut this grass in the fall to ensure that insects and diseases like Rust or Mildew don't overwinter at the base of the trunk. I've seen many homeowners do a lot of damage to the bark of young trees by trying to get too close with their mowers or by hitting the trees with the high-speed twine in their trimmers. This outer layer of bark carries nutrients back and forth between root and leaf.  Using a string trimmer with a proper shield guard trimmer/edger combo, which will prevent damage to the tree and be safer for the user. 

2. Mower height is a big debate with a lot of lawn care maintenance companies. Some argue that shorter is better for the look of the yard while others feel that longer promotes a healthier lawn. For most of us, the best height is somewhere between 2 ½ and 3 inches. Setting your mower to 3inches in the hot summer months helps the grass from drying out, but do you know what height the last cut of the season should be? By going lower than normal, between 2 and 2 ½ inches, you can take advantage of the cold weather at night to kill off crabgrass, which is a tender annual. Also consider putting the bag back on the mower to capture the seeds from these self-seeding weeds

3. Getting the leaves off the grass is an annual right of every lawn owner. Having leaves on the grass once the snow has fallen will smother the lawn below. Not to mention that the wet leaves in the spring look terrible and are twice as hard to remove. Another less commonly known reason for removing the leaves is leaf mould. While great for decomposing matter in the composter, leaf mould is terrible for allergy sufferers. The mould spores cause an allergic reaction similar to pollen in the wet spring, causing many people to incorrectly blame the trees and flowers for their stuffed up noses.

If you’re already doing these chores, don’t stop. When a small child asks ‘But why’; you now have a little more information and won’t have to resort to the default answer of “Because it's what we've always done”.

Here is a great fan question that I recently received...but one that required a creative answer!

"I really enjoy watching you on Cityline and I just redid my backyard and now I need to suggestions and ideas on what I should plant in terms of tress, shrubs or flowers. " - Darlene 

Talk about a loaded question! Homeowners always want a simple set of directions to help them get the right plant in the right spot. Unfortunately, there are so many different variables to every single home that there is no way for me to personally help. That said...here is my foolproof method to get you on the right path to having your own successful garden. 

• 1. Spy on your neighbours. Yes, I am actually advising you to peek over the fence or to take a very slow drive-by of homes around you. Get your camera or smartphone and start snapping pictures of their gardens. 
• 2. Take pictures of your own garden. Be candid with lots of close-ups and several distance shots. (These pictures will be very important to the next step)
• 3. Take all of your photos to the garden centre and ask for a plant expert.

Okay, so this isn’t rocket science. Logically these 3 simple little steps make so much sense. It’s amazing how many people don’t do them. With similar soils and weather patterns, the plants that are doing well in your neighbour’s yards will probably do very well in yours. Pay attention to the combinations of plants, to heights, and to the proximity of the plants to trees and the house. These are all indicators of where that particular plant is best suited. By taking those pictures of your favourite plant possibilities and the photos of your space, the plant expert at the local garden centre will be able to help identify the plants that you want to grow and steer you in the right direction for plants that will actually grow in the spaces you have.

I also want to point out one other important fact. Do this NOW! Fall is a perfect time to check out what the plants look like at the end of the season. Too often we plan our gardens on what flowers we want in our yards for spring and summer and not what shades of autumn foliage will be at the end of the year. Save your pictures until spring if you are unsure and take a look at the same plants in June to know that you still love them. Or, if like me you really want to be ahead of the gardening curve, go to the garden centres now and take advantage of amazing discounts. You can safely put shrubs and perennials into your yard until the top few inches of soil is frozen.

Its that time of year when the gardeners all start sending in their vegetable questions. This year there seems to be a theme around 3 specific problems that home growers are having with their favourite tomatoes, lettuces, kale and flowering cucurbits.

Aphids and Ants.

A good Aphid infestation often comes with a colony of ants to look after them. Think of aphids as garden cows, eating all of the greens while the ants are the farmers, harvesting the secretions from the aphids. Sounds gross right! Well, it kind of is! Aphids are one of my nemeses because not only do they go after my veggies, they invade my hibiscus blooms as well. I’ve tried several different solutions including store-bought insecticidal soap, a high pressure hose and even removing hem by hand. So far, the best and cheapest solution has been to save the water from my morning shower and spray this on the plants every day. The average amount of soap and shampoo that you use each day is the perfect solution to make your flowers less tasty to the bugs, without doing damage to the plant.

Flea Beetles.

I have to admit, these little chewers have made lovely lacework out of my mustards, arugula and kale this year. Flea beetles tend to move into an area like a little swarm and chew perfect little holes into all the best leaves of your salad greens. There are several methods to catching them including sticky traps and beneficial nematodes. I usually default to Diatomaceous earth, which is a powder made from grinding up fossilized hard shell algae. This usually does the trick of removing the beetles in about 48 hours and its safe for human consumption. Once you know the beetles have been eradicated, then prune off any of the damaged leaves so that your plants will start to sprout new healthy growth.

Earwigs!

Earwigs are everywhere in the garden (and the house this year)...and they are hunger than ever!  Thankfully, there are a few ways to deal with these voracious invaders.  As Earwigs have exoskeletons, they are very susceptible to Diatomaceous powder, much like the flea beetles. Another great way to catch these insects is by trapping them in a roll of newspaper.  Take a section of the paper that is at least 5-6 pages thick and roll it to create a tube. Use a simple elastic band to keep the shape.  Next, soak the paper so that it is wet, but not limp.  Place this wet tube in the area with earwig activity and leave overnight.  Each morning, shake the tube into a bucket of soapy water.  Any earwigs that crawled in are easily dealt with

Hope this helps with some of your garden questions. If not, please don’t hesitate to send me your outdoor problems. Chances are, if you are having them…someone else is as well!

Every spring I get a boatload of emails from gardeners wondering what went wrong with their bulbs and flowering plants. Spring more than any other time seems to have more tension when it comes to things not going as planned. I think this is because we wait all winter for a shot of colour in the garden and when it doesn’t happen, we get stressed.

Here are some of my favourite questions from this year’s selection.

I planted a beautiful tulip called Tequila Sunrise and for three years it bloomed exactly like the description on the label; soft yellow petals with frilly raspberry edges. This year, in the exact same spot, I have a bright orange tulip with a little yellow on the edge. What happened?

So this is a bit of a scientific answer. Many of the unique and striated tulips are caused by infecting healthy tulip bulbs with a virus called TBV (Tulip Breaking Virus). This process is what causes the great colour changes in the petals. Have no fear, this is not a virus that affects humans, animals, or other plants (except potatoes) Your tulip over the last few years has been able to get rid of the virus and is reverting back to its natural state. (I hope you like orange)

My neighbours all have beautiful forsythias that bloom every spring. My shrub gives me a few blooms and lots of green leaves. I prune and fertilize it every fall but no luck. What am I doing wrong?

I’m afraid you are not going to like my answer on this one. Forsythias bloom on old wood. The flowers appear on last season’s growth, which means if you are pruning it every fall, you are removing the flowering buds with branches that you are trimming off. Instead, prune your forsythia in the spring once the flowers are over for the season. I usually clean it up within a few weeks of the end of bloom time.

The squirrels keep stealing my bulbs. They think that I’ve opened a buffet every fall and they eat every last one. I’ve tried bone meal, cayenne, chicken wire and still I have no spring flowers. Help!

Squirrels are competitive. They like to steal food from other squirrels. If they see soil that has been dug up, they immediately think that a rival has hidden something in the ground in that location. You might want to consider ‘hiding’ your newly planted bulbs under leaves and mulch. Alternatively, I would move away from tulips for at least one or two seasons. Try planting hyacinths, daffodils or allium. All three of these are less-than-appealing to the squirrels and will actually survive the fall feeding frenzy long enough to bloom next sprin