Oi! Things have been a bit busy around my house, what with tire changes, birthday and easter celebrations, working overtime with my boss being away... I have lots to update on, but it seems I am always short on time!
My seedlings are doing extremely well! I am actually quite surprised at their growth rate - last year at this point (just under 2 weeks after planting) I was happy to see sprouts forming. This year I am amazed at how fast everything has come up! I have already transplanted my zucchini, cucumber and peas to larger pots to continue growing as I finish getting the garden ready. I still need to harden the plants off, but I will do that closer to planting time. (Note: for those unfamiliar with the term "hardening off", it is when you introduce your indoor plants to the outdoors. You want to place your plants in an area outside where they will not receive direct sunlight at first, and over the course of a week or so, begin introducing them more and more to sunlight. This will prevent your plants from dying of shock, which can happen if they go from indoors directly into your garden and the harsh sunlight.)
My beans have already been planted outside. I started them indoors as seedlings this year (I did a direct-plant last year, which worked fine, but I thought I would give them a headstart indoors this year) and they have already shot up so fast that I placed them outside last night. I'll admit that I didn't harden them off as I probably should have, but because we are in for a few days of cloudy, drizzly weather, I figured I would be okay... we shall see!
My flowers have begun to sprout indoors as well. I am seeing almost all of the marigolds up out of the soil, a few zinnia and poppies, and the snapdragons. I am still waiting for sprouts of the asters and petunias. I am hoping in the next few days to sketch out my planting design for the flower beds, but I need to find out from my mom and grandma what plants they are giving me so I know what to plant where.
I am slowly but surely working away at getting the large garden weeded so I can get it ready for the vegetables. It is a large job, as it was absolutely overgrown with weeds when we first moved in here I am still battling with quite a number of weeds that regrow over winter each year (moreso than what I would consider normal). Each year it has gotten better, and less weeds regrow, however since it is such a large garden it is a big task. Nevertheless, it must be done and so it shall!
So today I phoned around to see where I could get worms from for my vermicompost (don't know what I'm talking about? check out my blog on vermicomposting below). Turns out many of the places I thought would sell worms do not. It seems my only real option is Surplus Herby's, so I will be trying to get down there over the next few days so I can put them to work! I have quite a bit of compost material ready to be turned into beautiful soil and I can't wait to see how it turns out!
I really hope to get some photos up soon, but my time is limited so I make no promises on a specific date. I hope your gardens are coming along as well, and I hope you're enjoying your weekend!
Saturday, April 14, 2012
Saturday, April 7, 2012
What's growing on?
I got all of my seeds started on Wednesday (the 4th) for my vegetables, and some of my flowers; and then got more flower seeds started on Thursday (the 5th) - I am now eagerly awaiting the first sprouts! I know I still have a little while to wait, but the anticpation is part of the fun of gardening! For my vegetables and some of my flowers, I used a "seed starter" kit that I purchased at Walmart. I had great success using it last year but, sadly, didn't think to keep it to get pellet refills for this year, so I had to buy a whole new kit. Lesson learned! It isn't expensive, I would just prefer not to spend money buying a full kit again when I can just buy the pellet refills and restock the tray - it's a little greener that way (less plastic in the landfill), and I would have more money left over for new garden goodies! I kept many of the plastic containers that you buy flower-plugs in, so I used those for my flower seeds. Everything is labeled and sitting in the windows soaking up the beautiful sunlight we have today!
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| Add water & let the pellets expand |
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| The seed starter kit |
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| Recycled flower containers |
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| Veggies & flowers done! |
So you may be wondering: what are you growing? Well, here is the full list, divided into vegetables, herbs and flowers. Note: in brackets is the specific variety of that item.
Vegetables/Fruits/Legumes:
Pumpkins
Beans (Scarlet Runner)
Zucchini
Onion (Sturon)
Tomatoes (Tiny Tim & Big Beef Hybrid)
Cucumber (Spacemaster)
Peppers (Carnival Hybrid mix - a blend of 8 varieties)
Peas (Mr Big & Green Arrow)
Corn (Buttergold)
Beets
Carrots (Red Cored Chantenay)
Radish (Cherry Belle)
Lettuce (Grand Rapids)
Strawberries
Herbs:
Oregano
Sweet Basil
Parsley (Single Hardy Italian)
Rosemary
Mint
Plants:
Marigolds (Canadian Sunset & Bonanza Bolero)
Petunias (Trailing Avalanche Lilac)
Snapdragons
Poppy (Double Shirley)
Asters (Giant Crego)
Zinnia (Tetra Flowered)
Gladiolus
Lillies (Oriental Hybrid)
...and whatever other goodies my mom & Grandma share with me from their gardens!
I am very excited to get everything outside in the ground, but in the meantime I will continue eagerly awaiting my seeds to sprout until the time comes to start hardening them off to get planted! I hope the sun is shining wherever you are, and I hope you are just as eagerly preparing your gardens for the upcoming season!
Happy Easter Weekend!
Friday, April 6, 2012
Vermicomposting!
So your first question is probably: huh? Vermicomposting? It is basically the fancy term for a worm compost. And no, that doesn't mean that I'm composting worms; it means that I'm making worms make compost for me! It is rumored that the soil produced in a worm compost is some of the best organic garden compost you can get your hands on. The best part is, it's really cheap to do! Here's the how-to:
1. You will need to select 2 tote-containers that are NOT see-through (worms do not tolerate light well). You can select any size that you'd like depending on your needs and space available. I selected 2 light-grey 5gallon totes which are fairly deep but not overly large, as I don't have a lot of space for them. (Note: keep in mind that in colder climates you will need to have your worms "winter" inside in a fairly warm room as they don't fair well in the cold and will not survive if you leave the compost bins outside.)
2. You will need to use a 1/8" drill bit to make holes in ONE of your totes. This will be the "upper" compost bin, where your worms and composting materials will go. I drilled: 20 holes in the lid, 10 holes on each wide side of the tote, 2 holes on each narrow side of the tote, and 8 holes on the bottom.
3. Place a brick, or some sort of support, in the "lower" bin (the one without holes). The idea is to provide enough height that the two bins will not sit flush with each other (as you can see demonstrated in the photos that follow).
4. Create a thick layer of "bedding" for the worms, using: shredded newspaper (with only black ink - no colors), torn up egg cartons or toilet paper rolls, or other un-dyed cardboard. Place this in the bottom of the "upper" bin.
5. On top of the layer of bedding materials, place compost materials: coffee grounds, tea bags, vegetable peelings, egg shells, small amounts of fruits or citrus peels, etc. Note: meats, dairy products, eggs, breads, etc are not suggested compost materials. On top of that layer, place another thinner layer of bedding materials, then another layer of compost materials and finally another thin layer of bedding materials. It is also suggested to add a bit of garden soil as it will introduce microbes to help with the decomposing process, and it will provide grit for the worms' gizzards. Using a spray bottle, wet the top layer just to the point of a wrung-out sponge. Leave this for 1-2 weeks to get a head start in decomposing before adding your worms.
6. Add your worms!
I haven't added my worms yet, as I just got my compost together yesterday so I'm letting it sit now for the 1-2 weeks suggested. I will, of course, update all of you once I've acquired my worms and let you know how things are progressing!
The best thing about vermicomposting, is that your worms will reproduce in the compost bin which means that you will always have a good supply of "composters" working for you! They will only reproduce enough offspring to fill their space, so you never have to worry about your compost becoming over populated. The point of the bottom bin (the one without holes) is that while the worms are working away in the upper bin, there will be "compost tea" (moisture produced from the compost materials) that will drip down into the bottom bin. This is absolute gold to gardeners! It is supposed to be very rich in nutrients and any plant that gets a "drink" will be very happy indeed!
I hope I have inspired many of you to try this out for yourselves, and I look forward to updating all of you as things go along!
1. You will need to select 2 tote-containers that are NOT see-through (worms do not tolerate light well). You can select any size that you'd like depending on your needs and space available. I selected 2 light-grey 5gallon totes which are fairly deep but not overly large, as I don't have a lot of space for them. (Note: keep in mind that in colder climates you will need to have your worms "winter" inside in a fairly warm room as they don't fair well in the cold and will not survive if you leave the compost bins outside.)
2. You will need to use a 1/8" drill bit to make holes in ONE of your totes. This will be the "upper" compost bin, where your worms and composting materials will go. I drilled: 20 holes in the lid, 10 holes on each wide side of the tote, 2 holes on each narrow side of the tote, and 8 holes on the bottom.
3. Place a brick, or some sort of support, in the "lower" bin (the one without holes). The idea is to provide enough height that the two bins will not sit flush with each other (as you can see demonstrated in the photos that follow).
4. Create a thick layer of "bedding" for the worms, using: shredded newspaper (with only black ink - no colors), torn up egg cartons or toilet paper rolls, or other un-dyed cardboard. Place this in the bottom of the "upper" bin.
5. On top of the layer of bedding materials, place compost materials: coffee grounds, tea bags, vegetable peelings, egg shells, small amounts of fruits or citrus peels, etc. Note: meats, dairy products, eggs, breads, etc are not suggested compost materials. On top of that layer, place another thinner layer of bedding materials, then another layer of compost materials and finally another thin layer of bedding materials. It is also suggested to add a bit of garden soil as it will introduce microbes to help with the decomposing process, and it will provide grit for the worms' gizzards. Using a spray bottle, wet the top layer just to the point of a wrung-out sponge. Leave this for 1-2 weeks to get a head start in decomposing before adding your worms.
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| Ready for worms in 1-2 weeks! |
6. Add your worms!
I haven't added my worms yet, as I just got my compost together yesterday so I'm letting it sit now for the 1-2 weeks suggested. I will, of course, update all of you once I've acquired my worms and let you know how things are progressing!
The best thing about vermicomposting, is that your worms will reproduce in the compost bin which means that you will always have a good supply of "composters" working for you! They will only reproduce enough offspring to fill their space, so you never have to worry about your compost becoming over populated. The point of the bottom bin (the one without holes) is that while the worms are working away in the upper bin, there will be "compost tea" (moisture produced from the compost materials) that will drip down into the bottom bin. This is absolute gold to gardeners! It is supposed to be very rich in nutrients and any plant that gets a "drink" will be very happy indeed!
I hope I have inspired many of you to try this out for yourselves, and I look forward to updating all of you as things go along!
Saturday, March 31, 2012
A couple goodies
Today was a rainy day, but I can glady say that I don't mind because it wasn't (dare I say it!) snowing! When we have a rainy day, I'll admit I'm a little gloomy however I must admit that I don't mind it because I know it means that all the winter dirt and grime is being washed away, and plants that are just peeking through the soil are getting watered!
I have many tulips quite far out of the ground, and there are some shoots coming up where the oriental poppies will bloom later in the spring - I'm excited! (The picture at the head of my blog is one of several oriental poppies that come up in the bed along the driveway). And speaking of tulips... I was recently given a lovely small bouqet of pinky-orange tulips from a lady whose dog I look after at work and she was kind enough to pass on a tip given to her by the lady she bought the tulips from: if you prick a small hole just at the base of the tulips, where the petals join the stem, it will keep your tulips from sagging over! I have done that with these tulips and am really surprised to see how effective it is!
The other day on Facebook, I was sent a link to an article from Canadian Gardening that was really interesting - it is all about deciphering what the color scheme of your garden means. Whether you've designed it on purpose or it happened by accident, the article will tell you what each color represents, and it is pretty neat to see what it says about you and your personality based on the colors in your garden. Check it out: http://www.canadiangardening.com/design-and-decor/design-ideas/what-do-the-colours-of-your-garden-say-about-you/a/41429 . After thinking about my garden last year, I came to the conclusion that my garden consisted mostly of pinks and whites with splashes of purple and red throughout. I won't ruin it for you and tell you what that means... you'll just have to check out the article and see for yourself!
Here's hoping we see some more sunshine soon so I can tackle the weeds sprouting up in the big bed in the backyard! Enjoy your weekend!
I have many tulips quite far out of the ground, and there are some shoots coming up where the oriental poppies will bloom later in the spring - I'm excited! (The picture at the head of my blog is one of several oriental poppies that come up in the bed along the driveway). And speaking of tulips... I was recently given a lovely small bouqet of pinky-orange tulips from a lady whose dog I look after at work and she was kind enough to pass on a tip given to her by the lady she bought the tulips from: if you prick a small hole just at the base of the tulips, where the petals join the stem, it will keep your tulips from sagging over! I have done that with these tulips and am really surprised to see how effective it is!
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| See the pin-prick just to the left of the flower base |
The other day on Facebook, I was sent a link to an article from Canadian Gardening that was really interesting - it is all about deciphering what the color scheme of your garden means. Whether you've designed it on purpose or it happened by accident, the article will tell you what each color represents, and it is pretty neat to see what it says about you and your personality based on the colors in your garden. Check it out: http://www.canadiangardening.com/design-and-decor/design-ideas/what-do-the-colours-of-your-garden-say-about-you/a/41429 . After thinking about my garden last year, I came to the conclusion that my garden consisted mostly of pinks and whites with splashes of purple and red throughout. I won't ruin it for you and tell you what that means... you'll just have to check out the article and see for yourself!
Here's hoping we see some more sunshine soon so I can tackle the weeds sprouting up in the big bed in the backyard! Enjoy your weekend!
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Time to get dirty!
So Tuesday was my first "official" day in the garden! Boy did it feel great! I got my small beds weeded, my compost stirred & added to (thanks to a big bag of partly-decayed leaves and dry grass from my workplace) and I relocated some of my raspberry plants that were growing outside of their boundary. I was out again today at the beginning of my lunch break from work and got the bed out front of our yard tidied up. It runs along the side of our driveway (which is shared with the tenants upstairs) and is home to a large array of tulips, daffodils, poppies, and some flowers I still have to learn the names of.
I really love this time of year - although I guess I equally love it later on once all of my plants are in the ground and I can watch them grow... I really enjoy getting rid of the dead debris from the fall and winter, and getting everything ready to go for when it's time to plant. It is very satisfying; and I think that it almost mirrors what we are all doing after the long winter - sorting through what is old and unneeded now and preparing ourselves for the warmer weather ahead.
I think one of the first things I am looking forward to, aside from getting my plants started & then planted later on, is the raspberries. We are very fortunate to have already had a large amount of raspberry plants here when we moved in, and I can easily pick 2-3 margarine containers full per day at the height of the season. I enjoy eating them fresh (and sharing them with my dogs, who are crazy about them!) and I love raspberry muffins!
I really love this time of year - although I guess I equally love it later on once all of my plants are in the ground and I can watch them grow... I really enjoy getting rid of the dead debris from the fall and winter, and getting everything ready to go for when it's time to plant. It is very satisfying; and I think that it almost mirrors what we are all doing after the long winter - sorting through what is old and unneeded now and preparing ourselves for the warmer weather ahead.
I think one of the first things I am looking forward to, aside from getting my plants started & then planted later on, is the raspberries. We are very fortunate to have already had a large amount of raspberry plants here when we moved in, and I can easily pick 2-3 margarine containers full per day at the height of the season. I enjoy eating them fresh (and sharing them with my dogs, who are crazy about them!) and I love raspberry muffins!
I should be getting all the materials together this weekend to get my plants started indoors, so I will be sure to update soon! I hope you are all getting out in your gardens and enjoying yourselves while you do it!
Happy Gardening!
Monday, March 26, 2012
Friends Fur-ever
Today is a bittersweet day. Today we said goodbye to our family dog, Mikey - a daschund that lived just a month shy of his 17th birthday; which is no small feat for a dog. To try to capture in words Mikey's life and the amount of memories he's left me and my family with would be impossible.
17 years ago our dog, Tim-bit had her second litter of puppies. Sadly she did not live long past their birth due to blood poisoning. Having to hand-feed 5 daschund puppies was a chore, but one that my family did gladly. We all found ourselves captivated by the runt of this litter - the dog we would later keep and call Mikey.
To know Mikey you would never know he had been a runt. He was keen and hilarious. He would fetch a ball for HOURS (you literally would have to take and put away the ball just so he would stop and have a drink of water and rest for a while) and he always wanted to be around his family. If my mom would try to sneak out early in the morning to garden before my sister and I woke up, it never failed that within seconds of her leaving the house, Mikey would be barking and whining to be let out.
Mikey was the very first dog that my 2 dogs, Lewis & Murphy, ever met. Both of them took to him immediately - Lewis was happy just to hang out with him outside, and Murphy looked up to him from the start. Murphy would chase Mikey while Mikey chased his ball, and that became their game together.
As he got older, Mikey's senses began to fail on him; but to the very end he wanted to chase his ball and be outside with his family. He was the best couch buddy to watch movies or tv with...as long as you didn't mind that he took up most of the room!
It is a very sad thing to have to say goodbye after 17 years. It leaves an empty space in my heart. Even though my sister and I haven't lived at home for a few years now, Mikey was no less loved or important to us than he was when we still lived with our parents. I will miss him terribly when I go to their house. I will miss his wagging tail, and seeing his face under the table during our family meals - waiting for someone to "accidentally" drop some food off their plate. Mikey has left me with more memories than I could try to write about, and that is the greatest gift he could give me. I'm sad that he's no longer with us, but I know we couldn't keep him forever. I'm so glad for the years we got to spend with him and he will always have a place in my heart.
17 years ago our dog, Tim-bit had her second litter of puppies. Sadly she did not live long past their birth due to blood poisoning. Having to hand-feed 5 daschund puppies was a chore, but one that my family did gladly. We all found ourselves captivated by the runt of this litter - the dog we would later keep and call Mikey.
To know Mikey you would never know he had been a runt. He was keen and hilarious. He would fetch a ball for HOURS (you literally would have to take and put away the ball just so he would stop and have a drink of water and rest for a while) and he always wanted to be around his family. If my mom would try to sneak out early in the morning to garden before my sister and I woke up, it never failed that within seconds of her leaving the house, Mikey would be barking and whining to be let out.
Mikey was the very first dog that my 2 dogs, Lewis & Murphy, ever met. Both of them took to him immediately - Lewis was happy just to hang out with him outside, and Murphy looked up to him from the start. Murphy would chase Mikey while Mikey chased his ball, and that became their game together.
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| Murphy & Mikey 2007 |
As he got older, Mikey's senses began to fail on him; but to the very end he wanted to chase his ball and be outside with his family. He was the best couch buddy to watch movies or tv with...as long as you didn't mind that he took up most of the room!
It is a very sad thing to have to say goodbye after 17 years. It leaves an empty space in my heart. Even though my sister and I haven't lived at home for a few years now, Mikey was no less loved or important to us than he was when we still lived with our parents. I will miss him terribly when I go to their house. I will miss his wagging tail, and seeing his face under the table during our family meals - waiting for someone to "accidentally" drop some food off their plate. Mikey has left me with more memories than I could try to write about, and that is the greatest gift he could give me. I'm sad that he's no longer with us, but I know we couldn't keep him forever. I'm so glad for the years we got to spend with him and he will always have a place in my heart.
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| Thanksgiving 2007 |
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| Mom & Mikey - Christmas 2009 |
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| Neene & Mikey - 2009 |
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| The Noonan Clan - 2009 |
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Mother Nature thinks she's funny...
Yesterday was a gorgeous spring day - a wonderful way to start the season! Sunshine, crisp air, birds chirping...
And then today arrived. I woke up to a light snow falling, which got heavier as the morning progressed. Just yesterday I was eagerly anticipating getting things done in my yard, and today I am back to staring at the layer of snow on my garden & lawn. Very depressing.
I went out for a hike yesterday at Juniper Beach and it was a beautiful day. This time of year, I think is hardest on me. Although I detest winter (and I truly mean detest), at least I can come to terms with the fact that the weather is intended to be gloomy and cold and full of snow; but once the first day of spring hits, it is that much harder to have days of "winter weather" hanging around.
I can see the sun peeking out a little more now, and I hope that the afternoon will bring more of that glorious, and much needed, source of Vitamin D. My batteries are drained from the gloom that is winter, and I'm in great need of some sunshine to recharge.
Here's to hoping Spring will be sprung upon us soon!
And then today arrived. I woke up to a light snow falling, which got heavier as the morning progressed. Just yesterday I was eagerly anticipating getting things done in my yard, and today I am back to staring at the layer of snow on my garden & lawn. Very depressing.
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| Juniper Beach |
I can see the sun peeking out a little more now, and I hope that the afternoon will bring more of that glorious, and much needed, source of Vitamin D. My batteries are drained from the gloom that is winter, and I'm in great need of some sunshine to recharge.
Here's to hoping Spring will be sprung upon us soon!
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
The Beginning
Hello!
I decided to start a blog about gardening this year for a few reasons. I like the idea of being able to connect and communicate with others who are interested in gardening - whether just starting out, or very experienced. I wanted to create a blog in order to get feedback from other gardeners, and to help those who are less-experienced learn from my mistakes along with me.
Both my mom and my grandma have been blessed with green thumbs and after seeing the beautiful garden spaces they've created in my lifetime I am at an age now where I would like to be able to create that same beautiful space for myself and my own family. I can remember many a time growing up when I would be given the task of "dead-heading" or "pulling weeds" and although I may have complained about doing it, once I began I always enjoyed it. I enjoy getting my hands in the dirt, smelling the flowers and soil, and seeing things grow and evolve as the seasons progress.
I started my first "official" garden 2 years ago when I moved into the place we are currently renting. In the past I hadn't been afforded the amount of garden space that I am now lucky enough to possess - namely: 1 long garden running along the side of the house, bordering a sidewalk into the backyard; 2 small square beds at the back of the house just outside of the back door; and the "big guy", my large garden that I use for my vegetables, which measures 40' x 20' (not including the small bed containing my raspberries that is separated from the large garden by a path). So for 2 years now I have toiled and labored and, luckily, enjoyed most of the garden's spoils; however, I have also made many mistakes and learned a lot of valuable information along the way.
So I hope that this blog will provide you with information, insight, or just a laugh or two at my expense (!), and I also hope that should you have any information or stories to share with me, that you do so.
Welcome to my garden!
I decided to start a blog about gardening this year for a few reasons. I like the idea of being able to connect and communicate with others who are interested in gardening - whether just starting out, or very experienced. I wanted to create a blog in order to get feedback from other gardeners, and to help those who are less-experienced learn from my mistakes along with me.
Both my mom and my grandma have been blessed with green thumbs and after seeing the beautiful garden spaces they've created in my lifetime I am at an age now where I would like to be able to create that same beautiful space for myself and my own family. I can remember many a time growing up when I would be given the task of "dead-heading" or "pulling weeds" and although I may have complained about doing it, once I began I always enjoyed it. I enjoy getting my hands in the dirt, smelling the flowers and soil, and seeing things grow and evolve as the seasons progress.
I started my first "official" garden 2 years ago when I moved into the place we are currently renting. In the past I hadn't been afforded the amount of garden space that I am now lucky enough to possess - namely: 1 long garden running along the side of the house, bordering a sidewalk into the backyard; 2 small square beds at the back of the house just outside of the back door; and the "big guy", my large garden that I use for my vegetables, which measures 40' x 20' (not including the small bed containing my raspberries that is separated from the large garden by a path). So for 2 years now I have toiled and labored and, luckily, enjoyed most of the garden's spoils; however, I have also made many mistakes and learned a lot of valuable information along the way.
So I hope that this blog will provide you with information, insight, or just a laugh or two at my expense (!), and I also hope that should you have any information or stories to share with me, that you do so.
Welcome to my garden!
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