Square Foot Gardening on Ontario's West Coast

I am in the process of reviving a largely abandoned SFG in Bruce County Ontario on Lake Huron (AKA Ontario's West Coast). I am in Kincardine, 3 hours west of Toronto, just a kilometer off the lake. I have four, 4x4 beds, a 3x3 bed for my Grandson (Sean, 11 in October) and four 1x4 beds, two for peas and beans against a chain link fence and two for tomatoes against a wooden fence. I have a tractor tire for pumpkins (I usually fill it with modified growing medium, heavy on the compost and little or no peat). The entire garden faces south, but loses the late afternoon sun due to tall trees to the west and southwest. The entire garden is surrounded by "the beagle-proof fence: 40" / 1m tall, solid wood, with a short (18" / 45cm) picket fence about 2 ft away from the base on the north and west side (protects conventional beds along the fence). There is a five foot (1.5m) privacy fence to the east and a chain  link fence to the south that looks out on a playground. I have herbs on a west facing fence and sunflowers in a separate bed near a deck.

This year I will be adding a water barrel. It is too far from the house to collect rainwater, but I will fill it from the hose as a convenience for now. This coming winter I will leave the top off and let it fill with snow as a start to next season.

The weather here on Ontario's West Coast has taken a turn back towards winter. From sunny and 27C (80F) last week it is a chilly, damp and dull 2C out there this morning. The Weather Office says there is a good chance of flurries tonight and tomorrow. OTOH, I may have to cut the grass tomorrow because of how much it grew in the warm weather. The weeds seem to have enjoyed it as well. Dandelions and quack grass are evident. I will put the torch to them on the weekend. The propane weed torch works well on hard surfaces (like decorative stone) and is both more satisfying and more environmentally friendly than chemical weed killers.

I received half of my vermiculite order yesterday (for some reason it is being shipped from a depot 50km away in two shipments). There were two surprises. First this is fine vermiculite, about the consistency of kitty litter. I was just happy to find a convenient source, so getting the good stuff is a nice bonus (I think finer vermiculite mixes better). The second is not as good. It is packaged in double-layer paper bags, like charcoal or potatoes. My bags are now tucked carefully into the Fred Shed waiting for better working conditions to renew my beds.

I ordered the Mouse Melons that I mentioned elsewhere last week. I will start them in seed trays around the first week of May for planting with the cukes around the first week of June.

I have ordered regular bush zucchini. I find they work well in 2 or 3 gallon pots with Mel's Mix and lots of liquid fertilizer (alternating compost tea and half-strength miracle grow*). I like them as decorative / landscaping plants as well. They are nice, bushy plants with showy flowers. Mine are planted in pots on either side of a raised rose bed. A couple of years ago I had small zukes that were round. When mature they were about the size of a pool ball to the size of a tennis ball. I can't remember the name or where I got them. Has anybody ordered or even seen these (for next year). they were far better as container plants and as appropriate for my needs. I was unable to get any yellow ones this year, so i got crookneck squash instead (similar habit and appearance).

The Garden Centers in Ontario are open, but between the Provincial stay-at-home order and a plea from the local Health Unit to stay inside (our numbers are way up in Grey-Bruce) I will avoid going there for at least the next week (I need a few new berry plants and a couple of decorative shrubs).

I am going to once again try and plant everything for Salsa in my grandson's 3x3 raised bed. Tomatoes, Jalapeños, Poblanos, Sweet Peppers, Onions, Garlic and Cilantro. Does anyone have a recipe they would care to share? 

Pictures once I get the basic clean up done...
---------


*I make my compost tea straight from the compost pile, about a half-spade in a watering can full of water and let it sit in the sun for a day or so. I don't use the spout end or strain it, so the plants get a bit of top-dressing as well. I read someplace that if you dilute fertilizers like Miracle Grow and indoor plant food to half-strength or less, you can use it every time you water, and significantly reduce the chance of overfeeding. Thoughts anyone?

Re using tires. Do you fill the interior of the tire as well? I've tried tires for potatoes, and other, but it seems that I need put a circular divider into the tire. In which case, did it really benefit me to use the tires? I'm short on good soil, so filling up the interior of the tire walls would be a bit of a challenge.

Re water in barrels. I collect water at the house, then use a large diameter hose to siphon the water down to barrels at the garden. Of course, this won't work if your garden is uphill from your house. It occurs to me that not everyone knows how to create a siphon, so maybe I should do a video or something on that sometime. Hmm. I bet someone already has a video.

Re covid, I've been avoiding those kind of shopping trips for awhile. It seems like cities shouldn't worry too much about garden centers, IF they're outdoors. But in Ontario, maybe they're mostly enclosed? In any event, got your shot?

FRED58 wrote:I am in the process of reviving a largely abandoned SFG in Bruce County Ontario on Lake Huron (AKA Ontario's West Coast). I am in Kincardine, 3 hours west of Toronto, just a kilometer off the lake. I have four, 4x4 beds, a 3x3 bed for my Grandson (Sean, 11 in October) and four 1x4 beds, two for peas and beans against a chain link fence and two for tomatoes against a wooden fence. I have a tractor tire for pumpkins (I usually fill it with modified growing medium, heavy on the compost and little or no peat). The entire garden faces south, but loses the late afternoon sun due to tall trees to the west and southwest. The entire garden is surrounded by "the beagle-proof fence: 40" / 1m tall, solid wood, with a short (18" / 45cm) picket fence about 2 ft away from the base on the north and west side (protects conventional beds along the fence). There is a five foot (1.5m) privacy fence to the east and a chain  link fence to the south that looks out on a playground. I have herbs on a west facing fence and sunflowers in a separate bed near a deck.

This year I will be adding a water barrel. It is too far from the house to collect rainwater, but I will fill it from the hose as a convenience for now. This coming winter I will leave the top off and let it fill with snow as a start to next season.

The weather here on Ontario's West Coast has taken a turn back towards winter. From sunny and 27C (80F) last week it is a chilly, damp and dull 2C out there this morning. The Weather Office says there is a good chance of flurries tonight and tomorrow. OTOH, I may have to cut the grass tomorrow because of how much it grew in the warm weather. The weeds seem to have enjoyed it as well. Dandelions and quack grass are evident. I will put the torch to them on the weekend. The propane weed torch works well on hard surfaces (like decorative stone) and is both more satisfying and more environmentally friendly than chemical weed killers.

I received half of my vermiculite order yesterday (for some reason it is being shipped from a depot 50km away in two shipments). There were two surprises. First this is fine vermiculite, about the consistency of kitty litter. I was just happy to find a convenient source, so getting the good stuff is a nice bonus (I think finer vermiculite mixes better). The second is not as good. It is packaged in double-layer paper bags, like charcoal or potatoes. My bags are now tucked carefully into the Fred Shed waiting for better working conditions to renew my beds.

I ordered the Mouse Melons that I mentioned elsewhere last week. I will start them in seed trays around the first week of May for planting with the cukes around the first week of June.

I have ordered regular bush zucchini. I find they work well in 2 or 3 gallon pots with Mel's Mix and lots of liquid fertilizer (alternating compost tea and half-strength miracle grow*). I like them as decorative / landscaping plants as well. They are nice, bushy plants with showy flowers. Mine are planted in pots on either side of a raised rose bed. A couple of years ago I had small zukes that were round. When mature they were about the size of a pool ball to the size of a tennis ball. I can't remember the name or where I got them. Has anybody ordered or even seen these (for next year). they were far better as container plants and as appropriate for my needs. I was unable to get any yellow ones this year, so i got crookneck squash instead (similar habit and appearance).

The Garden Centers in Ontario are open, but between the Provincial stay-at-home order and a plea from the local Health Unit to stay inside (our numbers are way up in Grey-Bruce) I will avoid going there for at least the next week (I need a few new berry plants and a couple of decorative shrubs).

I am going to once again try and plant everything for Salsa in my grandson's 3x3 raised bed. Tomatoes, Jalapeños, Poblanos, Sweet Peppers, Onions, Garlic and Cilantro. Does anyone have a recipe they would care to share? 

Pictures once I get the basic clean up done...
---------


*I make my compost tea straight from the compost pile, about a half-spade in a watering can full of water and let it sit in the sun for a day or so. I don't use the spout end or strain it, so the plants get a bit of top-dressing as well. I read someplace that if you dilute fertilizers like Miracle Grow and indoor plant food to half-strength or less, you can use it every time you water, and significantly reduce the chance of overfeeding. Thoughts anyone?

Allow me to make comment on a few of yours. 1) there is a reason course grade is recommended in Mels Mix. Vermiculite absorbs moisture, larger the particles, the more moisture will be retained. I much prefer super course.
Using Fine grade vermiculite will result in a lot of mush, that may not allow oxygen to where it is needed. 

2) you are not brewing compost tea. What you are making is called leachette. , it is not recommended because of possible anaerobic conditions where no oxygen is present.
Compost tea involves using a proportional amount of compost to water with select additives, then introducing oxygen at specific rates to build up beneficial bacteria colonies along with nematodes and fungi .

I recommend reading these two books, if I could have only two books in my garden library, these are the two I would choose. 

One other point regarding over feeding. Properly made compost and compost tea will never overfeed plants. Gardeners can use as much as they wish to make themselves happy.
Miracle Gro and other commercial fertilizers use chemicals to feed plant root zones......... ( rhizospheres )..
Compost use is the process of making soil / mix. Etc, a living breathing creature of nature. Just like what happens in the wild where no one tampers with nature.

jimmy cee wrote:

FRED58 wrote:I am in the process of reviving a largely abandoned SFG in Bruce County Ontario on Lake Huron (AKA Ontario's West Coast). I am in Kincardine, 3 hours west of Toronto, just a kilometer off the lake. I have four, 4x4 beds, a 3x3 bed for my Grandson (Sean, 11 in October) and four 1x4 beds, two for peas and beans against a chain link fence and two for tomatoes against a wooden fence. I have a tractor tire for pumpkins (I usually fill it with modified growing medium, heavy on the compost and little or no peat). The entire garden faces south, but loses the late afternoon sun due to tall trees to the west and southwest. The entire garden is surrounded by "the beagle-proof fence: 40" / 1m tall, solid wood, with a short (18" / 45cm) picket fence about 2 ft away from the base on the north and west side (protects conventional beds along the fence). There is a five foot (1.5m) privacy fence to the east and a chain  link fence to the south that looks out on a playground. I have herbs on a west facing fence and sunflowers in a separate bed near a deck.

This year I will be adding a water barrel. It is too far from the house to collect rainwater, but I will fill it from the hose as a convenience for now. This coming winter I will leave the top off and let it fill with snow as a start to next season.

The weather here on Ontario's West Coast has taken a turn back towards winter. From sunny and 27C (80F) last week it is a chilly, damp and dull 2C out there this morning. The Weather Office says there is a good chance of flurries tonight and tomorrow. OTOH, I may have to cut the grass tomorrow because of how much it grew in the warm weather. The weeds seem to have enjoyed it as well. Dandelions and quack grass are evident. I will put the torch to them on the weekend. The propane weed torch works well on hard surfaces (like decorative stone) and is both more satisfying and more environmentally friendly than chemical weed killers.

I received half of my vermiculite order yesterday (for some reason it is being shipped from a depot 50km away in two shipments). There were two surprises. First this is fine vermiculite, about the consistency of kitty litter. I was just happy to find a convenient source, so getting the good stuff is a nice bonus (I think finer vermiculite mixes better). The second is not as good. It is packaged in double-layer paper bags, like charcoal or potatoes. My bags are now tucked carefully into the Fred Shed waiting for better working conditions to renew my beds.

I ordered the Mouse Melons that I mentioned elsewhere last week. I will start them in seed trays around the first week of May for planting with the cukes around the first week of June.

I have ordered regular bush zucchini. I find they work well in 2 or 3 gallon pots with Mel's Mix and lots of liquid fertilizer (alternating compost tea and half-strength miracle grow*). I like them as decorative / landscaping plants as well. They are nice, bushy plants with showy flowers. Mine are planted in pots on either side of a raised rose bed. A couple of years ago I had small zukes that were round. When mature they were about the size of a pool ball to the size of a tennis ball. I can't remember the name or where I got them. Has anybody ordered or even seen these (for next year). they were far better as container plants and as appropriate for my needs. I was unable to get any yellow ones this year, so i got crookneck squash instead (similar habit and appearance).

The Garden Centers in Ontario are open, but between the Provincial stay-at-home order and a plea from the local Health Unit to stay inside (our numbers are way up in Grey-Bruce) I will avoid going there for at least the next week (I need a few new berry plants and a couple of decorative shrubs).

I am going to once again try and plant everything for Salsa in my grandson's 3x3 raised bed. Tomatoes, Jalapeños, Poblanos, Sweet Peppers, Onions, Garlic and Cilantro. Does anyone have a recipe they would care to share? 

Pictures once I get the basic clean up done...
---------


*I make my compost tea straight from the compost pile, about a half-spade in a watering can full of water and let it sit in the sun for a day or so. I don't use the spout end or strain it, so the plants get a bit of top-dressing as well. I read someplace that if you dilute fertilizers like Miracle Grow and indoor plant food to half-strength or less, you can use it every time you water, and significantly reduce the chance of overfeeding. Thoughts anyone?

Allow me to make comment on a few of yours. 1) there is a reason course grade is recommended in Mels Mix. Vermiculite absorbs moisture, larger the particles, the more moisture will be retained. I much prefer super course.
Using Fine grade vermiculite will result in a lot of mush, that may not allow oxygen to where it is needed. 

2) you are not brewing compost tea. What you are making is called leachette. , it is not recommended because of possible anaerobic conditions where no oxygen is present.
Compost tea involves using a proportional amount of compost to water with select additives, then introducing oxygen at specific rates to build up beneficial bacteria colonies along with nematodes and fungi .

I recommend reading these two books, if I could have only two books in my garden library, these are the two I would choose. 

One other point regarding over feeding. Properly made compost and compost tea will never overfeed plants. Gardeners can use as much as they wish to make themselves happy.
Miracle Gro and other commercial fertilizers use chemicals to feed plant root zones......... ( rhizospheres )..
Compost use is the process of making soil / mix. Etc, a living breathing creature of nature. Just like what happens in the wild where no one tampers with nature.

Thanks for that. I guess I am about beaten, that's all the vermiculite I can get here. (the weed store is sold out). I have to use it or nothing. Since I have it, I have nothing to lose. I will stick to the chemicals I guess. I had  a look at the composter: nothing left, it disappeared (dissolved into the ground?). So, I have no compost of my own, so I will have to buy it for now. My previous attempts at making my own have been less than successful anyways. Mixing the powdered stuff is easier, so I'll stick to that.

markqz wrote:Re using tires. Do you fill the interior of the tire as well? I've tried tires for potatoes, and other, but it seems that I need put a circular divider into the tire. In which case, did it really benefit me to use the tires? I'm short on good soil, so filling up the interior of the tire walls would be a bit of a challenge.

Re water in barrels. I collect water at the house, then use a large diameter hose to siphon the water down to barrels at the garden. Of course, this won't work if your garden is uphill from your house. It occurs to me that not everyone knows how to create a siphon, so maybe I should do a video or something on that sometime. Hmm. I bet someone already has a video.

Re covid, I've been avoiding those kind of shopping trips for awhile. It seems like cities shouldn't worry too much about garden centers, IF they're outdoors. But in Ontario, maybe they're mostly enclosed? In any event, got your shot?

I fill the whole tire, and plant the seedlings near the edge. I think they are warmed by the black rubber. I use bagged manure (cattle. pig, sheep)

My garden is about 75 feet from the downspouts, which might be a long run for a siphon along basically level ground. (I think there is about a foot downhill over that length). It's an interesting idea, collecting water from the house for the garden. I  figure I can spend some time this summer looking for an inexpensive transfer pump of some kind.

The garden centers here are typically partly open, with lots of greenhouses. The rural area I live in has had a recent surge in cases, and the vaccination clinics are closed so staff can do contact tracing. No shot this week.

FRED58 wrote:I fill the whole tire, and plant the seedlings near the edge. I think they are warmed by the black rubber. I use bagged manure (cattle. pig, sheep)

You fill the whole tire with manure, or is it a mix?

FRED58 wrote:My garden is about 75 feet from the downspouts, which might be a long run for a siphon along basically level ground. (I think there is about a foot downhill over that length). It's an interesting idea, collecting water from the house for the garden.

I don't go directly from downspouts. The water collects in barrels, so it has a little height. I think my hose is 100 feet, but don't quote me.

When I want to go uphill, or across level terrain, I put an empty source barrel on top of a booster crate. Then dump water into the source barrel. Even though this involves lifting water, it's still easier than getting my legs wet carrying bucket after bucket around various obstacles and out to the garden.

FRED58 wrote: and the vaccination clinics are closed so staff can do contact tracing. No shot this week.

Well, that's ironic. Maybe you could cross the border -- they make it just over there in Kalamazoo!

---

jimmy cee wrote:

FRED58 wrote:I am in the process of reviving a largely abandoned SFG in Bruce County Ontario on Lake Huron (AKA Ontario's West Coast). I am in Kincardine, 3 hours west of Toronto, just a kilometer off the lake. I have four, 4x4 beds, a 3x3 bed for my Grandson (Sean, 11 in October) and four 1x4 beds, two for peas and beans against a chain link fence and two for tomatoes against a wooden fence. I have a tractor tire for pumpkins (I usually fill it with modified growing medium, heavy on the compost and little or no peat). The entire garden faces south, but loses the late afternoon sun due to tall trees to the west and southwest. The entire garden is surrounded by "the beagle-proof fence: 40" / 1m tall, solid wood, with a short (18" / 45cm) picket fence about 2 ft away from the base on the north and west side (protects conventional beds along the fence). There is a five foot (1.5m) privacy fence to the east and a chain  link fence to the south that looks out on a playground. I have herbs on a west facing fence and sunflowers in a separate bed near a deck.

This year I will be adding a water barrel. It is too far from the house to collect rainwater, but I will fill it from the hose as a convenience for now. This coming winter I will leave the top off and let it fill with snow as a start to next season.

The weather here on Ontario's West Coast has taken a turn back towards winter. From sunny and 27C (80F) last week it is a chilly, damp and dull 2C out there this morning. The Weather Office says there is a good chance of flurries tonight and tomorrow. OTOH, I may have to cut the grass tomorrow because of how much it grew in the warm weather. The weeds seem to have enjoyed it as well. Dandelions and quack grass are evident. I will put the torch to them on the weekend. The propane weed torch works well on hard surfaces (like decorative stone) and is both more satisfying and more environmentally friendly than chemical weed killers.

I received half of my vermiculite order yesterday (for some reason it is being shipped from a depot 50km away in two shipments). There were two surprises. First this is fine vermiculite, about the consistency of kitty litter. I was just happy to find a convenient source, so getting the good stuff is a nice bonus (I think finer vermiculite mixes better). The second is not as good. It is packaged in double-layer paper bags, like charcoal or potatoes. My bags are now tucked carefully into the Fred Shed waiting for better working conditions to renew my beds.

I ordered the Mouse Melons that I mentioned elsewhere last week. I will start them in seed trays around the first week of May for planting with the cukes around the first week of June.

I have ordered regular bush zucchini. I find they work well in 2 or 3 gallon pots with Mel's Mix and lots of liquid fertilizer (alternating compost tea and half-strength miracle grow*). I like them as decorative / landscaping plants as well. They are nice, bushy plants with showy flowers. Mine are planted in pots on either side of a raised rose bed. A couple of years ago I had small zukes that were round. When mature they were about the size of a pool ball to the size of a tennis ball. I can't remember the name or where I got them. Has anybody ordered or even seen these (for next year). they were far better as container plants and as appropriate for my needs. I was unable to get any yellow ones this year, so i got crookneck squash instead (similar habit and appearance).

The Garden Centers in Ontario are open, but between the Provincial stay-at-home order and a plea from the local Health Unit to stay inside (our numbers are way up in Grey-Bruce) I will avoid going there for at least the next week (I need a few new berry plants and a couple of decorative shrubs).

I am going to once again try and plant everything for Salsa in my grandson's 3x3 raised bed. Tomatoes, Jalapeños, Poblanos, Sweet Peppers, Onions, Garlic and Cilantro. Does anyone have a recipe they would care to share? 

Pictures once I get the basic clean up done...
---------


*I make my compost tea straight from the compost pile, about a half-spade in a watering can full of water and let it sit in the sun for a day or so. I don't use the spout end or strain it, so the plants get a bit of top-dressing as well. I read someplace that if you dilute fertilizers like Miracle Grow and indoor plant food to half-strength or less, you can use it every time you water, and significantly reduce the chance of overfeeding. Thoughts anyone?

Allow me to make comment on a few of yours. 1) there is a reason course grade is recommended in Mels Mix. Vermiculite absorbs moisture, larger the particles, the more moisture will be retained. I much prefer super course.
Using Fine grade vermiculite will result in a lot of mush, that may not allow oxygen to where it is needed. 

2) you are not brewing compost tea. What you are making is called leachette. , it is not recommended because of possible anaerobic conditions where no oxygen is present.
Compost tea involves using a proportional amount of compost to water with select additives, then introducing oxygen at specific rates to build up beneficial bacteria colonies along with nematodes and fungi .

I recommend reading these two books, if I could have only two books in my garden library, these are the two I would choose. 

One other point regarding over feeding. Properly made compost and compost tea will never overfeed plants. Gardeners can use as much as they wish to make themselves happy.
Miracle Gro and other commercial fertilizers use chemicals to feed plant root zones......... ( rhizospheres )..
Compost use is the process of making soil / mix. Etc, a living breathing creature of nature. Just like what happens in the wild where no one tampers with nature.

I managed to locate a copy of Rodale's Composting at Amazon (Kindle edition, so I have it now). As I said, my compost is awful anyways. I will try and develop a decent composter full this year for next year. 

I may have questions...

FRED58..do not give up, use what you have now and what is available to you.
Mel stated in his book that folks around the world need to use what is available to them.
Never give up for when it works, it's all well worth the trouble.
There may be others here with good ideas for you to use  in your specific area.
I found over the years it is a lot of fun and enjoyment to test different items.
Best of luck to you..

jimmy cee wrote:FRED58..do not give up, use what you have now and what is available to you.
Mel stated in his book that folks around the world need to use what is available to them.
Never give up for when it works, it's all well worth the trouble.
There may be others here with good ideas for you to use  in your specific area.
I found over the years it is a lot of fun and enjoyment to test different items.
Best of luck to you..

I am about 2/3 of the way through the Rodale Compost book. I am going to have questions. (Lots of information and more than a few surprises)

Pictures of my garden. Evidently my message was too long, so two pics in separate posts follow (The site just deleted a long post on me).

The heavy accumulation of vegetation has been removed (no planting for at least three years). The garden is roughly 25 feet east to west by 21 feet north to south. I have four 4x4s, one 3x3 (for my grandson) and four 1x4s, plus assorted pots. I plan on planting elderberries and blueberries along the east fence.

Looking south

Looking north



(I plant pumpkins in the tractor tire)

Among my other plans, I intend to build a trellis for tomatoes across the north side of the two north 4x4s with a separate trellis along the sides between the same beds for cucumbers and small melons. I also want to add a 2x4 rim around the tops of all the beds to bring them all a little higher. 

Thoughts?

FRED58 wrote:Among my other plans, I intend to build a trellis for tomatoes across the north side of the two north 4x4s with a separate trellis along the sides between the same beds for cucumbers and small melons. I also want to add a 2x4 rim around the tops of all the beds to bring them all a little higher. 

Thoughts?

Have you thought of using two cattle panel arches as a trellis there on those 4x4 beds? The truck tire could be used as the other side of the arch, as could the 3x3 if they're not too far away. My cattle panel trellises' "legs" are 4' apart, with one side being held up against the end of a bed and the other side is supported by rebar stakes pounded into the ground.

mollyhespra wrote:Have you thought of using two cattle panel arches as a trellis there on those 4x4 beds?  The truck tire could be used as the other side of the arch, as could the 3x3 if they're not too far away.  My cattle panel trellises' "legs" are 4' apart, with one side being held up against the end of a bed and the other side is supported by rebar stakes pounded into the ground.

That would have been my next improvement on my previous beds.. I visioned great growing with them...

Do you mean like this? Between the 4x4 beds?

This was my original idea:

The red is a wooden frame the yellow is vertical twine for the tomatoes on the north and netting between the beds for cucumbers etc.

The cattle panel idea seems interesting. Off to do research.

UPDATE:

I made some progress on the rehab. I have added a 2x4 rim to one bed (others in progress) and started the trellis. I have a source for cattle panels for the other trellis, I just have to figure how to get them home. I had a local landscaper install 5 yards of pine bark mulch over cardboard and weedcloth to protect most of the open areas.

Potting bench made out of scrap lumber. With the price of lumber, that was the only choice! It is all white cedar except the slats on the bottom shelf (pallet wood, some kind of spruce / pine / fir) and the top (an old plywood shelf):



View to the east. I just planted the five blackberries (three varieties). Elderberries go in on the right on the weekend:




Another view of the east side of the garden. 



View looking south, showing the west side fence:



I planted the five blueberries (2 varieties) Monday. They will LOVE the pine bark (adds a bit of acid to the soil I have read).

You will notice that I have not planted anything yet. I was going to, but I got busy. It's just as well. I mentioned using the Lilacs as a sign of when to plant. They are just at their peak now. Despite recent temps in the 80°F (28°C) range last week, our overnight low tomorrow is forecast to be 7°C (45°F). I will have the seedlings in the shed and the newly seeded trays in the house for a day or two! I should be planting on Sunday.

I have found that when using the finer vermiculite if  I build my Mel's Mix in layers of Compost / Manure, then Vermiculite then Peat. I wet the peat and waited for a minute or two before mixing. It keeps the fine vermiculite from clumping (wetting it directly was a bad idea).

I will update this again after planting on the weekend.