Growing Resources

Tips, tricks and resources to help your garden grow

Tips and Tricks for Northern Gardening

  • Use a planting chart

    Planning your garden can be fun but overwhelming. Our friends at High Mowing Organic Seeds have developed this Planting Chart that we have been using for years. It helps us plan our how much space we need, how many seeds to order and when to plant. A indispensable resource for any gardener

  • Transplant, transplant, transplant

    To maximize yield in your garden, particularly if you are limited with space, starting your seeds in advance can give you weeks of advance growing to get your food sooner. Start indoors in pots or flats.
    At Three Forks we are transplanting right into late august. Crops like lettuce are planted weekly, whereas crops that are 60 days or more are planting as needed.

  • Succession Planting

    Not all crops continue to produce viable fruits all season long. To extend the duration of productive vegetables and fruits, succession plant. This is planting similar crops numerous times over the season to continue to harvest. Crops that we succession plant are lettuces, kales, herbs like cilantro, carrots, cucumbers, zucchini.

  • Companion Planting

    Planting crops that work together can be very beneficial and can increase yield in small spaces.
    Planting herbs like cilantro under the shade of climbing cucumbers and prevent the cilantro from bolting while using available space at the base of the plant.
    The same goes for basil and tomatoes.
    Also planting beneficial flowers like nasturium and marigolds can increase pollinators while protecting against insects in crops like cucumbers, melons and zucchini

  • Insect Protection

    Insects are an important part of our ecosystem so we don't want to hurt them, but we don't want them to eat all our plants. For crops that are prone to insect damage (like brassicas - kale, cauliflower, broccoli etc) we use insect netting to cover the crop so that crops cannot reach them. An affordable and reusable option for any gardener.
    Available at duboisag.com

  • Adding additional Heat

    In our region, it can be challenging to get the heat to produce ample fruits. To increase heat, you can plant in specific places in your garden that are warmers than others, or you can provide environmental protection with floating row cover or perforated plastic. We use floating row cover during the early and late season for protection against frost on early planted crops.
    Field tunnels covering crops with plastic over hoops can create a greenhouse effect for crops like tomatoes and peppers that are heat lovers.
    Find more at duboisag.com

Beans

Phaseolus Vulgaris

Plant 3-4 seeds per foot in rows 24"-30" apart. Plant after frosts. Beans have moderate fertility needs. Excess nitrogen can cause them to vine. Pick frequently for increased yields. Avoid disturbing foliage when wet to avoid fungal development.  2oz packet will grow 25 ft.

Cucumbers

Cucurbita Sativus

Best started indoors for early production but or direct-seeded.  Start indoors 4 weeks before last frost.  Plant or seed   1' apart in rows 4-6' apart .  Cucumbers require good fertility and regular rain or irrigation for abundant yields. Without adequate water, fruits will be misshapen and bitter. Very tender, will not survive frost.

Ground Cherries

Physalis philodelphica

Need filtered light and temperatures at least 75°, preferably closer to 90°, to germinate. Cover seeds with just a light sprinkling of soil and place the flats in the hottest part of the greenhouse, transplanting after last spring frost. Will readily self sow, although volunteers never mature as quickly as those started indoors.

Lettuce

Lactuca Sativa

For baby lettuce mix, direct seed bi weekly 12 seeds per foot at 4" spacing between rows.  For head lettuce, either direct seed or transplant 6"-8" apart, with 12" between rows. 

Melons

Citrullus lanatus

Melons can be direct seeded or transplanted out after last frost in spring. Plants are best spaced 12"-18" apart with 6' between rows. Can be grown in mounds to increase fertility. Water regularly. 

Peppers

Capsicum Annum

Heat loving plants must be started indoors in the north. Start 8-10 weeks before last frost. Plant in a warm location with ample sun. Yields are improved with soil covers and row covers to increase heat. 

Tomatoes

Lycopersicon lycopersicum

 Tender plants must be started indoors 6 - 8 weeks before last frost.  Determinate varieties are bush type but can be staked, indeterminate are climbing and should be staked and pruned. Tomatoes are good feeders so add well composted manure or compost to the planting area

Peas

Cicer Arietinum

Dried peas and beans - direct seed after last frost. Plant 3-4 seeds per foot in rows 24"-30" apart.

Pisum Sativum 

Peas - Plant 3-4 seeds per foot in rows 24"-30" apart. Plant after frosts. Provide trellis for climbing varieties. 

Special Greens

Siberian Kale - Brassica Napus

Growing Kale: can be direct seeded or tranplanted. Frost tolerent and favours cooler weather. For baby kale, direct seed 12 seeds per foot, with 4"-6" between rows bi-weekly throughout the season to havea  continuous supply. For large leaf kale, plant minimum of 12" apart, harvesting large leafs at base. Kale will grow large stalk to be continuously harvested all season. 

Arugula - Eruca sativa

Arugula is best direct seeded. Can be planted once the soil is warm, but best protected with floating row cover. Plant successions in spring and fall for continuous supply. 

Squash

Cucurbita Family

Squash have very sensitive roots therefore do well with direct seeding. They can be started ahead, but caution must be placed to not disturb roots too much while transplanting. Can be started indoors 4 weeks before last frost. Plant 18"-24" apart with 6' between rows.  

Flowers

Calendula - Calendula offincinalis Calendulas bloom over an extremely long period, thriving in cool weather and persisting through autumn’s first frosts. Can be direct seeded in May or started indoors in cool place for early blooms. Readily self-sows. Don’t crowd, give them full sun. Deadhead to keep blooms coming and the patch attractive, or try succession plantings. 

Bachelors Buttons - Centaurea cyanus Start indoors  8 weeks months before setting out. Deadhead for persistent blooms, or make a succession planting in mid-late June if you desire late-summer flowering. Will self-sow. Lasts longer than most flowers after frost

Cosmos - Cosmos bipinnatus For best results, thin its fast-growing large plants. Deadhead for persistent blooms. Harvest cutflowers when petals on first flower are just opening. Don’t wait too long! Old blooms don’t last. Vase life is 4–6 days. Light aids germination. May be started indoors at 70–75° (grow on at 60–65°) or direct seeded after last frost.

Echinacea - Echinacea purpurea Start indoors at 70–75°, germinates in 15–20 days. Grow on at 60–65°. Set out 18–24" apart

Sunflower - Helianthus annuus Easy to grow. Start indoors 3–4 weeks before last frost at temperatures of 65–75° or direct sow after frost.  Thin to best plant, 1' or more apart. Rich friable soil yields tallest plants; drought stunts growth. Will readily self-sow; for some fun leave a few volunteers in strategic locations.

Chamomile - Matricaria recutita 'Bodegold Likes moist well-drained soil, can be direct seeded or transplanted. Flower heads are ready to gather when the petals fall back from the center. 

Strawflower - Xerochrysum Bracteatum Grow in full sun. Gather blossoms before fully opened. Likes warm weather but will bloom into fall. Germinate at 70–75°; grow on at 65–70° days and 60° nights. Do not overwater. Transplant in 6 weeks at 12" spacing.

Zinnias - Zinnia elegans Sow in a sunny spot after last frost, or start indoors for earlier blooms. They need good drainage and like heat. Cut when flowers are almost fully mature, just before pollen starts to form. Deadhead to continue production. Germinates 3–5 days at 80–85°, more slowly at cooler temperatures. Grow on at 70° days, 60–65° at night. Space at 9–12".

Herbs

Chives - Allium schoenoprasum Chives are a hardy perennial. Start indoors 6-8 weeks before last frosts. Transplant out into perennial garden 12" apart. Can be brought indoors for winter if desired. 

Dill - Anethum Gravolens Dill can be direct seeded or tranplanted. To start indoors, start 4 weeks before last frost. Plant 4-6" apart in 12" rows. 

Cilantro - Coriander sativum Can be direct seeded or transplanted. Start indoors up to 6 weeks before last frost. Prefers well drained soil, with partial sun to avoid bolting. Plant successions throughout the summer for a continuos supply. 
Cilantro also does well when partially shaded. This can help to prevent bolting in high heat. Companion plant with tall plants that provide shade.

Basil - Ocimum Basilicum Basil is best started indoors in Northern Ontario. Start 4-8 weeks before last frost. Plant in a warm space, protected from the wind. Plant 6" apart with 12" between rows. Leaves can be continiously harvested. Does well in pots and containers. 

Mustard - Sinapis hirta Mustard is best direct seeded for seed production. Grow 4" apart in 12" rows. Harvest when pods turn brown. Whole plants can be harvested and stored in dry place if conditions are wet or cool. 

Thyme - Thymus vulgaris Thyme is slow growing so best started indoors 6-8 weeks before last frost. For annual production, plant 6" apart. For perennial garden, plant 12" apart .