Camosun students looking to find some ways to make gardening easy are going to have a busy few days. If the ol’ summer job is allowing for any disposable income, grab a copy of the recently released book Sow Simple: 100+ Green and Easy Projects to Make Your Garden Awesome, written by Christina Symons and John Gillespie, then head out to Dig This on Thursday and Cannor Nursery on Saturday to hear the two speak in person about gardening techniques.
“Victoria is one of our favourite cities in the world and we’re pulling out all the stops,” says Symons. “We’ll be talking about growing green and black tea in BC, a topic we are very stoked about. We’ll also be discussing ways to grow greener at home, for example, how to turn your yard into an entirely edible oasis, including growing olives and figs.”
Symons, who says they’ll also be teaching people how to make free plants with easy propagation tips and homemade “magic willow juice,” says that students interested in starting gardening should “just go for it,” and start off with herbs as they are low maintenance and less susceptible to pests than other garden plants.
“Plant vegetables that you love to eat, and you will enjoy gardening even more,” she says. “Trees are a wonderful choice if you have ample room; they are a great way to commemorate someone special, celebrate a birthday or mark a special occasion, such as graduation.”
Planting trees? This is all good and dandy for people who have time on their hands and plenty of space, although the reality is that students often have neither. But Symons says that’s not a problem.
“If you don’t have a lot of room, you can grow a mini-potager—a tiny kitchen or herb garden—in a simple recycled nursery pot from the garden centre,” she says. “Don’t be afraid to grow veggies and even berries in pots. Potatoes, raspberries, and blueberries all grow well on balconies. And if you don’t have a balcony, consider growing micro-greens—baby greens such as arugula, broccoli and pea shoots—on your windowsill, or even on a tabletop. A community garden plot is also a great idea.”
Christina Symons and John Gillespie
6:30 pm, Thursday, May 3
Dig This, 636 Fort Street
Free
2 pm, Saturday May 5
Cannor Nursery, 4660 Elk Lake Drive
Free