Why Are Crows Ruining My Lawn! (a.k.a. Living with European Chafer Beetle in Vancouver)
Submitted by Kerrie van Gaalen, UBC Botanical Garden Have you ever wondered why the crows have been so interested in tearing up your lawn recently? It turns out they are in search of the tasty grub snack known as the European chafer beetle (Rhizotrogus majalis). Working in a botanical garden,…
Improving Park Amenities for Six-legged Residents
Submitted by: Chris McKerracher, Trades II Gardener, City of Vancouver “Are you going to plant daffodils?” The words tumbled out of the mouth of a girl amongst a small group of kindergarten students watching us work. They were taking a break from their gym activity of jogging around the field…
Soils 102: Observing Soil Quality at Home – Article at a Glance
Submitted By: Egan Davis, Principal Instructor (UBC Botanical Garden) To learn more about soil quality, you need to use your senses by looking, touching and smelling it. This summary overviews some of the simple ways you can test the soil quality in your home garden. To read the full article,…
Soils 102: Observing Soil Quality at Home – Full Article
Submitted By: Egan Davis, Principal Instructor (UBC Botanical Garden) In a previous article, we discussed the importance of healthy soil. However, to learn more about soil, you need to use your senses by looking, touching and smelling it. Here is a good field test that you can easily do without specialized…
Lawn Watering Tips
By: Jay Soper, Communications Specialist (Metro Vancouver) Summertime is here! As the hot weather rolls in, it’s time to pull out the patio chairs and gear up for a season filled with holidays, camping, barbecues, boating, beaches, and quality time with friends and family. But along with the beautiful hot…
Trading the Turf 4 Low Maintenance Lawn Alternatives
The hassles, expense, and time commitment is too much. And the results weren’t that great anyway. Sound like your grass lawn experience? For lots of people, the dream of a beautiful lawn can turn into an ugly reality due to weeds, bugs, drought, and extreme heat. But If you are…
Popularity of Lawn Alternatives Keeps Growing
The traditional turf lawn has been a mainstay of landscaping for many years. But lawn alternatives are catching on; for their ease of maintenance, low water requirements, and pest resistance. Popularity of Lawn Alternatives Keeps Growing A well-manicured, traditional turf lawn is a wonderful thing to behold. But that beauty…