The Growing Season

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You think it's wintry in the GTA?   Lets look and see what's happening in The Northwest Territories. 

Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland continue the new year with a deep dive into Horticulture in the Northwest Territories on this week's episode of The Growing Season. 

Matt highlights a wonderful development in his career.  Its been years in the making. 

A travelogue starts the proceedings. 

Why is Yellowknife called Yellowknife?   HINT:  It has to do with Yellow Knives! 

Frost free days and growing produce - what is the correlation?  What happens when you shrink the number of frost free days?

Crowberry, Cloudberry, Saskatoon berry, Bearberry are just a few of the fruiters that feature.  

Matt gushes about Serviceberry.  Is Bunchberry the flower of Canada?   There is a debate. 

How can you get vitamin C and D, naturally,  in the Northwest Territories? 

MUSHROOMS and vitamin D are a couple.  WHAT!? 

How would one acquire fruit during the winter months in Yellowknife?  Would fresh produce be SUPER expensive in this area? 

ICE ROAD TRUCKERS!   Dun, dun, dun...

Chill hours, and how they affect the growth of fruit, are discussed. 

Why are many of Canada's horticultural innovations coming from our prairie provinces? 

Evergreen trees - do they exist in the Northwest Territories? 

Matt tells a story about an engagement ring. 

Tune in.

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What if!?

That's how we start off in 2026.  Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland get hypothetical. 

The Growing Season kicks off the new year with your lawn in mind.   Your lawn, as in the thing buried under the snow.  Its gone!

What if our grasslands just disappeared?  How would that effect our ecology?

Why this topic? Why now? What is the opposite of grasslands?  You'd be surprised to learn. 

The differences between the water consumption of grasslands and forests are compared and contrasted. 

Sound dampening of Grasslands and Trees...  Buffalo grass and its effect on the dust bowl in the 1930's is a journey through history. 

Christopher Nolan's "Interstellar" ties into this topic with ease. 

Cows, cows and more cows feature heavily into the show content.  Big, bovine basics. 

What is a Texas Longhorn!?

Female cows are kept pregnant almost constantly.  That's a lot of strain on a cows body. 

What is a carbon sink? Is grass a filtration system for soil and water tables? 

Toronto's Don Valley Parkway becomes a focus.  It's a parking lot but it's BEAUTIFUL.  Topographically it sits really low in its landmass.  How do they deal with flooding? 

Grass is highly drought tolerant. It's also a colony plant.  How were the wildfires in California affected by government practices? 

"The Asian Steps" is the largest grassland on earth.  IT'S REALLY BIG! 

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!

Take your fern to a film on New Years! 

The Growing Season celebrates New Years in style by celebrating the intersection of film and horticulture.  

Jack, Lynne and Matt discuss some of the ways blockbuster movies and TV shows have highlighted wonderful biomes. 

New Years resolutions kick the show off.  Stranger Things' final episodes feature prominently. 

Media and music personalities that have left us this year are discussed. 

What does a location scout do for a living?  How does one become a location scout? Is location scouting a job that is been phased out due to technology? 

On-location shoots are REALLY expensive.  How are modern filmmakers mitigating this expense? 

Gilligan's Island and Lord of The Rings begin the journey of flora and film. 

New Zealand's wild landscapes made the Lord Of The Rings films a wonder to behold.  How can one small country be the home to so many different climates? 

The Martian and its desolate landscapes... WHERE WERE THEY FILMED?

Australia has been the location that many filmmakers have used to enhance their films.  The McFarlands discuss. 

JURASSIC PARK!   C'mon, how can we NOT talk about this film. 

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!

Santa Claus is coming to town!

In the penultimate episode of The Growing Season for 2025, Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland discuss the some of your horticultural holiday favourites.

Could you start a holiday themed decking company?  Famous Christmas music and moves kick the show off. Bing Crosby becomes a topic of discussion. 

"All I want for Christmas," Mariah Carey's ubiquitous holiday hit has sold some copies.  LIKE A LOT OF COPIES. 

Christmas Vacation, It's A Wonderful Life, Home Alone and Miracle on 34th Street are all talking points. 

Frakincense and myrrh have a horticultural history.  

50,000 trees are cut down, yearly, to make wrapping paper.  How can we reduce that number? 

Potted rosemary as a small, indoor, Christmas tree is a wonderful option.  Lynne discusses "flocking" of Christmas Trees. 

A word slip becomes a moment of hilarity.  The surgeon general stops by for some holiday advice. 

The poinsettia and all its vibrant colours become a focus.   Matt tells a story about changing their leaf colour in a commercial setting.  How do you choose the perfect poinsettia? 

Christmas cactus are a short day plant.  WHAT?  

Mistletoe is a parasitic plant that likes to grow on other trees.  It takes all the water and nutrition from its host.  How did it become the focus of kissing? 

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!

You knew it was coming! 

Evergreens and Christmas Trees draw the spotlight on this week's episode of The Growing Season. 

Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland highlight THE focal point of the Christmas Season for those of us that lean into horticultural interests. 

What came first - evergreens or deciduous plants?  You'll be surprised to know. 

Do real Christmas trees provide significant income to those selling them at this time of year? 

The pros and cons of real and artificial Christmas Trees are discussed.  Cancer, oxygen and the health benefits of either choice become a focus. 

Do Christmas Trees need a specific soil to thrive during their growing process? 

PREDATOR!   Bring the intergalactic space hunters. 

Jack McFarland used to own a tree farm.  He tells of his adventures. 

Allergies and real Christmas trees - is there a correlation? Are allergy sufferers affected by Christmases most prominent horticultural element? 

Matt outlines how to prep your real Christmas tree for decorating.  The youngest host sold Christmas trees for years and he recounts the finer points of these memories. 

The heaviest shedders all the way up to the least shedders cap the show off. 

What is done with the real Christmas tree after New Years.  You'll find out...

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!

Santa Claus is coming to town!

That's right, here we go.  Christmas 2025 on The Growing Season.  

Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland are pleased to add a new entry to their annual holiday fare.  "Planted For Christmas" features 54 minutes of what you can plant in your horticultural space to harvest for Christmas decorations. 

Christmas light foibles kick the show off. Matt discusses how to plan ahead for your holiday decorating during the design phase of your landscape. Conduits and spruce are some highlights. 

Dogwoods and their family members feature prominently on Growing Season landscape designs.  Why!?  WINTER COLOUR.  Matt explains how he plans for 12 month colour in your flower beds.

The McFarlands highlight the plant materials that can be used to decorate for the holidays.

Cedars, spruce and birch are also favourites when decorating for the holidays.  Have you ever heard of a Paperbark Maple?  They are fantastic!

PINES AND CONES!   Ohhh baby!   Perfect for Christmas decorations. 

What about pruning at this time of year.  Is it recommended?  The McFarlands discuss. 

Scotch Pine talk features for the first time this season.  It won't be the last. 

What pine produces the smallest cones in the pine family?   You'd be surprised to learn. 

What if you don't have any of the heavy hitters on your property?   Can you use what you have to decorate?   Ahhhh yes!   We have answers for you. 

Winterberry, burning bush and ivory silk lilac come into focus. How do you store cuttings from your plants? 

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!

Brrrrr.  That's cold! 

Its upon us.  The rain has turned white and remains on the ground. 

Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland discuss how humans navigate winter on this episode of The Growing Season.  

Matt discusses his love of The Weather Network and snow days.   Lynne delivers the bad news about this winter's forecast. 

Brine, road salt and the methods used to de-ice roads are highlighted.  "Beet-brine" is the last tech on the scene.  You read that correctly. 

The McFarland Query System returns to insult The McFarlands.  How to properly apply de-icer to your walkways becomes a discussion point. 

Jack tells a story about breaking his shoulder on a walk around the block. 

Snow ploughs and heart attacks...  There's a correlation. 

"Humans have lost the basic survival skills necessary to get them through the winter..." - Jack McFarland. 

Do you remember the show "Survivor Man?" 

A spruce tree can provide some warmth in the winter.  The McFarlands explain how. 

Waterproof matches and where to get them are discussed. 

If you fall through pond ice, Jack outlines the steps needed to survive. 

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!

Humans aren't the only ones that have to adapt to a colder climate during the winter months. 

Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland track the migration patterns of Canada geese.  Why do they fly south for the winter.  "Whiffing" is a landing maneuver used by geese.  What is it used for? 

Matt talks about his love of the film "Predator: Badlands." Go and see it. 

Down jackets worn by birds in the winter is a real thing.  Birds have remarkable winter adaptations. 

Pets and winter boots is a hilarious sight to behold.  It was a disaster for The McFarlands. 

Road salt and how it effects birds his highlighted. 

Deer LOVE salt.  Why?  The trio discuss these creatures adoration for sodium. Matt doesn't recommend using salt on your walkway.  What should you use instead? 

Cold water has a higher degree of oxygen than warmer water.  ITS THE TRUTH!

Marathon "runters" is good for a laugh.

Coyotes and their winter homes become a focus.  Butterflies and their migration is also 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!

More snoozy for your flower beds! 

BedTime continues on The Growing Season and The McFarlands jump in with aplomb. 

Can you plant trees at this time of the year?  Jack McFarland explains why this is a GREAT time to plant large deciduous organisms.  

Matt tells a red maple story that he is about to plant for a longtime client.  Speaking of trees, Matt explains the measures he takes when planting large trees at this time of year.  There are some slight differences between planting now and other times of the year.

Defense against deer is discussed.  High fences, tree guards and wraps are discussed as possible methods to deter deer.  HUMAN HAIR!   Its a thing! 

Rebounding Japanese Maples triggers a talk about Matt applying "Winter Sweaters" on trees and shrubs.

Coffee grounds and pH of your soil AND coffee grounds and their ability to deter deer and rodents are discussed.

Coyote urine and the farmers that procure such a material dials up the hilarity.  Save you marigold debris for the winter. 

COYOTE MILKERS AND AWARDS!

How does one bring their tropical plants into the house, safely, at this time of the year.  Its a process and The McFarlands explain. 

Why do birds change their colours for the winter? Mouldy birdseed is a problem.  

Matt discusses how to prep your water features for the winter. How about irrigation?  How do you prep irrigation for the winter? 

Matt discusses winterizing your exterior taps. 

Tool winterizing caps the show off. 

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!

Is it sleepy-time yet? 

Almost.  The McFarlands guide The Growing Season into the final stretch of the horticultural season on this week's episode of The Growing Season.

Poppies kick off the show and Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland discuss poppy bloom time and why they don't use many poppies on designs.  Hint:  think peonies. 

Why did poppies grow vigorously in Flanders Fields?  You'll be surprised to know. 

An extended version of "Imagine If You Will" takes the listeners back 100 years to find out how homeowners were prepping their flower beds for the winter in 1925. 

What were the major changes between what was happening then vs. now in fall garden prep? LOTS OF MANUAL LABOUR.  Seed saving was fashionable. 

Matt dives into "root cellars."  Weed prevention practices in 1925 will blow your mind. 

Jumping up 50 years into 1975 changes the rules of fall flowerbed prep. 

The trio discuss how they used to fall prep clients flower beds 20 years ago vs. what they do now.  It's a drastic difference.  Do you "rough up" the garden soil before the snow flies?   Do you cut the perennials down to the ground?   Do you fertilize? 

Willows are a pain in the bottom. You'll find out why. Should you be doing a heavy prune at this time of the year? There are two schools of thought. 

Catalytic converters and leaves.  Its a thing.  

The five most common mistakes made during "bed time" are discussed. 

How do you address those piles of leaves in an efficient manner?  

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.