CANADIAN REGION: What are you doing in June 2018

Another three weeks and we will reach the Longest Day.

It seems I have hardly started my gardening this year but I do know that compared with last year I am ahead.

Here British Columbia generally the rainfall has been less that two mil, the driest on record.  Luckily I do know that although it has been dry here in B.C, Southern Interior, we have had some good downpours that have soaked the ground.

Naturally, our local "Sunfest" celebration will start out with a 60% rain forecast just in time for all the vendors to set up their stalls in our Downtown Park for today's afternoon start, but tomorrow for the actual Parade it shows a blazing sun. The Sunday session that mostly occurs in our local Pass Creek Park outside our city is alas doomed to rain. Friday afternoon/evening and all day Saturday is for the community but Sunday is more for the small  children.

With the lack of rain in May, it does not look good for the Fire Season once more.

Yesterday I also managed to clear the 4 x 4 strawberry bed that had been overwhelmed with greenery. I discovered I still had a complete beds of plants just beginning to make the small strawberries.  It always amazes me that these tiny green berries turn into large luscious strawberries in a couple of days.  Looking forward to my first homegrown strawberries of the season.  They taste so much better than the store-bought ones, just like everything else we grow ourselves.

Strawberries!

to Ali (Ali's Garden) who lives in GTA Ontario.  For our non-Canadian readers GTA stand for  "Greater Toronto Area", an amalgamation of several cities in that area that makes it the largest city in Canada.

Kelejan wrote:Yesterday I also managed to clear the 4 x 4 strawberry bed that had been overwhelmed with greenery. I discovered I still had a complete beds of plants just beginning to make the small strawberries.  It always amazes me that these tiny green berries turn into large luscious strawberries in a couple of days.  Looking forward to my first homegrown strawberries of the season.  They taste so much better than the store-bought ones, just like everything else we grow ourselves.

I have my first ever strawberry bed, KJ.  I had built a 3x7’ bed, thinking it would be good as far as reaching in to harvest.  Planted the whole thing with tomatoes last year. (Yeah, too many, different story) and the straw that I used as mulch?  Full of grass seed!

Long story, I converted the bed to a strawberry bed.  I have 3 or 4 types in there.  Can’t wait to have them!

As the sun is shining today and is likely to be rain-free for a while, I managed to get out the bags of grass clippings I received from my friend and spread them on my lawn to dry. I will go out several times and turn them over like hay then stow them away until the fall when I can add them to my collection of fall leaves or add to my compost when required.

I had left it too long due to some rain we had, and I must say it ponged somewhat.  Luckily for my neighbours, the wind was blowing away from them so I am hopeful I can get the grass dry before the wind changes direction.

When cutting my own lawn I leave the mulched clippings there and in the four years since I started that the grass has improved enormously and it saves fertilizer and having to rake up the clippings and dispose of them and also cuts down the watering to nothing.  I also cut my grass long as it survives the hot summers very well, only going golden if the summer is very dry like last year. 

I am wondering how  other people who water their lawns (plus the roadside) nearly every day, will find the amount of their water rates this year as it is the first year of metered water.  I know myself that I only use a quarter of the average household and that I will not get any reduction in cost but I do know that I can water my veggies as much as is needed without incurring any extra cost.

It seems that the Canadian Regional thread is not doing very well.

Of the six postings, 4 were mine, and the other two were from California and Ohio.

Canadian friends - support your Regional Forum!! Kelejan does an outstanding job of writing newsy posts and I love to read them.

Waiting for the final frost so I can actually put plants in the ground/outside.

I'm also waiting on my foot not to be in so much pain that I can go out and fully clean out my gardens in preparation for things to go in the ground.

I'm thinking about making a tarped screen to go on top of my SFGs so when the season is over I don't have to worry so much about misc seeds getting into my mix.

I couldn't help but buy a few plants already (onions, horseradish and chocolate tomatoes).

In addition I somehow have a cuke from LAST year that physically appears to be fine.  Now it's lighter than it should be so I figured it dried from the inside out, but I'll probably cut it open and harvest those seeds if they are in decent shape.  Talk about shelf life!

I'm thinking that a porous material would be better, like a sheet, 2 layers of bridal tulle, light weight Agribon-type material. That way the material will stay moist and the seeds would be excluded. ???

Kelejan wrote:It seems that the Canadian Regional thread is not doing very well.

Of the six postings, 4 were mine, and the other two were from California and Ohio.

Our region goes through this too periodically, Kelejan.  I think people in our northern climes get busy in their gardens and forget to keep us posted!  They will come home.

SwampTroll wrote:Waiting for the final frost so I can actually put plants in the ground/outside.

I'm also waiting on my foot not to be in so much pain that I can go out and fully clean out my gardens in preparation for things to go in the ground.

I'm thinking about making a tarped screen to go on top of my SFGs so when the season is over I don't have to worry so much about misc seeds getting into my mix.

I couldn't help but buy a few plants already (onions, horseradish and chocolate tomatoes).

In addition I somehow have a cuke from LAST year that physically appears to be fine.  Now it's lighter than it should be so I figured it dried from the inside out, but I'll probably cut it open and harvest those seeds if they are in decent shape.  Talk about shelf life!

ST, is the cuke completely dried?

Scorpio Rising wrote:

Kelejan wrote:It seems that the Canadian Regional thread is not doing very well.

Of the six postings, 4 were mine, and the other two were from California and Ohio.

Our region goes through this too periodically, Kelejan.  I think people in our northern climes get busy in their gardens and forget to keep us posted!  They will come home.

I hope so, Scorpio.  It gets lonely.  Thanks for your encouragement.

SwampTroll wrote:Waiting for the final frost so I can actually put plants in the ground/outside.

I'm also waiting on my foot not to be in so much pain that I can go out and fully clean out my gardens in preparation for things to go in the ground.

I'm thinking about making a tarped screen to go on top of my SFGs so when the season is over I don't have to worry so much about misc seeds getting into my mix.

I couldn't help but buy a few plants already (onions, horseradish and chocolate tomatoes).

In addition I somehow have a cuke from LAST year that physically appears to be fine.  Now it's lighter than it should be so I figured it dried from the inside out, but I'll probably cut it open and harvest those seeds if they are in decent shape.  Talk about shelf life!

Swamp Troll:  yesterday I was given a special tomato cutting that had roots growing from the stalk, and I left it outside last night and the temp dropped to 4C.  It looked dead, but as I was in a hurry to get out I rushed back inside and popped it into a cup of water.  When i came back about three hours later it looked just as dead. I resisted putting into the coffee composter on my counter top and I am so glad I did as looking at it just now about eight hours later, it is now looking very perky although it has lost the roots it had made.  So I will see if it can have another go to produce roots and then I will take great care of it as I do not want to have to explain to the new friend I made that I did not look after her little tom.  Apparently her friend had bought this potted tomato plant that cost her $15. It got a little damaged and her friend was going to throw the pieces away when Mabel, my new friend asked if she could have them and then in the following days produced three rooted cuttings.

The exciting adventures of a little tomato cutting of no known  heritage.

I love making compost.  Last week I took three bags (four spadefuls in each) to our women's centre for their three 6x3 raised beds.

Today I was asked by one of the ladies "How much do you charge for your compost"?
I was flattered, but I do know my own compost is so much better than the municipal compost given out free two bags twice per year.

Anyway, I don't think I will ever sell my compost as it is too precious for all the time and effort in making it.  But I do give some away to friends etc., and tomorrow I will take a bag to give to this lady, for nothing, just because she recognises the quality and I know she will appreciate it.

My compost - truly black gold.

sanderson wrote:My compost - truly black gold.

+1

Swamp Troll: I missed the bit about your foot.  I hope is is better now.

Update on my special little tomato cutting that nearly died.  It has grown some more roots and yesterday I planted it in soil and this morning it is doing fine.  A great tribute to the need to survive.  I will be able to look my friend Mabel in the eye today  and tell her that her special tomato is doing fine.   I may even tell her how I nearly killed it.

Later on I will be off to a Peony Show. It is Provincial Show and we are privileged to host it here in Castlegar.  This year, of the peonies I was given last year, one had two white blossoms.  New peonies take a their time in producing their first blooms and I think that is why new plants are so expensive to buy when they reach that stage.

Will you be entering your 2 peonies?  If so, good luck.  If not, enjoy the show!


Not this year, but I forgot to download the entry forms. i n any case they were a bit battered when I found them. but they did show promise.

Not SFG.

Mrs TD and I spent time today at Niagara Falls.  We got engaged at the Falls 47 years ago.

---

Love the Falls!  They are just awe inspiring!

Did you do the Maid of the Mist????!!!!!

Bucket list! Happy engagement anniversary!

Scorpio Rising wrote:Love the Falls!  They are just awe inspiring!

Did you do the Maid of the Mist????!!!!!

In all those years we have never done the Maid of the Mist. It is on the bucket list.

sanderson wrote:Will you be entering your 2 peonies?  If so, good luck.  If not, enjoy the show!


Not this year, but I forgot to download the entry forms. i n any case they were a bit battered when I found them. but they did show promise.

Just return from the Peony Show and my friend Diane entered her two lots of flowers that had been in her fridge at the bud stage.  Hoping they open up in time to be judged.

On the way back I asked her to look at my two blooms, so as soon as she saw the better one she said we are going straight back and entering it. So she drove the 4k to the Sandman Inn through all the roadworks that are taking place with long line-ups until October in our one-street town and we entered my one flower.  Then all the way back to my home.

Tomorrow she will pick me up sometime after one pm and we will see if we have any luck.  The hall today was busy with people coming and going and having their flowers placed in this category or that category. Lots of flowers already on display and they sure look beautiful.  Judging will take place tomorrow morning, then it will be open to the public at 1:00pm.. 

Diane is a wonderful friend to me.  Her husband was a long-time customer in my store, and I really got to know herwell after he drowned in the local swimming pool.