Featured Homes
GROWING THINGS: Concern about chokecherry gashes from a truck
Q We have a six-year-old Schubert chokecherry that was damaged last month when a truck backed into it. The tree now has several small gashes where only the bark appears damaged. However, there is one large gash about 15 cm wide that seems to be ...
Ways to lighten heavy clay soil for a more productive garden
Q. How can I lighten my heavy clay soil and improve its drainage? A. For faster draining of excess moisture, and earlier warming in spring, raised beds are a help. Regular additions of organic matter like compost and aged ...
GROWING THINGS: How to set Christmas cactus buds
Q I have a hard time getting my Christmas cactus to rebloom. Do you have any tips? A Every year I get loads of questions on Christmas cactus but this year seems to have broken all records. Encouraging bud formation is ...
Caring for potted tomatoes in hot weather
Q. In the past two summers my potted greenhouse tomatoes grew and flowered well but set very little fruit. The greenhouse becomes over-heated in hot weather despite shade cloth, open vents and misting several times a day. I’ve also never been ...
GROWING THINGS: Saving Edmonton's prized elm trees
The grand trees lining many Edmonton’s streets are Dutch elms. With an estimate of 80,000 trees, we have one of, if not the largest concentration of healthy elms in the world, which is why Dutch elm disease (DED) is talked about. I’ve ...
Bigleaf hydrangeas: Best approach to winter pruning
Q. My hydrangea bushes are overgrown and badly in need of pruning. They are the kind with big mophead type flowers. I believe they are called “bigleaf” hydrangeas. When, and how, should they be pruned? A. Bigleaf hydrangeas (Hydrangea ...
Tips for planning and preparing vegetable gardens
Q. We are newcomers to coastal British Columbia, where we have been fortunate enough to have acquired a home with garden space for growing vegetables . How soon do you begin planning for different plantings, preparing plots and ...
GROWING THINGS: Flea beetles burrowing into potatoes
Q I am having a problem with my potato tubers. I hope you can help me identify what is causing the problem and what to do about it (I’m thinking ahead to next year). Something is tunneling into my Yukon Gold potato tubers to a depth ...
Guide to planning and budgeting for your home renovation
I get a lot of emails from homeowners asking for help to plan and budget for their home renovations. Two questions I get a lot are: How much should I budget for home maintenance, and what’s a reasonable amount for home renovations? These are loaded ...
Harvesting kale after a frost
Q. During a frosty period in my coastal garden the leaves on the kale plants froze. I wondered whether I should still pick them. What is your opinion? A. When normal light frosts that visit coastal gardens freeze kale leaves, wait ...