With more and more people wanting to harvest their own food, Bertrand Girard at Oceanside Edibles is increasingly busy helping locals grow edible landscapes. He and his wife Diane Sharp are long-time gardeners and started the business three years ago.
“We are passionate about it,” Girard said.
“We like doing it, we like getting people to grow food and we just felt it was part of our social responsibility, too,” Sharp added.
The couple begins with a client consultation, finding out how much time and expense people want to invest in their garden.
They then install and help develop vegetable and herb gardens as well as small fruit trees, and can help people maintain and grow food year round. Girard specializes in raised beds and “season extenders” a simple apparatus that allows food to grow into the off-season.
Combining ornamental with edible gardens is also a beautiful and practical way to garden, he said.
Mini irrigation systems are often part of Girard’s installations and he can also incorporate Blue Orchard Mason Bees to help client’s gardens flourish.
“They are a really efficient little pollinator,” he said.
Girard stressed how important it is to keep the bees nesting boxes cleaned and maintained, otherwise parasites will develop and negatively affect the stock. Girard will be holding workshops in the fall on how to care for Mason bees. He currently rents the nesting boxes with the bees for people and collects them in the fall for those who would rather not clean and maintain them.
The best time to plan for your edible garden is in the fall, Girard said, a time when his schedule will clear out and he’ll have the opportunity to take on more clients. For more information on Oceanside Edibles visit www.oceansideedibles.com or call 250-752-4427.
