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Winnipeg Free Press
7 hours ago
- General
- Winnipeg Free Press
Grow fruit trees in small spaces with the trick known as espalier
If you'd love to grow fruit trees but think you don't have the space, think again. You don't need an orchard or even a large backyard to enjoy garden-picked fruit. Instead, use a method perfected by Louis XIV's gardeners back in the 1600s at Versailles, when cold, windy winters, not a lack of space, inspired them to train trees to grow flat against walls. Their goal was to use the masonry as a windbreak and insulator, but the method they called 'espalier' also made excellent use of a tiny footprint. The trees' form maximized their exposure to sunlight, and also enabled the trees to withstand chilly temperatures better than their untrained cousins. Surprisingly, perhaps, they also produced more fruit. Which trees are good for espalier? Most trees with long, flexible branches, such as apple, cherry, fig, peach, pear, plum and quince lend themselves nicely to the espalier method. Even ornamental trees like magnolia, firethorn and witch hazel are good candidates. The name 'espalier' comes from French, indicating something to lean a shoulder against, as the trees lean on their supports. But the 17th century French didn't invent espalier; it is believed to have been practiced in the Middle Ages and even as far back as ancient Egypt. The Versailles gardeners, however, gave the method a name — and fame. How it works Training an espalier tree requires equal parts pruning and patience. You remove undesired branches and coax the remainder to grow sideways by affixing them to walls or fencing with wires or frames until they submit to the process and adapt to the pattern. Trees will send up shape-spoiling shoots that will continually need to be clipped, but the desired branches will take longer to establish. To accelerate growth, apply a dose of high-nitrogen fertilizer (look for a ratio of 12-4-8 or 16-4-8 on the package label) three times per season — in mid spring, early summer and late summer. Don't expect flowers or fruit during this stage, which can take several years. The point of the fertilizer is to force the trees to direct most of their energy on growth, not production. When the tree has achieved the shape and size you desire, switch to a fertilizer specifically formulated for fruit trees and cut down the frequency to just one application per year, in spring, following the dosage recommended on the package. (If growing a non-fruiting tree, seek out a product intended for the species). The method, however, can lead to increased pest and disease problems, as growing a tree pressed against a wall will restrict air flow around it. So be sure to monitor trees closely, and address issues quickly if they arise. Wednesdays What's next in arts, life and pop culture. All that TLC will pay off with a beautiful, living garden sculpture –- and a great story to tell as you await your juicy harvest. ___ Jessica Damiano writes weekly gardening columns for the AP and publishes the award-winning Weekly Dirt Newsletter. You can sign up here for weekly gardening tips and advice. ___ For more AP gardening stories, go to
Hamilton Spectator
09-07-2025
- General
- Hamilton Spectator
Why landscape fabric is often a bad idea for your garden
Landscape fabric may sound like a neat, tidy and easy solution to all your weeding woes, but, as often is the case, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. To be fair, landscape fabric has its place. Unfortunately, it's widely misused in most home landscape applications, where it does more harm than good in ornamental beds and around perennials and crops. The woven (or sometimes non-woven) synthetic (or sometimes biodegradable) barrier is meant to suppress weeds while allowing water and air to pass through to the soil beneath it. And that's exactly how it works -– for a short time, after which buyer's remorse almost always sets in. Before long, soil and other organic matter settle on top of the fabric, seeds find their way to the surface, and weeds begin to grow. Since their roots penetrate through the fabric, removing them becomes extremely difficult. Under the barrier, which restricts water and oxygen from reaching the soil and carbon from escaping, microbes, earthworms and other insects die, fertility declines and roots struggle. In perennial beds, the fabric creates heat pockets and impedes the spread and self-seeding of plants. In time, the fabric will shift and tear, and attempts to remove it will no doubt make you rue the day you had the bright idea to use it. Plastic sheeting is even worse, as it completely blocks water and air from reaching the soil, overheats roots and releases microplastics into the ground. There are exceptions, however. Landscape fabric can be helpful under gravel or stone paths or walkways, where it creates a barrier between the hardscape and the soil below. It can also help smother grass and weeds when used temporarily to help create a clean slate for future planting beds in areas that are difficult to clear. Still, I recommend using thick layers of newspaper or cardboard instead, as they biodegrade naturally and perform the same function without having to be removed. When your landscape fabric becomes a torn, weedy, root-tangled mess – and it will — good luck removing it. The painstaking process involves slowly and carefully pulling up individual fragments of the fabric, which will be heavy under the soil, and cutting them away from around and between roots, which will have grown above, below and through the textile. Instead of shooting yourself in the foot with landscape fabric, opt for an organic mulch like shredded bark, wood chips or straw. It will regulate soil temperature and moisture, nourish the soil as it decomposes and support the soil life that supports your plants. Apply a 2- to 4-inch layer, keeping it away from trunks and stems, and refresh it when it breaks down. You'll still get a few weeds, but they'll pull up easily, roots and all. ___ Jessica Damiano writes weekly gardening columns for the AP and publishes the award-winning Weekly Dirt Newsletter. You can sign up here for weekly gardening tips and advice. ___ For more AP gardening stories, go to .
Winnipeg Free Press
08-07-2025
- General
- Winnipeg Free Press
Why landscape fabric is often a bad idea for your garden
Landscape fabric may sound like a neat, tidy and easy solution to all your weeding woes, but, as often is the case, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. To be fair, landscape fabric has its place. Unfortunately, it's widely misused in most home landscape applications, where it does more harm than good in ornamental beds and around perennials and crops. The woven (or sometimes non-woven) synthetic (or sometimes biodegradable) barrier is meant to suppress weeds while allowing water and air to pass through to the soil beneath it. And that's exactly how it works -– for a short time, after which buyer's remorse almost always sets in. Before long, soil and other organic matter settle on top of the fabric, seeds find their way to the surface, and weeds begin to grow. Since their roots penetrate through the fabric, removing them becomes extremely difficult. Under the barrier, which restricts water and oxygen from reaching the soil and carbon from escaping, microbes, earthworms and other insects die, fertility declines and roots struggle. In perennial beds, the fabric creates heat pockets and impedes the spread and self-seeding of plants. In time, the fabric will shift and tear, and attempts to remove it will no doubt make you rue the day you had the bright idea to use it. Plastic sheeting is even worse, as it completely blocks water and air from reaching the soil, overheats roots and releases microplastics into the ground. There are exceptions, however. Landscape fabric can be helpful under gravel or stone paths or walkways, where it creates a barrier between the hardscape and the soil below. It can also help smother grass and weeds when used temporarily to help create a clean slate for future planting beds in areas that are difficult to clear. Still, I recommend using thick layers of newspaper or cardboard instead, as they biodegrade naturally and perform the same function without having to be removed. When your landscape fabric becomes a torn, weedy, root-tangled mess – and it will — good luck removing it. The painstaking process involves slowly and carefully pulling up individual fragments of the fabric, which will be heavy under the soil, and cutting them away from around and between roots, which will have grown above, below and through the textile. Instead of shooting yourself in the foot with landscape fabric, opt for an organic mulch like shredded bark, wood chips or straw. It will regulate soil temperature and moisture, nourish the soil as it decomposes and support the soil life that supports your plants. Wednesdays Columnist Jen Zoratti looks at what's next in arts, life and pop culture. Apply a 2- to 4-inch layer, keeping it away from trunks and stems, and refresh it when it breaks down. You'll still get a few weeds, but they'll pull up easily, roots and all. ___ Jessica Damiano writes weekly gardening columns for the AP and publishes the award-winning Weekly Dirt Newsletter. You can sign up here for weekly gardening tips and advice. ___ For more AP gardening stories, go to
Winnipeg Free Press
01-07-2025
- General
- Winnipeg Free Press
Transform your tiny garden into a lush haven with these creative tips
When I was a kid, my aunt and uncle grew tomatoes in plastic buckets lined up like soldiers on the cement patio in their tiny Queens, New York, backyard. They also grew dozens of vegetables in their 10-by-10 foot (3-by-3 meter) patch of soil and installed a pergola they made from green metal fence posts above a picnic table. While it provided much-needed shade, it more importantly supported grapevines that produced enough fruit for their annual homemade vintage. Space — or the lack of it — doesn't have to stand between you and a fruitful garden. You just have to be creative. Start by looking up Vertical space is a horizontally challenged gardener's best friend. String up a trellis, hang baskets or attach planters to a fence or wall. You might be surprised at how much you can grow when you consider the third dimension. Vines, herbs and even strawberries are content climbers or danglers. Create visual interest by strategically grouping containers in clusters of odd numbers rather than lining them up in straight rows or placing them all separately. Try staggering their heights by perching them on decorative pedestals, overturned crates or stone slabs to draw the eye up and out. Compact and colorful crops Of course, size matters. If your space is limited, seek out compact or dwarf varieties of your favorite plants. They've been bred to thrive in tight spaces, and many are prolific producers of flowers, fruits or vegetables. These days, it's easy to grow roses, blueberries, tomatoes, peppers — even apple and fig trees — in containers. And don't sleep on plants that multitask as both beautiful ornamentals and nutritious crops. I've grown amaranth, cherry tomatoes and rainbow chard in my perennial beds. Other edibles with attractive foliage or flowers like chives, fancy lettuces and sage would be equally at home among my coneflowers, zinnias and roses. And sweet potatoes make a nice ground cover or trailing vine in a mixed container. Make the most of a single vegetable bed If you have a small, designated bed for vegetables, you can maximize your yield by planting a succession of crops throughout the season. Start by planting early-maturing plants like peas, beets, kale and lettuces. Then, after harvesting, replace them with warm-season crops, such as tomatoes, peppers, summer squash and beans. As they fade and fall approaches, use the space for another round of cool-season plants. Even a narrow strip or window box can feel lush if you plant it in layers. Place tall, upright plants in the back, midsized growers in the middle, and low bloomers in front to create visual depth that can help transform even a balcony or front stoop into your own personal nature retreat. ___ Jessica Damiano writes weekly gardening columns for the AP and publishes the award-winning Weekly Dirt Newsletter. You can sign up here for weekly gardening tips and advice. ___ For more AP gardening stories, go to
Winnipeg Free Press
24-06-2025
- General
- Winnipeg Free Press
Want your garden to smell as good as it looks? These flowers can do the job
For about two weeks every spring, my letter carrier, delivery drivers and just about everyone else who walks into my yard comments on the deliciously strong scent emanating from the two lilac shrubs flanking the front gate. Most days, the breeze carries the fragrance all the way to the front door or even indoors if the windows are open. Not many flowers have that power. Some never did. Others no longer do, thanks to breeding that has developed bigger, prettier, hardier and disease-resistant plants at the expense of scent. Most carnations and violas aren't what they used to be, and even some roses are now fragrance-free. But if it's an intoxicating perfume you're after, there are still some flowers that will make your nose — and your heart — happy. Choosing the ideal fragrant bloom Of course, not all lilacs are the same. Syringa meyeri Palabin, the dwarf Korean cultivar I grow, is among the most powerfully fragrant. It's suitable for zones 3-7. Other lilac varieties that stand out for their scent include Syringa x Josee (zones 2- or 3-9), Syringa vulgaris Krasavitsa Moskvy, also known as Beauty of Moscow (3-7), and Syringa vulgaris President Lincoln (3-7). Magnolia, especially the southern grandiflora species (7-9), is another highly aromatic shrub or tree that puts forth large, sweetly fragranced flowers you're not likely to forget. The more cold-hardy sweet bay magnolia (Magnolia virginiana) will provide a similar service in zones 5-10. Texas lilac, also known as chaste tree (Vitex), is a beautiful specimen with purple flowers that bloom in midsummer, imparting a delightful scent that wafts through gardens in zones 6-9. Old garden roses, the original heirloom varieties that haven't been tinkered with, are less popular today than modern hybrids and cultivars, in part because they bloom just once a year. But their powerful, true-rose fragrance is worth the tradeoff. Consider roses in the tea, gallica, damask and alba classes for the most intense scent. As far as vines go, the scent of star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides), a climbing evergreen vine with star-shaped white flowers, will stop you in your tracks. It's perennial in zones 7-10; elsewhere, grow it with support in a large pot placed where you spend most of your time, then move it indoors over winter. Although not related, common jasmine (Jasminum officinale) also smells as good as it looks. Dutch — or common — hyacinths (Hyacinthus orientalis) make the early spring garden smell delightful. Think ahead and plant a grouping of bulbs by the front door in autumn in zones 4-8. Sweet peas (Lathyrus odoratus), not to be confused with edible garden peas, are annual plants beloved for their intense, sweet aroma. Other beautifully scented annuals include heliotrope (technically a tender perennial in zones 9-11) and flowering tobacco (Nicotiana), although, these days, some varieties are more fragrant than others. When shopping, let your nose be your guide. ___ Jessica Damiano writes weekly gardening columns for the AP and publishes the award-winning Weekly Dirt Newsletter. You can sign up here for weekly gardening tips and advice. ___ For more AP gardening stories, go to
