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Natural Insect, Weed and Disease Control (Course)

Saturday, April 12, 2008

9:30am to 4pm

Course Details It is perfectly possible to have lovely yards and productive food gardens without resorting to chemicals. This workshop will change how you think about pests by placing the emphasis on prevention. We will cover pest resistant vegetables, fruits, roses and other plants, designing gardens to keep weeding to a minimum, plantings that attract beneficial insects and how to grow a low maintenance, weed-free lawn. Learn how to identify common pests, diagnose plant diseases and how to manage them using non-toxic, organic methods. A copy of her book “West Coast Gardening: Natural Insect, Weed and Disease Control” will be given to each course participant.  

Instructor Linda Gilkeson earned a Ph.D. in Entomology from McGill University. She spent 5 years as the research director of a company rearing beneficial insects, a decade working on pesticide reduction programs for the provincial government, and served as President of the Entomological Society of Canada, the Professional Pest Management Association of BC and the Entomological Society of BC. In 2003, she received the Queen's Jubilee medal for her service to the community and in 2005 received an outstanding achievement award from the Professional Pest Management Association of BC. Linda has written pest management training manuals, organic gardening books and numerous magazine articles. Her most recent books are “Year Around Harvest: Winter Gardening on the Coast” and “West Coast Gardening: Natural Insect, Weed and Disease Control”. Currently, she teaches Master Gardener programs in the province, and gives various workshops and public talks on gardening and pest management.  

Location At the Botanical Garden Reception Centre, near the main entrance. (Directions to the Botanical Garden)  

Class Size 30 people maximum  

Cost (General) $55.00  

Cost (Garden Members) $50.00  

Please Note Advance registration required.