summer 2011

Due to the bathroom reno during spring and because we stayed with my mum while it was happening I was a month behind in my gardening. Shamefully I only today got to my pots done and planted some of the veg I should have planted in May. I had to go with veggies that will grow quickly and don't have a long gestation period due to the timing. Fingers crossed we get something out of it this year.

Here is what I have been up to the past two weekends:

 

Still lots to do, but it's a start.

causulties of winter

The snow has been steadily melting with the warm weather the past week or so and left its wake is disaster.  Today I did a walk around my house to assess the damage and I am not encouraged by the work ahead.  And not only the work but the repairing.  Just look at the Burning Bush I planted two summers ago! I'm not even sure this will come back.  At the moment it looks like something sat in the middle of it spreading and breaking its branches.

 And my little tree beside the front porch is also in sad shape.  The branches have been stretched to the point of breaking by the weight of the snow.

But amongst all the carnage are signs of hope.  Little buds popping through the still frozen earth, little bells like this picture - the first signs of spring.  I just hope that with time all the causulties of this long and harsh winter that a swift recover can be made.  

Veg Garden continues...

There has been progress on the veg garden check it out! :) We're almost there!

Paper or Plastic?

This year the City of London has declared that only special plastic bags with a recycle symbol on them and paper bags will be accepted at the curb side. The catch? The plastic bags are 10 times more expensive than the regular ones and the paper bags fall apart after 2 days sitting on your drive way waiting for pick up.

So my call to all the inventors out there: I would like to partake in the paper bag, however we (all gardeners out there) are in need of a hybrid paper/plastic bag option that will hold up until yard pick up (rain/bugs etc) yet not break the bank. Anyone? Anyone?

Side note: How cute are these?

Herbs!

I also got my herb planters going this weekend. I love adding fresh herbs to the meals I make. Rosemary is my favourite!

Composting

Today I finally put the first contribution into my compost bin. I have two black compost bins that have gone unused until now. So I figure I should learn how to use them now that I started. I guess there is a bit of an art to composting. Below are some tips I found good for beginners like me.

How to make great compost
-Include veggie scraps, tea bags, coffee grounds, eggshells, cooked rice and pasta, bread, grass clippings, thin leaves and other kitchen and yard waste, but leave out cat litter, animal products, woody garden waste and spicy, salty or vinegary foods.

-Put your compost in a bin unless you have a lot of outdoor space for a pile. Bins are neater and tend to keep compost more moist. You may want to contain your pile inside a frame protected by chicken wire to keep raccoons and other animals from making a mess of it.

-Create the right balance of carbon and nitrogen in your compost by making it a mix of three parts soft, green material (vegetable matter, grass clippings) to one part woody material (twigs, shredded or crumpled paper and non-laminated cardboard).

-Break down garden detritus, such as tough stalks, with an axe or hammer to help it decompose faster.

-Get wriggling: Accelerate your compost by adding worms to your compost bin. As they eat organic material, worms are breaking it down, and they're also aerating the soil as they move through it. Head to the nearest bait shop to pick up some "red wigglers," the worm of choice for quickly breaking down compost. But don't dump that compost full of worms on your garden -- freeze it first to kill the worms, since red wigglers and most other types are non-native species that, if released, can damage forests.

With these tips, I should be well on my way to good composting and a more eco-friendly life-style. I feel better already : )

Herb Garden 101

As part of my garden restoration project I have decided, in place of my veg garden that never came to be this year, I would plant some herbs. So with this in mind out to Canadale I go and I buy, Parsley, Mint, Sage, Basil, Bay leaves, garlic, and Rosemary. Amateur eagerness in full effect, I plant the herbs and they are looking great!

Problem...I don't really know what to do with them now. Ok, the obvious ones I know what to do - but Sage, basil and even Parsley, not really sure when to use these. So to the internet I go for some research. I found this website that tells you what the herbs are great for, how to use them, and how to handle them. If you're herbally-challenged like me, check it out.

Herbs 101

If you need a great indoor herb garden, I recommend this 3 herb potting tray - so cute!
You can order online at: Stoneware Planter

Backyard remodel - Phase II

I am exhausted! Today I finally finished cleaning up, planting, and mulching the flower beds in my back yard. I wish I was even close to finished though. But, it does look much much better than it did before.

Next up: tree cut down, fix the grass, fill in the massive holes left in the middle of the yard by the tree transplant and build a patio. Long road ahead.

Research for the perfect backyard

I am loving the HGTV website as I'm doing some research for my back yard transformation. I feel like if I talk about it enough it will motivate me to actually follow through. : )

If you're looking for some fun ideas check out:

www.hgtv.ca/gardening

Gardening 101

It's time to kick my yard, front and back, into shape. The only problem is I don't know how to do that. I think it may be funny to chronicle my progress as I go through this process. I have traditionally hated gardening, but it's funny how your perspective changes when the garden is actually your own.

Right now my back yard has more weeds than grass. I just found this tip from HGTV.ca (my fav) to help me sort it out.

Your yard is a weed wasteland.
How to fix it: Are there more weeds than blades of grass? If so, cut your lawn more often, which will help grass grow and will cut down on weeds (be sure to rake up any grass cuttings so weeds don’t reseed). Dig out weeds by hand and fill space with soil, grass seed and sand. Spray other weeds directly with weed killer (avoid hitting the grass). For weeds in the sidewalk, pour boiling water, then fill cracks with sand. For weeds between flowers, consider spreading wood chips between the flowers, which can help keep weeds at bay (so you don’t have to pull them!).


Consider this step one to out door overhaul at 678.