Providing Expert Advice
For the Home Gardener
Notes from my Garden:
Joyous July
“If I had my way, I’d remove January from the calendar altogether and have an extra July instead.”
After a long cold spring, we have leapt into hot, steamy July. This is the weather we have been waiting for! Like Roald Dahl, I would gladly exchange January for another July.
I was worried the long, cold winter had impacted some of my plants, especially my roses. But they are putting on one of the best shows in years! I smile every time I look at With the summer heat and humidity, comes the need to monitor the garden for moisture needs and fungal diseases such as powdery mildew. Watering can be tricky when it's hot. It is important to water earlier in the day so the cooler ground has the ability to absorb more of the water you are putting on. Plants may look wilted in the afternoon sun but usually perk up once the sun goes down a bit (a normal reaction). If they haven't perked up the next morning, you should water. With the added likelihood rainstorms, it can also be easy to over water. Using a rain gauge can help you better determine how much water you need to give your plants. I aim for about an inch (2.5 cm) of water per week, however, in some of my intensively planted vegetable beds, I may water a bit more often. Most of my established perennials don't require regular watering as long as there is periodic rain. Keeping your beds mulched helps keep moisture from evaporating.
If there has been a lot of humidity, try to improve air circulation around your plants to discourage fungal diseases. Further, avoid touching plants when they are wet or moving around in close proximity to them as you can more easily transfer fungal diseases from plant to plant. Let the garden dry a bit before you start weeding, etc. When mildews start on leaves, try to remove the affected ones and carefully dispose of them. A reminder, with the heat and moisture, the weeds are thriving so it is important to keep on weeding throughout the summer.
Our annual plant sale is scheduled for Saturday September 13th at the Meaford Harbour Pavilion. It runs 9am to 12 noon and we have many varieties of native plants as well as some non-native pollinator perennials. We hope to see you there!
Happy Gardening!
Susan Cox, Group Coordinator
Grey County Master Gardeners
Part of an international non-profit community service network, Grey County Master Gardeners is a group of approximately 20 trained horticulturists who volunteer their time to provide advice to home gardeners in the Grey and Bruce area. This is accomplished by providing info to the public in various forms, including in person or virtual, through presentations, clinics and workshops, or through written work such as articles, posts, blogs or social media.
All Master Gardeners have successfully completed university horticultural studies and must meet ongoing continuing education requirements to make sure that our advice to gardeners is based on current horticultural knowledge.
There are over 25 local Master Gardener groups in Ontario, focusing on sustainable gardening information for the public. There are also Master Gardener groups in many provinces, most states and in some international locations. More information about the Provincial organization can be found at (MGOI – Motivating and Inspiring Gardeners in Ontario).
Not in Grey County? Don’t despair. You can find your local MG groups, including Toronto, Guelph, Collingwood and others, at www.mgoi.ca.
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Established in 1996, Grey County Master Gardeners are part of the province-wide Master Gardeners of Ontario (MGOI). Grey County Master Gardeners are trained volunteers who offer non-biased, science-based horticultural information and advice to home gardeners and community groups in both Grey and Bruce Counties.
Our Vision
An Eco-Responsible focus in the garden
Our Values
We believe in the importance of having an eco-responsible focus when gardening. This means we encourage gardening practices that enhance biodiversity, mitigate against climate change, are healthy for the environment and support human health. As a group, we prefer consensus whenever possible, however there are times when a majority rules. We value inclusiveness, collaboration, engagement of community and cooperation.
