Well, 2019 is off and running! It will take time to clean up the remnants of the ‘storm of 2018’, though it seems never-ending.
How many trees do you suppose went down in Chemainus? And how many will be replaced? Let’s take it upon ourselves to do the town, the Municipality, the Island, B.C., Canada, and, yes the planet, a favour by planting one, two, three or more trees. It’s not asking much and the reward is a world for our children and grandchildren to enjoy.
The first big event of 2019 was that Super Blood Wolf Moon eclipse. How very fortunate to have clear skies and to be able to witness such an amazing phenomena.
Valentine’s Day and Family Day are just around the corner. Celebrate with flowers or plant a tree with the family.
Now is the time to plan your garden for the rest of the year. Enjoy.
We Dig – Do It Now Tips
• Start hoeing and pulling weeds to avoid overload later. The soggy ground makes it easier.
• Shrubs, roses and deciduous trees can be transplanted as soon as the soil is workable.
• Cut away any broken branches from winter storms as close to the main branch as possible.
• Create new rock gardens away from trees and shrubs.
• Prune back lateral and side branches of wisteria to within 2-3 buds.
• Bring dahlias into the warmth; divide and expose new shoots to daylight.
• Prune and fertilize fruit trees before blossom time. All pruning of trees and vines must be done before the sap runs.
• Sow hardy annual seeds, such as sweet peas, and California poppy where they are to bloom as soon as weather breaks.
• Plant broad beans and peas mid month and peas and radish late February.
• Plan to grow a new vegetable that you have never grown before. Dwarf varieties use less space and produce more food per square foot.
• Divide Pampas grass and red hot poker plants.
• Check stored bulbs, tubers and corms and discard any soft or diseased.
• Moss likes cold, wet, mild winters. Kill it now.
• Clean and sharpen tools.
• Turn compost.
Did you know…
…the flower of the month is the Violet? meaning modesty, virtue and faithfulness.
…eggplants and potatoes are part of the same family?
…tomatoes are the most popular fruit in the world?
…cauliflower and broccoli are the only veggies that are also flowers?
… pineapples are actually berries?
…fig flowers are carnivorous?…that they trap and digest the wasps that pollinate them?
Pick of the Month… Abeliophyllum distichum or white forsythia (because of its similarity)
A wonderful fragrant flower blooming in February and growing one metre tall, sporting small glossy leaves in the summer.
AND…
Why did the gardener quit? His celery wasn’t high enough.
Communities in Bloom meets next in March. Check out our blog at www.wedigchemainus.ca.