VMGA Speakers Bureau
Would you like to schedule a Victoria Master Gardener to speak to your gardening club or other group? Victoria Master Gardeners do presentations on a variety of gardening topics as part of their mission to share members’ knowledge, experience, and love of sustainable horticulture with the public.
To request a Victoria Master Gardener for your event please contact us at vmgacommunications@msvmga.org at least 6 weeks before your event date. Please include the following information in your e-mail.
- Event date
- The time you want the presenter to arrive (either virtual or in-person) plus the actual presentation start time.
- Event contact name, telephone number and e-mail address
- Event site and street address, city and zip code if requesting an in-person speaker.
- Number of anticipated guests/attendees
- The topic you would like to have presented. See options below.
Presentations typically range from 30 minutes to one hour.
Once a request is received, we will do our best to provide a speaker, however Victoria Master Gardeners are volunteers, and we cannot guarantee a Master Gardener will be available for your specific event date/time.
Speaker: Jennifer Kolot
How to Grow a Bumper Crop of Tomatoes
Learn how to choose tomato varieties, start them from seed, and transplant out, plus ongoing care tips, and potential pitfalls.
Keeping Calm and Gardening with Deer
The deer are everywhere! Learn how to deter them from your garden and what to plant that they won’t eat.
Speaker: Elaine Scott
Using Heathers in Your Garden
Elaine will provide you with a detailed overview on using heathers in your garden. This will include a description of the different types of hardy heathers that grow best on Vancouver Island, planting, pruning, general maintenance and how to include them in your overall garden design.
Incorporating Heather in the Rock Garden
Learn how to incorporate and care for heather in your rock garden.
Speaker: Fran Benton
All About Lichens
Learn what types of common lichens you might find in your garden, and how they differ from mosses and liverworts. Also explore historical uses such as food, medicine, magic, and dyes, as well as look at interesting places lichens grow around the world.
Speaker: Jo-Ann Matiachuk
Small But Mighty: Growing Edibles in Urban Gardens
There is no garden too small (or too big) to grow edibles! From containers to raised bed planters and beyond you can choose to grow veggies, fruit or berries and make your contribution to biodiversity, sustainability and food security. Be inspired to grow your own - or at least SOME of your own - delicious organic food!
Growing Container Citrus Outdoors in the Victoria Area:
Yes! It is possible to harvest your own lemons, limes and other citrus right on your own patio or in your own yard! This presentation introduces you to container citrus growing including pest management and trouble shooting. Learn about the best locations, container mixes and overwintering needs of the hardiest varieties and be inspired to grow your own!
My Grandma Has Worms!! Worm Farming for Fun and Fertilizer!
Keeping a small worm farm in your porch, shed, garage or even in a closet or kitchen is an easy and fascinating hobby. Worm farming recycles food waste and benefits your garden or container plants while entertaining your family and friends! Meet some Red Wigglers and see the stages of vermicompost. Learn about the secret life of worms and their role in soil health!