Monday, August 16, 2010

Have you any 'seedy' characters in your garden?


"The love of gardening is a seed that once sown never dies." by Gertrude Jekyll

Are your flowers, herbs, or vegetables starting to go to seed?  Why not save those seeds to swap at next year's Powell River Seedy Saturday?  Mark March 12th, 2011 on your calendar for the big community seed exchange/sustainable garden fair at the Recreation Complex. 

To help you become a more informed seed saver, Wendy Devlin, PRGC member, will facilitate a hands-on seed saving workshop on her farm (6834 Smarge Avenue at the end of Taku Street in Wildwood) on Saturday, September 11th, 2010 from 2:30 - 4:30 pm. 

This workshop is sponsored by the Powell River Community Resource Center.  The cost of the workshop is by donation.  Everyone is welcome.  Please register by calling 604-485-0992. 

Information kindly provided by Marlaine Taylor


Monday, August 9, 2010

Powell River's Second Annual Edible Garden Tour

On Sunday, August 8th, 2010, many people from the Powell River area were treated to Powell River's Second Annual Edible Garden Tour!  What a great way to see how other people in our community are producing some of their own food. 

Garden #1:  Heinz Becker produces edible produce year-round in a beautiful, but challenging, garden built on rocks, with limited sunlight and visits from local wildlife! 








Garden #2  Will Langlands & Nicole Narbonne used a permaculture model when developing their lush 2500-square foot vegetable garden.  In addition, they raise chickens and bees, cultivate berries and planted a small orchard. 







Garden #3:  Doug Brown's (future home of Wildwood U-Pick) initial goal was to produce all the veggies and fruit that would meet his families needs for an entire year.  He also enjoys growing some of the more uncommon fruits, like the Tibetan Goji berry, and veggies. 






Garden #4  Jennifer Dodd created her first-year garden with the intent of providing enough produce for her family for the summer as well as for canning.  She is using the principles of square foot gardening and succession planting in a small space. 






Garden #5  Elaine Steiger's small garden is producing peas, lettuce, carrots, tomatoes, various brassicas, and pole beans.  Her new, large garden has potatoes, peas, bush and pole beans and a green manure crop started of oats and buckwheat. 






Garden #6  Rosie Fleury's garden produces a full season of greens, herbs, veggies, berries, mingled with many varieties of perennial and annual flowers for cut flower bouquets.  She uses the principles of square foot gardening, composting, and crop rotation to increase her harvest yields. 






Garden #7  Connie Thurber's main goal is to grow year-round greens and use space efficiently.  She uses rebar to 'grow up'.  Connie, working with other people, has created blackberry trails through her property.  What fun! 







Garden #8  The Seventh Day Adventist Shared Community Garden offers members of the community an opportunity to grow food.  In addition, the Sprouts program, run through Family Place, has been donated a significant space to grow food for their healthy snack initiative.  Participants help to plant, weed, and water and, in turn, receive a portion of the harvest. 
A small play area for children occupies a corner of the garden. 




Garden #9  The staff and volunteers at the Community Resource Centre's three-year-old demonstration garden organically produce a variety of veggies in raised beds.  There are compost and vermicompost bins and a new small greenhouse.  The Hen House, with its colourful occupants, is an interesting addition. 





Garden #10  Hana-Louise Braun is using lasagna gardening techniques, mulching, and cover crops, like buckwheat and clover, to build soil so that she can eat from her garden year-round.  She intends to save lots of seeds for herself and others. 





Such a pleasant way to spend a sunny August day.  I highly recommend everyone participate in Powell River's Third Annual Edible Garden Tour next year! 

The Edible Garden Tour is brought to you by the Powell River Food Security Project, which is funded by Vancouver Coastal Health. 
Welcome to the Powell River Garden Club Blog! 

The Powell River Garden Club originates in Powell River, on the northern Sunshine Coast of beautiful British Columbia, Canada, and we are fortunate to garden within Plant Hardiness Zone #8.  The Club, a member of the BC Council of Garden Clubs, was established in 1967. 

The Powell River Garden Club meets on the fourth Tuesday of the month, September through June inclusive, at the Powell River Seniors' Centre, corner of Cranberry Street and Manson Avenue, at 7:15 pm (doors open at 7:00 pm).  Visitors are welcome. 

Yearly membership dues for the Powell River Garden Club are $15.00.  We encourage all gardeners in the Powell River area to join us for the fun, educational and social aspects of the Club

Join us for...
  • Guest Speakers
  • Specialty Workshops
  • Gardening Demonstrations
  • Slideshows
  • Garden Tours
  • Seed Exchange
  • Annual Plant Sale
  • Outside Community Excursions
  • Community Activities
  • And more....
Contact us at powellrivergardenclub@gmail.com