It’s not too late to get a jump start on getting your garden in shape for the summer. It has been a wet spring in Vancouver, but hot summer weather is just around the corner.

If you are new to gardening, here are ten tips specifically for Vancouver’s unique climate:

  1. You can add splashes of summer colour by planting seeds of perennials as well as planting annuals. If you are buying plants, choose those that have visible buds, are lush and show no signs of disease or decay.
  2. Given the cool and rainy weather, you can plant veggies in time for a summer harvest.
  3. When it comes to keeping your shrubs and hedges tidy, June is the ideal time to prune and trim.
  4. Perennials that have already blossomed also need to be trimmed.
  5. To keep your roses flourishing in the summer, remove the dead heads.
  6. If you are planning to fertilize, don’t wait until July.
  7. When it comes to planting herbs, shrubs and trees, add manure, peat moss or your own manure. Water newly-planted shrubs twice a week in dry stretches.
  8. Tall plants and shrubs should be staked before they start bending.
  9. Keep an eye out for damage caused by insects, slugs and disease. Trim off diseased leaves and petals right away.
  10. If you have an older lawn or your lawn has thin zones, inject new life by over-seeding it.

You might also want to take advantage of free lectures and hands-on workshops offered by garden centers and gardening clubs in the Vancouver area.