CANADIAN REGION: What are you doing in May, 2016

I'm beginning to feel like Ottawa is in a California drought. We need rain. The MM in my SFG boxes keeps drying out. I'm having trouble starting seeds outside. The soil below the grass on my lawns is lumpy and as hard as concrete. The grass on my south facing front lawn is starting to go dormant (areas turning brown) even though I am keeping it long. The forecast is for 40% chance of rain on the weekend but so far the 40% chances have not brought any rain. Temperatures for the weekend are going to be in the 30s C (high 80s F). It feels more like July/August than May. This is crazy.

trolleydriver wrote:I'm beginning to feel like Ottawa is in a California drought. We need rain. The MM in my SFG boxes keeps drying out. I'm having trouble starting seeds outside. The soil below the grass on my lawns is lumpy and as hard as concrete. The grass on my south facing front lawn is starting to go dormant (areas turning brown) even though I am keeping it long. The forecast is for 40% chance of rain on the weekend but so far the 40% chances have not brought any rain. Temperatures for the weekend are going to be in the 30s C (high 80s F). It feels more like July/August than May. This is crazy.

I can certainly relate. All last year I'd look at the 10-day forecast and it would predict rain on the 10th day. Sometimes it would get as close as 4-5 days out, but then it would dry up and never get here. It was soooooo depressing. 

countrynaturals wrote:

trolleydriver wrote:I'm beginning to feel like Ottawa is in a California drought. We need rain. The MM in my SFG boxes keeps drying out. I'm having trouble starting seeds outside. The soil below the grass on my lawns is lumpy and as hard as concrete. The grass on my south facing front lawn is starting to go dormant (areas turning brown) even though I am keeping it long. The forecast is for 40% chance of rain on the weekend but so far the 40% chances have not brought any rain. Temperatures for the weekend are going to be in the 30s C (high 80s F). It feels more like July/August than May. This is crazy.

I can certainly relate. All last year I'd look at the 10-day forecast and it would predict rain on the 10th day. Sometimes it would get as close as 4-5 days out, but then it would dry up and never get here. It was soooooo depressing. 

Well that was amaizing !!!  After posting about the dry conditions in Ottawa, I went out and watered my SFG.  Before I finished the sky turned gray and it started to rain. Only a light rain of course.  But it was like my earlier post became some kind of "rain dance". By the way, the Environment Canada webiste says there is a 30% chance of rain even though it is raining!

If any of the California SFGers would like me to come there and do a rain dance, I can be available. I just need air fare and lodging.

Nothing this morning, and lo and behold, I have signs of life now! These are cukes, squash and peas. I planted them a week ago today, and was worried about my MM, but this is very reassuring. 

Isn't it wonderful SAM, one day apparently nothing, then they start shooting up.

I sympathize with you TD.  This past week I have been very lucky with the amount of rainfall and the sunny periods in between that enabled me to get cracking and have  decent breaks in between.

Looks like we could set temperature records in Ottawa for May 27-29.  Humidity is rising as well and there is a chance of thunderstorms.

I was commenting earlier to Mrs TD that some of the things in the SFG seemed to have doubled in size overnight.

Visited Greta's Organic Seeds this morning where Mrs TD was able to purchase her ground cherry transplant. After that I got peat moss for the new TT and supplies (wood, poultry fencing) to make cages for the new SFG boxes.

trolleydriver wrote:We are now under an Environment Canada (EC) heat warning. "Everyone is a risk from heat, especially older adults, infants and young children, and people with chronic illnesses" 

Current temperature is 89 F and with 45% humidity EC says it feels like 100F (38C). Are you kidding me? This is supposed to be the Great White North.  Actually, it's only a few weeks ago that we were at Minus 31C.  Too many temperature extremes in this place.

I just finished mixing MM and putting it into my Table Top. I am totally exhausted.

No wonder you are tired, TD, I bet you are working harder than you did when you were not retired.

Here In BC Southern Interior at is 1pm and the temperature is 13C/55F with thunderstorms.

I finally got my Stillson Weed  Trimmer working. I had given it to my neighbour weeks ago to see if he could make it work.  He had tried and tried and finally was happy to give up when I suggested that he had tried his best.  He had managed to   place the double string in it but could not put it completely together again.
Lying in bed early this morning I suddenly had the idea that perhaps he was turning the final cog the wrong way.  That was not the problem; I finally had a good look at it and decided to clean the grass that had insinuated itself in the head. I had a nail so scrapped away the gunk, and Presto! it all came together and I started to clear some of the grass edging in the garden.  The problem is that my neighbour friend has very bad eyesight so could not see the gunk.  He will be happy as I said that if ever we get it sorted out he could share the tool with me.  He is on disability income so could not afford a trimmer of his own. That sharing is with the proviso thatt he threads the tool as I could never do that and had to take it back from where I bought it.

Then came a sudden thunderstorm that by the time I had cleared things away I was soaking wet. I am happy for the garden as it means that watering will be a lot easier for a few weeks.

Now, after a power-nap, the sun is shining and I can get out and do some more grass trimming which makes my garden look so much better.

The weather is going to be like this for a few more days then sunshine again the end of next week.

I love tool sharing. We do that in my hood, too.  And one neighbor, retired mechanical engineer, fixes anything that breaks for nothing.

CC

CapeCoddess wrote:I love tool sharing. We do that in my hood, too.  And one neighbor, retired mechanical engineer, fixes anything that breaks for nothing.

CC

It really makes a lot of sense to share tools. There's not much of that in my neighborhood.  Recently, when I was starting Mrs TD's new perennial garden, my next door neighbor volunteered his rototiller and left it with me for a few days.  I know, I know ... I did a bad thing ... (if you read Teaming With Microbes you know rototilling is a no, no).

One of our granddaughters is with us this evening for a sleep over. Her older brother is away camping for the weekend at a Scout Jamboree.

Here she is helping out with the SFG.

Sometimes, ya just need to till the ground. I never have owned a rototiller tho. Your garden helper is adorable! She intent on her task! Helping with the garden!

StrongAsMeat wrote:

Nothing this morning, and lo and behold, I have signs of life now! These are cukes, squash and peas. I planted them a week ago today, and was worried about my MM, but this is very reassuring. 

And so it begins.....lol

trolleydriver wrote:If any of the California SFGers would like me to come there and do a rain dance, I can be available. I just need air fare and lodging.

 Hop on your virtual plane and get out here asap!  Tuesday predicted over 100*F!

trolleydriver wrote:

CapeCoddess wrote:I love tool sharing. We do that in my hood, too.  And one neighbor, retired mechanical engineer, fixes anything that breaks for nothing.

CC

It really makes a lot of sense to share tools. There's not much of that in my neighborhood.  Recently, when I was starting Mrs TD's new perennial garden, my next door neighbor volunteered his rototiller and left it with me for a few days.  I know, I know ... I did a bad thing ... (if you read Teaming With Microbes you know rototilling is a no, no).

someone last year around here was trying to start a tool library.  It was supposed to work just like a book library, only with tools.  Never did  hear anything more on it so I figure it was a bust.  Good idea though

p14shooter wrote:

trolleydriver wrote:

CapeCoddess wrote:I love tool sharing. We do that in my hood, too.  And one neighbor, retired mechanical engineer, fixes anything that breaks for nothing.

CC

It really makes a lot of sense to share tools. There's not much of that in my neighborhood.  Recently, when I was starting Mrs TD's new perennial garden, my next door neighbor volunteered his rototiller and left it with me for a few days.  I know, I know ... I did a bad thing ... (if you read Teaming With Microbes you know rototilling is a no, no).

someone last year around here was trying to start a tool library.  It was supposed to work just like a book library, only with tools.  Never did  hear anything more on it so I figure it was a bust.  Good idea though

Someone has to run it and be responsible.  I don't mind sharing tools with friends and neighbours but not so happy with strangers. There are always some people who "forget" and it must be annoying to go and chase them for the return of a tool that you need "right now".

In Japan with their shortage of space, it makes sense to share.

Yesterady I went with my friend to the annual plant sale put on by our local "Communities in Bloom" group.

I did not buy much as I found that everything there I had; tomatoes and peppers galore, it seems everyone grow tomatoes for sale.  I bought some milkweed, and some cucumber transplants, and lined up for two free bags of compost.

Those bags of compost were heavy, and I had a hard job in lifting them out of my friends trunk. The compost was in double-bagged paper sacks, but the compost had some moisture and weakened the paper.

Talked to the local high school group who were trying to educate everyone but did not seem to know very much themselves.  They did listen carefully when I talked about worms, SFG, composting and The Soil Web and asked questions.
Unfortunately the rain came sooner than expected and we left.  It often seems to rain on the weekends here.  I think it was sent over from                              Ontario as they seem to be having some nice weather now.

Kelejan wrote:Talked to the local high school group who were trying to educate everyone but did not seem to know very much themselves.  They did listen carefully when I talked about worms, SFG, composting and The Soil Web and asked questions.

I find it amazing that I have learned so much from this Forum, that I can talk like I know what I'm talking about.

Hi all- My tomatoes and peppers seem to love the extreme heat we have here in Ottawa now, but the baby lettuces and kales are not quite so happy. The strawberries that have a nice sunny spot, and are in their second year are doing great, as are the asparagus that I was forced to transplant. I am so happy to have started using my herbs, and spring onions already (yum!). So far I have added my fresh herbes de province collection to trout, and asparagus (roasted in the BBQ with a bit of sea salt and olive oil) and made an oregano basil pesto for pasta with shrimp. Even the kiddies love this stuff!

Mimi2 wrote:The strawberries that have a nice sunny spot, and are in their second year are doing great, as are the asparagus that I was forced to transplant.

That's interesting about the asparagus!  When you get a chance maybe you wouldn't mind posting about it in an asparaguss thread? People are always wondering if they can transplant them and that would probably be they place the would start to look for the answers.

By the way, what's happening with your quinoa? My never came up, I think the birds ate it.
CC

Mimi2 wrote:Hi all- My tomatoes and peppers seem to love the extreme heat we have here in Ottawa now, but the baby lettuces and kales are not quite so happy. The strawberries that have a nice sunny spot, and are in their second year are doing great, as are the asparagus that I was forced to transplant. I am so happy to have started using my herbs, and spring onions already (yum!). So far I have added my fresh herbes de province collection to trout, and asparagus (roasted in the BBQ with a bit of sea salt and olive oil) and made an oregano basil pesto for pasta with shrimp. Even the kiddies love this stuff!

Mimi you are way ahead of me and we are only 15 minutes away. But it's my fault for being so slow to get things planted. I don't even have my peppers transplanted out yet. I have only tiny lettuce and kale.  And As far as herbs go, well that is off into the future. I'm hoping for some relief from the heat and humidity.

Kelejan ... We are planning a trip to Calgary to visit friends. Then we will rent a car and drive to Salmon Arm, BC to visit other friends. Should be a nice drive through the Rockies, Banff, Lake Louise, etc. I think Salmon Arm is about a 5 hour drive north-west of your location.

Hi from SW Ontario.

I'm new to gardening,  but am excited to try it out.   Finally got around to building a raised bed.  We are going with a 4'x8' raised garden.  Using PT 2x10 lumber for the frame.

Friday night, rented a sod cutter,  pulled up the sod to move to cover a patch of ground over our septic tank.  Got a yard of 'quad-mix'  from the local nursery, and sweated a lot moving the trailer full of dirt to our new raised bed.  Quad-mix is like triple mix I guess,  but on steroids.

I have the inside of the wood frame lined with left over plastic from our rink to help prevent leaching of the copper in the PT wood from going into the soil.

I've got a frame and 36" tall fencing around the raised garden,  just a few tweaks to make it a little more user friendly, and a little more rabbit proof.

We hope to plant some peas and cherry tomatoes that we started as seedlings tonight.  Planning probably wasn't the best,  but we have a dozen pea seedlings ready, and about the same number of cherry tomatoes.  We still have cucumber and carrot seed, but the place where my son and wife went to buy them said to start them right in the garden.

I've got ideas for an automated rainwater drip system,  will post once I gather supplies.

Virgin raised bed.  Pic from this morning around 730am.  It should get sun at this time of year from 8am til about 3pm....

Welcome petee_c from Ottawa. 

You have found a great forum with wonderful and very helpful members. I lived in your city, Waterloo, back in the late 60s and 70s while attending university. My daughter and her family live just down the road from you in Cambridge. Please keep us posted concerning your progress and we like photos. And may I suggest that you obtain and read the All New Square Foot Gardening book.