weekly feeding

how to: make humming bird nectar

death traps

Small birds, mammals and other creatures often fall into watering cans and buckets trying to access water. Always leave a twig or stick in the container so critters can climb back out.

(photo credit: CJW Vos)
 ^^this little deer mouse, a semi-arboreal rodent that also forages in shallow water, drowned in an ice cream pail containing only a few centimetres of water.

Aside from seeds, deer mice eat beetles and other small invertebrates, especially in summer.

(photo credit: CJW Vos)

^^even good swimmers like this guy eventually tire and drown trying to escape containers.

(photo credit: Storm)
^^always give small animals an escape route by placing a twig or stick in the container,
or store empty upside down or on the side.

growing cuttings

Late winter/ early spring is a good time to start cuttings 

(clones, in WestCoast speak) of many woody plants.

This is Sarcococca, a wonderful, hardy small shrub that 

sprouts fragrant flowers December thru February.

 

 ^^select shoots 15 to 20 cm or 6 to 8 inches

 ^^strip the lower leaves and trim to 15 cm or 6 inches

 ^^dust with rooting hormone

 ^^insert the bare stems in fresh potting soil, pat soil gently to fill holes

 

^^labels help, even if you spell the name wrong. Add the date.

 ^^water and leave outside for a few months

pot bound

^^after five years in this pot it was time to divide the bamboo

 

^^the roots and shoots are tough; you will need a sharp spade to split the root ball

^^now good for another few years

Sprinkler regulations

 Sprinkling is unnecessary in most situations. Please check with your supervisor before putting out a sprinkler.

Effective June 1 to September 30, sprinkling is permitted as follows: 

• Even-numbered addresses may sprinkle lawns 4:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays
• Odd-numbered addresses may sprinkle lawns 4:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays

Note: Hand watering is permitted any time.
City of Port Coquitlam sprinkling page here

how to use Home Page

'right click' on the image and select 'view image' for the enlarged version

(if you're using Google Chrome or Internet Explorer you will have to download the graphic 

and view it in your preferred image viewer. Time to switch over to Firefox, y'all.)