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“Questions, concerns, queries?” Lets chat! Lets get clippy, clippy, shall we? Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland prune off the crossers, rubbers, dead, broken, malformed and diseased part of your emerging plants on this week's episode of The Growing Season.  Pruning is front and centre at this time of year and The McFarlands dive, secateurs first, into the subject.  It's still too early to be out in the gardens.  Its much too wet. Jack isn't listening to Matt, obviously.  Why are fruit trees pruned in January/February?  The trio examine exactly why this happens.  The trees are just starting to show "bud swell."  What does that mean? Is this a good time to transplant trees? What is the difference, in appearance, between a leaf bud and a flower bud? Lynne discusses sharpening and disinfecting your pruning tools.  She has some cool tips. Matt contradicts himself and then gushes over a Contorted Corkscrew Witch hazel.  Ohh baby.  Sooo cool.  Juglans nigra tops the list of "weirdo plants."  Open wounds or wombs.  There is a debate.  Mountain Ash and their propensity for acquiring "fire blight" is discussed.  Pruning of Japanese Maples is an art.  Matt highlights the finer points.  What is cambium and why is it important?  Top graft, top graft, top grafts... What? A spider web of pruning on Weeping Mulberries sparks a tale.  Repair of lightning damage on trees closes the show out.  Tune in. Looking to book a consult for your property?  We'd love to help.  CLICK HERE. What is a TGS Tiny Garden? CLICK HERE.

“Questions, concerns, queries?” Lets chat! POP QUIZ TIME!!! Matt McFarland is about to teach a course on turf at Humber College and decided that his students' first assignment could be incorporated into this week's episode of The Growing Season.  The McFarland's dive into some wonderful, and unknown, facts regarding that green carpet that covers your lawn.  Jack kicks off the show with a "new age" discussion that sends the start off on a tangent.  What is "No Mow May?"  Its a popular idea and the TGS trio dive into it. The pros and cons of this little event are highlighted.  When is the proper time to start cutting your lawn?  The ins and outs of fertilizer become a topic of focus.  What do the various numbers mean? Slow release is only for nitrogen.  WHAT!? Photosynthesis...ROIGHT!  Gypsum is an industry secret that is revealed to y'all. A pH reset! What is an aerator?  What is a dethatcher? Grass takes in carbon and expels oxygen.  Its a pretty beneficial plant. Everything plus the carbon sink is highlighted.  Comparisons and contrasts between artificial turf and natural turf come into focus. Can we eliminate the use of fertilizer altogether? What are the wildflowers that grow in your lawn that are the first foods for our pollinators?  Matt RANTS.  Nematodes to the rescue... Tune in. Looking to book a consult for your property?  We'd love to help.  CLICK HERE. What is a TGS Tiny Garden? CLICK HERE.

“Questions, concerns, queries?” Lets chat! DON'T EAT THOSE CHOCOLATE RAISINS.  Its that time of year that chocolate raisins, aka Bunny Poop, comes into focus horticulturally. The largest bunny of them all appears this weekend - The EASTER BUNNY. Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland detail what Easter means to their family.  Jack and Lynne have an especially important event tied to the Easter weekend.  The tree that gives chocolate is the first in line at the horticultural party. The TGS trio highlight its history.  The "midge fly" has a major role in chocolate and Matt asserts that Easter's prototypical creature needs to be reassessed.  Easter and Australia is discussed.  What is a Nelly White? Why are we talking about Komodo dragons? Where are Easter Lily's grown? How do you care for them when they find their way into your home?  Lynne details the how-to. A brand new gadget could be the key to perfect tropical plant watering. Lynne eats.  Matt vomits.  Forced air and radiators in homes tie into the care of your Easter plants.  Chrysanthemum, poinsettias, deciduous trees and soya beans factor into a discussion.  A brand new hydrangea variety is created on the fly.  Speaking of hydrangeas, getting all sciency with their bloom colour caps the show off. How do you "harden off" an easter hydrangea to allow it to be transplanted into your flower beds. Can you plant dahlia bulbs right now? Tune in. Looking to book a consult for your property?  We'd love to help.  CLICK HERE. What is a TGS Tiny Garden? CLICK HERE. Subscribe to The Growing Season podcast.  CLICK HERE.

“Questions, concerns, queries?” Lets chat! No!   It's not Halloween yet.  But, "THEY'RE HERE!"  That famous line uttered in Steven Spielberg's 1982 classic "Poltergeist" becomes the jumping off point for this week's episode of The Growing Season.  Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland dive into all the horticultural items that are current emerging at this time of the year.  "This is not the time to be out on job sites..."   We know, its a downer BUT that doesn't mean we can't talk about what's to come... Movie trivia kicks the show off.  With the amount of snow and cold that gripped the GTA this winter passed are we to expect a reduced amount of Japanese Beetles this season? The McFarlands discuss. Matt has some news with regards to Humber College. What pollinators emerge first?  You'd be surprised to learn.   Matt discusses "No Mow May" and its pros and cons. Trilliums and ants.  There's a link.  Let's uncover it.  Tundra Swans.  WHAT?  Some birds make a 90,000km trip to return to our borders in the spring.  Why do certain birds migrate and others don't? Why does Daylight Savings Time exist?  Why is it still being used? Migration is driven by nature, not by bird feeders. Which birds return to our trees first in the earliest parts of the spring? Ravens are remarkably intelligent. Plants that "bloom on old wood" need to be pruned at a specific time.  The McFarlands discuss.  The trio's favourite flowering spring plants are revealed.  Tune in. Looking to book a consult for your property?  We'd love to help.  CLICK HERE. What is a TGS Tiny Garden? CLICK HERE. Subscribe to The Growing Season podcast.  CLICK HERE.

“Questions, concerns, queries?” Lets chat! Jack McFarland is built to survive!  Jack calls in for the final time from Sunnybrook's St. John's rehab facility for final time on this week's episode of The Growing Season.  Jack, Lynne and Matt highlight the plants that can tolerate the wild swings in weather and temperature that are common at this time of the year.   There are so many that respond with "is that all you got?" whilst raging at Mother Nature.  The time of year makes the clients go squirrely and Matt has to talk them into a peaceful mindset.  Snow is an insulator.  What happens when it recedes and the temperature drops?  How do emerging plants survive this?  Mosses are able to engage in reproduction while being covered in a blanket of snow.  Snow mould and its effect on allergy sufferers.  The resin in evergreens creates a wonderful defence against cold. Speaking of evergreens, the giant coastal redwoods feature prominently on todays show.  Matt highlights a few movies you should spend some time with.  What are the "White Mountains?"  Jurupa Oaks - the oldest oak on earth.  You'd be surprised to know how long these trees can live.  The longest living flowering tree is revealed.  Its 2000 years old.  Bleeding Hearts, Hostas, Sedum, Yarrow, Echinacea and Russian Sage are built to survive.  Tune in. Looking to book a consult for your property?  We'd love to help.  CLICK HERE. What is a TGS Tiny Garden? CLICK HERE. Subscribe to The Growing Season podcast.  CLICK HERE.

“Questions, concerns, queries?” Lets chat! Lets get EPIC for this year's Spring Break. Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland board a plane and take off for New Zealand on this week's episode of The Growing Season.  Matt confuses New Zealand and Australia.   Jack and Lynne correct his mistake. "The father south you go in New Zealand the cooler it is..." RIGHT.  Time to recalibrate the operating system. Humans, sheep, kiwis and The Maori all feature heavily in New Zealand. Automated sheep shearing and grape picking correlate. What are there SOOOO many sheep in New Zealand?  The North and South Island of New Zealand feature very different biomes and climates.  Maybe that's part of why it was chosen as the place to film Lord Of The Rings. What fruit trees grow in New Zealand?  You'd be surprised to know. The McFarland Query System makes its triumphant return. What is a "Dry Kiwi?" Complex flavoured New Zealand fruit is discussed. Passion fruit, kiwi, tamarillo are just some of the exotic edibles grown in New Zealand.  Are the Volcanoes in New Zealand active?  Weather ranges from sub-zero to tropical areas.  FERNS, FERNS FERNS... SOOO MANY FERNS.  Of course, Lord Of The Rings features HEAVILY in discussions on this week's episode.  New Zealand is home to lizards that give birth to live young. You read that right.  Famous movies, TV shows and more filmed in New Zealand are highlighted.  Tune in. Looking to book a consult for your property?  We'd love to help.  CLICK HERE. What is a TGS Tiny Garden? CLICK HERE. Subscribe to The Growing Season podcast.  CLICK HERE.

“Questions, concerns, queries?” Lets chat! We get by with a little help from our friends. Toronto's own Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre comes in with the ultimate save this week. Jack McFarland, fresh off of a shoulder replacement surgery, joins Lynne and Matt, by phone, for this week's episode of The Growing Season.  Calling in from a patient lounge, Jack details the ins and outs of how to make a construction project more sustainable.  Jack and Matt discuss keeping the job site clean.  LIKE EXCESSIVELY CLEAN!  How do you keep a job site from getting muddy.  How do you reduce the amount of noise on a job site? Are there noise pollution regulations?  The McFarlands discuss the "circular economy" - the ability to reuse materials to save on construction waste.  Venus Fly Traps have taken over The McFarland's house. Machines falling in holes and sodding over plywood.  Tales from the job site abound.  Did Jack get a shoulder cannon installed as part of his surgery?   Matt hopes so.  Sea cans are becoming a popular choice when building structures.  Jack and Matt detail their experiences.  Matt details "Red Listed" chemicals.  Tune in. Looking to book a consult for your property?  We'd love to help.  CLICK HERE. What is a TGS Tiny Garden? CLICK HERE. Subscribe to The Growing Season podcast.  CLICK HERE.

“Questions, concerns, queries?” Lets chat! RETREAT!   The winter has been so harsh maybe we should just accept our fate. Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland retreat to the joys of interior horticulture on this week's episode of The Growing Season. Houseplants take centre stage as the snow continues to dominate our landscapes.  How to water and WHAT to water with kicks off the proceedings.  "Snow Water" vs. tap water is discussed. What basic elements does rainwater contain?  Which plant is the one that is the most susceptible to leaf drop due to winter draft? You'd be surprised to learn what water you're able to use to water your plants.  Salt's that are contained within tap water can become a problem for indoor plants.  The McFarlands discuss how to combat the issue. How much light does the average houseplant need? CROTON!!!!   OHHHH BABY! Chlorophyll and houseplants are correlated.  Spielberg's Poltergeist is discussed.  Birds and bombs and boisterous neighbours... Cast Iron Plants will grow in the darkest of areas. How many houseplants do you need to purify the air in your home. "Greenhouse air?" WHAT!?  Spider plants are great mothers. Lemon trees, lime trees, orange trees and fig trees are all able to be grown indoors with great success.  Orchids are the holy grail of houseplants.   How would one get their cacti to bloom? Tune in. Looking to book a consult for your property?  We'd love to help.  CLICK HERE. What is a TGS Tiny Garden? CLICK HERE. Subscribe to The Growing Season podcast.  CLICK HERE.

“Questions, concerns, queries?” Lets chat! Sodium, sodium, they showed from their podium! Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland add another grain to their pile of salt with this week's Salt And Horticulture Pt. 2 on The Growing Season.  With the level of ice on walking and driving surfaces all across the GTA the trio felt it prudent to discuss salt tolerant plant materials.  Jack discusses an upcoming surgery.  He's a little nervous. Rising temperatures due to climate change causes our lake water to evaporate quicker, increasing the salt content in the soil. Sea Asparagus and Suaeda Maritime can live in places like Death Valley, one of the saltiest places on earth.  Matt rants about boxwoods and that leads to a chat about how street trees react to an over salted growing environment.  Salt Cedar leads to an episode of Strange But True. Purple Loosestrife and Hogweed join the chat.  Correlations between wildfires in Los Angeles and Australia are drawn.  How can Epsom salts diffuse salt exposure.  HYDRANGEA, HYDRANGEA, HYDRANGEA!  Also, SUMAC!   You know it.  Tiger Eyes Sumac is GORGEOUS.  Are dandelions salt tolerant?  Beebalm, horizontal Juniper, daylily, rugosa rose and many more plants are labelled 'salt tolerant.' Tune in. Looking to book a consult for your property?  We'd love to help.  CLICK HERE. What is a TGS Tiny Garden? CLICK HERE. Subscribe to The Growing Season podcast.  CLICK HERE.

“Questions, concerns, queries?” Lets chat! That's an awfully nice fire ant hill you have there! Wait.  What!? Its the time of year that Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland overlay horticulture and Valentine's Day on The Growing Season.  Annually, the trio discuss the collision of the two and this year doesn't disappoint.  Roses kick the show off, naturally.  Where are roses grown commercially? You'd be surprised to learn.  Matt tells a story about this daughter going to a dance with a boy.  Its rattled him. Coyote urine makes a GREAT Valentines Day gift.  Nothing says lovin' like pee.   How do you extend the life of your cut roses.  Are any of the myths or legends true? Chocolate is plant based.  The McFarlands dive into the details.  Who was Montezuma?  Why is he related to Valentine's Day? Is the a decline in testosterone in males?   What would cause that?  The differences between males and females regarding arousal stimulus is discussed.  Saltpeter and Matt's tale of internet science figures into the Valentine's Day and intimacy.  What is saltpeter made of? POMEGRANITE SUCKS.  Stinging nettles can make you frisky.  SERIOUS.  The show ends with a chat about Sylvester Stallone's classic, Rocky.  Tune in. Looking to book a consult for your property?  We'd love to help.  CLICK HERE. What is a TGS Tiny Garden? CLICK HERE. Subscribe to The Growing Season podcast.  CLICK HERE.

“Questions, concerns, queries?” Lets chat! Put on your hydrangea and lets get out and shovel the driveway! WHAT!? Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland highlight the intersection of textiles and horticulture on this week's episode of The Growing Season.  Matt opens the show with a discussion on a milestone that his family has reached. Silk moths and their fondness for mulberry begins the plant content.  How is silk made?  Synthetic silk and pineapples.  Not kidding! Milkweek, dandelions, bullrush and smokebush floof can all be used for a "down-like" material to replace goose down. Life jackets in WW2 became a home economics project for young people.  Why isn't cork as popular as it once was as a flooring material? The rise and obsession with milkweed gets highlighted.  CLIENTS ARE OBSESSED WITH IT.  Herbicides and roundup have drastically effected our horticulture industry.   Underwear made out of sythentic material vs. cotton gets a laugh.  Cotton requires SOOOOO much water to grow.   LIKE AN INSANE AMOUNT.  Why isnt flax used on a large scale for textiles?   Why hasn't it replaced cotton? Sawdust and tree lignans are discussed and their effect on those using wood to heat their homes.  Its an interesting chat.  Potato leather.  Grape leather.  Apple leather.  None are the stuff of fiction.  Tune in. Looking to book a consult for your property?  We'd love to help.  CLICK HERE. What is a TGS Tiny Garden? CLICK HERE. Subscribe to The Growing Season podcast.  CLICK HERE.

“Questions, concerns, queries?” Lets chat! The GTA set records for snowfall! In light of the recent butt-whooping the Greater Toronto Area took in the recent, record setting, snowfall, Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland decided to use their Snowmageddon bullet on this week's episode of The Growing Season.  In an annual fashion, the trio highlight the events of the storm and take the opportunity to dive into all things white and fluffy.  1999's version of a snowstorm kicks the show off.  Matt correlates where he was then with where he is now.  HINT: it's the same place.  The amounts of snow, left by the ploughs, at the end of your driveway have been NUTS.  Matt rants.  Heavy metal accompanies said rant.   Jack details ways that you can avoid the windrow at the end of your driveway.  What is a "RAGING DULLARD?"  Various sizes and shapes of snow shovels come into focus.  What's the WORST winter-weather drive you've ever experienced?   Matt details his.  Where do you put all the snow that Mother Nature has donated to the City of Toronto?  The Great Lakes aren't frozen.  Does that have an effect on snowfalls?  Snowblower questions abound.  CC vs. Horsepower is explained. A Chevelle's engine block packed with snow turns into a trip down memory lane... Heated driveways - do they work?  Insulation in your home and frigidly cold temperatures overlap with an Avro Arrow story.  Snow is a fertilizer...we kid you not.  Can there be 2 similar snowflakes or is it a myth? Tune in. Looking to book a consult for your property?  We'd love to help.  CLICK HERE. What is a TGS Tiny Garden? CLICK HERE. Subscribe to The Growing Season podcast.  CLICK HERE.

“Questions, concerns, queries?” Lets chat! So we're in thick of it.  Right in the fluffy middle. Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland get real STRANGE on this week's episode of The Growing Season.  Winter, in all its glory, becomes the latest focus of Strange But True.  Penguins kick off the show.  Their breeding habits and marital preferences.   Their ability to withstand absolutely frigid temperatures and a freakish talent to hold their breath.  A group of penguins is called a "Waddle."  Cool, eh?  Penguin clouds...from you know where...  LOTS OF CLOUDS! Why has "Global Warming" been re-labelled "Climate Change?" There are lots of Penguins in Gotham City.   Matt takes great delight in talking about Batman.  Wood frogs and Walt Disney!?   Yup.  They correlate.  Reanimating catfish brings Disney and Wood Frogs to an interesting conclusion.  The lowest reported core temperature in a human will surprise you.  Scary avalanche stories are highlighted.  There is some real nightmare fuel here.  Alive, the film from 1993, becomes a discussion point.  "The Donner Party" from 1846-1847 is a story you probably haven't heard but won't soon forget.   What is the Iditarod? Its 1600km's of sheer canine will.  Bee's can "hold it" for absolutely insane lengths of time.  Where do they go to the bathroom in the winter?   Its kinda cool.  Cryoseisms and their role in recent history kicks off a Christmas Eve story.  A snow roller is not what you would think.  What is an "Ice Fern?" Tune in. Looking to book a consult for your property?  We'd love to help.  CLICK HERE. What is a TGS Tiny Garden? CLICK HERE. Subscribe to The Growing Season podcast.  CLICK HERE.

“Questions, concerns, queries?” Lets chat! Its the time of the year when a simple walk to the bus stop can be TREACHEROUS! Many of us are salting our exterior surfaces to reduce the chance of slipping.  This week on The Growing Season, Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland discuss salt and horticulture on part 1 of a two part series.  What are the effects on salt on the human body? Salt and the ambient amount of salt in food is discussed.  Canned soup comes into focus.  Why is salt used in food? What about beverages?  A gas powered blender and ice hockey intersect.  How many milligrams of salt is necessary for a healthy diet on a daily basis?  The history of salt and its uses is chatted about.  Are Camels' humps water storage?   A myth is debunked.  Are there salt mines in Canada?  What about Ontario?  Where is "Death Valley" and what is the pH of the soil?  The trio guesses and Lynne NAILS it.  What animals THRIVE in salty environments? What animals need a dosage of salt to regulate their biological systems? Matt discusses his stinky feet and some advice is given that uses salt as a remedy for Matt's issues.  LEECHES and salt.  Memories from the late 80's abound.  Salt and your house pets are correlated.  Tune in. Looking to book a consult for your property?  We'd love to help.  CLICK HERE. What is a TGS Tiny Garden? CLICK HERE. Subscribe to The Growing Season podcast.  CLICK HERE.

“Questions, concerns, queries?” Lets chat! You think it's wintry in the GTA?   Lets look and see what's happening in The Northwest Territories.  Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland continue the new year with a deep dive into Horticulture in the Northwest Territories on this week's episode of The Growing Season.  Matt highlights a wonderful development in his career.  Its been years in the making.  A travelogue starts the proceedings.  Why is Yellowknife called Yellowknife?   HINT:  It has to do with Yellow Knives!  Frost free days and growing produce - what is the correlation?  What happens when you shrink the number of frost free days? Crowberry, Cloudberry, Saskatoon berry, Bearberry are just a few of the fruiters that feature.   Matt gushes about Serviceberry.  Is Bunchberry the flower of Canada?   There is a debate.  How can you get vitamin C and D, naturally,  in the Northwest Territories?  MUSHROOMS and vitamin D are a couple.  WHAT!?  How would one acquire fruit during the winter months in Yellowknife?  Would fresh produce be SUPER expensive in this area?  ICE ROAD TRUCKERS!   Dun, dun, dun... Chill hours, and how they affect the growth of fruit, are discussed.  Why are many of Canada's horticultural innovations coming from our prairie provinces?  Evergreen trees - do they exist in the Northwest Territories?  Matt tells a story about an engagement ring.  Tune in. Looking to book a consult for your property?  We'd love to help.  CLICK HERE. What is a TGS Tiny Garden? CLICK HERE. Subscribe to The Growing Season podcast.  CLICK HERE.