CANADIAN REGION: What are you doing in February 2016

**Kelejan** 2/1/2016, 1:01 am

This is the month when I predict that the SUN will touch the edge of my garden on February 24th after a long. long winter. Very Happy

I have a question: When I posted this it read as 10:01pm. Does anyone east of me read it differently? e.g. if your local time is EST does it read 1:00am?

An enquiring mind would like know.

**sanderson** 2/1/2016, 3:28 am

It should read your time.

**trolleydriver** 2/1/2016, 8:34 am

KJ ... For me your post shows as 1:01 am EST. BTW I have my time zone set for EST in my profile/preferences.

**trolleydriver** 2/1/2016, 10:57 am

I have a ton of beautiful sunshine streaming through my living room window. It seems such a shame not to take advantage of the location for starting seeds indoors for transplanting later into the garden. Still too early to do that and still have to convince Mrs TD that it is the right thing to do.

**Kelejan** 2/1/2016, 4:27 pm

trolleydriver wrote:KJ ... For me your post shows as 1:01 am EST. BTW I have my time zone set for EST in my profile/preferences.

That's what I wanted to know, TD. thanks. sanderson, I knew when I posted that it would show my time TD has confirmed that it was February 1st in his timeline when I post in my timeline.

**Kelejan** 2/4/2016, 6:31 am

We are accelerating towards that magic number of ten hours daylight time when plants really get going.

The day before yesterday was 4 minutes longer daylight, and yesterday was five minutes more daylight than the previous day.

Total daylight today will be 9 hours and 30 minutes.

**trolleydriver** 2/4/2016, 7:51 am

Here in Ottawa, today we have 9 hours 52 minutes and 47 seconds of daylength (sunrise to sunset). We will hit the 10+ hour mark on this coming Sunday.
bounce

http://www.johnnyseeds.com/t-library-vegetables-day-length-production.aspx

p14shooter 2/4/2016, 7:04 pm

atlantic time says 201

I have question and comment which i will start in a post soon.

**Kelejan** 2/4/2016, 7:37 pm

p14shooter wrote:atlantic time says 201

I have question and comment which i will start in a post soon.

How is the snow in Nova Scotia, p14shooter?

We had about three inches new snow last night and now most of it has gone, leaving the old snow underneath.

p14shooter 2/4/2016, 7:42 pm

not a hole lot here really. My water valve is 12 inches and it is only about half way up, so about 6 inches there. 30cm due in some parts tomorrow, not my way supposedly. Another day like today though (+15) and most of the snow will be off where I planted my garlic.

**Kelejan** 2/5/2016, 12:33 am

P14, I see you have results from your question and I do hope your head is feeling a little better now with the encouragement you are receiving. Don't try to take it all in at once otherwise your head will explode and you may end up quitting.

**trolleydriver** 2/6/2016, 10:16 pm

On January 27 ... just 9 days ago ... I posted the following:

"Anyway, the following is off topic, but I'm pretty sad right now and I need to share it. Just received some news about a good friend of ours. They moved away last year and now live quite a distance from us. They had a beautiful new home built for their retirement in a nice small town in farming country. And now they have to deal with a very serious health problem. She has been diagnosed with acute leukemia. I am thankful we have a close knit church community to provide prayer support for them."

And now I have to report that this afternoon our friend passed into the presence of her Lord. Very difficult for us to take this in.

**Kelejan** 2/7/2016, 12:11 am

Trolley Driver, my prayers are with her and her family and friends including you and yours.

**AtlantaMarie** 2/7/2016, 8:56 am

TD, I'm sorry... I know how hard it is for those left behind...

**Scorpio Rising** 2/7/2016, 9:49 am

That was fast. I am sorry for your loss, TD and Mrs. TD.

**sanderson** 2/7/2016, 1:27 pm

I'm sorry for your loss. The husband must be devastated as they were embarking on a new time in life.

**Kelejan** 2/8/2016, 9:25 pm

I was able to spend about half an hour OUTSIDE today with the temperature about +5C with no wind. Cleared some debris left over from fall, up-righted the bird bath that had been tipped over due to lots of snow in the bowl.

I was unable to go under the snow to say Hi! to my garlic, strawberries and tulips, but I have faith that they are snug under that cover. Nothing else could be done as the snow is still quite solid.

**Kelejan** 2/8/2016, 10:41 pm

CASTLEGAR, BRITISH COLUMBIA
Latitude:	49°17'46.000” N	Longitude:	117°37'57.000" W	Elevation:	495.60 m

                      SUNRISE                      SUNSET
2 Feb 2016            7.22 am                                16:47 pm
3                            7:20                                     16 48
4                            7:18                                     16:50
5                            7:17                                     16:52
6                            7:16                                     16:54
7                            7.14                                     16.55
8                            7.13                                     16.57

Interesting to see how the daylight hours increased by 19 minutes this past week.

**sanderson** 2/9/2016, 2:43 am

p14shooter 2/9/2016, 9:54 am

Well, after reading Mel's book I thought maybe I would go out and cover 1 of my beds with plastic to warm the soil up and give planting early a small try. Then this happened overnight
CANADIAN REGION: What are you doing in February 2016 2016-02-09%2010.30.41

CANADIAN REGION: What are you doing in February 2016 2016-02-09%2010.30.41

I guess I will just go back to reading. On a side note. In Mel's book, it says that spinach can be planted 9/square, however, he also notes that you should follow the spacing on the packs. Well, the variety of spinach I have planted for the last 2 years (bloomsdale savoy) says one inch seed spacing and 10 inch plant spacing. That to me tells me that I could get 1 plant per square ( 2 if I really pushed it) is this right? I did plant 9 the last 2 years and did find that it did not grow to a big size. Thoughts/suggestions. New type of spinach needed?

BTW, now that I have found this forum, this planting thing is more exciting.

Paul

**Kelejan** 2/9/2016, 1:45 pm

I am not sure if I am right, but my feelings about covering with plastic in the winter stops the rain and snow getting to the earth and perhaps depriving them of the benefits of rain and snow.

Warming up the soil I would use black landscape cloth as it is porous. But I do not consider myself knowledgeable enough so someone please jump in just in case I am giving incorrect information. Thank you!

About planting 9 per square as against 4 per square. The total yield of plant life should be about the same for the same nutrients that are in the soil. So you chose whether to have small plant or large. I plant lettuce at nine per square so that I have micro-greens that I like better than huge lettuce.Or I would plant four per square so that I can harvest leaves from each plant and keep them growing longer.

**sanderson** 2/9/2016, 11:36 pm

One good thing about SFG is that one does not waste seeds. Just put the seeds (1-2) where you want the plant. For 10" plant spacing, I would think 2 plants per square would be fine, zigzag pattern. I probably would do 4 or 9 per square as I like to cut off a couple leave from each plant and let them keep growing until they start to bolt (go to seed).

Dstack in Florida needed to solarize his beds against nematodes. It turns out that clear (yes, slightly opaque) plastic heats the soil hotter than black plastic. http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn74145.html The black weed fabric would be good for keeping beds clean of some seeds, leaves and other wind blown debris when not in use. The soil can breath and have access to rain/snow.

Other thoughts?

**trolleydriver** 2/11/2016, 2:55 pm

I was doing some web browsing today concerning what to plant in Ottawa and last frost dates, etc.

I came across an article which suggested the following:

"Here’s a bold test to help decide when in spring to start a vegetable garden. Sit on the earth on your bare bottom. If it feels warm, it’s time to plant."

I will not be doing that for sure.

The full article is here
http://www.thestar.com/life/homes/outdoor_living/2010/04/18/when_is_the_best_time_to_plant_your_garden.html

**AtlantaMarie** 2/12/2016, 10:21 am

LOL! And I doubt Mrs. TD would be willing either....

**trolleydriver** 2/13/2016, 8:44 am

The Polar Vortex descended on my area overnight. At 7 a.m. the temperature was -27 Celsius (-16.6 F) but the with wind it felt like -43 C (-45.4 F). The good thing is that we have a couple of our grandchildren (ages 8 and 5) staying with us overnight. But they were up and about at 5:30 am!

The SFG plan for later today is to start some onion seeds indoors. Never tried growing them from seed before so this is another in a long line of experiments.

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