By Sunnyside Experts on
11/30/2011 3:35 PM
 Who says the cold season should be a slow time for the avid Calgary gardener? It’s true that your garden is taking a break for the winter, but inside your home you could already be sheltering the blossoms for planting early next year.
If you’ve been blessed with a green thumb, there are a few things as satisfying as nursing a plant to full bloom. The fact that you can do this despite the disagreeable climate just makes it that more rewarding. This technique is called forcing and it simply refers to any number of methods to induce a plant to produce shoots, leaves, and flowers. This is can be done in such a way that the plant begins to blossom ahead of its natural growth cycle and outside its usual environment.
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By Sunnyside Experts on
11/29/2011 2:44 PM
 It can be dreary looking out your window and seeing nothing more than a white blanket. Although Calgary’s climate isn’t always kind to ornamentals, there are particular types of grasses that can be tough and actually keep their bright color throughout the cold season. Here are a few examples that can liven up your winter landscape.
Feather reed
The notable feature of this type of ornamental grass is the way its leaves and flowers grow quite tall and upright. This can give your garden clumped vertical elements that add aesthetic variety. The Karl Foerster cultivar is perhaps the most popular example of this type with its feathery green summer plumes turning wheat-colored in the fall and ...
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By Sunnyside Experts on
11/23/2011 2:33 PM
 It’s only natural that you would think of the white stuff as a nuisance. When the days start getting shorter and the nights start getting colder in Calgary, then snow is sure to follow. A snow day also usually means you need to shovel the walk and driveway, and that a painfully slow commute the next day is sure to follow.
The cold weather and snow add some complications to your gardening too. The branches on your shrubs and trees could break or become disfigured when the precipitation is especially heavy. The terracotta pots you left on the ground could get waterlogged and crack. If you happen to have a greenhouse, you have to knock off the accumulated snow to let more light in and avoid unnecessary breakage.
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By Sunnyside Experts on
11/18/2011 5:59 PM
 The days are going to get shorter in Calgary in the coming weeks but that doesn’t mean you have to refrain from your favorite pastime. You can still grow certain types of plants and nurse them all the way to flowering. Such plants as the poinsettia, Christmas cactus, and kalanchoe actually like the longer nights better as it induces them to bloom. Here are a few tips on how to handle these types of plants. Poinsettias are perhaps the stereotypical holiday plant with its combination of red top leaves and green lower foliage. These leggy shrubs were actually native to Mexico. Although they naturally bloom at the end of the year, the colder North American climate can present a bit of a challenge when growing them. Fortunately, they’ll do just fine in an i ...
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By Sunnyside Experts on
11/14/2011 12:07 PM
 The leaves may be long gone and some snow may be falling, but contrary to common belief, it’s still possible to go on birding in winter. There’s actually a bigger chance you’ll get to attract and see more of the common species, and hopefully some of the rarer ones.
Food and water sources naturally get scarcer in these months for birds. In spring and summer, there’s enough to go around so there’s less reason for wild birds to enter human inhabited areas. If you’re a wise birder, you’ll fill this demand by stocking up on wild birdseed and suet, get your feeders ready and maybe outfit your birdbath with a heater.
Here’s a list of some of the birds that can be seen around Calgary and their ...
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By Sunnyside Experts on
10/31/2011 2:59 PM
 With the exceptionally nice weather that we have experienced this September it's essential that trees, shrubs, perennials, and bulbs are all well watered prior to the freeze up that can occur at any time in October. One of the best ways to water your trees is a direct watering to the root system. To achieve this, use a root feeder (without fertilizer) to force water directly to the roots, Sunnyside carries two different models of these root feeders. One is the “Ross Root Feeder” the other is “Gardena Root Feeder” both sell for $49.99. These models will easily attach to any garden hose; you simply push the feeder into the ground at the drip line of the tree and turn on the water. Depending on how big of a tree you're dealing with, you may ...
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By Sunnyside Experts on
10/25/2011 10:07 AM
 The month of October is upon us and that should bring 2 things to mind: Fall Harvest and Halloween. Our fall and Halloween decorations are fully stocked and out on display for all to see. From decorative centerpieces for that perfect Thanksgiving dinner to scary novelties to frighten the neighbor's kids away, we have it all. Don't be shown up by your neighbors again, we can help you set up the best Halloween lawn display around.
We also have great sales on patio furniture all year long. Even with winter approaching fast, we have a selection of patio sets on display. If you need a great Christmas gift idea or need a little something to finish off t ...
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By Sunnyside Experts on
10/21/2011 10:47 AM
It’s that time of year again….Spring and summer have come and gone, leaving the yard covered with leaves that once hung from your favorite tree. What a stark reminder that winter is on its way.
The fall cleanup is an important part of your yard maintenance, so don't get lazy, there's still work to do! Removing the leaves shed by deciduous trees and shrubs can be beneficial to your garden during the next growing season. Leaf litter is a great place for some insects to hide, and if they're left over the winter, these insect colonies can grow out of control. Insulated by the leaves, these insects will emerge in early Spring and be ready to start wrecking havoc on ...
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By Sunnyside Experts on
10/17/2011 1:28 PM
The cool weather has started and winter will be upon us soon. Now that the garden is mostly clear of annuals, this is a great time to do some maintenance in your garden.
Has your soil been heavy and hard all summer? Now is an ideal time to top dress your beds with 2-3” of organic matter. The best part about top dressing at this time of year is that you don’t have to dig it in; just let the earth worms do the work for you!
Why add organic matter? Organic matter improves soil tilth, encourages beneficial microbes, and adds nutrients. If you've already added ...
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By Sunnyside Experts on
10/12/2011 1:51 PM
What do geraniums, gladiolus, dahlias, cannas, tuberous begonias, and most tender plants have in common? They can all be winterized inside in a dormant state until spring.
Geraniums can be stored in bare root form, grown as cuttings(which requires less space), or with proper light requirements be grown in their container during the winter. If you'd like to store the geraniums as a bare root, they must be free of all soil; the tops need to be reduced to a few inches and stored upside down or in a paper bag. They should be kept in a dark, well ventilated, dry, and cool location. In early spring the roots can be p ...
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