Welcome to the Thompson Shuswap Master Gardeners (TSMG) home page
The Thompson Shuswap Master Gardeners' Association was formed in January 2010. The Chapter provides horticultural advice to the gardening public in the Thompson Shuswap region. Currently we have members in Kamloops, Lillooet and Salmon Arm, and would welcome new members from the surrounding areas.
Our objective is to educate the public on environmentally-responsible gardening practices. We encourage the use of preventative gardening practices such as the principle of ‘right plant, right place’, the use of biological controls, the provision of habitats for beneficial insects, and natural pest control strategies.
What do Thompson Shuswap Master Gardeners do?
- Foremost, our volunteers give gardening advice at Clinics held in garden centres, at Seedy Saturdays/Sundays, fall fairs, farmers' markets and community gardens.
- We have also worked with the community on a range of projects: these have included coordinating garden workshops, presenting garden issues to garden clubs and other organizations, acting as consultants to community and school gardens, participating in garden tours and other community garden events, and presenting garden seminars through the City of Kamloops Parks and Recreation.
- As well, we have cared for the McDonald Park Public Produce Demonstration Garden using ecology based on best Integrated Pest Management practices, and volunteered with Thompson Rivers University (TRU) Friends of the Garden (FOG) in projects such as Horticulture Horizons, the FOG spring plant sale and the Tomato Festival.
If you are a gardening enthusiast who likes to volunteer and share gardening knowledge, then you may be interested in taking the Master Gardeners Basic Training Program. The program advances the gardener's knowledge of botany, soil health, diagnosis of plant problems, propagation and pruning techniques, vegetable gardening, the principles of xeriscaping and more.
If you are interested in taking the TSMG Basic Training please email tsmastergardeners@gmail.com for more information.
The next TSMG Basic Training will commence JANUARY 2024
Location: The McDonald Park Public Produce Demonstration Garden in Kamloops. The garden was cared for by Master Gardeners in Training, using ecology based Integrated Pest Management Methods.
Contact us at: tsmastergardeners@gmail.com
First-time author and illustrator Elaine Sedgman has released her book:
- A Bee Named BOB.
Details can be found at Kamloops This Week: https://www.kamloopsthisweek.com/entertainment/pollinator-passion-put-to-pages-1.23830600
HOW TO DO A GERMINATION TEST ON SEEDS
If you have saved seeds from your own garden, or been given some seeds from someone else, you may wish to check to see if the seeds are still viable before you plant them. A simple germination test will give you the answer. Here's how to do it:
- for each packet of seeds. you will need a paper towel and a small ziplock baggie. Use a separate test for each package of seeds to be tested;
- begin by wetting the paper towel, just to moisten, and fold it in half;
- put 10 seeds in a row on one half of the paper towel and fold the other half of the paper towel over the seeds;
- slide the paper towel into the ziplock baggie and zip it 3/4 of the way shut; place the baggie in a relatively warm spot;
- check the paper towel every day to make sure it is still moist, misting gently with water if needed. After a week or more has gone by take the paper towel out of the baggie and see how many seeds have germinated. If 6 - 10 of the seeds have germinated you can now plant the seeds you have left in your packages. If less than 6 seeds germinated you will wish to get newer seeds;
- You can also plant the seeds which you tested, but be careful as they may be fragile.
HOW TO MAKE SEED TAPES
You will need: seeds, ziploc bags, paper towels cut in 1 1/2" - 2" strips folded in half.
Squeeze bottle, food colouring, 1 tbsp cornstarch, 1 cup of water
Step 1: Prepare glue:
Dissolve cornstarch in water over medium heat until mixture boils and thickens. Mixture should look opaque and cling slightly to a fork before dripping off. Let it cool and transfer to the squeeze bottle; add one drop of food colouring and shake the bottle to make the 'glue dots' easier to see.
Step 2: Prepare 'seed tape':
Lay out paper strips and place cornstarch glue dots across one side of the fold, spacing the dots according to the planting directions on the seed packets. Place seeds on top of the glue dots. If seeds are tiny, use a toothpick dipped in the glue dot, then pick up seed with the wet toothpick and place on glue dot. The seed releases from the toothpick when it hits the glue dot.
Fold the other side of paper towel over on top and let it dry completely.
Store in labelled ziploc bags, include seed packet for future reference.
