Wednesday, September 6, 2017

Our September Speaker! Casey Werfl "Planting for Successful Growth"

Our first meeting of the school year — doesn't September always feels like a new beginning? — is Thursday, September 14th. 

Our speaker is Casey Werfl, a head gardener at VanDusen Botanical Garden. 

His topic is "Planting For Successful Growth" and he'll tell us how to give plants the best possible start in your garden, and how to set them up for years of healthy growth. 

Casey will explore best practices to encourage strong root growth, help plants get through summer drought, and more.

We'll learn why it may not be optimal to overly enrich the soil prior to planting, how to wean plants off water, and the best time of year for specific plantings.

He'll also give us a great overview on how to plan your fall plantings, with specifics like perennial division and mulching, as well as which garden preparations are best done before winter arrives. 
 
Casey has worked in private and public gardens all over Vancouver and has over 15 years of experience in the industry. He holds a Horticulture Certificate from Capilano College and is a certified Journeyman Landscape Horticulturalist. He enjoys teaching foundational methods in an interactive workshop setting, aiming to inspire those who wish to enhance their knowledge and skills in the gardening world.




This should be a super evening — a good way to start off the fall season.


As usual, we will meet in the "LRC" — the Britannia Learning Resources Centre, which is under the VPL library. As you're walking west toward the library, veer left, walk alongside it, and you'll come to a ramp entry to the LRC on your right. We start at 7:00 and end before 9:00.


Bring your gardening questions and concerns ... and your ideas for topics or speakers for upcoming meetings.

We always have tea and goodies and a few door prizes. See you there!

Friday, September 1, 2017

Safers Japanese beetle traps

Susan Lockhart sent this message:


Attached is a photo of a Safers Japanese beetle trap.  We got the message from the Grandview Gardening club about watching out for Japanese beetle infestations.  These kits are regular $10 but the Rona store on Grandview Highway has lots and they are clearing them out at 50 cents each!  Can we get a message out to the gardening club?