It's time to start gardening! Though it may not seem like it with these abominable temperatures, it's time to start some of your seeds!

With our short growing season some of your favourite flowers and vegetables need a head start, as early as January! Use these little calendars to keep track of when you need to start what seeds in order to help them fully mature this year.

All Flowers and Vegetable not on these calendars can either be started in April or planted directly into your gardens.

Please note that vine plants don't particularly like to be transplanted, so it's always best to plant them directly.

Happy Planting!

                                     TRY MOSQUITO BARRIER!

It's an all natural, garlic-based liquid that those pesky mosquitoes can not tolerate.

Mosquito Barrier is a very strong liquid garlic made from very potent garlic cloves. The garlic used in Mosquito Barrier is a very powerful variety which is much more potent than the garlic found in grocery stores. Garlic has a natural sulfur which repels mosquitoes. Spraying garlic to keep insects away is not something new, farmers and master gardeners have been doing it for many generations.

As an avid Gardener, do you find yourself bored on a rainy day when you can't get out and spend time pampering your plants?

Here is a list of ideas to keep you busy amidst the sweet summer rain!

1. Uproot hardy weeds like dandelions while the soil is wet. It’s much easier.
2. Help water logged potted plants to dry off by removing trays from under them, and placing them somewhere out of the rain to drain off.
3. Cover delicate or young plants, or move them to shelter if they’re in a pot.
4. Collect rainwater in bottles, buckets, or watering cans to feed to your houseplants; or pop them all outside for a quick drink when the rain is gentle.
5. Go on slug and snail patrol! You can pick them off by hand, or lay down deterrents such as coffee grounds or crushed eggshells.
6. Turn the compost heap. Mix up the wet and dry layers.
7. Collect and dry off any seeds you want to save for next year.
8. Clean and tidy the shed, green house, or garage. Also take this time to clean any garden tools and empty pots.
9. Start planning next year’s garden. Think about ordering seeds and bulbs now.
10. Come See Us at Early's for all your Gardening needs and ideas for the future!

source: http://www.slideshare.net/CPLIndustries/raining2

The weather outside is frightful, and fresh greens would be delightful!

Growing a garden indoors this winter is easier than you think. Some key concepts to keep in mind are light sources, soil temperature, and the type of vegetable.

Light: Large windows and skylights are essential in stimulating growth. If you don't have excellent natural light sources in your home you should consider buying grow lights. A full spectrum light will simulate the missing sunlight. To see our selection of grow lights click here.

Temperature: Warm inviting soil is a necessity. Placing your germination tray near a window is a great source of light. However, your window may let in too much cold air chilling your soil and preventing successful germination. A simple heat mat can solve this problem. Heat mats keep the soil at an easy 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Another option would be to place your trays on top of a warm surface ie. your refrigerator. To see our selection of heat mats click here.

Seed Variety: Only certain varieties of vegetables grow well indoors, we recommend: Herbs, Kale, Leaf Lettuce, Peppers (hot), Spinach, Swiss Chard, Tomatoes (cherry variety)