Fourth Year SFG in Canada

sanderson wrote:I always enjoy photos of your garden.

Thanks sanderson. Much appreciated.

Seeing where your seedlings are at compared to mine makes me feel behind, but then I remember my spring is behind yours as well!

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A brutal weather day here in Ottawa. It started around noon on Sunday and is not expected to end until later today (Monay). I can't believe this is happening at the middle of April.  Freezing rain has knocked down trees and power poles. Thousands have no electricity.  I posted photos on the Canadian Region April 2018 thread. The good news is that the high temps are supposed to be in the 50s F by the weekend.

In the following video the +1 is in Celsius (i.e., about 34F).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkDvqQKGgDA

Houston, I have a problem. I have made a rookie mistake. After several years of doing this you would think I would know better. 

The problem is too many seedlings:

- 5 varieties of peppers totaling 20 healthy seedlings that need up potting
- 12 varieties of tomatoes totaling 40 seedlings with several in each cell and in need of thinning out and soon will need up potting
- 6 types of lettuce in a six pack
- 3 four inch pots of bunching onions
- 3 four inch pots of leeks
- several tomatillos
- several cabbage
- several broccoli
- not to mention other veggies and flowers on the heat mat but not yet germinated

And then if my 42 Winter Sowing containers survived the freaky mid-April ice storm there is the potential for many more flowers and vegetables.

I don't have enough grow light space or sunny window space or SFG space for all of this. I'll try to keep as many as I can and give away what I don't need.

trolleydriver wrote:A brutal weather day here in Ottawa. It started around noon on Sunday and is not expected to end until later today (Monay). I can't believe this is happening at the middle of April.  Freezing rain has knocked down trees and power poles. Thousands have no electricity.  I posted photos on the Canadian Region April 2018 thread. The good news is that the high temps are supposed to be in the 50s F by the weekend.

In the following video the +1 is in Celsius (i.e., about 34F).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkDvqQKGgDA

    

O,,, man,,, that looks rough. Hoping the sun comes soon.
I woke up to new snow and DH announced that it today is the 105th of January.

Turan wrote:DH announced that it today is the 105th of January.

 That is SO funny... and bang on!  Clever H!

TD, just watched the weather vid.  What a riot!  I remember the winter that my SFG looked like yours but it was a few snow/ice layers.  I was doing winter tunnels and decided it was too dangerous to go out to harvest anymore so called it quits the beginning of Feb.

Turan wrote:I woke up to new snow and DH announced that it today is the 105th of January.

  I LOVE IT! I'll probably steal it, tweak it, and when October comes around, send it back to you as the 105th of July.

This afternoon I was able to get out to the SFG and check on the Winter Sowing containers.The ice cream containers (and others) survived. The plastic film tops in the cutout lids are OK but there was a thick ice layer on top. There is some ice inside the containers below the centre hole. Nothing has sprouted yet so I am hoping all will work out well.

Absolutely crazy for mid/end of April!  Good shots...makes me shiver just looking at them.

countrynaturals wrote:

Turan wrote:I woke up to new snow and DH announced that it today is the 105th of January.

  I LOVE IT! I'll probably steal it, tweak it, and when October comes around, send it back to you as the 105th of July.

I appreciate your joke, CN.

CapeCoddess wrote:Absolutely crazy for mid/end of April!  Good shots...makes me shiver just looking at them.

+1

+2! Brrrrrrr.....

The winter that never ended. We got snow yesterday ... on April 17. Yikes.

Interesting that the patio is clear... That's a good sign? Right?

AtlantaMarie wrote:Interesting that the patio is clear...  That's a good sign?  Right?

Yes, good sign AM.  Temperature today is above freezing.

The Table Top on April 18.




These Allium are coming up from bulbs planted last October. They are undeterred by the ice and snow. I had the area covered with hardware cloth to prevent critters from digging up the bulbs. Hoping now that the squirrels and local rabbit(s) do not feast on them.





I have uncovered the Lasagna Garden bed to allow it to get some natural moisture. Interestingly, I had a rock placed on the very top-middle of the canvas and when I took it off I found a worm! Not sure how it got there. I am expecting there will be many worms in this pile.

While out shopping with Mrs TD we stopped at a chip (French fry) wagon to get a really healthy lunch. After putting in our order I asked the nice Oriental lady behind the counter if they ever have empty food containers that they do not need. I scored the two beauties shown in the photo and she told me to come back some time if I want more. Turns out she uses them herself for container gardening (e.g., cucumbers). Mrs TD hates it when I ask for free stuff but I think it is great, especially when it works out like this.

TD wrote:Mrs TD hates it when I ask for free stuff but I think it is great, especially when it works out like this.

You could remind her that you're saving it from the landfill and thereby helping the environment. 

countrynaturals wrote:

TD wrote:Mrs TD hates it when I ask for free stuff but I think it is great, especially when it works out like this.

You could remind her that you're saving it from the landfill and thereby helping the environment. 

I agree that you'll find a lot of worms in that pile, lol!

And my hubby is a dumpster diver (on occasion). One year we did Christmas for $15 total for about 15 people because of it... (It's amazing what people & companies throw out!) So good for you!!

Freezing temp, windy and a few snow flakes today. Can't do any gardening outside so I up potted these indoor Canada Crookneck Squash. Some of the leaves are 8 inches across and the plants stretch about 21 inches above the potting mix.

Beautiful!

Oh, my gosh! Is that a flower bud? You will have to get a mini-bee hive in the living room.

sanderson wrote:Oh, my gosh!  Is that a flower bud?  You will have to get a mini-bee hive in the living room.

Looks like it is a flower bud. In fact on the smaller plant (not in the photo) there are several of them. Maybe I can get some nano-bees or micro drone bees.