My Stupidest Gardening Mistake - or- We Were Once All Newbies

If you're ever feeling down in the dumps about a stupid garden mistake - search no further than Gardenweb forum for "My Stupidest Gardening Mistakes..." to help you laugh through the pain. Get doses of gardening tips and advice with every spoonful of schadenfreude! 

Below are some short ones from the discussion. 

May you soon be laughing at your own mistakes and sharing them with us here! 
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* Posted by: Pickwick z5 (My Page) on Thu, Mar 13, 03 at 18:14 The grounds superintendent of a large estate where I worked in the days of my youth, assigned me to plant grass seed in a freshly prepared area. He conveyed to me where I might locate this seed. Evidently, I seemed to have grabbed the wrong bag. It was thistle birdseed...........

* Posted by: MaryMarg Zone9/San Jose (My Page) on Thu, Feb 27, 03 at 15:27 We moved into our first home four years ago, and had a gorgeous bougainvillia draping over the tops of the french doors to our bedroom. New to gardening, my husband and I couldn't figure why it "died" several months after moving in. My husband, escaping with multiple minor cuts and several colorful expletives, managed to remove it. We found out several weeks later (after it had been taken away by the garbage man) that the beautiful climber was merely dormant. Such remorse!

* Posted by: PattiA6290 7b ) on Sat, Feb 9, 02 at 8:17A friend of mine had her son-in-law plant several hundred tulips for her one year. That next spring none of them came up. Miffed she was gonna return them to the nursery where she buys all of her plants. After she started digging them up she notice he had planted them all up side down.

* Posted by: Marisha 6OH on Sun, Feb 17, 02 at 20:47
One year my husband brought home a truckload of grass clippings from work, in big plastic bags. Oh, thrill! We could use them for mulch in the vegetable garden......little did we know how many dandelion seeds were hidden in all those grass clippings...until the next spring when they all bloomed!

Scarlet Lily Beetle Sighted!

Alas!  The Scarlet Lily Beetle is back to strike again!

At the May meeting, Audrey bemoaned the pests' damage to her lovely martagon lilies and Erica had to sing a requiem for her oriental hybrid.  They found these beasties to be fast, flipping and falling on the backs so their dark bellies blended with the dirt.  

Here's a reminder of what they look like and what to do from our article last year Pest Alert: Scarlet Lily Beetle: 

The Scarlet Lily Beetle has reared its black head (on bright red body) in Edmonton.

At last night's meeting, Margaret brought this to our attention and shared a pamphlet on this voracious pest. 

It's here in Edmonton, but hasn't been listed on The City of Edmonton's Pest Management - Insect Identification & Advice site.  The City of Calgary, however, has identified it as a common insect pest that is high risk.

Photos from the City of Calgary's site show it at different stage of its life cycle:

Adult lily beetle on lily flower.

Lily beetle larvae on underside of leaf. 

Lily beetle eggs on underside of leaf.

Wikipedia indicates there are no natural predators or parasites for the Scarlet Lily Beetle in North America.  Until pesticides that are also safe for bees and other insects are developed, crushing the beetle (at all stages) or hand-picking and drowning the adults are perhaps the best choice for population control. 

Stay vigilante and may your lilies bloom bright!

For more information and links to other resources visit The City of Calgary's "red lily beetle" site, Lily Leaf Beetle Tracker, and Alberta Regional Lily Society.  

YEG Urban Beekeeping - Guidelines are here

Ready to keep bees?

Last month the City of Edmonton amended bylaws to allow for urban beekeeping.  The how-to on becoming an urban beekeeper have also been updated!  Below is an excerpt from The City of Edmonton's Urban Beekeeping page:

Steps to becoming an urban beekeeper

Step 1: Review the City's Beekeeping Guidelines
It is important to understand the commitment and responsibilities required to become a successful and safe beekeeper. The Urban Beekeeping Guidelines help residents understand the expectations that the City has for beekeepers. Interested beekeepers will also benefit from connecting with the beekeeping community and talking to existing beekeepers to learn more about what it takes to keep bees in the city.

Step 2: Register with Alberta's Premises Identification Program (PID)
As part of the Animal Health Act, owners of bees must have a premises identification account and premises identification number for the bees. This requirement is a part of a traceability system designed to address potential threats of disease outbreaks that could affect animal health, public health and food safety.

Step 3: Register with the Provincial Apiculturist
As a part of the Bee Act and Regulation, beekeepers must register with the Provincial Apiculturist every year by June 30.

Step 4: Apply for a beekeeping license
Using the online request form, apply for a license with the City. Be prepared to provide information about your beekeeping site, your training and your mentor if you are a first time beekeeper.

Turns out, our friendly neighbourhood permaculturalist and beekeeper, Dustin Bajer, also hand makes hives. Full details at in this Metro article.

With all the bylaw information now released: Are you considering keeping urban bees?  

Weeds and Wine - May's Meeting

"Patches is going to think she's gone to heaven!"

Club members set to work on the community garden at this month's meeting and produced garbage bags full of dandelions: Patches (Marie's bunny rabbit), enjoy!  There are more where those came from!  

It was a mild night, perfect for spending outside.

We delighted in the ladybugs.  We weeded and discussed the potentials for making dandelion wine and urban honey mead...  

After a little over an hour, the garden was looking much improved and we went into the community centre to have our meeting.

One small point of scare: What of the wine?! 

No problem: There was no formal supply run, but members had individually brought snacks.  We had a feast of cheese, crackers, and three bottles of Shiraz!

One hour wasn't enough to consider all club business, what club members have been up to, and to talk gardening... so we stayed for another half.

We have some exciting things coming down the line and information to share.  Stay tuned! 

Protect the Pollinators Tour - Notes and Petitions

Back on 24-March, member Audrey braved the snow to attend the Protect the Pollinators talk hosted by the Sierra Club Canada Foundation at Kings College. 

http://teesforthepeople.com/products/protect-the-pollinators

There she found from Pesticide-Free Edmonton that Edmonton is still using Dursban 2.5 G -- a neuro-toxin pesticide which Winnipeg has banned -- for killing mosquitoes.

The Edmonton Journal has reported on this outlining concerns in this April-2015 article. 

Click here to sign the online petition to the City of Edmonton to Discontinue the use of Dursban and all other forms of chlorpyrifos for killing mosquitoes.


The talk also featured John Bennett (National Program Director of the Sierra Club Canada Foundation), and Paul McKay (author of The Kepler Code), speaking on the threat of neonics and the importance of healthy pollinator populations.

Click here to download the handout "Five Reasons We Support Restrictions on Neonics".

Click here to send a message to the federal and provincial governments to ban the use of neonics (via the David Suzuki Foundation).

2015-06-12: Permaculture Design: An Approach To Vibrant Communities

Permaculture and vibrant communities - another chance to make the connections - free!  See below:

Urban Systems is kicking off the third year of the Vibrant Communities Speaker Series with Takota Coen.  Check out the website for more information on the VCSS and past events!

When: Tuesday, June 2 from 7:00pm-8:30pm (doors at 6:30pm)
Where: Yellowhead Brewery, 10229 105 Street
This is a Free Event but please RSVP

Clean water, nutrient dense food, shelter and medicine are the building blocks for vibrant community no matter where you live on planet earth. However, most of the ways we supply our basic needs come at the cost of someone else’s or the earth itself.

In this thought provoking evening with Takota Coen of Deep Roots Design and Grass Roots Family Farm we will explore how permaculture design can address our fundamental needs in a way that is regenerative for the planet. Takota will provide practical examples of how families everywhere can use the principles and design methodologies of permaculture to ensure productive backyards and farms that strengthen our local food systems and restore the environment.

Using Grass Roots Family Farm as a case study, Takota will illustrate how to design functional relationships between various elements like forest gardens, chickens, annual crops, honeybees and even elements that would only be seen on larger acreages like a dairy cow, pasture pigs, beef cattle and water harvesting earthworks. This edition of the Vibrant Communities Speaker Series will also explore our Western society’s relationship to the natural world and how Takota believes it can be transformed through the ethical use of permaculture design, education, food, and celebration. Vibrant communities can exist. But only if we design them to succeed!

RSVP (through Eventbrite)

2015-05 29-30 That Bloomin' Garden Show and Art Sale

Mark your calendars!  That Bloomin' Garden Show and Art Sale is back for another year.  Look forward to Saturday, 30-May 2015 for an activity filled day at Alberta Avenue Community Centre (9210 118 Avenue NW) featuring :

- Various Gardening groups and vendors
- Artisans and art gallery
- A Perennial & seed swap
- A Book & magazine exchange
- Compost sale
- Live musical performances
- Family friendly games

The second annual Rubber Boots & Bow Tie Garden Party is on the night before (Friday, 29-May, 2015).

More information about both events at www.albertaave.org/bloomin-garden.html