Seed Saving Workshops

Spence Neighbourhood Association
615 Ellice Avenue

• Wednesday, March 13 at 2:00 p.m.
• Tuesday, March 19 at 5:00 p.m.
• Tuesday, March 26 at 6:00 p.m.
• Thursday, March 28 at 2:00 p.m.

Gather together with community members, gardeners and first-time seed starters to help start seeds for the community gardens and volunteers. We will start a variety of seeds and take a look at the plants in the basement. All are welcome.

These workshops are FREE! Snacks will be provided. For more information or to register, contact Tanya at 204-783-2834.

Seedy Saturday

March 9 from 10:00 - 3:00
Canadian Mennonite University, South Campus
600 Shaftesbury Blvd.

Winnipeg is hosting it's 13th annual Seedy Saturday, which brings together gardeners, farmers, seed growers and seed savers, native plant enthusiasts, conservation groups, horticultural societies, and anyone ready to dream about spring in the company of friends. Come out for a day of great connections and new ideas. Buy or exchange seeds and participate in a workshop to learn more about seed saving and gardening in Manitoba.

This event has been organized by the Winnipeg Community Garden Network, Seeds of Diversity Canada and Friends of Gardens Manitoba with support from the Canadian Mennonite University and USC Canada.

Admission by donation.

Visit Seedy Saturday Winnipeg for more information.

Soil Health for Better Gardens Workshop

Wednesday, January 16th at 7:00 p.m.
DMSMCA Offices, 823 Ellice Ave.

Come out for a FREE workshop on an holistic approach to gardening, growing and soil health.

The workshop will dig deep to examine:

• customizing compost for your garden;
• understanding how life below ground relates to life above ground;
• soil succession;
• carbon, nitrogen and pH balance;
• biodiversity and bioremediation;
• the soil food web;
• and microorganisms (bacteria and fungi).

Refreshments will be served!

Please contact Bowen at composting(at)dmsmca.ca or 204-774-7005 to register or for more information.

Facebook event.

Pallet Garden

Not many of us West Enders are fortunate enough to have big yards. Julie, inspired by this site, has recycled shipping pallets to create a vertical veggie garden along her garage. A great way to add more space!

The Red Menace

The red lily leaf beetle is a big problem in Winnipeg this summer. The invasive insect has no natural predators in Canada and is difficult to control. Here are some suggestions from the Manitoba Regional Lily Society:

• Handpick the adult beetles (6-8 mm ¼ inch in length) as soon as they appear on the emerging lilies.
• Spray the adults with any pyrethrum based (0.5%) insecticide or any other registered pesticide. Rotenone may also be effective.
• Destroy the egg cases on the underside of the leaves.  Eggs are in yellow/orange clusters or in irregular rows. The eggs are quite small, approximately 1 mm.
• Remove the larvae.  Can be very messy.  Use rubber gloves.
• Dust or spray with Rotenone or any pyrethrum based pesticide.
• Spray the larvae and the underside of the leaves with Neem Oil at 5-7 day intervals throughout the season.  Neem is ineffective on adults.
• Adults over winter in the surrounding soil or under plant debris.  Some adults may survive over two seasons.  Stir up the surrounding soil or the mulch in early spring and kill any emerging beetles before they have a chance to lay their eggs.
• It is up to each gardener to check their lily plantings at least weekly for signs of the beetle.  Because the beetles are strong fliers and can move around the neighborhood, inform your neighbors and help them to control this pest.

Lily beetles in a West End garden

Lily beetle larvae

Although the suggested controls include both chemical and natural  methods, no particular products have been approved for use on the red lily beetle. Gardeners should choose the method that they are comfortable with and which work best for them.

Great Gardening Websites

Treehugger has an article on the best gardening websites. A little something for everyone, from houseplants to micro-farms, from the Netherlands to the U.S. to Canada. Check it out!

Some inspiration before tomorrow's Seed Starting Workshop

"If you'd rather not buy plastic flats or peat pellets for your seed starting, it's very easy to make seed starting pots out of items that were destined for the recycling bin or compost pile (or, worse, the trash!) Here are three easy, free ideas that work very well."


Read the full article.

My favourite idea is the toilet paper rolls!

girlingearstudio/CC BY 2.0

Indoor Seed Starting Workshop

When: Tuesday, February 28 from 7 - 8:30pm
Where: DMSMCA, 823 Ellice Ave.

Seedlings can be expensive to purchase from the store or nursery, so come and learn the basics of growing your own seedlings from scratch.

This is a FREE hands-on workshop and each participant will leave with a few started seedlings. Please bring your own reusable containers to take your seedlings home.

For more information, contact Robyn at 774-7005 or greening(at)dmsmca.ca.

Community Gardens 2012

Are you interested in community gardening this year?  It may seem a little early but DMSMCA is accepting applications for the Lipton, Orioles and Central Mosque Community Gardens.  DMSMCA manages over 70 garden plots that are available anyone who lives in the DMSM neighbourhood, regardless of skill level.  Each plot is free and priority is given to community members who don’t have a yard and those who have volunteered their time in the garden in the past. 

Lipton Community Garden: was created two years ago with the help of a hardworking committee of volunteers.  This garden is located in a former vacant city park on Lipton near Yarwood and has eleven plots for community members.

Orioles Community Garden: located in front of Orioles Community Centre at 444 Burnell this garden has around 30 individual plots and demand for plots has exceeded available space since its creation.  Orioles also has a number of indigenous prairie plant beds, including a butterfly garden, planted with local children last year. The Orioles Garden has its own message board and this will used to communicate more information about events with gardeners.

Central Mosque Community Garden: DMSMCA created a new garden space in the parking lot of the Winnipeg Central Mosque at 715 Ellice. There are a few plots open to community members who live nearby.

If you have any further questions or would like to get a 2012 garden application please contact Robyn at 774-7005 or greening(at)dmsmca.ca

Gardening With Indigenous Plants

Wednesday, May 18, 2011
6:30 - 7:30pm

Would you like to know more about the native prairie plants that once covered our city? Learn about wildflowers, grasses, medicinal plants, how to attract birds and butterflies, and save water.

Location TBA.

Contact Robyn at greening(at)dmsmca.ca to register.

Sustainable Lawncare

Wednesday, May 4, 2011
6:30 - 7:30pm

Come learn how to maintain your lawn without the use of pesticides, synthetic fertilizers and fossil fuels. Tips for dealing with weeds and insects, as well as information on grass alternatives, will also be provided.

Location TBA.

Contact Robyn at greening(at)dmsmca.ca to register.

Community Garden Plot - Sign Up

Orioles Garden Site & Lipton Garden Site

DMSMCA is now accepting applications for plots in the community gardens. If you live in Daniel McIntyre-St. Matthews and are interested in having a plot in one of our community gardens this season, please contact Jen S. or Robyn at greening(at)dmsmca.ca or composting(at)dmsmca.ca or call 774-7005 to get an application form.

Gardening Saturday

The Friends of The Assiniboine Park Conservatory present:

Gardening Saturday
March 26, 2011
9am - 4pm

Canadian Mennonite University - North Campus
500 Shaftesbury Bldv.

Admission: $5

For more information go to: www.friendsconservatory.com

Garden workshops!

Edit!: Instead of having two canning and preserving workshops we are Having one Herb preserving workshop on Monday August the 17th from 6-8 in the Kitchen of St. Matthew's Anglican church. The second workshop in August is on Thursday the 20th. this one will be on Canning and preserving; it will be held at the same time and place as the Herbs preserving workshop.
Sorry for the confusion!

We're having number of workshops in July and August For those interested in Attending
the first one is tonight from 6-8 pm at the Orioles-site Community garden. (Rain location inside the building, 444 Burnell.) It will cover efficient Watering and mulching practices for your garden or lawn.
The second on Monday July the 20th is a composting workshop brought back by popular demand. Come out if you're interested in learning how to recycle your plant wastes to create fertile soil. This workshop is also from 6 - 8 at 444 Burnell rain or shine.

The two workshops in August are about canning and preserving. They will be hosted in part by the Manitoba Food Charter and will be held In the basement of St. Matthew's Anglican church, 641 St. Matthew's Ave, in the kitchen. Participants are asked to enter through the McGee doors. The workshops themselves will be held on the 17th and the 20th; a Monday and a Thursday from 6-8 pm. Canning Supplies and produce will be provided.

More news from the garden coming soon!