Mystical Mundane

For all you folks in the 'wack March 26-28 is the 8th Annual Outdoor Decor Yard and Garden Show at the Chilliwack Heritage Park Things to do in the garden. Seeing as the weathers been a bit wacky, I'm going to go with a late winter/ early spring combo of chores  - Mulch those garden beds! A good decomposed bark mulch is a great thing- it gives the garden that lovely tidy and finished look that only a nice black mulch can. And the weed suppression is a great perk too  The plants benefit too- mulch helps keep the soil warm when the temps are low and cool when the temps are high. The mulch also contributes the organic matter content of the soil- O.M is important in that it helps the soil retain moisture and nutrients, as well as encourages microbial activity (all them hardworking little critters that make a healthy soil). So weed/ clean out any left over debris, and add mulch! A good rule of thumb is approximately 1-2" of mulch (I find one inch is more than adequate, but it y...

Well, make sure you've got your bulbs planted! Generally up to the end of December is dandy, but after that, it may be pushing it a bit  Also, consider putting out some food for the birds. Most seed heads and fruit have disappeared now, and all those tough little feathered ones who stick around these parts through the winter need a hand! If you haven't done so yet, you'll want to rake out any leaves from trees that are prone to fungal leaf problems and dispose of them in the city green waste. Alternatively, other remaining leaves are good to leave in the garden to be broken down naturally and then turned into the soil in spring. Flowers! Even though we're in the middle of winter, there are still plants making flowers. Often they are a bit inconspicuous, so you need to keep and eye out. Some of these include Hellebours (or winter rose) and the 'Dawn' viburnum (Viburnum x bodnatnese "Dawn")- it blooms off and on from November through February. Most other...