The Head Gardener

05/15/2026

A little friend out to help me

05/14/2026

05/14/2026

05/06/2026

Ever notice black swellings on cherry or plum trees? 🌳That’s Black Knot, a common fungus in Edmonton.

The City manage public trees on a four-year pruning cycle, rotating through different quadrants of the city each year.

To stop the spread, our teams sterilize tools between every cut and dispose of diseased wood at specialized waste centers rather than mulching it.

What you can do with your private trees:
❄️ Prune trees during late fall to early spring while trees are dormant and temperatures are below zero
🪵 Prune at least 15-20cm below the knot
🗑️ Do not compost branches. Seal them in a bag and dispose of them in your black garbage cart

Learn more: edmonton.ca/blackknot

01/05/2026

Have you ever found one these little guys in your house? They are one of the good guys. They eat decaying plant matter helping to turn it into compost. If you do find one just turn them lose out side.

08/04/2025

I see a lot of the Himalayan Balsam in Bon Accord. Make sure you look for it in your yard and get rid of it.

Himalayan balsam is a tricky noxious w**d in Alberta. It is a fast-growing and rapidly reproducing plant with exploding seed pods that can launch seeds upwards of 10 meters away from the parent plant. These seeds can be carried great distances by the wind and water. Once established, Himalayan balsam can form dense monocultures, impact water flow and reduce riparian habitat.

If you are looking to plant a pretty purple plant, consider wild bergamot, a friendly native beauty!