Friends of Gardens Manitoba

10/05/2026

**OCTOBER MEETING UPDATE** Our AGM and Fall Bulb Sale will take place October 26. Pre-orders can be made with an early pick-up option in Island Lakes. More information to come.

09/15/2026

Calling all grade 6-8 educators!
We are pleased to announce a new program for middle years students: Our Prairie.

You will get funding for 3 trips throughout the school year to Living Prairie Museum. Students will participate in outdoor experiential learning with LPM staff, and will engage with Indigenous educators for land-based learning. Participating classes will also complete an action project related to what students learn on their trips.

Who Is Eligible: Grade 6, 7, or 8 classrooms located in Winnipeg.

How to Apply: Teachers must complete the application form by September 21. Follow the QR code or visit https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/uM1jeBxBsb

08/27/2026

Manitoba Master Gardeners Association is making a list for their 2027 Garden Tour. If you have or know of a garden you would like to share, please be in contact Manitoba Master Gardener Association Have you ever been on a garden tour?

06/27/2026

What is your garden and lawn telling you?

Your Weeds Are Talking — Listen to Your Soil 🌱

Before you grab the hoe, take a closer look. Those wild plants popping up might be giving you a free soil report.

1️⃣ Dandelions = compacted soil
Deep taproots usually mean the ground is hard and tight. They’re basically tiny natural drills.
Relatable mistake 😅 ripping them out without fixing the compaction first.

2️⃣ Nettles or mallow = rich soil
These love nitrogen and organic matter. If they’re thriving, your soil is probably fertile.
Great spot for leafy greens like spinach or lettuce.

3️⃣ Legumes like alfalfa = low nitrogen
They often grow where soil needs help. The good news? They improve it by fixing nitrogen naturally.

4️⃣ Mustard and fast weeds = recently disturbed soil
Freshly tilled ground invites quick growers.
Relatable mistake 😅 thinking loose soil automatically means balanced soil.

5️⃣ Moisture clues
Some weeds prefer damp, shady areas. Others thrive in dry, well-drained spots. They quietly reveal your drainage situation.

6️⃣ Watch for warning signs
Buttercup or horsetail can signal poor drainage and heavy soil. That’s your cue to improve conditions before planting.

Golden tip 🌾
Don’t judge by just one plant. Look for two or three dominant weeds in the same area. Your soil is always sending signals — you just have to notice them.

05/31/2026

Remember to show your young trees some love during their formative years. Here's how to help them through these hot conditions. Thank you Trees Winnipeg - Coalition to Save the Elms, Manitoba, Inc.

It is going to be extremely hot and dry for the next few days. Make sure to keep yourself and your trees hydrated. The soil around your trees need a good, deep soak, something that a sprinkler can't do. Here are some great tips:

05/28/2026

May wind storms and heat waves grow June hesitancy within a gardener...or some saying like that. Here's the June list of garden events and plant sales. Auctions and sales marked with a 🌱. Happy gardening!

Friends of Gardens Manitoba- Programming will resume OCTOBER 5.

June 2 West Kildonan Horticultural Society. “Vertical Gardening” with Mick Manfield. Doors open at 6:30, start at 7pm at 346 Perth Avenue, Winnipeg. https://www.wkhorticultural.ca/

🌱 June 6 St. James Horticultural Society “SJHS Annual Plant Sale and Seed Exchange at the Graden”, at Silver Park West 3233 Silver Ave, Winnipeg. https://stjameshorticulturalsociety.ca/

🌱 June 6 Manitoba Master Gardener Association “Plant Sale 2026” 9am – 2pm Bronx Park Community Club 720 Henderson Hwy, Winnipeg. CASH ONLY, BYO CARRY OUT CONTAINERS.

Tickets on sale for Manitoba Master Gardener Association “Garden Tour 2026” July 18 9am – 4pm. https://www.mgmanitoba.com/ for more info

June 9 East Kildonan Garden Club “Organic Vegetable Gardening” with Graham from Hnatiuk Gardens East St Paul. 7pm at Valley Gardens Community Centre at 218 Antrim Rd, Winnipeg. https://eastkildonangardenclub.ca/

🌱 June 20 Urban Retreats “Graden Tour, Tea, and Craft & Plant Sale” 10am – 4pm at Norwood Community Centre 87 Walmer St, Winnipeg. https://www.1justcity.ca/gardentour for more info.

June 21 “Sumer Potluck at the Garden” at Silver Park West 3233 Silver Ave, Winnipeg. https://stjameshorticulturalsociety.ca/

05/12/2026

April showers bringing May flowers 🌼

04/28/2026

Bring on the May flowers and gardening events! Below is a list of garden club programs and events. Plant sales and festivals are marked with a 🌱.

May 4 Friends of Gardens Manitoba “Honey Bees, Beekeeping and the Power of Working Together” with Rebbecca from Prairie Sweetheart Honey. 7:00pm at CMU, 600 Shaftesbury (south campus). https://gardensmanitoba.com/

May 5 West Kildonan Horticultural Society. “Prairie Habitat” with John Morgan. Doors open at 6:30, start at 7pm at 346 Perth Avenue.

May 12 East Kildonan Garden Club “Exploring the Therapeutic Power of Plants” with Melissa Scouten. 7pm at Valley Gardens Community Centre at 218 Antrim Rd. www.eastkildonangardenclub.ca

🌱 May 16 Herb Society of Manitoba “Herb Fest” 10am – 3pm at the indoor and outdoor classrooms at The Leaf, Assiniboine Park. www.herbsocietymb.com

🌱 May 21 Charleswood Garden Club"Annual Plant Auction" Doors open at 6pm, auction starts at 6:30, St Mary Anglican Church, 3830 Roblin Blvd (at Henry St). www.charleswoodgc.ca

🌱 May 23 Beausejour Day Lily Gardens "Spring Plant Sale". https://www.beausejourdaylilygardens.com/

🌱 May 24 South Interlake Garden Club “Plant Auction” set-up 9am at Fines Field Shelter, Stonewall (keep driving past Kinsmen Lake and the Stonewall Baseball Diamonds. Shelter is located by the diamonds parking lot). www.southinterlakegardenclub.ca

🌱 May 29 Selkirk District Horticultural Society "Plant Sale" 6 - 8pm at Selkirk Memorial Hall, 368 Jemima St, Selkirk

🌱 May 30 West Kildonan Horticultural Society. “Fiesta Day Plant Sale” 10:00 am to 2:00 pm at Seven Oaks Arboretum, 430 Partridge Ave.

04/16/2026

Thank you, Melanie Stuve, for sharing your honest, humour laced and experience-based knowledge on the Creeping Bellflower. If you are plagued with this flower and need assistance with removal, contact Melanie from Earth Angel Gardening ( https://earthangelgardening.ca/ ). Here are some tips for identifying, coping, and removing the Bellflower:

- Flowers grow on one side of the stalk, 5 points to the bell, tuber like roots grow 2-5' into the ground, grows in heavy soil, blooms in August, and can produce 15 000 seeds.

- Seeds can be found in wildflower mix, check the mix before purchasing.

- Plant will not respond to a quick fix. Must remove the roots and pull before the flower blooms. For best results, dig up the entire bed, remove Bellflower, clean other plants roots, and plant your garden back together.