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?

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.

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!

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.

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

Nah.

My poor 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.

I 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:

Cherry tomatoes (the romas are doing good too):

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

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”):

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!

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!

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