local dirt International Peace Gardens cactus
blooms for the first time in 30 years! By Johannes Olwage, photo by Garry Enns
Q
ueen Victoria's Agave (Agave victoriae-regi-
nae) is one of the most beautiful and slowest growing of all agaves. Like all 'century-plants' this agave is monocar- pic, which means that it will only flower once in its life and then die. The effort of flowering completely drains the plant of the resources it has built up over many years, even decades. Queen Victoria's agave is
currently endan-
flower, depending on the growing condi- tions. This agave is approximately 30 years old, so it almost certainly lived out its maximum expected lifespan. The
International
gered in its native habi- tat of North Eastern Mexico, but very common in cultivation. This particular
specimen initiated
flowering in January and will contin- ue to do so until the end of May. The impressive inflorescence towers eight- feet high above the mere two-foot high plant. Queen Victoria's agaves can take anywhere from 15 to 30 years to
The plant only flowers once in its life- time and then dies.
Peace Garden, opened in 1932 to celebrate the warm relations between Canada and the United States, is just a 20-minute drive south of Boissevain. The new Interpreta- tion Centre features an extensive collection
of succulents and cactuses housed in an attached conservatory. There is also a café and gift shop in the building. The International Peace Garden is the only garden in the world to straddle an international border. Visitors are encouraged to come and
enjoy the garden and the surrounding Turtle Mountain Park.
Announcing the 2015 I 2016 Season Pesticide ban reminder
J
ust a reminder that under the new legislation, only federally approved bio-pesticides or low-risk products
are allowed for use on: lawns; adjoin- ing sidewalks and patios; school grounds, playgrounds
and playing
fields; and health-care institutions and child-care centre grounds. Pesti- cide use in agriculture and forestry will not be affected by this legisla- tion and there are also exemptions for certain practices and conditions such as: in gardens; on golf courses; and for efforts to address high-risk noxious weeds, poisonous or invasive plants, or to otherwise protect health and safety where no alternative is available. Manitoba now joins 170 munici-
palities and six provinces with restric- tions on cosmetic pesticides in place. A website, to be launched this
spring, will provide further informa- tion for homeowners and businesses. Most companies have eco-friendly
herbicide product lines available in Manitoba that contain low-risk ingre- dients such as soaps (ammonium salts of fatty acid), iron as FeHEDTA (commonly known as iron chelate), acetic acid, citric acid and corn gluten meal. Products that can be found in
Manitoba include: • Scotts EcoSense Weed B Gon; • Scotts Turf Builder Lawn Fertil- izer with Weed Prevent (corn gluten meal);
• Vigoro Bio Weed and Feed (corn gluten meal);
Rufus Wainwright The Best of Quartetto Gelato
Andriana Chuchman
Mahlerfest
• Scotts EcoSense Pathclear; • Green Earth Weed and Grass Killer;
EARLY BIRD DEADLINE
6 • Spring 2015 MAY 29
SUBSCRIBE TODAY! SAVE 45%
wso.ca
UP TO
• Safer Top Gun; • Ortho Moss B Gon; • Wilson Total WipeOut; and • Bioprotec Lawn Herbicide. – source: Province of Manitoba
localgardener.net
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