Gardening season is here: 5 things you need to know

Gardening season has arrived in Vancouverand the city's mild climate lets gardeners grow an amazing variety of fruits and vegetables in their backyards.

Christian Kessner, coowns Higher Ground Gardens and shares this list of thetop five things you need to know this season.

1. Time for cool-seasonal vegetables

The month ofMay is an ideal time to plant vegetables outside.

Kessner suggests growing kale, swiss chard, spinach, radish and bok choy.

2. Plant some flowering bulbs

In just a few weeks, grab the spade and start sprinkling summer flowering bulbs.

He suggests going with dahlias,gladiolus, cannas and calla lillies.

3. Grow classic fruits

Driving through the Lower Mainland it's hard to miss the blueberry fields and boxes of strawberries being sold at local farmers' markets.

Kessner suggests growing your own berries.

4. Keep pestsout with companion plantings

The use of pesticides in Vancouver ishighly-restricted.Instead, turn to old-style gardening by planting companion plants.

"The nature of the plant deters so many of these different insects," he says.

Plant marigolds around tomatoes or any other plants to keep away aphids.

"When they are full [of aphids], take them, rip them out and put them in the green bin," he says of the marigold that has attracted all the garden pests.

5. Make room for plenty of sunlight

It's essential to plant your vegetables in an exposed area.

"Make sure the space receives six full hours of sunlight," he says, "it makes a huge difference."

With files from the CBC's The Early Edition and Catherine Rolfsen.

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