Dear Helen: My daughter and I have been keen to grow some beautiful bedding flowers we have admired in sidewalk displays in Sidney and Saanich. We’ve been told the plants are called Gazania, but we have not been able to locate plants or seeds.
M.G.
Dear M.G.: Gazania (treasure flower) is a showy African daisy that is easy to grow and drought tolerant once established. Sunshine is needed for proper blooming.
Some garden centres should have transplants for these annual flowers in the spring. It would be worthwhile inquiring at local outlets to find which ones plan to carry Gazania. You can also start seeds indoors in March. Most catalogues list Gazania. Stokes Seeds has an extensive selection.
Dear Helen: Have you ever used copper barriers to slugs and observed their effectiveness?
G.T.
Dear G.T.: I have not, but my neighbour Tom has. He bought seven metres of copper wire mesh from Lee Valley Tools and cut off lengths to spread around the bases of his winter cabbage plants. There were numerous slugs in the bed, but they have not crossed the copper barrier.
Copper slug barriers are available in rolls of mesh, as flexible bands whose ends slot together to form slug barrier rings, and as a tape with adhesive backing for sticking to the top of raised bed structures and the bases of plant pots.
As temperatures cool and autumn rains begin, slugs swing into high munching and egg-laying gear in the congenial damp. As soon as water saturation in the soil is 10 per cent or higher, egg laying begins. This is a good time to step up slug controls.
If you use slug bait, choose an iron-based one, such as Sluggo, Escar-go or Slug-B-Gon. These products are not toxic to humans, pets, birds, insects, earthworms and other wildlife.
Dear Helen: I need to find some quick and easy ways to deal with tomatoes and zucchini. I don’t have time to do canning and I have limited storage space.
A.H.
Dear A.H.: I find that drying tomato slices in my small, inexpensive food dryer to be very economical of time and space. Store the dried (but still pliable) slices in plastic bags in the freezer. They take little space.
Coarsely chopped tomatoes, roasted for about 30 minutes at 350 F, can be cooled and frozen in sour cream type containers. I roast the tomatoes with minced garlic, basil, salt and a drizzle of olive oil.
The most space-efficient way to freeze zucchini is in grated form. Steam-blanch for just a few minutes, cool, package and freeze. Big zucchinis whose skins have hardened keep well in a carport or unheated garage for a few weeks, for use as needed.
GARDEN EVENTS
View Royal meeting. The View Royal Garden Club will meet Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at the Shoreline Community School, 2750 Shoreline Dr. Alysha Punnett, a specialist in permaculture education, design and installations, will share her tips for this self-sufficient and sustainable gardening practice. A judged mini-show will feature exhibits from members’ gardens and there will be a sales table with plants and garden items. Visitors and new members are welcome. More information at 250-220-5212.
Apple festival. This year’s Saltspring Island Apple Festival will be on Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets at $10, students $5 (free for those under 12 years) are available on festival day at Fulford Hall and outside the Ganges tourist information centre. Tickets include a map of host farms, with descriptions. The festival also features apple tasting, apple pies and an apple identification service. saltspringmarket.com/apples.
Fall classes. The following one-hour classes are being offered by Russell Nursery, 1370 Wain Rd. in North Saanich. Class size is limited. A reservation is required. Call 250-656-0384 or email russellnurseryoffice@telus.net.
• Natural Lawn Care with John Close of Lush Eco Lawns, Saturday, 10 a.m. Learn how to prepare your lawn for the winter, reduce moss and have a healthy, low-maintenance lawn without pesticides or chemical fertilizers. This class is free.
• Cool Season Containers with Faye Ford, Sunday at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., Monday, Sept. 30, at 10 a.m., or Saturday, Oct. 5, at 10 a.m. Create a container using small shrubs, grasses and perennials. Cost is $35 plus GST. This includes the container, plants and soil.