Re: Fourth Year SFG in Canada

**trolleydriver** 9/29/2018, 4:29 pm

There is a frost advisory for Ottawa tonight. I brought in some things from the veggie garden including what I expect are the last of the bush and pole beans plus peppers (poblano, banana, jalapeno, Chinese 5 color), tomatoes (black vernissage, Roma, etc.), squash (tromboncino, Canada crookneck, butternut, white scallop). The tromboncino is 31 inches long and weighs 4.25 lbs. The Canada Crookneck is 18 inches long and weighs 4.5 lbs.

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**sanderson** 10/1/2018, 4:01 pm

countrynaturals 10/1/2018, 4:08 pm

I am soooo jealous! Twisted Evil

**Kelejan** 10/1/2018, 9:04 pm

Congratulations, TD. It all looks so tasty.

**trolleydriver** 10/4/2018, 6:09 pm

Warm day with high around 24C (74F) then expecting the temp to plummet down to 0C (32F) overnight with frost.

I did a sweep of the tomato plants and picked the toms that were ripe partially ripe. They are now on the kitchen counter for further ripening. Picked some green ones that are now in a cardboard box in the basement for ripening. Pulled out all the tomato vines from the SFG. Those that still have green tomatoes I piled on top of one SFG bed and covered with a tarp to protect from frost.

**Kelejan** 10/4/2018, 10:28 pm

Same here in B.C. TD. down to Zero. Brrrr!

**trolleydriver** 10/11/2018, 8:31 pm

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The cleanup has begun. So far I have removed all tomato, pole bean, bush bean, and squash plants in the SFG.

Neighbourhood trees and bushes are putting on a nice show of colours.

**Scorpio Rising** 10/11/2018, 8:50 pm

Pretty, TD! Fall is finally here...

Curious, how did you space your Blauhilde on the poles? I feel I am overcrowding them.

Do you deal with Japanese Beetles up there? They are terrible here...however, my neighbors and I have entered an onslaught to kill them and eliminate them using well spaced traps.

**trolleydriver** 10/11/2018, 9:02 pm

Scorpio Rising wrote:Pretty, TD! Fall is finally here...

Curious, how did you space your Blauhilde on the poles? I feel I am overcrowding them.

Do you deal with Japanese Beetles up there? They are terrible here...however, my neighbors and I have entered an onslaught to kill them and eliminate them using well spaced traps.

I had several varieties of pole bean seeds that I got through a seed exchange. It was all just an experiment. I think I had about three plants in each of two squares. I only had one or two Blauhides in the bunch. They were excellent producers and I will grow them again. We did not get as many JBs this year as in previous years. They seemed to prefer the roses and raspberries. I did not see any on the pole beans.

**Scorpio Rising** 10/11/2018, 9:36 pm

trolleydriver wrote:
Scorpio Rising wrote:Pretty, TD! Fall is finally here...

Curious, how did you space your Blauhilde on the poles? I feel I am overcrowding them.

Do you deal with Japanese Beetles up there? They are terrible here...however, my neighbors and I have entered an onslaught to kill them and eliminate them using well spaced traps.
I had several varieties of pole bean seeds that I got through a seed exchange. It was all just an experiment. I think I had about three plants in each of two squares. I only had one or two Blauhides in the bunch. They were excellent producers and I will grow them again. We did not get as many JBs this year as in previous years. They seemed to prefer the roses and raspberries. I did not see any on the pole beans.

Interesting! I have grown Blauhilde for 3 years. I grew my old standby KY Wonder pole my first year but they were stringy and I just couldn’t get to them to pick frequently enough. My fault.

Blauhilde were more forgiving. Easier too. PURPLE!! And lovely taste. And honestly JBs are not as interested in them...

So one bean plant per 4 inches on the trellis? That is what I have done. Just seems dense.

**sanderson** 10/11/2018, 11:59 pm

Td, I hope you get some of those fall leaves from the neighbors.

**trolleydriver** 10/12/2018, 7:32 pm

sanderson wrote:Td, I hope you get some of those fall leaves from the neighbors.

For sure. I am chomping at the bit to get my hands on them. My new leaf shredder is about to get a good workout.

bluelacedredhead 10/12/2018, 8:11 pm

TrolleyDriver,

I read your comments about Blauhilde and went to my seed box to look for the seeds that I received in a trade. Then realized that I was gifted so many bean seeds last year, that I donated them at Seedy Saturday. Laughing

If I get them again, I'll know to at least try them once before giving them away.

Enjoy your new garden toy! We used to have a shredder. A great addition to any yard with trees and a large garden area. Now I just compost them for two years then work them into the garden.

**Kelejan** 10/12/2018, 8:27 pm

I use my lawn mower to shred leaves and that is when I use the grass catcher.
It makes the chore very easy.

I do not use the catcher for grass as that grass stays right on the lawn and disappears.

**trolleydriver** 10/18/2018, 2:04 pm

And so it begins ... The annual collection of leaves from neighbours. We do not have deciduous trees on our property so I am thankful for the gifts from neighbours. Today I picked up 11 bags of mostly maple leaves. They are dry and should shred down very well. I return the empty bags to the neighbours if they want them back.

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OhioGardener 10/18/2018, 2:49 pm

trolleydriver wrote:And so it begins ... The annual collection of leaves from neighbours. We do not have deciduous trees on our property so I am thankful for the gifts from neighbours. Today I picked up 11 bags of mostly maple leaves. They are dry and should shred down very well. I return the empty bags to the neighbours if they want them back.

My shredder would love to get hold of those leaves! Very Happy

All of the homeowners around us shred/mulch their leaves back into the grass. While driving through the countryside one day I saw a guy running leaves through a small shredder and into paper bags similar to the ones in your picture. Out of curiosity, I stopped to talk with him and asked what he does with all of those leaves. "They are mulch for next summer's garden," he said. Was glad to hear that!

OhioGardener 10/18/2018, 3:20 pm

A tip for gardeners that have leaves they wish to shred, but don't have a shredder: Put the leaves in a trash can and take a weed-eater and run it up and down through the leaves. They will soon be nothing but small pieces of leaves.

**trolleydriver** 10/18/2018, 6:38 pm

OhioGardener wrote:A tip for gardeners that have leaves they wish to shred, but don't have a shredder: Put the leaves in a trash can and take a weed-eater and run it up and down through the leaves. They will soon be nothing but small pieces of leaves.

I've used the trash can technique but preferred the mulching lawnmower method. Now I have a dedicated leaf shredder.

**trolleydriver** 10/18/2018, 6:41 pm

Did some more cleaning up of the SFG and other veggie beds this afternoon.

I've still got carrots, parsnips, kale, bunching onions, leeks, and lettuce to harvest. Hoping they will survive the current cold weather. Been cold the last couple of days and below freezing last night. Going up to a high of 15C (59F) tomorrow.

I need to get the garlic planted soon. Also lots of work to do with the compost bins.

**Kelejan** 10/18/2018, 7:52 pm

There's always something to be done TD, until we are under four feet of snow. Even then there is a path needed to get to the compost pile. Very Happy

bluelacedredhead 10/19/2018, 8:16 am

And here I thought I was the only one who returned leaf bags to the neighbours when they would donate leaves? I'm thrilled to see that I am not the only one to do so TrolleyDriver. Smile

**Kelejan** 10/19/2018, 8:49 am

bluelacedredhead wrote:And here I thought I was the only one who returned leaf bags to the neighbours when they would donate leaves? I'm thrilled to see that I am not the only one to do so TrolleyDriver.

Most of mine arrive in plastic garbage bags so I give them a new bag to encourage them to keep on giving.

This year I wlil try a new strategy; I will be going out today to my neighbours to actually give them the bags before hand so that may feel obliged to bag them and let me have them. Sneaky, eh?

bluelacedredhead 10/19/2018, 8:55 am

Really Kelejan? People actually put leaves in plastic garbage bags there? Even people on our block who don't otherwise recycle or use the municipal composting bins use leaf bags for yard waste. Yes, please encourage them to be kinder to our Earth!

**trolleydriver** 10/19/2018, 8:59 am

In the city where our daughter lives in Ontario, the residents pile all of their leaves loose (,no bags) along the edge of the road. Then the city comes along and picks them up and I suppose they go to a composting area. I could cry when I see people (including my daughter) giving the leaves away instead if using them in their gardens

**Kelejan** 10/19/2018, 9:13 am

bluelacedredhead wrote:Really Kelejan? People actually put leaves in plastic garbage bags there? Even people on our block who don't otherwise recycle or use the municipal composting bins use leaf bags for yard waste. Yes, please encourage them to be kinder to our Earth!

These bags are only used by me and are emptied and reused several times before finally being used for the bi-weekly garbage collection. Those paper bags must be very expensive and are only one-use and can easily fall to pieces when wet.

The garden waste is collected in bio-degradable bags bags that are so flimsy we are advised to double bag them. Garden waste taken to the city dump in bags have to be emptied there and then.

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