A First Time SFG in Canada

Td, Yes everything looks nice and congrats on cucumbers and maybe melons. But my brain froze when I saw that beautiful green grass. I could run through it with my cat. She would roll in it and I would wiggle my toes in it. Sigh . . .

sanderson ... the grass in the photo with the carrots was sown from seed last year. In that area it is primarily Kentucky Bluegrass with a bit of clover creeping in.  The backyard lawn is in good shape all over except that I am starting to see some Creeping Charlie which is very difficult to get rid of.  The front lawn on the south side of the house looks pretty good until mid summer (i.e., now) when it tends to dry up and parts of it turn brown. When I mow the lawns I keep them fairly long compared to my neighbours' lawns. I think that helps to retain moisture.  I also mulch the grass clippings into the lawn. I never water the lawns.  If they do get dry and turn a bit brown, they green up quickly when the weather gets wetter. I put on a good quality fertilizer two or three times per year and I often over-seed in the spring and/or fall.

TD, I agree with mowing the lawns high, not bagging the clippings but using as mulch, and never water the lawns.  They always come back in the cooler weather.

My grass looks greener than the neighbours' lawns with their daily watering.

Harvest of pole beans on Sunday July 26, 2015.  Almost without warning the vines are packed with huge bean pods.

TD, you may be a Newbie with regards to SFGing but you obviously have great knowledge of gardening the nonSFG way and have been able to get the best out of this method.  You are a shining light. 

As are so many others on this forum.

Great green beans!

Kelejan wrote:TD, you may be a Newbie with regards to SFGing but you obviously have great knowledge of gardening the nonSFG way and have been able to get the best out of this method.  You are a shining light. 

As are so many others on this forum.

I've been growing veggies for years but I'm very much a novice. In the past I've grown the easy things like tomatoes, peppers, bush beans in the existing soil in my backyard. I just put them in and let 'em grow. I tried to keep on top of the weeds and I pruned and staked the tomatoes.  I almost never added fertilizer or other soil amendments but still got a good enough crop.  SFG has allowed me to try growing things I stayed away from in the past (cabbage, beets, lettuce, onions, swiss chard, spinach, etc.). This summer has been a fun journey with SFG. Now I have to get going on replanting the empty squares that have already been harvested. I've already recharged the empty squares, each with a trowel full of compost. I am thankful for the encouragement received from friends on the SFG Forum.

TD, I am delighted that you are having FUN. That must be the icing on the cake. 

I hope it continues for you for a long, long time.

trolleydriver wrote: This summer has been a fun journey with SFG. I am thankful for the encouragement received from friends on the SFG Forum.

I'm glad you are enjoying it. I'm also thankful for this Forum and all the help and encouragement I have received.

Finally got around to reseeding the empty squares on July 27, 2015.

Box #1
- Spinach
- Bush Bean
- Lettuce (1/2 Iceberg + 1/2 Romaine)

Box #2
- Carrot
- Beet
- Spinach
- Radish (1/2 red round + 1/2 white icicle)

Update on existing squares:
- Lots of pole beans (harvested a few more today)
- Lots of cucumbers developing
- New sprouts coming out of the red cabbage stump that was left in the square after harvesting the cabbage
- I took off the diseased (looks like leaf miner) outer leaves on the swiss chard and harvested some others that looked OK


Got rid of some Japanese Beetles that were on the top leaves of the pole beans. I knock them off into a container of soapy water.

Careful of your back! I think you are hooked on SFG.

Sanderson ... I'm definitely hooked on SFG.  I find it quite therapeutic.  Even though it was hot and humid (at least for my northern location) I enjoyed tending my SFG boxes this morning.  

The highlight of the day was when my wife was preparing supper and asked if we had any oregano and scallions.  I was able to oblige by going out to the SFG, taking a few sprigs of oregano and some immature onions to stand in for scallions. 

It's just wonderful to see the various crops growing in the SFG boxes. Next year (Lord willing) I will have to try some of the more unusual varieties.  I see more SFG boxes in my future.  Not looking forward to making up more Mel's Mix but a little hurt upfront is OK. In truth, mixing up the MM in small batches using a tarp is not really that difficult or hard on the body.  As well, I think my location in Ottawa, Ontario is ideal for SFG.  The season is not long but overall things do well in the MM.

Yesterday's reseeding of open squares has failed.  Some critter got into those squares and dug them up.  This morning it looks like miniature bomb craters in the squares. I'll have to reseed them and either put my big (whole box) chicken wire cages back over the boxes or make some smaller cages (one square size) to protect the seeds and seedlings as they grow. It's all part of the fun.

Current weather in Ottawa, Ontario ... 34 C (92 F) and with the humidity at 40% it feels like 40 C (104 F). Supposed to warmer tomorrow.  Environment Canada has issued / has us under a "heat warning" and a "severe thunderstorm watch".

Good chance we will set a new record high temperature for Ottawa today. Currently, at 10 am it is 27C/81F but with with 70% humidity it feel like 36C/97F. Looking for a high of 34C later in the day. So far I have not yet reseeded the squares that recently got attacked by critters.

trolleydriver wrote:Good chance we will set a new record high temperature for Ottawa today. Currently, at 10 am it is 27C/81F but with with 70% humidity it feel like 36C/97F. Looking for a high of 34C later in the day. So far I have not yet reseeded the squares that recently got attacked by critters.

Egadz!  That's crazy hot for your area!  Have you thrown shade cloths over anything?

CC

CC ... no shade cloths but I do need to get some water into the MM. There's only a 30% chance of rain today so I can't count on that. So far the mature plants are holding up well. Actually I have not yet been out to the garden today so I may have a surprise when I see it.

Today's harvest of yellow bush and green pole beans.

Nice, TD! I got my first mess of beans of this week as well...tomorrow will pair with red taters!

TD an:beer chug: d SR,

Update for July 30, 2015.


Cucumbers on the vines:






First cucumber to be harvested.



Sliced.




The cabbage stump that was left in the square after harvesting the cabbage is sprouting new leaves.

TD, nice! What variety are you growing? English type?

SR ... Thanks for the comment and question. The cucumbers are English Long Telegraph.

By the way, yesterday (July 29, 2015) was the hottest July 29th in Ottawa, Ontario in 123 years.

It has been a crazy year!