Early-June Updates

It's been a while since I've managed to post about gardening.

The other night, I was in the kitchen when I heard a high-pitched sound coming from outside.  I paused everything and listened.  It was meowing.  Tiny high-pitched mews!  I turned on the light, and on the deck was a small cat--definitely not a "kitten", but still rather small and young-looking; white and grey and very soft-looking!  It was sitting maybe 3m away from the door, perched neatly on a chair-thing my dad had been building.  As soon as I'd turned on the light, it began walking away--not running, just walking.  I haven't seen it since, but it definitely brought some extra joy to my evening!  I almost want to leave a fish out for it.  

Some more highlights:

• Something ate a bunch of our violas.  We suspect birds.  I've put the little windmills back up!  
• The bunny is still tiny, I don't know how this is possible!  And he (or she) is still not very afraid of me!  What a brave little bunny!
• Radishes are growing pretty slowly; I suspect the heavy rains have compacted the soil, which has been impeding root growth.  That, and flea beetles and cabbage caterpillars have been munching the leaves into doilies.  
• more later...

8 June:

Four zucchini seeds suddenly decided to germinate (a third appeared in the container on the left).  I gave them to a classmate who has room for them.

Zucchini, tomatoes, basil and marigolds have been set out in the 3x16 bed.

I can't wait for salad!

16 June:

Salad greens and edible flowers:

Zucchinis:

 

Peas continue to get nibbled by birds.  I don't know what to do any more!!

Tomato Plants!

Below left:  Black krim tomato plant; main stalk is getting thick (approx 1cm)
Below right:  Sun sugar tomato plant is still pretty small.

 

Marigolds!

 

Proto-apples on our Gala apple tree.  I think there are too many bad/misshapen (possibly aborted) fruits.  At least a hundred of these tiny withered fruits have blown down, and there are still more on the tree.  I want to hose them off so the tree can redirect energy to the good fruits.

Radishes!

Typical-sized radishes when I pull them out.  I take the two or three biggest-looking plants and pull them out ever week.

My broccoli-carrot-radish bed!  (I can no longer call it my 3x6 bed, since I have two now!)

A friend gave me two hot pepper plants!  She's not sure what kind they are; she got the seeds from a neighbour who brought seeds over from Vietnam.  So we call them "Vietnamese peppers".  Apparently they're very hot and the mature fruit is red.

Some chamomile came back!!  I'm so happy!!  (My dad "accidentally" ran the lawnmower over the plants I had growing here, including swamp milkweed.  Seriously, how do you "unknowingly" run over a milkweed plant?!)  I've since sowed more tall plants here, including:  "white cloud" poppies, calendula (these ones grow to be huge, and self-seed like crazy!), and bachelor's button.

The tomato I planted in my adopted pot.  The main stem is as thick as my index finger (approx 2cm).  The other week, I found the marigold to be missing.  Either the crazy winds ripped it out, or someone is a jerk.  I've since replanted the marigold and added a calendula!

The nasturtium I direct-seeded to the adopted planter.  This is one of only two nasturtium seedlings that actually popped up this year.  I'm not sure why it's been such a bad year for them!  Maybe I'm doing something wrong...  Anyway, I'm half-seriously tempted to dig this up and replant in my home garden.  Argh.

New:

• Bought a 6-pack of California Wonder red bell peppers from SuperStore.  These are usually $2.50, but I got the pack for $2 today.  I hope they're good!  
• Also bought a lemon balm and a golden lemon thyme.  I AM SO EXCITED FOR THESE YOU HAVE NO IDEA.  But I want to give them a proper home, in a perennial herb bed...  For now, these and my oregano will go in a large planter.  But one day...  

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Radish Sprouts - Days Three and Four

Day Three:

I guess those long white things are stems and roots.  They're all tangly.  Because I was keeping the jar upside-down to let the water drain out, some roots tangled themselves into the cheesecloth.  I waited until I felt they would be strong enough to not break if I tried to take them out.

You can see the pale yellow seed leaves.  Ideally, I would have put the jar in indirect sunlight (windowsill) or bright artificial light.  I was in a rush to get to school, and I typically don't get home until late, so this spent the day on the kitchen table, with whatever light was available.  The results?  ...

Day Four:

A big, slightly tangled mass of firm shoots and lightly green leaves; with lots of seed casings (the brown stuff).

Considering I used about 1 tbsp of seeds, and got approximately 1 cup of sprouts, I'm pretty happy with this investment!

Eating:  The sprouts are pleasantly crisp (crunchy) and "juicy" the way an apple or Chinese pear are "juicy".  The taste is straight up RADISH, but maybe not as "hot" (peppery) as radish roots.  And these are jucier than eating radish roots.

I was very hungry at the time, so I put these in a wrap with chicken and a Greek vinaigrette.  But I could have eaten them as they were!

I have since started a new jar, with approx 1 heaping tablespoon of seeds, and am excited!

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Radish Sprouts - Day Two

It's a little hard to keep on this four-rinses per day schedule...

Most radish seeds have swelled and opened!

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Radish Sprouts - Day One

I've been itching to try sprouting for a few weeks now, but never really had the courage, and have been a little scared of contaminated or less-than-ideal seeds.  But the thought of paying money for farmed sprouts when it seems so easy and cheap to do it at home--and the promise of more fresh (salad) veggies...and finding affordable organic seeds--did convince me to try!

I was at Vita Health on Sunday, and saw a 200g bag of organic radish seeds for under $5.  I had thought they would be more expensive!  Found some canning jars at Canadian Tire, on sale for $7 for a 12-pack; and I had some leftover cheesecloth at home.

Instructions on sprouts package:

Rinse seeds in fresh lukewarm water and drain 4 times a day.  On the 3rd day, the sprouts will be app. 1-2".  Place in direct sunlight, sprouts will be ready to serve on the 4th day.

Day One:

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Escaped Chives

Myro and I went for a walk today, and found both onion and garlic chives growing in a ditch!  I'm so tempted to steal the flowering garlic chives--our garlic chives have never once flowered--and onion chives, since we have none.  But we're a little nervous about ticks in the grass, and also didn't have any shovels with us on our romantic evening walk.  Here's a picture from his phone camera:

(The white flowers are garlic chives, we presume; and the purple ones are onion chives.)

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Gardening: week 6.5

It's been an exciting weekend!  I didn't put my plants in the ground yet, as they're not yet accustomed to being outside--some are still getting sunburnt leaves, and I'm starting to lose hope for the sick zucchinis.  But it is a time of anticipation and excitement!

The following photos are from 2 June.

My friend gave me two litchi tomatoes, and one has just blossomed!  I think it's absolutely gorgeous!

 

I spent the afternoon digging in these stakes.  I'm afraid they may not hold, so I may need to fasten them to the bed somehow--digging them in deeper is kind of out of the question.  These are 10' 2x2s, buried about 1' into the ground.  I'll have to come up with a way to secure them before I transplant the tomatoes!

If you think the stakes above are unreasonably optimistic, here's a photo from 7 Aug last year.  Remember, the fence is about 6' tall; and that one plant, though it's hard to see because of the backlighting, is taller than the fence, while bent over itself.  Some plants got over 8' tall last year, even after I let secondary shoots grow out.

I am SO FREAKING EXCITED for these radishes.  I've never grown radishes before!  *squee!*  Lookit this one, bulging out of the soil slightly!!  (Also: I freakin' LOVE my new camera!)

Radish plots:

Our neighbourhood has a sort of "adopt a planter" program.  I e-mailed the neighbourhood community organisation and asked if I could adopt this abandoned one near my house, and if there were any guidelines to what I should plant.  The reply:

There are no restrictions to what you can plant (except of course anything illegal - haha) so go ahead and get creative!

SWEET!  So I've planted a Purple Prince tomato, and some nasturtium seeds.  When my plants get big enough, I'll also include basil, marigolds and maybe some onion chives, if I can get my hands on some (the ones we have are garlic chives, and have never flowered).

The only potential problem: this pot has ABSOLUTELY NO SHADE WHATSOEVER.  It's by a bus stop on a main road in this neighbourhood.  So I put down some mulch, to help retain moisture; but I'm a little worried this guy may get sunburnt.  I'll check up on him whenever I can, but I'm pretty confident.  I'm also pretty confident that nobody will steal the tomato cage--though I'll be a bit disappointed if someone does.

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