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Chugginton Wooden Railway has arrived!!

The world of Chuggington (as portrayed in the TV show) revolves around 3 train characters named Koko, Wilson, and Brewster, who are “train-ees” that learn the ropes of train-dom, having adventures and learning valuable lessons along the way. They are surrounded by a large cast of colourful characters who help them along the way, and the toys are based off of these train characters and the world they inhabit.

About Tomatoes

HOW TO GROW TOMATOES

 

Anyone can grow really delicious tomatoes by following these garden suggestions!

* Tomatoes need sun, all day. Pick a sunny area where water does not stand after a heavy rain and trees do not cast shadows.

* Start your seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last spring frost.

* Use sterile seed-starting mixture for best results. Provide 12-18 hours of light daily from fluorescent fixtures 6-8 in. above the plants. Turn the lights off at night. Raise the lights as seedlings grow.

* Use a fertilizer dissolved in the water, at about half strength, each time you water, starting when seedlings have 2 pairs of leaves.

* Thin plants as suggested on seed packet.

* When frost is past, take your seedlings outdoors during the day, shading them from direct sun. Bring seedlings in each evening. After a week or so, the plants have “”hardened off”" and you can plant them into the garden.

* Plant seedlings a little deeper than they were in the pots. Provide stakes about 6 in. from plants, and tie plants up as they grow.

* You can prune the suckers (branches) off your plants of you wish. On large-fruits varieties this will give you bigger, though fewer, fruits. For BIG tomatoes: Tomato flowers form in a cluster. Once you have a sure fruit forming, pinch off any subsequent fruits which start to form in that cluster (leaving one tomato per cluster).

* If your tomatoes are very large, you may want to provide little hammocks for each fruit. Pantyhose works great for this; just sling it underneath the fruits and tie to a stake.

* Keep your tomato plants evenly moist all through the growing season, and fertilize regularly with a formula low in nitrogen and high in phosphorus and potassium (the last two numbers on the fertilizer package).

SHOULD I STAKE/CAGE MY TOMATO PLANTS?

  

YES, support your tomato plants for larger, cleaner fruit and to make it easier to see and pick. If not staked, use black plastic mulch around plants.

WHAT FERTILIZER SHOULD I USE? WHEN?

Add balanced fertilizer and some composted manure to soil as you prepare it, then plant and scatter a little balanced fertilizer around the plants after you’ve planted them; water in. Do not get dry fertilizer on the plants — it may “”burn”" them. Repeat one more time, before July 1 (in most areas).

MY TOMATO PLANTS WILTED OVERNIGHT!

Common problem–bacterial wilt (Fusarium or Verticillium). Sudden wilting when plant is loaded with fruits. Plant may continue to ripen its fruit (which are fine to eat). This is common local soil disease and there is no cure once the disease begins.

Suggestions:

1. Plant tomato varieties which have tolerance or resistance (indicated by “”VF”" after their name).

2. Move your tomato plantings around each year. Don’t plant tomatoes where any tomato, pepper or eggplants have grown the last three years (called rotating crops).

3. Build raised beds or grow in large tubs filled with sterilized soil mixture.

WHAT ARE THESE BLACK SPOTS ON MY LEAVES?

Early Blight is a fungus that survives during the winter on old vines. Cleaning up old vines from the prior season, rotating crops and spacing plants properly to allow for good air circulation are good first steps in avoiding this problem.
The preventative measures is crop rotation and cleaning up debris from prior growing seasons. If you suspect your plants have Early Blight, remove all diseased stems and foliage and dispose of in a trash bag. Do not add to compost pile.


MY PLANTS HAVE MOTTLED LEAVES (MOSAIC)

 

Tobacco mosaic virus spreads from tobacco — don’t handle cigarettes or smoke in the garden. Use varieties tolerant/resistant (“”TMV”" after their name).

MY SMALL PLANTS ARE ALL CUT OFF AND FALLEN OVER!

(Cutworms) It happens overnight! Nothing you can do but replant! Next time, prevent cutworm damage! Use a paper, cardboard or Styrofoam collar (a coffee cup with the bottom removed works wonderfully) around the base of each newly-planted tomato. Leave in place for a month.

WHAT ARE THESE HUGE GREEN WORMS ON MY TOMATOES?

Tomato hornworms eat a lot quickly. Pick off by hand.

WHAT’S CHEWING MY TOMATOES?

 

Raccoons, rats and squirrels chew. Birds peck the fruits. Use repellents, fake snakes, owls and scary “”eyes”", or try fencing with chicken wire.

WHY AREN’T MY TOMATOES RIPENING?

Long periods of cloudy/cool puts ripening mechanism on “”hold”". There’s just no substitute for hot sun. Be patient. Maturity/days to harvest given on seed packets is approximate from setting plants out, under ideal conditions.

WHY ARE MY TOMATOES SPLITTING?

 

After a lot of rain following drought, fruits absorb moisture quickly and the skin splits (but OK to eat). Mulch plants, keep even soil moisture through growing season.

WHAT ARE THE BIG BLACK SUNKEN AREAS AT THE FLOWER END OF THE FRUIT?

  

This is called Blossom End Rot. It reflects a calcium deficiency. Add egg shell lime and bone meal when planting and again in the fall for the next year’s plants. Drought may also cause this condition as the calcium can not be absorbed whithout enough moisture.

WHAT IS THAT WHITE SCALDED AREA ON “”CHEEK”" OF FRUIT?

Tomatoes “”sunburn”" if summer temperatures are very high without much leaf cover on plant. There isn’t much you can do but enjoy the weather. The fruit is OK to eat.

VEGETABLES & HERBS FOR CONTAINERS

VEGETABLES FOR CONTAINERS

Vegetable plants must have sun all day in order to produce. Try combining several kinds of vegetables in one container, but remember, they’ll need space as they grow. These do well: beets, broccoli, round and small-rooted carrots, bush cucumbers, kale, lettuce, green onions, pak choi, hot and sweet peppers, radish, roquette, spinach, bush squash including zucchini, swiss chard, determinate tomatoes (best when staked), turnips, as well as many herbs.

HERBS FOR CONTAINERS

Herbs have the best flavor when grown in full sun. Try these, especially great when combined. Basil, chives, catnip, garlic chives, lavender, marjoram, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage, spearmint, summer savory, thyme.

GROWING HERBS IN A KITCHEN GARDEN

GROWING HERBS IN A KITCHEN GARDEN:

If you love to cook, you need a kitchen garden with lots of fresh herbs to pick! Have one this summer, situated in a handy place not far from the stove. Nothing beats the flavor of fresh herbs!

Gardens of edible plants were planted and maintained in the earliest days of America. Thomas Jefferson’s gardens at Monticello are notable both for their design and their variety of vegetables and herbs. These types of gardens are often called “”kitchen gardens”" because of their convenient placement near the Colonial kitchen, which was usually in a separate small outbuilding (in case of a fire).

Your cooking garden, to start with, could contain a few basic herbs and salad greens. One easy way to create such a garden is to build a small raised square, using pressure-treated landscaping ties or the new recycled plastic ties. If you have an old sandbox, use that! Or make a freeform or rectangular garden. Draw the shape on paper, and make a list of what you’d like to grow.

You don’t need a lot of herb plants for savory cooking additions — just a sprig or two of fresh herbs lend a piquant flavor to your recipes. One to three plants of each will be plenty for a small family. If you like, include some bunching onions and lettuce in your Cooking Garden. All are easily grown from seeds! To plant, follow the easy directions provided on the seed packets.

CAN I GROW HERBS INDOORS IN WINTER?

Sure — any time of year! We suggest especially parsley, chives, basil, sage, oregano and thyme, because the plants stay small. Plant seeds in 4 to 6 inch pots filled with growing medium, and place in a sunny window. Clip off small sprigs as needed. Plants will thrive for a year or more indoors; then replant. You can also grow herbs indoors under fluorescent lights. Herb plants MUST have bright light in order to produce flavorful sprigs.

IS SUMMER TOO LATE TO START AN HERB GARDEN?

No. Annual herbs such as basil and dill grow quickly in warm summer weather. You can also start any perennial herbs in summer, and you’ll still be able to harvest some this year. The next year, the plants will have grown into large clumps for harvesting from spring onwards. May through July is fine for planting annual herbs; June through August is fine for planting perennial herbs.

Growing Tomatoes

  

Growing Tomatoes

 

The best time to plant tomatoes seedlings is a few weeks after the last frost date in your area, when the soil has had a chance to warm up and night temperatures stay above 50 degrees F.

If you are going to grow your tomatoes from seed, start them indoors 5 to 6 weeks before the last spring frost.

Tomatoes need full sun to really thrive. Site them in an area that receives at least 6 hours of sunlight a day. To steer clear of problems with disease choose a new location in your garden each year.

The soil should be medium-rich, loose and well drained with a pH of 6.0 to 7.0.

How far apart you space the plants depends on the type of tomato you’ve selected. Dwarf varieties should be spaced about 12 inches apart in a row. If you plan on staking your plants, space them about 24 inches apart. Set sprawling, indeterminate tomatoes about 36 to 48 inches apart.

Plant your seedlings about 1 inch deeper than they are sitting in the nursery container. This will help strengthen the root system and a better root system means healthier plants. Just be sure to remove any leaves below the soil line.

To discourage cutworms from taking out your young transplants, you should wrap the base of each seedling with a piece of aluminum foil. You can also protect them with a cardboard collar placed over the seedling and pushed 1 inch into the ground. A paper towel roll cut into sections works pretty well. It is a good idea to add some egg shell lime into the hole when planting.

Once you have planted your tomatoes keep them well watered until the roots are established. After that, deep soak them every 4 to 7 days. If it is hot and dry you may need to water every day, especially if they are in containers.

When you water, take care to not splash soil onto the leaves and stem as this promotes disease. And don’t skimp on the mulch. A good layer of mulch, 2 to 3 inches, will help keep the soil consistently moist, cutting down on blossom end rot, as well as prevent weeds from taking over. Just keep the mulch away from the crown of the plant.

Feed your tomatoes once a month with a blend that is high in phosphorous and low in nitrogen. Too much nitrogen will result in lots of leaves, but not much fruit.  Start fertilizing when the fruits first start to develop and stop as they reach maturity.

By following these simple guidelines you can make this the best tomato season ever.

Easy Vegetable Garden

 

Easy Vegetable Garden

Everyone’s interested in saving time and money. Now, you might not think that this applies to growing vegetables in your own backyard, but it can. Soaker hoses, weed barriers and mulch work together to make caring for your garden a snap.

Once you get the soil prepared put a soaker hose in place. Just snake the hoses about eighteen to twenty inches apart through the bed. These hoses actually sweat water and will keep the soil moist and keep the foliage of your plants dry.

Next, put down weed barrier. It’s a nylon based product and it’s great because it allows the moisture and air in, but keeps the weeds out. Unroll it across the your beds making sure there’s plenty of overlap so there’s no chance of a gap occurring over the season. When you set out your plants, just cut the fabric with a sharp knife. And for seeds, I just make a long slit and plant the seeds along the cut.

Finally mulch with straw. Straw is virtually weed free and it will keep the roots cool and the weed barrier in place.

The great thing about this approach to a vegetable garden is that it’s always in place. But, I think it’s a good idea to alternate where you plant your vegetables from year to year, to stay one step ahead of the pests.



Seed Starting Tips

Seed Starting Tips

Starting plants indoors is a great way to get a head start on the growing season. You can gain 4 to 8 weeks by setting out seedlings rather than planting seeds in my garden.

It’s also a way to insure that you will have just the variety and color of the plants you need as well as any unusual or heirloom plants on your list.

Here are some tips to help you get started:

Soil – A key to success is using a loose, fertile, disease-free soil mix. Packaged potting soil is easy to use.

Containers – You can start seeds in almost any container; it doesn’t have to be fancy. You can use plastic flats, trays, clay pots, compressed peat pellets, and even a make-you-own-paper cup from recycled newspaper. Cut-off milk cartons or plastic jugs, and egg cartons can also be used to start seeds. Last season’s flats, trays, and pots should be cleaned and disinfected before use. Wash the containers in soapy water, and then disinfect them in a solution of one part chlorine bleach and nine parts water. Be sure to add holes in the bottom of the containers to allow for drainage.

Timing – Find out when your area is likely to have its last frost.

Next, look on the back of the seed packet and find out how long it will take the seeds to sprout. Mark the last frost date on a calendar then count back the number of weeks needed for sprouting. That’s the date to start the seeds. If you want the seedlings to be larger, start earlier. The time varies from plant to plant. Peppers require 7 to 8 weeks and tomatoes 5 or 6 to grow to transplanting size, while squash and cucumbers require only 2 to 3 weeks. Seedlings are ready to transplant when they have the first set of true leaves.

Seed Size – Usually smaller seeds require less soil to cover them than larger seeds. Check on the back of the seed packet for the proper seed depth. Seed size also determines the size of container and sowing method. Fine seeds, such as begonias and petunias, are typically sown in flats or trays.

After germination, the seedlings are transplanted into individual containers. Large seeds, such as marigolds and tomatoes, can also be germinated in flats. However, they are often sown directly into individual containers, thereby eliminating the need to transplant the seedlings before planting outside.

Temperature – Soil temperature is important. Cool soil retards germination. An electric grow mat under your trays will make sure the soil is around 75 degrees or so until seedlings have emerged. Provide an air temperature of 70 to 75 degrees during the day and night temperature of at least 60 to 65 degrees.

Water and Light – After seeding, water the soil gently until water drains out the bottom of the container. Just be careful not to wash seeds away. Place containers in plastic bags or cover the soil surface with plastic film until the first sign of the seeds’ emergence. Then remove the plastic cover and be sure the container gets maximum exposure to light. Most seeds do not require light to germinate, but seedlings need full light exposure as soon as they emerge.

Gift Certificates

Gift Certificates Make the Perfect Gift Every Time.

 
Shopping for the gardener in your life?

With so many choices often the best gift for gardeners is to let them spend time at the garden centre picking their own gift.

Art Knapp Plantland gift certificates are available in many denomination and have no expiry date. Half the fun for the recipient is browsing Art Knapp’s many departments to decide how to spend your thoughtful gift.

Gift certificates available in-store. For more details see an Art Knapp Plantland sales associate or stop by the front desk.

Reduce your garbage output: compost

Reduce your garbage output: compost

Think of all the vegetable trimmings, fruit scraps, coffee grounds and egg shells that your household generates each week.

That’s not garbage: that’s free nutrient-rich food for your garden and plants. Composting this material cuts down on weeds, reduces the need for extra watering and provides a healthy playground for helpful earthworms.

 

 

 

Why compost?

  • Good for the planet – Composting converts a large portion of your household waste into hearty soil. This by-product of natural recycling will help your garden grow instead of emitting greenhouse gases and taking up real estate a landfill.
  • Good for your wallet – You could pay for the same stuff at a garden centre every year but homemade compost is absolutely free (once you have the composter).
  • Great for your plants – If they could talk, they would thank you for feeding them nutritious compost.
  •  

 

The science is easy: expose your kitchen scraps to air and bacteria and fungi go to work on it, breaking down the organic material into simpler substances. After two to three months, your dinner discards have been converted into a dark, earthy, soil-like substance that smells fresh not foul.

How to compost

First, assemble your composting area. You’ll need:

  • About three square feet of space in your backyard where the composter won’t be disturbed.
  • A composter (home-made or bought at a  garden centre).
  • A tool to stir the compost (a pitchfork works well).
  • A sealable container to collect ingredients for compost in your kitchen.

     

Second, collect the right composting materials:

  • Good – Beautiful Browns are dry, carbon-rich organic materials which include dry leaves, straw/hay, wood chips, sawdust, napkins, dryer lint, and vacuum cleanings. Gorgeous Greens are fresh, moist, nitrogen-rich materials which include grass cuttings, fruit and vegetable peelings/scraps, tea bags, pasta, coffee grounds, stale bread and eggshells.

Third, keep the compost healthy by adding oxygen and maintaining the right level of moisture:

  • Maintain a mix of the Beautiful Browns and Gorgeous Greens to create the right nitrogen/carbon balance in your composter.
  • Keep the compost moist like a wrung out sponge, but not soggy.
  • Turn the contents of your heap with a pitchfork or shovel to work air into the compost pile. Do this at least twice a month to help break down the contents and prevent odour.

Using the ultimate garden food

Compost is great for your garden’s soil, improving its fertility, structure, aeration, and ability to hold moisture. Compost has several indoor and outdoor uses:

  • Mix compost into the top six inches of garden soil and use it around trees, shrubs, vegetables and flowers.
  • Use as a nutritious ingredient (about one third compost by volume) in potting and transplant mixes.
  • Spread screened compost over lawns. It’s best used after aerating the surface.

Composting Tips

  • The composting process works best when the materials are small. Shred weeds and trimmings. 
  • Don’t add thick layers of any one kind of waste. Grass should not be more than 6 cm deep, leaves up to 15 cm deep (cut or chop or dry and crumble them). If you can, let grass dry first or mix it with dry, coarse material such as leaves to prevent compacting.
  • You can add materials to your composter all winter long. The breakdown process slows down or stops when the pile is frozen, but it will start up again in the spring. Thorough turning in the spring will reactivate the pile. Empty the composter in the fall to make plenty of room.
  • If you’re short on space, try vermicomposting indoors. Or ask if you can contribute to a neighbour’s compost heap. In exchange, you agree to turn the contents on alternate weekends and share in the proceeds.
  • If you don’t have a garden, donate your finished compost to schools and other community groups for use in their landscaping.

  

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