Some Spring Garden Photos

It was a good year for strawberries this year. There was lots of rain at the start of the season and plenty of sun just before harvest. Our new beds are a little sparse this year, as we couldn't find new plants. All the garden centres were selling single bedding plants, and we couldn't find the packaged root stock liek we used to buy. Maybe next spring, we will have to buy plants.

We had to go to a You Pick and we picked about 20 pounds. We froze them whole, and we just thaw and blend them when we want to use them. They are great over pancakes.

A Jump on Spring

Planting peas, radishes and potatoes in the greenhouse.

Warba potato.

We try to start spring a little early, by planting potatoes, peas and radishes in containers in the greenhouse.

The greenhouse is not heated, but the light and the warmth gets things growing pretty fast.

We seeded these containers on March 4th, and the peas and radishes are up already (two weeks).

Tall telephone peas.

The first shoots of the peas March 18.

The radishes after two weeks. They should be ready in another week.

Our containers, planted with potatoes and radishes for an early spring harvest.

Signs of Spring

The first snowdrops.

Pruning the fruit trees in February. It is an act of faith that one day, the sky will clear, and there will be sun.

The first snowdrops came out in the middle of February. A hopeful sign of the spring to come.

The winter garden. Before we begin preparing for the spring.

The first rhubarb.

Preparing the Garden 2012

 Finally managed to get the rototiller into the garden.

Asparagus!

We tried to build a new asparagus bed four years ago. Eventually, we realized that the new spot was too shady and we only ever harvested a few asparagus. This year we decided to move it to a newer bed still.

We dug up the old roots, which were really well developed. They were a little creepy too, kind of like an alien creature.

Anyway, they reside happily in the new bed.

Dandelion Jelly

Scot made some Dandelion Jelly this weekend. We used our special dandelion sniffing dog to help find the star ingredient.
Scot had to use scissors and trim the petals from the flower stem, and then he collected about four cup fulls. (We have a lot of dandelions.) The petals of the flower are surprisingly sweet, not bitter like the rest of the plant.

The final result! Beautiful honey coloured jelly. It has a mild flavour but quite tasty. We used our certo mint jelly recipe to make it. It set-up quite well.

It Begins Again

Come to historic Ladner Sat. Jan 28/12 from 10 to 2 pm. Seedy Saturday will be located at the Ladner Baptist Church Hall at 5624 Ladner Trunk Road. The venue is wheelchair friendly with plenty of free parking, located on bus route # 601 and admission is by donation.''''

http://www.richmondfoodsecurity.org/ai1ec_event/ladner-seedy-saturday/?instance_id=

Tomato Greenhouse

We had to wait for a day that wasn't windy in order to set-up the plastic on the greenhouse. Once we found a calm day, the rest was relatively painless.

I had started twenty-five plants, and I managed to plant thirteen and we give away the rest.

There will probably be too many tomatoes but I don't mind. We will can as many as possible and give away the rest.

Why I haven't Been Posting

Everything Grows in a Circle

Strawberries--One More Time

I have tried growing strawberries for several years, but it never really paid off. Usually, the birds and the slugs ate my strawberries before I did. I tried growing them in straw, I pampered them, but I never managed to fill one tiny bowl.

Finally, I let the strawberry patch get over-run with oregano, which is much more satisfying to grow. It grows much like mint. Try not growing it!

Yesterday, I went to a local fund-raising plant sale. The weather was lousy and the turnout was even lousier. I kept looking around for plants to buy, and found a bunch of potted strawberries. Anyway, I bought about 18 plants for 6 dollars.


This morning, we decided t build a raised bed to grow the berries. We used a ground cover, sawdust, compost and some fine soil. I planted out all the berries. At least the birds and the slugs will have something to munch on.

What's Up

It has been another cold wet spring and we are even further behind this year than last year. The first crop of peas are up. They are about an inch or so high. One advantage of being so cold is that the slugs are still sleeping.

The asparagus is finally surfacing. It looks like we might have a nice asparagus and egg breakfast next weekend. Fingers crossed.

We also have ten new laying hens. But they are still very young. They look like tiny dinosaurs at the moment. They haven't quite grown all their feathers.

In the greenhouse, my first round of tomatoes are up. I planted them two weeks ago.
This morning I added another three varieties.

The list is:
Legend
Beefsteak (Ukrainian)
Czech
Brown plum
And a mixed package of heirloom seeds that I accidentally bought at the seed sale.

Spring Comes to Banff: It is Time to go.

Spring comes to Banff in Small Increments

Although there has been signs that spring will come, it still hasn’t made its presence known. Snow continues to fall and it lays in piles all over the place, but if you look carefully, there are a few small signs of spring.

There is one stretch along Bear Avenue where a large pine nestles against the white faux Tudor façade of a hotel. A tiny ecosystem has been formed by the southern exposure of the hotel, the shelter of the pine, and the white paint that reflects the sun back onto the pine. It is a small space, and I wouldn't have noticed it if it were not for the calls of the birds that live in the pine.

Normally, the only birds you see in Banff in the winter are ravens and magpies. But in this tiny ecosystem there are lively little sparrows cavorting and celebrating spring. This one tree is a very busy hub of activity. Plans are obviously being made, mates are being chosen, and directions are being given. You can hear this tiny little community from quite a distance. Some days, in my hurry, I forget about this spot, but the noise of the sparrows whistling and squawking, always makes me stop and stare at the tree.


The other day, I was watching all of the usual activity when I noticed tiny little flies and insects flying around the tree. This is the first insect life I have seen since I arrived. I was amazed that here, in town, mostly made by man, but accidentally made by man, rests this tiny ecosystem. So fragile and, yet, so alive.

Happy Hunting

The soil turned up all sorts of worms and the occasional pupae. This opportunistic Robin followed the furrows.

Still Digging

It has been a hard slog. There is lots of clay in the soil and it is wet and heavy. We finally turned over the whole garden but it is still too wet to rototill. Maybe next week. It has been a cold melancholy day. The sky is overcast which is ideal for digging but I cannot quite escape the Sunday blues.

Garden Preparation

The garden is slowly taking shape. Since we put the oven in the garden, we cannot bring the tractor in to till the soil. So we have been hand digging the garden, not that it is acres and acres but the soil has lots of clay and it can be a hard dig.


We are over half-way finished digging the garden. Next week we will bring in the small rototiller and get the garden ready for planting another crop of peas. There are never enough fresh raw peas, especially since there are all sorts of tiny pea thieves running around the garden.