Collecting Hair for Garden

I had my hair trimmed, and I collected the trimmings. I have thick hair and the hairdresser always remarks that I leave a small animal behind ;)

I made sure this time I took my furry leftovers with me.

You may be wondering why.

My garden has slugs. My Spinach, Strawberries, Hostas and other perennials were damaged last year. (I will make a post on other slug control methods in a short while).

This year, I will nip the problem in the bud with this organically and most cost effective pest-control method.

I used to have an ample supply of dog hair for my old garden, but having lost my dog to old age a number of years back, I have resorted on finding other alternatives to getting hair.

Here I've cut mine in shorter strands, just large enough to keep slugs at bay.

If you don't have a dog or cat to collect hair, the next time you go and get your haircut, ask the hairdresser or barber for yours, if not others.




Once my Hostas start to pop up, a bunch of hair will be scattered about 2 feet around each plant.

How it works: The hair will get all entangled on the slugs and they will move on elsewhere.

TIP: I've cut the hair down into smaller strands as in the past, when I've used my hair, the longer the hair the more it blows around and the more it gets used by birds to make nests.

Frost Protection

Having a partially shaded garden has it's perks. Most of my perennials and bulbs are just peaking through, where in sunnier spots they have flushed tender growth from the last two weeks of warmth.

Lee Valley's Floating Covers

The weather forecast is calling for -3°C (26°F) this evening, which can certainly cause damage to your tender plants.  For perennials and low growing plants cover with old towels or bedsheets, weighed down on corners. You can buy frost protection fleece or cheese cloth material, but in a pinch what you have around the house will do. Just don't use fabric that is overly weighted, which can break, bend and damage stems.

Lee Valley's Ventilating Cloche

Lee Valley's Garden Cloches

I've also used in the past overturned plant pots, cloches, pop bottles (with bases cut off) which also work great.  In windier situations, place a large stone over such plastic covers, or heel in with some soil so that it remains stable.  With the darker pots, you must remove them in the sunlight the next day but with the clear plastics/glass, you can leave until fear of frost is gone. All plastic covers should have a venting hole so that it doesn't get too hot inside.

I've also used newspaper and garbage bags, but the items mentioned above were most effective.   Some folks may have budding and partially leaved Japanese Maples. These should be covered with sheets if possible.

Hopefully with these methods, frost damage can be avoided. Unfortunately for fruit trees, a large tarp or cloth needs to cover the entire tree if you want to protect the bloom. This is hard to do.  Many fruit groves use overhead sprinkling systems to run all night to make sure the cold air doesn't come in contact with the blossoms and leaves.  


So many things we can do to try and prevent these strange springs, but thankfully, plants will recover in time.

Watering the garden in March

Helleborus x Gold series

I honestly cannot ever recall having to water the garden in March. I looked outside this morning and saw my Helleborus Gold flowers drooping. 

Thankfully, they perked up again.

Mini Narcissus " JetFire "

I'm not sure what to make of this early spring. I enjoy seeing the garden come alive...

Sedum telephium " Autumn Joy "

Blue Scilla

It's so strange having to water my partly shaded garden. Can't imagine how full sunny beds are fairing.


Given the way things are turning out,  I will start mulching and adding more compost to keep up moist levels.

Thankfully there is rain in the forecast later this week.

I figure, the garden is in the usual stage of late April early May already. Wow...

My Brunnera macrophylla " Variegata " has reverting leaves. Wondering if the heat and the strange winter/spring has helped to cause this reversion. 

Canada Blooms 2012

Oh Canada! Great use for Kalachoe's eh? :-P

Canada Blooms this year was a joint venture with the National Home Show.  It's been a few years since I attended Canada Blooms, as I have felt many of the garden trends and designs are unrealistic to maintain, and the average home owner can't afford such extravagance. It used to bother me to see spring/summer forced material blooming all at once and to see plant material suffer. But I can see how it drives the garden economy and gives people a joy to see spring colours in full show. So, I decided to give it a go.

The Canada Blooms portion of the show was a lot smaller and more concentrated. Overall it was a great show, a little less showy than years past and the market place was smaller than I remember. However, the National Home Show section was a nice draw once we were done with the Blooms portion.

Like a bone-head, I forgot to check my camera to see if I remembered the memory card. Forgive my photos, as they are from my camera phone.  Sorry.

Here are some of the highlights I chose:

I'm quite partial to interesting floral designs. Aren't these sweet?







Orchids, sphagnum moss, Kermit Mums, Aspidistra leaves.

Peace on Earth

I thought this one was quite clever. Called "Peace on Earth". This photo does not capture it at all. The wood use is all drift wood, weathered by water. It must of taken hours to put together and years to collect. I really think it was done well.

The next photos are of the Green Zone section. I enjoyed this most. Living walls, roof top gardening, and interesting containers used to grow veggies.

This is the roof top garden display.. I really like the concept, but how realistic it is to maintain it in this patterning is uncertain. It certainly points to a great trend and environmental focus.

Living salad bar. So cool. This was a part of the Food Share section. Lettuce and sprouts were in growing mediums, with grow lights above. Harvest as you make dinner.

Sorry, I tried a close up. Sprouts growing in these cool clay pellet medium.

Humber College's Landscape Design display featured a more earthy, Urban Homestead theme. Loved it. This living wall, herb and veggie boxes, are quite fun. Tilted to reach appropriate sun levels. I really thought it was a great method to screen in privacy and provide yummy nibbles. Their sustainable features are an example to where gardening trends need to go. I am glad to see my former alumni heading this direction.

Plant World's Display

I feel bad as my camera cut off the other container, but a colleague of mine put these together, and I think they may have not been the showiest, but they certainly have unique elements that could realistically be situated in your own backyard. Well done Edward!



It was a fun evening. Parking is free after 5pm, which I took advantage of. Cheers to the Bloom display designers and organizers.