Down The Garden Path Podcast

This month on Down The Garden Path, we're exploring "Gardening Beyond the Basics." Learn more about how to create a low-maintenance garden and straw bale gardening. Get tips on how to create unusual container combinations and discover new and wonderful plants for your landscape. This episode kicks off our month-long discussion about how to take your gardening to the next level.

Tune into this week's podcast to learn more about low-maintenance gardening.

Some of the topics we discuss:

• Make garden beds larger: Counterintuitive but reduces constant trimming and pruning.
• Move away from perennials to dwarf shrubs: A lot of options for small shrubs that require less maintenance and usually more seasonal interest.
• Stick to repetition: Decrease the variety of plants but increase the quantity. It's much easier to look after five types of plants planted in impact groups than trying to maintain 15 or more different varieties in the same space.
• Use hedges: Evergreen hedges are perfect for defining space and creating a year-round green edge for your yard and garden. They distract from the bottom of larger shrubs and trees and no one else will see the weeds hidden behind.
• Ask for help: Sometimes you need a fresh perspective and that is something that a garden professional can provide. For a small investment, you can have a professional look at the big picture, long term use of space. It will pay off in the long run.
• Use a qualified contractor: If you think it is expensive to hire a professional then wait until you hire an amateur.

Join us in May for more "Gardening Beyond the Basics" themed podcasts:

• 11th - Container Gardening
• 18th - Straw Bale Gardening

Each week on Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designers Joanne Shaw and Matthew Dressing discuss down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. We do our best to bring you interesting, relevant and helpful topics to help you keep your garden as low maintenance as possible.

This month on Down The Garden Path, we're talking all about lawn alternatives. When it comes to our lawns, we're all a bit fanatical. So, this month we're going discuss what it takes to get a beautiful lawn. From lawn care 101, to artificial turf, pest and diseases, and everything in between, we've got the tips and tricks to get you growing a green oasis that'll make you the talk of the neighbourhood.

Tune into this week's podcast to learn more about lawn alternatives.

• What are lawn alternatives?
• Some of the benefits of lawn alternatives such as no grass to mow or water, fewer grubs and Japanese beetles and lower maintenance once established.
• The disadvantages of lawn alternatives.
• Alternative lawn solutions: clover lawns, ground cover for smaller lawns, turning lawn into garden.
  • 6 Reasons You Should Get Rid of Your Lawn
  • Do You Really Need a Lawn? This Will Help You Decide
  • Evelyn Hadden, Hellstrip Gardening
• What is an Eco-Lawn? Visit www.wildflowerfarm.com.

Join us in May for our "Gardening Beyond the Basics" themed podcasts:

• 4th - Strawbale Gardening
• 11th - Creating a Low-Maintenance Garden

Each week on Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designers Joanne Shaw and Matthew Dressing discuss down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. We do our best to bring you interesting, relevant and helpful topics to help you keep your garden as low maintenance as possible.

This month on Down the Garden Path we're talking all about lawn care! When it comes to our lawns, we're all a bit fanatical. So, this month we're going discuss what it takes to get a beautiful lawn. From lawn care 101, to artificial turf, pest and diseases, and everything in between, we've got the tips and tricks to get you growing a green oasis that'll make you the talk of the neighbourhood. Tonight, we take a look at artificial turf with Brian Park from Durham Artificial Grass.

Brian has worked in the landscape industry on and off for over 20 years. He joined Durham Artificial Grass last September and prior to that, worked in the sports industry in various senior management roles. He has also run his own landscape business.

The Durham Artificial Grass team are experts in artificial grass solutions. Family owned and operated since 2018, they provide outstanding customer service and products throughout Durham Region, Toronto and Eastern Ontario.

With an indoor/outdoor showroom in Hampton, Ontario, their staff has 35+ years of horticulture knowledge to provide you with the best possible service for any project. They carry and install the highest quality North American-made artificial turf, golf simulators, sports flooring and synthetic ice backed by the manufacturers.

Durham Artificial Grass supports DIY projects, contractors and provides professional installations.

Tune into this week's podcast to learn more about artificial turf with our guest, Brian Park.

We discuss the advances in artificial turf over the last few years and Brian also answers our questions:

• How is artificial turf most often being used?
• What factors are considered when ensuring a quality installation?
• What kind of maintenance is required? How does the warranty work?
• How does environmental impact play into the decision to get artificial turf?

You can find Durham Artificial Grass online at www.durhamartificialgrass.ca, on Facebook at Durham Artificial Grass and Instagram: @durhamartificialgrass.

Join us on April 27th for the last podcast in our "lawn care" series: Cover Crops and Lawn Alternatives.

Each week on Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designers Joanne Shaw and Matthew Dressing discuss down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. We do our best to bring you interesting, relevant and helpful topics to help you keep your garden as low maintenance as possible.

**Please excuse the audio quality in this podcast. Matt and I are unable to record together in the studio during this challenging time and will be recording Down the Garden Path from our homes for the foreseeable future. We are currently working to find ways to improve the sound quality for future episodes.**

With a new month, comes a new topic on Down the Garden Path. This month on Down The Garden Path, we're talking all about lawn care! When it comes to our lawns, we're all a bit fanatical. So, this month we're going discuss what it takes to get a beautiful lawn. From lawn care 101, to artificial turf, pest and diseases, and everything in between, we've got the tips and tricks to get you growing a green oasis that'll make you the talk of the neighbourhood.

Tune into this week's podcast to learn more about caring for your lawn.

We discuss lawn care in each season and when to:

• start watering
• top-dress
• overseed
• fertilize
• dethatch
• aerate
• apply nematodes or Scotts Grub B Gone Max Grub Killer

and answer some common questions:

• Is it too soon to rake?
• What's a good mowing height?
• How long does it take for corn gluten to work?
• Can I alternate toxic and organic lawn care products?
• How long does it take for corn gluten to take effect?
• What should the nighttime temperature be before seeding?

For more information on spring lawn care, listen to our previous episode from May 2018.

Our lawn care theme continues for all of April. Join us later this month for more helpful "lawn care" podcasts:

• 20th - Artificial Turf with Brian Park
• 27th - Lawn Issues

Each week on Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designers Joanne Shaw and Matthew Dressing discuss down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. We do our best to bring you interesting, relevant and helpful topics to help you keep your garden as low maintenance as possible.

Remember to check out Down the Garden Path on your favourite podcast app and subscribe.

**Please excuse the audio quality in this podcast. Matt and I are unable to record together in the studio during this challenging time and will be recording Down the Garden Path from our homes for the foreseeable future.**

This month on Down The Garden Path, we're talking all about growing! We all like to grow plants in many different places besides in the ground. So for the month of March, we are discussing what it takes to get growing indoors in different places. From starting seeds indoors to raised beds and containers, the possibilities are endless! In this week's episode, we're joined by Janet Tuenschel, owner of Country Cut Flowers, as we talk about growing cut flowers.

Janet Tuenschel has a little flower farm, just outside Newmarket, called Country Cut Flowers. Her farm is heading into its third year of opening to the public for cut-your-own flower days, workshops and small weddings. The rolling hills at Country Cut Flowers have approximately 1,000 peonies, 6,000 tulips and an acre of mixed perennials and annuals. Janet left the advertising and fundraising worlds to get her hands in the dirt, first with a small gardening business, then with the flower farm.

Tune into this week's podcast to learn more about growing cut flowers with our guest, Janet Tuenschel.

She answers some of our questions:

• What are some of the easiest cut flower varieties to start from seed indoors?
• What are some of the more challenging varieties but are worth the effort starting indoors?
• Do you have any favourites you have more success with starting outside or 'direct sowing'?
• What tips and tricks do you have for our listeners who might be interested in starting a cut flower garden?
• Is there anything in the garden you're looking forward to or new for this year?
• You grow cut flowers for all seasons. How do you go about organizing your succession planting to get the most out of/grow for every season?

Country Cut Flowers offers a cut-your-own service at their farm. To manage this endeavour tickets need to be purchased ahead of time.

Check out the website (www.countrycutflowers.ca) for details on Flower Subscriptions and Workshops.

Facebook: Country Cut Flowers

Instagram: @countrycutflowers

Join us in April for our "lawn care" themed podcasts:

• 6th: Lawn Care 101
• 20th: Artificial Turf with Brian Park
• 27th: Lawn Issues

Each week on Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designers Joanne Shaw and Matthew Dressing discuss down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. We do our best to bring you interesting, relevant and helpful topics to help you keep your garden as low maintenance as possible.

**Please excuse the audio quality in this podcast. Matt and I are unable to record together in the studio during this challenging time and will be recording Down the Garden Path from our homes for the foreseeable future.**

This month on Down The Garden Path, we're talking all about growing! We all like to grow plants in many different places besides in the ground. So for the month of March, we are discussing what it takes to get growing indoors in different places. From starting seeds indoors to raised beds and containers, the possibilities are endless! In this week's episode, we're joined by author and garden writer Tara Nolan as we talk about growing in raised beds.

Tara Nolan is a garden writer, author, editor and speaker. She is a co-founder of the award-winning gardening website Savvy Gardening (savvygardening.com). Her work has appeared in the Globe and Mail, the Toronto Star, CBC Life and Garden Making. Her first book, Raised Bed Revolution: Build it, Fill it, Plant it… Garden Anywhere! was published by Cool Springs Press in 2016. Tara contributed a chapter to Gardening Complete, released in 2018. Tara was also the award-winning web editor of Canadian Gardening magazine's website for six years and appeared as a gardening expert on WNED Buffalo's gardening special Garden Wisdom in 2016. Her second book, Gardening Your Front Yard: Projects and Ideas for Big & Small Spaces was published in March 2020.

Tune into this week's podcast to learn more about growing raised beds with our guest, Tara Nolan.

She answers some of our many questions:

• What inspired your book Raised Bed Revolution?
• How did you come up with the designs and recommendations in Raised Bed Revolution?
• What should we consider before deciding to build or grow in a raised bed?
• Is there anything we must do differently to care for raised beds compared to in the garden itself?

Find Tara Nolan online at www.savvygardening.com and on social media:

Facebook: Raised Bed Revolution

Twitter: @thatTaraNolan

Instagram: @tara_e

Join us next week for the last in our helpful "growing" podcasts:

• March 30th - Growing: Cut Flowers with author Janet Tuenschel from Country Cut Flowers

Each week on Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designers Joanne Shaw and Matthew Dressing discuss down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. We do our best to bring you interesting, relevant and helpful topics to help you keep your garden as low maintenance as possible.

This month on Down The Garden Path, we're talking all about growing! We all like to grow plants in many different places besides in the ground. So for the month of March, we'll discuss what it takes to get growing indoors in different places. From starting seeds indoors to raised beds and containers, the possibilities are endless! In this week's episode, we're talking about growing healthy gardens.

Tune into this week's podcast to learn more about growing healthy gardens.

We answer some common questions:

• What is a healthy garden?
• What signs do I look for?
• How do I make my garden healthy again?
• How do I know how healthy my soil is?
• What soil amendments do I add?
• What is the right way to clean up the garden beds?
• How do I attract beneficial insects to my garden?

Click here to learn more about the University of Guelph soil testing services.

Our growing theme continues for all of March. Join us later this month for more helpful "growing" podcasts:

• March 23rd - Growing: Raised Beds with author Tara Nolan and her book Raised Bed Revolution.
• March 30th - Growing: Cut Flowers

Each week on Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designers Joanne Shaw and Matthew Dressing discuss down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. We do our best to bring you interesting, relevant and helpful topics to help you keep your garden as low maintenance as possible.

Remember to check out Down the Garden Path on your favourite podcast app and subscribe.

With a new month comes a new topic on Down The Garden Path! Every week in March, we'll answer your questions about growing. We all like to grow plants in many different places besides in the ground. So this month, we'll discuss what it takes to get growing indoors in different places. From starting seeds indoors to raised beds and containers, the possibilities are endless!

Tune into this week's podcast to learn more Growing Indoors:

We answer some common questions:

• What does it mean to grow indoors?
• What specific conditions are required for the plants to thrive?
• Are there different types of soils designed for growing indoors?
• What kinds of tools and materials do I need?
• Should I be fertilizing the plants I grow indoors?

It is still a little early to start most plants from seed. Make sure you check your seed packet for more information. In Zone 5b, our last frost day is May 24th.

Growing: Indoors - Episode Links

Down The Garden Path podcasts mentioned in this episode: Growing Cannabis and Growing Lemons

Available on Amazon: Start & Saving Seeds: Grow the Perfect Vegetables, Fruits, Herbs, and Flowers for your Garden

Our growing theme continues for all of March. Join us later this month for more helpful "growing" podcasts:

• March 9th - Growing: Starting Seeds
• March 16th - Growing: Healthy Garden Beds
• March 23rd - Growing: Raised Beds
• March 30th - Growing: Cut Flowers

Each week on Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designers Joanne Shaw and Matthew Dressing discuss down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. We do our best to bring you interesting, relevant and helpful topics to help you keep your garden as low maintenance as possible.

Houseplant Month continues on Down The Garden Path! This month, we've been answering your houseplant questions and diving into some of the most popular, sometimes daunting, houseplants. Last week, we tackled how to successfully grow succulents and cacti. In this week's episode, Mike Roussel of the Toronto Bonsai Society joins us to discuss growing bonsai houseplants.

Mike has been growing bonsai for close to 30 years. He studied Fine Art at the University of Guelph and was president of the Toronto Bonsai Society from 2009 to 2011. Mike is a regular speaker at the Toronto club, as well as other bonsai and horticultural clubs throughout the GTA. He also taught bonsai at the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre in Toronto. Mike enjoys sharing his passion for bonsai with others and maintains an extensive collection of bonsai at his home.

Tune into this week's podcast to learn more about the art of bonsai with our guest, Mike Roussel.

Mike answers our questions:

• What is the art of bonsai?
• What does it mean to "bonsai" a plant?
• Do you have any advice for beginners?
• Does the Toronto Bonsai Society have any resources for beginners?
• What conditions are required to keep a bonsai thriving?
• How do you prune bonsai plants?
• Where is the best place to purchase a new bonsai plant?
• Can you start your own bonsai from cuttings?

Find the Toronto Bonsai Society online at www.torontobonsai.org or on Facebook at @TorontoBonsaiSociety.

Our theme for March is "Growing." Join us in the coming weeks for helpful themed podcasts on tools and materials, growing from seed and preparing the beds.

Each week on Down the Garden Path, professional landscape designers Joanne Shaw and Matthew Dressing discuss down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. We do our best to bring you interesting, relevant and helpful topics to help you keep your garden as low maintenance as possible.

It's houseplant month on Down The Garden Path! Every week in February, we're going to answer your houseplant questions and dive into some of the most popular, sometimes daunting, houseplants. Last week, we spoke with Terry Kennedy about how to successfully grow orchids. In this week's episode, we take a look at succulents and cacti.

We also do a little Houseplant 101 for your existing plants and review our handy three-point checklist when examing your houseplants: check the soil; check the foliage and check the form.

Tune into this week's podcast to learn more Houseplant 101, as well as information about growing succulents and cacti.

We answer some common questions:

• How easy are succulents and cacti to grow in your home?
• What specific conditions do they need to thrive?
• Are there common issues involved in their maintenance?
• What are the do's and don'ts of growing cacti and succulents?
• Are they easy to propagate?

Our houseplant theme continues for all of February. Join us later this month for more helpful houseplant podcasts on Air Plants and Bonsai.

Each week on Down the Garden Path, professional landscape designers Joanne Shaw and Matthew Dressing discuss down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. We do our best to bring you interesting, relevant and helpful topics to help you keep your garden as low maintenance as possible.

Remember to check out Down the Garden Path on your favourite podcast app and subscribe.