Dear Helen: A young camellia plant in my garden had a few dozen buds on it for the first time this year. They became plump, then dropped off. Why? How can I prevent a repetition of this disappointment?
A.B.
This is a common and frustrating problem with camellias. A sudden cold spell can sometimes damage buds enough to cause them to drop, especially if frosted buds are exposed to morning sun. The most common and likely cause of camellia bud drop in our climate, however, is a lack of soil moisture during the period of bud formation in the previous summer.
It is helpful, as temperatures rise in late spring, to water camellias (and rhododendrons) deeply and apply a nourishing, moisture-retentive layer of compost or compost mixed with fine fir bark. Keep the plants consistently watered through the summer.
Dear Helen: Please tell me how to grow cilantro. Whenever I buy a small pot it grows nicely, but after I鈥檝e clipped some off for use two times the plant dies.
B.L.
It鈥檚 hard to keep small potted cilantro (and basil) plants thriving through a series of cuttings. Potted plantings of both herbs can give numerous cuttings in larger pots. I seed compact varieties of both herbs directly into pots around 15 centimetres wide and at least 10 cm deep for growing at a bright window through the winter and early spring.
In the garden, it is best to sow directly, beginning early in April with follow-up seedings through August. The earlier sowings are the most successful. I try to avoid seeding in periods of high heat. Leaving at least some of the plants to flower and set seed gives you new crops of self-sown seedlings.
Another advantage of letting cilantro bloom is that the flowers attract and feed beneficial insects such as hover flies, which help to control insect pests in the garden. You can also gather some of the seeds. They are coriander, a fragrant spice used in baking. This is a very ancient, useful herb.
Dear Helen: What is a 鈥淒utch鈥� hoe?
C.D.
Think of a regular 鈥渄raw鈥� hoe in reverse. Instead of the blade facing you as you work, the Dutch hoe has a blade facing forward to cut through surface weeds with a pushing motion. I remember seeing workers in display gardens in Holland pushing the blades along in front of them as they uprooted young weeds on pathways.
Note to readers: I鈥檒l be taking a break from writing the Saturday column on this coming holiday weekend. Happy sa国际传媒 Day. See you next Wednesday.
Garden events
View Royal meeting. The view Royal Garden Club will meet this evening (Wednesday, June 27) at 7:30 in Wheeley Hall, 500 Admirals Rd. in Esquimalt. Mark C. Dickerson, Victoria鈥檚 Garden Coach, will present techniques used by professional growers to keep hanging baskets and planters beautiful into fall. The evening will also include a judged mini show of exhibits from members鈥� gardens and a sales table with plants and garden items. Non-member drop-in fee $5. Information at 250-727-6159.
Garden picnic. The Horticulture Centre of the Pacific, 505 Quayle Rd. in Saanich, is hosting a Picnic in the Gardens event this evening from 5 to 8 p.m. Bring along a picnic and enjoy your meal in a beautiful setting while listening to live local music. Admission is by donation. Details at hcp.ca.
VHS meeting. The Victoria Horticultural Society will meet on Tuesday, July 3, at 7:30 p.m. in the Garth Homer Centre, 813 Darwin Ave. Kerry Seifried, a Hardy Plant Group member and volunteer at the Horticulture Centre of the Pacific, will present Hardy Plant Borders for year-round appeal and less work, using plantings at HCP as illustrations. The pre-meeting workshop at 6:30 will feature arborist Ryan Senechal presenting Summer Pruning: Can you do it? Why and How? vichortsociety.org.
Summer camps for kids. The Horticulture Centre of the Pacific is offering Junior Master Gardener summer camps for children 5 1/2 to 12 years July 9-13, July 23-27 (half day Garden Arts Camp) and Aug. 7-10. Full day camp time is 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Half day is 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Cost of a five-day camp $180, half-day $95, $145 for the four-day camp in August. Register at Saanich Recreation (250-475-7600). For more information, write to [email protected] or call 250-858-0587.
