WCS Academy

October 23, 2024

Have you ever experienced the frustration of losing your tomato plants to disease before you can enjoy the harvest? Or do you have clubroot in...

About Disease Resistance

October 23, 2024

Have you ever experienced the frustration of losing your tomato plants to disease before you can enjoy the harvest? Or do you have clubroot in your soil, making it impossible to grow any brassicas...

Using Crop Protection to Ensure an Abundant Harvest

October 10, 2023

Frost, insects, wind, and that ever-changing temperature. How do I give my seedlings and plants the best support to ensure an abundant harvest? Protecting crops...

Using Crop Protection to Ensure an Abundant Harvest

October 10, 2023

Frost, insects, wind, and that ever-changing temperature. How do I give my seedlings and plants the best support to ensure an abundant harvest? Protecting crops is a large component of your organic growing toolbox...

Integrated Pest Management

June 22, 2021

Even in large scale, chemically dependent farm systems, Integrated Pest Management can reduce human and environmental exposure to chemical pesticides, and save a great deal...

Integrated Pest Management

June 22, 2021

Even in large scale, chemically dependent farm systems, Integrated Pest Management can reduce human and environmental exposure to chemical pesticides, and save a great deal of money. For the organic grower IPM is the...

European Chafer Beetles

May 24, 2021

Although they arrived from Europe, they’re well at home now in BC’s Lower Mainland and many other regions. This lively beetle (Amphimallon majalis) has an...

European Chafer Beetles

May 24, 2021

Although they arrived from Europe, they’re well at home now in BC’s Lower Mainland and many other regions. This lively beetle (Amphimallon majalis) has an annual life cycle that is worth understanding in an...

Companion Planting with Umbellifers

May 24, 2021

Cilantro and dill are both good examples of umbelliferous plants. When these plants bloom, the flower structure is in a shape called an umbel —...

Companion Planting with Umbellifers

May 24, 2021

Cilantro and dill are both good examples of umbelliferous plants. When these plants bloom, the flower structure is in a shape called an umbel — scores of tiny flowers arranged on a more or...

Predatory Nematodes

May 17, 2021

Predatory nematodes can be applied in the spring to combat chafer beetles, wireworm, and other soil dwelling beetle larvae. Predatory nematodes are effective against over...

Predatory Nematodes

May 17, 2021

Predatory nematodes can be applied in the spring to combat chafer beetles, wireworm, and other soil dwelling beetle larvae. Predatory nematodes are effective against over 250 species of insect pests.

Crop Rotation

January 31, 2021

Crop rotation is the practice of not growing plants where similar plants grew the previous year. Crop rotation prevents the build up of pests and diseases...

Crop Rotation

January 31, 2021

Crop rotation is the practice of not growing plants where similar plants grew the previous year. Crop rotation prevents the build up of pests and diseases and optimizes the use of soil nutrients. Plants from...

Clubroot

January 11, 2021

Clubroot is the thickening and distortion of the roots of Brassicas by the soil fungus Plasmodiophora brassicae. Roots are distended and swollen and may appear...

Clubroot

January 11, 2021

Clubroot is the thickening and distortion of the roots of Brassicas by the soil fungus Plasmodiophora brassicae. Roots are distended and swollen and may appear to be shaped like fingers or tumors. Infected plants...

Tomato Hornworm

November 01, 2020

From time to time in early summer, a very large brown and grey moth can be seen in the garden, visiting flowers, particularly large, white,...

Tomato Hornworm

November 01, 2020

From time to time in early summer, a very large brown and grey moth can be seen in the garden, visiting flowers, particularly large, white, fragrant ones. This conspicuous insect is variously known as...

All creatures great and small eat seedlings

July 28, 2020

Organic gardeners share one challenge that has many faces – how to nurse newly emerged seedlings along to the point when they are strong enough...

All creatures great and small eat seedlings

July 28, 2020

Organic gardeners share one challenge that has many faces – how to nurse newly emerged seedlings along to the point when they are strong enough to defend themselves. Because seedlings are so tender and...

Planting to Attract Predatory Insects

July 08, 2020

Planting to attract predatory insects is one of the key tactics for pest control in an organic garden system. Insects, like plants, come in all...

Planting to Attract Predatory Insects

July 08, 2020

Planting to attract predatory insects is one of the key tactics for pest control in an organic garden system. Insects, like plants, come in all shapes and sizes, and play many different roles in...

Improve Pollination with Phacelia

May 27, 2020

Purple Tansy is the common name for one of the garden’s supreme workhorses, Phacelia tanacetifolia. Gardeners who have had trouble with fruit setting on squash,...

Improve Pollination with Phacelia

May 27, 2020

Purple Tansy is the common name for one of the garden’s supreme workhorses, Phacelia tanacetifolia. Gardeners who have had trouble with fruit setting on squash, melons, or cucumbers need to learn how to improve...

This Is The Cause Of Your Rotten Tomatoes And How To Prevent it

July 23, 2019

It’s a beautiful summer day. Since sowing your tomato seeds in Spring, you’ve been nurturing your container garden, preparing for harvest. There is nothing like...

This Is The Cause Of Your Rotten Tomatoes And How To Prevent it

July 23, 2019

It’s a beautiful summer day. Since sowing your tomato seeds in Spring, you’ve been nurturing your container garden, preparing for harvest. There is nothing like a juicy, summer-ripened tomato fresh from the garden. Finally,...

Lupin Aphids

June 11, 2018

Through April and May we enjoyed a very robust display of lupins planted around our farmhouse and over the septic berm. The blue and purple...

Lupin Aphids

June 11, 2018

Through April and May we enjoyed a very robust display of lupins planted around our farmhouse and over the septic berm. The blue and purple flowers were visible from the nearby overpass and painted...

Flea Beetles

June 04, 2018

Flea beetles are tiny, hopping, flea-like beetles of the genus Phyllotreta. To deal with flea beetles, it’s best to understand their life cycle. Adults emerge...

Flea Beetles

June 04, 2018

Flea beetles are tiny, hopping, flea-like beetles of the genus Phyllotreta. To deal with flea beetles, it’s best to understand their life cycle. Adults emerge from the soil in spring and feed, laying eggs...

Radish Problems

June 04, 2018

It’s tempting to imagine, when planting a row of spring radishes, that they will be ready in perfect shape at harvest time, free from blemishes,...

Radish Problems

June 04, 2018

It’s tempting to imagine, when planting a row of spring radishes, that they will be ready in perfect shape at harvest time, free from blemishes, and wholly uniform in size and shape. Typically, though,...

Snails and Slugs

May 02, 2017

These gastropods (Snails and Slugs) are a fact of life in damp coastal BC. Two factors, however, can be used to minimize their impact on...

Snails and Slugs

May 02, 2017

These gastropods (Snails and Slugs) are a fact of life in damp coastal BC. Two factors, however, can be used to minimize their impact on your organic vegetable garden. First, they shun sunlight, and...

Commit to Grow Day 14: Wildlife

April 14, 2017

One of the amazing opportunities facing all gardeners and farmers is planting for wildlife — or, at least, growing food with biodiversity in mind. Organic...

Commit to Grow Day 14: Wildlife

April 14, 2017

One of the amazing opportunities facing all gardeners and farmers is planting for wildlife — or, at least, growing food with biodiversity in mind. Organic gardeners understand that soil health is inherently dependent on...

Do Ants Farm Aphids?

March 05, 2016

We hear so much about ants farming aphids that we thought we should answer the question, “Do ants farm aphids?” It’s natural for human beings...

Do Ants Farm Aphids?

March 05, 2016

We hear so much about ants farming aphids that we thought we should answer the question, “Do ants farm aphids?” It’s natural for human beings to try to explain an observation of the natural...

Wireworms

September 14, 2014

Wireworms represent the larval stage of the click beetles of the family Elateridae. There are around 9,300 species worldwide, but it is a small handful...

Wireworms

September 14, 2014

Wireworms represent the larval stage of the click beetles of the family Elateridae. There are around 9,300 species worldwide, but it is a small handful of species that cause problems in our fields and...

Wood Lice

September 14, 2014

The Lower Mainland of BC tends to enjoy very damp spring and early summer weather. This dampness creates the ideal habitat for Woodlice – often...

Wood Lice

September 14, 2014

The Lower Mainland of BC tends to enjoy very damp spring and early summer weather. This dampness creates the ideal habitat for Woodlice – often called sow bugs or pill bugs. These are the...

Carrot Rust Fly

September 14, 2014

The Carrot Rust Fly [CRF] is a weak flying insect pest that feeds its young on 107 different plants in the carrot family, including carrots,...

Carrot Rust Fly

September 14, 2014

The Carrot Rust Fly [CRF] is a weak flying insect pest that feeds its young on 107 different plants in the carrot family, including carrots, celery, parsnips, celeriac, parsley, and dill. The insect (Psila...

Powdery Mildew

September 14, 2014

Powdery Mildew is a fungal disease affects cucumber, squash, calendula, hollyhocks, zinnias, and many other garden plants. Small patches of grey appear on otherwise healthy...

Powdery Mildew

September 14, 2014

Powdery Mildew is a fungal disease affects cucumber, squash, calendula, hollyhocks, zinnias, and many other garden plants. Small patches of grey appear on otherwise healthy looking leaves, and if it is not treated right...

Aphids

September 14, 2014

Known as greenflies in the UK, there are over 5,000 species of aphids worldwide. Fewer than 10% of known species are agricultural pests, but they...

Aphids

September 14, 2014

Known as greenflies in the UK, there are over 5,000 species of aphids worldwide. Fewer than 10% of known species are agricultural pests, but they are a genuine nuisance. Like whiteflies, aphids are classed...

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