CANADIAN REGION:What are you doing in October 2016

**Kelejan** 10/1/2016, 10:41 am

Sat
1 Oct
CANADIAN REGION:What are you doing in October 2016 19

30%
14°C

Welcome to October, the time of mists and mellow fruitfulness:

and all those gardening chores that you just know you are not going to get done in time before the snow and cold come.

The above forecast is for the rest of this week for my part of the world in British Columbia. The rest of the week is rainy as wet as well but I have hoping for some sunny breaks.

The last two days of September were wonderful, I was able to get the lawn mowed, planted my garlic and tulip bulbs and make a start on trimming some of my flowering shrubs. Days when I wish I had the stamina of my prime but have to make do with an hour here and there and to not overdo it so that I am too tired the third day. I appreciate I am very lucky to do what I am able to.

At least I did bring under cover a large bundle of shrub clippings into the car(less) port to work on stripping the leaves and cutting into small pieces the long, soft, stalks to place on the compost pile and my chip heap. This is when I wish I had the small chipper that some of us talked about earlier this year. My wish list grows longer year by year as I expect the sames goes for many of us.

Have a great October, all SFG gardeners in Canada and our friends in the USA and all the world. happy hi

**trolleydriver** 10/1/2016, 11:03 am

Here in Ottawa, Ontario we are expecting rain showers over the next three days. Tuesday and Wednesday look like they will be beautiful days with temps around 20 Celsius. Not even a hint of frost for the next seven days. October 5 is our average first frost date. We did get a little frost on the roofs of the houses a few days ago but it did not affect the gardens.

Lots of things to do in the gardens over the next couple of weeks. Still things to harvest including, carrots, radishes, kale, swiss chard, tomatillos, green tomatoes, peppers, herbs, onions, and even a couple of small eggplant, etc. I will plant my garlic around mid October. I also need to build my new 3x3x3 compost bin.

BTW Ottawa is 3900 Kilometres (2400 miles) by car east of where Kelejan is located in British Columbia.

**Kelejan** 10/1/2016, 12:33 pm

"BTW Ottawa is 3900 Kilometres (2400 miles) by car east of where Kelejan is located in British Columbia."

I never really thought of the distance between us, TD. It is equivalent to about two and a half times the length of the UK from John O'Groats to Land's End.

In 1992 DH and I visited Quebec on a Royal Canadian Legion Convention as delegates; DH wanted to get back to BC to celebrate his mom's birthday so we motored back without stopping to look at interesting places on the way, and it took us several days. That was when it really hit home how big Canada is.

In another journey in 2000, I took a Greyhound bus to San Antonio and that also brought home how large the U.S.A. is. That journey took four days absolutely non stop except for comfort stops. I absolutely will never ever do that again. I had to return to same way. I remember the total fare was $246CAD return.

Even so, I had a good idea what kind of country both are, with respect to gardening,
so I can relate to many areas where our SFG gardeners live.

**Kelejan** 10/2/2016, 11:49 am

Our local forecast was mostly rain for the week but instead we are to have a couple of sunny days and tonight the forecast is a low of 4C with a touch of frost. At least I will be able to work in the garden a couple of days more to get some clearing up of the shrubs etc.

This week I should get a couple of free bags of compost from the city, on the 6th October, and maybe the four pails of chicken manure promised from a friend. Along with what is left of my own compost, I should have enough to give all my SFG beds a good topping up for spring. I have a number of bags of wood chips left over from my spring delivery, so my garden should be tucked up nice and snug for winter, to enable all those little creatures to do their thing.

Inside my home I still have the stems of chrysanths that I picked earlier, hoping that they would make blooms in time for the Fall Fair. They are just about making the tiniest of buds now. I will transplant the parents at the appropriate time into a more sunny location and hope that one day they will bloom at the time I want them to. Perhaps they need me to buy a greenhouse for them?

**trolleydriver** 10/2/2016, 1:55 pm

Raining here in Ottawa. Looking good for Monday through Thursday with highs up to 22C and overnight lows down to 8C.

I found a source for a small quantity (one or two cubic yards) of wood chips. Some evergreen trees were cut down on the perimeter of my church's property. There are three piles of wood chips just sitting there. I just need to find a way to transport some of them home. My neighbours next door have a pickup truck so maybe they will be willing to help.

These same neighbours provide me with composted horse manure. They own a horse that is stabled at her father's property which is over an hour drive from here. On their next trip he will load up the back of the pickup truck with manure and I will be able to take as much as I need. They use the manure extensively in their own row garden which does very well including producing a ton of weeds. I've not yet convinced then to try SFG.

Mimi2 10/2/2016, 8:50 pm

Good job finding free wood chips and compost friends. Here in Ottawa I think we can get compost from the city too for a fee. And there is a flat fee for as much as you can load. One of my neighbors did that one year.

I have done a fair bit of gardening this weekend. It kind of feels like gardening therapy, but I won't get into that. Anyway, I am having fun ripping out my tomato plants, harvesting the green tomatoes, etc. I have so many tomato plants to take out. I think I probably pulled out about 10 or so plants already, and they were enormous. I have at least any many left to take care of in the back. In the front, I replaced the tomatoes with icicle pansies and some decorative purple kale (which I know from last year is edible). I also put in a nice flower mix in my front SFG where I pulled out the herbs to bring them inside. It turns out that most of the herbs that I transplanted into pots for the winter are actually perennial except the basil (which looks like a small tree).
I terms of SFG-ing I have already started to journal what went well this year, what I want to plant more of and what I missed. I am very happy with my wide assortment and harvest of tomatoes this year. The peppers did surprisingly well too. I did miss having cucumbers this year though...a steady supply of onions, sweet peas, and more and different kinds of lettuces. I am also trying to increase the kinds of flowers that I grow- especially the ones that my daughter can put in bouquets, because she is so creative... And on that note thanks again for sharing your flower pics TD. They are a source of joy for me. I guess I am not the only one that feels that way. Because on Friday - had one of my colleagues literally begging me not to throw out some dahlias I had left in our work kitchen. I kept saying : "They're going to be dead by Monday" and he kept repeating " Please don't throw them out- they're so perfect- they look like silk." I think I finished by saying: "I'll bring some new ones in..." I better not forget to do that now...

**Scorpio Rising** 10/2/2016, 9:08 pm

Kelejan wrote: "BTW Ottawa is 3900 Kilometres (2400 miles) by car east of where Kelejan is located in British Columbia."

I never really thought of the distance between us, TD. It is equivalent to about two and a half times the length of the UK from John O'Groats to Land's End.

In 1992 DH and I visited Quebec on a Royal Canadian Legion Convention as delegates; DH wanted to get back to BC to celebrate his mom's birthday so we motored back without stopping to look at interesting places on the way, and it took us several days. That was when it really hit home how big Canada is.

In another journey in 2000, I took a Greyhound bus to San Antonio and that also brought home how large the U.S.A. is. That journey took four days absolutely non stop except for comfort stops. I absolutely will never ever do that again. I had to return to same way. I remember the total fare was $246CAD return.

Even so, I had a good idea what kind of country both are, with respect to gardening,
so I can relate to many areas where our SFG gardeners live.

North America is BIG COUNTRY! I love it, and we are good neighbors too. Having a hug fest here..... I love you

**Kelejan** 10/2/2016, 10:51 pm

Scorpio I do so agree that together we are a (very) big country and good neighbours as well. Thank heaven we mostly get along apart from a few people who will find fault with anything.

**trolleydriver** 10/3/2016, 1:35 pm

The fella next door, who has a pickup truck, has agreed to help me bring the wood chips from my church's property. Very Happy

There's a couple who are renovating a house down the street that they recently bought. They buy/fix/sell houses. Mrs TD and I met them for the first time today. They will be ripping out the rooms in the basement and said they would put aside the 2x4s for me. Very Happy

They had a bunch of wooden pallets that the previous owners had used for various structures in the back yard. Unfortunately they cut them up, otherwise that would have been a good score for yard wood (e.g., making a compost bin).

I've made up a crock pot full of chicken, tomatillos, onions, etc. for tonight's meal. Smells really good.

**Kelejan** 10/3/2016, 1:42 pm

Life is good, TD. I can smell that crock-pot from here.

**sanderson** 10/4/2016, 2:17 am

TD, What year were the basement rooms installed? What about the age of the house?

The crock pot smells delicious!

**trolleydriver** 10/4/2016, 8:35 am

sanderson wrote:TD, What year were the basement rooms installed? What about the age of the house?

The house was built in the mid 1960s but the basement rooms are more recent. I will have to inspect the wood closely before putting it to use.

**trolleydriver** 10/4/2016, 5:45 pm

Early this afternoon I got bitten by a bug. Didn't see the bug or feel anything. There was a small red mark in the inside bend of my arm and then some swelling. A couple of hours later the red swollen area was 6 cm across. My wife was scheduled for an MRI at the Ottawa General Hospital. I drove her to the hospital and decided while we were there I would go over to Emergency and get the swelling in my arm checked out. After about an hour I was out of emergency. Thankfully they fast tracked me through Emergency because sometimes there is a long wait (I mean like 6 or 7 hours). The doctor said there is nothing to worry about but the swelling may get worse over the next 24 hours. They gave me Benadryl which means Mrs TD has to drive home. I am writing this from the MRI waiting room. Mrs TD was just taken in for her MRI.

**Kelejan** 10/4/2016, 7:40 pm

Sorry to hear about the bug bite, TD. If it is itching and you do not want to scratch it and make it worse, from experience, I can recommend "After Bite" The Itch Eraser.
It help stops the itching especially when you are asleep and scratch without thinking then wake up and find it is even worse.

I hope you and Mrs. TD have arrived home safely.

**trolleydriver** 10/4/2016, 9:54 pm

Kelejan wrote:Sorry to hear about the bug bite, TD. If it is itching and you do not want to scratch it and make it worse, from experience, I can recommend "After Bite" The Itch Eraser.
It help stops the itching especially when you are asleep and scratch without thinking then wake up and find it is even worse.

I hope you and Mrs. TD have arrived home safely.

I used After Bite as well as Polysporin Anti Itch before getting to see a doctor. Right now there is no itchiness but the swollen and red patch is continuing to grow. I'll take a couple of Benadryl pills before going to be and that should just about knock me out.

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

Sleep tight! Lol!

**sanderson** 10/4/2016, 11:10 pm

trolleydriver wrote:
sanderson wrote:TD, What year were the basement rooms installed? What about the age of the house?
The house was built in the mid 1960s but the basement rooms are more recent. I will have to inspect the wood closely before putting it to use.

**Kelejan** 10/5/2016, 9:29 am

Good Morning, TD. I hope the swelling is going down. CANADIAN REGION:What are you doing in October 2016 671790

**trolleydriver** 10/5/2016, 10:00 am

Kelejan wrote:Good Morning, TD. I hope the swelling is going down.

Thanks Kelajan. There's not as much swelling but the area of redness has expanded somewhat. There is no pain or itching. I'm just feeling zonked from the Benadryl.

CANADIAN REGION:What are you doing in October 2016 Drugged_smiley_face_grumpey_bluetooth_speaker-r764ffba65d25436d93277fa4e7060d20_zxfk3_324

CANADIAN REGION:What are you doing in October 2016 Drugged_smiley_face_grumpey_bluetooth_speaker-r764ffba65d25436d93277fa4e7060d20_zxfk3_324

**trolleydriver** 10/5/2016, 11:53 am

The nasturtiums in the Table Top are making an escape over the side.
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Goldfish preparing for winter?
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My arm swollen and red after the insect bite.
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**Kelejan** 10/5/2016, 8:13 pm

I love nasturtiums, they make a lovely splash of colour in the fall and last a long time.I have a patch on the edge of the garden facing the road and covering some of the wood chips I laid down there to extend my garden.

How deep is your pond? When I had a small pond it was deep enough to let the goldfish survive over the winter.

That arm looks a bit painful. Glad that it is not itching. It will take a while to clear up; meanwhile do not drive while you are zonked.

I like that Zonked picture, it made me smile.

Tomorrow I collect my two large bags of free compost from the City. My four pails of chicken manure have not arrived, that is the trouble sometimes when people say they will give you whatever and they do not turn up. The good intentions are there at the time but I think they forget. I had pears offered so that I did not pick someones else's tree, on the other hand eight pounds of plums arrived out of the blue and I did not have to pick them myself.
Swings and roundabouts I suppose.

**trolleydriver** 10/5/2016, 8:34 pm

Kelejan wrote:... How deep is your pond? When I had a small pond it was deep enough to let the goldfish survive over the winter.

That arm looks a bit painful. Glad that it is not itching. ...

... Swings and roundabouts I suppose.

The pond is 18 inches deep. Can't go deeper without having to put a five foot high fence around that area of the garden per city bylaws. Sometimes the fish do survive the winter. The ones in there this year survived last winter.

The arm looks bad but so far there is no pain. It's not as red or swollen this evening.

" Swings and roundabouts" ... I like that food old English phrase. Very Happy

**trolleydriver** 10/6/2016, 3:21 pm

I tried growing some Lemon Grass this year for the first time. I just harvested what had grown. The following photos show stages of the preparation. I cut off the top leaves outside (no photo). What I ended up with is a few small pieces of lemon grass. I doubt that I will grow this again but I have out a few stalks into a jar of water to see if I can propagate new plants.

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Mimi2 10/6/2016, 8:49 pm

Very interesting. Thanks for sharing what you're doing with your lemon grass TD. Are you going to freeze it now? Or will you cook with it directly. This is also my first year growing lemon grass. Any chance it can survive during the Ottawa winter?

**trolleydriver** 10/6/2016, 9:02 pm

Mimi2 wrote:Very interesting. Thanks for sharing what you're doing with your lemon grass TD. Are you going to freeze it now? Or will you cook with it directly. This is also my first year growing lemon grass. Any chance it can survive during the Ottawa winter?

Mimi ... I've frozen half and kept the other half to use over the next couple of weeks. I don't think the lemon grass will survive in the ground here in Ottawa but it may be worth a try. I took mine out and I'm trying to propagate some in water indoors from what I harvested. There are examples on YouTube on how to do it.

Later today I literally slaved over a hot stove to make Tomatillo Salsa by following the USDA Guide. It was supposed to make about 5 US Pints but what I ended up with was only 3 x 500ml jars. BTW 1 US Pint equals 473 ml. So I'm a bit ticked off with the amount that was produced. I'm positive I followed the directions for quantities of each item. And I still have a ton of Tomatillos to use. I'll try roasting some of them to make Salsa Verde.

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