Dear Helen: Do you put lime on your compost heaps as you add layers of plant materials to them?
C.D.
I don鈥檛 use lime on building compost heaps. Lime reacts with the nitrogen in soft, green materials to cause the release of ammonia, which means a loss of valuable nitrogen in the heap.
Lime alters the pH (acid or alkaline value) in a compost heap by reducing acidity. It is preferable to leave a heap to self-adjust naturally. Toward the end of the decomposition process, the pH in a heap will commonly be close to neutral. Compost left untreated with lime is therefore more versatile in its use throughout a garden. Most vegetables and other plants prefer a slightly acid to neutral soil.
In areas of the garden where acidity levels need to be moved closer to neutral, it is more efficient to apply lime directly to those areas.
Dear Helen: Your article on flowering in jade plants was interesting. I鈥檓 wondering how long the bloom period lasts in these house plants.
S.B.
The person who wrote to me about her jade plant tells me that the bloom period is long, starting usually in November. The flowers open up over a month and last for about three months.
The regime that brings her jade plant into bloom every autumn includes a time outdoors on a sunny balcony from spring to fall, when the plant is moved to an unheated sunroom where cool temperatures (10 to 12 C), bright daytime light, and long, dark nights with minimal watering initiate flower bud production.
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I鈥檒l be taking a break from writing a column for Easter Saturday. The garden beckons. Today鈥檚 Events cover a week, up to my next column on Wednesday, April 4.
A very Happy Easter to everyone.
Garden events
View Royal meeting. The View Royal Garden Club will meet this evening at 7:30 in Wheeley Hall, 500 Admirals Rd. in Esquimalt. Paul Spriggs, owner of Spriggs Garden Landscaping, will speak about the island of Crete, how conditions there compare with our West Coast climate, and what gardeners in Victoria can learn from Mediterranean gardens. The evening will include a judged mini show of exhibits from members鈥� gardens and a sale of plants and garden items. Visitor drop-in fee $5.
HCP events. The Horticulture Centre of the Pacific, 505 Quayle Rd. in Saanich, is offering the following events and classes. To register for classes, call 250-479-6162. hcp.ca.
鈥� Easter at the Gardens, Sunday, April 1, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Family activities, information on keeping backyard hens at a 1 p.m. talk. Admission by donation.
鈥� Healthy soils: Effective Microbes for the Garden, Saturday, April 7, 1 to 3 p.m. Learn about probiotics for garden soils. HCP members $35, others $40.
鈥� The Art of Bonsai, Saturday, April 7, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Apply bonsai techniques to a plant and take it home. Members $60, others $70.
鈥� Native Plants and their Uses, Saturday, April 7, 1 to 2:30 p.m. Walk through the HCP native plant garden and learn the historic uses of the plants. For children ages five and up. $15 per child.
鈥� Backyard Beekeeping, Sunday, April 8, 1 to 4 p.m. Getting started. Members $35, others $45.
鈥� Advanced Pruning, Sundays, April 8 and 15, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. An outdoor course, beginning with basic techniques and proceeding to strategies for desirable plant structures and reduced maintenance. Members $90, others $110.
VRS meeting. The Victoria Rhododendron Society will meet on Monday at 7:30 p.m. at the Horticulture Centre of the Pacific. Bring your questions, ideas and experiences to share in a 鈥淐ircle of Learning.鈥�
Gordon Head meeting. The Gordon Head Garden Club will meet on Monday, April 2, at 7 p.m. in Gordon Head United Church, 4201 Tyndall Ave. in Saanich. Chris Hildreth of TOPSOIL, an organization promoting innovative urban agriculture, will speak about Growing Food anywhere in Containers. Visitors welcome at no charge.
VHS meeting. The Victoria Horticultural Society will meet on Tuesday, April 3, at 7:30 p.m. in the Garth Homer Centre, 813 Darwin Ave. Sheila Mitchell and Catherine Featherby will present Floral Favourites: Chrysanthemum and Dahlia. The pre-meeting workshop at 6:30 will focus on Seaweed: An Ocean Gift. First guest visit to a meeting is free.
