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In the zone

by on August 1, 2011 in Plans & Getting Going, The Growing Garden

Here’s a clue (less of a clue and more an obvious answer, thanks to some paperwork being finalized) where I’m going to be gardening at next spring:
http://www.plantmaps.com/interactive-alberta-plant-zone-hardiness-map.php

But according to this, I’ll be in zone 3b to 4a, where the official Canada hardiness map indicates 1b to 2a:

http://atlas.agr.gc.ca/agmaf/index_eng.html#context=phz-zrp_en

(yeah Alberta is a big province, a more narrowed down location will be forthcoming at a later date)

Thankfully my awesome mother in law has a nice (raised bed because of horrid clay soil) garden so I’ll have some help with my new challenge!

And a greenhouse will be built… a nice big beautiful greenhouse with a wood stove (thank you to a facebook follower for that suggestion)!

Are you in a cold climate? What is your favorite vegetable to grow? Any tips for this spoiled pacific northwest-er that can grow almost everything except citrus?

Almost done for the year

by on August 12, 2009 in Plans & Getting Going, The Growing Garden

The last of the potatoes and onions got harvested yesterday. The onions were trying to flower, I guess it’s been this bizarre ‘super hot to below normal temps’ weather. All that is left are a few cucumbers and tons of tomatoes. I’m thinking of container gardening next year to make the whole process easier since I expect to be as busy, maybe busier. Must research…

So until next planting season, I’ll be posting plans, recipes and probably some green-eco-naturey-earth stuff. I hope (really really hope) everyone had a more successful garden than I did this year – but effort put in is directly related to reward given and my effort was lacking from so much other stuff going on.

The one where I complain about the weather again

by on July 26, 2009 in Life in Oregon, The Growing Garden

Makes me wonder if the weather dudes don’t read my blog and decide to crank it up a notch cause the previous highs weren’t high enough!

weather2

Right now, I’d much prefer freezing cold.

Yes, I’m fighting a migraine from it! Fun, fun.

I’m watering at night so the plants get a chance to use the water, watering in this kind of heat will evaporate faster. All we have left are some russets, green beans, onions, cucumbers and tomatoes, but they’re doing pretty well considering the abusive mistreatment this weather (*cough*me*cough*) is putting them through.

It’s cloudy…

by on July 23, 2009 in The Growing Garden

…and cool. Now if only I could wake up and get motivated.

Nah.

My poor garden.

The garden, Squidoo, random

by on July 17, 2009 in Off Topic, The Growing Garden

I’m the queen of craptastic titles, I know.

It’s been hot, not as hot as say, Double Danger (they have a whole “hot as hell” category, you could not pay me enough to live in Texas), but it’s getting 90-95F with high humidity and no a/c, and if you’ve missed my whining on Twitter, you should know that means it’s been 86-87F inside my house. So there’s the whole heat induced migraine going on and I have an a/c in my garage and I’m really temped to say screw being able to pay the power bill and install the damn thing. To add insult to injury, it was 60 for most of last week and just awesome. The garden isn’t so fond of this heat either, but I have managed to water enough to keep it all from dying, what I haven’t already killed anyway. Lots of green tomatoes, I hope to see some red soon. We’re munching on cucumbers, there’s not enough pickling kind to pickle, so they’re snack fodder, and good.

I’ve become obsessed with Squidoo (see my list over to the right?) and really, you should too. If you know anything about anything, make a lens (what they call a page) about it. These pages are supposed to be constant works in progress, often updated and added to, so you don’t have to spend a ton of time making your first few. Make ‘em, publish ‘em and come back to ‘em later to add on. You might just make a few bucks for yourself or charity (and you can pick the charity). Go, make one! I want to see it, so come back and leave a comment!

I’ve been very bad about keeping up in the garden blog world. I’m afraid I’m a bit over extended these days and just starting to get each thing I’m working on fit into it’s own niche so I’m not running around like a crazed maniac on crack. I’ve been busy with work, both doing web design and now professional organizing, plus schooling my monsters, err kids, and the garden of course, and a million other things. Being self employed is so awesome in many ways, but the hours for the income sucks butt to start. It’ll be worth it though. But I still need to get back to the garden blog rounds, I miss reading about what’s going on with everyone.

Those hardy enough to survive, thrive

by on July 6, 2009 in Harvesting & Preserving, The Growing Garden

july09_0010 copyI just harvested enough green beans for dinner tonight. I didn’t even know we had more than a few because of all the weeds, but on the 4th we managed to get out there and get a lot done. It looks a lot better but still has a ways to go. The husband unit wants to plant a short winter crop, I’m thinking about it! We’re not making plans for spring because I’m not sure if we’ll be here like I’ve mentioned before, but a winter crop would be ok I think!

Here’s one of the plants before picking:

july09_0007 copy

Cherry tomatoes (the romas are doing good too):

july09_0001 copy

Cucumbers! I don’t remember now which is which – one is of the pickling cukes, the other is the slicing cukes.

july09_0005 copy

july09_0004 copy

Carrots and onions

by on July 1, 2009 in The Growing Garden

The list of things that are growing in spite of me (it sure ain’t because of me!!):

Cucumbers
Russet Potatoes
Tomatoes (not great, but we do have baby ‘maters)
Green Beans
Carrots
Onions
Peas (done for the season)
Lettuce (it grew really well, too bad I let it bolt to seed!)

I thinned the carrots and got these (the onion was thanks to the kids “helping”):

funky-carrot

carrots-onions

Comment math question removed

by on June 29, 2009 in Blog, The Growing Garden

Hi readers! I appreciate each and every one of you listening to my sadly irregular and strange ranting about all things garden and food. I love to hear from you and I’ve gotten a lot of emails about how the comments math question is not working. So I’ve deactivated it one more time and will see how it goes.

Oh, and I flooded the garden today! First time this year, go me!

Such exciting news

by on June 25, 2009 in The Growing Garden

Yeah, not so much! But I finally needed to water yesterday. I need to do more weed control, I might as well not have bothered before. I hate weeds. Mulch, either organic or plastic, will be my friend next year. Don’t ask why I didn’t use it this year, it might have been forgetfulness, or laziness, or both? Maybe?

The russet potatoes are huge! But the red potatoes seem to be dying, I don’t get it. The reds aren’t even 6 inches tall, while the russets are a couple feet. Very weird. We do have teeny tiny cucumbers, but no tomato fruit yet. Lots of flowers, so I hope soon!

The post where I’m a fraud

by on June 12, 2009 in The Growing Garden

I did manage to get out and weed after these picture were taken, but honestly, it’s so bad that all I could do before my back gave out was clear out around the each of the plants. Some gardener I am ;)

What I’ve been up to (w/pictures)

by on May 15, 2009 in The Growing Garden

I got more work in the garden done on Mother’s Day. We went out looking for tomato plants but no one (really, no one) had any roma or cherry varieties. So I got seeds and direct sowed those. No growth yet (5 days later), but I’m holding out hope. Not so much hope however, that I passed up the tomato plants I found at Winco today. Roma and 2 types of cherry tomatoes, plus pickling and slicing cucumbers. And I think I might go back for more.

Here’s how the garden looks. I know it’s not bad (though still very weedy), but its so far less then I wanted to accomplish this year. Ah well, hopefully by the time we start harvesting I’ll get over it!

Open for gardening

by on May 9, 2009 in The Growing Garden

I managed to get into the garden today. Work and the weather and the kids all lined up to let me get something done. Massive weeding (at least 3 hours worth), got the trellis for the peas up, and built up the tater mounds.

All the seedlings that were still needing to be planted died. So the Garden of Eatin’ now only has some onions (what’s left after the kids’ destruction), peas, green beans, 2 cabbage (had 20, the kids got to all the others), carrots, lettuce, spinach, and potatoes.

The pickles, squashes, tomatoes, celery, green peppers, herbs, and more, are no more. I’m considering getting tomato plants but not sure if finances will allow it, or if it’s a good idea where I’m so limited on time.  I really want to make salsa again this year.