Maple Community Garden

Located on West 6th Avenue in Kitsilano between Maple Street and Cypress Street.

Contact: info@maplecommunitygarden.ca

See below a map of the sections of the garden; all sizes and placements are approximate and are provided as indications only:

Photo:  Bruce Marlin   http://www.cirrusimage.com/

Here is a link to an excellent article about the invasive Japanese Beetle, provided by metrovanccouver in collaboration with the UBC Botanical Gardens.

http://www.growgreenguide.ca/resources/news/details/10?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=Japanese%20Beetle&utm_campaign=Garden%20enews%202018%2008%2031

Here is a link to a Vancouver Sun article about the Japanese beetle: 5 Thing to know about the Japanese beetle.

Here is a second link about the beetle from the BC Landscape & Nursery Association: Urgent Notice

Mason Bee Hotel to be installed in the Children’s Garden

The hotels were made by the Grade 8 design students of St. John’s School.
Come out and ask the students any questions you might have and join in the celebration. A big thank you goes to Krista for setting this up for the garden.

1) This is the time of year to start thinking about bulbs for spring if you wish.  Choose healthy, firm bulbs and store in a cool, dry place [then plant according to the directions for each type of bulb] over the next couple months. Adding a small amount of bone meal in each hole when planting will help establish the root system and promote flowering.  Here are planting levels, heights and bloom times for common bulbs:

2) Keep weeding and deadheading, and keep grass trimmed in and around your plot as usual.

3) Keep picking produce regularly, and also herbs for drying so you can have a little taste of summer later in the year!

4) When summer veggies and flowers are finished, remove the spent plants and compost healthy parts of the plants.

5)  Please do not compost diseased leaves, shoots and plants.  If disease-causing spores, fungus or viruses are present, they will survive in compost.  Information on Club Root, recently discovered in Section 3, will be posted soon.  The principles to avoid the spread of Club Root disease are the same as Rust and Blight.  Please take a moment to review the information and photos about disease management to help keep all Maple Community Garden plots healthy http://maplecommunitygarden.ca/gardening-resources/disease-management/

6) It’s also a good time to harvest seeds from flowers in your gardens to save for next year. If you’re inspired, throw some over the North fence so we can create a bit of a wildflower garden out there and provide more food for the bees too J

7) Begin Fall garden cleanup of your plot.  All plots must be cleared of summer/fall weed growth and all finished plants by November 1 (per Annual Contract).

8) You can amend your soil with Dolomite lime (1 cup for each of our small beds should do) and then one week later add mushroom manure or compost.  Dig in some organic fertilizer as well (see recipe below) and you are ready to plant fall veggies.

9) Maple Community Garden is an organic gardening area, and organic fertilizer contains many micronutrients of value for plants which release slowly without washing away as quickly as chemical fertilizers.  

Recipe for Homemade Organic Fertilizer

2 parts Blood meal           Nitrogen (N)  

3 parts Bone meal           Phosphorus (P)

1 part Kelp meal              Potassium (K)

The above ingredients are found at most garden centres and feed stores, and this recipe provides an N-P-K ratio of approximately 4-5-4 to 5-8-5.  Nitrogen promotes vigorous growth, phosphorus improves flowering and root system growth, and potassium assists with fruit quality, root growth and reduction of disease.

10) Set out transplants and seedlings of Fall/Winter vegetables such as spinach, lettuce, purple flowering broccoli, chard and kale in September and then plant garlic later in October – have fun!

 

One of our fellow gardeners was injured last year when sap got in his eye while pruning a Euphorbia during a work party, so some background information is being provided here to help people take proper precautions when handling plants from this family.

There are over 2000 species of Euphorbia including very common houseplants like crown of thorns and poinsettia. Their beauty, hardiness and ease of growing are making a lot of the varieties popular. However, with increased use of these plants, there are more people being exposed to the potential of an allergic reaction.

Euphorbia plants bleed a milky sap or latex which is highly toxic.  This sap is an irritant to the skin, nose, mouth and eyes, and can also cause severe discomfort if eaten.  If you have children of ages where all the world is a “tasting” opportunity, it may be safer not to grow euphorbia.

Many common plants like wisteria, hydrangeas, mums, English ivy, oleander and azaleas are toxic as well, but only if they are eaten. Since it the sap of the euphorbia which is toxic, people are much more likely to come in contact with it.  If you have ever had a poinsettia, you know that even breaking a single leaf off results in the milky sap gushing out from the stem.

 

Here are a few of the most common euphorbias:

Safe handling when pruning

• wear gloves and preferably a long sleeve shirt [the sap can stain clothing, so don’t wear your favourite one!]
• wear eye protection
• make sure your pruners are clean and sharp
• have a rag or paper towel in hand to catch and help stop the flow of the sap, can take 3-4 minutes
• dispose of the rag/paper towel carefully and quickly
• the sap leaves a sticky residue, so be sure to clean clothing, gloves and tools thoroughly after pruning

Please treat Euphorbia plants with a healthy respect, and keep the sap away from your skin, eyes, nose and mouth.

 

 

 

A quick but urgent reminder that one of the world’s 100 worst invasive species – European Fire Ants [Myrmica rubra] were discovered at VanDusen Garden a few years ago.  Some areas along the Arbutus corridor are already infested. These ants are aggressive and can deliver a painful sting when disturbed, though this rarely leads to allergic reaction needing medical treatment. They establish and spread colonies rapidly, and do not have obvious mounded nests, which makes them difficult to control.

European Fire Ants can be easily transferred through the movement of infested garden material. To help prevent the spread of these ants, avoid sharing soil, mulch or plants with others. Thoroughly check newly purchased plants and soil before introducing them to your garden and if there is any ant activity in it at all, do not put it in your garden.

If you are stung or uncover what may be a European Fire Ant colony in your plot:

– notify the MCG Executive immediately by emailing info@maplecommunitygarden.ca
– collect some ants in a sealed container, if possible, so the City of Vancouver IPM Coordinator can verify whether they are European Fire Ants and discuss the appropriate next steps with the Executive.

Please take a moment to read this fact sheet produced by VanDusen Botanical Garden, Bloedel Conservatory and Vancouver Parks and Recreation which gives detailed information on how to identify and prevent further spread of European Fire Ants.

Thank you! In February 2017, we asked you about your vision and values for the Arbutus Greenway. We heard from you through open houses, Pop-Up City Halls, stakeholder meetings, advisory committee meetings and an online survey. Thank you for taking the time to be part of the conversation. A few key themes emerged during our conversations. These include: Provide a high-quality, accessible public space for walking and cycling. Create a safe, comfortable, and welcoming destination with places for gathering, socializing, and relaxing. Connect to neighbourhoods, parks, and other points of interest along the greenway, as well as the broader transportation network. Keep green spaces: places for tranquility, to reconnect with nature, to grow food, and nurture ecosystems and biodiversity. The project team will use what we heard to develop a vision for the future Arbutus Greenway, which will guide our design process over the coming months. To learn more, the full Consultation Summary Report and a video of what we heard are available at vancouver.ca/arbutusgreenway You can also subscribe to the newsletter by filling out the ‘Get Project Updates’ box at the bottom of their website.

 

1. Continue watering veggies regularly – Every two days or so if it’s hot and dry.  Veggies like tomatoes are heavier water users and need regular fertilizing too.
2. Fertilize veggies – About once a week with diluted fish fertilizer (approximately 1/2 the recommended dose on label)
3. Fertilize container plants – Every two weeks only until the end of August. You don’t want to encourage new growth that may freeze in the cooler fall/winter temperatures.
4. Harvest ripe produce often – Make sure you get to enjoy the fruits and veggies of your labour!  This also helps reduce rodent and harmful insect activity, as well as some plant disease.
5. Mulch plants around their base with compost, dry grass – To conserve water when the weather gets hot.
6. Monitor for insects – Use organic methods for removal (e.g. strong water spray will remove aphids). Learn about the difference between bad and good bugs! Here’s a link to an article we posted earlier in the year that provides some good info on garden allies, as well as do-it-yourself methods to avoid insect damage to your garden.   Important Note:  Please do not use Diatomaceous earth (DE) powder in Maple Community Garden as it is too difficult to control where the powder goes, and DE will also kill bees.    DIY Garden Pest Control
7. Remove weeds regularly – This keeps soil energy going into your plants instead.
8. Collect perennial seeds – For future use or plant in fall.

SUMMER PLANTING FOR FALL AND WINTER HARVESTS

Veggies planted throughout the summer have many advantages. You can tap into the sun’s warmth to help grow strong mature plants which withstand the cold of fall and winter.  Here are some great choices:

Turnips – Sow seeds from May – August for harvest through to Spring

Kale and Collards – Seeds best started early in May so transplants could be used in the summer. Taste improves after a frost, and most kale and collards make it through the winter here.

Carrots – Sow seeds for “Bolero” or “Royal Chantenay” through July for a late fall harvest

Leeks – Choose winter hardy varieties such as “Siegfried Frost”.  Plant mid-June for harvest through to Spring.

Swiss Chard – Plant mid-June for harvest through to Spring.

Purple Sprouting Broccoli – Gets to be a large plant so don’t start too many! Plant the end of June/early July for harvest the following Spring.

Spinach – Plant seeds throughout the summer and fall for harvest through to Spring.