Just a reminder: the Yorkton In Bloom competition is coming up! If you’re interested to enter your yard or garden in one of a variety of categories, please remember that the deadline to enter is Jul. 7, and judging will be on Jul. 10 – 12. If you’d like more information, please call 786-1776. These gardens are always an inspiration, so thank you and congratulations to everyone who enters the competition!
And one more note: Wednesday, Aug. 8 is the date of the Yorkton and District Horticultural Society’s Annual Fruit, Flower and Vegetable Show at St. Gerard’s Parish Complex. Here’s your chance to see the best of the gardening year: fruit and vegetable displays, cut flowers, plant displays and flower arrangements. Your admission price includes tea or coffee and dainties, so please mark that date down and plan to join us! Be sure to bring a friend! It’s a lovely way to spend an afternoon!
I know some people have been asking about the Saskatchewan Horticultural Association’s Bus Tour. The bus tour takes place Jul. 15 – 17, and is the “Honeywood Lilies In Bloom and The North”. The tour visits Honeywood Heritage Nursery, Waskesiu, La Ronge, Stanley Mission, and Missinipi. The poster says “Be awed by lilies, art, history, nature’s water and firepower, and rocky gardening by experiencing the beauty and natural wonder of Northern Saskatchewan.” It sounds like a wonderful tour! I am not sure if any spots are still available on this tour, but if you are interested please call Sheila Glennie at (306) 338-7304 for more information.
Any gardener who has lilies in their gardens has a task to do. Did you know there is something very destructive that could be in your garden at this very moment? The Red lily leaf beetle is a destructive invader that attacks any type of lily, even the beautiful wild lilies that are our province’s official flower. This beetle has been moving from eastern Canada, and has been found in Saskatchewan and even in Alberta.
We have to check our lilies for signs of the beetle: if they are in our gardens we will know, because they are lily-eating machines that will eat all of our beautiful lilies: leaves, buds, and stems in a very short time. Check the undersides of the lily leaves for clusters of eggs; you will know them when you see them because they are dark orange in color.
From what I have read about the beetle, it sounds like the best way to get rid of them is for us to check our plants by hand and destroy the beetles. What are we looking for? The beetle is bright red with black legs and a black underside, no spots, up to 8 millimetres in size, with a rectangular shaped body. Do not harm any ladybugs by mistake: the beetle has no spots.
Daylilies are not bothered by these voracious pests. But please do be vigilant and keep an eye on any lilies you may have in your garden.
It is a good idea to check for any kind of pests in your garden when you are doing your daily tour. It is much easier to get rid of them at the beginning of their attacks on our plants, rather than wait until things have reached a critical point. We work so hard with our plants; we want to keep them as healthy as we can!
We extend a warm gardening welcome and say hello to the White City garden Club who will be touring in the area this weekend! We hope you enjoy all your visits!
Visit the Yorkton Hort Society at www.yorktonhort.ca. Have a great week and be sure to wear a hat!
