Why Hydrangeas Are Pink in Alberta, and How to Turn Them Blue
Alberta hydrangeas stay pink for two separate reasons that get lumped together: the province’s alkaline, calcium-rich soils lock up the aluminum that…
Gardening in Alberta
Everything we have worked out for Alberta: what to plant and when, which varieties finish in time, the pests that actually turn up here, and the jobs that pay off month by month. We also cover the rest of the property, from lawns and soil to home care and energy, because a garden rarely stops at the vegetable bed.
The numbers first, because everything else follows from them. Measured at the weather station in Calgary, the last spring freeze falls around May 21 and the first fall freeze falls around September 16, 1,171 growing degree days in the year.
That is little accumulated warmth: tomatoes need a tunnel or a greenhouse here, whatever the frost dates suggest. Garlic does well: 39.1 weeks below 40 °F, comfortably past the six it needs to form a proper head.
Elsewhere on the property in Alberta: the pests that turn up here.
Figures from Environment and Climate Change Canada. A state is not one climate: elevation, a large lake or the coast can move these dates by two weeks either way, so check your own county with the extension service before you spend money.
Rose Diseases in Alberta: What the Climate Here Actually Brings
Alberta’s roses face four recurring problems: powdery mildew from dry days and cool nights, blackspot after wet spells, cankers from winter injury, and…
When to Prune Hydrangeas in Alberta
The safest pruning window for most Alberta hydrangeas falls in early-to-mid spring, while the plant is still dormant and before new leaf buds swell…
When to Overseed a Lawn in Alberta
Overseed Alberta lawns in later summer, not fall. Work backward from the average first frost, September 16 at the Calgary Int’l A station, and count 45…
When to Dethatch a Lawn in Alberta
Most Alberta lawns don’t need dethatching, but if the thatch layer tops three-quarters of an inch, timing it around frost dates decides whether the grass recovers.
First and Last Frost Dates in Alberta
The best available public figures put Alberta’s average last spring frost at May 21 and its average first fall frost at September 16, based on one…
When to Pick Tomatoes in Alberta, and Ripening the Rest
Frost decides the harvest date in Alberta, not the calendar. With an average first fall frost of September 16 recorded at the Calgary Int’l A station…
When to Harvest Garlic in Alberta, and How to Cure It
Garlic in Alberta is usually ready to lift in mid-July through early August, planted the previous autumn and pulled once the lower leaves brown off while…
When to Pick Apples in Alberta, and How Long They Keep
In Alberta, apples come off the tree once background skin color shifts from green to yellow or the variety’s mature color, seeds turn brown, and fruit…
Does Insulation Keep a Home in Alberta Cool?
Insulation does help keep an Alberta home cooler, but the honest answer here is that summer barely enters the equation.