Home sweet home?

Strange thought - as of yesterday The Man and I are the proud owners of a new home.  It's a nice, small bungalow (with 1950's -1970's decor) on a piece of totally unspoiled land.  No gardens, save a few shrubs in the front, and nothing save a small shed in the back.  I'm actually pretty nervous about having ground to dig up and grow in... I've been growing in containers since I started gardening on my own.  In fact, I haven't had an in ground garden since I was 8 or 9 - minus one summer when I dug up my Mom's back yard, but that experiment wasn't so good, so let's not talk about it ;)  However, I'll be able to leave worrying for this year - I'm not planning on doing too much gardening in my ground until the fall, when I'll put in raised beds and fill them with horse manure for planting in the spring.  I'm thinking I want more of a cottage garden feel to the exterior and interior of the house.  Something dense and bright, yet unstructured and relaxed, with a nice bench out-front.  I think I'll spend this summer just relaxing and dreaming up my plans.  We do after-all have a driveway to fix... among other things!

On the garden front - my potatoes and other seeds have arrived, so tonight I'll be starting my transplants for June 1st!

Wish us luck!
Kip

The hiatus, and a new year

Last year I stopped posting here because my camera broke, and I had no way to add pictures... and in my mind pictures make the post.  Now that I'm planning out my garden for this season, it occurs to me that I really should have made those posts.  I have a very solid idea of what I did until June, but after that it all blurs.  So my apologies self!

I've started planning the garden this year, but I still don't have everything quite nailed down.  I better get with it - the time to start seeding tomatoes and peppers etc; is now!  I'm in a bit of a precarious position this year.  The Man and I are currently house shopping (how exciting!!!), but I'm worried about what will be come of my plants if I try to haul them down the highway to Guelph, ON.  I'm worried about losing many of them in the trip, but, better to try than not try right?!?  We're also expecting our first baby in July, so I figure this will be a good year of growing - even if the plants don't do well :)

New additions for this year:

Seeds:  All from Greta's Organic Gardens (absolutely lovely seeds, I've used her's for years)
- Purple peacock beans:  Gorgeous pole variety with purple flowers and purple beans
- Mexican sour gherkin cucumbers:  Tiny, sweet and sour cucumbers
- Golden midget watermelon:  A small, early, watermelon with yellow rind
-  Doe hill peppers: A small sized early bell pepper

Potatoes:  All from Eagle Creek Seed Potatoes (I've never used them, so I am excited to see how they turn out!)
- Lindzer Deleketess: Early fingerling potato originally from Austria, apparently quite good in salads
- Rode Eersteling: Early red-skinned potato originally from Holland
- Irish Cobbler: Early white potato with unknown origins, referenced as far back as 1876

Re-runs:
- Rainbow chard, various lettuce, green bush beans, snow and snap peas, herbs, hot peppers, tomatoes, cantaloupe, zucchini, raspberries, and grapes.  I'm going to do variety profiles as the growing season goes on!

Happy Spring! 

Problems

This week has been rife with problems in the garden.  When the temperatures stay cool (think 25 degrees and under) almost all gardens look perfect.  Once you turn the heat up, you typically find out where the issues lie, and unfortunately for me, I have lots of issues.....

First up on the list:  Fusarium wilt.  As it turns out somehow, someway, I've brought a contaminated substance to the balcony. 

Nutrient problems

 Fusarium wilt is a soil born fungal infection which can last in the soil for up to 10 years.  It can be a little tricky to diagnose because it starts from soil level and gradually moves up the plant.  At first it appears to be a nutritional deficiency, because it doesn't have the characteristic wilt.  Then, as the plant continues to die back you begin to see the tell tale signs.  Some of the leaves start turning white with green veins, and the green parts begin to get a little bit wilty... and then... bam! You realize what you have, and you panic.  Why?  Because you can't really kill Fusarium wilt.  You can however hope it doesn't spread, and then only plant Fusarium wilt resistant plants.  Which, I did after I yanked those peas out.  In about a week I should have an Early Fortune 500 Cucumber sprouting.

Next on the list: Too many plants per container.  I did an experiment with my beans this year - I wanted to see how many plants I could fit in my container.  I tend to garden a little bit more bio-intensively to start with, so this was *really* bio-intensive.  Instead of my typical 3" seed spacing grid, I did a two inch grid.  As you can see, it was a BAD idea.  The container pictured has the worst nutrient problem I've managed to create in a container.  These have been replaced by a single Papaya Pear Squash... which is an early maturing F1 hybrid type of zucchini squash.  The second pot of beans wasn't nearly as bad as the first, so I decided to experiment (I know, I know) and just cut back the dead stuff and ripped out a few of the extra plants.  We will see how that goes.

The last thing on my list is a nasty case of Blossom End Rot.  Blossom End Rot is a calcium deficiency issue.  Usually the problem is that a plant has gotten too hot, cold, wet, or dry and therefore doesn't absorb enough Calcium.  In this particular case, I think my plants got far too hot over the last few weeks.  It's been up over 35 degrees, and they are sitting on hot concrete, with full sun and lots of wind... things like this remind me that roofs really aren't ideal for gardens!  However, never one to be spurned by mother nature, I'm going to take it in stride and be thankful that a) I live in a part of the world where I have a roof top to garden on b) I have the money to set it up and c) I've already enjoyed a nice set of produce, with more to come!

Happy Gardening!

Close up of Fusarium wilt

Blossom End Rot

Food history: Swiss chard

Today I'm home sick with a stomach bug and stuck in bed.  Thankfully The Man set up the laptop in bed for me.  I'd like to think it's because he loves me and wants me to have all the creature comforts possible during my time of need.  Realistically?  He doesn't want me spreading germs on the main level.  To keep myself occupied, I decided to search some plant history.  There will be more of these posts in the coming weeks - however today, the only item I have several decent pictures of is Swiss Chard.  And I feel like garbage, I'm so not going out there to take new ones.  And now, with out further adieu, let me introduce Swiss Chard!

Swiss chard is one of the healthiest vegetables around.  It's a descendent of the beet family, and has been selectively bred for it's nutritious leaves for as long as we can remember.  Well, at least as far back as ancient Greece.  Although not overly popular in North America (unless you're a nutrition buff), it's considered to be a prized food in Mediterranean areas. The name "Swiss Chard" comes from the Artichoke thistle of all things - otherwise known as Cardoon or Cadre in French.  Apparently someone thought that Swiss Cadre would be a great name for the plant, and the name stuck - albeit the corrupted version Chard.  Depending on where you are, you will also find Chard masquerading as Roman Kale, Silverbeet, Leaf beet, and Sicilian beet.

Bright lights chard

For being rather unassuming, Swiss chard is a vegetable powerhouse - one cup cooked supplies more Vitamin K and A then you need in a day, 50% of your vitamin C, 22% of your required iron, and a whopping 10% of your daily required calcium intake.  Most people have eaten it, but very few realize what exactly they have eaten.  I was no exception.  Years ago a friend of mine suggested growing some chard, and I did.  That year I learned that the weird not-quite-spinach item in my baby greens was chard.  Yes, I am confessing.  I don't like chard.  I wish I did.  It's just so darn good for you.  I've tried sauteing it, hiding it in lasagna, using it in a shake, steaming it, eating the baby leaves in my salad.  All of it is a no go. 

It is pretty isn't it?

But yet, I can't seem to stop growing it.  Look at it! Honestly, how can you say no?   It's leaves are gorgeous and complemented by slender, attractive stems.  It's hardy.  It gives added depth to the appearance of my garden.  Just don't put it on my plate.  But do look at it.  It's gorgeous inside and out.

Second pot of chard - after being cut back ruthlessly due to the leaf miners

This year, I grew two pots worth - I figured I'd spread the love to my Chard eating friends and family.  Sadly, one pot was infected with leaf miners earlier this year.  Just when I think it's free (like I did when I took the picture above), I go out, and find another infected leaf.  As I mentioned in a previous post, leaf miners are hardy little pests, and we've managed to wipe out almost all of their natural predators through wide spread use of pesticides. So, it seems the one small pot below will continue to struggle since I have to keep pinching it back.  However, I'm convinced I'll win it was two weeks from the last infected leaf until the one I found this morning.  Chard grows right up to the frost (and after! depending on the severity), so I have time on my side.  Maybe, just maybe once I kick this stomach bug, I'll try eating it.  Maybe this time I'll actually like it.

Happy growing!

Peppers, peas, and potatoes... Oh My!

Today was a good day to potter about in the garden - there have been quite a few changes to the plants as the garden has grown.  I discovered that the shallots I'd located behind the potatoes were too shaded, so I shifted the potatoes to the back, and the shallots to front.  While I was shifting I realized that my potatoes were quite unhappy.  I planted three potatoes per bin, which was apparently too many.  In an effort to save them, I yanked them up, pulled off a boat load of beautiful new potatoes, and replanted one plant per container.... more on that in a future post.

Anyway, while all the potato destruction was going on I noticed that one of my peppers was hiding.  $20 for the person who finds it first.......

Found it yet?  No?  I guess that was the problem.  He was pretty small when I planted him, and clearly didn't catch up before the others got started.

Find the baby?

I was just going to leave him, after all, plants in the wild have to fend for themselves all the time.  Right?  But as I sat there, staring down at his innocent leaves I realized I couldn't be the person who leaves an innocent pepper to death and dispair.  I mean look at him.  He just wants to be as tall as the others!

Here he is!

And so, I found another pot and relocated him to a new part of the garden.  Look at him all proud and happy.  He's already made friends with the purple basil .... I just know it!

Proud and happy in a new part of the garden

So, after dealing with the shallots, potatoes, and baby pepper, I figured I'd better take another look at my kingdom, seeing as the various tenants didn't seem as happy as they looked.  Thankfully the other group that was unhappy was the peas.  I had hoped they would climb up the solitary bamboo pole, but they chose to despair.  I don't have a trellis, and had already used up the two tomato cages I own, so I decided to do a makeshift string trellis.  It may not be a thing of beauty and a joy forever, but the peas are quite happy about it.  They are already working their way up to the main trellis.

Makeshift string trellis

Last but not least, I allowed a sweet potato slip to immigrate to the garden.  I'm fresh out of pots, so I decided to plant her in a canvas Zehr's bag.  She's quite happy to be out of water and in to actual dirt.  I'm hoping she has a growth spurt and I get a sweet potato or two for my trouble, however, considering it apparently takes 5 - 8 weeks to grow slips, I'm impressed I've managed to get a sweet potato with foliage in to the ground before July 1st.

Sweet potato slip - just planted

With the addition of the pepper pot and the sweet potato bag, my total count is up to 34 pots and 1 grow bag.  I'm pretty impressed it all fits up there... and I still have room to sit.

Happy growing :)

The goods

This past winter was unspeakably warm here in the GTA.  So warm we didn't have lasting snow in Mississauga and my left-for-dead Raspberry plant from last year managed to over winter (although he is still lacking in growth compared to the new plant from this year - more on that in a future post).  It seems this spring is continuing on the same path with mild evenings and warm, sunny days..  Most years I have to wait until mid-may for seeding cold tolerant plants, and well in to the first week of June for putting out warm-season plants and seeds.  This year I was able to start seeding and planting about a week and a half in to May and have been enjoying the bounty since May 29th.  I always start out with a few lettuce transplants from the store so that I have some salad material while I wait for the stuff I seeded myself to sprout and start to grow.  I was worried about my greens this year though, usually high heat makes greens bolt to seed, but so far the night time temperatures have cooled off enough to keep my plants edible.

So far I've harvested a considerable amount of herbs (purple basil, Genovese basil, thyme, oregano, rosemary, tarragon, and parsley), romaine, radishes, baby greens, and a few small potatoes.  That said I'm a touch concerned that I cut my tarragon back too far - it doesn't seem to be growing anymore, so it's possible I cut off the terminal stem.  Oh well! Live and learn!

Happy gardening!

Herbs and romaine

Philadelphia white box radish

Baby greens - black seeded simpson, generic butter-head leaf lettuce, minnopa spinach, and bright lights chard

Norland potatoes

Update: Things I don't/do want to see in the garden

I've been really bad about posting the last few weeks - it's been very, very busy here.  Don't believe me.  You should see the state of my house.  Ewww.  Anyway, I was originally going to post about all the food I've been blessed to harvest, but then I went out in to my garden and was greeted by several things I'd rather not see, and some I'd love to see more of. 

So first up.  I was trimming baby greens for lunch today and decided that I just might add some spinach to the mix.  While looking in my spinach pot I saw some powdery mildew.  Gross - but easily corrected.  I moved my spinach over to a sunnier spot because sun kills mildew (even better than Chuck Norris.) Period.  So here I was innocently trimming my spinach when I was confronted by a strange looking piece of wood.  Only it wasn't wood.  It was a slimy giant man eating slug.  I thought we lived in the Great White North.  Slugs should NOT be this big.  On a side note - I have a good friend currently residing in Dakar, Senegal.  I'm sure when she sees this post, or the facebook picture, she will laugh at my concept of a giant man eating slug.

Giant Man Eating Slug on your 12:00

Sadly for the poor slug, he found himself on my trowel and quickly exiting stage right... slugs gross me out, and I'd rather be the one eating my spinach thank you very much.

GMES about to exit stage right

Next up on my list of things I'd rather not see?  Leaf miners.  These little guys are the pits.  I've had them every single year I've been gardening.  I'd love to say they are following me, but in reality, the issue is that there just isn't a good way to prevent/kill them.  Sadly, the most effective way to deal with leaf miners is by growing healthy plants in a healthy, diverse ecosystem.  With the rampant use of chemical pesticides, we've managed to kill off significant populations of predatory insects which would help to keep our leaf miner population low.  So far the best strategy I've found is seek and destroy - watch for the miners, and ruthlessly cut back any damaged leaf material.  This helps keep them in check and prevent a large infestation.  However, in a perfect world?  We wouldn't be over using pesticides and would have large armies of predatory insects coming to our rescue!  So please, listen to this public service announcement and think before you spray

Leaf Miner mine on a leaf of Swiss Chard

The actual larvae

After meeting the GMES and The Miners, I was feeling rather sad and despondent.  So, I decided to take a moment and count my garden blessings.  I may have some gross creepy-crawlies out there, but I'm also blessed with a generally healthy, happy, productive green space. My potatoes are in full bloom.  Their lovely pink flowers make them one of my all time favourite vegetables to grow because they are tasty and gorgeous.  My potatoes might not have many actual tubers though - the foliage is rather large, which generally means there is too much Nitrogen in the soil... however, whether we get tubers or not, I'll still enjoy the flowers!

Potato flowers

My raspberry plant really shouldn't have produced anything this year - however, there is a small cluster of green berries starting to fruit.  I was worried they would have died off last week with the cooler temperatures, but they are hanging in there!  Let's all keep our fingers crossed shall we?

First raspberries starting development

Tomato flowers.  And I have lots of basil.  Enough said.

Tomato flowers

A quick picture of my first Weird or WHAT? moment.  My Italian parsley just randomly decided to grow a second type of leaf structure.  Where is William Shatner when I need him?

Weird or WHAT?  Two different leaf structures from the same plant.

So all in all, that is my garden round up.  I'm hoping I have significantly more "things I like to see" moments versus "things I don't like to see" moments in the future... but that is the joy of gardening isn't it?

Happy growing!