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Nursery News /
Spring 2020
Open Daily 9:00 - 5:00
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'Tete-a-Tete' daffodils
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Spring has Sprung!
I'm sure every gardener would agree that the most wonderful time of the year is the start of the gardening season!
As the days lengthen and the soil starts to warm, we eagerly anticipate the return of life to our gardens. Here at the nursery we're gearing up for a busy spring with new shipments arriving almost daily. We're very excited to see all the familiar faces again and to welcome the many new customers who seem to find us every year.
Come visit soon and let us help you to have the best year ever in your garden.
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Roses - We Just Can't Get Enough
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'Golden Celebra
tion' rose
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It's bare root rose season! We still have quite a
large selection of bare root roses
to choose from, but they're a hot item so don't wait too long. We have floribundas, grandifloras, Hybrid Teas, climbers, Flower Carpet and David Austin roses to choose from. Find more information
here
on the different types of roses.
Unsure what bare root means?
Bare root roses are field grown and dug up in the late winter/early spring by the grower. The roots are washed clean of soil and the plants are prepped for sale. Once we receive our shipment in February, we rehydrate the roots and prune the plants to encourage strong new growth. They are kept in sawdust at the nursery to prevent them from drying out.
Bare root roses have several advantages over potted roses:
- The hole you dig doesn't have to be as large as for a potted rose.
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The plants have longer to establish their roots before the hot summer weather
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They typically cost less.
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And finally, you get to watch it develop from a bare "stick" into a beautiful flowering shrub!
You can find our planting guide for bare root roses
here
.
If you still feel a bit daunted, or would rather choose your rose once it's flowering, we will have lots of potted roses to choose from in May.
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Gentle and Lovable Spring Pollinators
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Bee on an apple blossom
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Mason Bees and houses are available now. Please note: supply is limited!
Make sure your fruit trees get pollinated and help these friendly bees stay robust.
Our wooden bee condos are made here at the nursery, and provide the best environment for Mason Bees to complete their life cycle.
Bees should be released when the weather warms and buds swell, usually mid to late March.
See our website for a plethora of information on these useful little bees.
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Take Your Garden to New Heights
Hasegawa Tripod Ladders are a
quality addition to any garden
. Whether you have fruit trees, a hedge or other tall plants that require regular maintenance, you will appreciate what these ladders have to offer.
The Hasegawa ladders are welded by hand, with no screws. The overall design (wide base, deep steps, broad clawed feet, extendable back leg and flat top) make them safe and easy to use. They are extremely light weight and come in two styles: original and platform.
We have both styles in stock and most sizes.
Interested to learn more about these high-quality ladders? Check out this informative YouTube
video
.
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Soil: Not Just Dirt!
Ever get overwhelmed at the variety of soils available? Or perhaps you just grab the first bag you come across!
Soil is one of the most critical components of a plant's environment and soil composition can contribute to the success (or failure!) of a new planting. Soil not only anchors plants to the ground, but also provides them with water, air, minerals and nutrients plus it's home to the many beneficial microorganisms which help support the plant in its growth.
Everyone knows that
local is best
and we're
proud to source
our
soils from Cinnabar Valley Farms
, a family owned business located just south of Nanaimo. They have been producing and selling soils since the 70's, and their recipes call for ingredients such as chicken and steer manure from local farmers, peat sustainably harvested from their own bog and compost produced directly on their farm. They are emphatic about not using municipal compost which can contain plastics and other contaminants.
We offer a variety of their
top-quality mixes for everything from creating garden beds, to filling containers, to top dressing lawns, to growing organic veggies
.
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Grow your Own this Year
No one cheerfully pays $6.99 for a plastic wrapped cauliflower flown in from afar. All those flimsy plastic bags in which we pack any number of fruits and vegetables? So bad for the environment! And don't even get me started on stickers ... the bane of shoppers and organic gardeners everywhere!!
Do you want a way to avoid these plagues of modern life? The solution is within your grasp! Grow your own produce. Why? It can be less expensive, involve far less plastics, and you won't ever see a single sticker again!
Starting fruits and vegetables from seed can be extremely rewarding. From sighting the first sprout of green to harvesting delicious and healthy ingredients to compose your supper, being involved in food production gives a rare sense of power and well-being. Seed starters have a hand in creating life and, through cultivating and consuming the food they grow, can also be confident that they know where their food came from, how it was grown, and that it is nourishing.
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| Garland propagator and tray |
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We carry West Coast Seeds, Salt Spring Seeds, and Pacific North West Seeds. These companies specialize in seeds that thrive in our climate. We also carry the seed starting supplies you need to get you growing whatever your circumstances. Do you only have a sunny window sill? Try our sill-sized seed starter trays. A north-facing condo that is cool with low light? Perhaps a Growlight Garden light set and heating mat will be just the items you need to start some herbs and vegetables this spring.
Choosing the right seeds to grow well in your particular light and soil conditions is important too. Our staff are happy to help you choose wisely. Perhaps you'd like to sow your seeds in plantable pots that decompose as the summer progresses, such as our pots/pods made of coconut coir that can be directly set in the soil. Not quite ready to take on seeding everything yourself? Try planting raspberry canes, herbs, strawberries, potatoes, onion sets and/or vegetable starts.
Whether you have a greenhouse, raised bed, backyard, an acre or two, a windowsill or something in between, we can assist you to find a way to grow your own. Once started, in addition to eating the best tasting produce ever (once you have homegrown lettuce, you'll never want store bought again) you'll also be contributing to the reduction of greenhouse gases (your cauliflower will no longer require jet fuel for delivery!), you'll reduce plastics in the landfill (only a bowl will be needed to harvest), and you'll dispense with stickers altogether! And that's a good thing. Enjoy!
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Classes & Workshops
And finally, here's our list of upcoming workshops and classes. Space is limited so please register early! You can
email us or phone us at 250-656-0384 to book a spot.
***Make sure to leave both your name and phone number when registering.
Greenhouse Gardening -
with Brian Russell & Faye Ford
Learn how to make the best use of a greenhouse in all four seasons. With informative pictures and detailed tips on growing, Brian and Faye will take you through a year in the greenhouse, right from seeding to harvest. Greenhouse growing differs in several important ways from outdoor growing; this class will enable you to grow with confidence in a glass house.
Cost: $20 + GST
Two sessions offered:
Saturday, March 28 10:00 am
Saturday, March 28 1:00 pm
Tool Sharpening Workshop
- with Brian Russell
In this hands-on workshop you will learn how to take apart, clean and sharpen your hand pruners and other pruning tools, as well as how to sharpen spades & shovels. Bring 1 or 2 tools you would like to work on.
Cost: $20 + GST
Two sessions offered:
Sunday, April 5th at 10:00 am
Sunday, April 5th at 1:00 pm
Beneficial Insects Workshop
- with David Spencer from Applied Bionomics
This class and hands-on workshop will dive into the world of beneficial insects. David Spencer from Applied Bionomics will teach you about the different beneficial insects we carry and how to use them to control pests in the garden. He will also demonstrate how to apply them to ensure their success in your garden and/or greenhouse.
Cost: Free of charge
Date: Saturday, April 4th at 10:00 am
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Gardening Questions?
When we started thinking about what to offer this year in the way of classes, workshops and newsletter content we thought who better to help us figure this out than you, our customers.
What garden-related topics are you interested to learn more about?
Please send us a short email (with a subject line GARDEN TOPIC) with your gardening question or garden-related topic that you are keen to learn more about.
We will see where the focus is and figure out the best way to address your questions and topics.
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