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Alchemy Gardens, Victoria, BC (2026)

05/06/2023

Update on the Dahlia project!

In March we checked in on our Dahlia tubers. There were very few losses, we went through them one by one, cutting out any rot and brushing these spots with cinnamon...which is a great anti fungal treatment.

We packed them back away, giving the medium we had stored them in a gentle spritz of water so they did not completely dry out until we were safe to plant them.

Last week we were able to pull them out of their little winter containers and have them planted for another season in 😊

We were very blessed to have our lovely friend help us out! We know the gardens missed and appreciate her gentle soul too!

It was amazing to divide them up last year and see the success rate of those divisions. We turned around 50 plants into hundreds!

For the future, we will only remove the tubers that were in that "wet zone" in the fall but will be able to let the others continue growing in their new plantings.

A lot of perennials are happy to be divided. Some plants will show tell-tale signs of "burning out" or simply outgrowing their space. A well-timed division can help create more plants for your garden space or gifts for friends and family! Some of my favorite plants are from divisions given to us by dear friends, clients, and my Mom, of course!

Happy planting!

03/07/2021

Spring time is around the bend! Lots of people are getting excited for new plantings and designs (I know we are!).

There is a common misconception that when planting your new friends to leave them in their burlap sacks. Please, regardless of what the person at the garden center or nursery told you, do not heed that advice. The false claim is that the burlap will break down over time and that the roots can grow through the fabric. The problem is burlap can take decades to break down, and the roots will take the path of least resistance and remain encased in their burlap coffins. The cloth also prevents the plants from taking up any nutrients from surrounding soil.

While doing some re-potting for a client, we came across a textbook example, and figured we would finally put this debate to rest. These were potted at a garden store and sold as is. Not only has the burlap not broken down at all, but take a look at that soil composition. Luckily the roots had not began encircling themselves yet, in fact, there was barely any root growth to be seen.

Burlap sacks are great for transporting plants in, storing them temporarily, and can make shifting them around to get the perfect positioning easier, but please please, take the time to remove them once your plants are ready for their new home.

Hopefully now if you come across this in the future you will be armed with the knowledge of what to do!

Happy planting every one!

10/07/2020

Happy Autumn everyone !

This time of year we are always busy in the gardens, including our own. We hope everyone's harvests are plentiful.

With the growing season coming to an end, we quickly realized we had a bounty... of green tomatoes. Pruning flower buds and removing the smallest tomatoes can help focus the plants energies on select fruits with the most potential. This can be helpful for many plants and not just tomatoes.

Even doing so we are left with some unripe specimens. While many will ripen off the vine, some will not. But don't worry, they don't have to go into the compost. What did we do with all these green tomatoes ? Made green tomato salsa !

This is just one creative example of how you can utilize unripened fruits to diminish waste. Let us know if you'd like the recipe or share yours !

- The Alchemy Gardens Team

09/07/2020

Hi!

Welcome to the Alchemy Gardens page. We are Stephanie & Pano, the creative duo committed to beautifying the gardens of Victoria, British Columbia. Utilizing organic and sustainable practices, we help to elevate your garden space to its full potential, while maintaining a balanced ecology in rhythm with the world around us.

Specializing in design and installation, pruning and garden renovation. We also offer garden maintenance services to keep your gardens looking fantastic year round.

During our free time we enjoy exploring the beautiful coastal woods of Vancouver Island, volunteering with different outdoor trail restoration groups, and growing our own vegetables for fermentation and preservation!

Thanks for checking out our page!

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