Re: CANADIAN REGION - What are you doing in APRIL 2015

Re: CANADIAN REGION - What are you doing in APRIL 2015

   
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Canada Last Frost Dates (and other related handy links)

Well, first I listened to this story on CBC radio on the way to work this morning.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/trending/knitting-cocoons-for-monarchs-and-other-canadian-april-fools-jokes-1.3017623 

I figured his Birkenstocks were a bit tight. It was only when I listened to the same story this afternoon that I realized I'd been had. (I'm going to plant some milkweed though).

According to your link OMAFRA says I'm zone D with a last frost date around 11MAY. When I moved up here I asked an older fellow if I'd be OK planting tender stuff on the Victoria Day weekend (AKA the May Two-Four). He asked if I was from Toronto. (Air ewe from Trannah er somethin?). I admitted that I was. He said that in a large city the buildings help hold the heat in, allowing earlier planting. (I actually knew that: its called the urban heat island). He said that when he lived in the city, he planted his garden seedlings on the long weekend, but now, in a rural / urban area / small town, he always waited until the lilacs started to fade. I have a large one in my front yard. In the previous nineteen yeas, we've had a late frost (after the lilacs) ONCE.

SO WHEN DO YOU PLANT?

This something I am not good with, Fred, but why not spit your crop and cover some when they they start to grow and take a chance with a smaller amount?

I seldom have any freezing as I am always behind somewhat.

When I first moved to British Columbia Interior when I came to Canada our benchmark was the snow on the nearby mountains: when that melted we were good to go for tomatoes.  In B.C, we had so many different ecotyistems, it was important that one asked the local gardeners.

I can only encourage you to move forward, Sansivil, your time will come.

My worst year was 1996/1997 when we  had continueous snow from November to the following April. We did not know what we had in the garden until tho melted.  Most disappointing when we found all there was was a small bunch of grape Hayacinchs.   We actually saved those and now they a a pretty patch of blue under the apple tree.  Well,later on a bit.

But it will take a long time for this year to match 2015.

We had +10°C and rain today. The rain washed away most of the remaining snow (down to a couple of foot-high drifts in the backyard). Hang in there Sansivil!

My seed order arrived with a couple of items on back order: Knucklehead Pumpkins (don't need to plant them for a while) and San Marzano, Beefsteak and Long-Keeper tomatoes. The Beefsteaks I can get locally, and I think I can get San Marzano (a Roma type) nearby. But Long-Keepers are an oddball: they are a late-season type that are either harvested and stored as a whole plant, or individual tomatoes are wrapped in newspaper or waxed paper. You are supposed to be able to eat a tomato sandwich from your garden on Christmas day. I know that's "normal" to some people, but my last frost date is 01OCT! By Christmas even my root crops will be done! I bought a package of mixed "Rainbow Heirloom" tomatoes as insurance that promises "Black, pink, red and yellow Brandywine tomatoes" We'll see.

Oh, and Kelejan, snow from November to April (or May), that's what we call "winter"   in "the east". (My brother-in-law moved from Galliano Island BC after twenty years there, to Wiarton Ontario, to Muskoka two hours north of Toronto, and then to the Mirimachi, NB. I think he really misses BC winters; he's moving to the UK!)

Fred, that is where I came from, the soft spring and summer etc. and mild winters.  I was not a gardener in those days, although I did do a little bit when I was four years old. Potatoes, runner beans, some strawberries and some lovely smelling wall-flowers.

That was the extent of my gardening until I came to British Columbia and I grew an     enormous amount of peas the first and tastiest, and that it  was the next 40 years.


And + ten degrees of rain!

My grandson and I planted some of our seeds over the past couple of days. So far we have Tomatoes: Siberia (early), San Marzano (Italian), Heirloom Beefsteak, Heirloom  "Rainbow" Brandywine; Jalapeño Peppers; Thyme, Rosemary and Basil. Sweet peppers are next and I'm still waiting for my long keeper tomatoes. I am heading to "the city" tomorrow to get some  sweet peppers, sage and other stuff I couldn't get elsewhere. I figure I'll also hold off on the broccoli for a while.

These last few days are really greening up in our part of Canada.  I feel my health is improving but I have to take it easy for a while.  This is where I am happy to have done some BTE gardening that will be able to look after itself. no digging required.

Still hearing of snow falying in the East.

Garden is finally thawed. The allium family, however, is ahead of the game:


Wintering onions


Chives.
They have no time for your frosty jibba jabba!

I have a lot of cleaning up to do, but it's still over a month before I can seed most of my plants. I have no space to start tomatoes, so I'll be picking those up from a greenhouse.

My garlic is coming along nicely.  I have about 80 plants so hope to get a good crop this year.

http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/index.html This is the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture Food and Rural Affairs. Lots of good stuff here!

I have heard of Extension Offices in the United States where one can send soil samples and ask for information on what plants grow well in local areas, but does anyone in Canada have similar information? I should imagine each province would have it's own.

I have wanted to send  soil samples somewhere in Canada so that I know what to add to balance the soil.

A couple of weeks ago I added fungi on all my beds, and today I added trace minerals, using a new sprayer I bought.  Did not take long.  Last year I managed a 4 oz radish, large as a baseball, so hope to produce a lot more this year. Being English born I would have said a cricket ball. When in Rome. . . .

I've got tomatoes!

My Rainbow Mix Brandywine, Beefsteak and one San Marzano are up so far. No sign of the Siberia early variety or Jalapeño peppers yet. Planted some Marconi long sweet red peppers. Still no sign of my long keepers.

For a moment there Fred I thought you meant those round red things. I haven't got my mind back yet. That's what you get for jumping to conclusions instead of stopping to think.

The first day I cut the grass is always a red-letter day for me.  I think it always give the place a little bit more cared-for look.
It does look a little patchy but that is as all the grass is different heights, but in a couple of weeks it improves a lot and become more even looking. There are many patches of violets in it and many others flowers to come.

Tasty Turnip to the Canadian thread.  Hope to see you here sometimes.

Everybody is up! (so far). All my cells in the seed starters have at least one seeding poking through. (well, except the Marconi sweet peppers I planted a couple of days ago). Oddly, the Siberia early tomatoes were LAST up!

I'm off to Home Depot for wood for the beds and to check a few places in the big city for vermiculite. (The "big city" is Owen Sound Ont., population about 21,000 and one Home Depot).

It all seems to take ages and ages to start coming up, then each day there is something new to look at.

Now comes my most enjoyable season of the year, Spring when everything is fresh and green.

I got my lumber yesterday. And, I finally got the answer I was after: the new thermally treated lumber has much less toxic chemicals in it, but the manufacturer still does not recommend it for any application where it may enter the "food stream".

So, I got some eight-foot rough cut 1x12s. After I rip them in half they will be 5-15/16 high, so close enough. I will line them with plastic sheeting to extend the wood's life by limiting contact with water / wet ground.  I'll either paint or stain the outsides. Any thoughts about the contact with the ground? I was thinking maybe sand?

FRED58 wrote:I got my lumber yesterday. And, I finally got the answer I was after: the new thermally treated lumber has much less toxic chemicals in it, but the manufacturer still does not recommend it for any application where it may enter the "food stream".

So, I got some eight-foot rough cut 1x12s. After I rip them in half they will be 5-15/16 high, so close enough. I will line them with plastic sheeting to extend the wood's life by limiting contact with water / wet ground.  I'll either paint or stain the outsides. Any thoughts about the contact with the ground? I was thinking maybe sand?

Thanks Fred for helping to carry this thread for the month of April.  I have not been too well since the beginning of the month but I feel I am on the mend now. What made it harder is that I am never ill.   Pride comes before a fall.

My garden is beginning to green up and  the  daffodils are up but not so good as I hoped and I think that is becasuse my wood chips perhaps did not have enough nitrogen  in them as there were few leaves in the originals. My pink tulips are coming along nicely and that  was probably because I did feed them more as there were more costly than the daffs. Tomorrow I will cut the grass for the second time.
Beautiful weather today, out with the dog for two hours, looking at all the spring flowering trees and dreaming of what mine will look like in a few years. Apple, flowering crab and a cherry.

Get better soon!

I spent part of yesterday assembling a new wheelbarrow / garden cart:


 


It was on sale and I doubt I could have built a wooden one for the price. (I have had plans for years). Its a very good cart with lots of nice features like oversize wheels and ergonomic grips, and tool carriers (although I don't know why someone put a coffee cup in the beer holder). If Batman had a garden cart, this would be it.

But (you knew there was a "but"), but, I have NEVER seen an item with such poor assembly instructions. I'm no genius, but I am reasonably intelligent and a Mechanical Engineer, and it took two hours and every swear word I know in both official languages to finish. My favorite part was the last two steps: Step 5 said attach the frame to the bucket by installing all the remaining bolts. Step 6 said before you do that, install that last bracket that wasn't included in assembling the frame.

I can highly recommend the cart itself, but be ready to be frustrated by the assembly process. I didn't say where I got it, because I don't know if that's ok or not, If you live in the Great White North, you've likely seen the ads on TV. if you live in the States, it will have a different brand name and come from a different store.

FRED58 wrote:     
(although I don't know why someone put a coffee cup in the beer holder). If Batman had a garden cart, this would be it.

Fred, you gave me my first laugh of the day.    It is perfectly okay to let gardeners know where you bought a nifty garden gadget. It's like folks announcing when Home Depot or Joanne's Fabrics are having a sale.

Fred, I do hope the coffee cup holder was large enough to hold a beer can. Most important, that.

It looks like the cup holder will even hold a pint glass of Guinness.

I got it at Home Hardware (it is sold as "Mark's Choice"). I Googled that and found that the US distributor seems to be a company called Sam's Club. Do I recall correctly that Sam's Club is part of Walmart? I'm going to try and find a comic book store in Toronto next weekend and replace the company logo with the Bat symbol.

My long keeper tomato seeds arrived today, about six weeks late. I'm going to try a seed starting method I used 30 years ago. I am going to place the seeds on a damp paper towel inside an empty margarine tub, then place the tub in a warm place. The seeds will germinate in a few days as long as they stay damp. Once the seedlings are a couple of inches high, they can be gently teased out with a pencil.

Sounds a good idea for seeding, Fred. 

This year I did some winter sseed owing  in 4 liter clear containers and they look pretty good.  I will be transplanting them in a few days, once I find the piece of paper with the names on. If I do not, then I will have to  see what comes up. One day I will get myself sorted out with regard to labelling. There are a few seeds I recognize,  but not many.