City monitoring for destructive insect

The City of Charlottetown is preparing to combat the inevitable arrival of a destructive pest that could threaten its trees.

Emerald ash borer (EAB), a non-native and invasive insect that kills ash trees, has moved into Atlantic Canada.

The city has partnered with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) to install traps in six locations throughout Charlottetown to monitor for the insect. The traps, which are being placed on city property, are suspended high in the ash tree canopy. They do not contain any pesticides, and residents are asked not to disturb the traps.

EAB is a buprestid or jewel beetle that feeds on the trees. It has killed tens of millions of ash trees and continues to spread into new areas throughout North America. It causes considerable economic and ecological impacts through the need for both tree removal programs and management programs. To date, the insect has not been found on P.E.I., but the monitoring program is the first line of defense against its arrival.

How can a condo building be a net contributor to our urban green space?

When residents maximize the green-value of their balconies. The greening-possibilities can only be realised when residents embrace the potential to grow plants on their balcony. Note that plants that thrive on a balcony enjoy wind and harsh sunlight, especially with a south and west exposure. Not all plants fit this bill.

Here are our tips to make the most of your balcony garden experience:

1. Hanging baskets and planters are a wonderful place to start as they don’t take precious floorspace. Plant selection is important. For sunny locations, we recommend nasturtium, dwarf nicotiana, petunias, calibrachoa, short zinnias, marigolds, geraniums and pansie. In part shade, like a north or east-facing balcony, plant Wax begonia, Sweet alyssum, Coleus, Sunshine impatiens and lobelia.

Ben always has an eye for growing food. He uses hanging baskets filled with strawberries and leaf lettuce, arugula or mesclun mix in sunny locations. Plant three to six plants per basket and water frequently. An ever-bearing variety strawberry will provide you with a longer harvest season. With less soil mass in containers versus growing in the ground, be sure to add a generous amount of compost and fertilize once per month, all season. Pro Mix makes two excellent new organic-based plant foods: liquid concentrate and water soluble powder.

2. Window boxes. Always place on the inside of the railing for safety. A window box is a perfect place for fresh herbs – meal prep does not get simpler than stepping out onto the balcony to cut a few fresh sprigs of basil, thyme or oregano. Dry your excess herb crop in the oven (with the door open, 150 F until crispy). Store dried herbs in air-tight mason jars and enjoy the garden fresh flavour all year round. Allow the scent of home-grown herbs from the mason jar to take you back to the warm evenings in July when you enjoyed your premium condo views from the outdoor balconyfarm.

3. Raised beds continue to grow in popularity. A great reference book is Tara Nolan’s 2016, Raised Bed Revolution (http:// www.taranolan.com/category/ raised-bed-revolution/). You can build a raised bed to suit your exact needs or opt for one of the many pre-fabricated models. Raised beds warm up quickly in the spring, produce fewer weeds than growing in-ground, and can be raised to whatever height for accessibility. This is particularly