Dear Helen: What is the best timing for pruning kiwi, grape, and wisteria?
P.V.
I prune all three in January, and again in summer. The January timing is especially important for kiwi and grape — vines whose sap begins rising early. To avoid copious bleeding from the cuts, early pruning is important.
Prune wisteria vines again in July to shorten new, long and willowy stems. Once the fruit has set on kiwi vines, I find it helpful to prune back the stems to just beyond the formed fruit. This relieves congestion on these vigorous vines and helps to enhance sweetness in the fruit from the increased exposure to sunlight.
For the same reason it is helpful to prune grape vines once the clusters have formed, to open “windows” of sunlight onto the growing and ripening grape clusters.
Dear Helen: A question you answered about rose midge larvae feeding on the leaf and flower buds of roses alarmed me. My wife and I love our roses. How widespread is this pest? It seemed that the person asking the question about the damage on his roses had not experienced the problem until this year.
R.L.
Linda Gilkeson, a local entomologist and teacher, in her Natural Insect, Weed and Disease Control guide, describes outbreaks of rose midge as localized in British Columbia.
It is a fairly common story that specific kinds of plantings will flourish serenely for years before being discovered by a specific pest. I grew bulb onions, unprotected, for 25 years in my garden before suddenly finding all the plants wilted, the forming bulbs a disgusting mass of mush and onion fly maggots. Now, I protect the onion plantings with a floating row cover or insect netting.
It’s also usual for certain pests to be “localized.” I know of regions close to where I live that are not bothered by carrot rust fly, a pest that makes it impossible in my garden to grow clean carrots without a protective barrier.
Dear Helen: Why are there stony bits inside some of my pears? The affected fruit is inedible.
C.H.
This question has been a regular in my mail the last two summers. Gritty clusters in pears are most likely caused by issues around weather, growing conditions, and the timing of harvesting.
Very cool or very hot weather can result in hard or mealy fruit. Stress to the trees, such as intense heat in August or/and dry conditions, can cause the formation of “stone cells.”
Hard, gritty stone cells and flesh starting to rot from the inside can also signal that the pears have been left too long on the tree. Pick pears at the first sign of the skin colour beginning to lighten and when the fruit detaches easily from the tree when lifted gently.
Note to clubs and readers. I have begun the process of transferring to an new computer system. Until that is complete, some people are having problems getting emails through to me. Here’s what to do:
After sending me an email, you may receive another regarding that mail asking you to verify that you are a real person and not a spam machine. Simply scroll down through the techno-babble to the bottom and click on Reply. A box will come up with my name in the address. Click on Send and your email will go through. You’ll receive confirmation of that. This needs to be done only once to clear you for future emails.
GARDEN EVENTS
Four season containers. Russell Nursery, 1370 Wain Rd. in North Saanich, is offering a Four Season Container workshop on Friday at 1 p.m. or Saturday at 10 a.m. Learn how to design and create an all-season container planting that will last for years. Take home your creation. Cost of $40 includes all materials. Register at [email protected] and include your phone number.
Plant sale. The Horticulture Centre of the Pacific, 505 Quayle Rd. in Saanich, is holding its annual Fall Plant Sale on Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. For sale will be an extensive selection propagated from unique plants in the HCP gardens. The cost of everything is reduced by 25 per cent or more. Victoria Master Gardeners will be on site to answer your questions.
Apple festival. The 18th annual Salt Spring Island Apple Festival will be on Sunday, Oct. 1, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. View displays of over 400 apple varieties. Details at saltspringapplefestival.org.