The Growing Season

“Questions, concerns, queries?” Lets chat!

"Coming up we'll talk to you about edible herbs and how they can be considered 'sage advice!'"  [BA DUM CHING!]

Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland celebrate Earth Day in style with a 54 minute discussion on plants that produce fruit, berries and nuts.

EDIBLES - not marijuana, but plants that produce stuff that can be eaten...

Apple trees, specifically espaliers, are highlighted.  Its a case of making lemons out of lemonade, so to speak.

Blueberries, raspberries, currents, strawberries are subjects of discourse to the surprise of absolutely no one.

How do you prune fruiting plant materials?   There are simple rules that will steer you away from trouble.

Is there a pruning method that will help to increase yield when it comes to fruiters.  YUP!   And we guide you through it!

Tune in.

Looking to book a consult for your property?  We'd love to help.  CLICK HERE.

What is a TGS Tiny Garden? CLICK HERE.

Subscribe to The Growing Season podcast.  CLICK HERE. 

“Questions, concerns, queries?” Lets chat!

Landscape design is in FULL SWING for The McFarlands.

Jack, Lynne and Matt discuss the ins and outs of Landscape Design on The Growing Season. 

Matt outlines how his business model works.  The differences between a landscape consult, design and install are discussed.

Why do you, as a homeowner, need a landscape design?   Does the design make the landscape process easier for you?   The trio discuss. 

The McFarlands chat about how a site meet with a potential contractor will go.  Its nothing to be scared of.

How can you make sure your designer includes as many of your ideas as humanly possible in the final product?  The Growing Season crew help you out.

Your mobile phone is a useful tool in landscape design but not in the way you'd think.  Listen to find out.

Your shade/light conditions, soil conditions and drainage are all areas of interest to your designer.   We chat about why.

Tune in.

Looking to book a consult for your property?  We'd love to help.  CLICK HERE.

What is a TGS Tiny Garden? CLICK HERE.

Subscribe to The Growing Season podcast.  CLICK HERE. 

“Questions, concerns, queries?” Lets chat!

Its safe to finally prune your plants, people!

Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland guide The Growing Season into the heart of spring pruning and all of its related topics. 

When can you prune?   If its been 10 degrees during the daytime over the course of 7 days you are good to go. 

How do you transition plants from indoors to outdoors?   What about those hydrangeas that you received for easter?   Can those be transplanted?   How?

Jack McFarland creates a sound bite for the ages. 

"Your plant is not sick because its being attacked by insects, its being attacked by insects because its sick..."   This becomes a topic of discussion.   Pruning for plant health is addressed.

Coppicing of plant materials and how to use the technique to rejuvenate an older plant becomes chat fodder.

The central leader of a tree and its importance is highlighted. 

Proper pruning practices are discussed.

Tune in.

Looking to book a consult for your property?  We'd love to help.  CLICK HERE.

What is a TGS Tiny Garden? CLICK HERE.

Subscribe to The Growing Season podcast.  CLICK HERE.

“Questions, concerns, queries?” Lets chat!

Bunnies, bulbs and bougainvillea! 

We’ll, not the last one but it started with “B” so it fit.

Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland continue to celebrate spring on The Growing Season.

McFarland Park is about to undergo an expansion. The trio detail the new elements to be installed.

Jack and Lynne offer an update that may impact the show slightly over the next few months.

We’d love your positive thoughts and energy.

Onto horticulture!  Being that it’s Easter weekend why not focus on Hydrangeas and Easter Lilles. How do you care for these little plants indoors?  How do you transfer them outdoors and have them survive?

Matt talks about plant field trips.

Battling chinch and Japanese beetle naturally is discussed.

Avoiding stepping on emerging plants Cole’s into focus. Matt hates bulbs. He explains why.

Why perennials should you be splitting at this time of year?  What perennials shouldn’t be split right now? 

What perennials should not be split EVER?

Spring fertilizer is discussed.

Tune in.

Looking to book a consult for your property?  We'd love to help.  CLICK HERE.

What is a TGS Tiny Garden? CLICK HERE.

Subscribe to The Growing Season podcast.  CLICK HERE. 

“Questions, concerns, queries?” Lets chat!

LET'S SPRING INTO...WELL...SPRING.

Its here and, even though there is snow on the ground for much of the GTA, Spring is here.

Jack, Lynne and Matt kick off the growing season in style.  What can you being doing in your flower beds RIGHT NOW?   Spoiler alert - NOTHING.  The trio explains.

Sharpening shovels and landscape pruners come into focus.  What brand of pruners should you buy?  Matt gushes about FELCO's.

How do you sharpen a shovel?   How often do you sharpen them?   What about pruners?

When should you do a light service on your lawn equipment? The McFarlands explain. 

The crew chat about fertilizer and how to get your lawn into a spring type feeling.  Gypsum becomes a focal point.

Is it possible to damage your soil if you work it too early.  YUP.  BEWARE!!!!!

Epsome salts could be a band aid for your plants.  The McFarland's explain how.

Tune in.

Looking to book a consult for your property?  We'd love to help.  CLICK HERE.

What is a TGS Tiny Garden? CLICK HERE.

Subscribe to The Growing Season podcast.  CLICK HERE.

“Questions, concerns, queries?” Lets chat!

Lets get down to some horticultural history.

Gardens through time are the focus of this week's episode of The Growing Season. 

The Aztecs, The Myans, The Romans, The French, The Indians and The Japanese come into focus as some of the innovators in garden tech.  The French, in particular, have some sordid history intertwined with their horticulture.

THEY HAD THEIR CAKE AND ATE AND ATE AND ATE!

Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland meander through the history books and uncover some of the most discussed horticultural spaces that have ever graced a landscape. 

Matt also details The Growing Season's new position featuring in horticultural segments on The Weather Network. 

Being so close to St. Patrick's Day the trio discuss the ins and outs of how horticulture intersect with Green Beer Day. What was the main cause of the potato famine in Ireland?   How does this tie into St. Patrick's Day.

All that and more...

Tune in.

Looking to book a consult for your property?  We'd love to help.  CLICK HERE.

What is a TGS Tiny Garden? CLICK HERE.

Subscribe to The Growing Season podcast.  CLICK HERE. 

“Questions, concerns, queries?” Lets chat!

So you're looking to take a vacation.   Let The Growing Season guide you through a tropical destination The McFarland's have longed to visit. 

FIJI.

Let's travel to Fiji via the radio waves.  Jack, Lynne and Matt continue their "Destination Tropical" series into one of the most beautiful places on earth. 

The flora, the fauna, the language, the food, the ins and outs of the Fijian culture are explored.

What do they farm in Fiji?   You'll be surprised to know that its not exactly what you would think.   Even their exports - you'll be surprised to learn what Fiji exports in high amounts.

The Flametree is an interesting plant.  The Fijians adore it and its foliage will amaze you.

Santa Claus show up on a Jet Ski.  So there's that.

Relatives of the palm tree are discussed. 

Tune in.

Looking to book a consult for your property?  We'd love to help.  CLICK HERE.

What is a TGS Tiny Garden? CLICK HERE.

Subscribe to The Growing Season podcast.  CLICK HERE. 

“Questions, concerns, queries?” Lets chat!

We know, we know, you're ACHING to get out into your garden and start the wheels in motion. 

Can you do ANYTHING in the garden right now?   How about pruning?  Is it too early to prune?   Many of us would like to get a head start on gardening activities so this week's topic dovetails perfectly.

Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland dive into the topic of dormancy pruning and why/when it can be done. 

The various types of pruning are discussed and when they are to be used.

New wood, old wood and all the in-betweens are explored on this week's episode of The Growing Season.

What if you've had ice damage on a tree?  Do you prune now or do you have to wait? 

Tune in.

Looking to book a consult for your property?  We'd love to help.  CLICK HERE.

What is a TGS Tiny Garden? CLICK HERE.

Subscribe to The Growing Season podcast.  CLICK HERE. 

“Questions, concerns, queries?” Lets chat!

Soooo, how exactly does that dandelion grown AND THRIVE in the asphalt on the 401?

Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland discuss extremes and how horticultural organisms have adapted to exist in such environments. 

Alpine areas, extreme cold, extreme heat, lack of oxygen and many locations come into focus on this episode of The Growing Season.

How exactly do they grow plant materials on the space station?   What measures are taken to ensure success?

The adaptations of plants growing in extremely moist areas is an interesting topic.

To make a long story short, these plants grow in the most inhospitable environments imaginable and The McFarland's uncover it.

Tune in.

Looking to book a consult for your property?  We'd love to help.  CLICK HERE.

What is a TGS Tiny Garden? CLICK HERE.

Subscribe to The Growing Season podcast.  CLICK HERE. 

“Questions, concerns, queries?” Lets chat!

Knickers made of nettles?   Wouldn't that hurt?

This week Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland discuss how horticulture and textiles converge. 

The Growing Season tackles the putting on of your plants, as in how textiles are created using plants in an effort to increase sustainability.

Athletic supports, dresses, tops, bottoms, hand bags and many more garments are all being made using materials like potato skins, pineapple parts and apples. 

Can you get high if your hemp hoodie burns?   The trio pontificate.

Matt rants on organic farming. 

Parblex... Popular in Ireland AND during the Superbowl.   You'll find out what we're talking about.

Tune in.

Looking to book a consult for your property?  We'd love to help.  CLICK HERE.

What is a TGS Tiny Garden? CLICK HERE.

Subscribe to The Growing Season podcast.  CLICK HERE.