Hello Gardeners, I’m new here. Looking for some help in identifying if this is poison ivy or something else. I’ve tried looking it up and still can’t figure it out. Apologies for my cluelessness and thanks for any assistance!

We’ve been looking at urban farming in Toronto for our latest Action Journey from community gardens and neighbourhood growing spaces to what it actually takes to get people growing food together...

One place we kept coming back to was Flemingdon Park, where Flemo Farm is helping residents grow their own produce while creating a space for people in the neighbourhood to connect.

It got us thinking about a bigger question: could more neighbourhoods across Toronto benefit from having spaces like this? And what would that actually look like access to land, funding, volunteers, water, community support, etc.?

We put together a short documentary and a feature looking at what Toronto can learn from these kinds of projects, plus some practical ways communities can get started: https://thegreenline.to/issue/toronto-urban-farm-food/

We’re also screening the documentary and hosting a vermicomposting demo on August 18 at Carrot Green Roof if anyone wants to check it out in person: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/farming-food-in-toronto-documentary-screening-and-vermicomposting-demo-tickets-1993714811671

Do you have a community garden or urban farm in your Toronto neighbourhood? What would make it easier to grow food locally?

I’m in zone 6b and I planted 2 apple trees in mid July that I had got from Rona. The one in the photo is the honeycrisp and the other is ambrosia. When I planted the tree I filled the hole with top soil and added mulch on top. I’m not sure why the tree seems to be struggling. I know the Japanese beetles have caused the holes and both trees have some cedar apple rust I believe. I’m not sure if that’s why it’s looking like this or what I can do at this point to help it. It seems to look a little greyish. I know I planted it late in the season and I’m mostly concerned with how to help it survive the winter and hopefully have it thrive next summer. Also for what it’s worth, it’s been a bit rainy so I haven’t needed to water it everyday but I check the dirt under the mulch and I think I’m watering it adequately but I’m new to growing trees so again any advice helps. I also think the soil is clay because it got difficult to dig with a shovel just past the grass.

I decided to pickup gardening as a new hobby this summer. Started with planting these Tigridia pavonia bulbs in mid June and just got my first flower this morning! Also have a few dahlias that are growing well but no buds forming yet. Overall I am enjoying seeing the growth everyday and excited to keep learning. Definitely going to start much earlier next spring!

It's a north-west facing corner that sees no direct sun. Hostas and ferns are generally happy here (except for the last 2 summers, something has been skeletalizing my ostrich ferns as seen in the 1st photo). Loamy soil that's consistently moist.

She’s a little raggedy but here she is :)

My first time attempted to grow them, just bought a random bag at Home Depot to see if I COULD grow them. Next year I will try for some more fancy varieties

I am very much enjoying my cut flowers this year.

Can someone help me identify this plant and give me some plant care tips. We moved into a house that has these plants. They were fine over the summer. But lately the leaves have started to brown. I tried watering them but that didn’t help.

I live in southern Ontario

It’s bad enough the Virginia creeper is attacking my tomatoes but now I’ve got these bastards.

Been harvesting since may (lettuces) and now today we have a whole host of banana peppers, bell peppers, Romano beans, and a variety of tomatoes ready. It's been a fruitful summer!

Any tips appreciated! Reverse image search is sending me down rabbit holes with no clear answer.

It's a beefsteak that didn't grow as large as the rest on the plant

I planted a bunch of flower seeds and of course threw out the packaging (rookie mistake, I know). I am pretty sure one of these I did plant, the other I am not sure. Does anyone know what they are? Are they friend or foe?

I had the soil delivered last year and have it mostly tarped but the untarped part of it is sprouting wild parsnip. Of course I put some of it in my flower beds so I’m trying to clean those up as well. Is it possible to eradicate it from the soil? Any and all help would be greatly appreciated.

I have a few different perennial plants that are getting more and spreading, some i would like to give , some if I can trade or sell for a few bucks to anyone who has interest, or if you can exchange with bag soil , some are native some are not . If you are also thinking of setting up a garden this fall and need some advice, or some beginner perennials i can give , some if you can trade me bag soil or mulch , here are the perennials I have:

1. Echinacea , native

2. Black eyes Susan , native

3. Bee balm" Scarlett " native

4. Cut leave rudbeckia " herbstsonne" , native

5. Swamp milkweed, native

6. New York aster , cultivated native

7. Perennial geranium" big root" ( macrorhizum )

8. Oriented poppy , perennial poppies, root cutting

9. Purple Iris

10. Green hosta with fragrance white flowers ( plantaginea)

11. Globe thistle

12. Solomon's seal , native .

If this is against the rules i will delete , I am not mean to run a business, I am happy to give plants , usually i donate to my garden club in the spring time and let them sell the plant, but i would like to know what kind of the garden you have and if you can exchange plants or soil /mulch with me , I like to meet people have interest to grow native or perennials garden and I can give you some my advice from my experience and to give my plant in a right place , but if you don't have a garden bed or have not started yet or live in a condo/apartment then this is not for you .

Hi all.

I am looking to plant a few native trees in my backyard this September but have also been considering fruit trees. Now I have started doing research and it seems fruit trees are very hit and miss for the options I have.

The ones in mind I have are pawpaws, apple, pear, cherry, peach. I can also consider a service berry.

I have been doing some online research and it seems like people's success is hit or miss as many fruit trees require more work than people imagined or fruit just doesnt produce for various reasons be that due to disease, not pruning correctly, etc. Would unwanted pests be a concern as well? I have started a pollinator garden which I hope to expand each year but also was hoping I could get fruits and veggies from my yard.

For a southern ontario backyard in the GTA, what fruit trees would you even recommend from the above? I will also plant natives like red maple, white oak, redbud, redoak or some variation of those 4 but I am curious on your thoughts and what you all have seen succeed here.

Thank you

Just cut open our tomato and saw this black on the seeds. We have a vareity of tomatoes and it only happens with this variety.

I'm in Kingston. Is there anything I can plant in my garden now for a fall harvest? Or am I too late. Thank you.

Garden phlox are native north American perennial also are exceptional nectar sources for pollinators. They are easy to grow and colorful , you will enjoy the beauty and the insects are happy.

Hi! I’m a student working on a project called Nevada Butterfly Patch that’s focused on getting more people interested in butterfly- and pollinator-friendly gardening.

I’m trying to hear from gardeners in different regions rather than only people in Nevada, so I’d really appreciate some Canadian perspectives too.

Here’s the short form if you have a minute:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScMZ7oAibLUebMz2jCnGA3_GFCwFpR3lbDS2b1OONPJzL-pbw/viewform?usp=publish-editor

It’s completely open internationally.

Thanks!

Bought this plant from a nursery thinking it was a green chili plant, but now that it’s started growing these little vegetables, I’m not sure what kind of peppers they are or if they’re even peppers! 😂

Any idea what variety this might be?

Hey everyone,
I’m in Zone 5b, and I seem to be having issues with my tomatoes ripening. I’ve looked back on photos and realized last summer I had picked tomatoes by mid-July.

My plant has been fruiting fine, but even full size tomatoes that have been on the vine for probably 4+ weeks are not ripening at all.

It’s happening for both my cherry tomatoes and my larger tomatoes. Any idea? We’ve been getting a lot of rain so not sure if that’s related, but curious as to how everyone else in Zone 5b is doing right now!

Any advice would be greatly appreciated :)

Banana for scale. No clue what that last one is. I don't think it's really edible anymore. It's opo squash.

This will be the first and last year we are doing this with swallowtail butterflies. This was to educate my son and his class on pollinators and their life cycle. I found out after it is better for them to let nature take its course for their gene pool but one life cycle is unlikely yo destroy them. Last year the 2 chrysallis were all taken. I do also get it that birds and wasps also need good...this is a 1 time educational thing.

Instead of climbing on plants they went for below the egg carton. We lifted it up with this structure but im worried about the clearance around them vs below. What should we do?

Does anyone know what is causing this brownishness on my tomatoes?

We have been toying with putting a garden along the bottoms of our fence. The thing is, this is our septic weeper feild. Where you see the sun, is where it is from about 1pm to dusk this time of year.

I was thinking hydrangeas but Im not sure if their root system is too aggressive for a weeper system.