Welcome to Naked Canadian Gardening Day

 

Saturday June 2nd, 2012

 

Our premier Naked Canadian Gardening Day will be on Saturday June 2nd, 2012, and will follow annually on the 1st Saturday in June.

Canadians asked for their own Naked Gardening Day because May 5th, the date of the 2012 World Naked Gardening Day, is way too cold for Canadians to be gardening; naked or otherwise. Some places still have snow in early May.

This site is going to be more than 'Naked Gardening'. This site will be as much about gardening as it is about Canadians that garden in the nude. We will offer gardening tips and ideas to make yours a successful gardening season. If you do garden in the nude, please send us your stories. We'd love to hear from you.

We would like you to spread the word to naturists and non-naturists alike to experience getting naked in your garden on June 2nd. It's a known fact that gardening is a great way to relax and de-stress.

Contact your FCN regional representative and co-ordinate with them to organize something and let your area media know. If you don't have a regional representative, contact the webmaster, who will try to assist you.

We would like to hear from you about your day. Send your stories, pictures and jokes to the This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . So let's all get outside.

Go to Naked Canadian Gardening Day information and links

Gardening

My father used to say, "You get what you pay for." In other words you can't expect quality results when you purchase a sub-quality product. This is equally true for gardening. If you expect results you need to buy quality products.

Brand names won't be mentioned here because we're not selling products, we're giving solutions.

Check-out our topics -

Lawn Care

Fertilizer

Flowers

Fruits & Vegetables

Lawn Care

Seeding

First, know the area where you are applying your seed. The lawn care industry has made great advancements in the last few years.
Know the answers to these questions before you go to your gardening centre.

- What is the soil mixture? Is it loam, sand, clay?
- What is the sun/shade mix?
- How much traffic is the lawn expected to get?
- What is the size of the area you are covering?

I suggest you buy soil and peat moss with your grass seed. It will help the seeds to take root because it will retain moisture from the watering.

Water the area lightly, keep it damp until the grass starts to sprout. Be careful not to over-water, you will wash away the seeds and soil.

On the subject of watering; early in the day is best, before the day gets hot. Watering at night puts your lawn at risk of developing mildew and fungus.

Weed Control

Depending on the state of your lawn, the first step to weed control may be the slow process of pulling out each weed one-at-a-time. There are 2 methods you can choose from: on your knees and bending your back with a weeding fork; or standing-up with a weed puller. The stand-up weed puller is what I use. If you need to buy one, get the one with the most pincers. Four is best; three is OK; two is useless. I find the best time to pull weeds is right after I have cut the grass. While you're cutting, take note of where the big weeds and attach them afterward. If a big hole is left after the weed comes out, fill it in with lawn soil and a sprinkle of grass seed.

It's probably June by the time you've got your lawn weeds under control and hopefully any weeds you have are small ones. Now you can use a product that came on the market in the summer of 2010. It's a spray designed to use on your lawn and it kills selective weeds while leaving your grass alone. In about 3-4 days the weed turns black and you can pull it out.

The other type off weed control is for pathways and on driveways. Places where vegetation grows that you don't want. The product to use is a total vegetation killer, (and it will kill everything you spray it on). Just don't make a mistake and spray it on your lawn or flowers.

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Fertilizer

For the Lawn

Understanding the numbers

Lawn and garden fertilizers are rated by 3 numbers listed on the front of the package. They represent the percentage of 3 important nutrients: nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K), in that order.

Nitrogen (N): Helps plants grow and green up

Phosphorus (P): Stimulates new root formation and growth

Potassium (K): Provides all around vigour and health, disease and drought tolerance

If you want a healthy thick lawn, you need to buy a quality fertilizer, and it's very important to follow the product's instructions.
A thick lawn can also reduce the germination of new weeds, like dandelions. The thicker the grass is the less likely for the seed to reach the soil to germinate.

As for the weeds that are currently there. I'm sorry but there is not easy solution, you need to pull them out. Know that mature dandelions have very deep roots, and it will take more than 3 or 4 tries to completely rid your lawn of these monsters.

For the Flower Bed

Fertilizing flowers is a very large topic. Each plant in your garden could have different needs as far as when to fertilize, how much to fertilize, and what type of fertilizer to use. Understand that you can harm your plants if you use too much fertilizer or fertilize at the wrong time. As far as fertilizer is concerned, more is not better.You must know your plants, know what you need and read and follow the directions on the fertilizer package.

Very broadly, there are two types of fertilizer; slow release fertilizers and liquid fertilizers. Slow release types don't need to be applied very often and last longer, while liquid types benefit the plants faster but will need to be applied more often.

Here are some tips toward beautiful flowers:

• Don't fertilize during the dry hot summer months, or when a plant is dried out. Plants that are very dry will soak up the fertilizer much quicker than plants that are well hydrated. The risk of burning your plants with fertilizer is much higher during this time.
• Plants that have fertilizer burn will look wilted and dried out, similar to plants that are under watered. If you over-fertilized a plant, the best thing to do is water, water, water and try to dilute and wash away the fertilizer as much as you can.
• Stick with a balanced, general purpose fertilizer if you are planning to fertilize your whole garden at once. Look for the numbers 10-10-10 or 20-20-20 or something similar on the label. Generally for blooming plants, you could buy a fertilizer where the center number on the label is higher.
• Keep dry fertilizer off the leaves of your plants as it could burn the leaves. After spreading the dry fertilizer, water the your gardens well so the fertilizer will start to soak in.
• Some slow release fertilizers last several months, and it's good to apply a slow release fertilizer in the fall to give your plants the boost they need in early spring.
• With liquid fertilizers, generally perennials should be fed in early spring and once or twice during the summer months.
• Spread the compost from your compost bin in your flower beds for a natural fertilizer. Well composted organic materials won't burn your plants, are much less expensive than chemical products and compost works great.

 

For Trees

Yes, trees need to be fertilized too.

When to fertilize:
Ideally, you should be fertilized throughout the year. The problem is that some people only think to fertilize when their tree looks un-well.

The greatest amounts of nitrogen (N) based fertilizer should be applied during the early spring and summer months. Several light applications a year are
preferred as the tree gets older. A soil test may be needed to determine the amounts of phosphorus (P), potassium (K). Read the label for proper ratios
and application rates of N, P and K for trees. Again, for young trees, the time to put out fertilizer is late March through early June. When a tree
reaches the desired height you may want to decrease the fertilizer application to only once a year.

How to Fertilize a Tree:
You do not need to remove mulch to fertilize! Scatter or drop grid fertilizer under the tree's drip zone but avoid touching the tree trunk with the material.
An application of between .10 and .20 pounds of nitrogen per 100 sq. ft. will be adequate.
Again, read the label. Keep solid or concentrated fertilizer off stems and leaves and adequately water the fertilizer into the soil as that prevents
fertilizer burn injury to roots. Stick with the higher ratio nitrogen fertilizers unless your tree is determined to be deficient in potassium or
phosphorus (soil test). N-P-K rates of 18-5-9, 27-3-3, or 16-4-8 are good bets.

Organic Fertilizers:
Organic fertilizers come from plant and animal sources. These fertilizers have a slower release of nutrients as they need to be decomposed by soil microorganisms. They are easy on plant roots but take longer to become effective. Organic fertilizers are harder to find than inorganic fertilizers and often more expensive but they are the least harmful and less exacting when applying. The best organic fertilizers are cottonseed meal, bone meal, manure and chicken litter. Read the label (if packaged) for application methods and amounts to use.

Inorganic Fertilizers:
Inorganic fertilizers are inexpensive and are the most frequently used fertilizers for trees. Inorganic nitrogen based tree food sources are sodium nitrate, ammonium nitrate and ammonium sulfate. General purpose fertilizers are complete with N-P-K which is usually defined as the ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in the mixture. You can use these excellent fertilizers but don't overdo. Use high-ratio nitrogen products unless a soil test suggests a lack of other nutrients. Inorganic fertilizers can come in slow-release, liquid or water-soluble for foliar application. Read the label for application rates.

Organic Soil Amendments:
The greatest value of most organic materials is in the change they bring to soil structure. Remember that chemical fertilizers have no positive physical effect on soil structure.
Peat moss, leaf mold, pine bark, sawdust, and stable manure can improve the soil while adding nutrients. These amendments increase the fertilizer and water-holding capacity of many soils. Mulching with these amendments aid in root development.

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Flowers

Annuals

What are annuals? An annual is a flower that completes its life cycle in a single growing season. That means it germinates from seed, grows stems and leaves, produces flowers, sets seed, and dies all in the same season. Annuals do not survive the winter and must be planted every year. Annuals generally have long bloom periods, adding vibrant colour to your garden all season.

Growing Annuals
Annuals can be grown from seed or purchased as transplants. Set the plants in the garden after the danger of frost has passed and apply a plant starter solution such as 10-52-10 mixed at a rate of 15 ml in 4 L of water (1 tbsp per gallon).

To conserve moisture and keep the weeds down, apply a 5 cm (2 in) layer of peat-bark mulch around the plants. Feed the plants every 3-4 weeks with a solution of 20-8-20 or 20-20-20, mixed at the rate of 15 ml in 4 L of water (1 tbsp per gallon). Remove faded blooms on a regular basis to keep the plants blooming all summer; otherwise the plants will set seed and cease flowering.

Annuals in Containers
Container gardening is popular among urban gardeners, adding splashes of colour to the smallest of spaces. Containers may be made of many interesting materials, such as wood, clay, plastic, or even an old pair of boots. Regardless of the type of container, drainage is critical to the health and success of the plants. Without proper drainage, water builds up in the soil
depriving the roots of oxygen. Although many sources recommend placing rocks in the bottom of a container to improve drainage, this is often ineffective because the soil eventually washes down through the spaces. A layer of landscape fabric placed over the rocks will help, but it is always best to use containers with drainage holes. Keep in mind that plants in containers dry out much faster than plants growing in garden beds. It might be necessary to apply water daily, especially during hot, dry weather.

Another important consideration is fertilizer. Containerized plants are growing in a limited amount of soil and therefore have access to a limited amount of nutrients. These nutrients are
quickly mined by the plants and must be replenished on a regular basis. Once every 10-14 days, feed the plants with a soluble fertilizer such as 20-8-20 or 20-20-20 mixed at a rate of 15 ml in 4 L of water (1 tbsp per gallon). Avoid using granular garden fertilizers such as 6-12-12 because excess salt can build up inside the container and damage the plants.

Location, Location, Location
Know where you want your plants and decide what flower you want for that spot. The following factors will have an effect on the success of your plants:

• depressions and drainage patterns
• direction and movement of the sun
• large trees or other structures that provide shade
• wind patterns
• slopes
• surfaces that radiate heat such as brick walls and pavement

In addition to size and flower colour, consider other features of annuals when deciding their placement in the garden. Plant fragrant flowers around the deck or near windows of the house
where the scent will be most enjoyed. If bouquets of freshly cut flowers are a favourite, set aside an entire flower bed at the back of the garden for raising cut flowers.

Perennials

A Perennial is a flowering or non-flowering plant that dies-off in the autumn and re-grows again in the spring. Perennial flowers are the prize of most people's gardens. While annual plants often serve the supplemental role of providing bursts of color to "fill in gaps," we generally brag more about the types of plants in our garden that come back year after year.

Many people are overwhelmed by the sheer number of different types of perennials available. It's bad enough that one has to study up on the planting zones and growing requirements of the various types of perennials one is considering. But a major obstacle for many beginners is more fundamental than that: namely, having to learn the names of these perennial flowers.

To study the different types of perennials, you first have to know what you're studying -- by name. Or, at least, it helps. Why? Because without knowing a plant by name, you're missing out on all the handy reference material written about it on the Web. The Web is all about searching. But to search for information using, say, Google about the different types of perennials, you first need to learn their names. Otherwise, it's hit or miss. I.e., you'd have to Web-surf until you stumbled across pictures of the various kinds of plants in which you're interested, thereby identifying them. While success is possible through this tedious approach, there are better methods.

The list of perennials hardy enough for Canada is quite an extensive one. The region you live in will dictate what plants will work best for you. My suggestion is to go to your local gardening centre and make note of the perennials they have on display then go to the internet or talk to someone knowledgeable about what you need to know about that plant or sign-up to the someone offering an internet newsletter.

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Fruits & Vegetables

I believe this is the most rewarding part of gardening, because nothing tastes as good as home grown, fresh-picked fruits and vegetables. It doesn't have to take a lot of skill or space to grow something delicious. You can grow them in a pot on a balcony or a half-acre of land; either way the rewards are delicious.

Fruits

Growing fruits and berries is an investment in time and effort, but in the end, it's worth it. Some fruits require more labor than others. Dwarf trees make it possible to grow fruit trees in containers and there's always room for a strawberry pot. Fruit belongs in every backyard garden, even if it's only going to feed the birds.

Before you proceed, know the answers to these questions:

• How big will it be in 5 years?
• Do you have the soil right?
• Is this the right plant for your growing region?

 

Vegetables

If you’ve never vegetable gardened before, you are in for a treat on many levels. Growing vegetables is pretty easy and the gardening basics of flowers still apply. Growing great tasting vegetables and staying ahead of problems does take a little knowledge and effort, but the following lessons will get you comfortably up and running in no time. The rest you’ll learn as you go, which is the real thrill of gardening; overcoming unexpected obstacles and ending the season with a hearty harvest. You literally get to eat the fruits of your labor. But I warn you, it’s addictive!

Where Should You Put Your Vegetable Garden?

You want to make your vegetables happy. Stressed plants won’t give you bushels of great tasting vegetables. Most vegetables enjoy the same growing conditions, so making them happy isn’t a huge challenge. But if your vegetable garden isn’t convenient, it’s going to be neglected.

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Naked Gardening Links

Nude gardening takes off in the UK

Abby House Malmesbury, UK

 

Where NCGD Events Are Being Held

Freedom Fields Naturist Ranch  -- Tamworth, Ontario ( just 30 minutes north of Napanee )

 

Ottawa Naturists / Naturistes de l'Outaouais

Web: www.onno.ca   E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

 

 

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The best way to garden is to put on a wide brimmed straw hat and wear lots of sun screen.

Have a shovel in one hand and a cold drink in the other and telling somebody else where to dig.