BC Living
How to Support BC Wineries Now
Embark on Culinary Adventures: 5 Must-Try Solo Dining Experiences Around BC
You Gotta Try this in April 2024
4 Tips on Balancing a Nutritious Diet with a Side of Indulgence
Choosing Connection: A BC Family Day Pledge to Prioritize Presence Over Plans
Embracing Plant-Based Living this Veganuary and Beyond
Inviting the Steller’s Jay to Your Garden
6 Budget-friendly Holiday Decor Pieces
Dream Home: $8 Million for a Modern Surprise
Travel Light, Travel Right: Minimalist Packing Tips for Solo Explorers
A Solo Traveller’s Guide to Cozy Accommodations
Local Getaway: Relax at a Hidden Cabin along Jordan River
Films and TV Series that Inspire Solo Travel
B.C. Adventures: Our picks for April
Cooking Classes
8 Gadgets and Gear for Your Solo Adventures
A Solo Traveller’s Guide to Souvenir Hunting in BC
Sḵwálwen Botanicals – Changing the Face of Skincare
Finding the perfect balcony berry
I’ve been experimenting with growing fruit on the very hot, west-facing, second-floor balcony of my townhouse. The blueberries roasted in the dry sun, so they have been moved. The strawberries loved the sun but are a bit too vigorous for the location, so will be thinned.
The true champions are the ‘Tulameen’ raspberries. They are trained against the south-facing end wall of my balcony, so they get sun from about noon on. This cultivar is delicious – the first thing I do each morning is step outside and eat a handful of raspberries. Sometimes a bird has a little taste too, and I enjoy sharing.
Best of all, I think of the breeder of this cultivar, Dr. Hugh Daubeny, who volunteered at VanDusen Botanical Garden when I worked there. “Mr. Soft Fruit” is Hugh’s nickname, and he bred some of the most successful berries grown around the world while working for Agriculture Canada. See Hugh’s musings here.
I have used a sand-and-humusy soil for these berries. As you can see, the producing canes are starting to decline. Once the harvest is over, I’ll cut those to the ground and encourage new shoots that will bear next summer. This is a very productive use of a small (but sunny) space.