Saturday, December 23, 2017

Merry Christmas


credit Dimensions Needlecraft
Wishing Everyone A Merry Christmas And A Happy New Year

Monday, December 11, 2017

Herb Wreaths

Herb wreaths can be used to decorate your kitchen, keeping oft used herbs within reach as well as adding a pleasant aroma to the house. In Victorian times herbs associated with the Christmas story were added to seasonal wreaths and in many parts of the world the custom continues.





Monday, November 20, 2017

Wish List

Usually, at this time of year, we have a round up of books gardener's might like to find under the tree. This year, with the help of member's suggestions,  we have expanded to include other items. Please add your own ideas in the comments.


Wednesday, October 25, 2017

Things We Do-Garden Visit

On October 12th members were invited to Kelly and Ray's for a garden visit. They have recently purchased a property with an established garden. New to gardening in Powell River they were looking for advice on how to care for the established plants.

Tuesday, October 10, 2017

Manure Primer

Local farmers and animal keepers are cleaning out their barns at this time of year.  If you are thinking of using manure on your garden this Fall here are some resources you might find helpful.

Wednesday, August 16, 2017

Japanese Beetle

This notice came by email today from Gary Lewis, nursery owner in the lower mainland

Monday, July 31, 2017

Purple Hydrangeas

The blog recently received a very nice letter from Kathy, a gardener on Quadra Island. She has become interested in the purple mop head hydrangeas she sees in her area. Her question: Is the rich purple colour with large heads a particular variety?

Saturday, July 8, 2017

Vegetable Root Diseases from a talk by Linda Gilkeson

Vegetable Root Diseases:  Getting to the Root of the Problem
Presentation by Linda Gilkeson at
Vancouver Master Gardeners Spring Affair March 12, 2017
Notes by Shirley Cole and Sharon Shultz


  • Hard to diagnose e.g. Garlic root diseases

Friday, July 7, 2017

West Coast Seeds Fall and Winter Planting Chart



If you picked up the West Coast Seeds Fall & Winter Harvest Planting Chart at our last meeting, you may have noticed it is for South Central BC rather than the coast. The correct chart can be found on the West Coast Seeds website. Note that this was only a problem for the one page chart, not the Planting Guide booklet.


Have a look at this web page on the West Coast Seeds site. You can also download the spring/summer veggies, flowers, herbs, and cover crops charts.


 
 

Sunday, June 11, 2017

Flowers Needed

Many many thanks to Diana W, Laura J and Cathie R who have volunteered to do flowers for the PRISMA performance at Willingdon Beach on Wednesday June 14th.

Please look through your gardens and if you have any flowers you are willing to donate it would be very appreciated. The colour theme this year is red, white and black so any daisies or peonies or anything in those colours (or close to those colours) would be perfect.

Laura will be at the Safeway parking lot, 10am Wednesday morning (14th)  to collect your offerings. The baskets will be put together at Diana W's house starting at 11am. More helpers are always welcome.  Diana lives south of town which is why we are arranging flower pick up in town!   Please email me with questions or for directions to Diana's house: prgardenclub@shaw.ca 

Thank you.....

Marcie


Friday, May 12, 2017

Photos Wanted

The planning committee for our 50th anniversary has planned a lovely event but one thing is still missing....

Saturday, April 29, 2017

Wireworm Trap


At our meeting last week, Joan told us about a wireworm trap developed in PEI. This device, called Noronha Elaterid Light Trap (NELT) traps the click beetles. It is the click beetles' larvae that are the wireworms.
Source

Tuesday, April 18, 2017

Hummingbird Plants


Our Master Gardeners Sharon and Shirley were at the Vancouver Master Gardeners Spring Affair, March 12, 2017, in Burnaby BC. They would like to share the information they received in a number of the presentations. To start, we have a list of flowers that Ciscoe Morris recommends for attracting hummingbirds. If you are dreaming of gardening and sunny days, perhaps you can check out the local nurseries for some of these to add to your garden.






    Ribes sanguineum ‘King Edward VII’ - Flowering currant 
    Lamprocapnos spectabilis ‘Gold Heart’ - Bleeding heart 

Friday, April 7, 2017

Powell River Gardens Photography Competition



The Powell River Public Library is having a photography competition focused on local gardens. There are prizes for the winning photo and the top twelve submissions will be featured in a 2018 Calendar. The deadline is noon on Monday, June 5, 2017.
 

Thursday, April 6, 2017

Annual Plant Sale

Our annual Plant Sale is coming up. It is on Sunday, May 7th. 1-3 pm at the Cranberry Curling Club. Laura, our plant sale coordinator has a message for club members:




The Plant Sale is our only fundraiser, which pays for the hall rental as well as the amazing guest speakers (where does our committee find them!). I need to encourage each of you to donate plants for the sale. If each of our 160+ members gives 2 or 3 plants we will continue as we have in the past, with a healthy financial balance.


Saturday, April 1, 2017

Black Pussy Willow




Salix gracilistyla 'Melanostachys'

At our last meeting, we were invited to bring in a sample of a bloom, branch, or plant from our gardens. Michael brought a number of specimens blooming in her garden, including black pussy willow. She invited us to take a twig to propagate for our own gardens. There was a lot of interest in this uncommon shrub and she may bring more to the next meeting and also to the plant sale on Sunday, May 7, at the Cranberry Curling Club. Here’s some information about the black pussy willow.

Wednesday, March 29, 2017

Cooking With Herbs: Recipes

At our meeting this week, chef Lesley Stav gave a wonderful talk on culinary uses for herbs. Here are the recipes she described.

 How to Make Herb Infused Simple Syrups (Medium)

 

Saturday, March 18, 2017

Upcoming Invasive Species



Not good news, but there are some new invasive species that are slowly making their way to us. Rachelle McElroy from the Costal Invasive Species Committee mentioned them at our last meeting. If you see one of these, report it.


Poison hemlock (Conium maculatum) looks like a fern or like parsnips, carrots, and parsley. It is present on south Vancouver Island now. It can be found in poorly drained soils, especially near streams and ditches. You may also find it on roadsides and the edge of cultivated fields.
In ancient Greece, it was used to poison condemned prisoners. In 399 BC, Socrates was given it after being condemned to death for impiety and corrupting the young men of Athens.

Source: wikipedia.org


Wednesday, March 15, 2017

Seed: The Untold Story



Powell River Farmers' Agricultural Institute presents the movie Seed: The Untold Story this Sunday, March 19 at 1:30 p.m. at the Patricia Theatre.


Thursday, March 2, 2017

Invasive Species Alternatives




Invasive plants are non-native, have aggressive characteristics, and multiple reproduction options. And we have quite a few of them in Powell River. 

Saturday, February 11, 2017

To Do List for February

Oh my goodness, what a lot of snow! Warmer weather is just around the corner, however, and there are tasks to be done in the garden. 

Wednesday, January 25, 2017

Water Restrictions on Salt Spring Island




At our meeting this week, Shirley spoke about Fraser’s Thimble Farm on Salt Spring Island and the challenges they face due to water restrictions imposed there.





Fraser’s Thimble Farm is a mail order and retail nursery specializing in rare, unusual and native plants. An article in a local newspaper shows what they have done to conserve water over the years and the problems with permitting by the North Salt Spring Waterworks District. They have started a petition.