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Selecting the right location for your plants: It’s a fact of life in the Bow Valley and we have to be up to the challenge. If you can be a successful gardener in the Bow Valley, you can probably garden anywhere. I have gardened in Cougar Ridge in Calgary, and in Heartland in Cochrane and my biggest takeaway is this … exposure is everything. Whatever we can do to minimize exposure in our yards,[...]
Written by Joan Cosway-Hayes - 2017 Cochrane's Best Yard Contest Winner Mulch is a layer of material applied on top of the soil layer. In this post we are referring to bark mulch, but other natural materials can also be used as mulch. It has been said that mulch "covers a multitude of ills" and can make any yard look good. More important than aesthetic appeal is the fact that mulch benefits [...]
Written by Joan Cosway-Hayes - 2017 Cochrane's Best Yard Contest Winner In Cochrane we are fortunate to have such an abundant supply of, and many local suppliers of, beautiful natural landscaping materials. Undeveloped lots are a great source of all sizes and colours of rocks for landscaping. All you need is a wheelbarrow, gloves and muscles (and maybe a shovel). We searched and found [...]
Written by Mark Kelly - one of our runner up winners from 2017 Cochrane's Best Yard Contest Replace or amend some of the clay soil with Top Spray's NutriLoam or NutriOM. Carefully work the new mixture in your beds. Loosen root system on new plants and trees to promote root growth. Starter fertilizer makes a difference and fertilizing the garden every 2-3 weeks will provide great [...]
Written by Joan Cosway-Hayes - 2017 Cochrane's Best Yard Contest Winner A perennial plant is one that is dormant in winter and comes back a little bigger and a little stronger every spring. An annual plant thrives in the summer and fall but dies off with the cold weather. Annuals have to be replanted every year (ie petunias etc). Choosing the right plant for the right location is the [...]
Written by Joan Cosway-Hayes - 2017 Cochrane's Best Yard Contest Winner My favourite thing about my garden is being able to walk outside with a large bowl and fill it with fresh picked organic greens, herbs and veggies for salads and dinners. It's not difficult to grow your own food. Here is what we do; I hope this inspires you. We built 3 veggie boxes. Two are 5 X 5. One is 4 X 6. They [...]
Ever wonder how some people just seem to have a green thumb? Top Spray is launching a gardening and landscaping blog and we invite submissions from community members who are willing to share their tips and tricks so you can have the very best garden or landscaping. Submissions can be emailed to: info@topspray.com The views and opinions expressed in this blog are [...]
Written by Joan Cosway-Hayes - 2017 Cochrane's Best Yard Contest Winner If you want to grow tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and sensitive herbs in the Bow Valley consider putting in a greenhouse. A trip to Hawaii in March of 2017 brought me home asking "what am I doing trying to grow tomatoes outdoors in this climate?" Within a week we had purchased online, a twin-wall polycarbonate greenhouse[...]
Mulch offers great benefits to both your plants and soil such as weed control and moisture retention. Following the before and after care procedures listed will maximize the benefits mulch provides: Before application: Flowerbeds should be weeded prior to mulching and edges defined. Water your flowerbed prior to applying mulch to lock in moisture. If receiving a blower truck application: [...]