CANADIAN REGION:What are you doing January to June 2021

Kelejan wrote: cholyk from Toronto   
from Kelejan in British Columbia

May I suggest you keep your first page of entries as you personal thread so that you can look back on it through the years and compare how you do each year?


 It is something that I wished I had done myself.

All the best to you.

Thanks Kelejan! How do I do that?  I'm preparing to plant my peas and first batch of lettuce seeds today, I'm so excited!  I've got clear plastic over the garden to try to warm the soil a bit and I've saved plastic strawberry containers to use as cloches once the seedlings appear. Any other ideas? It's still dipping below 0 degrees at night but the next couple of weeks, TWN promises it will stay above 0.

Cholyk:

All you need to do, is look at the bottom of this page where you will find the words,
NEW TOPIC.  Click on that and up will come a blank  page . 

Look for the blank space above and instead of post reply, it also includes Post title.

You can put in there something like CHOLYK'S GARDEN  or anything you like that identifies you.  See if that works;

Cholyk, you have already started your own page, possibly without really understanding how you did it.

You are a clever one.  You are already keeping your log-book of SFG.  That does not stop you from posting anywhere on the site, but keeps your progress all in on spot.

It is always interesting going through the years to see what you did before.


P.S. Just change your title, as there are always first time gardeners from Toronto. It's a big place,

I know we all look forward to the clock change to give us another hour of daylight at the end of the day, but as an early riser I feel cheated as I want to go out and get working with all that I need to do as the Yard Waste Wagon will be coming round this Tuesday and I need to get as much yard wast out of the way.

Is anyone else in the same situation.  I love to get up early and watch the sunrise suddenly flooding the world with light, it happens in minutes.

I live on "Ontario's West Coast" AKA Lake Huron. As long as I can look down the road at the sun setting over the lake, I'm content with the amount of light in the evening.

l get up around 4:30am (!), well before the sunrise most of the year. My elderly beagle (he's 12) needs out by then. All that (up, out, in, gimme a cookie) wakes up my Chocolate Labrador pup, who demands a walk. I prefer to walk him in the dark, because we both get better exercise that way. During the daylight, even now, we get stopped a dozen times by people wanting to say "hi" to George (being a Lab, he's very friendly). In the dark, we see the occasional jigger and a rabbit or squirrel (all of which would of course enrage the beagle) but are usually unmolested by the neighbors. 

What I really appreciate is watching the change of the seasons. We've had an odd Spring so far and our bulbs are just emerging. Well, my snowdrops are doing well, but the local rabbits have a taste for crocuses (croci?), so I only have one or two. Daffodils in another week or so. I had to remove my lilac and most of the front rose bed to accommodate a waste bin for our recent renovation, so I have a bit of front yard work to do as well.

Say Hi! to George, for me, Fred.  It is nice to know there is another early riser.

George says "HI!" back. (He's very enthusiastic and I always think of him as shouting everything.)

I found another unexpected source for Vermiculite. Home Depot. A 4 cu. ft. (0.11 cubic metre), 26lb. bag is $45 (CDN of course) and free delivery over $100. That's the same price as Uline. I bought four; they'll be here in a day or two. I'll let you know what they are like.

Looks like some odd weather on the way. I just read that  by Friday it will be warmer in Moosonee on James Bay than in Toronto. We're supposed to be in the mid-teens by then. (I'm not getting my snows off yet. Mothers' Day.)

Stay warm.

one more thing: Does anyone have any experience with the "Cucamelon", AKA Mexican Sour Gherkin or Mouse Melon?

Mexican Sour Gherkin

FRED58 wrote:one more thing: Does anyone have any experience with the "Cucamelon", AKA Mexican Sour Gherkin or Mouse Melon?

Mexican Sour Gherkin

I grew cucamelon for a couple of years.  They were prolific.

Interesting but how do they taste?  They look like little watermelons?  But taste like cukes?  Intriguing!

Scorpio Rising wrote:Interesting but how do they taste?  They look like little watermelons?  But taste like cukes?  Intriguing!

If I recall the taste is a combination of watermelon and cucumber, maybe a bit lemony. I liked eating them but nobody else in my family or circle of friends liked them. They are a novelty and fun to grow.

Today our Spring Garden Waste Wagons spend two days gathering yard waste for the city composting.  All our containers and bundles must be out before 7:00am so that means for me putting them out the night before as that is allowed

It also coincides with our weekly garbage collection and that is not allowed to be put out until today, due to bear problems,  so I always worry about oversleeping as if the garbage collection is missed, it stays with you for another two weeks.

So curbside I have 28 one metre bundles of salmonberry canes and six large bags of twigs and/or soft cuttings from shrubs, plus heaps of ivy that took over the back of my garden these past two years.  In addition a  plastic former  garbage can full of twigs.  I really should learn how to post pictures as I think my garbage collection is something to boast about.

If all goes well I will be leaving Canada and returning to England, hopefully for when we are allowed to travel once more.  I will be starting a thread soon telling of my efforts to SFG in England. I think I will call it "Kelejan's Transition."

Later on in the year we are allowed to collect two finished bags of compost.  I make use of them as a gardening friend takes me to collect my bags but I only use them under the fruit trees as IMO  the compost looks dead, nothing like the compost I make myself.

FRED58 wrote:one more thing: Does anyone have any experience with the "Cucamelon", AKA Mexican Sour Gherkin or Mouse Melon?

Mexican Sour Gherkin

They don't sound very tasty, Fred.
 
The names, Mexican Sour Gherkin or Mouse Melon puts me off a little bit. Are they easy to grow?

Of course we do need different tastes, not everything needs to taste sweet. A little sour adds to the variety of a salad.

Thanks for your thoughts on the Mouse Melon (which I think refers to its tiny size).  I'm going to use that name in preference to cucamelon (sounds odd) or Mexican Sour Gherkin.

I was actually thinking that it would be an interesting salad addition. (Anything but kale). I am going to order some and try them in a hanging basket.

Kelejan: Do you think they will let you take that compost on the plane as carry-on?

FRED58 wrote:- - - -
Kelejan: Do you think they will let you take that compost on the plane as carry-on?

Not for one minute, Fred.  Meanwhile I am training my brother and other members of the family to save every scrap of stuff that could be used in compost.  Flattened cardboard, newspaper, TP rolls, leaves, grass, food wastes etc. etc. 

Where he and the family now live, (they have only moved in a month ago), they have a lot of land to bring up to scratch and we have to start somewhere.

The site covers 2 1/2 acres surrounded by a moat.  It is a barn conversion and the perimeter is three-quarters surrounded by a moat.

Today we had a snow squall through our area this morning that made it look like a winter wonderland.

Within about two hours the only evidence were some snow deposits still retained by the lawn grass.and within minutes it went from a lovely sunny morning to a winter wonderland. They soon melted and we returned to more springlike weather.

Later in the after we were visited by a flock of hen turkeys accompanied by their lord and master who showed off his wonderful plumage. There is a second male but he is really only second rate unless he grows up next year.  I doubt he gets a look-in.

I wonder where all these turkey moms have their nests?

You never know what April has in store!  Snow one minute, then sunny and warm!  We are on a similar pattern.

Still pretty cool here in the British Columbia Southern Interior; 2C going up to six, but not too bad for physical work.  I managed 90 minutes this morning and another 60 minutes this afternoon.

The ice in my wheelbarrow that contained some water had ice on the surface. I am now able to roll the compost tumbler as everything inside has unfrozen and I am sure the worms are waking up. The block on the top of my 4 x 4 compost pile  is also unfreezing except for a block in the middle top. Soon be time to sieve the contents.

I have mainly been tearing up the creeping stuff like ivy and something that looks like grapevines, self planted where I had placed wood chips from the large birch trees taken down some years ago. There is a decent sized cherry tree growing there that produced some nice cherries last year, so I think it is time to take down the parent tree that is looking sadder as each year passes.  At the bottom of the trunk there is an ants nest where a low branch had broken off some years ago and I feel sure that a few good hard pushes will send the tree tumbling to the ground. It was old when I first moved here in 1996 and for many years gave me a lovely supply of cherries to can.

I wish that I could take my little house and garden and place it in the 2 1/2 acres that my family now occupies.  Where's Scottie when you want him.  Dream on, Kelejan.

The rest of this week should be sunny and warming up each day.

Kelejan wrote:Still pretty cool here in the British Columbia Southern Interior; 2C going up to six, but not too bad for physical work.  I managed 90 minutes this morning and another 60 minutes this afternoon.

The ice in my wheelbarrow that contained some water had ice on the surface. I am now able to roll the compost tumbler as everything inside has unfrozen and I am sure the worms are waking up. The block on the top of my 4 x 4 compost pile  is also unfreezing except for a block in the middle top. Soon be time to sieve the contents.

I have mainly been tearing up the creeping stuff like ivy and something that looks like grapevines, self planted where I had placed wood chips from the large birch trees taken down some years ago. There is a decent sized cherry tree growing there that produced some nice cherries last year, so I think it is time to take down the parent tree that is looking sadder as each year passes.  At the bottom of the trunk there is an ants nest where a low branch had broken off some years ago and I feel sure that a few good hard pushes will send the tree tumbling to the ground. It was old when I first moved here in 1996 and for many years gave me a lovely supply of cherries to can.

I wish that I could take my little house and garden and place it in the 2 1/2 acres that my family now occupies.  Where's Scottie when you want him.  Dream on, Kelejan.

The rest of this week should be sunny and warming up each day.

Thanks for your update KJ. Where do you get all that energy from?

So far I've managed to clean up five 4'x4' beds and added compost to them. I've also sown pea seeds.  Temperatures here have been amazing, even getting up into the mid 20s Celsius, but have come down into the mid to high teens now.

Where do I get all that energy from, TD.?  By neglecting other things.

But needs must.  I allocate one, or one and a half hours at time, and stick to it providing it is not raining or too cold.  Then I take a hour's rest, then do another stint and then call it a day.  I try not to over reach  myself so that I can do the same the next day, but with the City Compost Wagon only come four days a year, I really make an effort to make use of them.

I have some new neighbours who I wish had moved here years ago, and they will take anything I want to the City composting facility whenever I need it, and later on when I need to take things to be dumped or recycled.

This week we will have full sunshine every day, starting from freezing up to 14C today and rising to 19C by Friday.  So I get my housework done ASAP and then when warm enough I start the clearing.

What with traveling to in nearly two years ago, the travelling, returning and having to spend weeks clearing the garden from my five weeks away, I was not able to get on top of all the growth.  That holiday really tired me out and now with time passing by so swiftly, and two years growth of unwanted greenery like these salmonberry bushes that grow two feet each year and all the ivy taking over the back of the house, it is really a hard job.

One result is that I feel it is doing me good and taking off the extra pounds gained since being confined to the house, especially during the winter, it is wonderful to be out in the fresh air and at least greeting people who are passing by.

If it rains, snows, or is too cold, that halts my activities in the garden so I am making the most of it while I can.

Well, fellow Canadians, I am still here in Canada and still downsizing and trying to sell my house.

I did say I  will do some square foot gardening even if I am unable to harvest the produce.  In fact I  am now eating lettuce and  have runner beans, snap peas and potatoes planted.

My second Vaccine shot is due 30 June but it is still unclear when I can get back to England.

Currently British Columbia is under a heat dome, I think it is called, and this week the temperature will rise to over 40C by next Wednesday.  For the last two morning I have been up at five in the morning to water the plants that I have growing. 

Now, for the rest of the day I will stay inside and take it easy, still getting rid of things that I will be unable to take with me. This heat is killing me. Figuratively, of course. Luckily me bedroom is at the back of the house and is much cooler than the main rooms so I sleep well.

Hi, there. Good to hear from you. I can't believe the heat for your area. That's like 104*F here! I'm used having heat waves but never would have thought you would go through the same thing.

Hi all. I have one square foot garden plot, a 3'x3'. In it I have 5 squares of asparagus and 2 squares of lettuce and one  of spinach and one of marigolds.
The lettuce has been extremely abundant, and if the heat holds off a bit, I will be eating lettuce for some time.
If the lettuce bolts I don't know what to plant in those squares, all my other plants are in pots on the deck.
I have tomatoes, squash, more lettuce, kale, beans, flowers, onions, leeks, and herbs. basil, parsley, tarragon. So far everything has been doing well. I am also harvesting basil, and the herbs. 

Any suggestions for midsummer planting will be welcome!

Hello Cherbear from Nova Scotia. to SFG
from Kelejan in British C Columbia , the current hot spot in Canada.

I hope someone can advise you as I am too hot to think at the moment.
Please someone, help Cherbear decide what to plant.   Thanks.