This weekend in Vancouver’s Chinatown, Victory Gardens is proud to participate in the Vancouver Chinatown Night Market! Join us on the evening of June 7th, 8th where we’ll be selling veggie starts, seeds, fertilizer AND offer the crowd an ASK THE EXPERT service. For a list of Seeds and Starters available, click on the “Buy Seeds” and “Buy Veggie Starts” buttons on the right hand side of our SERVICES page: http://victorygardensvancouver.ca/services
Pop-upView Separately

This weekend in Vancouver’s Chinatown, Victory Gardens is proud to participate in the Vancouver Chinatown Night Market!

Join us on the evening of June 7th, 8th where we’ll be selling veggie starts, seeds, fertilizer AND offer the crowd an ASK THE EXPERT service.

For a list of Seeds and Starters available, click on the “Buy Seeds” and “Buy Veggie Starts” buttons on the right hand side of our SERVICES page:

http://victorygardensvancouver.ca/services

Archive: VICTORY GARDENS in SCOUT MAGAZINE: What To Grow In Your Garden Today? Lots Of Summer Squash! Late May is a time of getting down to business in the garden – the warmer temperatures allow for plantings of beans, squash/zucchini, and, if the weather allows, EVEN tomatoes – but wait. Be patient with the latter and let the nighttime temperatures reach 13, ideally. As always, being in Vancouver, we should really preface this and many articles with, “Depending on the weather”… Here we’ll focus on summer squash/zucchini. Last year, we wrote an article on harvesting the stuff and what to do with their delicious blossoms. This time around we’re going to focus on how to grow! If direct-sowing, late May/early June (when the soil is warmer) is perfect. Optimal soil temperature is 25 Celsius, and a good sunny stretch will yield thereabouts. Your seeds should pop up in a week or two. Sow them about an inch deep, and sow a few to ensure germination. Then, pick the strongest one to be the plant for your chosen spot. If transplanting, remember a few things: summer squash is both hungry and thirsty. They need plenty of moisture and plenty of nutrients, so when transplanting it’s important to dig in compost or well-rotted manure into the bed, as well as a scoop of organic fertilizer into the transplant hole (as always, if you need any of the above, just give us a call). When watering in your transplant, avoid overhead watering, as summer squash is exceptionally prone to powdery mildew. Last year was especially prevalent for this fungal issue because it was so rainy! Where are all the bees? Don’t even get us started. Anyways, sometimes summer squash needs a little help in the pollination department. The plant has both male and female flowers (the fruit forms here), and the female flowers need to be pollinated to form fruit. In the morning, when both male and female flowers are open (sometimes this is fickle, as one may or may not be “in the mood”), take the pollen from the male flower to the pistil of the female flower. Sounds daunting? Just google it! There are plenty of how-to videos on the web. Remember to harvest regularly, as this will encourage more fruit! Some of our favorite varieties that we are growing this year are Ronde de Nice, Goldie Zucchini, and a little patty pan Scallopini called Bennings Green Tint. Have fun with it!
Pop-upView Separately

Archive: VICTORY GARDENS in SCOUT MAGAZINE: What To Grow In Your Garden Today? Lots Of Summer Squash!

Late May is a time of getting down to business in the garden – the warmer temperatures allow for plantings of beans, squash/zucchini, and, if the weather allows, EVEN tomatoes – but wait. Be patient with the latter and let the nighttime temperatures reach 13, ideally. As always, being in Vancouver, we should really preface this and many articles with, “Depending on the weather”…

Here we’ll focus on summer squash/zucchini. Last year, we wrote an article on harvesting the stuff and what to do with their delicious blossoms. This time around we’re going to focus on how to grow!

If direct-sowing, late May/early June (when the soil is warmer) is perfect. Optimal soil temperature is 25 Celsius, and a good sunny stretch will yield thereabouts. Your seeds should pop up in a week or two. Sow them about an inch deep, and sow a few to ensure germination. Then, pick the strongest one to be the plant for your chosen spot.

If transplanting, remember a few things: summer squash is both hungry and thirsty. They need plenty of moisture and plenty of nutrients, so when transplanting it’s important to dig in compost or well-rotted manure into the bed, as well as a scoop of organic fertilizer into the transplant hole (as always, if you need any of the above, just give us a call).

When watering in your transplant, avoid overhead watering, as summer squash is exceptionally prone to powdery mildew. Last year was especially prevalent for this fungal issue because it was so rainy!

Where are all the bees? Don’t even get us started. Anyways, sometimes summer squash needs a little help in the pollination department. The plant has both male and female flowers (the fruit forms here), and the female flowers need to be pollinated to form fruit. In the morning, when both male and female flowers are open (sometimes this is fickle, as one may or may not be “in the mood”), take the pollen from the male flower to the pistil of the female flower. Sounds daunting? Just google it! There are plenty of how-to videos on the web.

Remember to harvest regularly, as this will encourage more fruit! Some of our favorite varieties that we are growing this year are Ronde de Nice, Goldie Zucchini, and a little patty pan Scallopini called Bennings Green Tint. Have fun with it!

Thanks to the lovely Farmacie blog for the mention! Inspired by WWI and WWII style campaigns and the camaraderie it fostered, Lisa Giroday, Sandra Lopuch and Sam Phillips founded Victory Gardens, a team of farmers and food renegades, that transform and maximize urban space for food production. Intent on ensuring the sustainability of these urban areas, the Victory Garden girls focus on education and providing the associated resources necessary for a successful harvest. More recently, this trifecta’s work has become “unfenced,” offering consultations to businesses (such as VanCity Credit Union and the lululemon lab) and schools seeking to minimize their environmental impact and support their local economy. Given the fact that some of us have not picked up a shovel since our sandbox days, the Victory Gardens team offer workshops for all levels. The forecast says sunshine Vancouver so grab a buddy and dig in.
View Separately

Thanks to the lovely Farmacie blog for the mention!

Inspired by WWI and WWII style campaigns and the camaraderie it fostered, Lisa Giroday, Sandra Lopuch and Sam Phillips founded Victory Gardens, a team of farmers and food renegades, that transform and maximize urban space for food production. Intent on ensuring the sustainability of these urban areas, the Victory Garden girls focus on education and providing the associated resources necessary for a successful harvest.

More recently, this trifecta’s work has become “unfenced,” offering consultations to businesses (such as VanCity Credit Union and the lululemon lab) and schools seeking to minimize their environmental impact and support their local economy.

Given the fact that some of us have not picked up a shovel since our sandbox days, the Victory Gardens team offer workshops for all levels. The forecast says sunshine Vancouver so grab a buddy and dig in.

Top