Historic and heritage gardening in an urban setting

As of this writing, there is still snow in Quebec. Anyway, in my backyard. But that's no reason not to think about the beautiful gardening days that await us in a few weeks. And, in order to prepare well, you have to think about sowing. I wanted to combine urban vegetable garden and heritage this year by testing three different species. At the beginning of April, I sowed one species of peas and two species of herbs.

What do we mean by heirloom seeds? In fact, heirloom seeds are simply seeds that have not undergone any crossing or hybridization. This does not necessarily mean that these seeds date from 400 years ago. When we know that approximately 90% of the seeds cultivated at the beginning of the 20th century in Canada have now disappeared, we can think that it will be difficult to find some to try the experiment. There are, however, several organizations working to save Canada's heirloom and rare seeds. Most do not sell online, but rather participate in seed exchanges.

On the other hand, for the good of this article, I chose so-called heritage seeds, but accessible to anyone who would like to try the experience at home. In fact, I simply bought my pouches at a hardware store near my house.

bigleaf sage

Sage is an aromatic herb frequently used in cooking, especially when cooking meats. It is also a First Nations sacred herb. It is mainly used during fumigations, but also has medicinal properties. In herbal tea, sage is effective against rheumatism problems, intestinal problems, loss of energy, lung problems and poor circulation.

Sowing can be done directly outdoors when the weather permits, but I did sowing indoors so that I could sow them earlier, on April 5th. Sage attracts bees and scares away pests. When the plant is in flower, you can pick the leaves.

Here is my sage plant on April 24.

Credit: Sandra lacroix

Peas

Peas have been grown in Canada for hundreds of years. They are easy to grow and there are a variety of varieties. Those chosen for this post are the Little Marvel . They are resistant and made for our somewhat more northern conditions. Like sage, peas can be planted directly outdoors when the weather permits, and you can plant them every two weeks throughout the summer for a consistent harvest. Peas are climbing plants, you can let them climb near a wall, or get a trellis that you put near the pot and the pea plants will weave their way through it.

It is also the perfect variety to plant with children. They germinate in a few days and grow very quickly.

Credit: Sandra lacroix

Parsley

My last seedlings were Champion Most Curled parsley. A popular herb that's easy to grow and store, parsley is versatile in the kitchen. It can be dried or frozen so that you always have some for your cooking. Unlike peas, parsley does not grow very quickly. In addition, I advise you to plant several seeds in the same pot in order to have a bigger plant and to be able to harvest in greater quantity.

What is interesting with parsley is that it can be harvested at any time. The plants do not bolt and the grass does not become bitter over time.

Credit: Sandra lacroix

These three species do not require large spaces. You can sow them directly in good size pots and leave them on your balcony. By making sure they get plenty of sun and that you water them frequently, you'll be sure to have a great harvest at the end of summer.

Happy gardening!

Cover: Sandra Lacroix

Reviewed by: Maud Duchesne