Gardening for a changing climate at Science World

When we think of climate change, we tend to think in terms of big, dramatic weather events, like heat domes and wildfires.

But our changing climate can impact something as simple as the taste of a homegrown pepper.

“A spicy pepper is often an unhappy pepper,” says Sarah Tulga, Science World Climate Education Specialist.

She explains that if a plant is stressed-out, or has fewer ideal growing days, it will produce less sugar and, in the case of some peppers, make more capsaicin, which will make it taste spicier.

“Climate change is actually changing the flavour of a lot of foods.”

This summer, Science World’s Ken Spencer Science Park brought this phenomenon to life (literally) with Resilient Gardening for a Changing Climate.

The living exhibition showcased ways to make your own garden resilient to extreme weather, offered ideas for mitigating your own greenhouse gas emissions, and provided tips for conserving water.

“We need to take extremes into account when we garden; we don’t always garden for average weather,” Sarah says. “And because the extremes are getting more intense, we’re having to adjust how we do that.”

Troubled Waters

In BC, the changing climate is making wetter seasons wetter and drier seasons drier.

Metro Vancouver’s Climate Projections Report estimates that by 2050, the amount of rain in summer is expected to decrease by 20%, "lengthening dry-spell duration by about 20%, from 21 consecutive days to 26 days."

And though more rain is projected to fall during the rainiest days of the year, we’re facing fewer reserves because, “(t)he deep spring snowpack in the mountainous watersheds is expected to decrease by over 50% compared to present day.”

All this makes water conservation—yes, even in our temperate rainforest—critical.

“One of the big conversations around climate change and gardening is about watering,” Sarah says.

In Metro Vancouver, the average per capita water usage is 399 litres per day.

“Most of that is on lawn care,” Sarah says. “Which is why, as part of regional water conservation initiatives, automated sprinkler systems are often regulated, whereas hand-watering isn’t. You can hand-water your vegetable garden at any time.”

In Ken Spencer Science Park, eco-friendly rain barrels attached to the chicken coop and garden shed collect water for hand-watering.

Both buildings have green roofs, which reduce flooding and stormwater runoff by absorbing water in the soil and releasing it slowly.

But these green roofs don’t always capture all the rain. So, during heavy rainfall, excess water drains into rain barrels where it is stored for later use.

This water isn’t potable; we couldn’t drink it. But plants can. Sarah and her team—and the occasional Park visitor—use it to hand-water the gardens during dry spells.

“Between all three barrels in the Park, we capture and store enough water to last about half a month,” she says. “It can get us through periods of extreme drought.”

Solutions that Hold Water

This year, other water-saving initiatives in the Park include microbit moisture sensors in the soil, which track water content to help ensure garden beds aren’t over or under-watered; a drought-resistant plant bed that will demonstrate an experimental method of farming developed by Oregon State University called Dry Farming; and a FarmBot, a Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machine that automates things like watering—and can even do a bit of weeding.

The exhibition will also feature climate-resilient tips for home gardeners; for example, how to choose the ideal plants for a windy balcony, grow your own plant-based protein, or begin saving seeds.

“Seed-saving is a really important practice for building a climate-resilient garden,” Sarah says. “Because if you save the seeds from plants that do really well, then you’re selecting for those that thrive in your particular microclimate and gardening conditions.”

Ultimately, she says, Resilient Gardening for a Changing Climate will illustrate how science and technology can help maximize the productivity of your own patch of dirt.

“The experience of gardening is very personal,” Sarah says. “Taking care of something as small as a plant on your balcony can make you feel more connected to the earth.”

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