Layout Of Produce Garden for 2017

Supervisor of Bed 7 of the Produce Garden

This year we made a major commitment to Russet Burbank potatoes, also onions. See 2017 Produce Garden for this year's list.

Garden Tour 2017

On July 15, Riel House will be one of the gardens highlighted in this year's Garden Tour sponsored by the Manitoba Master Gardener Association. Fantastic. We're very pleased to participate in this year's event and, frankly, it has encouraged us to talk about what a great horticultural opportunity we have at Riel House. Please click on the Garden Tour tab on the top left hand corner and then walk yourself about the property.

An Idyllic Day

Last Friday, the day was warm with no wind and no mosquitoes. An idyllic day. Each of us chose a separate task and worked away diligently and silently. At the end of the day, the grass in the Produce Garden was gone; there were new full-sized stakes defining each bed; last winters debris from the Entrance Area had been removed.

An idyllic day. 

Please check out our Photo Gallery

Please check out our Photo Gallery at http://rhgardening.blogspot.ca/p/photo-gallery.html as we usually take a few pictures during each volunteer day (Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays). Double clicking on a picture will then show the "Info" button attached to each picture.

Weeds be gone

Yesterday, we attended a presentation regarding weeds that are typical to Manitoba - and many are specific to Riel House. Motherwort and Common Burdock are our two worst offenders because their burs are difficult to remove from one's clothing, work gloves, dogs, etc.

Motherwort - 27 April 2017

Common Burdock - 27 April 2017

Below is the list of weeds that we reviewed last night. You can find further information at the Province of Manitoba website at https://www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/crops/weeds/:

• Motherwort
• Common Burdock
• CanadaThistle
• PerennialSowthistle
• Annual Sowthistle
• CommonGroundsel
• Goosefoot Family – Lamb’s Quarters, Oak-leaved Goosefoot, Maple-leaved Goosefoot
• Smartweed
• Chickweed
• Red RootPigweed
• BarnyardGrass

Also, three beautiful but very invasive weeds: Himalayan Balsam, Creeping Bellflower and 

Dame’s Rocket; the "Three Barbarians". Fortunately, at Riel House House, we have some Creeping Bellflower, but not the other two.

Although we are keen to remove all weeds and discard them (not in the compost), the presenter recommended that for the sake of biodiversity, we should set aside an area to keep some weeds as long as we minimize them going to seed. Looks like we have our work cut out for us. 

Thank you IK for your presentation and recommendations.