Seedy Saturday: preparing for gardening season in Saskatchewan

The 21st annual Seedy Saturday in Saskatoon saw over a thousand people out purchasing seeds and getting their green thumbs ready for another gardening season.

Yvonne Hanson of CHEP Good Food Inc. explained gardening can be enjoyed by all ages in Saskatchewan.

“A lot of folks are pretty interested in spring coming,” she said. “The potential of gardens and getting fingers back into dirt and planting.”

Hanson pointed to Saskatchewan’s long history of growing food.

“I think living in a city means sometimes we’re a little bit further away from nature,” she said. “We can grow our own food. We can feel really proud of what we’ve grown and feel connected to nature at the same time.”

Kristen Raney is the writer behind the Saskatoon-based gardening blog Shifting Roots. She said despite the short 90 to 100 days of outdoor growing, Saskatchewan can have a very successful growing season.

“I like gardening as you can feel connected with the earth,” she said. “I like to grow my own vegetables and put a little dent in the grocery budget.”

Although there is still snow on the ground, Raney said it’s time to start planning for the growing season beginning indoors at home.

“About two weeks is when most of the seeds that you need to start should get going,” she explained. “If you want to grow peppers, artichokes and some flowers, you want to check the back of your seed packets as this is the ideal time to start those.”

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Raney said most seeds can be started indoors this time of year using a south-facing window or a simple grow light before moving them outside for planting in the spring.

“If you’re in this area, the May long weekend is generally when it’s considered safe to plant most of your vegetables,” she said. “Wait two more weeks before you put out your tomatoes, eggplants and peppers — anything that loves the heat a little bit more.”