I don’t know about you, but I like good gardening tools. They feel right in your hand, do the job smoothly and quickly, and best of all, they last. Even if you treat them, as I sometimes do, with less than the proper care and attention!

On the other hand, poor quality tools are just annoying.

Take pruners, for example. You can buy a cheap pair every year or you can invest in a pair of Felco pruners that will probably last your entire gardening career. There are a number of different sizes and styles of Felcos, even left-handed ones, so take the time to try them out and get the one that feels right for you.

Some tools are multi-purposes, like the EZ Digger (shown on the top left) and the Hori Hori (shown below the Felcos on the right). The EZ Digger is a favourite with professional landscapers because it can be used to weed, transplant and make drills for seeds. The Hori Hori, a Japanese gardening knife can be used as a trowel or a weeder, plus it will cut through roots and garden twine with ease.

Ergonomic tools make gardening easier. These tools are usually made from lighter-weight materials like aluminum and have handles designed so you don’t have to twist your wrists to dig in the soil. The lime-green handled Radius tools are a great example.

Another ergonomic tool is the Bandit (shown on the bottom right).  It's made in BC and is a very effective weeder and cultivator. So is the old-fashioned Claw (shown just above it).

I watch customers, especially men, gravitate towards our tool section. So, it should be no surprise that tools are at the top of my list when it comes to Father’s Day gifts.

Don’t be afraid that Dad may already have everything: no gardener has everything he needs and wants! And if he does, we have a no-hassle return policy and gift certificates.

Gardening is one of life's most enjoyable pastimes. Good tools make it even better.

Elizabeth Cull, Franchise President
 

It’s an old cliché, but it’s true. Sometimes the best gift is the gift of time.

What better way to spend Father’s Day than in the garden with Dad?  Go to a park, visit a local public garden, take him on one of the many garden tours happening this summer, or just hang out with him and lend a hand with the weeding.

However, relaxing in the garden is just as important as working in it and our locally-made Western Red Cedar Adirondack Chairs are the perfect chair to relax in.

These solidly-made chairs come in a kit form that is easy to put together. Left unfinished, they will weather to a silvery-grey. Or they can be stained or painted. Try our trick to keep the lovely cedar colour: spray the finished chair with a light coat of clear matte finish varathane.
 

    A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.  William Shakespeare

Everywhere you look this month, you’ll see gorgeous, fragrant roses gracing Vancouver Island gardens. June is definitely rose month.

The cultivation of roses probably began in China some 5,000 years ago. Today, there are thousands of roses to choose for your garden, some ancient and some just a few years old. Here on the west coast we are blessed because our mild zone 7 or 8 climate means most roses will do well with proper care and attention.

Roses have an undeserved reputation for being fussy, hard-to-care-for plants. But after all, they're just shrubs. Some roses do require more maintenance than others, but growing roses is something even a beginner can do.

Here’s a few tips on growing outstanding roses:

1. Roses need a lot of water. It is best to water roses thoroughly twice a week, giving them at least an equivalent of 1 inch of rainfall per week. This should be done preferably in the morning as late-evening watering can encourage powdery mildew.
    
2. Fertilize roses regularly during the growing season. Roses are hungry plants, demanding lots of nutrients for best growth and flowering. Dig some organic granular rose food into the soil at planting time, or early in the spring for established plants, so it can feed the plant all season long. Alternatively, fertilize the roses with a liquid fertilizer every three to four weeks during the growing season, stopping in early autumn.
    
3. Mulch your roses. Roses need less weeding and watering and have fewer diseases if you mulch. Lay down 1 to 2 inches of organic mulch, such as compost, wood chips, pine needles, grass clippings or other biodegradable material.
    
4. Deadhead them regularly. This simply means trimming spent roses off the shrub to encourage it to produce more. While some roses bloom only in one big flush in June, others are bred to keep producing off and on all season long.
    
5. Control pests and diseases. If your rose becomes infested with aphids, blast them off with a strong spray of water from your hose. Powdery mildew and black spot are fungal diseases that affect roses. You can simply remove leaves with black spot and put them in the garbage – not the compost. A simple homemade solution can be sprayed on roses susceptible to black spot or powdery mildew: Mix 1 tsp. baking soda and 1 tsp soap flakes in one litre of water. Spray over leaves every two weeks. Make sure you spray the underside of the leaves too for best results.

At Dig This, we are always seeking to improve.  We know we are the first choice for many Vancouver Island gardeners, and gardeners from other parts of the world visit us every time they are in town. But we know we can always do better, so we'd like your help.

Please take a few minutes to respond to this confidential survey and we'll enter you into a draw for a $100 Gift Certificate.  All replies are strictly confidential and will be handled by Calliope Learning.  Simply click on this link:  http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/SJH8NNY

Thanks in advance for your ideas and comments.

Elizabeth 

Pruning tomatoes can be a confusing subject.  Do I prune them?  When?  How?  Help!

It is not necessary to prune a bush or determinate variety, however some kind of a support such as a cage or stake will help keep the plant off the ground, and some trimming will help air circulation. Remove lower leaves and a few leaves where foliage is really thick to allow light and air to penetrate.

Vine or indeterminate tomatoes should be pruned to reduce the number of branches and to increase fruit production. This involves pinching out the little suckers that start in the crotch of larger established leaves. This is best done by hand when the suckers are small and tender. During the heat of summer this must be done once or twice a week (or even daily). There is no need to prune out leaves, except those that are diseased or yellowing, as tomatoes don't need direct sunlight to ripen, but cutting back the leaves so that there's good air circulation around the plant is important. They will dry off quicker and are less susceptible to Blight.

How do you know if your tomato plant is determinate or indeterminate?  The seed package will tell you, or check out your variety on the Internet.

For more information on pruning tomatoes have a look at this video: http://www.vegetablegardener.com/item/3721/video-how-to-prune-tomatoes

I started using the Square Foot Gardening technique two years ago after a friend gave me a copy of Mel Bartholomew's book. 

I have two 4 foot square raised beds and can't believe how much I can grow in such little space:  kale, meslun mix, carrots, beets, Swiss chard, garlic, sunflowers, nasturiums, marigolds, Brussels sprouts, pac choi and parsnips. 

The best thing about Square Foot Gardening is that it is so simple.  There's less weeding and less watering.  And it's so attractive that I can't stop taking pictures!

Cori Cyr, Manager Dig This Oak Bay

For more information on Square Foot Gardening, you can pick up the book at Dig This, or go to www.squarefootgardening.com/

Ah, June! Everything is in bloom, the gardens look lush, but dig down a little and you'll find dry soil.  Even with all the cool days and rain we've had recently, gardens can be surprisingly dry.  Don't forget to keep plants well-watered until they are established. If you live in the CRD, check out the watering regulations at http://www.crd.bc.ca/water/conservation/outdoorwateruse/bylaw.htm 

• Keep deadheading spent blooms and sheer back oriental poppies, hardy geraniums, centura montana, alchemilla, euphorbias that have finished blooming.
   
• Prune back the long, wispy stems of wisteria, leaving about 5 buds on each lateral stem.
   
• Feed tomatoes, peppers and eggplants with liquid seaweed or a good organic tomato and vegetable fertilizer like Orgunique Tomato & Vegetable blend.
   
• Continue sowing beans, corn, squash, carrots, peas, spinach, lettuce and greens, and beets.
   
• Remove the seedheads of hard-neck garlic – called “scapes” - so the plant will put all of its energy into the bulb. These tender tops make great additions to stir fries!
   
• Start broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and kale for winter harvesting.  Take a look at Linda Gilkeson's book "Year Around Harvest:  Winter Gardening on the Coast".  Don't wait for the fall to start these plants - it will be too late.
   
• Put out squash, tomatoes, and peppers and other plants you’ve already started from seed. If you didn’t have time to start your own tomatoes, we still have organic ones for sale.
   
•  Remove runners from strawberries. Leaving runners attached will sap the plant's energy. The detached runners can be rooted in pots of compost, ready for starting a new strawberry bed in late summer. Mulch the plants to help retain water in the soil and keep the fruit dry and clean.
   
• Harvest rhubarb by gently pulling the stalk as low as possible to the base of the plant and at the same time twisting. The leaves can go on the compost heap - definitely don't eat them because they are poisonous.
   
• Loosely tie in strong new raspberry canes as they grow.
   
• Use a foliar spray of liquid seaweed extract to achieve fruit with enhanced colour and storage quality. Seaweed extract contains natural growth stimulants and a variety of trace elements. Besides improving the quality of your fruit the plants become stronger and healthier so are less susceptible to pest and disease attack.
   
• Water pots and baskets, as plants are growing vigorously and the June sun can be very strong. New plants should be watered in well at planting time, and during dry spells. When you plant, create a shallow dip around the plant base to hold water, and give a good soaking every couple of days, not a cupful twice a day. The aim is to encourage roots to extend deep down into the soil, seeking out moisture. Little and often watering methods encourage roots to develop close to the soil surface where they are more likely to dry out.
   
• Mulch around plants in beds and borders (and in large containers), to retain moisture. A thick layer of leafmould is the best mulch, but grass clippings make a good substitute, as does composted wood chippings. A layer of newspaper, covered over with grass mowings will help to suppress weeds and retain valuable moisture during long hot spells.
   

Q:  Why can't I find seeds for French tarragon?

A:  French tarragon plants are perennials consisting of aromatic spear-shaped leaves growing along stems that would grow to a height of about 3 feet if they were allowed to. (The herb is usually harvested for kitchen use before it reaches this height.)

The plants do flower but do not produce viable seed. If you see tarragon seeds for sale, they will be for Russian or wild tarragon a much easier to grow plant which is not a good substitute for French true tarragon in the kitchen.

5th Annual Teeny Tiny Garden Tour Sunday, June 13th 9:30 am to 5 pm

12 little gems that prove small is beautiful when it comes to gardens. This year the tour includes the floating home gardens at Fisherman’s Wharf, plus 11 other unique, inspiring small gardens. Tickets $25 available at all Dig This stores. Proudly supported by Dig This Broadmeand and Dig This Oak Bay. Proceeds go to Victoria Hospice.

63rd Annual Community Flower & Garden Show   Saturday, June 12th, 2010 9:00 am to 3:00 pm
Cobble Hill Hall
Vancouver Island's largest Flower Show plus over 35 garden vendors, plant sales, master gardeners, Silent Auction and our famous Strawberry Tea. A must-attend community event for everyone!
For more information go to: http://www.harbourliving.ca/event/63rd-annual-community-flower-and-garden-show58/2010-06-12/  

Blossoms for Bosoms Garden Tour   June 12th, 2010 9:00 am to 5:00 pm

A self-guided garden tour including a Burger & Beverage at the Lantzville Legion from 5pm-7pm. This Garden Tour has been put together to raise money for Cancer research. There will also be a silent auction in the evening at the Legion. Tickets $20 available at Dig This Nanaimo. All proceeds go to the BC Cancer Foundation

Gabriola Home & Garden Tour   June 27th 10 am to 5 pm

Tickets for the 12th annual Gabriola Home & Garden Tour will be available at our Nanaimo store on Metral Drive throughout the month of June. Plan to visit Gabriola for a day of visiting some beautiful island homes and gardens. For more information, contact Kathryn at info@phc-gabriola.org or 250-247-7311. www.phc-gabriola.org

Water Garden Tour – For the Love of Africa   Saturday July 10th, 2010  10:00 am to 4:00 am

This is a self guided tour of eleven of Victoria’s finest water gardens. Six landscape designers will be presenting their gardens and will be on site to answer questions. Live harp music beside some gardens.Tickets are $25, available at all Dig This locations.

Foxglove Farm’s ‘Centre for Arts, Ecology and Agriculture’

Eliot Coleman, author of the New Organic Grower, will be sharing his knowledge gained from 40 years of organic farming. This is Eliot’s only west coast appearance and a valuable opportunity to learn about year-round vegetable production from one of the masters. June 23 & 24.

Our ‘Field to Plate’ series is being kicked off by Chef Andrea Carlson, Executive Chef at Vancouver’s renowned Bishop’s Restaurant; she will join farmer and author, Michael Ableman to take you from the fields into the kitchen with a focus on seasonal Spring Greens. June 13th.

Ecologist, author and eco-maven, Briony Penn, is offering ‘The Art of Wild Crafting’, an exploration through the fields and forests around Foxglove Farm, gathering, identifying, crafting, and cooking with native plants. June 19th.

For more information on these workshops and many more visit www.foxglovefarmbc.ca