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Author: Vancouver

  • Growing Cucumbers Twice in Vancouver — Timing, Yield Cycles, and Early Establishment

    Growing Cucumbers Twice in Vancouver — Timing, Yield Cycles, and Early Establishment

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    Cucumbers are often treated as a single-season crop. In Vancouver, they don’t have to be. What follows is based on my own experience growing cucumbers in Vancouver over several seasons not controlled research. The goal is not to maximize production, but to stabilize yields across a short and variable growing season. Timing: Two Plantings, With…

  • The Inside Story

    The Inside Story

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    Heartwood, regardless of its romantic name, is dead wood. It’s that stuff we make two-by-fours out of.We age a tree by counting its annual growth rings in both sapwood and heartwood.

  • Colours As We Fall into Winter

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    Let’s look at just one of the ways we see nature: through its colours and nature’s progress through fall into winter.

  • Garden and Worm Bin Composting Workshop at Riley Park Community Garden 

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    The members’ workshop was very informative with hands-on demonstrations.  Angela, the Master Composter, gave a detailed explanation of the workings of the three bin system.  We played a fun picture trivia card game to determine what can, cannot or may not be appropriate for the compost bin.   Debbie explained the workings of a two…

  • 🌱Become a Vancouver Master Gardener

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    Vancouver
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    Join us! From hobby gardeners to garden designers and landscape professionals, our Master Gardener Training students receive science-based education with instructors from local universities and colleges, growers, ministry specialists, and experienced professionals.

  • Ancient and Well-Known Trees in Southwest Vancouver Island

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    Vancouver
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    The best laid plans of mice and men and women go awry. And so it was when I booked an AirBnB for me and my son Alun to stay so we could hike in Carmanah Walbran Provincial Park and also see Big Lonely Doug, the single Douglas-fir left to stand among a valley of very…

  • A Pruning Tale

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    Vancouver
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    Lots of tips and takeaways in this post. This winter’s crop of Vancouver Master Gardener sprouts was awarded an extra trellis: training in the form of a two-hour session on pruning with Laurelle Oldford-Down. Out we trekked to Art’s Nursery, armed with pruners, loppers, gloves and rain gear. Thank heavens for the rain gear: “when…

  • 🌱Ask a Vancouver Master Gardener

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    Vancouver
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    Email us: Send your questions to plantinfo@vancouvermastergardeners.org Or Call the Plant Information Line at 604-257-8662 The Plant Information Line operates year round. You may leave a message at any time and a Master Gardener will contact you. Vancouver Master Gardeners take questions on gardening, plant problems & indoor houseplant care. While we may not have…

  • Getting Down to Earth

    Getting Down to Earth

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    Vancouver
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    Growing plants organically is one of the basics of being a Master Gardener. I became part of the Master Gardeners Association of British Columbia (MGABC.org) in 2021 through training with the Vancouver Master Gardener (VMG) program; Covid-19 dictated it be online. A list of sprays that are approved for VMGs to use when plant pests get out…

  • 2024 Least-Toxic Pesticides List

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    Vancouver
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    Source: Linda Gilkeson This list of active ingredients provides examples of Canadian registered products as of 2023, but it is not a comprehensive list because products often change. Mention of a product does not constitute an endorsement. Most products listed below are for residential use and have DOMESTIC on the label. As noted, a few…