Forgot to do May update!!

OOps! Sorry everyone. That is the job of a regional host and I blew it. However, here it is anyway.

So what is going on in everyone's Canadian garden? We have such a wide variety of growing zones that it is hard to believe we are all in the same country. Even here in BC, my garden is at least two to three weeks ahead of what people on the outskirts of town in the higher elevations are experiencing. But people on Vancouver Island ( my daughter and colleagues from my work but not the rest of you) are all bragging that their daffodils are finished blooming and blah, blah, blah. Yes we KNOW already. GOD lives there. You don't have to rub our noses in it.

Did everyone get a chance to start some carrots for carrot week? I planted mine on April 18th. Some in the garden under a cover where the soil was nice and warm and some in a 12 inch square container I keep on the front porch that faces south and gets cozy warm. This past week I was getting pretty discouraged about those carrots and decided one evening to plant a couple of other squares of another variety next to some garlic. The plan was to replant the Nantes ones this weekend when I had more time. Then yesterday afternoon when I went to replant the porch carrots I discovered teeny tiny carrot seedlings!!!! I decided to check the ones in the garden again but there is nothing there. Boohoo! But I am so excited that the there are carrots in the container. YES!!

I was so excited when I had seedlings in my cold frame a month or so ago. BUT....one morning I decided I would not open it before I left for work at 6:30 am. It was -4C. Bad decision. It gets really, really hot in there, even when the sun only shines on it for a brief period of time. The forecast for the day was not accurate and the day turned out to be much nicer than predicted. I arrived home from work to crispy seedlings. So I had to start again.

A couple of weeks ago I planted shallots and radishes in the garden in some of my squares. The radishes were sprouting and coming up nicely. Then three days ago I noticed something had eaten all the leaves off the new little sprouts. Skinny little stems were still there but the leaves were all gone!!! Grrrrr! I think it is slugs again. The kind I have start out so very, very small they are almost impossible for my old eyes to see but they can decimate seedlings overnite. I was going to replant that square but thought I would wait until the weekend. Then I noticed yesterday that those sad little stems are getting some new leaves!! So out comes the DE today and the eggshells and the coffee grounds. The shallots are starting to sprout.

It was an absolutely GORGEOUS day yesterday. Finally!!! Nobody can come to visit because I didn't do any housework and just played out in the yard all day!! The 4x4 plot that I plan to put potatoes in had so much grass growing in it. I decided to rip it apart. That grass, whatever kind it is, is just plain EVIL. I had put down heavy layers of cardboard in the bottom of that box but it has all disintegrated and that grass is growing up from underneath. So I took out all of the soil and put down two layers of weed cloth before I filled it back up. Dang! what a lot of work and I am sooooo sore today. However, the up side of it all is that I filled it back up with proper Mel's Mix. Last year my husband did not like the idea of vermiculite in our garden. He has gradually relaxed about it so I am using it more and more and not just in my containers.

Planting is so exciting. Today I will plant potatoes, peas, parsnips and beets. In another couple of weeks I will plant the corn, cucs, melons and tomatoes. I have to get the materials I need to build a 2x6 planting bed for the end of the driveway that faces south and gets lots of sun all day. That will be my cucumber/melon bed.

Soooo.....this is our month all you Canucks. Let's get out there and get planting. Wooohoo! I know we have to take advantage of every spare minute we can and be out in our gardens now but if you can, let us know how things are going. We would love to hear from you all.

Gwynn

What a great update...too bad about the crispy and eaten seedlings.

I came home from Brownie camp on sunday to find radish seedlings....my first planted seeds. And my garlic is sprouting....gave me a little boost that I am doing things right. Planted carrots and green onions the same time as radishes....still waiting on those. Planted regular onions yesterday. Am waiting impatiently for last frost date to plant tomatoes and peppers and 2nd round of carrots.

Had to buy a 6 pack of peppers instead of 2...now hubby has to build more boxes and we need more compost to make more mix. Still looking for right kind of netting for our free rebar trellis'.

happy May and happy gardening everyone!!!

Kari