What Eats Carrot in Alberta, and When
Two insects show up on Alberta carrot foliage with any regularity: grasshoppers and thrips, according to the Montana State University Extension Urban IPM…
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.
What Eats Beet in Alberta, and When
The short answer: in this region, only two of the five insects tracked locally actually feed on beet, and their timing follows the frost-free window…
What Eats Asparagus in Alberta, and When
Two insects do most of the feeding damage reported on asparagus in Alberta gardens: grasshoppers and thrips.
What Eats Pepper in Alberta, and When
Only three insects on Alberta’s documented pest list actually feed on pepper plants: thrips, grasshoppers, and brown marmorated stink bug.
How Much Insulation Does a Home in Alberta Need?
Alberta’s official reference point sits in NRCan climate zone 6, based on the Calgary International Airport weather station, which logs about 4,979…
What Eats Garlic in Alberta, and When
The insects that actually feed on garlic in this province are thrips and grasshoppers, and they show up on different schedules tied to warm spells and…
When Can You Turn the Heat Off in Alberta?
In Alberta, there’s no month when the furnace can be walked away from for good.
Will Sweet Corn Ripen in Alberta?
Sweet corn can ripen in Alberta, but only if you pick a fast variety and treat the calendar as tight, not generous.
When to Sow Sweet Corn in Alberta
Sweet corn in Alberta needs two green lights, not one: soil warm enough to germinate, and enough frost-free days left to finish.
Will Alberta Soil Hold an Asparagus Bed for Fifteen Years?
Yes, mostly. Alberta’s most common soil, a Chernozem, drains well by nature, and drainage is the only condition asparagus actually asks for over a…