According to the late Ogden Nash, the best place to face the notorious New England winter was “at the bottom of Florida.” Alas, the Poetess of the Prairies, Sarah Binks, never had that option. On the family farm outside Willows, Saskatchewan, she penned:
A long, quiet winter with plenty of snow,
And plenty of barley; it’s eighty below;
Barley in the heater, salt pork in the pantry –How nice you never feel cold in this country.
Those who, like Sarah, must reject the temptations of tropic climes can find solace in many a garden catalogue. Whiling the winter away thus is a long-established occupation here in the Great White North. Unlike poor Sarah, there’s now the better way to browse through Canadian seed catalogues – a click of the mouse would have puzzled her. But if you are looking for the latest vegetables, flowers, herbs, and yes, even trees and shrubs, from fresh, generously filled seed packages at excellent prices you needn’t shop abroad. Better yet, you will be assured that seeds proffered will grow here.
A modest list follows with companies listed alphabetically:
Aimers Seeds.
Angelgrove Tree Seed Company.
Blazing Star Wild Flower Seed Co.
Great Canadian Seed Co.
Halifax Seed Co.
Henry Field’s Seed Co.
Holes Greenhouses & Gardens Ltd.
Howard Dill Enterprises.
McKenzie Seeds.
OSC Seeds.
Richters Seeds.
Saltspring Seeds.
Seeds of Diversity.
Stokes Seeds.
T&T Seeds.
Upper Canada Seeds.
Veseys.
Wildflower Farm Inc.
William Dam Seeds.
Diversion No. 1
If you can’t beat ‘em, eat ‘em: Nigerian nutritionist Ukpong Udofia of the University of Uyo says the West African land snail has more protein and iron than beefsteak. Better yet, it is affordable for school kids and their mothers, many of whom suffer from malnutrition and iron deficiency, according to the weekly Maclean’s. The magazine fails to note that Nigerians derisively call this common garden pest ‘Congo chop,’ implying their less sophisticated neighbours regularly indulge.
Now, though, there is also preparation for the coming season as well as care and culture of indoor plants. First on the agenda is taking cuttings of tender tropicals saved from last year – geraniums, impatiens, fibrous begonias, hibiscus, and fuchsias are some of the commonest candidates. In order to be ready for planting out in May or early June, some can be raised from seed sown in January. Again, impatiens and fibrous begonias are high on this list, perhaps also pansies. Geranium seed has been widely available for several years now, but the resulting plants are often less than enthralling.
Whether raising cuttings or seeds, it will vastly improve chances of successful germination to place the containers over a heating mat. For some strange reason one of the few sources to offer such an essential are the good folks at Lee Valley Tools, with outlets across Canada
(1-800-267-8767). Despite this requirement of gentle bottom heat, many cuttings keel over two or three weeks after having been taken. Seedlings similarly emerge only to collapse as the base of the tiny plants shrivels. Stagnant air is encourages this condition, as does using cold water.
Diversion No. 2
At least half of the years in the next decade will be warmer than the previous record year for global temperature, the British Meteorological Office warns, notes The Times of London. The last two summers would be warm and dry, predicted the same Met Office – and this winter will be mild, they say. The mild late autumn of 1998 was no forecast of things to come for Canada’s largest city – January saw Toronto so thoroughly snowed in that even people taller than Mayor Mel Lastman failed to see over the snow banks. So his worship brought in the army to clear the streets and event that lives on in tales of Toronto . . . and the jokes of Canadian elsewhere.
Nevertheless, if you reside in that lugubrious city, be aware that the bylaw requires you to clear your sidewalk of snow and ice – or else. Over an average winter, Toronto issues about 3,000 warnings. Only about 10 per cent of those result in a $125 fine. If a snowfall is forecast and you have lawn fertilizer left over from the past season, a light sprinkle prior to the arrival of the snow will help keep access ways clear. If you do have to shovel or use a snow blower, try to spread the white stuff evenly over lawns and flowerbeds. If possible, avoid weighing down spreading evergreens and small deciduous bushes, which can suffer permanent damage.
Diversion No. 3
A new English ice cream cocktail, The Sex Pistol, contains Gingko biloba and Guarana, Paulinia capana. Said to be for adults only, it claims to boost beleaguered Brits’ libidos, still stuck down in the depths of a recession.
If you’ve managed all the above, you’ll have deserved relaxation. Denizens of the true north proud and free with want to raise a glass to Sir John A. Macdonald on 11th January, his birthday and no mean elbow-bender himself. A couple of weeks later, Robbie Burns Day falls on the 25th January. Of course no one with nary a trace of Scottish blood could be unaware of this which includes a large proportion of Canada’s population. And if that isn’t enough, join those of oriental descent in celebrating the Year of the Tiger.
