Gardening Support

• Red Deer Public Library: https://rdpl.bibliocommons.com/
• Alberta Urban Garden:http://www.albertaurbangarden.ca/
• University of Saskatchewan: https://gardening.usask.ca/
• Gardens Canada: https://gardenscanada.ca/
• Canada’s Plant Hardiness Zones: http://planthardiness.gc.ca/?m=1
• Planting Charts: https://www.westcoastseeds.com/pages/regional-planting-charts

Gardening and Horticulture Organizations

• Rethink Red Deer: https://rethinkreddeer.ca/
• Red Deer Garden Club: facebook.com/groups/RedDeerGardenClub/  
• Seeds of Diversity: https://seeds.ca/
• Verge Permaculture: https://vergepermaculture.ca/
• Urban Farm Magazine: facebook.com/groups/Urban-Farm-Magazine
• Centre for Urban Agriculture: facebook.com/groups/CentreForUrbanAg
• Edmonton Horticultural Society: https://edmontonhort.com/
• Calgary Horticultural Society: https://www.calhort.org/
• Organic Alberta: https://organicalberta.org/
• Master Gardeners Association of Alberta: https://mgaab.org/

Food Organizations and Programs

• Farm to Cafeteria Canada: http://www.farmtocafeteriacanada.ca/
• Food Banks Alberta: 2 million Food banks are relying on you - Food Banks Canada
• Sustainable Food Edmonton: http://www.sustainablefoodedmonton.org/

Directory of Local Producers and Community Supported Agriculture

• Alberta Farm Fresh Producers Association: https://albertafarmfresh.com
• Alberta Open Farm Days: https://albertaopenfarmdays.ca
• Alberta Farmer’s Markets: http://agric.gov.ab.ca/app21/rtw/markets/markets_map.jsp
• Government of Alberta Explore Local Listing: https://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/explorelocal.nsf/listing

Starting A Community Garden

• Alberta Health Services: https://albertahealthservices.ca/

Growing Fruit

• Orchard People Fruit Tree Care Education: https://orchardpeople.com/
• U of S Fruit Program: https://research-groups.usask.ca/fruit/?utm_source=fruit&utm_medium=redirect&utm_campaign=2019-02-28

Soil and Plant Health

• University of Saskatchewan: https://gardening.usask.ca/articles-and-lists/articles-how-to/no-till-vegetable-gardening-for-home-gardens.php 
• Cover Crops: https://www.sare.org/resources/managing-cover-crops-profitably-3rd-edition/
• Weeds: https://reddeer.ca/weeds
• Naturescaping: https://reddeer.ca/city-services/environment-and-conservation/your-yard/naturescaping/
• Plants and mulch: https://reddeer.ca/plantandmulch
• Rain barrels: https://reddeer.ca/rainbarrel

*A word on WATER... The City of Red Deer will be providing supplemental water for gardeners at each of the four Garden Plot Program locations. To be clear, water will be filled at set intervals; once it is gone, it is gone until the next fill. This water provision is intended to be supplemental; gardeners will likely need to provide additional water. The City is leaning on gardeners to be respectful and conservative in using water so that everyone gets some. It is very important that gardeners add MULCH around plants to retain soil moisture. Leaving soil bare results in evaporation and poor moisture retention. Examples of mulch include dead leaves, dead grass, or straw.  

REMEMBER: City of Red Deer garden plots are pesticide-free (Parks & Public Facilities Bylaw 3255/2000). Conventional pesticides (including herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, and rodenticides) are prohibited. Certain ecologically sensitive pest control products may be considered at the discretion of The City of Red Deer Parks section. As an added measure of environmental protection, you are encouraged to only use organic fertilizers and soil amendments as opposed to synthetic or chemical ones. Organic materials such as manure, compost and bone meal help to build up the soil and promote a healthy soil ecosystem. Though synthetic or chemical fertilizers provide plants with quick food, they do nothing to sustain the soil. Furthermore, chemical runoff and ground seepage from gardens into adjacent natural areas and water bodies can negatively affect the health of those fragile ecosystems.