>> Margaret Hantiuk
Choosing your trees
Do research and buy from reputable nurseries. Pick trees that suit your locale, your needs and taste and finally, your site. Consider dwarf, semi-dwarf or full size fruit trees. Look for specimens that are healthy and varieties that are disease-resistant. A good nursery will carry the best cultivars for this area. […]
Fernwood NRG to purchase 2009 Fernwood Rd. and 1310 Gladstone Ave. for mixed use development and affordable housing
Fernwood NRG has made an agreement to purchase 2009 Fernwood Road and 1310 Gladstone Avenue from the M’is Kow A Ao Development Society. The purchase closes November 1st, 2013. The M’akola Group of Societies will remain headquartered at […]
Seed saving improves quality, saves money and preserves genetic diversity
>> Margaret Hantiuk
Why save seeds?
Improve your plants and yields— develop new varieties
Preserve heritage strains and maintain genetic diversity
Create strains that do best in your garden considering the climate and soil
Which plants to save seeds from:
Select for certain characteristics: yield, colour, fragrance, disease resistance, size
Select for whole […]
>> Margaret Hantiuk
Notes from a workshop given by our local soil/fertilizer guru Dwight Pennell of Integrity Sales:
Introduce as much organic matter as possible: “feed soil to feed the plant” (if we feed the micro-organisms in the soil, plant roots absorb the soil nutrients better)
Bark mulch okay, but don’t use sawdust (it requires nitrogen to break […]
>> Margaret Hantiuk
Linda Gilkeson is a local treasure house of information for organic gardeners. As an entomologist and year round food gardener living on Saltspring Island, she has written some popular books that are excellent resources: West Coast Gardening: Natural Insect, Weed and Disease Control (just revised and updated), Backyard Bounty: The Complete Guide to […]
>> Margaret Hantiuk
Checking through past columns, I realized that we are starting the sixth year of the Village Vibe newspaper and my Garden Gleanings column. To celebrate, here is a list of local gardening resources:
Retail Stores
Art Knapp Plantland Victoria Garden Center: 5325 Cordova Bay Road, 250-658-1013
Borden Mercantile: 3960 Borden Street, 250-479-2084 (garden tools, […]
