As the Garden Grows

In Alberta, invasive weeds are governed under the Alberta Weed Control Act. Invasive weeds are either classified as: ·          Prohibited Noxious Weed - which means they must be eradicated, or ·          Noxious Weed - which means they must be controlled There are nearly fifty (50) species of invasive plants that are regulated by the Act. We will explore one of them here. Oxeye Daisy Leucanthemum vulgare Provincial Designation: Noxious (must be controlled)  Oxeye Daisy is a member of the Asteraceae (Sunflower) family and was introduced from Europe as an ornamental. It is often found growing as an ornamental, along roadways and cut blocks. C oncern: Can outcompete native vegetation and pasture species. Similar Species: Scentless Chamomile, Shasta Daisy (ornamental variety). Life Cycle: Perennial. Control: Herbicide before flowering, mowing or deadhead (pull the flower...

Blossom end rot is when the side of the fruit that attaches to the plant begins to shrivel and rot. This can happen on some or all of the fruit on a plant. Thankfully, blossom end rot is not the result of a virus or disease, but is generally caused from a lack of calcium.  An organic solution to avoid blossom end rot, is to add crushed eggshells when you transplant your seedlings. The calcium in eggshells is 90% absorbable, and is probably the best natural source of calcium that we have available to us. And it’s free! Collecting and preparing eggshells is as simple as 1, 2, 3… 1-       Save your eggshells in a large bowl on your counter as you use the eggs. 2-       Leave the shells in the bowl to dry. 3-       Crush the eggshells into small pieces by hand or with a food processor / blender. (The smaller the piece, the easier the calcium will be absorbed by the plant) Use your crushed eggshells...