Planning your Home + Garden in February

Green Calgary is going to the Calgary Home + Garden Show this weekend to talk to folks about rain barrels, but the show also acts as a reminder that gardening season is just around the corner, if not now. Many gardeners, some in Green Calgary included, garden throughout the winter with things like sprouts, microgreens, and container plants that winter well. However, now tends to be when people planting their gardens from seed start planning their gardens and even starting their seeds.

One of the advantages to starting this early is that you can design your garden to take advantage of the whole growing season, with things that bloom early, others that bloom late, and plants that protect your garden from pests while attracting pollinators. The City of Calgary's YardSmart program has some handy tools to get you started.

Another reason to get ready early is to make sure you have your water usage laid out. Plants have various water needs, plus watering in shade and in sun is different. If you're adding a rain barrel, wicking beds, or xeriscaping, those projects all will affect how and when you'll use water. You can save yourself a headache later (and a lot of wasted water) by considering the overall layout now.

We also like that starting this early in the year helps make gardening more of a year-round activity, and one that you can share with the whole family: deciding what to plant, where, and when. That creates investment that can get children and other relations interested in participating!

If you have time this weekend, you can come and catch us at the Calgary Home + Garden Show - we'll be with the City of Calgary's Water Services Saturday and Sunday.

Are there any plants you're excited to plant this year? Anything new you might be planning? Let us know on social media! You can find us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram!