History of Holiday Greens
History of Holiday Greens by Rob Sproule If there is any truth in the expression “absence makes the heart grow fonder,” it may help to explain the intensity of the love affair that we Albertans
Growing 101
History of Holiday Greens by Rob Sproule If there is any truth in the expression “absence makes the heart grow fonder,” it may help to explain the intensity of the love affair that we Albertans
Mountain Ash in Alberta by Rob Sproule One of most common trees around Edmonton, the mountain ash is also one of the easiest to grow and one of the few hardy trees that are beautiful
Fruit Flies by Rob Sproule We’ve all been there. You’re enjoying a ripe bunch of bananas and fresh summer peaches one day and they’re buzzing with little flies the next. Fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) are
YEG Bees: Backyard Beekeeping in Edmonton by Rob Sproule People often get wistful when I talk to them about bees. Sometimes they’ll tell me, grinning, how they remember their yards palpably buzzing when they
Operation Fruit Rescue: Micro-Orchard by Rob Sproule The morning of September 13 had a crisp bite to it, and we pulled into the old McCauley public school with a van full of trees, notepads,
Fall Lawn Care by Rob Sproule Few things are better than walking through a cool fall day, crunching leaves at your feet and crisp dry air at your nose. While our heads
The Mosquito Proof Yard By: Rob Sproulemosqutio Standing Water Changing the Habitat Defence Disease: Myths and Facts Nature is wondrous. While my bug articles are usually, inevitably, about getting rid of said bug, I normally
Gardening in the Heat by Rob Sproule When the summer mercury rises, it’s not just humans and pets who get uncomfortable. Heat waves bring a lot of stress to gardens, but there are easy
The Best Herbs for the BBQ by Rob Sproule Summer is grilling season, and fresh herbs are as delicious on the barbeque as they are in the kitchen. When it comes to flavour,
Sod Webworm by Rob Sproule Does your lawn have brown patches that look like dog spots, only you don’t have a dog? Sod webworm is a common affliction in mature, exposed lawns (they don’t
Dutch Elm Disease by Rob Sproule A lot of people don’t think of plant diseases as having the ability to be devastating on a global scale. Dutch Elm Disease (DED) proves them wrong.
Wasps by Rob Sproule Few bugs are as universally unwelcome as wasps. As usual, however, before I tell you how to get rid of them, I’m going to tell you how fascinating they
Creating a Shady Sanctuary by Rob Sproule “A thing of beauty is a joy for ever: its loveliness increases; it will never pass into nothingness; but still will keep a bower quiet for us, and
Dew Worms by Rob Sproule If you’ve never seen a dew worm, do I have a mental picture to paint for you. Imagine the cute little red wrigglers in your garden, only reaching nightmarish
An Homage to Spiders by Rob Sproule If our gardens were Hollywood movies, every good bug would be as cute as lady-bugs and every bad bug would be as ugly as a spider. Spiders
Earthworms 101 by Rob Sproule Of the humble earthworm (Lubricus terrestris), Charles Darwin said it best: “It may be doubted whether there are many other animals which have played so important a part in the
Foolproof Edibles by Rob Sproule I talk to two kinds of people in the greenhouse: those who grow their own veggies, and those who would like to. Usually, the only thing stopping those
The Caterpillars are Coming! by Rob Sproule We all remember the “the tent caterpillar years”, and most of us still have stories of how, when we were young, they’d sound like rain falling from
What is Killing Our Bees by Rob Sproule It’s impossibly to overstate how extraordinary bees are or how vital they are to our future as a species. Worldwide, about 200,000 species of bees pollinate
Scarlet Lily Beetle by Rob Sproule Whether it’s their ease of growth, overwhelming flowers or just because we’re surprised that such a stunning plant can survive here, Canadians are passionate about lilies. They are
Container Gardening Secrets by Rob Sproule Gorgeous containers aren’t just found in glossy magazines and Martha Stewart specials. They’re within our grasp no matter how black our thumbs may be, and I have a few
Long Weekend Family Projects by Rob Sproule “Hamlet” is one of my favourite plays, and it’s on my mind every May Long Weekend as star-crossed gardeners float into the greenhouse, their eyes alight at the
Planting a Hanging Basket by Rob Sproule Hanging baskets are one of summer’s most colourful delights! They’re fun to make and add an easy blast of colour to the yard. A lot of
Cottony Psyllid by Rob Sproule With the intensely cold winters we endure on the prairies, we have precious few options when it comes to statement-making shade trees. As such, it’s understandably frustrating when a
Read through our Growing Guides for tips to enrich your garden!