ASKWIM.COM Q & As:
Q: I have an indoor Myrtle which is about 12 " tall. I have had this plant for almost two years now and it is starting to look like it's on its last straw. The leaves are drying up and while most are still on the branches, a good shake will drop quite a few leaves. I have kept it in indirect sunlight and with moist dirt. There is some new growth off the top branches, but there are just a few leaves. I don't see any mold or bugs on it and I'm not sure if the plant needs a larger pot, or if it needs the dirt to be replaced every so often, as I have not done so for over a year. Also, a few months ago, I trimmed the top off of the plant and am not sure if its decline was due to over trimming.
A: A Myrtle always suffers indoors over winter. They're not truly an indoor plant. Our dry homes over winter coupled with very low light levels makes it a tough one to have success with. Find a cool room to keep it in now until late May at which time I would suggest placing it outdoors for the summer. Trim whenever you want as this won't affect the plant at all. Bring the plant back indoors in fall and find a cooler room with a big window to keep it. You can keep it indoors with success over the summer months but for recuperation purposes, this year I would put it outside for the summer as they'll recuperate faster outside. Transplant it if and when you know that it is going to survive. Remove any dead branches and ensure that the plant doesn't go dry. One really bad drying out and the plant will almost be guaranteed to loose over half of its leaves.
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Q: In my back yard i have several big cedar trees, i have build a raised planter around the base of the trees and limbed the trees up 12 feet i would like some pland suggestions that i can put into the planter i guess something that like an acidic soil and shade to part shade ?
A: Good thinking on the acid loving plants as they would need to be. Cedars will root up into that soil and fill those boxes so it's going to be a challenge for plants, however using some native plants that naturally grow along cedars would be your best bet. Consider, Gaultheria, Sword Ferns, Salal, Vinca, Hosta, or Azaleas. All relatively hardy and easy to grow along cedars. You still may have to mulch them for the first few years with a couple inches of fresh top soil annually.
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Q: There are a lot of deer in our area and they eat a lot of the plants in people's yards. We want to plant a hedge and want to know what is the best type that deer wont eat.
A: This is a common problem in many parts of the Lower Mainland and most of Vancouver Island. The most commonly recommended hedge choice is Cupressocyparis leylandii or Leyland Cypress. Nurseries on the Island sell as much of them as we sell Emerald Cedars. Deer won't bother with them and they are a fast grower. Prune regularly, more if you want a formal hedge and less if you want an informal hedge. They prefer sun but will tolerate some shade. Allow for a lot of room using Leyland cypress.
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Q: Why do I have to plant more than one type of blueberry? I'm in a condo and don't have much space.
A: Most blueberries are self fertile however with cross pollination you will get much higher yields so its in your better interest to maximize your crop. Fortunately you can grow as little as 2 plants and blueberries dont take up much space. You can keep them topped at 3 if you choose. They are probably tied with strawberries as being the easiest fruit to grow!
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Q: There is green moss growing on my older flowering cherry tree. Will it hurt it and how do I get rid of it?
A: Commonly this is seen on older deciduous trees and the good news is that it is harmless. What you see is moss and lichens (gray) that have found a home on your cherry. There are 2 options for you to get rid of it. First, you could get a stiff brush and brush it off (if the tree is not too tall) or your second option is to spray with copper sulfate while the tree is dormant. Ive also seen people use a garden hose to blow off the moss. Another option is to just leave it be and think of it as adding character.
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Q: Here's my problem. I've had 3 apple trees in my yard for many years. They were already here when I bought the house so I don't know what type they are but they the last few years have dropped the fruit while it's still small. They never did that before. Is it because they are getting older?
A: Age is probably not an issue here as apples can keep producing for many years even for half a century. Your apple trees are what's called aborting their fruit. Dropping it before it's matured. There are a few possible causes. If the trees haven't been fertilized much (or at all) they could be suffering from a mineral deficiency. That is common for fruit trees of all types and a telltale sign is aborted fruit. Determining which of the many minerals they are short of is next to impossible so the recommendation is to apply a fruit tree food that contains some of each of the many of the minerals like zinc, manganese, boron, copper, calcium and sulphur. Applying every year is good practice at the very least. Another possible cause is insufficient pollination. That is becoming more and more common as honeybee populations dwindle. Fortunately you can purchase your very own orchard bees to combat that problem. They are called Mason orchard bees and can only be purchased in early spring each year from garden centres.
ORCHID MONTH
FEBRUARY IS ORCHID MONTH
Enjoy the month of passion and love with talks from our talented designer, Radina. Whether you are a beginner or avid gardener, Radina will teach you how to get the most out of your lovely and delicate orchids. Radina is a certified horticulturalist, owns her own landscaping company, a member of the Vancouver Orchid Society and a part time employee at Art Knapp Urban Garden.
Seminar Schedule:
Feb 5th, 2012 Introduction to Orchids 2:00pm to 3:00pm
Radina will discuss how to grow orchids for new gardeners who want to learn with a professional. She will explain the basics of proper care, watering and maintenance of orchids.
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LAWN CARE
Tender Love and Care for your Lawn
Here are some simple things to remember:
1. Keep off the lawn in the early spring until the ground has dried out, and firmed up enough to walk on.
2. Rake up leaves and other debris, as rotting vegetation can transfer leaf mold to your lawn. This can cause unsitely dead patches.
3. As our soil on the wet coast is pretty acidic, apply ime in early spring to neutralize some of that acid. Grass is not partial to acidic soil, so your lawn with love a bit of lime!
4. Aeration is recommended, and should be done every other year or so. More often in high traffic areas as soil compaction squeezes out air pockets and suffacates the root systems. Aerating allows oxygen to get to the roots and will reinvigorate a tired lawn. Remember, roots need air too!
So hop to it and give your lawn the tender love and care it needs to thrive!
LIGHT
LET THERE BE LIGHT!
When starting seeds indoors, most of our customers need that extra burst of light to keep them from growing spindly. We have the solution: SunBlaster Horticulture Lighting. SunBlaster lights come in a variety of sizes from a single bulb that fits a 100w lamp to a ballast that plugs right into an outlet in your home.
SunBlaster is dedicated to creating the most efficient and innovative technology so you get the biggest, healthiest plants faster. This year, this local company has created a light weight reflector. The reflector creates a crystal reflective layer that dramatically increases the amount of light to each plant.
GROW YOUR OWN
Want to find a low cost way to grow
your own herbs, veggies and flowers?
We have seed prices starting at only 99¢ per package!
Our seed are from Canadian companies such Westcoast Seeds, Pacific NorthWest Seeds, Nature's Garden and Mr. Fothergill's. Renee's Garden is an international seed company that also has great prices and products. Our selection has organic seeds, seeds for container gardening and kids varieties to fit any style of gardening.
Plus we carry various seed supplies from starter soils to windowsill greenhouses to peat pellets. We have everything to get your garden growing and get you one step closer to eating for less than if you bought it at the grocery store.
With the new bike lane, the City of Vancouver has now made Hornby Street one way only (from Beach Ave to Pacific St). Please visit us via Beach Ave, then north onto Hornby St. As Hornby St now only has one lane of parking, we wanted to mention that we do reimburse customers who park in the parking lot south of the store for up to 1 hour with any purchase. Please bring in half your receipt ticket to the cashier and receive a gift card to cover your parking.
