June 2025 newsletter
The June 2025 issue of Seeders and Weeders closes out the spring before the summer break.
Guest speaker: caring for garden tools
Gene Jackson shared how to keep tools working well:
- Bypass pruners cut cleanly and suit small stems. Anvil pruners are stronger and suit dead, hard wood.
- Sharpen blades with a diamond hone, moving in one direction from the inside to the tip
- A pull saw leaves a clean cut
- Change your mower oil every year, and check the air filter and spark plug
- Sharpen and balance mower blades so the engine doesn’t shake
- Shovels can be sharpened with a file too
One of our best plant sales
Heather called this one of the club’s most successful sales. She thanked Glenn and Sue W. for coordinating it. A guest said the members were very helpful and kind. Vegetables were popular, so the club will grow more next year. Heather will also buy six sturdy tables.
Around town
Nine members planted the pots and planters at Pleasant Valley Manor in May, and the residents loved it.
Planting the Pleasant Valley Boulevard petunias was hard this year. The beds were dry, the plants cost twice as much, and the quality was poor. The executive proposed that the club step back from the boulevard next year, and offer to help with planting plans if it is redone.
Bursary
This year’s bursary goes to Pleasant Valley Secondary grad McKenzie Gyorkos. She will study agriculture at the University of Saskatchewan and plans to become an agrologist.
Other news
- Glenn and Linda opened their gardens on June 17 for the Shuswap Garden Club, and members were invited too.
- Swan Lake now offers members its contractor rate: 10% off plants and 2 to 3% off most other items.
- Mary shared how the Starfish program sends weekend food bags home with local children. Members are asked to send ideas for community donations to Heather.
- Sue R. will host the September social.
Also in this issue
Planning for pollinators, from the Okanagan Xeriscape Association. BC has more than 500 kinds of native bees. Plants like Oregon grape, Saskatoon, penstemon, and gaillardia help them.
The next meeting is September 2, 2025.
