June 2024: Brampton Backyard Garden Club

Issue Two | June 2025

Backyard Garden Club

Welcome to the June 2025 issue of the City of Brampton’s Backyard Garden Club

e-newsletter!

In this issue, learn more about the early spring tasks of gardening and all about Rhubarb!

Have gardening questions? Email us.

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Get started on some key tasks this month!

June has arrived and it’s time to get your hands dirty with some warm-weather planting. Whether you’re growing tasty vegetables or colourful blooms, there is plenty to do this month to keep your garden thriving.

This is the perfect time to direct sow warm season crops like beans, corn, cucumbers, sweet potatoes and tomatoes. You can also continue planting annuals, perennials and vegetable plants.

Key June Gardening Tasks

Planting: Direct sow beans, corn, cucumbers, gourds, squash, pumpkins, southern peas and okra. Transplant sweet potatoes and finish planting tomatoes and peppers.

Transplanting: Plant seedlings of warm-season vegetables and flowers.

Maintaining: Weed regularly and apply mulch to new plantings to retain moisture and keep roots cool.

Watering: Ensure newly planted seedlings and transplants receive ample water, especially during hot or dry spells.

Controlling Pests: Monitor for pests and diseases, taking appropriate action if needed.

June is also a great time to feed your plants with compost or an all-purpose fertilizer. Give them the boost they need to grow strong and productive!

Happy gardening!

Contributed by Asna Black, Chinguacousy Garden Club

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We know you're itching to start planting, and we're right there with you! But before you dive headfirst into planting, let's make sure your garden is prepped and ready to flourish. Think of this as your garden's spring cleaning – a little effort now will pay off in a big way with a bountiful and beautiful season.

Rhubarb: A Tart Treat from the Garden!

Rhubarb is on of spring’s earliest garden delights, a hardy perennial vegetable that’s often treated like a fruit in the kitchen. With its striking red to pink stalks and famously tangy flavour, rhubarb adds a bold punch to all kinds of sweet creations.

With the leafy tops are toxic and should never be eaten, the edible stalks, called petioles, are culinary gold. When cooked with a touch of sugar, rhubarb transforms into a delicious tart base for pies, jams, sauces and even refreshing drinks.

Rhubarb at a Glance:

Appearance: Rhubarb stalks can range in color from deep red to light pink and pale green.

Taste: It has a distinctly sour and acidic taste.

Preparation: Rhubarb is almost always cooked with sugar to reduce its sourness.

Culinary uses: It's commonly used in jams, pies, crumbles, sauces and compotes.

Growing conditions: Rhubarb prefers cool temperatures and requires cold winters to thrive.

Contributed by Asna Black, Chinguacousy Garden Club

Support Those In Need In Our Community

If you are a present or past participant in the City of Brampton Backyard Garden Program, please mention that you are donating from the City's backyard garden program when dropping off produce at one of the food banks listed below.

Regeneration

253 Queen Street East (use south entrance marked as Regeneration Marketplace)

Hours of operation: Monday - Friday, 9 am - 3 pm

Knights Table

287 Glidden Road, Unit 4 (use back door)

Hours of operation: Monday - Sunday, 11 am - 6 pm

NOTE: please separate produce by type

Lifting the Fallen Church/Iglesia Pentecostal Levantando Al Caido

171 Advance Boulevard, Unit 14-15

Hours of operation: Friday, 10 am - 4 pm | Saturday, 5 - 8 pm | Sunday, 3 - 7 pm | Monday-Thursday by appointment only, call 905.499.0777

Heart Lake United Church's Community Cupboard

85 Sandalwood Parkway East

Hours of operation: Wednesday, 6:30 - 7:30 pm by appointment only, call 905.846.4519