125 replies to this topic

[BCinBC]

I'm not the planter either, my wife is - but from what I've seen of our oregano, rosemary and sage over the winters, they seem to be able to survive anything. Frost, cats, birds, maintenance men tossing wood scraps onto them from the deck above... Short answer: I think some things can go in now (as they have in our garden), while other sunlight-sensitive stuff (like basil) has to wait / start indoors.

What the hell is a coldframe?

[shelora]

Hell no, Keith. It's not too early for herbs. We've planted loads of flat leaf parsley and arugula in the last while and it's coming up like crazy. Our more adventurous neighbour planted peas last month and they are healthy and happy. No cold frame, no hot house.
We are very much low maintenance gardeners and I can't believe what's weathered over this year - epazote, lemon verbena, thyme, rosemary, kale, lamb's lettuce, bay, of course. And we did nothing! The lovage and fennel is already up along with the chives and the first signs of tarragon fill me with hope.
We're planting runner beans this weekend.

[jamiemaw]

It's not like I'm Mr. Greenjeans, but isn't it waaaayyyy too early to plant herbs outside, unless it's in a coldframe/hothouse? And I'd assume that if you were keen enough to have a coldframe, or even know what that means, as opposed to me that has only a vague idea that it's some kind garden thing that you need in the spring, you'd already know the appropriate time of year to begin killing plants, or maybe growing if you know what the hell you're doing.

From the desk of: F. Morris Chatters
Director of Community Well-Being
Municipality of Richmond, British Columbia
'Home of YVR, Fantasy Gardens and the fabulous River Rock Casino'

Dear Mr. Talent,

Our Community Well-Being Team was on a recent neighbourhood garden invigilation when we were alerted to the scabrous state of your herb and vegetable beds. Please consider this a FIRST WARNING that you are falling even farther behind your neighbours this year.

Richmond, BC is a horticultural hotbed and showcase, where loose and fertile elluvial soils lie in silent vigil, awaiting your signal to propigate crops of early bananas, Siberian peaches and April's melons.

Even though Bill and Lillian are no longer your neighbours, surely you've noticed others in the municipality out bone-mealing their peonies and fondling their lovage and no doubt scowling over your fence, wondering exactly when the Talent family is going to get around to making their beds.

We take a dim view of waiting until the Victoria Day weekend to till, fertilize and plant. We see this as a kind of stubborn protest that you may well see repaid with nocturnal deposits on your front lawn in the style of the hound, or even being shown to a questionable table at The Keg on a slow Tuesday!

Or there's always outright humiliation. I have a lovely hi-res photo of you choking down dollar tubesteaks at Ikea (looks like a messy Ukranian blow-job) last Saturday, when you should have been roto-tilling. I am not afraid to share them with your little foodee friends if you continue ignoring your herbs and yellow creeper.

The shoe's on the other foot now, my friend.

Heave hoe!

F. Morris Chatters
Director of Community Well Being
Municipality of Richmond, British Columbia

Edited by jamiemaw, 14 April 2005 - 06:53 AM.

[appreciator]

Man o man you get around, don't you Morris? Just the other day you were reaking bloody havoc over at the wine fest while continuing to ingratiate yourself amonst the powers that be at Earls....'''

When will it all end?

When will you have sewn all that you reap?

Okay... that was pretty bloody lame (but better than I had before ).....

[Keith Talent]

For the recod, messy Ukrainian blow job is the best phrase ever.

And if the self rightgeous Mr. Chatters had taken a few moments to observe his surroundings, he'd have noticed a few salient points. A) I live in what could be considered Richmond's only crack positive neighbourhood. Just having herbs, puts me a step ahead of the surrounding grow-op's. B) The big freaking red white and blue Remax sign stabbed like a stake into a vampires heart of my front lawn should have been an indicator that I could care less if my oregano did or did not make it through the winter. It's some other suckers...eerrr...first time homebuyers problem now.

Here's a tip for would be realtors, when some swarthy looking andro-enhanced dude rolls up in his hummer, wearing more chain than adorned the decks of the Andrea Doria, inquirining about the amperage and where the Hydro box is located, he doesn't really care about the 3BD/3BA, with wild blueberries in the backyard, (unless of course he's willing to write a subject free offer with quick closing close to list.) .

[sanrensho]

[Edited the first part out]

Surely there must be some of you that are busy planting and planning for your garden bounty. What have you got going into the ground? Anything unusual this year?

This year, we finally have some sun to work with due to some generous tree removal (for hazard reasons). So far, we've got a bunch of Japanese greens coming up, lots of young Spinach and other assorted greens, along with the start of a lettuce patch. Also doing sugar snap peas, eggplant and squash for the first time.

I also continue to be amazed at the production from my redcurrant bush, although it will be another month or so before the fruit are ripe.

I look forward to hearing what everyone is planting, as well as your successes/failures.

Edited by sanrensho, 24 May 2007 - 12:35 AM.

[Paul B]

My wife is an avid gardener and I always encourage her to plant things I can eat. We have herbs in our front and back yards; a quince tree and an Italian plum tree as well as a columnar apple; rhubarb and various forms of lettuce. But the best thing to grow, I think, is tomatoes since no store bought tomato will ever come close to the taste of one plucked hot from the vine (and served on warm bread with mayo, a few anchovies, and lots of ground pepper). She ordered some heritage seeds from the Gulf islands this year and has started them inside along with some from seeds we picked up in Italy years ago. The seedlings are doing well and should go in the ground in a month or so, depending on the weather. Fingers crossed for a hot summer with few slugs or, for the sake of my plum tree, bears.

[sanrensho]

^^^I really wish we could plant some fruit trees, but space and other restrictions mean that we have to settle for fruit bushes. I'm thinking of picking up a blackcurrant bush and some black raspberries this year.

My experiences with tomatoes have been miserable, but I think I'll give it a go this year.

[BCinBC]

Our herbs are in fairly disasterous shape, due to various factors (winter, idiot landscapers sent by Strata-bot, subsequent move, etc) - however, they are now replanted on a very sunny deck and have had more than adequate waterings recently. Ole rosemary looks like the only one who may not make it, which on one hand really sucks because it was in the best shape previously. On the other hand, it grows like crazy and we should have no problem replacing it if required.

We got a few herbs and peppers at Rona recently (and the basil is already dead), but I think it's almost time to hit up the Richmond farmers again. Nice thread revival.

[sanrensho]

We got a few herbs and peppers at Rona recently (and the basil is already dead)

The gardeners at my local nursery (Dykhof Nurseries in North Van) keep reminding me that it's still borderline early to plant tomatoes and basil, so I've been holding off on both.

I'm dying to make some basil pesto to go with the handmade pasta that we started making this year...

[Daddy-A]

Our garden this year includes 6 different varieties of tomato, 3 types of eggplant, basil, sage, rosemary, thyme, chives, shiso (if we can find it), oregano, parsley ....

It's my wife's fault really. She's discovered out back pation is the perfect climate for container gardening. We usually have 10-12 pots around the outside of the deck all fed with an automatic irrigation system.

A.

[sanrensho]

Our garden this year includes 6 different varieties of tomato, 3 types of eggplant, basil, sage, rosemary, thyme, chives, shiso (if we can find it), oregano, parsley ....

Fujiya will have (Japanese) green shiso plants once the weather warms up. I'll post when they become available. I also saw two types of shiso (green and purple) at the Maple Leaf Garden Centre in Lynn Valley, but the former appeared to be the Korean perilla with a purple tint to the leaves.

[mtigges]

3 varieties of tomatoes (sungold, roma, <something else can't remember>).
carrots,
peas (snow and shell)
beets,
parsnip
leeks
onions (walla walla & red)
herbs (basil, et. al.)
garlic (about 140 heads)
hops (for the beer making, all cascade, I ripped out my fuggles plant last year)
strawberries,
raspberries
potatoes (fingerling)
cucumber (field)
salad (mostly arugala)

That's what's growing now, we just ripped out all the brasica (kale and cabbage) that we grew over the winter, the buds and leaves are delicious in late winter and early spring.

All this is in a pretty small lot of a half duplex in North Van.

[mtigges]

my basil is doing fine, and my tomatoes as well. The tomatoes have been in for a week, and the basil since the weekend, they show no sign of stress. Cucumbers on the other hand ... I think I put too much compost around them. We have a very warm back yard though.

edited to add:

Our rosemary died over winter, as did our bay tree. However, a girl I work with on a whim sprouted pomegranite in the office from some fruit she bought at the grocer, I put one in the ground last september. It appeared to have died, nothing but a stalk with no branches, but it's budding beautifully now.

Edited by mtigges, 23 May 2007 - 02:50 PM.

[jchaput]

Almost all of my rosemary died off this year too, except for one. It's funny, i've heard so many people say the same thing. The laurel (bay) survived. Last year I got a great mixed pot of basil from GardenWorks that lasted the whole summer. My lovage is really coming along strong now. What I really want is some chervil.

[sanrensho]

What I really want is some chervil.

I'm with you there. I grew some chervil a few years ago when it was included in a mesculin/herb mix, so it should be easy to grow from seed. Unfortunately, my local nursery no longer carries the same seed pack.

Also, I've asked Pam R to merge the two threads since it was too confusing with the similar subject matter. Sorry about that!

Does anyone know if it is possible to grow kaffir lime leaf and curry leaf trees in our climate? Has anyone seen either sold locally (plants)?

Edited by sanrensho, 23 May 2007 - 03:46 PM.

[jchaput]

i've seen curry plants (not trees) around before.

Edited by jchaput, 23 May 2007 - 09:46 PM.

[sanrensho]

i've seen curry plants around before.

Curry plant or curry (leaf) tree? I probably wasn't specific enough, but I'm looking the latter. I realize it may be a hopeless quest, since it's a tropical/sub-tropical tree.

[Clover]

Without a backyard to work with, I am experimenting with 'balcony gardening'. I have two cascading tomato plants (a Tumbling Tom and something appropriately called Cascade) that I have planted in hanging containers. There is also an Early Girl perched on the ledge that is blooming already. We'll see if I can get the tomatoes and basil up high enough to get our somewhat sporadic portion of sun. The mint, dill, chives, rosemary, thyme, and lemon thyme are all planted and doing well in the flower boxes.

I really envy those of you with berry bushes of any kind.

The Trout Lake Farmer's Market had a nice variety of tomato plants and herbs on Saturday.

[Claudiak]

I'm actually going to have a decently-sized deck once I move into my new place in July, so I'm now planning My Very First Garden. Ever.

At an event hosted by the BC Blueberry Council yesterday (where blueberries were used in fabulous Iron Chef-like fashion by Don Letendre of Elixir) I idly threw out the idea of growing blueberries to a commercial blueberry farmer who was sitting at my table.

Would you believe he said it's doable, even on the deck of a condo in downtown Vancouver?

Provided you can get plants, he says all they need is some acidic soil, a decent source of water, and to have their dead twigs removed in the winter. They'll stay small if you plant them in a small container, but can grow up to 6 feet high if they get enough room, and they're long lived (some in Richmond have continued to produce for 50 or 60 years). He also says the blueberry bushes don't need to be brought inside or kept warm in the winter, because they actually need the cold to regulate how much fruit they bear.

He also suggested getting at least two plants to allow them to cross-fertilize each other, and that if you get the right varieties, you could have fresh blueberries from the end of July until mid September. I didn't mention my blueberry-devouring fiend of a niece who will make short work of the miniscule crop.

I admit I'm pretty scared to take the project on, but it's intriguing, no?

[sanrensho]

I admit I'm pretty scared to take the project on, but it's intriguing, no?

I would say it's definitely doable.

We've had a blueberry bush that has been stunted for the last two years due to lack of sun. It has since been planted in a sunny location. The bush isn't more than 3 or 4 feet tall and the roots weren't particularly big. I'm already seeing some blossoms, so we should be able to pick a handful [edited] of blueberries this year. (Last year we only got a couple of tiny blueberries.)

I think you could also do gooseberries on a sunny balcony. We have one bush that was also moved to a sunny location this year, and it's not very tall, maybe 2 feet. We can already see the fruit, and the foliage is nice.

Edited by sanrensho, 24 May 2007 - 02:03 PM.

[Clover]

Intriguing indeed. I am definitely going to see if this might be workable on my balcony. Thanks for the idea!

[Megaroo]

What I really want is some chervil.

I'm with you there. I grew some chervil a few years ago when it was included in a mesculin/herb mix, so it should be easy to grow from seed. Unfortunately, my local nursery no longer carries the same seed pack.

I found a packet of Curled Chervil seeds at Hollyfield's on Granville Island. The packet was produced by Richters and cost a $1.50 - and I planted it in early March and the plant is huge already! I have it in a small pot on my window sill, as unfortunately, our place in the West End doesn't have a balcony, but it's thriving and doing well. (And I still have over half the packet of seeds left!)

[sanrensho]

I think I've finished the majority of my spring planting, so here's the full list of what's going in my garden this year. It looks like more than it is. Most of it I've never planted before, so I'll be darn pleased if even half of it turns out OK (doesn't die by my black thumbs).

Fruits from previous seasons: Blueberries, currants (red), gooseberries, raspberries

Fruits new this season: Black currants, black raspberries (if I can still get some from Rona)

Vegetables from previous seasons: Rhubarb

Vegetables newly started this season (majority never planted before):

Beans (runner/garbonzo—starts)
Brussel sprouts (starts)
Cabbage (savoy—starts)
Chard (rainbow—starts)
Cucumber (straight eight—starts)
Eggplant (ichiban/bambino—starts)
Gai lan (seeds)
Japanese greens (shungiku/shinshu kyomizuna, one other—seeds)
Kale (starts)
Pac choi (starts)
Peas (sugar snap—starts and seeds)
Peppers (waiting to get the same ones I got last year from H Mart)
Salad greens (mesculin mix—seeds, arugula—starters)
Soybean (seeds)
Spinach (noble giant—starts)
Squash (buttercup—starts, kabocha—seeds)
Tomatoes (red cherry, sweet 100—starts)
Watercress (starts)
Yomogi (mugwort—received from friend)

Herbs from previous seasons: Marjoram (pot), mint (English, apple), oregano, rau ram, savory (winter), thyme (English)

Herbs, newly started this season: Basil (Genovese, Thai holy—seeds and starts), bay (starts) dill (starts), parsley (Italian—starts), rosemary (starts), shiso (waiting for Fujiya to stock this)

Disasters to report so far: The slugs got to my savoy cabbage and pretty much have killed my buttercup squash starts. Also considering leg traps to prevent my kids (or more specifically, their friends) from stepping on recently planted ground.

Edited by sanrensho, 27 May 2007 - 01:13 AM.

[fud]

Disasters to report so far: The slugs got to my savoy cabbage and pretty much have killed my buttercup squash starts. Also considering leg traps to prevent my kids (or more specifically, their friends) from stepping on recently planted ground.

That is a great garden you are starting!

I hate slugs and crows...they eat everything! Can we setup a row of hair dryers to stop the slug advancement.

[sanrensho]

That is a great garden you are starting!

Thanks, this will be an experimental year to see what actually grows and doesn't, and what is worthwhile in terms of actual production/effort.

So far, we've had a few salads of young greens (spinach/chard/kale/arugula/cabbage/pac choi) and I've got some herbs to work with. I'm hopeful that we'll have enough greens moving forward to keep us topped up most days. My main goal is to get access to a greater variety of greens without driving across town.

Due to space restrictions, I'm not planting space intensive crops or things that I can buy readily (carrots, onions, potatoes). At least, not this year.

[uberator]

Was at Fujiya on Saturday and found Eggplant, Shiso and Chilly. They had a small selection. Ended up picking up some Chilly's and an Eggplant.

Our garden this year includes 6 different varieties of tomato, 3 types of eggplant, basil, sage, rosemary, thyme, chives, shiso (if we can find it), oregano, parsley ....

Fujiya will have (Japanese) green shiso plants once the weather warms up. I'll post when they become available. I also saw two types of shiso (green and purple) at the Maple Leaf Garden Centre in Lynn Valley, but the former appeared to be the Korean perilla with a purple tint to the leaves.

[sanrensho]

Was at Fujiya on Saturday and found Eggplant, Shiso and Chilly. They had a small selection. Ended up picking up some Chilly's and an Eggplant.

Excellent, thanks! What I am really dying for is shishitou. Any chance those chili plants were actually shishitou peppers?

[Matt R.]

Sarensho, in my experience all will do very well in our climate, except the brussels. It can be too warm for too long in the fall, when it should be cool and they will bolt and go to seed just as you think you are getting somewhere. Also, they taste better after a good, hard frost, which we barely get before January. :) When all else fails, just eat the green leaves like any other cabbage.

A great trap for slugs is a small yogourt container buried in the soil to the rim, then 1/2 full of beer. Just watch - the next morning you will come out and see it full of dead slugs, and your brassicas will love you for it.

Happy gardening! I, too, am done my spring planting and have saved extra room this year for tomatoes.

-- Matt.

[lauraf]

Almost all of my rosemary died off this year too, except for one.  It's funny, i've heard so many people say the same thing.  The laurel (bay) survived.  Last year I got a great mixed pot of basil from GardenWorks that lasted the whole summer.  My lovage is really coming along strong now.  What I really want is some chervil.

I'm late chiming in on this thread (been busy gardneing ) - my four year old rosemary survived the winter but bolted from a nice thick bushy plant into a stringy woody mess. Was it our challenging weather this winter that caused my problem and others'? Maybe I am not taking cuttings the right way? What is the best way to harvest rosemary so that it stays more compact and attractive?