For the love of gardening.
Max Johnston, 92, sits with tomatoes that he grew on his belcony at his home at Lakeland Long Term Care.
Cody Storm Cooper/North Star
PARRY SOUND - The residents at Lakeland Long Term Care, might be having more than their daily recommended vegetables this time of year thanks to one resident.
Max Johnston takes care of a garden in his home area, tending to flowers, tomatoes, green peppers, and cucumbers.
Johnston has always been a gardener, and at 92-years-old he has had lots of experience.
"I was always a gardener, and at home I always had a big garden," said Johnston. "A 70-foot garden, that was in Waubamik."
With one year already under his belt growing vegetables in his new home, he has set up five pots on the balcony, two with green peppers, two with tomatoes, and one with cucumbers.
Although cucumber season has come and gone, one of the home’s recreation coordinators, Hilary Harway said, "The cucumbers were quite lovely, they did really well."
The plant Johnston is most proud of is the seven-and-a-half-foot Super Fantastic Tomato plant that he grew.
"You never, never get a tomato plant to grow that tall, especially in a pot," he said.
He gardens because it makes him happy.
"I have always done it, and it is in my blood and I like doing that," said Johnston. "The way (the plants) grow, and I'm happy when they grow nice to suit me."
When it comes to sharing, Johnston is top of his class.
"(Residents) just pick them off when ever they want," he said. "I don't eat too many of them, I let the other people eat them. They eat a lot of them, what ever grows on here, they can have it. What ever they want."
With good daytime sun this summer, Johnston grew more than 50 vegetables.
"They seem to grow very well out here; a little better than some other places," he said.
Johnston, says he does not really have a secret to his gardening success.
"You would say it's the green thumb I guess," he said with a laugh.