Check our out blog posts to learn gardening basics, the best plants for you, and how-tos.
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Fruit Trees & Bushes
Lawn Care
Pest Prevention
Pollinator Gardens
Pruning & Division
Tree Care
Winterizing
Fruit Tree Pollination Guide
Fruit trees can be divided into three categories when it comes to pollination. Self-Sterile, Self-Sterile Triploid, & Self Fertile. Self-Sterile These plants produce pollen themselves but require pollen from a different variety to produce fruit. Usually if you plant two compatible self fertile varieties near each other they will be able to pollinate each other, …
Persimmon Tree Care
A persimmon is the edible fruit of a number of species of trees in the genus Diospyros. Persimmons are generally light yellow orange to dark red orange in colour, and depending on the species, vary in size and may be…
Pear Tree Care
Pears are sweet tasting, and perhaps the easiest fruit tree to grow. Pears have far fewer problems with insect and plant diseases then most fruit trees. They just grow and produce year after year, with very little fuss or attention.…
Kiwi Vine Care
There are two main types of kiwi. Actinidia arguta (the hardy kiwi) and Actinidia deliciosa (the fuzzy kiwi). In general, both types require two plants,a male and a female, for pollination. Both plants produce flowers, but only the female will…
Gooseberry Care
An ideal fruit for the small garden – gooseberry bushes are easy to grow, produce a large amount of fruit for their size and will tolerate partial shade conditions. They are self-fertile, so one bush can be grown on its…
December Gardening Chores
December is a good month to put the final finishing touches to the year’s garden. Watering, dormant spraying, winter protection of tender plants and planting head the list of December garden projects.
November Gardening Chores
This month and throughout the next several months will be good times to transplant trees and shrubs, apply winter dormant sprays and begin fall and winter planting. November is the month to clean-up the garden and begin getting it ready for the…
October Gardening Chores
Planting, transplanting, watering, planting spring bulbs, and slug control head the list of October gardening projects. Fall is the time to begin getting the garden ready for winter, so what you can accomplish in the garden this month will definitely help cut…
September Gardening Chores
As fall approaches September is time to give some thought to getting the garden ready for the fall and winter months just ahead. As the cooler weather sets in, it will be an ideal time to begin getting plants ready for the…
August Gardening Chores
August is the month to enjoy the garden, but unfortunately if a few things are not done the garden will go to ruin in a matter of days, especially if the weather gets hot. Therefore, watering, grooming and weeding head the…
Lawn Maintenance
Follow this step by step guide to help create a healthy lawn. If you are experiencing specific issues please visit us in store and bring pictures for advice. Step OneLime – The best time to lime your lawn is in the spring. It helps neutralize acidic soil. Lime will sweeten up your soil and help keep your …
Plants Rarely Damaged by Slugs
These small pests can cause big damage in your garden. Maybe you’ve noticed holes in your leaves and fruits or entire seedlings have been eaten. Slugs often leave behind a slimy trail and jagged holes, so if this if what you’re experiencing, you might have slugs. This is a problem if you are growing new …
Plants Rarely Damaged by Deer
Have you ever been out in your garden and noticed half eaten leaves, ripped buds, or damaged tree trunks? You might be getting a visit from guest that’s wreaking havoc on your garden. Deer can do a ton of damage…
Plants That Attract Butterflies
Butterflies are an important part of our ecosystem, they are known as “bioindicators” that signal they heath our our environment. Many native plants rely on butterflies for pollination, some butterflies are considered specialist pollinators as some plants can only be pollinated by certain species. It’s important they we provide environments where butterflies can thrive. When …
Plants That Attract Hummingbirds
Hummingbirds are key pollinators in British Columbia, especially for native plants like salmonberries that can’t be pollinated by bees. Hummingbirds have a long beak that give them unique advantage to pollinate into deep tubular flowers. They also eat insects that…
Pruning Roses
Pruning is an important and necessary step in growing roses. Pruning keeps the plant healthy. It promotes new growth, removes dead, broken or diseased canes and trains roses to a desired shape. Pruning encourages flowering, either more blooms or larger blooms, and is essential to keep modern rose varieties blooming repeatedly all summer long. When …
Pruning Clematis Vines
The goal, when pruning clematis vines is to get the best display of flowers on the plant that you can. The type of pruning you do depends on when your plants flower. If you don’t know which kind you have…
Hosta Division
Most gardeners think of dividing hosta in the spring when gardening enthusiasm is at its highest. In practice, hosta can be divided at any point in the gardening year that the ground isn’t frozen, but there are times that are…
Dividing Perennials
A common maintenance chore in a perennial garden is that of dividing. There is no set rule as to when to divide perennials. Some may need division every 3-5 years, some 8-10 years and some would rather you not bother…
How to Plant a Tree
Think of the tree you just purchased as a lifetime investment. How well your tree, and investment, grows depends on the type of tree and location you select for planting, the care you provide when the tree is planted, and follow-up care the tree receives after planting. When to Plant Your Tree The ideal time …
Fruit Tree Pollination Guide
Fruit trees can be divided into three categories when it comes to pollination. Self-Sterile, Self-Sterile Triploid, & Self Fertile. Self-Sterile These plants produce pollen themselves but require pollen from a different variety to produce fruit. Usually if you plant two…
Persimmon Tree Care
A persimmon is the edible fruit of a number of species of trees in the genus Diospyros. Persimmons are generally light yellow orange to dark red orange in colour, and depending on the species, vary in size and may be…
Pear Tree Care
Pears are sweet tasting, and perhaps the easiest fruit tree to grow. Pears have far fewer problems with insect and plant diseases then most fruit trees. They just grow and produce year after year, with very little fuss or attention.…
Cherry Tree Care
Cherries come in a variety of colors, textures and flavors. Sweet cherries require a good deal of care to grow in most areas where the summer climate is relatively humid. They need careful attention in terms of regular spraying. There…
Winterizing Your Palm Tree
If you are growing your palm tree in pots you can easily grow them indoors over the winter months. Be sure to give them as much light as is possible inside your home and keep them a little on the dry side. If you do not have room for them inside of your house but …
Winterizing Your Canna Plant
Cannas are tuberous rooted perennials that are native to the tropics. There are dwarf varieties that grow about two feet tall, and tall varieties that grow 3-6 feet tall. Cannas are quite tender and you should dig and store the…
Winterizing Your Banana Tree
If you are growing your banana in pots you can easily grow them indoors over the winter months. Be sure to give them as much light as is possible inside your home and keep them a little on the dry…