Category: Knowledge
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Plant Profile: Wild Ginger (Asarum caudatum)
Asarum caudatum is a groundcover plant that thrives in shaded gardens and woodland settings.
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Invasive English hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna)
English hawthorn was once used to create hedgerows to contain livestock but now invades pastures and grasslands. It is a deciduous bushy, prickly shrub or small tree with white, scented blossoms and deep…
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Plant Profile: Thimbleberry (Rubus parviflorus)
Rubus parviflorus is a vigorous edible-fruit producing shrub perfect for informal hedges and bird and wildlife gardens.
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Plant Profile: Kinnickinnik (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi)
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi is a low-maintenance, drought-tolerant evergreen shrub that makes an excellent alternative to invasive English Ivy or Periwinkle.
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Plant Profile: June Plum (Oemleria cerasiformis)
Oemleria cerasiformis is a drought-tolerant deciduous shrub that is ideal for planting in woodland gardens, open spaces such as parks; effectively used for land reclamation and seasonally wet ditches.
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Invasive Shiny Geranium
In recent years, the small ground-covering invasive annual called “Shiny Geranium” (Geranium lucidum) has been spreading on Salt Spring Island. Patches of the weed are currently found on Quarry Drive Park, at…
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Keeping Mason Bees on the Cheap
Purchasing a ready-made mason bee house can be an expensive proposition, ranging from approximately $50-100 in price. However, with some basic carpentry tools (e.g. drill) you can make and maintain your own…
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Plant Profile: Oregon Gumweed (Grindelia stricta)
Grindelia stricta, member of the Asteraceae family is a tough and adaptable plant, ideal on coastlines. Grows larger in deeper and richer soils; keep in dry areas to control size or prune…
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Winter Storage of your Mason Bee Cocoons
After harvesting and cleaning your mason bee cocoons, there are a couple options for storage over the winter months. A homemade container is possible, as are commercially produced ones. Storage Containers Store…
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Steps for Harvesting Mason Bee Cocoons & House Cleaning
The process of harvesting mason bee cocoons and cleaning their houses should be done in October to mid-November. This vital process removes mud, frass (bee poop), and mites from the cocoons and…