Articles

WHAT'S THAT WEED? SERIES

HOW TO IDENTIFY?    

HOW DO THEY GROW?

WHAT'S THAT WEED? SERIES

WHAT DO THEY LOOK LIKE?   

WHAT'S THAT WEED? SERIES

HOW TO IDENTIFY?   

SOIL HEALTH SERIES

Soil is a finite resource - here are a few things you can do to conserve our soil

Feed your soil with organic matter

SOIL HEALTH SERIES

In a spoonful of garden soil there are BILLIONS of different living organisms – INDUSTRIOUS ORGANISMS that make your soil a better place for plants to grow.

SOIL HEALTH SERIES

Nutrients reach the soil in many different ways: from decomposed animal waste and dead plants, the atmosphere, weathering of rocks, and bacteria conversions.

To complete their life cycle, plants need ESSENTIAL NUTRIENTS, each in varying degrees.

SOIL HEALTH SERIES

SOIL HEALTH SERIES

WHAT IS SOIL pH? It’s a measure of the ACIDITY or ALKALINITY (hydrogen ion concentration) of the soil. It’s largely determined by the rocks and minerals, and the weather that occurred when the soils were created over thousands of years!

Soil pH is IMPORTANT! It determines the availability of soluble plant nutrients and the microbial activity of the soil.      

SOIL HEALTH SERIES

The layers of soil underfoot have developed over eras of glaciation, erosion, flooding and a thousand other circumstances. You’ve likely heard a lot about topsoil and bedrock, but what about the layers in between?  

SOIL HEALTH SERIES

SOIL HEALTH SERIES

Estimate the texture of your soil with a SIMPLE HOME TEST!

SOIL HEALTH SERIES

SOIL HEALTH SERIES

To the naked eye, SOIL and DIRT look virtually the same. But in reality, the two are vastly different!

URBAN TREES SERIES

Trees are an excellent addition to a landscape, but not all trees are created equal. Matching a tree to a suitable site and climate is beneficial for both the tree and the homeowner, but knowing what tree to choose, and where to plant it, can be challenging. This 12-week series will help you plant the RIGHT TREE IN THE RIGHT PLACE!

Posters of the following 'Urban Trees' series are included as .pdf documents at the bottom of this page.

THOMPSON SHUSWAP MASTER GARDENERS (TSMG)

This three-year community project represents an important collaboration between citizen scientists of the Thompson-Shuswap Master Gardeners, the general public, Thompson Rivers University, and Big Little Science.

The project provided important data regarding the abundance of pollinators in the Kamloops area during the summers of 2017- 2019. It was initiated by the Master Gardeners because of the lack of information surrounding native bee abundance and diversity here.

General comments about deer-resistant plants:

THIS REGIONAL GUIDE IS JUST ONE in a series of plant selection tools designed to provide you with information on how to plant local native plants for pollinators. Each of us can have a positive impact by providing the essential habitat requirements for pollinators including food, water, shelter, and enough space to raise their young.

https://pollinatorpartnership.ca/assets/generalFiles/Thompson_Okanagan.Plateau.2019.pdf

SOIL HEALTH SERIES

SOIL – We walk on it; we grow things in it. But do we really understand and appreciate the magnificent living ecosystem below our feet? Healthy soil is essential to all life and over the next 12 weeks we will explore soil’s many hidden secrets!

Posters of the following soil topics are included as .pdf documents at the bottom of this page.

WHAT'S THAT WEED? SERIES

The Miriam Webster dictionary defines a weed as “a plant that is not valued where it is growing and is usually of vigorous growth, especially: one that tends to overgrow or choke out more desirable plants.”

As is the case with countless other subject areas, beauty is always in the eye of the beholder. What’s undesirable for a gardener may be desirable for a pollinator or a herbalist.

MYTH BUSTERS SERIES

IN THIS SERIES the Thompson Shuswap Master Gardeners will break down commonly held gardening myths and uncover the truth behind them.

These posts will debunk prolific gardening myths and will include alternative environmentally responsible gardening methods based on research by Dr. Linda Chalker-Scott, Robert Pavlis, and various University Extensions.

Posters of these commonly held gardening myths are included as .pdf documents at the bottom of this page.

MYTHS:

An informative brochure detailing what to grow to attract pollinators to your garden.  Learn which plants attract honey bees, native bumblebees, native solitary bees and other beneficial insects.

Brochure:  Gardening for Pollinators

More information on pollinators and beneficial insects:  http://www.pollinationcanada.ca/index.php?n=pc_profiles

This brochure focuses on the most common bees that observers might see in their gardens or on hiking trails.
Brochure:  Common Bees of the Southern Interior, 2nd edition

Have a Gardening Question? ASK A MASTER GARDENER! 

Are you curious about vegetable gardening? Puzzled about what flowers to grow? Wondering what is the best way to get rid of those yucky worms in your cherries?  “Lettuce” help you answer your gardening questions.

FRIEND or FOE SERIES

INSECTS ARE EVERYWHERE and they are the most diverse creatures in the world! It’s impossible to keep them out of our gardens, but that's not necessarily a bad thing because a wide variety of insect life promotes biodiversity!

The TSMG's are pleased to bring you the 'FRIEND OR FOE' series!  We will look at a common garden insect to determine whether it is a Friend or Foe (or both)!

Posters of the following 'Friend or Foe' are included as .pdf documents at the bottom of this page.