Ascent Blog

Blackberry bushes, also known as Himalayan blackberry is an invasive species widespread on Vancouver Island. The District of Saanich states “Himalayan blackberry is an aggressive invasive plant that can quickly turn naturally open areas into dense thickets of impenetrable brambles.” Blackberry thickets can produce 7,000-13,000 seeds per square meter. Blackberries have an extensive root system that sprouts new plants as far as 20 feet away. Blackberries send out long vines that take root and create new plants.

Hoes are used to aerate and loosen up soil and can be better to use than a hand rake for larger areas

Follow these tips to prepare your garden for winter

Consider these beautiful climbing vines

Chlorophyll is a green pigment in the leaves. When trees stop producing chlorophyll in the fall, the green pigment stops filling the leaves, so the natural colour of the leaf is revealed.

1. Green Beans 2. Arugula 3. Bok choy 4. Broccoli 5. Carrots 6. Kale 7. Spinach 8. Scallions

In Victoria, BC winter is one of the best times of the year to prune trees.

Grow these berries for a bountiful home harvest

A sharp edge goes a long way and is very easy to do. Use a spade, string trimmer, or edger along garden beds, walkways, and any areas where grass meets another surface such as soil, concrete, or wood to keep your edges sharp. A string trimmer or edger is a good investment and they are fast and easy to use. A sharp edge is simple but gives a clean look to your landscape. Maintaining edges also stops grass and lawn weeds from creeping into the garden.

Finding holes in your plant leaves can be disappointing. It is often unclear how the holes happened and is a frustrating task to figure out how to prevent it from continuing. Many holes are caused by insects and diseases which actually leave signs that can help you determine the cause.

Decoding the Decline of Arbutus Vitality

If your camellias didn’t bloom this year, the most common reasons are from frost damage or pruning at the wrong time of year. It is possible unfavourable soil conditions, fertilizing, and incorrect amount of sunlight.

Your rhododendron may not have bloomed due to being pruned at the incorrect time of year. Rhododendron buds grow for 10 months before blooming into flowers, so if the rhododendron is pruned during this period the buds will be cut off. If you did this, do not despair, it will just take another year before you see flowers again. Rhododendrons should be pruned immediately after flowering to avoid the removal of the new buds.

Follow these tips to get rid of aphids

Loppers or a handsaw work for cutting small and medium size bamboo, large patches will require power equipment. This method works well for managing a bamboo patch, but cutting alone will not eradicate it.

Cut the vines to ground level - Loppers, a hand saw, or garden shears will work for small blackberry bushes, while large patches will require power equipment. Cutting works well for managing blackberry bushes, but cutting alone will not eradicate the blackberry bushes.

Small and young buttercup plants can be pulled out from the roots. This is easiest when the soil is soft and wet.

Small and young clover plants can be pulled out from the roots. This is easiest when the soil is soft and wet. Pulling is only effective in immature populations of clover.

Follow these tips for a weed free garden

Compacted soil stops vital nutrients from being absorbed into a plants root system and prevents the roots system from growing and spreading out fully. Plants thrive in loose soil because roots need access to both water and oxygen in order to absorb nutrients.

Plant these fruit trees for a great home harvest

* It’s a delicious herb that is easy to grow and is a tasty addition to many dishes * It can be grown indoors or outdoors, but if grown outdoors should be brought inside from late fall to early spring * Your basil plant should be in full sun and the soil should be kept moist (watered about once a week) * You can use it to make sauces such as pesto, or it can be added to many dishes such as pizza, pasta, soup, and more * There’s a variety of basil plants to choose from, making it fun to experiment and see which ones you like best

My favourite pathway liners are boxwood, fountain grass, lavender, hostas

Hellebore or “Christmas rose” is perfect to add to your garden, because they blossom beautifully and steadily from late fall to early spring. They are one of the only plants that flowers throughout the entire winter.

Most people know pruning their trees is good, even without being totally sure what the process entails or does.

Cut it to ground level with loppers, hand pruners or a hand saw. Cutting alone will not eliminate daphne but it is an important first step.

English Ivy is an invasive species widespread on Vancouver Island. The Invasive Species Council of BC states “English Ivy is an evergreen vine that is a serious, smothering invasive”.  It quickly forms a dense mat that suppresses native plants. English ivy grows rapidly and needs very little light or water once it is established, and even grows during the winter.

Cut it down to ground level with a string trimmer or hand pruners. Cutting alone will not eliminate morning glory as it will regrow from its roots but this is an important first step.

The lower the broom is cut to the ground the less likely it is to re-grow. Cut it below the lowest branches, at or below soil level.

Purchase a motion activated sprinkler, hook your garden hose up to it and point it at the location where the deer enter the yard. If set up correctly, this is a very effective method of keeping deer out.

It is very important to wear gloves, long sleeves and other protective gear when working with myrtle spurge. Myrtle spurge releases a latex sap that is very toxic.

The Troubling Decline of Cedar Trees