Profile of Niki Jabbour

Biography

Niki Jabbour is a horticulturist and a writer from Halifax. She welcomes e-mail at nikijabbour@hotmail.com.

All articles of Niki Jabbour

• Perfect pumpkin tips
  We’re just a few days from Halloween and it’s time to start thinking about carving Jack O’Lantern’s for the big night. In our house, it’s a ...
• Five things to do with your fall leaves
  The heavy rain and gusty winds of last week knocked many of the leaves off the trees and onto our lawns. Before you rake, bag and deposit ...
• It’s gourd season!
  Our kitchen garden is the family’s playground. We follow the fuzzy bees, chase butterflies and moths and wander down the pathways, ...
• An autumn checklist
  With the cool days and crispy nights, it’s time to start putting the garden to bed for the winter. I love working outside in the brisk ...
• Favourite bulbs for spring
  October is just around the corner and with it comes the season for planting bulbs like tulips, daffodils and crocus. Although our current ...
• It’s seed saving season!
  Collecting and saving the seeds of your flowers, herbs and veggies is an easy way to preserve some of your favourites, as well as shave some ...
• Late summer is a great time to build your soil
  Dirt. Such a simple word, but the most essential ingredient in a successful garden. I discovered this for myself firsthand a few years ago when ...
• Top tomatoes
  Summer is the sweetest season for the tomato lover and although this has been a bit of a challenging year in our garden – endless slugs, deer ...
• Gifts from the sea
  One of Nova Scotia’s greatest gifts comes from the sea. No, I’m not talking about lobster, but the rich natural deposits of seaweed strewn all ...
• The dog days of summer
  Although the rush of spring planting is long gone, before you hit the hammock, take a good look at your garden and container plants. There are ...
• Vegetable harvest can last well into winter
  Many of us grew up with the type of vegetable garden that was planted in June, harvested in August and forgotten about until the next ...
• Garden thugs – the unwanted list
  Some plants should come with a warning label! Have you ever bought or been given a new plant, nestled it into your garden, only to have ...
• Thinking ahead - perennials for late summer interest
  I know that summer has only just begun – especially weather-wise – but this is a great time to start thinking of the late summer garden and ...
• Setting down roots
  Dan and Cathy Oulton have deep roots in the local greenhouse industry. Not only did they both grow up on family farms, but Cathy’s family also ...
• The summer vegetable garden
  Now that the sunshine and warm weather have finally arrived, my tomato and zucchini plants seem to double in size every day! Yet, even though ...
• Low maintenance perennials for summer
  After a long, wet spring, summer has finally arrived! And with the heat comes the season for low-maintenance, summer blooming perennials ...
• Japanese Maples
  Whenever I visit a garden centre, I always seem to gravitate towards the Japanese maples. These elegant trees offer a wide assortment of form, ...
• Homemade pest controls
  Over the years I’ve tried many recipes for homemade concoctions to repel a wide variety of garden pests – from deer to aphids to slugs to ants. ...
• Gardening with herbs
  There is something special about growing herbs. Not only are they delightfully fragrant and colourful, but they also attract ...
• Great grasses
  I am completely in love with ornamental grasses. Not only do they provide dramatic visual interest, but they’re also extremely low ...
• Thrillers, fillers and spillers – The key to a...
  Each spring I look forward to planting up the large containers on our patio. It’s always fun to experiment with different plant ...
• Black tomatoes – The dark side of the garden
  Tomato lovers are discovering a secret that heirloom gardeners have known for years. Black tomatoes are among the finest tasting tomatoes ...
• Dealing with Deer
  In my garden, I fight an annual war against the deer. Yet, I’m not alone, as deer are perhaps the most common complaint of Nova Scotia ...
• Garden fun for kids
  Gardening is a fun and easy way to teach children about the Earth. Cultivate their curiosity by encouraging them to help you in the garden, ...
• Grow your own
  For the third year in a row, growing your own vegetables is the biggest gardening trend in North America. This is due to a variety of factors ...