Re: Second Year SFG in Canada

Mimi2 4/26/2016, 9:22 pm

Looks like you are making good progress TD. Beautiful new boxes. Good set up for the seedlings too. Where do you get your wood chips from?

**trolleydriver** 4/26/2016, 9:33 pm

Mimi ... Last year I got the wood chips at Lowes. Now don't you go and beat me to them this year. Laughing

**trolleydriver** 4/27/2016, 1:55 pm

As another one of my experiments, I used a technique from the Winter Sowing people. I took plastic juice containers and cut them in half but left a hinge so the top half can be flipped open. I then put moistened seed starter mix in the bottom half and sowed the seeds. Then I taped the two halves together. I put the containers, with the twist on caps removed, on my front porch. The kohlrabi have started to sprout nicely in one container and the broccoli is just starting to sprout in the other container.

Second Year SFG in Canada - Page 8 IMG_1550_zpsssbc4st8

Second Year SFG in Canada - Page 8 IMG_1550_zpsssbc4st8

Second Year SFG in Canada - Page 8 IMG_1551_zpsytdnouvg

Second Year SFG in Canada - Page 8 IMG_1549_zpsskfvjmxk

**Scorpio Rising** 4/27/2016, 7:10 pm

I like that hingey thing, TD! Awesome!

**trolleydriver** 4/29/2016, 8:12 pm

Time for the April 29 indoor seedling update. It's a small setup compared to what others are doing.

I potted up some tomatoes today. Took them out of their community sprouting tray and gave them individual pots.

Big Beef Tomatoes
Second Year SFG in Canada - Page 8 IMG_1558_zpslg3tjxuc

Second Year SFG in Canada - Page 8 IMG_1558_zpslg3tjxuc

Roma Tomatoes
Second Year SFG in Canada - Page 8 IMG_1559_zpsgnciywi7

The Pak Choi continues to develop nicely
Second Year SFG in Canada - Page 8 IMG_1561_zpsyzrguc4l

Marigold

Second Year SFG in Canada - Page 8 IMG_1562_zpshfzefepo

Bell Pepper on the left and Jalapeno on the right
Second Year SFG in Canada - Page 8 IMG_1565_zpsuo4t2wyf

Calendula

Second Year SFG in Canada - Page 8 IMG_1566_zpst0vd17qa

Pink Pampas Grass for Mrs TD ... I had to give it a haircut
Second Year SFG in Canada - Page 8 IMG_1560_zpsblytjs6y

**Scorpio Rising** 4/29/2016, 9:52 pm

Very nice! Pink pampas grass, eh? Lookin' it up!

**trolleydriver** 4/30/2016, 3:23 pm

Here is the compost sifter/screen that I made today. Mrs TD tried it out first to screen soil/plants from her perennial garden. I used 1/2 inch hardware cloth but I'm wondering if I should have gone with 1/4 inch. If necessary I could build a removeable 1/4 inch hardware cloth insert to fit inside the frame. Now to give it a try on my compost.

Second Year SFG in Canada - Page 8 IMG_1569_zpsc0iwgijd

Second Year SFG in Canada - Page 8 IMG_1569_zpsc0iwgijd

Second Year SFG in Canada - Page 8 IMG_1571_zpspjzc4p8t

**trolleydriver** 4/30/2016, 8:56 pm

I was finally able to free the new DIY sifter from Mrs TD's hands and take over to the compost bins.

Second Year SFG in Canada - Page 8 IMG_1575_zpsbmsiqlbb

Second Year SFG in Canada - Page 8 IMG_1575_zpsbmsiqlbb

This is what I got out of the bottom of black plastic composter. Is it any good? It smells OK.
Second Year SFG in Canada - Page 8 IMG_1584_zpsreib8ura

The bottom door on the compost bin.
Second Year SFG in Canada - Page 8 IMG_1588_zps9imnsile

This is what was left in the bin at the end of the sifting process and after I returned the screened out bits to the bin.
Second Year SFG in Canada - Page 8 IMG_1594_zpsi3l6kb6q

Second Year SFG in Canada - Page 8 IMG_1594_zpsi3l6kb6q

And this is what I got ... a full bin of compost.
Second Year SFG in Canada - Page 8 IMG_1592_zpsyydii2rh

**Scorpio Rising** 4/30/2016, 10:41 pm

way to go!

**sanderson** 5/1/2016, 3:52 am

CapeCoddess 5/1/2016, 5:14 pm

Great looking sifter. How does it work? Do you shake it back & forth or do you run your shovel over the top or move it up & down or what?

I have a piece of that same size screening and I lay it over the wheelbarrow and bounce it up and down and run my hands over the compost. Although I have to admit that I haven't felt that ambitious for a few years now.
Embarassed

CC

**trolleydriver** 5/1/2016, 5:29 pm

CC ... I put on some heavy duty gloves and rubbed the material across the screen. I had to do that because the compost was damp and the pieces were sticking together. For drier material it could be shaken. Some people put casters underneath the sifter so that it can roll back and forth (for shaking) on boards placed on the wheelbarrow.

CapeCoddess 5/1/2016, 5:35 pm

The final compost sure is beautiful! drooling

Makes it all worth it, doesn't it? I should probably go back to sifting myself before I end up with more shells and wood chips in my boxes than Mel's mix.
Rolling Eyes

**trolleydriver** 5/2/2016, 8:23 pm

Today I finished potting up my tomatoes as well as a few other things.

The garlic in SFG Box #1 looks like this ...
Second Year SFG in Canada - Page 8 IMG_1595_zpssbmpidvd

Second Year SFG in Canada - Page 8 IMG_1595_zpssbmpidvd

The Leeks in Box #1 did not make it through the winter. Sad

So I transplanted outside these pathetic looking Leek seedlings that I started indoors. They were growing in one of my experimenatl micro self watering containers.
Second Year SFG in Canada - Page 8 IMG_1597_zpsrsbs5hxf

Second Year SFG in Canada - Page 8 IMG_1597_zpsrsbs5hxf

This is what they look like in the SFG Box. Razz

If they don't grow then this will be my last attempt with Leeks.
Second Year SFG in Canada - Page 8 IMG_1598_zpshew1fcnr

CapeCoddess 5/3/2016, 3:53 pm

Those leeks look fine, TD. They'll grow. When I planted mine last year I made a 6" hole in the MM with a broom handle, then stuck in the little plant and watered without ever filling the MM back into the planting holes. Watering filled it in eventually.

CC

**trolleydriver** 5/3/2016, 4:01 pm

CapeCoddess wrote:Those leeks look fine, TD. They'll grow. When I planted mine last year I made a 6" hole in the MM with a broom handle, then stuck in the little plant and watered without ever filling the MM back into the planting holes. Watering filled it in eventually.

CC

Based on what you said CC, I think I should plant them deeper. Or I could build a top hat around that square as they grow.

**trolleydriver** 5/3/2016, 4:21 pm

Finally got back to preparing the two new SFG boxes after many distractions doing other things. It's been a beautiful sunny day with temperature at 60 F (16 C). I got the area prepared, the 27 layers (joking ... that 27 was for sanderson) of cardboard weed barrier in place and the boxes leveled and in position. I had some weed barrier cloth which I added to the bottom of the boxes although its probably not needed. Tomorrow if the weather is good I will prepare the Mel's Mix to go into the boxes. Then I'll cover the paths with wood chips.

We have a large evergreen tree in the north-west corner which casts a shadow over some of the veggie garden in the late afternoon.

Second Year SFG in Canada - Page 8 IMG_1604_zpsxkj82ljk

Second Year SFG in Canada - Page 8 IMG_1604_zpsxkj82ljk

Second Year SFG in Canada - Page 8 IMG_1605_zpsqw0kpouq

Second Year SFG in Canada - Page 8 IMG_1608_zpsjhyesd51

CapeCoddess 5/3/2016, 5:16 pm

They look great! You'll sleep well tonight!
Is your forecast for good weather tomorrow? It's my understanding that whatever you get will be heading this way.
CC

**sanderson** 5/3/2016, 5:18 pm

Second Year SFG in Canada - Page 8 3170584802

!! Did you add a second layer of bricks to the back gardens?

yolos 5/3/2016, 6:32 pm

Looking good TD.

**trolleydriver** 5/3/2016, 6:47 pm

CapeCoddess wrote:They look great! You'll sleep well tonight!
Is your forecast for good weather tomorrow? It's my understanding that whatever you get will be heading this way.
CC

60% chance of rain tomorrow. Wow 75 F on Saturday.

Wed
4 May
Second Year SFG in Canada - Page 8 06

[size=13]60%
57°F
36°F[/size]

Thu
5 May
Second Year SFG in Canada - Page 8 02

64°F
45°F

Fri
6 May
Second Year SFG in Canada - Page 8 00

73°F
37°F

Sat
7 May
Second Year SFG in Canada - Page 8 02

75°F
43°F

**trolleydriver** 5/3/2016, 6:50 pm

sanderson wrote: !! Did you add a second layer of bricks to the back gardens?

I did add second layer of brisks except on two sides which are 2x4s. I'll add some wood on top of the 2x4s to bring them to the height of the bricks.

**Scorpio Rising** 5/3/2016, 9:01 pm

Sleep tight! And Ibuprofen is your friend tongue

**trolleydriver** 5/3/2016, 9:23 pm

Scorpio Rising wrote:Sleep tight! And Ibuprofen is your friend

Right on SR. Every part of my body aches. I could barely make it up the stairs to our second floor this evening. But it was wonderful to be able to work outside in the sunshine.

countrynaturals 5/3/2016, 10:00 pm

Beautiful beds. Good job. Second Year SFG in Canada - Page 8 3170584802

Sponsored content


	Hello Guest! Welcome to the official Square Foot Gardening Forum. There's lots to learn here by reading as a guest. However, if you become a member (it's free, ad free and spam-free) you'll have access to our large vermiculite databases, our seed exchange spreadsheets, Mel's Mix calculator, and many more members' pictures in the Gallery. Enjoy.