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Learn how to prune your fruit trees
Learn how to prune your fruit trees at a summer pruning workshop led by a local expert at an orchard in the Strawberry Vale area.
Tim Fryatt will walk participants through the basics of pruning and provide a live demonstration on one of the many trees at the Welland Community Orchard during the July 24 workshop, hosted by the LifeCycles Project Society.
Effective pruning techniques can help control disease, enhance the flavour of the backyard harvest and make trees more fruitful.
Fryatt will explain why, how and when to prune trees and vines, how to select the proper tools, and how to use and care for those tools.
Participants are advised to come dressed for the elements, as the workshop is held outdoors.
The workshop costs $27.54. The event runs 10 a.m. to noon on July 24 at the Welland Legacy Park and Community Orchard, 1215 Stancil Lane.
Onsite parking is limited. Additional parking can be found at the Strawberry Vale Community Centre, 11 High St. A marked walking path at the bottom of the lot leads to the orchard.
• To register, go to eventbrite.ca and search “summer pruning with Tim Fryatt.”
>>> Legislature to glow for Special Olympics inclusion week
The legislative assembly will light up on Monday to mark the start of the Special Olympics Global Week of Inclusion. The event, which takes place across the province, asks people to commit to making their communities more inclusive for people with intellectual disabilities.
Other B.C. landmarks expected to be lit up for the occasion include B.C. Place, the Burrard Street Bridge, the Canada Place Sails of Light, Science World, Telus Garden, Vancouver City Hall, Vancouver Convention Centre and Vancouver Lookout Tower in Vancouver, the Sails Fountain in Kelowna, and Mr. PG in Prince George.
The City of Victoria will also issue a proclamation to honour the Special Olympics Global Week of Inclusion.
• For more information, go to specialolympics.ca/british-columbia.
New or gently used building materials and home décor items will be collected at a pop-up donation drop at the Bings Creek Waste Management Centre in Duncan on July 29.
It’s the second and final pop-up event for the pilot project sponsored by Habitat for Humanity Mid-Vancouver Island in partnership with the Cowichan Valley Regional District. The first was held last week.
Doug Stevens, manager of solid waste operations for the CVRD, says the goal is to keep usable materials out of the landfill and give them a second life.
“Sometimes we see large pieces of good-quality plywood and lumber in the wood waste bin that could be used by Habitat for Humanity for local building projects.”
The pilot program will be run by Habitat for Humanity volunteers who will sort through the materials to ensure items can be used in building projects or sold at the Duncan ReStore.
The drop off will be open 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. July 29 at Bings Creek Waste Management Centre, 3900 Drinkwater Rd.
Donations must be in good, clean working condition.
• For more information, go to habitatmvi. org/donating-household-goods.
>>> A second life for used building materials