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Gardening Articles

The articles below the videos are contributed by our site sponsors and others interested in promoting Gardening in British Columbia. BC's unique growing climate allows for the growing of a diverse variety of plants, trees and vegetables. This is a resource to add your knowledge, success and satisfaction in your gardening. Try our search function to find everything related to your interests.

We are always interested in adding to our article archive. If you have some gardening related insights you would like share please contact us about becoming a contributor.

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This Month's Feature Articles

PRUNING FRUIT TREES

You really don't have to be an expert to prune fruit trees! All it takes is a little common sense and a few helpful hints. As a rule of thumb, I place fruit trees in three different pruning categories: the 'open centre', the 'central leader' and the 'espalier' form. Apples, pears and plums should have their centres opened up to allow more sun and air to penetrate. This technique is called 'open-vase' pruning, and it allows fruit to develop on the inside of the tree, on the tips and on the outward growing branches. For this type of pruning, simply choose to retain three to five dominate branches radiating out from the main stem. These branches should be five or six feet off the ground, allowing you to comfortably walk or work under the tree without hitting your head. Once you have determined which branches you are going to keep, cut out any other branches left in the centre, as well as any inward growing ones. Next, cut out all the upward growing branches, leaving the tree looking like a 'Y'. The remaining branches should be pruned back each year at two foot intervals, keeping this 'Y' formation intact.

A heavy pruning each year, unfortunately, results in a mass of water sprouts shooting out in all directions. To minimize this problem, once you have developed the tree's 'open-vase' shape, you should switch to a training program rather than a pruning program. Training simply means weighing down the branches with soil-filled plastic bags to encourage growth in a horizontal ... Read More Click Here

For the birds, the best ways to feed them

When it gets cold and snowy, many of us try to help our local birds by hanging a feeder somewhere in the yard and filling it with whatever bird seed we can find. It's a nice gesture, but if you are serious about attracting birds to your garden, there is a little more to it. Many fine books are available on the subject of attracting and feeding birds, and there is fairly reliable information on the internet. This information will give you a broader perspective on the value of having birds around your home and some of their special needs.

Cleanliness and consistency are Iwo of the most important, necessities of a feeding station. Mouldy, spoiled food can be dangerous to birds, and excess food spilled on the ground will attract rodents. Keep your feeders clean all year round, and only put out enough food to last a few days, then refill. It is also a good idea to rake the ground below the feeder, and clean up any spilled fo... Read More Click Here

We found 120 Articles - displaying page 1 of 5
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DateArticle TitleSource
Feb 2010  PRUNING FRUIT TREES  Minter Gardens 
Feb 2010  Feeding birds  Minter Gardens 
Jan 2010  Sustainability good for Mother Earth  Minter Gardens 
Jan 2010  Some special plants for winter gardens  Minter Gardens 
Dec 2009  Dormant Spraying  Minter Gardens 
Dec 2009  Christmas Cactus  Minter Gardens 
Dec 2009  Winter not so bleak with heathers  Minter Gardens 
Nov 2009  Give indoor plants attention they need  Minter Gardens 
Oct 2009  Mulch leaves help your lawn  newscanada.com 
Oct 2009  Pumpkins Gourds and Ornamental Corn  Minter Gardens 
Sep 2009  Dog Rocks keep your Lawn Green  Pet Pals Distributors - Canada Ltd 
Aug 2009  The Many Benefits of Engineered Compost Soils  Yardworks Supply Ltd. 
Aug 2009  Let your Garden Leaves enhance your Favorite Pictures  newscanada.com 
Aug 2009  How to Attract Birds to your Garden  Scotts Wild Bird Food 
Aug 2009  Sedums the true champions of late summer  Minter Gardens 
Aug 2009  Winter Vegetable Gardens  Minter Gardens 
Aug 2009  Refinancing to take advantage of the Home Renovation Tax Credit  newscanada.com 
Jul 2009  Back Yard Ponds add a vibrant new dimension to your garden  Minter Gardens 
Jul 2009  Enhance dinner with edible flowers  Minter Gardens 
Jun 2009  The Dramatic resurgence of cannas.  Minter Gardens 
May 2009  Tips on how to get the perfect lawn  newscanada.com 
May 2009  The Benefits of Using a Compost Bin  All Garden Planters 
May 2009  Why You Should Use Organic Potting Soils  All Garden Planters 
Apr 2009  Lawn care the natural way  newscanada.com 
Apr 2009  Dogwood varieties are very classy  Minter Gardens 
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