Vegetable Gardening: The First of the Season

The First Veggies of the Season!

I'm pretty pleased with the results, so far, of my new veggie garden and want to show off some of the beautiful bounty I've harvested. I feel like a proud mamma!

Summer Squash, Green Pepper & Cabbage

Cherokee Purple Tomatoes

Indigo Fireball Tomatoes, Zucchini, Carrots & Cucumber

Two Ginormous Cucumbers!

Vegetable Gardening: A Video Update

This past May, I started revamping my yard. To start with, I put in a new vegetable garden. It is a decent size, about 20’ x 6’.

Last fall, I started with a 6’ x 10’ section, using what I guess you could call, a cold mulch method. First, I lay old cardboard over the grass. Next, a layer of compost went over the cardboard, then leaves, then more compost, and kept layering until the bed was about 4” high. I threw in a few vegetable scraps too. Then I let it brew over the winter. In the spring I added some triple mix. The soil is very nice and rich.

In the spring I wanted to enlarge it, as well as start a new flower garden bed. This time, I hired a couple of young guys who are students that run their own landscape business. Very impressive young men! They took out the grass, tilled and then shovelled in four cubic yards of triple mix for me. Then some mulch.

Below are videos of the fruits of my labour, so to speak, to date.  Already I’ve harvested many radishes, a few tomatoes, a cabbage and some zucchini.

I am particularly thrilled about my Three Sisters planting, although something ate my bean seedlings in one patch. 

Vegetable Garden Part 1, July 18, 2016

Vegetable Garden Part 2

How to Start a New Garden Where Grass Is Growing

From my last post, you know that I want to put some new gardens into my currently all grass backyard. According to the landscape designer's calculations, I will need 21 cubic yards of garden soil to do the entire garden! I can't image moving all that that dirt into the yard by myself. I'm sure hiring a pro to do it will cost a fortune.

This is what I'm faced with now. Blah.
Need a new patio & deck too but that's for another day.

After mulling it over for a few months, I decided I needed to look for a student to do the work. So I looked online and found a young person in my area willing to do the hard labour. He gave a great price too. Mind you, I have decided to do only half the garden this year, so the cost will not be as much.

New Garden Plan A

The City suggested that I:

1. Mow the grass very short
2. Put a layer of 5-6 sheets of newspaper over the area
3. Pile on the soil until a depth of 6"
4. Cover all the soil with 3" of mulch
5. Dig a 3" trench all around

New Garden Plan B

My hired student will also be removing the grass. So, Plan B is:

1. Remove grass
2. Rent tiller for about $80 and till Earth
3. Mix in approximately 3" depth of new garden soil
4. Dig 3" trench around new bed

Less soil will mean less cost!

 I think it's doable!

If you are looking for a more intensive way to create a garden where there is grass you may want to check out this article.

A Fusion Garden

At last, Spring is here! As mentioned in a previous post, after removing our pool, the backyard is a sea of green grass, 

While looking for garden ideas, I came across something called, "Fusion Landscaping".  Fusion landscaping, or gardens, make use of indigenous perennial plants and bushes. These types of plants require less water and less maintenance than something more exotic.

The City of Mississauga offers a free plan for homeowners, of which I took advantage. Two people came to our house, and after consulting with me, came up with this lovely plan.

To put the garden in, they recommend:

1. Mowing existing grass very short
2. Layer newspaper over the grass, 5 - 6 sheets
3. Add 6" or soil
4. Add 3" mulch

We have a very large lot! I estimated that to do just half the plan I'd need about 10 cubic yards of earth! The next hurdle that daunted me was how to get the earth into the backyard.

Stay tuned ...

Vegetable Growing Cheat Sheet

Last year, we had our 20' x 40' swimming pool filled in. All of my gardens disappeared too! It was pretty depressing last summer, looking out on a sea of green grass, because that is all there is now. I do not have enough money to hire a landscaper. Therefore, this task will fall to me.

Don't get me wrong. I love gardening. But I'm not sure that I'm physically able to haul all the dirt needed to put in the garden of my dreams.

Nonetheless, last fall, I started with a vegetable garden. It is not the biggest garden at about 8' x 8'. But it's a start! Now I am thinking about what to plant. Looking around the internet, I came across this handy 'cheat sheet' by  Brett Janes. It helps you to figure out what vegetables to plant and when to plant. You can even create one for your climate zone, which is what I've done.

I'm impressed with the companion planting guide and "Did You Know".

Since I've been garden starved for a while, I can hardly wait to start my new vegetable garden!

Ontario 1st North American Jursdiction To Reduce Acres Planted with Neonicontinoid Pesticides

It's been a while since I posted. But I'm back!

Photo by Steve A. Johnson under the Creative Commons Attribution License 2.0.

So, in July 2015, my home province of Ontario voted to reduce acres planted with Neonictids, which I wrote about in my previous post. Do you think my blog post was so well shared and respected that it had an influence? Probably not! But hey, every bit counts.

The ruling apparently covers coated corn and soybean seeds. The goal is to reduce usage by 80% by 2017. And after 2017, farmers that wish to use Neonicontinoid Pesticides, must prove that they have a pest problem.

We've joined the European Union and other countries in this effort to save our bees and ultimately ourselves. Makes me feel proud.

Save the Bees! Ban Neonics Pesticide.

Some time ago, I wrote a post about the decline of the bee population. At that time, it was not known for sure what was causing the death of the bees, but pesticides were believed to be the culpit.

Now, an international team of scientists have firmly pointed the finger at Neonics. This pesticide is used extensively on genetically engineered crops. And it is not just affecting the bees. It also poses a significant risk to earthworms and birds and it is harming the planet's ecosystem.

To learn more you can watch this news report:

Calls for international ban on neonicotinoid pesticides

Or read this article.

Researchers sound alarm over neonics, urge global phase out

If you live in Canada and want have your voice heard, you can call, write or email Rona Ambrose, Minister of Health, to ban neonicotinoids in Canada.
Email: rona.ambrose.cl a@parl.gc.ca
Phone:(613) 996-9778
Write:
Rona Ambrose, Minister of Health
Rm 163 East block
Ottawa ON K1A 0A6

Grow It! Garden Photo Contest

Announcing the Grow It! Garden Photo Contest

Are you proud of your garden? Want to show it off? Then this is the place for you!

How to Enter

Here's the deal. 'Like' my new The Bloomin' Blog Facebook page. Post your photo. Then share your entry with your friends. The photo with the most votes wins!

Deadline to Enter: June 24, 2014

The Prize

Your reward is the satisfaction of knowing that you have the best garden photo!

This blog is a hobby of mine. So, I am unable to offer a physical prize.

You will also be helping me out with an assignment, which is to test a photo contest app for my 'real' job. Your help is appreciated and I hope you will participate.

What to plant now?

We've had the branches that crashed on our roof cleaned and branches from trees over our roof removed. We also took this opportunity to have some dead trees and stumps removed from the front yard. As a result, we are left with a garden full of dirt! Though I like that I can put whatever I want, within reason, I am not sure what to do.

I am thinking an evergreen or two to the left of the wall, possibly yews. This path leads nowhere except to the gas metre so it does not have to look pretty.

As for the rest of the garden, on the left side that is now dirt, I am not sure. I want low maintenance. Rose of Sharon? Bridal Wreath Spirea? Blue Beard Shrub? Some hostas?

Suggestions would be appreciated! Please comment if you have some ideas.

Spring & Ice Storm Clean Up Begins!

Weather Extreme

This past winter, for the first time in my memory, which is now considerable, we had an ice storm in the GTA. It was eerie and wondrous at the same time. Trees were completely covered in ice. When a breeze blew the branches crackled. They glittered in the winter light. Then the sickening sound of branches breaking under the weight of ice would start. You can watch it here.

 Can you hear the branches and ice crackling?

The Aftermath

Beautiful mature trees downed

Branches on our roof

The branches on the road were cleaned up by the city within a couple of weeks, but the branches on our property still need to be removed. Tomorrow is the big day! Not only are we having the branches removed we are having some trees and other bushes removed.

In a way we are starting with a new slate. A blank canvas.

We had snow again in mid April.  I know, however, that winter will not win! The daffodils, tulips and other spring blooming perennials are starting to peek out of the earth.

By the way, if anyone out there thinks climate change does not exist then they are in denial. This extreme weather and polar vortex that lasted for two months here in Ontario, Canada was a first and proof to me that climate change is a reality.

Spring Refresh

After a particularly brutal winter, I am inspired to refresh the look of my blog. The image at the top is a picture I took of the muscari that grows in my garden. And I've made the format wider.

What do you think?

Announcing the Bloomin' News!

Now You Can enjoy Gardening News & Tips All Year Long

Living in a northern country, I am not privileged to garden all year, and therefore, for several months I do not have original content to share with you. So I have started the Bloomin' News. It is a collection of gardening information and articles from across the web.

I hope you find the content enjoyable! Please let me know if what is shared is useful and interesting to you.

You may follow the Bloomin News here:
http://paper.li/thebloominblog/1397143965

Happy gardening!

For Canada Day, Let's Eat Local, eh!

On this Canada Day weekend, I've been giving some thought to what it means to be Canadian. When I was growing up, we were taught how our country was full of natural resources, and how wonderful our fertile lands were. The song, This Land is Your Land, a Woody Guthrie song, Canadianized by The Travellers, always comes to mind when I think of this Land.

Now I believe we are in a sorry state. Our fertile  farmlands are being paved over and the majority of our food, even food we can easily grow here, is being imported! The food we are growing is being grown by "corporate" farms and not family owned farms.

Have a look at this video, "Are you eating Canadian", produced by Hellman's, for some stats:

It's time to take our Land back. We need to support our local farmers. Let's buy and eat local whenever we can. Visit your local farmers market and look for food grown locally in your grocery store. It may cost a little more, but the taste, superior nutrition and support to our economy is worth it!

Happy Canada Day!

Italian Gardens - Sacro Bosco

It's the end of February and there's not much in the way of gardening to do here in Canada. So, I watch my favourite gardening shows. They give me my gardening fix, ideas and dreams of gardens I want to visit.

"Monty Don's Italian Gardens" is one show that fuels my dreams. Monty focusses on Renaissance gardens in Italy in this four part series. The key to gardens of this style were symmetry and harmony.

There is one garden, however, which does not follow the path of Renaissance symmetry - 'Sacro Bosco', or 'Sacred Wood',  in the Villa Orsini of Bomarzo. It contains fantastic, gigantic mythological sculptures, carved from the rock, found in the garden. It was designed by the then famous architect, Pirro Ligorio, for Prince Pier Francesco Orsini (1523-1585).

You can watch this episode here (fast forward to time of 35:10):



You can see all the episodes at the TVO website.

Some Gardening Humour - "The Italian Tomato Garden"

My heritage happens to be part Italian. I had to laugh when I read this:

THE ITALIAN TOMATO GARDEN

An Old Italian man lived alone in the country. He wanted to dig his tomato garden, but it was very hard work as the ground was hard. His  only son, Vincent, who used to help him, was in prison. The old man wrote a letter to his son and described his predicament:

Dear Vincent,  
I am feeling pretty badly because it looks like I won't be able to plant my tomato garden this year. I'm just getting too old to be digging up a garden plot. I know if you were here my troubles would be  over. I know you would be happy to dig the plot for me.      
                                                               Love, Dad

A few days later he received a letter from his son: 

Dear Dad,  
Don't dig up that garden. That's where I buried the bodies. 
                                         Love, Vinnie

At 4 a.m. the next morning, FBI agents and local police arrived and  dug up the entire area without finding any bodies. They apologized to the old man and left. That same day the old man received another  letter from his   son: 

Dear Dad, 
Go ahead and plant the tomatoes now. That's the best I could do under  the circumstances.                           
                                                 Love you, Vinnie

Top 5 Tips for Organic Gardening

My cat, Mini, loves
stomping around in my garden!

Since the pesticide ban in Ontario, we've all had to learn how to garden organically. I have to say that there are days when I feel like Elmer Fudd - "I'll get you, you scwewy slug!" Or cat, as the case may be.

I think the trick is to not expect perfection and to plan ahead. That being said, here are my top 5 organic gardening tips.

1. Mulch - mulching keeps weeds at bay and helps to keep moisture in the ground.
2. Don't leave bare spaces - weeds always seem to find that bare patch of garden.  Plant something or mulch.
3. Location, location, location - choose a spot with suitable light, whether full sun, partial sun or shade.
4. Companion plant - different combinations of plants help each other. Companion planting can  attract beneficial insects and deter harmful pests. In fact, you can mix flowers with your vegetables!
5. Good soil - soil with lots of organic matter is best. 

Feel free to share your organic gardening tip in the comment area.

Save the Tulips for the Royal Wedding or It's Off With Their Heads!

The Telegraph reports that the tulips lining the route of the upcoming April 29, 2011 marriage of Prince William and Katherine, are wilting due to the unusually hot weather.

The plan  is to dead head the 26,000 tulips found at Queen Victoria Memorial Gardens, unless a way can be found to keep them flowering until the day of the  wedding! Horror or horrors!

If found this video on YouTube showing the Gardens in their glory and Buckingham Palace




The British Protected Ornamental Association asks, " ... if anyone can propose an alternative such as covering / shading the beds (wet paper) to help the tulips get through, I am sure that the Royal Parks would be interested.”

Tulip gardeners, send your ideas to save the tulips for the wedding!

When, oh when, will I be able to be in my garden again?

It's 3 degrees (C) today and raining. The weekend is not looking good either. Bit of  a downer as I wanted to start working in my garden.
There's so much to do. Mainly prunning overgrown bushes and "alien" trees that have taken root, before their leaves start. There is one invasive tree that's popped up everywhere. My sister-in-law thinks it's a hawthorn, as it has spiky thorns. The other ones are  Maple Tree saplings which, if not yanked out early, quickly become trees. I've got my work cut out for me!

Give Yourself the Gift of a Vegetable Garden

My friend, Dale D'Souza, decided last Christmas to start a vegetable garden during this past summer. Below is his guest post about his experience making his 15' x 15' garden.

It all started last Christmas when a friend gave me a mason jar of tomato sauce as a gift. I love making pasta sauce and decided that I would try to make my own tomato sauce the following year. In the age of 'Google' I decided to do my homework and see if I could make a true scratch tomato sauce by growing my own tomatoes. I discovered that there are two types of tomato plants: Determinate (provides fruit once, in the fall) and Indeterminate (provides fruit throughout the season). It was obvious that I would need all my tomatoes to be ripe at once so as to simplify the sauce making day.

So off I went to the local garden centers. Nobody at the big box garden centres knew what the heck I was talking about. Then I met a lovely lady, Barbara Lawton, who owns Taylor Nurseries. Barbara is a certified horticulturalist and knew all about tomatoes! Based on her advice I purchased 24 Roma tomato plants for about $24.

Now for the big challenge!

• 3 yards of top-soil
• Bone meal
• Miracle Gro
• Tomato cages
• Chicken wire
• Wooden stakes

My daughter has a keen interest in gardening and helped me with the planting and layout. Full sun for these babies! We planted two rows of 12, keeping enough space in between to prune and weed. Miracle Gro once a week, daily watering and weeding regularly was our new routine.

In late July we had our first harvest of about 400 tomatoes, followed by a second harvest a few weeks later of another 400 tomatoes. I did have to freeze the first harvest as we were still a few weeks away from sauce. The last harvest before sauce-making produced another 100 tomatoes.

We made the sauce under the guidance of Rob P. (pure Italian) using some pretty cool equipment that he has developed over the years.
The frozen tomatoes did not yield as much sauce as the moisture had crystalized and 'bled' into the pot when thawing.

Total yield was 14 - 1Liter mason jars. I added a couple of leaves of Thai basil which we grew as well.

I plan to plant 48 tomato plants in the spring and see what I can generate in sauce.

All in all a great experience that I highly recommend!

Tomato Plant Prunning Silliness

My tomato plant obsession continues ...

Before Prunning

The other day I came across a video showing how to prune tomato plants. I knew that the "sucker" branches at the bottom of tomato plants should be removed. This video, however, says that once your tomato flowers are set, all branches that don't have flowers should be removed. This apparently allows the plant's energy to go to the ripening tomatoes. I decided to give it a try.

After Prunning

Now for my silliness (idiocy?) - for some reason I thought he said remove the leaves on non-flowering branches! So I spent an unreasonable amount of time trimming off leaves instead of branches - should have had my computer with me to look at the video while I was doing the pruning. I was thinking that pruning the branches of leaves was ridiculous - and it was!

Not sure if I went far enough or too far. Still, it did give the plants more breathing room and already the green tomatoes of a couple of days ago are red or almost red.

Here is the video - and remember, prune the non-flowering branches, not the non-flowering branches' leaves!