Warm weather on the way leads to gardening fever

By Tyler Penney

BELLEVILLE – With warmer weather in the forecast, some people are starting to get excited about getting back into their gardens.

Kingston resident Amelia DaSilva makes and maintains a large garden every year. DaSilva’s backyard features 65 square metres of garden space with several fruit trees scattered around the main planting area.

“I’ve been making this garden ever since I moved here to Kingston,” said DaSilva, who was born in Portugal and came here 47 years ago. “Even before I moved here, I’d always have some kind of garden in Portugal. Apart from cooking, gardening has always been a passion of mine.”

The greenery of DaSilva’s backyard can be seen throughout her west-end neighbourhood. Large beanstalks and apple trees tower over the fence. She grows kale, tomatoes, green beans, cucumbers, onions, carrots, apples, cherries and grapes.

“I end up giving a lot of (the vegetables and fruit) away because I can’t eat that much, but I do enjoy what I can eat,” she said.

DaSilva and her husband, Jose, maintain the garden from late March to mid-November if the weather co-operates.

“I remember one year I had some kale in my garden still until December because it was so warm,” said DaSilva. “I like my garden a lot, so the longer I get to take care of it, the happier I am.”

The forecast calls for mild weather to start on Saturday. DaSilva says she’s looking forward to starting her garden.

“Once the snow melts and the weather gets warmer, I get excited. I always tell myself that I won’t make the garden as big as I did the year before, but it always ends up being the same size.”

The DaSilvas’ two cats enjoy the garden as well.

“They’ll usually come outside with me when I go to water the garden, and (lie) there and sleep,” Amelia DaSilva said. “I’ve even caught them sleeping in the garden and eating the green beans a few times. It ends up being more enjoyable when they’re around.”

But even though the weather might be getting nicer, some aren’t as eager to start their garden.

Ilda Cabrel, a Kingston resident who occasionally attends Kingston Horticultural Society meetings, says it’s not all about the temperature.

“I don’t start my garden as soon as the weather gets warmer because it could get cold again,” said Cabrel. “I usually start my garden once the weather gets consistently warm. This way the soil is a bit softer and nothing dies.”