May 6 A Quick Check in All Four Gardens

Well, of course the first thing I did upon my arrival home was do a quick check in of all my gardens .....

happy with these Back 40 tomato transplants

these will be planted shortly

violas

blueberry has a load of blossoms this years..... fingers crossed for lots of berries

whoa ..... on to Beds 10, 11 and 64 ..... think it is almost time to remove the mustard to give the tomatoes some breathing space

oops ..... obviously this pot was not up for grabs and someone wanted it back ...... so much for my raspberry this year

more mustards in flower ..... the tomatoes are not happy with this competition

soon you will have more space

Ethiopian Kale has really taken off ........ 

now over to "R" Garden ...... lots of tiny self-sown poppies, calendula, etc ..... will get to those in a bit .... soil still seems wet ....... no sign of my dahlias thus far

the worst of the garden so far ........ pea weevil's enjoying a feast

luckily Bed 107 has yet to be plagued by pea weevil ....... but not totally happy with growth in this bed ..... seems like a nitrogen deficiency ...... radishes are still tiny ....... 

May 1 - 5 Week in Victoria

well, my crazy gardening dash has come briefly to an end ........ now time to enjoy other fabulous gardens on the Island

this is the most spectacular floral display I've enjoyed ....... someone knows how to pull those colours together - The Empress gardens; the flowering kale provides the perfect lightness to the picture

peaceful seaside wander

Butchart Gardens ...... glad their foundation is working again .......

another kind of display ....... there are a lot of Peacocks and Hens roaming Beacon Hill Park

trip to Abkhazi Gardens, small but beautiful

final day back to Beacon Hill for a last wander; camas was just beginning to flower

April 30 Beds 10, 11 and 64 Lilibet Transplant

My eight Lilibet tomatoes all planted at the gas station garden ........ I thought about doing a few in containers at home, but wanted to give them all a similar growing situation for evaluation

Plant 6

Plant 2

Plant 4

Plant 7

Plant 1

Plant 5

Beds 10 and 11 overview

Bed 64 overview ....

Plant 8

Plant 3

April 29 Back Forty - Sowing, Transplanting

Crazy rush before a week away ............ the weather is right for transplanting tomatoes, but the tulips have not finished their display ........ 

 

four dahlia tubers in this bed ....... two Dazzling Sun, Ferncliffe Ebony and Totally Tangerine ...... again I unfortunately misjudged tulip timing - here is Queen of the Night yet to bloom ..... so prime spot not available ...... hopefully my blueberry is not overpowered

available containers and soil for five tomato transplants - eastern exposure and partially sheltered .... from top to bottom:  Chocolate Sprinkles, two Rebel Starfighter Prime (different seed sources), Yellow Brick Road and Bendigo Moon

another look at the Rebel Starfighter Prime tomatoes before transplant ..... my largest plants, already with buds

still waiting for transplant

also decided to sow some Emily basil and cucumbers ....... Suyo Long, Adam Gherkin F1 and Persian

April 28 'R' Garden

finally, dahlia planting day .......... but first a quick look at the two radicchio plants ...... one has rotted in the centre - also the peas have been attacked by pea weevil ...... this is a problem every year in 'R' garden, but the peas will eventually outgrow the pests

still hoping for seed from this kale, a favourite frozen over the winter

and the dahlias, not much to see yet, but I'm hoping for a fabulous display come late July onward ..... five tubers planted:  two Dazzling Sun (this makes very strong healthy tubers ..... my only dahlias that overwintered well), and three from the Vancouver Dahlia Society tuber sale:  Red Ryder, Hollyhill Tigress and Fidalgo Julie

succulents look good all year round

overview

 

April 26 Bed 107

just a quick look in at Bed 107 ..... peas showing some good growth ...... even the scallions have good germination, but first

the tomatoes seem to have enjoyed their time outdoors ....... back they go today for a longer stay

strawberries still looking rather sad ..... and a lot of strange fungi were removed - failed to get a picture 

 

April 25 and so it begins

the weather seems a little more settled, so decided to introduce my babies to the great outdoors for a few hours today ..... they are in bright shade with only a bit of sun late morning 

and the tulips

and daffodils