Well that was fun! I have never grown so many squashes and had a great time trying to fit them into every corner and planter I could find. All my edibles must be inside the fenced in garden to keep them safely away from the deer. This was not a problem a few years ago…
Category: Vegetables
Tomato Talk
Tomatoes in my garden have always been a great success. I start them way too early in February as the long winter days seem to keep me inside more. With Covid I have got a little more enthusiastic and had grow lights and heat pads everywhere. Next year I will start them in March. I…
Swiss Chard
Thinking of what was the most successful vegetable for me I can honestly say my new love has been Swiss chard. I left it in my greenhouse all winter. It is not heated and does have a small fan in it. Only 10 feet by 12 feet so not huge. But the Swiss chard survived…
Linking to Knowledge
Working in the garden has been a real lifesaver for me especially during this COVID 19 pandemic. Growing my own vegetables has always been a hobby but now I have processed more food, either through canning, freezing or dehydrating to have during my non growing seasons. Adding flowering plants that are bee loving has improved…
Food Storage
Canning Each year I preserve about 100 – 150 pounds of peaches in jars saving enough for jam. I use a light syrup to allow the flavours of the BC peaches to come through. I have found the first semi free stone Glow Haven capture the best of the season. There are additional varieties such…
Water Needed
This year we decided we must capture our own water. Living in Southern B.C. on the coast, we get more than ample rain the Winter, Fall and Spring. Last summer the rain was at a regular interval to water the garden every other week. But we still see signs of stress on our island from…
Raised Beds Renovations
When we first built these beds 6 years ago we thought raised cedar beds would ease my back, we thought they were good enough. But after building a garage and having so much siding left over my husband decided the beds could look better. The cedar was grooved so they could slide right into each…
2018 Gardening begins slowly
The hellebores came on strong and continue to provide so much needed colour in our rainy environment. The deer have always left these gorgeous plants alone and they seem to flourish in the soil and temperature of the island. I have cut off all the leaves leaving the flowers to capture any sunshine we have….
Early Growing Season
The growing season in my part of Bowen Island seems to be at least 2 weeks ahead of last year. I thought the same thing last year so it is quite evident that the heat is increasing here. The lettuce, sorrel, green onions and kale have taken off. I have already planted a second area…
Mulching and Chipping
Spring is Here – Get Mulching ! I have read about how the nitrogen is drained from the soil when covering plants with wood chips. This seems to be an ongoing debate. I personally believe it can happen if the plants have a very shallow rooting system and little water. I use fresh cedar mulch around the…
Green Vegetables
Kale, lettuce, beet tops, mustards and Swiss chard I have had a great time experimenting with assorted green here on the island. Spinach, lettuce and kale thrive in this weather. Swiss chard thrives and we are still harvesting it outside well into January.
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