Spring has arrived on the North Island!
Salmonberry's magenta flower buds, red flowering currant's hopeful blooms, and the powerful Stinging Nettle. Of course, we cannot forget to mention one of the truest signs of Spring (in the plant world), the Skunk Cabbage. We see these on the side of the highway, bogs, ditches, and swampy areas. Fun fact: the large, bright yellow lantern-like flowers are actually a modified leaf called a bract (or a spathe to be even more precise)! The pungent aroma from these aptly-named perennials is also the namesake for Stink Creek Park in downtown Port Hardy, where you can find many of these in the creek bed.
After our long, grey stormy season, these signs of rejuvenation and hope are a welcome sight...and for gardeners it's a great big nudge to get your seedling trays and pots out and your seeds ready, if you haven't already! With our predictably unpredictable spring weather, starting some your plants indoors is essential. Onions, leeks, celery, lettuce, brassicas (the plant family including broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower), peppers and tomatoes (and squash, melons and eggplant if you are lucky to have a hot space!) need a long head start to make the most of our warming temperatures. A warm garage, a table by the woodstove, a sunny windowsill, or even enclosed porch can be turned into mini nurseries for your garden dreams.
Starting seeds can get overwhelming very quickly, especially when things start growing faster than you thought they would!
Here are some great resources on seed starting ideas/methods:
Seed snails method:
Seed starting in Milk Jugs:
Seed snail inside milk jugs (Snugs):
Upcycled Materials:
Seedling Care: (long but educational)
Stay tuned for more gardening tips: we aim to keep this webpage and our social media accounts updated often with tips and tricks to build and keep momentum going in North Island gardens! Please let us know if there are any specifics you want to learn with us about.
Happy growing!
Resources:
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