Welcome July!

July is finally here, and we had FROST the morning of Canada Day! My beans and corn got a little whithered, but all in all they seem to be OK. During the days, it gets hot and sunny, then come evening, the dark clouds roll in from the west, and we get some thunder and lightening, strong winds, and normally quite a bit of rain. I don't mind really, because it's watering the garden, and any flowers that get blow over, I cut and bring in the house. Currently, it seems the garden is blooming like crazy, and I have tons of photos of everything -but I'll just share the exciting ones! Earlier in the spring, I planted 5 bleeding heart roots, and 4 of them actually grew! This one is already putting out little blooms:

There are tons of peonies in the garden, and they are all different colours and sizes! Some are small and deep pink, or huge and light pink, and white! They are right next to the raspberry bushes and there isn't a whole lot of room to walk around them... so I would prefer to move them, if I can. I also have a friend that actually wants to take some for her garden, so I'll have to look up how to divide peonies. If its anything like rhubarb, I'm set!

My friend Kerri gave Mikey and I some cute house warming gifts last month, and these planters were some of them! They are so funny and adorable! I was trying to think of something I could plant in them that could double as a hair style! A week or so ago I found a zip-lock back downstairs that had some leftover cat grass in it from the winter, how perfect I thought! When the grass first started growing, it looked like they had buzz cuts, now they have nice flowing mops!

The Tiger Lilies have started to bloom too! They are a beautiful deep dark orange!! So vibrant, and beautiful, I love them! There are some more Lily plants around the yard that are also getting ready to bloom!

In the Greenhouse, the Tomatoes are starting to bloom as well, but some of the leaves are also starting to whither! One day when I was at work last week, it got quite hot out, and I wasn't here to open the door for some air ventilation! usually on a sunny day, temperature get to 40-50+ degrees Celsius! I do constantly have the fans going in there, but I guess it wasn't enough that day. Either way, they are still growing like crazy, and look like they are doing fantastic!

Well, that's all the really exciting stuff for me, I do have lots of more photos online... If these links don't work, please leave me a comment, and I'll see if I can make them work for you!

Garden Photos Part 1

Garden Photos Part 2

Greenhouse Photos

Vegetable Garden Photos

House Plant Photos

Garden Photos

I meant to post a link to my facebook album with all of the garden photos in it... so HERE IT IS! Sorry for the delay! If you can't view it, please leave me a comment.

Getting dirt between the toes

Between my allergies, my new job, getting the house prepared, and my recent cold, I have surprisingly found some time to plant some stuff in the garden - but I'm no where near done. So far, I have planted some bleeding heart roots that I bought at Wal-mart. They were affordable, and I have always loved bleeding hearts. They were in both Mikey's and my yard while we were growing up. I also planted some wild Horseradish roots that Mikey dug up from a ditch near the farm. I've planted those in an isolated spot, that will be easy to till in the fall so that it doesn't take over our garden.

Mikey and I are still getting the corn plot ready by tilling in lots of peat and organic matter, because it is freshly turned. It is finally raked into a wide hill, and I am hoping to get the corn in either tomorrow, or Sunday. The secret to planting it this early in our climate, is actually a trick that my co-workers gave me. They cover the plot in black plastic for about 10 days while the seed germinates. This keeps the soil warm, and protects the seedlings from any frost while they emerge. I'm stealing this idea so that my corn can also have an early start.

Today I planted all of my carrot seeds, and then covered the rows with wet burlap. This helps protect the slow emerging seedling, and also contributes to minimizing moisture loss. I also planted a few miniature corn seeds in a row further away from my main corn plot. I'll cover these with black plastic tomorrow as well. I planted my green beans, pickling onions, green onions, beets, radishes, rutabagas, and... thats it!

Tomorrow I need to plant my potatoes, and my storage onions along with the corn... I was also thinking it wouldn't hurt to try and grow some new tomatoes and peppers in the greenhouse - because most of the transplants have wilted... I also have to start hardening off my other seedlings that I still have in the house, because they will all be planted outside at the end of the month (hopefully). I need my counter space back!! OH, and I have "ornamental" corn that I want to grow as fall decoration... the only problem is that they have to be grown at least 100 feet away from your eating corn. I'll have to find/make a suitable place for them.

I was thinking of getting some solar lights to hang up in the trees above where the hammock is going to hang. I think it will be romantic, and dreamy. *sigh* Tomorrow morning, Mikey and I are going to check out the Seba Beach Farmers Market. Ive never been! I figure it will give me a chance to see what people have to offer, that way if my greenhouse and gardening catch on, I can see what my competition is, and find out what no one else is offering! There is also a plant exchange here in Tomahawk at the end of the month. I've never been to one of those either, so hopefully I don't work, I'd like to check it out! Now it's time to take my allergy meds, and get to bed, I've got a busy day tomorrow!

R.I.P. seedlings...

The weather lately has been anywhere between +10 and +20 during the day, and can get down to zero at night (Celsius people). But, the greenhouse is reading +40! Oh Lord is it ever hot in there! I have my fan going full speed, and the doors open for readily airflow. Recently I transplanted my tomato and pepper sprouts into the pots I have set up in the greenhouse, but now I'm just a little worried that they are going to wilt (most already have) and then completely die. It's not looking promising tho.

Since its staying warm in there, I could probably throw some more seeds into the pots, and try again... Then I will just have to hope that it will stay warm enough later in the year to keep the plants alive and get some production. Worth a shot I suppose, because I'm not ready to give up yet. I just have to remember that it is only my first year, and I'm going to have these sort of learning experiences - But really, wouldn't you be sad to see the seedlings you started on your kitchen counter in March, and cared after, and took pictures of each day because they grew so fast, and changed so much (like your first child) suddenly die? I suppose it's my own fault for not hardening them off properly. Sometimes I just get super impatient, and don't want to walk them back and forth from the greenhouse every day for a week, and I just ended up pushing them into their fiery hell.

Sorry my little seedlings. I have failed you. Perhaps in the next life, I will come back as a tomato seed, and you will be a first time gardener like me, and you will get your victorious revenge. Till we meet again.

Starting Seeds!

You know, I started this blog so that I could tell you all about my gardening experiences, and I haven't really written about that yet! Today I planted some new seeds, and remembered that I should write about it! Perhaps I should go through everything that I have grown so far!

Avocados:

Apparently you can save avocado seeds, suspend them in water so they will crack open, and form a root and sprout! I thought that was such a cool idea, so I saved 2 seeds, and started trying. I started them at the beginning of March, but nothing has happened so far, (even tho it can take a few months) but then a friend of mine advised me that it might not be safe to have an avocado plant in my house. I did some research and found that the seed, plant and leaves can be deathly toxic to animals! (and we all know how cats - and some dogs - love to chew on our house plants) So, I decided to compost them.

Pineapples:

If you chop off the top of the pineapple and save the crown, you can apparently grow that as well! I saved 2 crowns and tried to allow them to produce roots by suspending them in a glass of water. There were some really super small roots that had formed - but didn't get long enough before the plant started to rot, and smell extremely gross! I have composted them since, and will try again next time I buy a pineapple.

Seeds started indoors in the middle of March:

Sunberries, Onions (early crop), Ground Cherries, Celery, Petunias, Sweet Peppers, Hot Peppers, Catnip, Strawberries, Tomatoes.

About 7 days after sowing, my Tomatoes, Petunias and Onions started to sprout. 11 days later, Celery and Strawberries sprouted. It took 13 days for the Peppers to come up, and 14 for the Ground Cherries. 18 days for the Sunberries, and the Catnip... never germinated.

Seeds started indoors in the middle of April:

Lettuce, Pumpkins, Watermelons, Cantaloupe, Catnip (again), Squash, Brussels Sprouts, Cucumber, Cabbage, Cauliflower, and Broccoli!

I have transferred my Tomatoes into coir pots because they all have 2 true leaves forming now. Soon I will transplant them into the greenhouse. I also planted some seeds from a lemon - just for kicks. If they grow, they grow. If they don't, no biggie. It's not like I'm expecting to get fruit from them, I would just like to see if I could actually grow them, and maybe keep them as a nice pruned house plant!

Tomatoes in their new coir pots

A friend of mine gave me some Amaryllis Flower bulbs that came in a kit. They have a pot and soil already, all you have to do is water it. I put them out and watered them on the 12th, and they are already starting to put out green sprouts. And, I have also noticed some flowers blooming in my garden! I have no idea what kind they are, but they are small and cute!

There are some more flowers almost ready to bloom on the left!

Poor Rocksteady...

What a day this turned out to be! I'd say at about 1pm, I came into the house from the garage sale - probably to go to the bathroom or something - and walked over to Rocksteady (the cat) who was laying on her perch in the living room! I went to go pet her, and she kinda rolled onto her side - like she normally does - to get a good behind the ear scratch... but then her front paw came up over her head, sticking straight out, stiff as a board!

I got a bit concerned, and didn't know what was going on! I helped her up from her side, and sat her up a bit. Then both front paws came out from under her, sticking straight out - in the air - and stiff! She was looking at me, and didn't seem to know what was going on either. it kind of sounded like she was purring, and lightly sneezing or something, but not like any purr I've ever heard from her before, and she was also vibrating or shaking....

I freaked out and ran outside to get Mikey. By the time he had come in, she seemed ok, repositioned herself, and went back to sleep. I said "I think Rocksteady just had a seizure!" and explained what I had saw. I was so distraught about what had just happened that I started to cry, so Mikey started looking up Veterinarian's in the phone book. He called around until he found one that was open in Stony Plain, (or was it Spruce Grove..) that had an opening for 2:15pm.

We don't have Rocksteady's cat carrier anymore because we've never needed to bring her anywhere, so instead I put Rocksteady's bed in a laundry basket. When I picked her up off of her perch, she was as limp as a noodle, didn't struggle or even "hold on" to me like she normally does. I put her in the truck, and Mikey drove off to the vet. I stayed behind to run the garage sale and watch the dog. Mikey said that while he was driving, halfway through the ride it seemed as if something clicked, and she realized where she was. She started getting all mobile, trying to jump out of the basket, and was crying...

I thought about it for a bit after they left, and tried hard not to cry in front of the garage sale customers. (reminds me of that scene from "Night at the Roxbury" when all the customers at the silk plant store are depressed...) I remember on Monday or Tuesday, Rocksteady had barfed at least 4 times, mostly downstairs, and then once upstairs. All throughout the week she had looked pretty haggard, she ate hardly anything, she wasn't cleaning herself, she walked around all slowly, and just kinda hid all day! So maybe she had previously had one of these Seizure episodes during the week, that I had not known about?

Because of all these behaviors over the last week, I just figured she had a "cold"... Maybe it was more than that! I called up a girlfriend that works in the medical field, and described the symptoms and what had happened to make me think she had a seizure. She agreed that it seemed pretty possible, and listed a few things that could cause it - such as clotting or bleeding in the brain (Scary!). Mikey called me back shortly after, and let me know that the Vet said the worst possible cause could be rabies... RABIES!? like... foaming at the mouth rabid crazy dog rabies? Yeah... Rabies.

Of course that is the worst case scenario, there are a multitude of others that could be a factor, yet they all still sound like they will have a bad/sad conclusion. Mikey told me that the Vet took a blood sample, and that Rocksteady will have to be watched all week, is not allowed outside for the next 2 weeks (pet quarantine), and that we'll have to get a peepee sample... that will prove to be interesting!

Once Mikey was back home, I brought Rocksteady in from the truck, and put her basket down on the floor. She hopped out, but didn't exactly land right and kinda fell. I noticed the front of her neck was shaved from the blood sample that was taken. She wandered into the kitchen kinda aimlessly,and once there, she flopped on the floor and laid flat out on her side. Then, she got up, walked into the hallway, and flopped down on the ground again. I went to go pet her, but she seemed "out of it" and didn't really have any response. Then she got up again and crawled under the bed in the guest room, which is her usual hiding spot.

Again, I got so upset! She seemed so different, so... unusually "blank". I just sat there and cried. My cat, full of personality, could chat up a storm, and was always so cuddly, didn't want to have anything to do with it. I eventually got myself back together, and went back outside to help Mikey with the garage sale, as well as re-pot my tomato plants into my coir pots. It helped take my mind off of it, and Mikey and I ended up making quite a few good sales so far. I also got some crocheting in between customers - I'm working on an over sized beach bag/tote, I'll put up pics when I'm done.

I came inside to bring in some stuff, and start dinner, and decided to go check on the cat. Rocksteady was sleeping downstairs on the bed in the man den. I went in to pet her, and she seemed very well. She was very responsive, meowed, cuddled, and purred. *sigh* What a relief! For now she seems ok! I kept an eye on her when she got up and left, and followed her over to her food. Seemed like her balance is off a bit. She ate a bit of food and drank some water, also very relieving. Then she tried to run up the stairs,but slipped a few times, so I helped her. Now she's just sleeping, and hopefully she stays well until we get the blood and pee results back.

Lets hope for the best!

I love you Rocksteady!

The Weekend is here!

We are having another garage sale this weekend! But this time the weather is going to be beautiful!!! +22 this afternoon!!! WOO HOO!!! Maybe my pasty skin will actually get some colour, that would be miraculous! While I was at work yesterday, I noticed a few people had sun burns - probably from working outside all day! Speaking of the weather, 3 of my weather photos are showcased on the Tomahawk Weather Network page!

Today I also need to sow some more seeds to start indoors, and possibly replant my tomatoes into Coir pots - which is a great alternative to peat. Here is what my seed supplier has to say about Coir vs. Peat and Plastic:

"Contained in the study “Environmental Plan for the Floral & Nursery Industry”, we are told that over 140 million pounds of plastic pots are thrown away at the end of each season in North America. Other studies show that over 3 billion tons of carbon dioxide (a greenhouse gas) is given off each year from the harvest of peat. With these astounding figures in hand, we are hopeful that our customers will seriously consider an alternative to plastic and peat growing containers.

While it is only a matter of time before the world is forced to lessen its dependence on these products, we at Veseys want to take a proactive approach to improving our gardeners’ stewardship of the planet. We invite you to consider these alternate Green products so that you can make a choice that you can feel good about when starting your favourite flower and vegetable plants.

Coconut trees grow new coconuts on a monthly basis therefore leaving the environment fully intact. Peat on the other hand takes approximately 220 years to renew itself. Compared to peat, this line of Coir (coconut fiber) seed starting products has a higher resistance to mold, produces visibly better & faster plant growth and rehydrates easily requiring up to 30% less watering. As parts of Europe are banning the use of peat by 2010, Coir is quickly becoming an ecological alternative for pots, pellets and growing strips. Made from 100% biodegradable organic material, coir products are more durable than peat and can be transplanted directly into your garden or planter."

The choice is clear! Coir pots all the way! And I will always re-use my plastic pots! Have a great weekend everyone!

Coir Pots - Vesey's Seeds

Growing Pains

When Mikey and I first started thinking about purchasing our home, I immediately started researching greenhouses, gardens, and typically - just how to grow something! The house is on an acre of land, with a large garden, and working greenhouse. I started feeling overwhelmed, because I didn't know how to grow anything! How would I know when to start my plants, where to keep them, what kind of seeds to buy, what kind of soil I should use, what does this fertilizer do compared to that fertilizer, what if nothing grows, what if I wasted this whole summer trying to grow something and I end up with nothing! Having a garden is a lot of work, but owning a greenhouse is very intimidating!

When we found out that the purchase went through, and the house was ours, the pressure sat heavy on my shoulders - the previous owner sold plants, flowers and veggies from the greenhouse, and a lot of the locals were asking if we were going to do the same! Well of course we would like to - but can we? Do we know how? (I sure don't!) I kept thinking back to last summer when Mikey's father gave me a couple tomato plants in a large pot to grow in my apartment in the city. Despite my efforts to help them grow and keep them healthy, they just grew spindly and eventually shriveled and died. I didn't want to make any promises to the locals of fresh garden tomatoes, and vine ripened cucumbers until I knew what I was doing, and could prove to myself that I could actually grow something!

We got possession of our house in December, and I started making some new years resolutions. One was to find a way to become more self sufficient - therefore saving money - aka... growing my own produce in my own garden and greenhouse! At the time, the yard and garden were still covered in snow. Its hard to plan out what you are going to grow when you don't know what you have to work with, and what might already be existing! This was a set back that really seemed to bother me, because I had hopes of growing so much, but didn't want to get my hopes up when I found out that we only have a 4x4 plot.

I spent a lot of the past few months reading books and various gardening material to hopefully gain some knowledge before it's time to start my plants. I ordered plant and seed catalogs online, and started pricing out how much growing my own produce will even cost! I got Mikey to pick me up some gardening books from second hand shops and thrift stores, and even got some given to me from friends! (thanks friends!) Let me tell you - some of that stuff is DRY, but once you read enough of it, you start to understand it. It got to a point where I couldn't stop reading about soil types and pH and fertilizers and weeds... Holy gardening overload Batman!

Soon after that, I felt it was time to make it official, so I decided on a Canadian seed company to buy from, and spent $300 on veggie and fruit seed! Oh boy... did I just make a huge mistake?

Since the last few weeks of March, the sun has been out quite often, and the weather has been very warm. (for March anyways - especially in Northern Alberta!) All the snow has melted from the yard, and the garden... is HUGE! Mikey and I spent an afternoon measuring the garden and worked up areas for planting! The garden is about 50' x 50' - IF NOT MORE! At least half of it will be veggie planting material! I drew out a map of the garden, and made sure I had space for everything I wanted to plant.

Now what to do with all these seeds? Well, that needs more research of course! I'm a weirdo for making charts and graphs for everything, but it really helps if I have at-a glance material to refer to, especially with the overload of info while I'm gardening! What I decided to do was start a word document, and write out the "When, How, What, Where, Harvest, Caution, Friends, and Good to know" for each kind of vegetable I bought. It has really made it easy to see when I have to start my plants, and how to take care of each one. Here is an example:

Beets

When: Direct sow into ground as soon as it is workable, about 2 weeks before last frost.
Soil temp: 18-24C. Make a large planting again about 90 days before the first frost.
How: Sow ½-1” deep, 3” apart, with 18-12” between rows.
Re-seed every 2 weeks until late June.
What: Compost or well rotted manure, lime, and pure wood ashes mixed in soil before planting. Apply Boron 4-6 weeks later. Mulch lightly with straw.
Where: Full Sun location, with light, well drained and cool soil. Ph of 6.5-8.0.
Harvest: 45 day maturity (1.5 months), eat young and tender greens for salads, and beet roots when 2-3” in diameter (golf ball size). Storage beets can be pulled when a frost threatens. After a dry spell, pull out and cure in the sun for a few hours. Trim foliage leaving half the stem, and pack in moist sand.
Caution: Keep well watered.
Friends: bush bean, cabbage family, corn, leek, lettuce, onion, radish.
Good to know: Germination in 1-2 weeks, depending on temperature.