PLANTING DAY

YES!!!!

The moment I have been dreaming about since February finally arrived today. There are officially plants in my garden!

Let's go on a tour of what I did today:

Peppers
This large specimen is the beautifully overwintered sweet pickle pepper plant that I grew on my balcony last summer. I kept it in a south-facing window over the winter and occasionally watered it (and by occasionally I actually mean rarely, oops). It did SO WELL and should be putting out peppers very early this year. I also overwintered my jalapeno plant, which is a little more distressed looking... but I'm hoping he perks up now that he's in the ground. He's at the far end of the pepper row. In between the two I planted a variety of other kinds of peppers... 16 plants total! Note that I am using old tent poles as stakes. They're the perfect size and won't rust! I'll add them to the rest of the peppers too as they get taller and need more support.

Peppers planted and mulched

Cucamelons

I started the cucamelons at the same time as the peppers and tomatoes this year - not really sure what I was thinking?! These guys got so big and tangle-y before I could plant them outside that it took me a very long time to detach them all and figure out which vines belonged to which plant. But obviously I managed because here they are! I cut up an old volleyball net to use as a trellis, and tied it to the back of the gazebo. They're already flowering so I expect them to climb the trellis and start putting out cute little cucamelons in no time!

Cucamelons growing on a volleyball net

Tomatoes
My mom gave me 4 of her old "Topsy Turvy" hanging tomato planters, so I thought I'd give them a try with the yellow Tumbling Toms I grew this year. Getting the plants in the planter was a bit of a challenge, as was holding the plant at the proper stem height while trying to fill the planter with potting mix, but again I managed. Once I watered these they weighed about 1000 lbs each. So don't worry, they're not going anywhere! I hung one planter on each corner of the gazebo.

Topsy Turvy Tumbling Toms

I then planted 5 mixed heirloom tomatoes and 4 Roma tomatoes in the one larger tomato bed with the red mulch film (plus some real mulch on top). They look a little lop-sided at the moment as I actually planted them laying on their side, and then bent the end of the plant upright before covering the rest with soil. Doing this allows more of the stem to be buried, which will result in a better root system (all of those little "hairs" you see on tomato stems will actually turn into roots if they are underground!). They should straighten themselves out shortly and begin growing upright.

Tomato bed in action. What a nice looking garden!

This took a surprisingly long time to do today... we're talking a solid 7 hours (who knew sticking plants in the ground would be so time consuming?) so I didn't get all of the plants in the ground... still need to do the cucumbers, melons, and squash, but that will have to wait for another evening this week.

I am also sad to report that the morning glories I was so happy about in my last post didn't survive the cool temperatures we had the past few nights. I meant to go cover them up Friday afternoon (it went down to zero degrees or so Friday night... brrrr!) but I forgot. Today they were all shriveled up. RIP morning glories. I'll have to pop a few more seeds in the ground asap to replace them.

No sign of the lettuce, beans, or peas I planted last week either - again, I blame the cold temperatures. I'm hoping with the warmer weather coming back now things should start sprouting.

Anyways, that's it for today. Here's one final look at the cucamelons and tomatoes, and my relaxing garden chair!

T BARS AND MORNING GLORIES

The morning glories we planted on Saturday were popping their heads out of the ground today! I can't wait for these to get bigger and start wrapping their way around the gazebo.

I've been battling a nasty cold so I haven't done much work on the garden this week, but I did manage to pick up some composted manure to mix into the tomato and pepper beds last night. I also prepped the heirloom tomato bed with the red plastic mulch, which is supposed to yield more (and bigger) tomatoes - something about the sunlight reflecting red back up onto the plants...

Mom and Dad also came over tonight to help pound in some of the T bars that I will be using as stakes and to trellis certain veggies on (the tomatoes, melons, cucamelons, achochas). We also added a stake down the center of each tepee that I made on the weekend. One of them had blown over in the crazy winds we've had in the last few days, so they needed a bit more support.

The red plastic mulch on the heirloom tomato bed, plus the large green T bars that will be used for tying up the tomatoes. Roma tomatoes will be going in the bed on the right - still need to add the plastic mulch over there. 

Tepees with their new support poles, and T-bars lined up along the edge of the garden and in the far left bed (for the melons)

It's almost planting time! I'm thinking Sunday. Temperatures have been cool lately and it's supposed to go down to 2 degrees on Friday/Saturday, so better safe than sorry. So much for getting things out early this year!

SEEDS AND TEPEES

Yes! Things are growing! Or at least they've been planted... only time will tell if they will actually grow...

I think I'm coming down with a cold and I don't much feel like writing today, so this will be a blog post in pictures:

More pathways! Mel dug out the middle one on Saturday, and I got lazy and just laid down some landscape fabric and piled wood chips on top for the pathway on the left on Sunday. Now just need to do the one on the far right!

4 rhubarb plants went into the ground on Friday night

As did 6 little dinosaur kale seedlings

Here are the onions mentioned in the last post. They seem to be doing OK, but might be turning a bit yellow. Will have to watch them!

The bean trellis is ready to go and the bean seeds have been planted!

Here is my messy plot as I left it Sunday morning. Lettuce has been planted in the bed with the onions, and the morning glories and moonflower seeds have been planted at the corners of the gazebo.

Raspberry bee balm planted at the end of the (future) tomato beds

My awesome tepees! I drove along Albion Rd. this morning and pulled these huge dead branches from the bushes along the side of the road, and then lashed them together in the garden to make two tepees. I planted the super sugar snap peas around the base of both of these, which will eventually grow and cover the whole structure.

IS THIS WHAT HEAVEN LOOKS LIKE?

I found myself in the seed aisle at Ritchie Feed & Seed after work today. That place is magical. 

Where am I? Is this heaven?

Through some sort of miracle, I only bought what I went there for - some nasturtium seeds and inoculant for my peas. But don't think I didn't stand there for a good 15 minutes wondering what else I could fit in the plot...  I almost picked up a clematis that can grow in the shade for my balcony (most clematis require full sun) until I looked at the price and it was $30. Blegh. No thank you.

I took a break from the digging tonight and decided to try something sort of experimental. I've read that you can grow onions from old onions that have sprouted, and I seem to have bought a ton of onions at some point and never used them. These are 2 of about 7 onions that were neglected pretty much all winter:

I looked up online what you're supposed to do with these things, and it basically said to take off the onion skin and leave the bulb with the sprouts, and then plant it. So I unwrapped the gross layers until they were down to their bulbs - but I think I may have taken off too much. I think they are still supposed to look bulby on the end instead of skinny onion-like (I'm great with words, aren't I?). So I was left with these:

OK, so the onion situation in my kitchen may have gotten a bit out of control... 

I went to the plot around 8:30 and planted them, but it was too dark by then to take any pictures. I also planted 4 rhubarb plants that I picked up for free from someone on the Edible Ottawa Gardens Facebook group (score! I LOVE rhubarb) that have been living in plastic bags on my balcony for the past two weeks. I would have just waited until tomorrow to do it, but I thought it might rain overnight, which would be really good for them. 

My sister is going to come over again this weekend to help me out in the garden. I'd like to get the pea tepees set up and planted tomorrow, and also sow the lettuce, carrots, beats, spinach, and bush beans. And she did a phenomenal job digging trenches last time so perhaps she can put those skills to good use again...!

More updates on the way! Have a good long weekend!

SO CLOSE!

I didn't have time to post an update last night, I was too tired! I've been working 9-5 and then going to the garden from 5-9 trying to get everything ready for this weekend (or maybe next? I can't decide when seedlings will go out. The weather is being uncooperative). I can't even sit on the couch when I get home without feeling like I will immediately fall asleep!

Last night I weeded the final 2 beds, added the composted pine mulch to the beds around the gazebo, and Russ came with his truck again to help move woodchips from across the field over to my plot - this was much faster than doing a million loads with a wheelbarrow!

Is this table too ugly for my pretty garden? lol

I still have to add the compost to the last 2 beds and dig 2 more trenches and fill them with woodchips. But in the meantime, I can start planting my lettuce, peas, beets, and carrots! Yippee!!!

BRING ON THE COMPOST

I am PUMPED about the state of the garden right now. So much got done today!

Russ and I picked up 2 yards of composted pine mulch in his truck this afternoon so I could start amending the clay soil (and I had a Groupon so it was an excellent deal, $25 for $55 worth of mulch! Woo hoo!)

2 yards of composted pine mulch ready for the garden!

My mom came over to help me continue the weeding and digging and now, mixing in the soil amendments. I was also planning on using some composted horse manure but I'm not sure if that is going to be necessary after all. I haven't decided yet.

My mom was a superstar in the garden tonight - we both worked for nearly 4.5 hours and the soil is looking SO much better already. We dug out another huge trench but didn't have time to fill it in with cedar chips tonight, so that will be a job for another day. We then mixed in the compost until we both had broken wrists and sore backs and it was getting dark and we had to stop. Check out the beds with the compost compared to the ones without now (at the back of the garden). There's such a difference in soil texture already, not to mention the nice rich colour. Dark soil = good soil!

5 of 8 beds with awesome new soil!

Also notice how high the beds are now? I'm not at all worried about the low land and water sitting in the plot, which has apparently been a problem for this area in the past. So far the cedar wood chips have done an awesome job of absorbing excess rainwater and I'm expecting the raised beds to dry out more quickly than if I had just left them flat at ground level.

So guess what this means? Almost time to start planting!!!!

MULCHING THE PATHS

My sister is awesome. She went to the garden with me today, helped dig out more trenches, then brought over several loads of cedar mulch from the other side of the field so we could fill them in. It's looking awesommmmme!

I love the cedar mulch, it makes the whole garden smells like a spa! This stuff is provided for free for all gardeners, which is really nice. I'd never be able to afford that much mulch on my own!

Thanks again Mel, you did a great job helping me today!

UGH PART II

The pity party of yesterday afternoon is now finished!

My sister decided to come over after she got off work to help me set up the gazebo, something I had attempted to do by myself but failed miserably at. Not to say that it went smoothly with two of us working on it, but at least we got it done.

I paid $40 for this gazebo frame from someone on Kijiji, which seemed like a pretty good deal at the time. However, upon putting it back together yesterday, we realized almost every single screw was rusty and the frame was warped, meaning the screws wouldn't fit back in the holes properly and it was a giant PITA to assemble. We actually broke one of the screws in half it was so rusty - this thing really should have been free!

Finally assembled. We will be putting wood chip mulch on top of the weed barrier to even out the base.

I'm not a fan of the big ugly white ropes holding it down, but the wind was picking up just as we were finishing and I had to quickly stake it into the ground before we left. Hopefully my plants will grow in and hide them later on.

You might be wondering why I put this big piece of rusty junk in the garden at all. The reason is three-fold:

1) I plan to attach several pieces of string along the crossbar at the rear leading back down to the ground, and will grow the Kentucky Blue pole beans up them. This will create a "wall of beans" on one side (and maybe up onto the roof, depending how big they get).

2) I am planting Heavenly Blue morning glories at each corner, which will hopefully grow up the corner columns and onto the roof as well, creating a shady living structure.

3) Once grown in, the gazebo will shade the plot in front of it for most of the day, where I will be planting my lettuce and other veggies that tend to bolt early and don't do well in the hot summer sun. I'm hoping this will extend the growing season for my salad greens.

My inspiration picture for the gazebo + morning glory set up.
I hope mine turns out as lovely!

I think we are going to head back over this morning and fill in the weed barrier area with woodchips, as long as the rain holds off. Thanks to my sister for coming over and helping out. It was nice to have some company and the extra helping hands. She will be handsomely rewarded this summer with fresh peppers and tomatoes!!!

DAY 5 DIGGING

Alllllllmost there....

The gazebo will be going on top of that square patch in the middle... I didn't miss a spot :)

MORE PROGRESS

Just a quick post to show a couple pictures of the work I did tonight. Yep, still weeding and digging. I see a light at the end of the tunnel though!

... AND MORE DIGGING

Let me start this post by saying that my. body. is. SORE.

I went to the garden for another 3.5 hours this morning, this time at 7:30 AM. There's something I really like about being out in the garden early in the morning before anyone else is around. It's so quiet and refreshing. Once 11:00 rolled around though it was hot out and I was beat. My legs are shaking just walking around the house now (at least I won't need to worry about going to the gym... 3.5 hours of manual labour is more than enough exercise for me!).

Here's today's progress, another 2 beds almost ready to go. I think this week I will start bringing in some compost so I can try to beef up the clay soil. You can tell how poor the soil is by the beds I dug out yesterday- look at that hard, dried, grey clay!

I also had some dead grass that I had raked off of the plot yesterday morning that I decided to lay down in the trenches as mulch. I'll still top it off with wood chips later but I like the way it looks for now, plus it'll stop them from becoming too muddy when it rains.

I'm super pleased with my 6.5 hours of hard work this weekend. I will give myself a well deserved pat on my very sore back!

CHOP CHOP DIG DIG

Last night I realized that my peppers plants were starting to flower. It's way too soon for that, and they're not nearly big enough to support the weight of any peppers, so I chopped their heads off!

See ya flower buds

Beanars says "can I eat these ones now?"

Yep, I decapitated all of them. As much as it pained me to chop off so much, I know they'll grow back stronger and bushier and produce more peppers this way. 

This morning I got up early and started hardening off all of the plants (which in regular-speak means taking them outside so they get used to the wind and rain and sun). If you don't gradually harden off your plants for a few weeks before planting them outside they'll go into shock, or get sunburned, and die. The elements can be pretty harsh!

The next item on the agenda was to start working on the plot - here's what I managed to accomplish from about 8:30 until 11:30 this morning:

The far bed will hold peas, carrots, bush beans, and beets. The closest will be for salad greens.

Are you impressed? I'm impressed. I pretty much got these first 2 beds weeded and built up, and also dug trenches around some parts (which I'll later fill with mulch to absorb water when it rains, and to be used as pathways between the beds). It was getting pretty hot by 11:30 and my arms were feeling weak so I called it a day. The pictures make it look like nice fluffy soil but that is pure HEAVY clay. But I did see a ton of these guys as I shoveled, which is a good sign - there must be enough nutrients in the soil for the worms to be feeding on, plus they help return nutrients to the garden with their poop!

hi there wormy, thanks for your help!

It's my mom's birthday today so now I'm off to Manotick for the celebrations. The weather is supposed to be beautiful tomorrow so we'll see how much more I can weed and dig out by the end of the weekend (If anyone wants to come help me I will reward you with delicious vegetables during the summer!!!!)

Have a good one and enjoy the weather!