Author: Victoria
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You Asked Us – June 2026
Q. Is Angelica archangelica edible? Is it a perennial? Angelica archangelica or Garden Angelica is generally considered a non-aggressive biennial in home gardens. A biennial plant is a flowering plant that takes two years to complete its biological life cycle. In the first year, it grows roots, stems, and leaves (rosette), then goes dormant. In…
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You Asked Us – May 2026
Q. Is it possible to use red thyme as a groundcover? Red Creeping Thyme (Thymus serpyllum ‘Coccineus’) is a creeping dwarf evergreen shrub, growing to 10 centimetres (4 in) tall and native to Europe and North Africa. It has woody stems up to 10 cm long and a taproot and forms mat-like plants that root from the nodes of the…
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You Asked Us – April 2026
Q. Why did my two-year-old Dogwood tree not flower last year? Do I need to fertilize it? It would make a difference if the tree is actually two-years-old, or if you acquired it two yearsago and the age is unknown. Dogwoods can take one to five years to start flowering, perhapseven longer depending on your…
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You Asked Us – March 2026
Q. Last year my cabbage head cracked. Why? Cabbage is generally grown for their densely leaved heads and are mature when they are firm and solid to the touch. Cabbage prefers cool weather, full sun, and fertile, well-drained soil enriched with organic matter. Once planted, provide 1–2″ of deep, even watering per week throughout the…
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You Asked Us – February 2026
Q. What do I do with Dahlia Bulbs? Dahlias grow from tubers, not bulbs. These are modified stems that store the nutrients that the plant needs such as starches. They also store the energy that a plant needs to allow new growth after dormancy. The top sides of the tuber produce shoots that grow into…
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You Asked Us – January 2026
Q. How can I get rid of cyclamen that has grown into a shady area of my garden? The cyclamen that has been taking over some areas of oak woodlands in Seattle and Eugene, Oregon as well as gardens in our area is cyclamen hederifolium. Other cyclamens include c. chum and c. parviflorum. The District of…
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You Asked Us – December 2025
Q. How do I deal with aphids on my roses? Aphids are small, soft-bodied, rounded insects which may be black, pink, or pale green. They cluster on new growth on the underside of leaves, sucking plant sap causing wilted, discoloured, and stunted leaves. Aphids feed on the surface of leaves and are not enclosed or…
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You Asked Us – November 2025
Q. In addition to Lavender, what are some “shrub size” plants for a dry, sandy slope? There are a number of other shrub-sized plants that will do well on a dry, sandy slope. All of the following choices would be best planted in the fall to help with root growth. In addition, they all will…
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VMGA Community Projects
The VMGA’s Blenkinsop Community Agricultural Centre Project (presentation prepared by Jennifer Kolot)