Oh for a camera!
A couple nights ago the forecast was for a "killing frost": -9 overnight. M&I decided to bring in what we could, and so once it was dark - because we were running around busy until then - we went out and brought in as many green tomatoes as we could. Towards the end M brought out a big spotlight that he uses for work, and we cleaned out the cherry tomatoes, many of which actually were ripe. M very wisely brought in 1 squash, and we got the cabbages too.
And the frost: it really was killing. In the morning all the plants were wet (some frozen) and hanging over. The squash were frozen - devastating!!! And apparently we shouldn't have left the rosemary out either, which personally is the most upsetting to me.
We harvested more yesterday: brought in the remaining squash, picked the leeks, and M got a huge tray of purple grapes. We passed the leeks, grapes and some of the green tomatoes on to mom (she makes a great leek & potato soup). The green tomatoes we laid out in cardboard boxes in the pantry. The rosemary: brought it in, hoping it will survive.
Today is processing day. I plan to cut up the squash and freeze it in smallish portions for making curries etc. in winter. I think also we'll cut and dry some more of the herbs - so far I've been laying them on a plate, but think I'll try tying and hanging. We might have another go at fried green tomatoes. And more garden work awaits as well, such as mounding the roses.
Showing posts with label Garden. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Garden. Show all posts
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Thursday, July 2, 2009
More Garden
This is my favourite bed. It's the first one me made and planted. It has mainly low-water plants, which I like. It's been thrilling watching how well they have grown and filled in the bed! The hen and chicks in particular have grown, sprouted babies and are sending out shoots into new areas. It gives me great hope for the rest of the yard, as the plants we've put in the ground this year mature through the summer and next year.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Lessons from the Garden
This weekend we filled in the new raised bed in our front yard and planted the potted vegetables that have been sitting around for a week or more. We transplanted a few things into the new bed too. I went on weed patrol through the front and side, focusing on three invaders I'm not fond of: dandelions (my apologies to all natural gardeners out there), this green thing with round leaves and one deep tap root, and a bamboo-like invader that's started popping up everywhere, and whose roots are very hard to find and pull. I learned a lot from the garden.
1. If the soil is fertile, things will grow. After the construction, and because it wasn't a particularly intensively gardened yard, there were many areas of plain dirt, and lots filled with random plants. We've worked as quickly as we can to create and fill beds, but we can't do it fast enough. Whatever we don't fill with plants that we choose, other plants have taken over. Something will grow - and that is great and exciting - but also a big responsibility. If we're responsible for the soil, we need to plant things that we think are good to grow: vegetables, herbs, kindness, generosity, compassion. We can't just let the soil "make its own choices" about what it wants to grow because that leaves it to chance and the whims of opportunistic invaders, instead of reflecting stewardship of and care for the soil.
2. While trying to uproot the bambooy reedy things, I noticed that a lot were growing in the neighbouring church parking lot. I don't know if they grew there first, or in our yard first, but I took my bucket, digger and hot self over there and uprooted what I could. It doesn't matter that it's the not our yard - what grows in one area will spread, without fail, to contiguous areas. We need to be aware of the environment around our yard, and work with our neighbours to make it an environment full of plants we both want to see growing and share with others.
3. In our helter-skelter attempts to get our entire yard landscaped in a season (without external help) we've been planting in stages. We had some plants go in the ground in early May; some went into big pots instead of garden beds; and some have been sitting in little transplant pots for a few weeks while we got around to building a bed. I've been delighted over the past couple of weeks to see how they have grown in the first bed we planted. Many of the plants have quadrupled in size, are spreading and occupying the bed the way we'd hoped. Those that were planted later are a bit smaller, but the space, nutrition, light and opportunities in a good garden bed have also enabled them to grow more than if we'd kept them in small pots. Things need to be planted in a healthy, nourishing environment that gives support and room to grow.
1. If the soil is fertile, things will grow. After the construction, and because it wasn't a particularly intensively gardened yard, there were many areas of plain dirt, and lots filled with random plants. We've worked as quickly as we can to create and fill beds, but we can't do it fast enough. Whatever we don't fill with plants that we choose, other plants have taken over. Something will grow - and that is great and exciting - but also a big responsibility. If we're responsible for the soil, we need to plant things that we think are good to grow: vegetables, herbs, kindness, generosity, compassion. We can't just let the soil "make its own choices" about what it wants to grow because that leaves it to chance and the whims of opportunistic invaders, instead of reflecting stewardship of and care for the soil.
2. While trying to uproot the bambooy reedy things, I noticed that a lot were growing in the neighbouring church parking lot. I don't know if they grew there first, or in our yard first, but I took my bucket, digger and hot self over there and uprooted what I could. It doesn't matter that it's the not our yard - what grows in one area will spread, without fail, to contiguous areas. We need to be aware of the environment around our yard, and work with our neighbours to make it an environment full of plants we both want to see growing and share with others.
3. In our helter-skelter attempts to get our entire yard landscaped in a season (without external help) we've been planting in stages. We had some plants go in the ground in early May; some went into big pots instead of garden beds; and some have been sitting in little transplant pots for a few weeks while we got around to building a bed. I've been delighted over the past couple of weeks to see how they have grown in the first bed we planted. Many of the plants have quadrupled in size, are spreading and occupying the bed the way we'd hoped. Those that were planted later are a bit smaller, but the space, nutrition, light and opportunities in a good garden bed have also enabled them to grow more than if we'd kept them in small pots. Things need to be planted in a healthy, nourishing environment that gives support and room to grow.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
The night time is the right time
to plant.
After a day-long conference, I was exhausted. I met up with M then headed home ready for one thing: bed. And maybe a book. But then I looked at those sad, wilting plants and I knew I had to get them into the ground. After a quick change into my (apparently cute) Brody overalls, I got to it. M got home shortly after, around 7:15, and we started gardening.
Interrupted by one more family looking at the motor home we're selling. One family with the CUTEST DOGGIE!!! Classic russet dachshund, stumpetty legs, gruffety bark, officious busy sniffing around! And a sweet, sweet older dog who came up and asked me to rub her head. Okay, back to our story.
With all of the four-to-a-pot plants I bought, we must have had at least 40 plants to get into the ground. M started expanding one of our rock walkways, widening and lengthening it, and weeding around it. I started with the front bed, which is a combination of decorative succulents and flowers, plus vegetables (tomatoes, cabbages, basil). I added more plants to the existing succulent bed, to the non-walking edge of the bed M was working on, and the new bed we made on the weekend. Weeded the side of the house. Watered the tomatoes. Weeded all over the place. Watered the new plantings.
Then M got inspired to build the frame for the front vegetable bed we want to do. He is still out there working - I stopped, after 2.5 hours of garden time. I am amazed at how much energy I can get from gardening. Everything I put in the ground feels like a worthwhile accomplishment, but there is so much to do that I don't want to stop. It may be the most motivating activity I engage in, possibly even including spider solitaire.
10 p.m. already ... NOW I'm ready for a bath!
After a day-long conference, I was exhausted. I met up with M then headed home ready for one thing: bed. And maybe a book. But then I looked at those sad, wilting plants and I knew I had to get them into the ground. After a quick change into my (apparently cute) Brody overalls, I got to it. M got home shortly after, around 7:15, and we started gardening.
Interrupted by one more family looking at the motor home we're selling. One family with the CUTEST DOGGIE!!! Classic russet dachshund, stumpetty legs, gruffety bark, officious busy sniffing around! And a sweet, sweet older dog who came up and asked me to rub her head. Okay, back to our story.
With all of the four-to-a-pot plants I bought, we must have had at least 40 plants to get into the ground. M started expanding one of our rock walkways, widening and lengthening it, and weeding around it. I started with the front bed, which is a combination of decorative succulents and flowers, plus vegetables (tomatoes, cabbages, basil). I added more plants to the existing succulent bed, to the non-walking edge of the bed M was working on, and the new bed we made on the weekend. Weeded the side of the house. Watered the tomatoes. Weeded all over the place. Watered the new plantings.
Then M got inspired to build the frame for the front vegetable bed we want to do. He is still out there working - I stopped, after 2.5 hours of garden time. I am amazed at how much energy I can get from gardening. Everything I put in the ground feels like a worthwhile accomplishment, but there is so much to do that I don't want to stop. It may be the most motivating activity I engage in, possibly even including spider solitaire.
10 p.m. already ... NOW I'm ready for a bath!
Monday, June 22, 2009
Transformation
2 workers
3.5 hours
approx. $50 worth of supplies (dirt, rock and plants)
We transformed the weedy, dirty, jumbly side of the house near the tenant's entrance into something that makes me smile. But I don't know how to get the pictures off the camera! Or more accurately, I don't know where the cord is. Before and afters to follow.
It was more work for a smaller area than I expected; but it was a reasonable amount of work for what we got. It went from ugly to attractive, and makes me smile now every time I walk by. We still need some more plants to fill it in, but we hope that these ones will grow quickly and crowd out the weeds that are sure to compete.
UPDATED:
Before pictures
After pictures
3.5 hours
approx. $50 worth of supplies (dirt, rock and plants)
We transformed the weedy, dirty, jumbly side of the house near the tenant's entrance into something that makes me smile. But I don't know how to get the pictures off the camera! Or more accurately, I don't know where the cord is. Before and afters to follow.
It was more work for a smaller area than I expected; but it was a reasonable amount of work for what we got. It went from ugly to attractive, and makes me smile now every time I walk by. We still need some more plants to fill it in, but we hope that these ones will grow quickly and crowd out the weeds that are sure to compete.
UPDATED:
Before pictures
After pictures
Friday, June 19, 2009
Garden neglect
I've been at a conference this week, and my garden has suffered. Not even half of the plants from last weekend have made it into the ground. Most of the have been watered fairly regularly, but they've looked better. Some of the plants on the deck have dried out. Weeding ... not really. And the rhubarb continues to grow by leaps and bounds.
Gardens demand regular attention. I know this in my head, but my body can get tired. But taking care of the plants is a parental responsibility that I have. I guess the big challenge is building the garden up while also maintaining what is already there.
Today I plan to pick more lettuce for salads. The arugula is flowering - not many days left to enjoy it. The lettuce keeps growing and is not yet at full size - I've been picking the big outer leaves. Some herbs are ready, so we can use those, but I haven't fully determined where yet. We have more lovage than I could ever use. Maybe this weekend we'll get some more beds established, more weeding done, all the rest of the plants into the ground; and maybe soon we'll have a system established to keep the gardening flow going: plant, care for, harvest, process.
Gardens demand regular attention. I know this in my head, but my body can get tired. But taking care of the plants is a parental responsibility that I have. I guess the big challenge is building the garden up while also maintaining what is already there.
Today I plan to pick more lettuce for salads. The arugula is flowering - not many days left to enjoy it. The lettuce keeps growing and is not yet at full size - I've been picking the big outer leaves. Some herbs are ready, so we can use those, but I haven't fully determined where yet. We have more lovage than I could ever use. Maybe this weekend we'll get some more beds established, more weeding done, all the rest of the plants into the ground; and maybe soon we'll have a system established to keep the gardening flow going: plant, care for, harvest, process.
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