Anyone in Southern Ontario?

Hello! I am a SFG newbie! I just filled my brand new SFG tonight. Looking for others in Southern Ontario (I am in Hamilton) to share experiences and success with.

Hi there!!! We are so happy to have you here! There are a few people on here from Ontario......Blackrose for one. It is always exciting to see another Canadian on board. I am in BC.

Congrats on getting your bed all set up. SFG is THE way to garden, believe me. Do you have Mel Bartholemew's All New Square Foot Gardening Book? If you don't, it is really worth picking up a copy. There is so much great information in it with great explanations about why we do things a certain way. He has worked out so many of the details for us. Originally, when I started SFG, I was using the old book but the new one has so many changes and improvements that I can't emphasize enough how important it is.

Post pics if you can. (I am kind of bad about that.....not being very technologically inclined) and don't be a stranger. Feel free to ask questions or join in the discussions. The more the merrier at this party.

Gwynn

Thanks Gwynn! I have not picked up the book yet, but it is next on my SFG to do list. Looking forward to haunting the forum!

OntarioGardener wrote:Thanks Gwynn! I have not picked up the book yet, but it is next on my SFG to do list. Looking forward to haunting the forum!

Don't just lurk!!! It will be great to have the opportunity to get to know you.

Gwynn

Will do!

from just north of Toronto!!! And... what Gwynn said. LOL!

Oh yeah!.... watcha plantin'??

Another Canadian to add to the Mel's Mix is great!
I am in eastern Ontario straight east of Algonquin Park in Petawawa.

I built a 3' x 6' SFG. I am planning on planting tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, peas, carrots, lettuce, radishes, peppers, garlic, herbs and a pumpkin. Not too ambitious for a first timer is it??

A question - can I tuck in some marigold and/or nastursiums around the perimeter for pest control?

Thanks

OntarioGardener wrote:I built a 3' x 6' SFG. I am planning on planting tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, peas, carrots, lettuce, radishes, peppers, garlic, herbs and a pumpkin. Not too ambitious for a first timer is it??

I'm not sure how "new" of a veggie gardener you are, but you can put those peas, carrots, lettuce and radishes in now.

OntarioGardener wrote:A question - can I tuck in some marigold and/or nastursiums around the perimeter for pest control?

Of course! I'm actually going to devote a few squares to calendula, nastursiums, etc.

Went to check on my box this am and found a huge hole dug into it, probably a racoon. What are my best options for keeping the critters out while seeds are germinating?

Peas, carrots, lettuce and radish will be going in on Thursday!

I had the same thing happen to me right after I filled my boxes. My DH bought some Critter Ridder at HD and sprinkled it around the boxes (not in them). There hasn't been as much digging. Still a little bit, but I think I've got some chipmunks back there. They're pesky little things!

I was looking into Critter Ridder, but every reivew I read said it either work for only a short time (anmials got used to it), rain washes it away or it did not work at all. I think I will start with some type of scare mechanism.

The only critters I have here are neighbourhood cats. What about some kind of fencing/cover? I hate to do that myself because it makes it more difficult to get at the garden to water and prune as well as not looking as nice. But you have to guard your garden however you can. Personally, I am thinking along the lines of a Reuger pistol with a silencer.

Gwynn

Hi There,

I just joined this morning and I'm really pleased to see another Hamiltonian in the midst as well as some neighbours nearby.

I've been gardening for many years, but I've been about 30 since I had a small urban backyard and small veggie plot to work with. We moved into this house last summer and I had my plants already started, far too many of them I might add, so I just planted them wherever I could find room. But over the winter I began researching intensive gardening practices. I put a little more thought into the placement of plants this spring, but still lots of work to do on the subject of SFG yet. I've only read one of Mel's books and it's been a few years, so I'm sure I'll have lots of questions to ask around the forum.

Welcome to the forum!



If the book of Mel's that you read was not the All New Square Foot Gardening book, make sure you get it or check it out from the library. It is the foundation of the forum and is a great resource throughout the growing season (says my dog-eared copy).

GG

Thanks Goosegirl. No it wasn't his new book, I'll check my library to see if I can order it.

bullfrogbabe wrote:Another Canadian to add to the Mel's Mix is great!
I am in eastern Ontario straight east of Algonquin Park in Petawawa.

My son and his family live in Petawawa. They are both in the Military, and moved there I think in March or April of this year.

Goosegirl wrote:Welcome to the forum!



If the book of Mel's that you read was not the All New Square Foot Gardening book, make sure you get it or check it out from the library. It is the foundation of the forum and is a great resource throughout the growing season (says my dog-eared copy).

GG

Library has this on order. I am 2nd in line once it arrives on the shelves. Thanks for telling me about the new book.

I like that line, homesteader gone home to the city. WELCOME

Was your homesteading near where you are now, or you having to adjust to a different climate as well as a smaller space?
Do you have a garden on the go this summer?
I am out in BC and perhaps a tad bit cooler than you. Janet

Thanks for your words of Welcome Janet,

We moved 5 hours away from Southern Ontario, to Zone 4b/5a. It took adjustment because we lost minimum two weeks growing season at each end of the summer, actually, most years we lost a month. Here in S. Ontario we could plant by midMay, often earlier if planting frost hardy veggies like peas or greens. In the fall, frost doesn't usually hit until midOctober, but up there we had frost sometimes in early June and always by midSeptember.

After 15 years there, we decided to move back to be nearer family. My Son had moved up there with us, but moved back down here for work. When we left the farm we tried a semi-rural area first, but that was still a little too far from the family. After they commute to work, they don't want to have to drive an hour to see their parents. Understandable. Our garden on the farm was 2-1/2 times the size of the house lot we are on now, so I have to think tiny. Getting there with time.

And yes, I always have a garden. The only time since the mid70's that I haven't had a garden was when I rented a rowhouse downtown and due to the highrise apartments surrounding the yard, had no light to grow anything, not even a lawn. That was depressing. When we moved here last year, I brought two van loads of plants in containers. Some we transplanted, although many things didn't mature after being transplanted in midJuly. Others I left in containers to grow and so we had some tomatoes and vegetables. This year I only have about 35 containers of veggies and herbs; this after expanding our garden plot 3x10 feet as well.

bluelacedredhead wrote:

Goosegirl wrote:Welcome to the forum!



If the book of Mel's that you read was not the All New Square Foot Gardening book, make sure you get it or check it out from the library. It is the foundation of the forum and is a great resource throughout the growing season (says my dog-eared copy).

GG

Library has this on order. I am 2nd in line once it arrives on the shelves. Thanks for telling me about the new book.

Great! Hopefully whoever is first in line won't hog it for months! If you can find one in a used book store or on Amazon, grab it, as you will probably want your own copy as well.

Your climate sounds much like mine here in South Dakota. I am in zone 4 and usually cannot put out tomatoes and peppers until early June and have a killing frost in mid-September. The weird weather this year allowed me the luxury of getting my warm weather plants in-ground the first weekend in May (it was a BIG gamble, but paid off!). So far all but one tomato plant survived! I keep wanting to see fruit, but have to remind myself that usually they are only 3 inches all at this time...

We look forward to hearing how your garden progresses. Seeing is even better! Post pics when you can!

GG

When there is a waiting list for a book, it cannot be renewed. You get your 3 weeks to read it and that's it! So no chance of me having to wait long for the book.



We don't live in the cooler area anymore. I'm having to readjust to warmer temperatures and the longer growing season. It's been tough

Goosegirl, it's wonderful that you took the chance of planting earlier and were able to pull it off! Always great when that happens

hometothecity
Somehow reminds me of a gordon Lightfoot song.
So in some ways you have gained by moving south, but then lost the space.
We moved back to Canada from Oregon last year, onto an acreage, closer to family. We have a much longer winter, but MUCH MUCH hotter summer.

It seems that there are SOOO many ways to expand your space. Though I have lots of space, I am trying to grow vertically whenever possible, just ... I guess for the challenge.
Is your new place open? IE do you get lots of light?

bluelacedredhead wrote:Hi There,

I just joined this morning and I'm really pleased to see another Hamiltonian in the midst as well as some neighbours nearby.

Hello neighbour. I seemed to have missed these posts, but I've been away from the forums for a while. I'm also on the HPL list for the ANSFG book, I;m probably 4th or 5th on the list. I;m currently reading the original SFG book which I have out from the HPL. Love our library system here in Hamilton. I might buy the kindle version on ANSFG.
Did you grow anything this year? How did it go? have you put in anything for the fall? I built my garden before learning about SFG methods, and made some changes to my soil early on but was limited. next year I will do more SFG by-the-book growing. This year was a tough one for bugs and heat and lack of rain. Late summer has been more forgiving. My tomatoes took a long time to ripen, and then most split when teh rains returned in August. They looked real bad, but now they look good and I have so many (need any tomatoes?). Squash vine borer killed my zucchini and spaghetti squash. Beet leaf miner attacked my swiss chard and beets but the chard is growing quite fine now. Butternut squash grew well until powdery mildew set in. I'm learning this year and will be better prepare for next.
What area of the city are you in? I'm over near the Hamilton / Stoney creek border.

Howdy J in Hamilton
Guess what I just picked up from the HPL this afternoon? I haven't said much here lately either. I've been waiting to get my hands on this lovely new book

BTW, you are in Zone 6A here I'm in the East End btw so probably not too far from you. We'll have to chat about this off the board.

I always have a garden, no matter how big or small. I have several cole crops in for the fall; red cabbage, green cabbage, kale, Giant Red Mustard, Yu Choy Sum and two colours of Swiss Chard.

Did you put anything in for a fall garden?? And I'll let you know later on tonight what I think of the book after I've had an opportunity to do some reading