Wednesday, May 22, 2013

May 21 Time to Harvest

A few pics, really happy with the soil, and the garden is exploding with green .... happy dance

In future I will sow about half as much mesclun seed ......... I love mixed greens, but just can't keep up with the harvest ........... I now understand the need to sow a little every few weeks!!



Here are the dwarf tomatoes, starting to green up ........... such well behaved plants to date


The beets and chards are now really moving along, and I love the contrast of the Deer's Tongue lettuce with the carrots


Two more views of the garden, lots of flowers on the strawberries, and lots of greens to harvest!!
 



Monday, May 13, 2013

Plot 5 Update - May 9th

Lots of progress in Plot 5 ........... all tomatoes are in and the carrots, lettuce, arugula and cilantro are looking good - have started to harvest the arugula and a few tiny cilantro leaves ......... amazing addition to salads ...... soon the mesclun mix can be harvested.  Baby greens are prime, and have to find room for cucumbers and peppers, coming soon ..........


And a brief update on three dwarfs  - headed to another garden where I volunteer - two Cheerful F2, Sleeping Lady and Dwarf Jade Beauty- just waiting on new soil - would have liked to get them in the garden sooner ...........

Sunday, May 12, 2013

Container Tomatoes

Even though I now have a garden plot, I still like growing in containers ........... there is not a lot of sun in our yard, so should be an interesting comparison with Plot 5 (direct sun all day) re plant size, health and flavour ....... especially the Cheerful F2

from left to right, the dwarfs:  Cheerful F2, Sleeping Lady, Cheerful F2

and a few "regulars", from left to right:  Persimmon x unknown heart, Sunsugar F1 and Durmitor

I'm not totally happy with my soil mix - although I added some leaf mulch I had no compost - the key ingredient for container gardening in my experience.  I would have preferred something with a little more drainage.

Friday, May 10, 2013

May 6 Update

I have been avoiding plant sales due to lack of room in my plot, but couldn't pass up two dahlia tubers at the Burnaby Rhodofest this past weekend, Goldie Gull and Wyn's Sensation........... they are marked with the bamboo .......... hopefully not too close to the potatoes!!

And a record shot ...... it truly is amazing the growth the garden has put on with this unseasonal summer weather we've been enjoying the last while - I've even picked a few leaves of arugula - yum!!

Friday, May 3, 2013

May 3 Tomatoes and Peppers

Don't think I've listed the tomato varieties I'm growing this year, so here they are .......... check out Tania's site for descriptions of most -
Tatiana's TOMATObase

Still have not decided which tomatoes will go where.  I have six 5-gallon containers at home, space for maybe six tomatoes in Plot 5, and I'm also growing some for the SPEC Cambie garden where I volunteer
http://specgardens.blogspot.ca/

........ of course I always start more than I have room for.  I'm rather excited about the two F2 - always a mystery, although one of the Persimmon x unknown hearts has the tell tale narrow leaves of many heart shaped varieties

Durmitor
Kimberley
Black Cherry
Persimmon x unknown heart F2
Cheerful F2
Dwarf Jade Beauty
Sleeping Lady
Roger's Sweet Light Yellow
Sunsugar F1

My Melrose peppers are looking good, although they will not go out in the garden until the weather has truly settled.

May 2 Crazy Weather

Well, it appears we are getting a little taste of summer this coming week - 18C today, and 23C predicted for tomorrow!!

Decided it was time to plant both bush beans (Provider) and pole beans (Fortex); fingers crossed for germination before our next wet/cold spell


Also started hardening off my tomato plants, hopefully they will be ready for plant out by mid-week


And a few more pics of the garden - good to see green starting to cover the earth