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Home & Garden
T h e S Ta r P h o e n i x . c o M / B r i d g e S
Home Garden 2020 Saskatoon Spring
&
Guide
Bee friendly:
Invite leafcutter bees into your back yard BY CAROL T ODD
Ever wonder what those little blue “houses” are out in the fields as you drive down a prairie highway? They’re homes for leafcutter bees, the friendly little insects that are important to the development of many plants, helping them pollinate to get growing. Now they can come live by your home, too, bringing their benefits to the plants in your yard. Jed and Kathy Williams of Imperial, SK, provide backyard pollinator kits for homeowners to encourage pollination and plant growth. The Backyard Pollinator is an individual block of leafcutter bee nesting habitat, which contains bee larvae ready to hatch in warm weather. Homeowners simply place it in a dry, warm area and sit back and watch. Never fear – leafcutter bees are unlikely to sting unless trapped in clothing. They are solitary creatures, with no hive or queen to defend. With no hive, they also don’t make honey. What they do is provide a chance to watch nature at work, while giving the plants in your yard an extra pollination boost, making them healthier and
Leafcutter bees are known as super-pollinators because of the way they carry pollen in the hairs on their underside. This pollen easily drops off as they move from flower to flower. PH OTO: S H U T TE RS TO CK
Among the products offered by The Backyard Pollinator is this cedar pre-built solitary bee barn, with nesting block. P H O TO : TH E BACKYARD POL L I NATOR
more likely to produce better quality blooms and harvests. The Williams’ began their journey toward supplying homeowners with bees in Australia, where Jed grew alfalfa seed. After marriage to Kathy and moving to Saskatchewan, they began farming here in 2002 and keeping leafcutter bees to pollinate their alfalfa. Soon little blue bee houses sprouted in their fields along with the crop. They began selling their excess bees into, mainly, the United States market, before offering their bees to home-
owners. “The general public’s interest in bees has increased in the past few years and led us to explore the opportunities to sell our bees into the hobby market,” Jed says. The Williams now grow 6,000 gallons (60 million) of bees and their Backyard Pollinators are available at a number of retailers in addition to online. Leafcutter bees are known as super-pollinators because of the way they carry pollen in the hairs on their underside. This pollen easily drops off as they move from flower to flower. Leafcutter bees
are summer pollinators and like to fly and pollinate when the temperatures are 23°C and higher. In addition to flowers, they help pollinate summer-blooming garden plants such as cucumbers, strawberries, raspberries and tomatoes. “Many of our customers comment that they are noticing fewer bees in their gardens than in past years and they are happy to have a small amount of leafcutter bees in their yard,” says Jed. The Backyard Pollinator makes it easy to have leafcutter bees in your yard, Jed says. “As a solitary, non-aggressive species, there is no protective equipment required to observe and be around these bees,” he says. The nesting
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block must be kept dry – a sheltered location under an eave is good, Jed says, adding it requires patience for the bees to get going. “It takes 23 days at 30°C for the larvae to fully develop and hatch. We recommend putting the nesting blocks containing larvae outside on the May long weekend,” he says. If it’s a cool spring, the hatching will take longer. The nesting block, containing about 200 dormant larvae, is familiar to the bees and, with adequate food sources nearby they will almost always stay close and lay their larvae in the Backyard Pollinator for next year. Information on using and storing the Backyard Pollinator is included with every purchase.
With increased interest in the Backyard Pollinator, the Williams plan to continue to provide leafcutter bees to pollinate their own alfalfa for seed, and to bring great blooms and summer vegetables and herbs to homeowners. “There are people of all ages who have a great amount of interest in bees, and we’re pleased to increase the awareness of our leafcutter bees as a super pollinator,” Jed says. As evidence of that, in addition to being offered online, the Backyard Pollinator is now available at several retail outlets. And, that’s just the bee’s knees. More information is available online at backyardpollinator.ca.
BRING ON THE BEES!
There are numerous plants, annuals, perennials and even shrubs that will invite the bees into your garden. Chief among them is bee balm, also known as bergamot (Monarda), whose flowers come in a range of reds and pinks. Marshall’s Delight is fully hardy for our zone and, in addition to attacting bees, its leaves also make a nice tea. Other flowers that will have the busy insects making a bee-line for your yard include pansies, snowdrops, peonies, lavender, phlox, marigolds, sunflowers, snapdragons, liatris, black-eyed susans, lilacs, honeysuckle and many others. And don’t forget the herbs – the flowers of borage, thyme, chives, mint and oregano also attract bees.
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Backyard living season begins at Gardenscape 2020 BY JEANNIE ARMSTRONG
It’s the sure sign of spring we’ve all been waiting for! March 27 to 29 marks the return of Saskatchewan Blue Cross Gardenscape at Prairieland Park. Now in its 31st year, Gardenscape has evolved into one of western Canada’s premier backyard lifestyle and horticulture shows, attracting over 20,000 visitors annually from across the province. This year’s entertainment feature sees the return of the President’s Choice® SuperDogs™, a fun-filled, fastpaced show that celebrates “all things dog”! “The SuperDogs show is free with your Gardenscape admission. There’s a Pat N’ Chat™ after each show where you can pet the dogs and meet the handlers,” says Susan Kuzma, manager of Special Events with Prairieland Park. The Gardenscape Trade Show and Market Place continues to attract exhibitors from across western Canada. This year, more than 350 booths will showcase the latest trends in gardening
Gardenscape is sure to inspire new ideas for backyard living. Among the trends on display are new innovations in hardscape materials. SUPPLIED PHOTO Prairieland Park bursts into bloom March 27 to 29, when the doors open to the 31st annual Saskatchewan Blue Cross Gardenscape. SUPPLIED PHOTO
and backyard living. “We have quite a large number of new exhibitors coming this year,” says Kuzma. Among the newest product innovations on display will be hydroponic systems, hardscape materials, lawn alternatives and outdoor kitchen components. Interest in vegetable gardening has been revived in recent years, says Kuzma. Gardenscape is a great place to get expert information, and to buy seeds, garden
tools and accessories in preparation for this year’s growing season. The Market Place is a foodie’s delight, offering a diverse variety of tasty items produced right here in Saskatchewan. Colourful and fragrant d i s p l ay g a r d e n s a r e a p e r e n n i a l f av o u r i t e at Gardenscape. This year’s spectacular gardens were designed by Tim Janzen of Keystone Paving Corporation, Don Shepherd of
Confederation Park School, Karen Zunti of Prairie Landscape Solutions, Tom and Jodi Levy of Vision Landscape and Vanessa Young with the U of S Master Gardener Program. “The designers picked their own themes this year. It will be exciting to see their creativity on display,” says Kuzma. More than 1,200 pots of spring bulbs, along with many trees and shrubs, have been nurtured at Prairieland Park over the winter and
forced into bloom and leaf just in time for the show. Breathtaking floral displays are also showcased in the main foyer of Prairieland Park, created by professional florists. You can express your own creativity at Gardenscape by participating in the third annual “Make & Take” Workshop Experience. Located in Hall C, the workshop invites participants to create a tropical arrangement to take home and enjoy. The $30 fee covers the cost of materials. There are limited quantities,
so come early. What distinguishes Gardenscape from many other trade shows is its strong education component. The Speakers’ Theatre in Hall A features numerous industry experts who will speak on topics including herb gardening, beginner vegetable gardening, tips for choosing a landscape contractor, avoiding invasive plants and getting the best value in your landscape design. The “How To” demonstration area in Hall C is back by popular demand. The inter-
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The President’s Choice® SuperDogs™ show returns by popular demand to Gardenscape.
active presentations by local experts will show you how to tackle many of this season’s backyard projects – from composting and tree pruning to container and hydroponic gardening.
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With so much to see, do and experience at Gardenscape, you’ll need to take a break and refuel. The Prairie Berry Café’s homemade berry treats and feature desserts are sure to delight. The
Bistro & Wine Garden is a charming landscaped oasis, offering homemade soups, sandwiches, salads and desserts. All of the live plants, trees and turf used to transform
POS TM E D I A F I L E PH OTO
Prairieland Park will be auctioned off at the conclusion of the show on Sunday. Cash ‘n’ Carry items will be sold beginning at 6:00 p.m., with the live auction starting at 6:30 p.m.
Gardenscape 2020 showcases the latest trends in gardening and backyard living.
Admission to Gardenscape is $12.50 per person; a two-day pass is $18.00; a three-day weekend pass is $26.00. Kids ages 15 and under are admitted free. All in attendance have the
chance to win up to $1,000 in Backyard Bucks, redeemable for purchase from any show exhibitor. Tickets are available at the door, or online at www. gardenscapeshow.ca.
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2020 Saskatoon Spring
T h e S Ta r P h o e n i x . c o M / B r i d g e S
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Home&Garden Guide
Garden scene 2020: Colourful flowers, mini veggies Spring is here and with it come thoughts of warm summer days, barbecues and yards bursting with blooms and bountiful veggies, all surrounded by lush trees and shrubs. With a full range of new products, along with the tried and true, available at garden centres and online, gardeners of every age and level of experience can look forward to a year of happy gardening. Now mostly available online, there remain a few companies that continue to offer the paper catalogues in addition to their online sales of seeds and plants. One such is T&T Seeds of Manitoba, celebrating its 75th year, with a hard copy catalogue full of planting tips, anniversary specials and nuggets of history. Back in 1946, brothers Jerry and Paddy Twomey started a seed order catalogue business in Winnipeg and the rest, as they say, is history. The first colour cover was printed in 1957; computers came along in 1981. In 1997, the business moved to Headingley, Manitoba, with a 16,000 square foot warehouse, a large refrigeration area for rootstock and an acreage for test plots. The company was sold to Jarret and Jackie Davidson in 2016, but members of the Twomey family continue to be involved, with one of Paddy’s sons, Brian, as the operations manager and the eldest son, Kevin, as general manager. Kevin is also the photographer and puts the catalogue together each year.
The Prairie Pride tomato is one of three tomato varieties developed in Manitoba, called the Manitoba Collection. PHOTO: KEVIN TWOMEY, T&T SEEDS
Now’s the time to start planning this season’s flower and vegetable gardens. Explore the latest plant varieties by checking out seed catalogues and visiting local garden centres. PHOTO: KEVIN TWOMEY, T&T SEEDS
Prairie gardeners lost a dear friend, advisor and plant breeder with the passing of “Uncle Jerry” in 2008. His homespun snippets of advice included in the catalogues often proved invaluable, and the plants he developed were internationally renowned. As a mere sprout of 24, he developed Margaret Beaton, a pure white gladiola with a scarlet blotch. Named after his grandmother, the flower won first prize at the 1939 World’s Fair in New York. This year, in celebration of the anniversary and in memory of one of the company’s founders, T&T Seeds offers an Anniversary Gladiolus Kit, with everything needed
to grow three glads similar to the ones designed by Jerry. In addition to all the weird and wonderful colours of vegetables that gardeners have seen in recent years, like purple peppers and beans, and orange cauliflower, Kevin Twomey says there is increasing interest in smaller cucumbers and tomatoes. “One of the biggest sellers – you’d think it’s tomatoes, but it’s cucumbers. We sell more cucumbers than anything else,” he says. New this year is Green Light, a mini cuke that is picked when only three or four inches long. The plants can each produce up to 40 cucumbers. “More and more
people are growing the mini cukes. That’s the trend in the grocery stores, the smaller cucumbers, the snackable ones,” Kevin says. The new tomato, a “big seller” Kevin says, is Evans’s Extra Early, developed by Dr. Evans from Devon, Alberta. It’s a mid-sized tomato said to be 10 to 15 days earlier than other tomatoes. T&T Seeds is also celebrating Manitoba’s 150 anniversary this year as well as its own 75th and is offering The Manitoba Collection, featuring three of the popular tomatoes that were developed in Manitoba: Prairie Pride, Manitoba and Charlie’s Red Staker. This year, flowers continue to come in every colour of the rainbow, and maybe where least expected, like the multi-coloured Perfecta Tri- Colour Amaranthus, which gardeners will know as the full red Love Lies Bleeding. Petunias, in their various shapes, sizes and colours are always popular with garden-
ers, and Kevin says there is a lot of interest in the climbing petunias, like this year’s new Tickled Pink, a climber with bright rose-purple flowers. Purple shows up elsewhere, especially in the new poppy. “The biggest new item in the catalogue this year,” he says is the Lauren’s Grape, a dark purple poppy with a white centre. Kevin says sunflowers are also popular and can be different from the sunflowers we knew in the past, coming in a range of colours and heights. New this year is Strawberry Blonde, with light lemon and rose-pink flowers around a dark centre. One of Kevin’s favourite flowers – and a yearly must have for gardeners in the know – is one that won’t be found posing prettily in the catalogues. Gardeners will agree with his description of Evening Scented Stocks as “the ugliest plant in the world” and will happily ensure they buy enough seed
and plants to line their patios and walkways to enjoy the lovely aroma these less-than lovely plants emit when the sun goes down. From flowers to vegetables, and from shrubs to trees, there are numerous choices available for gardeners, regardless of their experience or the size or condition of their yards. And increasing numbers of people are taking the step to grow their own, especially when it comes to vegetables. In a cyclical business that can follow the trends of the marketplace and the vagaries of the weather, Kevin says business is, well, growing. “More people are getting into it,” he says of vegetable gardening. “A lot of people are realizing that the food in the food chain isn’t good overall, so they want to grow their own. They’re more interested in nutrition and health now,” he says. In addition to providing nutritious food, gardening also delivers additional health benefits. The physical activity of gardening helps to increase flexibility, strength and stamina. Being outdoors provides exposure to sunshine, boosting serum vitamin D levels. And a 16-year study of men and women aged 60 and older in Australia, found that physical activity, particularly gardening, reduced the incidence of dementia by 36 per cent. To start planning this season’s garden plot, visit ttseeds. com.
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Home & Garden
T h e S Ta r P h o e n i x . c o M / B r i d g e S
2020 Saskatoon Spring
Home&Garden Guide
Living big in small spaces
The steady increase in demand for urban living is fueling a drive to build more condominium and apartment spaces in Canada’s largest cities. The trade-off is often tight living quarters – smaller footprints to fit in as many apartments and condos as possible in a designated area. Such designs make it almost impossible to install the full-size appliances you would find a detached home out in the suburbs or country and still live comfortably. But you don’t have to sacrifice these luxuries completely for urban living. “A quick look around any of Canada’s major cities tells you there are a lot of condos going up,” says Meaghan Wilkinson, Director of Marketing for Hisense Canada.
“When it comes to outfitting these condos, homeowners can still get all the features they want, but just in more suitable compact size for their home.” Some of the options available to urban condo and apartment dwellers include: • Counter-Depth Fridge – Esthetically pleasing, counter-depth fridges are all the rage in kitchen design. They fit in with the cabinets without any odd protrusions sticking out. For a condo or apartment, a fridge offering about 15 cubic feet of space is ideal. It has the space you need to keep all of your food fresh without taking up too much of a footprint. The Hisense RB15 models – available in stainless, black stainless and white
– are stylish and roomy, featuring a bottom-mount freezer, pocket handles and a hidden digital touch display. • Space-Saving Refrigerators – If space is really tight, look to a space-saving fridge between six and seven cubic feet. Larger than a compact bar fridge but still suitable for tight spaces, these can be found with an interior top-mount freezer and space saving storage, it fits great in smaller kitchens. A stainless finish gives it an upscale appearance. • Portable AC – As cold as the Canadian winters get, the summers are hot, sticky and humid. Unlike a window unit that restricts comfort to a single room, portable air conditioners only require a sim-
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ple-to-install window kit, making them relatively simple to move from room to room – with the
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Dee Dee’s Destination Bus Tours Saskatoon, SK. Your greatest adventure is what lies ahead with Dee Dee’s Destinations
k Boow No
South Beach & Club Regent Trip *Apr. 27-30 *Aug. 31 - Sept. 3*
2 nights at South Beach Resort & 1 night at Wpg. Club Regent Casino Receive $80 Free play & some meal coupons
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Day Trips for 2020 - Departing From Saskatoon
Lloydminster April 20
1 Bus Only
North Battleford Gold Eagle May 11 * Moose Jaw June 22
4 Bears Casino Trip *June 8-10 * Oct. 5-7*
$65 Free Slot Play & some meal coupons. Earn $100 at par, once you get 25 points (per day - max is $200) Shopping exclusion to Minot included.
Black Friday, Bismarck, ND *Nov. 26-20* Phone 306.384.0156 Cell 306.371.5911 *All trips subject to change • Look for more upcoming trips!
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