Re: Second Year SFG in Canada

**AtlantaMarie** 2/26/2016, 8:46 pm

WOW! Your onions are doing a lot better than mine!

**trolleydriver** 3/2/2016, 8:49 am

Still not much going on for my SFG. We are getting another 15 cm of snow in this current storm with 50 km/hr wind gusts. But there is hope for next week as the max daytime temperatures will be above seasonal and above freezing so some of the snow should start to disappear. I need to start some more seeds indoors.

The SFG beds buried in snow.
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The leeks that were sown indoors on February 19 are starting to sprout.
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These green bunching onions are transplants of seeds sprouted on paper towel.
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Onions and herbs in the living room (Mrs TD is still allowing this to happen but expansion of this living room greenhouse may be limited).
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Second Year SFG in Canada - Page 3 IMG_1357_zpslyckvvou

**Kelejan** 3/2/2016, 12:04 pm

Patience, Grasshopper. I mean TD. Nothing much you can do about it except you are preparing so when you get the chance, you will have a flying start. Very Happy

**trolleydriver** 3/3/2016, 8:52 am

This morning I was thinking about what approach to use this year for watering the SFG squares. Mel states that we should keep a bucket of water close to the beds. I did not do that last year. Instead I used water from the garden hose.

We have a goldfish pond located not far from the SFG beds. I'm thinking the pond water must be loaded with good stuff and would be great for the SFG. Is there any reason not to use it?

**sanderson** 3/4/2016, 12:19 am

I'll bite. Plain water has it's purpose. Hydration, solvent, chemical reactions. The pond water probably has quite a bit of nitrogen (pooh and algae and *bacteria) which would kick up the greening and slow down the fruit production. Using pond scum in composting makes sense as it is a green, or I guess if it dries, it's a brown. ??

* from the Microbe book

**trolleydriver** 3/4/2016, 11:03 am

Sounds right sanderson. Maybe just use the pond water to wet down the compost.

CapeCoddess 3/4/2016, 11:12 am

trolleydriver wrote:Sounds right sanderson. Maybe just use the pond water to wet down the compost.

OH YEAH! Thanks for the reminder! I've been fretting about where to get chlorine-free water for my seedlings and there's a pond right across the street!
Duh!
silly me

CC

**trolleydriver** 3/8/2016, 4:36 pm

The snow melt is underway with temperatures in the 40s and 50s F this week. I went out into the backyard and made a path in the snow toward the SFG beds.

This is what they look like now. The top of one of the chicken wire cages is fully exposed.

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Then I went over toward the compost bins and cleared a path in front of the shed to get to the plastic compost bin. Inside it is a frozen solid mass except for the very top layer of leaves.

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Second Year SFG in Canada - Page 3 IMG_1375_zpstwxobqh8

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**Scorpio Rising** 3/8/2016, 6:33 pm

Yay! Melt has begun.... Second Year SFG in Canada - Page 3 1666079590

**Kelejan** 3/8/2016, 9:27 pm

TD, I bet if you were to break through the upper crust, you will thawed stuff and probably with some worms.

If you cleared the snow from around that pile, perhaps it will thaw more quickly as the snow will be sucking any warmth from the outer part of the pile.

**trolleydriver** 3/8/2016, 10:24 pm

Thanks KJ ... I'll try what you suggested but with the extreme cold temperatures we have had I expect the pile is well frozen. The compost bins are located in an area that gets very little sun exposure at this time of the year so cleaning the snow may speed up the thawing process as you suggested. But the snow is about three feet high around the bins so it will take some work to clean up the area.

CitizenKate 3/8/2016, 11:19 pm

trolleydriver wrote:The snow melt is underway with temperatures in the 40s and 50s F this week. I went out into the backyard and made a path in the snow toward the SFG beds.

"Must... get... to... the garden!" Second Year SFG in Canada - Page 3 90640

**trolleydriver** 3/9/2016, 9:17 am

CitizenKate wrote:
trolleydriver wrote:The snow melt is underway with temperatures in the 40s and 50s F this week. I went out into the backyard and made a path in the snow toward the SFG beds.
"Must... get... to... the garden!"

That's cute CK

**trolleydriver** 3/9/2016, 2:53 pm

KJ ... I was back out at the compost bins today and cleared some of the snow from around them. I tried breaking through the frozen mass in the middle of the plastic container but no luck. The stuff away from that central mass seems easier to dig into.

We are getting rain and temps around 50 F today so that should get rid of some more snow off the property as a whole. Still a long way to go.

**trolleydriver** 3/11/2016, 12:40 pm

Getting closer to seeing the SFG beds. Both chicken wire cages are now visible.
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**Kelejan** 3/11/2016, 1:01 pm

TD, this is like a slow-motion thriller. That's OK as I am not a speed-reader. Very Happy

**trolleydriver** 3/11/2016, 2:41 pm

Kelejan wrote:TD, this is like a slow-motion thriller. That's OK as I am not a speed-reader.

KJ you are so funny! darn funny

Maybe I should help things along and shovel away the snow from around the outside of the boxes and maybe fasten some black plastic to the cages.

**sanderson** 3/12/2016, 1:38 am

Reminds me of The Shining, where the topiary kept getting closer every time he looked at it.

**Kelejan** 3/13/2016, 9:19 pm

How's the snow-cover, TD. Do I have to speed up my reading?

**Scorpio Rising** 3/13/2016, 9:24 pm

head on!

sanderson wrote:Reminds me of The Shining, where the topiary kept getting closer every time he looked at it.

**trolleydriver** 3/13/2016, 11:23 pm

Kelejan wrote:How's the snow-cover, TD. Do I have to speed up my reading?

KJ ... The mystery continues to unfold at what seems like a snails pace. The chicken wire cages are well exposed but the wood frames of the SFG boxes are not in view. The wood is 7-1/2 inches high so I estimate the snow cover to still be in the 9 to 10 inch range as a minimum. We are going to be getting rain for the next few days so that should speed things up and help with your reading.
cheers

Second Year SFG in Canada - Page 3 IMG_1386_zpscgo2v2bs

The snow in front of the shed and near the compost bins is still quite deep (maybe 18 inches).
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On a positive note their are some green shoots coming up in the flower garden at the front of the house (south exposure).

**Kelejan** 3/14/2016, 1:25 am

This is getting to be a cliffhanger, TD, but still within my reading speed.

**sanderson** 3/14/2016, 4:11 pm

**trolleydriver** 3/15/2016, 3:08 pm

Kelejan wrote:This is getting to be a cliffhanger, TD, but still within my reading speed.

The cliiffhanger continues with another installment. I went right up to the two SFG beds today and placed a 12 inch ruler in the snow at the front right corner of bed #1. As can be seen in the first photo, the snow is still close to 12 inches deep.

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The chicken wire cages are going to need some TLC.
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Bed #2 which still has the Christmas lights.
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Signs of life (green shoots from some kind of bulbs) next to the snow at the front of the house.
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**sanderson** 3/15/2016, 3:18 pm

Nothing like the enthusiasm of a gardener in spring. Just look at those little green shoots.

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