plannt powered

  Photo by  Zoe Schaeffer  on  Unsplash Hardening off seedlings is an important process that allows young plants to gradually adjust to outdoor conditions before being transplanted into the garden.  If you skip hardening off your seedlings and go straight from indoor to transplanting, you may risk stressing them.  Stressed seedlings can show signs like limp stems, off-color foliage, or even sunburn. Gardening is already an exercise in patience, so why not give your seedlings the best chance at thriving by gradually introducing them to the outdoors?  Note that this process can look different for everyone; some seedlings are more sensitive than others, and all yards have different sun/wind conditions.  Feel free to try this 7-day plan as a starting point, and then adapt it to suit what works best for your environment and what you're growing.  The main idea is: take baby steps.  Your baby plants will thank you. Here is a cheat sheet for our...

Photo by Andrej Lišakov on Unsplash Starting seeds indoors is a great way to get a jump start on your garden, especially if you have a limited growing season. Here are our top 15 tips that provide a crash course in seed starting: Know the needs of your seeds : This may sound like a no-brainer, but you should only start seeds indoors if it's already well known that they are suitable for indoor starting. Some plants don't appreciate being transplanted, and others grow so quickly after being sown directly outdoors that the effort to start indoors just isn't worth it, so do your research before you start. The best place to get information is right from the seed supplier, so always read the seed packet. Start the seeds at the right time : Once you know which seeds can start indoors, you then need to understand when to start them.  There is a delicate balance here: you usually want to avoid re-potting the seedling, but at the same time, starting seeds in too large of a pot can...

Photo by  Christin Noelle  on  Unsplash Solarpunk is a subgenre of science fiction and a movement that envisions a hopeful, sustainable future with renewable energy, ecological harmony, and community-driven societies. It draws inspiration from a variety of sources, including sustainable architecture, permaculture, DIY culture, and alternative energy sources.  Solarpunk is a new movement, but has quickly gained momentum as people became more cognizant of climate change, pollution, and waste and began searching for ways to do better.   In practice, Solarpunk is not just about imagining a utopian future, but about actively working towards it in the present. This can involve making changes to one's lifestyle and advocating for policies that promote sustainability, resilience, and social justice. Here are some examples of how individuals can help bring about the Solarpunk future: Embrace renewable energy : One of the main tenets of Solarpunk is the use of renewable e...

Gardening is a game of patience.  You sow your seeds and wait with bated breath until you see the seedlings emerge.  For those of us with a "healthy" stockpile of seeds left over from past seasons, it can be an unwelcome surprise to find that they don't last forever.  The seeds you planted weeks ago have failed to germinate, and now you need a change of plans (or, should I say, plants).  I experienced this firsthand recently, and wanted to share the results of my own experiment. What is seed germination? Seed germination is the process by which a plant grows from a seed. It starts when the seed takes up water, which triggers enzymes to break down stored food inside the seed. Once the food is broken down, it provides the energy for the plant embryo to grow roots, a stem, and leaves. Which seeds are less likely to stay viable after multiple years? While some seeds can last for decades, others lose viability quickly. The general consensus is that the following types of ...

As we embark on a new growing season, many of us seasoned gardeners are itching to act on our carefully crafted plans.  In the lockdown era where supply chain issues had grocery stores running on empty, interest spiked around the idea of growing your own food. With concerns about the environment, the cost of groceries, and the desire for fresh, healthy produce, many people are beginning to turn to "urban farming" as a way to feed themselves and their families. For many novice gardeners, the process can be overwhelming, especially if you're like me and want to try multiple varieties of the same crop.  How do I coordinate all of the different planting schedules? How much space do I need for all the seeds I purchased? Will there be enough time in the season to get a harvest at all? These questions, if not properly considered, can make or break your growing season. That's where plannt.ca comes in. With this helpful tool, users can easily plan and organize their garden, d...

In an interview with CTV Kitchener, I discuss the plannt.ca platform and how it can help gardeners save money on grocery bills.  Check it out here:  Kitchener CTV Story

  "Growing your own food is like printing your own money."  - Ron Finley I love to cook, and I love to eat.  I'm concerned about pesticides, transport emissions, and fair trade.  I also happen to have a background in Lean Manufacturing (how to do anything as efficiently as possible).  Over the years, I found that growing my own food brings all of my passions together and gives me an outlet for experimentation and learning. Every season, I use my backyard garden as a testing ground for different varieties of fruits & veggies that I grow from seed.  My goal is to see how well they perform against each other, with the ultimate goal of finding a handful of crops that will produce reliably in my specific hardiness zone.   When I first started, I created a spreadsheet to track everything.  However, it quickly became a mess due to my love for variety.  I couldn't maintain a live map with so many things changing at once.  There was no t...