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TuesdayApril14201511ByDALICARMICHAELOnemightthinkthatplanningforasum-mergardenshouldstartinearlyspringasthesnowbeginstorecedebutoneofYel-lowknifesmostprominentgreenthumbssaysotherwise.LoneSorensenanavidfarmerwhoteachescommunitiesaboutfoodsecurityandgar-deningtechniquesNorthof60throughhercompanyNorthernRootssharedsometipswithTheJournalforthoselookingtogrowtheirownfoodthisyear.IactuallystartmygardenplanninginJanuaryjustgoingthroughthegarden-ingcatalogueandorderingspecialseedsshesaid.SorensenneedstheextratimetoplansheoperatesthreegardensinYellowknifeassistsYellowknifeschoolswiththeirownprojectsandspendsthewarmermonthssharingherexpertisewithotherfarmers-to-beacrosstheNorthandSouthSlaveregionsoftheterritory.WhileheradvicecanbeappliedtomostregionsoftheNWTSorensencautionsthatthetimingcanvaryfromplacetoplace.Tobecomeareallygoodgardenerisalong-termprojectshesaid.Thisisnotfastfoodthisisslowfood.PlanaheadThekeytohavingasuccessfulgardenistostartpreparingearlySorensenadvises.NortherngardeninggurusharestopgrowingtipsStartplanningearlytogetthehealthiestcropSorensenItsimportanttogureoutwhichsupplieswillbeneededsothatanythingneedingtobeorderedwillarriveintimeforthegrow-ingseason.Thisisespeciallykeyinmoreremotecommunities.Sorensenalsowarnsagainsthaphazardlyplantingwithoutconsideringwhatkindofspacethereistoworkwithwhetheritbeinabackyardorcommunitygarden.Figureouthowmuchspaceyouhaveandgureoutagoodspotshesaid.Shedenesagoodspotasaplotoflandthatisopenandsunnywithoutinterferencefromnutrition-suckingtreeroots.StartseedlingsindoorsOnceaplanisinplaceandthereisenoughsunlightgardenerscangetgrowingindoors.StartingseedlingscanbedonenowandcanbedonewithlittlepalletsSorensensaid.Theydonthaveawholelotofnutri-entsinthemsoifyourestartingseedlingsinthosemakesuretheydontdryout-thatsreallykey.Alsogivethemafeedingeveryweekoratleastalightfeedingeverysec-ondwatering.FertilizingtheseedlingsdoesnthavetobeanextraexpenseSorensenstressed.Itseasytomakenutritiousconcoctionsathome.IllsavemywaterwhereIveboiledeggsbecauseithaslittlebitofnutrientsinitthataregoodfortheplantsshesaid.IalsohavealiquidseakelpandIputalittlebitofthatinmywateringcan.Imightalsomakealittlebitofcompostteainoneofthoseoldcoffeebodums-thereslotsoftricks.Finallyconsiderwhatplantswillneedthelongesttimetogrow.Sorensenrecommendsgivingseedlingsvetosixweeksofindoorgrowingbeforetransplantingthemoutside.AttheKalemiDeneSchoolinNdilowestartedsomesagesomeparsleyandmintafewweeksagoshesaid.Nowwerestartingotherplantsfortheoutdoorgardensuchascabbagescauliowerandbroccoli.WorkwithsoilfertilityandthelocalclimateWithoutnutritioussoilplantscannotgrow.TotestfertilitySorensenrecommendsusingaRapiTestkittheresultsarentper-fectbuttheycanhelpgaugewhatnutrientsareneeded.Oncethisiscompletecreatingsoiloutofcompostandrecycledpaperisaninexpensiveandeasywaytoboostnutrients.Thiscanbedonemonthsinadvanceofthegrowingseason.Youmightwanttoorderoryoumightwanttoseeifyoucangetaholdofwormcastingsoryoumightwanttobuysomebonemealsomebloodmealsomeorganicsoilamendmentsshesaid.Donotplantassumingthatyoursoilisfertilebecauseyoujustdontknow.Protectingplantsfromshiftingweatherpatternsthatoccurinspringtimeisequallyimportant.IuseNorthof60growingtechniqueswhereyouputoatingrowcoversoveryourplantsshesaid.Useawhitethinfabric-anacrylic-typefabric-overtopofwhereyouveplanted.Youcanalsoputsomehoops-makethemoutofwillowsticks-overtheplantsothatfabricdoesnotlierightovertheplant.Thisprotectsthemagainstcoldwindandsomefrost.GetoutsideSorensenusuallystartsheroutdoorplantinginmid-Maywhenshecandigatleastonefootintounfrozenground.Whilesheprefersoutdoorgardeningforless-hardyheat-lovingplantsliketoma-toescucumberspepperseggplantsandsomeherbssherecommendsgreenhousegrowingforbestresults.ThatisunlessgardenersareinthewarmerSouthSlaveregion.IvemanagedtoharvestmyrstsaladsoutofthegardenasearlyasMay12andmyrstpotatoesasearlyastherstweekofJulyshesaid.Thatsjustreallywork-ingwithnature.Formoretipsongardeningabovethe60thparallelheadtoSorensenswebsiteatwww.northern-roots.ca.ENVIRONMENTGARDENINGForthosegardeningNorthof60Sorensensuggestsusingoatingrowcoverssuchasthesetoprotectplantsfromcoldwindsandfrostespeciallyearlyinthegrowingseason.PhotoJean-PierreBazard-JpbazardCCLoneSorensensurroundedbythefruitsofherlabour-orratherveggies.Sorensenlikestoplantseedlingsearlylettingthemgrowindoorsforuptosixweeks.ThesearesomeofthesageparsleyandmintplantsshehasstartedwithstudentsatKlemDeneSchoolinNDilowhereshevolunteerswiththecommunitygarden.PhotoBrianKenziePhotographyPhotoLoneSorensen