Growing Food
Grow your produce aisle with these resources on growing food in your garden.
Growing Vegetables, Herbs and Fruit
Gardening is a great way to spend time outside, get some exercise, and eat local food that YOU have grown. There is nothing like the taste of fresh basil, a juicy strawberry or the bite of a crunchy Manitoba cucumber in the middle of summer. We can also enjoy the harvest in the middle of winter with canned or frozen food, direct from your garden. Yum!
Vegetable Gardening Calendar
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January/February |
Start planning your garden; Purchase seeds as needed |
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March/April |
Start seeds indoors for crops requiring a longer growing season |
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May/June |
Prepare Garden; Plant seeds and seedlings according to instructions on seed packages |
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July/August |
Water as needed; Thin plants as needed; Replant/successive plant as planned; Stake plants that need it; Examine plants for disease or insect problem; Enjoy the food in the kitchen |
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September/October |
Enjoy, store and preserve harvest; Clean the garden; Prepare garden for next year; Plant any crop you want to over-winter |
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November/December |
Enjoy the harvest |
Vegetable Gardening - eBooks
The Praire Gardener's Go-To for Vegetables by Publication Date: 2020All the most common questions about growing vegetables in the prairies are answered in this first installation of the new gardening series, Guides for the Prairie Gardener. (Also in Print collection)
Grow Food for Free by Publication Date: 2020Huw's Grow Food for Free has the inspiration and practical advice you need to start, grow, love, propagate and harvest your own fruit and veg organically and at zero-cost. This is real sustainability! (Also in Print collection)
The Kitchen Herb Garden by Publication Date: 2019If you buy only one herb gardening book, this should be it. Creasy takes you from seeds to stove top, from preparing the soil to elegant dining suggestions, with easy-to-follow instructions and inspirational ideas every step of the way.
Small Space Vegetable Gardens by Publication Date: 2016This hardworking and enthusiastic guide will help you take advantage of the space you have—whether it's a balcony, a patio, a plot in a community garden, or even a small yard—to create the food garden of your dreams. (Also in Print collection)
Food to Grow; A Simple, No-Fail Guide to Growing Your Own Vegetables, Fruits, and Herbs by Publication Date: 2016Food to Grow includes a detailed A–Z index of over fifty of Canada's most popular home crops. Whether you have space for a few pots or a back forty, Frankie Flowers will help you make your dream of home-grown treats a fun and tasty reality. (Also in Print collection)
Square Foot Gardening with Kids by Publication Date: 2014Square Foot Gardening with Kids offers you the proven methods Mel has developed himself to entertain and amaze the kid in all of us. And, in the process, many valuable life lessons can be learned—such as the importance of following instructions and doing your chores, basic skills like counting and water conservation, and learning to appreciate the nature of food and why it is important to respect it. (Also in Print collection)
Grow All You Can Eat in 3 Square Feet; Inventive Ideas for Growing Food in a Small Space by Publication Date: 2015Whether you want to grow a full garden, grow tomatoes, grow an herb garden, or just pick up great tips for small gardens, this is the resource you need. (Also in Print collection)
Online Guidebooks and Manuals (PDF)
- Community Gardeners GuidebookA month to month guide covering the basics of gardening in Winnipeg. Created by the Winnipeg North End Food Security Network.
- Basic Gardening Manual ManitobaA basic gardening manual created by the government of Manitoba for Northern Manitoba.
- Fruit Crops for Northern ManitobaA Government of Manitoba guide to planting, growing and variety selection.
Great Beginnings - Sowing Indoor Seeds
Growing Food - Useful Links
- Winnipeg Community GardensThe City of Winnipeg rents community garden space for people who need the extra garden space.
- Planting Chart for ManitobaThis blog posting by Getty Stewart provides a detailed vegetable planting calendar.
- Vegetable Gardening for BeginnersThe Old Farmer's Almanac Vegetable Gardening Guide for Beginners will help you to plan and grow your tastiest vegetables ever.
- Seed Starting Chart from Sage GardensThis handy chart is specific to Winnipeg gardeners. Learn the best date to start a variety of seeds.
- River City MushroomsThe go-to place for information on growing your own mushrooms in Manitoba.
- Grow-A-Row Winnipeg HarvestFor those who love to garden, Grow-A-Row is an ideal way to share. Winnipeg Harvest redistributes your produce to nearly 64,000 people that need emergency food each month.
- Herb Society of ManitobaThe Herb Society of Manitoba is dedicated to promoting knowledge, use and enjoyment of herbs through education, programs, research and sharing the experience of its members with the community.
- Farmer's Almanac Gardening VideosDozens of videos with explanations on growing a variety of crops.
Print Books
The Little Gardener by Publication Date: 2020The Little Gardener is an engaging illustrated guide for parents, grandparents, caregivers, and educators who want to help children explore the natural world through gardening.
DIY Mushroom Cultivation by Publication Date: 2019Bring mushrooms into your life as you dive into the practice of home-scale mushroom cultivation. Beautiful full-color photos and step-by-step instructions accompany a foundation of mushroom biology and ecology to support a holistic understanding of the practice.
Fruit Trees for Every Garden by Publication Date: 2019You haven't truly experienced flavor until you've eaten fruit fresh out of hand in your own garden. You want perfectly crisp apples? Sweet, juicy pears? Or how about varieties that can never be found in the store? For more than 40 years, Orin Martin has taught thousands of students, apprentices, and home gardeners the art and craft of growing fruit trees organically.
The New Seed-Starters Handbook by Publication Date: 2018Starting plants from a seed grants earlier harvests, greater variety, healthier seedlings, lower costs, and the undeniable sense of satisfaction and reward. The robust encyclopedia section lists more than 200 plants--including vegetables and fruits, garden flowers, wildflowers, herbs, trees, and shrubs--with details on how to start each from seed.
Grow Fruit & Vegetables in Pots by Publication Date: 2020Expert planting advice for growing fruit and vegetables in pots from the acclaimed English garden - with 50 delicious recipes.
