Gardening: (2016– )

[Okanagancook]

Well, here in the Okanagan I have my arugula peeking out of the soil and the garlic is about three inches, but it is still a little unseasonable.

My old home town, Edmonton, was around -15C yesterday with new snow.   This is why we moved here for retirement.

[Martin Fisher]

9 minutes ago, Okanagancook said:

Okanagan

 

Okanagan was unknown to me before I became aware of it via you a few years ago.

By all accounts it's a very nice place!

[Okanagancook]

It is indeed probably one of the prime areas to live in Canada.  Growing zone 7 to 7 a.  The wine industry is amazing and is just getting going.  A Chardonnay from here just won best in show at the LaMonde Chardonnay competition and many other wines have won international awards.  There are two big wine festivals in the spring and fall attracking thousands of people for each.

 

We also have fruit.  Mainly soft fruits now like peaches, apricot, cherries.  Apples have become uneconomical to grow due to the competition from Washington State apple growers and the Chinese who have very large mechanized farms while here it is mainly small growers working hilly landscapes.  Many, many apple orchards have been taken out in favour of grapes vines.  

 

It is also very warm in the summer with a beautiful 120km long lake which is used for water sports.  We have miles of mountain bike trails as well as good road biking roads.In the winter, which is Mid-November to March we have great skiing in the surrounding mountains.

 

we moved here in 2005 and have seen tremendous growth in tourism.  Luckily we chose to live in Naramata which is 15 Kim’s from Penticton.  It gets very busy in Penticton in the summer and we can hang out here away from the hustle and bustle.  Even so, Naramata has 3000 full time residents and swells to 5000 when everyone who owns property here comes for vacation.

 

the farmers market is absolutely amazing...not like California, but for Canada it is special.  Many retirees from cooler climates like Alberta are looking to retire here and those in Vancouver are cashing in their high priced homes for a place in the sun.  Real estate prices are rising quite quickly.

 

anyway, it is wonderful here.  All visitors are welcome!

[kayb]

My garden plots are now broken up, and I have the material for four raised beds, at least one of which will go inside the fenced plot away from the predatory bunnies. That's destined for asparagus; I don't guess I'm moving, so I'll go ahead and start an asparagus bed. Not sure what the rest will be. I'm thinking one at one end of the tomato garden for peppers, and one at the other end for onions and potatoes. 

 

The grandlittles demanded sunflower seeds, so I shall plant sunflowers for them. I've never grown sunflowers before. Also got zinnias and marigolds for a border, as one of those is good to ward off pests, but I forget which it is, so I bought both.

 

Will till in some additional compost when we dry out after tomorrow's predicted rain, and then plant near mid-month. Supposed to be down in the upper 30s tonight. I think we're past last-frost danger, but who knows? I've seen snow in May, too.

 

[HungryChris]

I have lettuce that is about a week away from harvest and sugar snap peas that finally came up last week ( both in the cold frames) and garlic to the right rear, and now this. Enough, already!!

HC

[kayb]

That's just wrong.

 

[HungryChris]

Ramps

I have been checking my ramp beds every morning for two weeks and nothing. Yesterday morning was different!

HC

 

 

Edited April 12, 2018 by HungryChris (log)

[Okanagancook]

My sorrel plant.  Looks like it will be a good year.

Just made some Italian Wedding Soup using last year's frozen sorrel.

The lemony flavour worked very well.

[HungryChris]

First truly nice day in a very long time. Deb celebrated by hanging out laundry, I decided to celebrate with a load of cow manure compost.

HC

Edited April 21, 2018 by HungryChris (log)

[kayb]

_{Got the compost down this week; was going to till it in, but I'll let tomorrow's rain handle that and then I'll retill toward the end of the week when I'm ready to plant. Finally. I could have already had lettuce, carrots, and probably my brussels sprouts, broccoli and cauliflower out, but it's been so doggoned wet it's been hard to think about getting in the garden. Next week should be a good week. One more chilly snap tonight and tomorrow and hopefully that will do us.}

 

 

[dcarch]

Bull S h * t! 

Speaking of compost, I often wonder why is cow manure better than regular compost and more expensive?

A cow eats grass, makes beef. What cannot be used to make beef is dumped. So cow manure is grass without the beef.

If you compost grass, it has everything, including the ingredients that makes beef.

 

dcarch

 

[heidih]

@dcarch  The composition and nutritional value of both manure and compost vary by what went into making them (including the age of the animal) so there is no direct side by side though some suggest that the NPK of compost is richer.  I imagine access and quantity needed are major factors with gardeners using the most convenient. 

[kayb]

I use a combo of cow/horse manure (depending on which source I use, the Home Depot or a friend's barn) and compost from my back yard bin. My guy who cuts the grass dumps the grass clippings in the bin. So I guess I have all the bases covered.

[chromedome]

23 hours ago, dcarch said:

Bull S h * t! 

Speaking of compost, I often wonder why is cow manure better than regular compost and more expensive?

A cow eats grass, makes beef. What cannot be used to make beef is dumped. So cow manure is grass without the beef.

If you compost grass, it has everything, including the ingredients that makes beef.

 

dcarch

 

Enzymes and fermentation change the nutritional makeup of food, often for the better, and cooking/processing also make many nutrients more bioavailable. I'm too tired right now to look up whether anyone's done side-by-side comparisons, but there are at least logical reasons to suspect that manure has advantages in at least some nutrients. 

Your argument - which others have made as well - is also valid: A cow's digestive system exists for the purpose of pulling nutrients out of its food. That being said, a whole lot of grass goes into each point of manure, so it's probably more concentrated. 

I don't know how one might go about creating an apples-to-apples experiment, but I'm sure someone has tried. I just add 'em both, like kayb, which I suspect is probably the best option in any case. 

[ChocoMom]

Honestly, I don't know where to post this....gardening, food funnies or who knows....  

 

So I start a lot of my outdoor veggie plants indoors around this time of year.  I've got spinach, tomatoes, pumpkins, zukes, cukes, green beans, etc etc.  all started in pots and containers around the house.   Three of my grandkids are visiting, for my daughter's birthday party.  They got here last night, party is today, and "Grammie" has been super busy doing a 6 layer cake, and making food for 30.... not exactly paying attention to what the 5 yo and 3 yo are up to.     I take a "breather" this afternoon for about 5 minutes, and notice that there are Q-TIPS sticking out of EVERY. SINGLE. PLANT in the house. Upstairs, downstairs, living room, porch, etc.....Q-TIPS Everywhere. 

 

It just caught me off guard, struck a funny bone, and I confess...I laughed so hard I snorted.  Lord knows what was going through their little minds, but it made me giggle. 

[kayb]

I had hoped to get out and garden with my grandson this afternoon...bought my tomato plants, pepper plants and herbs yesterday, as well as some asparagus roots, onion sets, seed potatoes and, for the first time, horseradish root.  But a stomach bug, which we shall hope will be of short duration, has laid me low, so grandson has gone home and gardening is put off until tomorrow.

 

 

[HungryChris]

13 hours ago, kayb said:

I had hoped to get out and garden with my grandson this afternoon...bought my tomato plants, pepper plants and herbs yesterday, as well as some asparagus roots, onion sets, seed potatoes and, for the first time, horseradish root.  But a stomach bug, which we shall hope will be of short duration, has laid me low, so grandson has gone home and gardening is put off until tomorrow.

 

 

Horseradish root, like mint, is something that must be put and kept in it's place. I planted a half of one that I did not grind up completely, in my garden and getting rid of that spreading plant was about a seven year task.

HC

[chromedome]

When I lived in Edmonton, horseradish grew thickly all up and down the alley behind the houses of my block. Whoever planted it initially didn't know or didn't care how persistent it is. 

[KennethT]

What is involved with extreme controlled environment urban agriculture?

Insulated tent from the outside.

 

CO2 canister, humidifier and seedling nursery.

 

6 different types of rare strawberries.

Edited May 2, 2018 by KennethT (log)

[dcarch]

Impressive setup!

Did you start the strawberries from seeds? Good job!

 

A suggestion for your next setup.

Get rigid aluminum foiled insulation board. (4' x 8" x 1/2") for the chamber. Construction is easy. Cut with a knife, and use packing tape to make the box. Very strong. Comes with reflective surface. Handling fiberglass is tricky and ichy. 

 

dcarch

 

 

[KennethT]

Yes, the strawberries are heirloom varieties and can be planted from seed - although there are a few tricks to getting them to germinate.

 

Your rigid insulation board is good for small setups, but eventually, the strawberry plants will be about 24" in diameter each - and there will be six of them.  Plus, I need room for the light, air conditioning unit that keeps the proper temp.  So, the nice thing is that once the strawberries are growing in their upgraded spot in the tent (currently under construction), I'll have room in there for some other fun stuff....

[dcarch]

With rigid foiled insulation board, it is rigid enough to be structural. If you get 4' x 8' sheets (also come in 4' x 10'), 6 sheets will give you a 4' w x 4' D x 8' H reflective chamber. Using hot glue gun, you can create different interior setups. 

 

I am concerned about health safety with fiberglass.

 

dcarch

 

 

 

 

[KennethT]

I understand that - I actually planned to cover the insulation with plastic wrap to contain it... I just haven't gotten around to it yet.  Maybe this weekend.  I never thought of building a structure out of foam insulation board that I can go in and out of, while keeping it light proof and close to air tight.

[Shelby]

Last week I was feeling ahead of the game.  This week it's so hot and humid that I feel behind lol.

 

Potatoes and onions are up.  I haven't planted potatoes for years.  I'm excited for these.

 

 

I'm picking about this much asparagus twice a day.

 

 

Early next week the planting of tomatoes, corn, beans, squash etc. will begin.  I hope.

 

 

 

 

[TicTac]

So jealous of those fresh Asspergass (sorry, it's what this household - aka the rugrats - refers to them as...!) 

 

They are one of the veggies that truly degrades the moment you pick them - hence why keeping them in water is advised.  Then again if it is a 2 minute walk to the kitchen, who needs water!?