tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25655059952781890402023-11-16T12:39:26.965-04:00The Mainland GardenerAn urban vegetable garden in Halifax, Nova Scotia. About cold climate gardening, growing potatoes in seaweed, eating local, food related books and all things related. I am a nearly 30 year old professional with a beautiful family who are active participants in our goal to live and eat locally.Mainland Gardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00569063479257604752noreply@blogger.comBlogger25125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2565505995278189040.post-21096980874258219752011-07-24T21:16:00.002-03:002011-07-24T21:18:25.955-03:0020112011 has been a splendid year for our little garden. <br />
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This year we planted garlic (fall 2010), carrots, spinach, onions, sugar snap peas, lettuce, tomatoes, basil and potatoes. Everything is growing very well!<br />
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Garlic! A new experience for me. Seems to be a fairly straightforward plant to grow.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoGo1cyjHMUTwlAgSrl9OS9AwYULWnZx0X1AdJwmo0tb-sktbv5KSF94HhOHhjLto492j431JP3y1Ye5D2NwCG9yv0Wk7pTWongbsuvl7J1gI579m3DgY1peBdUBvaN-tOhZ4-L2RCtovG/s1600/July+2011+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoGo1cyjHMUTwlAgSrl9OS9AwYULWnZx0X1AdJwmo0tb-sktbv5KSF94HhOHhjLto492j431JP3y1Ye5D2NwCG9yv0Wk7pTWongbsuvl7J1gI579m3DgY1peBdUBvaN-tOhZ4-L2RCtovG/s320/July+2011+002.JPG" t$="true" width="320px" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoGo1cyjHMUTwlAgSrl9OS9AwYULWnZx0X1AdJwmo0tb-sktbv5KSF94HhOHhjLto492j431JP3y1Ye5D2NwCG9yv0Wk7pTWongbsuvl7J1gI579m3DgY1peBdUBvaN-tOhZ4-L2RCtovG/s1600/July+2011+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> I have two bunches about this size. Pretty good!<br />
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The picture on the top is today, the one on the bottom is may,18th 2011. The transplants went in small, and now you can hardly distinguish one from the other. You also can barely make out the bamboo trellis that the sugar snaps are climbing. I always think that I'm giving my tomato plants too much room, but as you can see, they get big!<br />
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Basil from seed.</div>
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Good old fun.</div>
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I'm addicted to these sugar snaps!</div>
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Some of the onions are plumping up, but others are not, although all the tops look the same?</div>
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Sometime in June.</div>
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June. I used the peas to partially shade the lettuce.</div>
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We have taken two pesto meals from these guys now! They are about 5 times as big as this pic from June.</div>
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I initially thought this was asparagus, but no, its mint. A delicious weed. </div>
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Just when everything was starting to sprout. Sugar snaps with peas in the middle.</div>
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Left to right. Garlic, Carrots, Spinach, Radishes.</div>
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Garlic and radishes were the earliest green in the garden.</div>
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Yum! Mint!</div>
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Raspberry bush and blueberries too!</div>
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Early carrot sprouts. Radishes in the background.</div>
Mainland Gardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00569063479257604752noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2565505995278189040.post-44561767907283994162010-11-12T20:05:00.000-04:002010-11-12T20:05:10.740-04:00BooksNow that things are all tucked away for winter, I have started reading more books. My most recent selection has been less garden specific and more about self-sustaining living. I thought I would share what I've discovered so far. All my links are to abebooks.ca which is an awesome site for finding older (and new) used books from all over the world. I would challenge you to try and find a book that is not listed on that site (essentially a kijiji for used book stores). <br />
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Lets go in chronological order:<br />
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1) Ten Acres Enough - Edmund Morris (1864)<br />
<a href="http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=3126809354&searchurl=an%3Dedmund%2Bmorris%26fromanz%3Dfromanz%26kn%3Dten%26sortby%3D96%26x%3D0%26y%3D0">http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=3126809354&searchurl=an%3Dedmund%2Bmorris%26fromanz%3Dfromanz%26kn%3Dten%26sortby%3D96%26x%3D0%26y%3D0</a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbC6S7K_Q1RCSEnvqrvkCfEy5DUmkMWuZqhB8A8-dkcPY0Te_CcaZGYuB09Zd9PMsT8bkn1S8o0E866DOioMN5ZVAKrFA7t7xdG8pTATVhcPl-0cc-wFHKSWVYW1i5qwQom-BIlLNu8B73/s1600/10acres.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbC6S7K_Q1RCSEnvqrvkCfEy5DUmkMWuZqhB8A8-dkcPY0Te_CcaZGYuB09Zd9PMsT8bkn1S8o0E866DOioMN5ZVAKrFA7t7xdG8pTATVhcPl-0cc-wFHKSWVYW1i5qwQom-BIlLNu8B73/s320/10acres.PNG" width="197" /></a></div>This was the first book I read. I love history and couldn't wait to sink my teeth into this one. It is essentially one of the first "back to the land" books. A reasonably successful business man in NYC decides that he will buy 10 acres of land in New Jersey and grow peaches, strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries to the big markets in Phillie and NYC. He goes into great deal about his motivations, his wife's reluctance (friends, things to do in the city, kids schooling). He essentially has summarized my motivations for wanting to move to a less "urban" centre and grow my own food, except he lived 150 years ago. Amazing. <br />
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This book was initially published annonymously as he thought it might tarnish his reputation to write such a book, contrevening the going sentement of the day. He provides great detail about his life before the move, the move itself (all the $$ details), his neighbors and what happened over a period of about 5 years living on the land. His main message is that you don't need 100 acres to be sucessful, 10 acres is enough.<br />
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2) The "have more" plan: A little land, a lot of living. Ed and Carolyn Robinson(1972)<br />
<a href="http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=2873256667&searchurl=bi%3D0%26bx%3Doff%26ds%3D30%26kn%3Drobinson%26recentlyadded%3Dall%26sortby%3D17%26tn%3Dhave%2Bmore%2Bplan%26x%3D0%26y%3D0">http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=2873256667&searchurl=bi%3D0%26bx%3Doff%26ds%3D30%26kn%3Drobinson%26recentlyadded%3Dall%26sortby%3D17%26tn%3Dhave%2Bmore%2Bplan%26x%3D0%26y%3D0</a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgml64mq4i1gCMybNRKPnw7Fk6JNOZFJKuKlNL15h9IXBQnIBj4zgkGYn4YJjWzSY18Z0Q7ugBF8iFtccNMa6RSNqO4nKkglLA4reDSqJfMnK6DdoQ4-xBmAaviciAuaJYc0Qjqy1sTlgsG/s1600/have+more+plan.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgml64mq4i1gCMybNRKPnw7Fk6JNOZFJKuKlNL15h9IXBQnIBj4zgkGYn4YJjWzSY18Z0Q7ugBF8iFtccNMa6RSNqO4nKkglLA4reDSqJfMnK6DdoQ4-xBmAaviciAuaJYc0Qjqy1sTlgsG/s1600/have+more+plan.PNG" /></a></div>A step-by-step manual for the small scale homesteader. They argue that you can be self-sufficient on 4 acres of land, and make a small cash income. The book itself is a bit outdated, but it still holds relevant pieces. The Robinson family also left new york, but about 100 years after Edmund, in 1942. They said that new highways and affordable automobiles should allow everyone to own at least an acre outside the city and commute in to work in the city. Well, that was the beginning of suburbia and massive traffic. <br />
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Has a 2 page summary on just about everything a homesteader would need to know, even what tools you would need to build your own house!<br />
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Another great historical read. Although not something you would read cover to cover, its more of a reference book for the most part.<br />
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3) On Good Land - Michael Ableman (1998)<br />
<a href="http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=3573085368&searchurl=an%3Dmichael%2Bableman%26bi%3D0%26bx%3Doff%26ds%3D30%26kn%3Dland%26recentlyadded%3Dall%26sortby%3D17%26x%3D0%26y%3D0">http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=3573085368&searchurl=an%3Dmichael%2Bableman%26bi%3D0%26bx%3Doff%26ds%3D30%26kn%3Dland%26recentlyadded%3Dall%26sortby%3D17%26x%3D0%26y%3D0</a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi4b5XL4LFhMWwgk5mqKabcywfIB86f1IQ2Oj-1C9BSN_hLFZCXRdLj1rLSU0ujBt-hqUVZKKkyYIgpcQIkSsCzaFcFbKysWLDTTEkyLSyih_f70PsQHU_zBhMqVhV0JMkkQ9Casv5CHUc/s1600/on+good+land.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi4b5XL4LFhMWwgk5mqKabcywfIB86f1IQ2Oj-1C9BSN_hLFZCXRdLj1rLSU0ujBt-hqUVZKKkyYIgpcQIkSsCzaFcFbKysWLDTTEkyLSyih_f70PsQHU_zBhMqVhV0JMkkQ9Casv5CHUc/s1600/on+good+land.PNG" /></a></div><br />
The first two pages of this book are aerial photographs of a small town in california. One taken in 1954 and the next in 1998. The first photo shows essentially a town based on agriculture, with farms and orchards from one corner of the photo to the other. The photograph from 1998 shows an area of land that has been absolutely taken over by subdivisions, with one small outlined area which is the lone remaining farm. Michael Ableman lived on this farm and ran its operations for quite a few years. He wrote a book about his experience there, and he also happens to have a keen eye for photography, so the book is full of wonderful pictures. He constantly points out the contradictions in our societies current way of thinking. He, of course, was constantly in court as the neighbors in the subdivisions were suiing him to get rid of his compost piles, chickens, tractors..etc. He always won, but he eventually decided to leave the farm and now lives on his own land in salt spring island, BC, canada. The farm was eventually bought by a community group, and had legal proceedings to protect it, so it will always remain a farm. People driving up in volvo's asking for tomatoes in february for a dinner party were only part of his troubles. A good easy read. I wish he went into more detail, he only seems to brush the surface of most of these issues.<br />
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4) Fields of Plenty - Michael Ableman (2005)<br />
<a href="http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=3068833721&searchurl=an%3Dmichael%2Bableman%26bi%3D0%26bx%3Doff%26ds%3D30%26kn%3Dland%26recentlyadded%3Dall%26sortby%3D17%26x%3D0%26y%3D0">http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=3068833721&searchurl=an%3Dmichael%2Bableman%26bi%3D0%26bx%3Doff%26ds%3D30%26kn%3Dland%26recentlyadded%3Dall%26sortby%3D17%26x%3D0%26y%3D0</a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFiEHZEmVO6Fzt2oVX_4b0CRSpb1S5AC5g-AjqDdj1dtvDi46B8Y_xXP2fn2UFclLOC-U2xRCj86NsLrQi0jAp7OxpoCRQtaIhMi7vk-8NJN5ZU8YBBal9HPfnwWyyXsOrSO7O85pKnt25/s1600/fields+of+plent.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFiEHZEmVO6Fzt2oVX_4b0CRSpb1S5AC5g-AjqDdj1dtvDi46B8Y_xXP2fn2UFclLOC-U2xRCj86NsLrQi0jAp7OxpoCRQtaIhMi7vk-8NJN5ZU8YBBal9HPfnwWyyXsOrSO7O85pKnt25/s1600/fields+of+plent.PNG" /></a></div><br />
Another book by Michael Ableman. This is essentially a photo documentary of his 3 month tour of Canada and the USA (mainly), visting various farms. A great overview of different farming philosophies and motivations. My only beef with this book is that he only put in one or two pictures of each farm, I really would have liked to see more!<br />
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If you have any suggestions I would love to hear them!Mainland Gardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00569063479257604752noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2565505995278189040.post-87421848931226046942010-09-15T16:43:00.000-03:002010-09-15T16:43:30.820-03:00Latest<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm0pUuYZshK6zeOYNhReDhuokzsPu4qoJwwupdxcxIl5zxghSFOx3No-4fbisDFXaxDRyxcJmFZAJxXp8qGiQsX_kW8wnRZiuHQvZamOk_i-CQUQfIAzXqLcFOQTjY6oZGJKr-UatckBuu/s1600/September+2010+073.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" qx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm0pUuYZshK6zeOYNhReDhuokzsPu4qoJwwupdxcxIl5zxghSFOx3No-4fbisDFXaxDRyxcJmFZAJxXp8qGiQsX_kW8wnRZiuHQvZamOk_i-CQUQfIAzXqLcFOQTjY6oZGJKr-UatckBuu/s320/September+2010+073.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We managed to grow one melon. The nights have been getting really cold, so I thought I would pick the melon. I read that I should wait until the nearest leaf turns yellow, and I think it almost was. The melon wasn't totally ripe, but it was tastey!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtLkAw8GhvmP4BqytFufnKekEHcdoYsXsk5Vx2G71PXO4hZSkgYG7HWYtX7vxTrpQCpfI4Hjj7CD2rKivZi27kyDX-Z68Dk3PNve4st7smiG54klyIg7LDBB-0wkGbkz-jRYBkFqXCFN1y/s1600/September+2010+045.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" qx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtLkAw8GhvmP4BqytFufnKekEHcdoYsXsk5Vx2G71PXO4hZSkgYG7HWYtX7vxTrpQCpfI4Hjj7CD2rKivZi27kyDX-Z68Dk3PNve4st7smiG54klyIg7LDBB-0wkGbkz-jRYBkFqXCFN1y/s320/September+2010+045.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The garden is nearly done now. The lettuce I planted (as per a fellow NS gardener) haven't poked up yet, so Im not sure Ill get anything from those.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIVa4lI1sxMaH1IJL0CjjinutWRWL-qyFVfLOOLPalISVDenc-8jn1hFAGaeDIvp43z1J_7o3DC4kpZr8RRnoy-ZVzYUf6UoLw2k8CGz_mLtB1lqfHMTg4Vd7_eHAYB-nkVYTnjTeO47F9/s1600/September+2010+062.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" qx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIVa4lI1sxMaH1IJL0CjjinutWRWL-qyFVfLOOLPalISVDenc-8jn1hFAGaeDIvp43z1J_7o3DC4kpZr8RRnoy-ZVzYUf6UoLw2k8CGz_mLtB1lqfHMTg4Vd7_eHAYB-nkVYTnjTeO47F9/s320/September+2010+062.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Our little one checking to see if she got dirt in the hose!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIP_L0kR3tw2US0g8rUdgxRhh2x01uZtuHXSDIgvnQ6sZI8iu2ODoMOmv1qYmuODN_1ZMnNgAbQifglGk8Qhu5c0t7Jft-eeBsvgOFh3ccmUk0tvz25tYCK5LWJl3zUeaeAg9Onz80zVHt/s1600/September+2010+067.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" qx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIP_L0kR3tw2US0g8rUdgxRhh2x01uZtuHXSDIgvnQ6sZI8iu2ODoMOmv1qYmuODN_1ZMnNgAbQifglGk8Qhu5c0t7Jft-eeBsvgOFh3ccmUk0tvz25tYCK5LWJl3zUeaeAg9Onz80zVHt/s320/September+2010+067.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Our potatoes! The seaweed was a complete failure. Not one useable potato. Must have been too salty. The potted potatoes produced a bunch of small potatoes, but the ones I planted in the bed outside our front window produced 3 monstrous potatoes. I can hardly believe it! We cooked them right up and they tasted delicious. The mashed potatoes we made from them was much creamier than we have ever had before. Nothing like fresh produce. We have more tomatoes than we know what to do with. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Overall an awesome gardening year.</div>Mainland Gardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00569063479257604752noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2565505995278189040.post-57709842808982138182010-08-20T22:06:00.000-03:002010-08-20T22:06:14.818-03:00August<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR48Z9UqPxnU5NClh8uXBIcxmLM-QSFbHey3j_5BQ29vBFfXbOEOvA40jGceiPfQmU3BdfQkOSMHkDxgMM_3KrciyFbxdXcL0HREfuglAgLoilHKE1YX84qGaT8ERW_nYi9PduHGKIN_wz/s1600/Andrea+and+Dave+August+2010+040.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR48Z9UqPxnU5NClh8uXBIcxmLM-QSFbHey3j_5BQ29vBFfXbOEOvA40jGceiPfQmU3BdfQkOSMHkDxgMM_3KrciyFbxdXcL0HREfuglAgLoilHKE1YX84qGaT8ERW_nYi9PduHGKIN_wz/s320/Andrea+and+Dave+August+2010+040.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Beefsteak Toms!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI17wRTNSomI1ZaJlJZOXcAHZpHlJGqQlmJjQrXQSsWAjpARpr4VyGGbB_nuiYN6JRkJUCghSNpGlAUcgGCitQGcMi5rSue5XY7abEGPnfJqqwVL8Ft6rJGlE6ae9e8G_po9nC9PJwi7qY/s1600/Andrea+and+Dave+August+2010+041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI17wRTNSomI1ZaJlJZOXcAHZpHlJGqQlmJjQrXQSsWAjpARpr4VyGGbB_nuiYN6JRkJUCghSNpGlAUcgGCitQGcMi5rSue5XY7abEGPnfJqqwVL8Ft6rJGlE6ae9e8G_po9nC9PJwi7qY/s320/Andrea+and+Dave+August+2010+041.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Cucumbers!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ_a2yCYRKSPvLm2MbeR8FVOCrf8dhvu1NfC3uvbtw2J7wIbT_26cO2ylgiZVHPN42IQGkMh0ToN4xkUeJxImaN15EHGblWWRhRDuOZmRQoWv9Q0CvHLwJv-65x4ZhcrIaKuvZQ9NA8O8p/s1600/Andrea+and+Dave+August+2010+042.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ_a2yCYRKSPvLm2MbeR8FVOCrf8dhvu1NfC3uvbtw2J7wIbT_26cO2ylgiZVHPN42IQGkMh0ToN4xkUeJxImaN15EHGblWWRhRDuOZmRQoWv9Q0CvHLwJv-65x4ZhcrIaKuvZQ9NA8O8p/s320/Andrea+and+Dave+August+2010+042.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Sunflower seeds!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLORXIimiVwp5HHrbooWVEIFjZ2_xM0teSbORxGg2Z7BwtAhnlnzcNgSVJLumMDFOCCZHMbrOOLRbA927g8hYjaRQGqacr_9_sIBFo6HMcLZcp9Jq38LSgvH-sf0NbzLZJIejcA_vkS6b9/s1600/Andrea+and+Dave+August+2010+043.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLORXIimiVwp5HHrbooWVEIFjZ2_xM0teSbORxGg2Z7BwtAhnlnzcNgSVJLumMDFOCCZHMbrOOLRbA927g8hYjaRQGqacr_9_sIBFo6HMcLZcp9Jq38LSgvH-sf0NbzLZJIejcA_vkS6b9/s320/Andrea+and+Dave+August+2010+043.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">More seeds to come!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGxvc27T0ejP7tRh920oiJLv1CztjBFyL-xXNFmdUd_DLqQ99wGNGn9qjOMtVTZ1TbJ-ZLsyUWLin0vmyrQsRTKNMyjrg1IVqZP1G_C371Zr69zQTMylvo_5SnhxIkh1ruqFt0arHtEiSg/s1600/Andrea+and+Dave+August+2010+044.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGxvc27T0ejP7tRh920oiJLv1CztjBFyL-xXNFmdUd_DLqQ99wGNGn9qjOMtVTZ1TbJ-ZLsyUWLin0vmyrQsRTKNMyjrg1IVqZP1G_C371Zr69zQTMylvo_5SnhxIkh1ruqFt0arHtEiSg/s320/Andrea+and+Dave+August+2010+044.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">WE GOT A MELON!! Its about twice as big now.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl7pwmZVCzruRXD8yd_zVdWmH8fahYAoKGyX_7JUnC7fkRSHvqzj-Ry3rAYuGdCRq36TQVCDBReed9wY3i12nDRIQwM-YkhUgHv4xsmIz_BPaq78bvCVgCqsYc9yqDx_QlRNIVHTI8K8wE/s1600/August+2010+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl7pwmZVCzruRXD8yd_zVdWmH8fahYAoKGyX_7JUnC7fkRSHvqzj-Ry3rAYuGdCRq36TQVCDBReed9wY3i12nDRIQwM-YkhUgHv4xsmIz_BPaq78bvCVgCqsYc9yqDx_QlRNIVHTI8K8wE/s320/August+2010+001.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This is a daily haul now. Notice the black cherry toms, and the black krim. We also have been successful with the lemon cucumber seeds I started indoors. They taste just like regular cucumbers, but they certainly look like lemons!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The garden is starting to look a little sad now. The peas, radishes, lettuce, kale, beets and onions are all done now. Just the cuc's, peppers, toms and sunflowers that are producing. There are bare patches and since I haven't evolved into 'winter' gardening yet, it is going to stay that way. My plan is to take down the PVC frame and perhaps this fall I will plant some garlic and onions for the spring. </div>Mainland Gardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00569063479257604752noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2565505995278189040.post-23361784257540373892010-07-23T14:17:00.000-03:002010-07-23T14:17:07.521-03:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlVAlPFjdpzA6cdqa4cFUbeI-UDZmt7fckdaCgL_I1DYGE8YwJc7U7CnP7_-9xOt3YICwMhkAzD0gglxqgPlfdwKtm1Sp7P7qXoMVTKt-5CmqmVQk8K8M4tVNKkE4MSj6WNzJecAMhBw6X/s1600/July_2010+017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlVAlPFjdpzA6cdqa4cFUbeI-UDZmt7fckdaCgL_I1DYGE8YwJc7U7CnP7_-9xOt3YICwMhkAzD0gglxqgPlfdwKtm1Sp7P7qXoMVTKt-5CmqmVQk8K8M4tVNKkE4MSj6WNzJecAMhBw6X/s320/July_2010+017.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Very tall now!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-G_g1SlX3s65CnSlgaV6VkoDq_4VTqUFBktGGfin0Pol6rADUuUBihiuHbOoYqRn2aJm52QwVaA78WD_ImQdC7CbE7msd2t6wCFtoD4wEr9PzHBna2ZI0dFthbESUsE-UfnB0XwVQfYfL/s1600/July_2010+019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-G_g1SlX3s65CnSlgaV6VkoDq_4VTqUFBktGGfin0Pol6rADUuUBihiuHbOoYqRn2aJm52QwVaA78WD_ImQdC7CbE7msd2t6wCFtoD4wEr9PzHBna2ZI0dFthbESUsE-UfnB0XwVQfYfL/s320/July_2010+019.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The mainland jungle!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9qUBKbg9r8sI33rX9tQUA4PLOzg_38H2KIR2SAB9JwfE2pH34f1cVp9YEyAV1Jm-hkyWPWOeHGtQQAgwnfzoVdiSkhLKKMusX4NEzF_tm4pkx6Nl4GGxqYzixaZQQCferwgbwjsGHNsXk/s1600/July_2010+020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9qUBKbg9r8sI33rX9tQUA4PLOzg_38H2KIR2SAB9JwfE2pH34f1cVp9YEyAV1Jm-hkyWPWOeHGtQQAgwnfzoVdiSkhLKKMusX4NEzF_tm4pkx6Nl4GGxqYzixaZQQCferwgbwjsGHNsXk/s320/July_2010+020.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Potatoes planted in dirt are winning the race.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKa52pITPOIfAHFcBoyAjnYNriOfHB4-hzkRz1FcY0La2lrAq5duZ9tgxWai3-KB-2816AOCCkLMAor7B50dD4uRoh6qyMGCvSYcBkX8yFdrrohh-BT078zIMTPQCzb7nOwx_YkzhwXzKG/s1600/July_2010+021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKa52pITPOIfAHFcBoyAjnYNriOfHB4-hzkRz1FcY0La2lrAq5duZ9tgxWai3-KB-2816AOCCkLMAor7B50dD4uRoh6qyMGCvSYcBkX8yFdrrohh-BT078zIMTPQCzb7nOwx_YkzhwXzKG/s320/July_2010+021.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Not working out so well in seaweed.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgysffhpkxEPSIPvLnuJUDNt_WwFvW5HfKiHHVA1olzEMVJU_Qdzvbpsld3VbCg9UuDigrKe_9yuUUyzx3PnGWQFRXt1ou3pOdL_BJn52HzYlqFlO9-6PC_uE9rL74oXF5NvmZdxEbUO2sD/s1600/July_2010+023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgysffhpkxEPSIPvLnuJUDNt_WwFvW5HfKiHHVA1olzEMVJU_Qdzvbpsld3VbCg9UuDigrKe_9yuUUyzx3PnGWQFRXt1ou3pOdL_BJn52HzYlqFlO9-6PC_uE9rL74oXF5NvmZdxEbUO2sD/s320/July_2010+023.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Sunflowers are about 5ft tall. The aphids are almost gone.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheZUdxS_wT1iFIpUyfOf6bU_TsU_hSQ-HtgmRY3nqknmU7FFsCJmxnZrh1vCbM_TQSO4RBwiClAAyLGBCVEZ4oHs_VJiqI1pRFhFWbb0lG598qgxGTDwQHWGnN3luqf_pdv0mJvizCCTTN/s1600/July_2010+025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheZUdxS_wT1iFIpUyfOf6bU_TsU_hSQ-HtgmRY3nqknmU7FFsCJmxnZrh1vCbM_TQSO4RBwiClAAyLGBCVEZ4oHs_VJiqI1pRFhFWbb0lG598qgxGTDwQHWGnN3luqf_pdv0mJvizCCTTN/s320/July_2010+025.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The basil has plumped up nicely. We have had 2 pesto dinners so far. Many more to come.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9_yOHo6AS5Cz7FcGIPZzfnHvJQs0uq1MqJJcN1vteIHKVY0-sRlREp6zWUqLNwkXy5SekbiqEyQpSdEd_aoJRVVka8vmqtLeWOKL7s7MVn5MlIE4y1pntXBF-WZCsi6kX0ERK6lsjhzN8/s1600/July_2010+026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9_yOHo6AS5Cz7FcGIPZzfnHvJQs0uq1MqJJcN1vteIHKVY0-sRlREp6zWUqLNwkXy5SekbiqEyQpSdEd_aoJRVVka8vmqtLeWOKL7s7MVn5MlIE4y1pntXBF-WZCsi6kX0ERK6lsjhzN8/s320/July_2010+026.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Loads of green tomatoes. I can't wait to see the different colors!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnUr9Y5Xb_YR4dpRLW6yGvTg2bGD85tOEAIPVP4SelqglRw68ZbMV5VrkexAsOaa_4u0X-H7LmGTeBOBdRILNNRd-qMsiAXgfFe6ZbRPArvFIU6Y7PMDMZx57tfBG4t9dBywoe_ytab71H/s1600/July_2010+027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnUr9Y5Xb_YR4dpRLW6yGvTg2bGD85tOEAIPVP4SelqglRw68ZbMV5VrkexAsOaa_4u0X-H7LmGTeBOBdRILNNRd-qMsiAXgfFe6ZbRPArvFIU6Y7PMDMZx57tfBG4t9dBywoe_ytab71H/s320/July_2010+027.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The peas are prolific!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1ed5rWFl3PBRFY3vXyKXwRQE1TLX_jGpHaRwKZNwEuoVKSc8OcLAK3T5SmKE4_kOThtQyyYlBFIouTkDGPDUV2prdfedng9VPMn3Sq_yCrVDWSNux0ayOre2lGtpvEp42Vq9a4wFQB0zX/s1600/July_2010+028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1ed5rWFl3PBRFY3vXyKXwRQE1TLX_jGpHaRwKZNwEuoVKSc8OcLAK3T5SmKE4_kOThtQyyYlBFIouTkDGPDUV2prdfedng9VPMn3Sq_yCrVDWSNux0ayOre2lGtpvEp42Vq9a4wFQB0zX/s320/July_2010+028.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My tomatillos are growing! </div>Mainland Gardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00569063479257604752noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2565505995278189040.post-66335607313431605722010-07-06T22:09:00.000-03:002010-07-06T22:09:05.789-03:00FrustrationI have aphids.<br />
<br />
I think I have ALL the aphids.<br />
<br />
I have red ones, black ones, green ones, little teeny white ones, and probably ones I haven't found yet.<br />
<br />
I used my resources to try and find the best way to deal with the aphids. <br />
<br />
Step 1: Spray them away with water - Works for green/white aphids. Black/Red just laugh<br />
<br />
Step 2: Squish the little buggers - Works for all aphid types, but is time consuming. Are you really going to <br />
turn over every leaf?<br />
<br />
Step 3: Spray the leaves with Soapy water: Did not work for me, at all. <br />
<br />
Step 4: Spray the leaves with a garlic/onion/water mixture: Worked at keeping the green/red aphids at an acceptable level, but did not phase the black aphids.<br />
<br />
Step 5: Buy aphid lions. Yes, aphid lions. Those would be lady bug larvae. They eat between 600-1200 aphids and are a sure thing.<br />
<br />
Step 6: Buy cloth netting to keep the robins and other birds from eating your lady bugs before they even have a chance to lay down some aphid lions. SERIOUSLY.<br />
<br />
I made it all the way to step 6. I left loads of ladybugs out there under the cloth that covered the biggest infestation which was in the beets. I uncovered it today, expecting to see some beautiful aphid free beet greens. I instead found more aphids than ever. I did find 5 or 6 ladybugs, but they were just lounging around, having a good old time with their new friends, the aphids.<br />
<br />
I was heartbroken. The beets were really starting to look terrible, a lot of withered leaves, all of the new growth was a black/grey color (completely covered in aphids). I was left with few options. I could try to fight these pesky bugs, and risk them spreading to the other plants or I could take up the small patch of beets that I had, and compost them. I chose the latter. We are not big on beets, and the sunflowers are already covered in those black aphids. I didn't want them to go further. The sunflowers have a good population of ladybugs on them, so Im sure they are laying eggs which should hatch soon. <br />
<br />
Im happy we get our first CSA box tomorrow. At least someone knows how to grow food properly.Mainland Gardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00569063479257604752noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2565505995278189040.post-16033509858362901612010-07-03T20:22:00.000-03:002010-07-03T20:22:10.872-03:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwxhSEUpIpCppNzYeIc3QwkTUBLG32QARUtKtUqQBtGOBhvYMEL9uDy1Nh95w1TdgSbCc9dGZbxVZozcy_yQAhh7OUUUeS_Qdh_clQJgSnoLRho3Duun5yKeAYeaD0QhQ-Gof6kVxjC__c/s1600/july+2010+075.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwxhSEUpIpCppNzYeIc3QwkTUBLG32QARUtKtUqQBtGOBhvYMEL9uDy1Nh95w1TdgSbCc9dGZbxVZozcy_yQAhh7OUUUeS_Qdh_clQJgSnoLRho3Duun5yKeAYeaD0QhQ-Gof6kVxjC__c/s320/july+2010+075.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Still amazed by this tomato plant, its growing like mad every time I blink my eyes.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtxGrQm605ojkVYWHnGQVz7LUXrI9H93WmYSPlhA309zepToaqNNC6Y50SyJv3dikKHkpS9pE5yRE_l7MYaTEddrvKjCnuiNtidQmHlGSvAP1W_VhUOk0EkwrM9KQJJdsNszcN3cXX0Bpo/s1600/july+2010+076.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtxGrQm605ojkVYWHnGQVz7LUXrI9H93WmYSPlhA309zepToaqNNC6Y50SyJv3dikKHkpS9pE5yRE_l7MYaTEddrvKjCnuiNtidQmHlGSvAP1W_VhUOk0EkwrM9KQJJdsNszcN3cXX0Bpo/s320/july+2010+076.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Ok, so I noted my beets weren't doing so well. They got to a certain point and then seem to have stalled. Not sure if this is regular 'beet-ness' but today I happened to pull back the tops and looked inside... What a heart wrenching site. Aphids. Not just one or two, but giant black clumps all down the stems. I have never seen so many black aphids before. I thought I had trouble on the sun flowers, the beets are 1000x worse. I actually thought about how much worse I would feel if this was my only source of food.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoTNBSfkzKj5QPHUEHvHaXXTnu_NgL15ivyIRnkwHB4pAqxdOABXCzQ_-O_kDuOSYps-tFkxZkTRpkTB_varHfSz6h2enBdSBLvb9NiUun-cyaSmpcpiJDaQEtChkeirSSp7z-I3sHJB6v/s1600/july+2010+077.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoTNBSfkzKj5QPHUEHvHaXXTnu_NgL15ivyIRnkwHB4pAqxdOABXCzQ_-O_kDuOSYps-tFkxZkTRpkTB_varHfSz6h2enBdSBLvb9NiUun-cyaSmpcpiJDaQEtChkeirSSp7z-I3sHJB6v/s320/july+2010+077.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Here are those little monsters. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-uju9KtQwVC1dm9hxyKI9H9_eL5GxinBW01c5mX07xMXP3hOpOD9EypON1naO_N8BmFzan5t3egVpOE7G7aEzxXwJmiJw4wBe5Yb1ft_cZyL64qxdGkFvOfGp4SMQZb_FJwGe9lu9a9r7/s1600/july+2010+078.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-uju9KtQwVC1dm9hxyKI9H9_eL5GxinBW01c5mX07xMXP3hOpOD9EypON1naO_N8BmFzan5t3egVpOE7G7aEzxXwJmiJw4wBe5Yb1ft_cZyL64qxdGkFvOfGp4SMQZb_FJwGe9lu9a9r7/s320/july+2010+078.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Ughh, I can't believe it!!! And this was the least populated leaf I found.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBBstcd06Fx8_MRAjlsoZAxxyAJXPxXdz-qPn9zjj0QjQjP5X3fJ9I1kgdoOImTiVxtwJZd02vCTZcemNWGEmWQSzeChW7E2KtQa89IDo7wQnEfBuid-0QVcVsRWA0WFIwLlXTfsNxkHd9/s1600/july+2010+079.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBBstcd06Fx8_MRAjlsoZAxxyAJXPxXdz-qPn9zjj0QjQjP5X3fJ9I1kgdoOImTiVxtwJZd02vCTZcemNWGEmWQSzeChW7E2KtQa89IDo7wQnEfBuid-0QVcVsRWA0WFIwLlXTfsNxkHd9/s320/july+2010+079.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The first sunflower plant I planted has bloomed, but all those little back specs you see are aphids IN the flower. !!!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1BXWr_NQ3y-SMKdymSZd40-7oA8fr5q67L3vvrNgyeIn6zCTW12Lgr3WQwmlGt_e-qFGwYcGNfvbpMJunsOQNRYBzbmJ1aVt9fnWXshMhuyXj-86ODZxx4ccycDEOTxowvBVL6dhyphenhyphen5Ac2/s1600/july+2010+081.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1BXWr_NQ3y-SMKdymSZd40-7oA8fr5q67L3vvrNgyeIn6zCTW12Lgr3WQwmlGt_e-qFGwYcGNfvbpMJunsOQNRYBzbmJ1aVt9fnWXshMhuyXj-86ODZxx4ccycDEOTxowvBVL6dhyphenhyphen5Ac2/s320/july+2010+081.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The tomato plants have the regular green aphids. But somehow they seem to be less annoying. they aren't on every leaf, only a few, and when I spray them away with water, or squish them, I don't find 10x as many the next day, unlike those pesky black aphids.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRAdPVy3ZISWDRjvYZZQ6kNOD0MlhuMXSB0lWNHOHnochbekJlo5sPlqd7kvNADzgGRETQKGU2aT-Bdzpb0QRJPZXHrhAEu_gwZdws9tFbmLh8i2EckOlqtJvh3Einaw-ODKhlmNZ1nB9W/s1600/july+2010+082.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRAdPVy3ZISWDRjvYZZQ6kNOD0MlhuMXSB0lWNHOHnochbekJlo5sPlqd7kvNADzgGRETQKGU2aT-Bdzpb0QRJPZXHrhAEu_gwZdws9tFbmLh8i2EckOlqtJvh3Einaw-ODKhlmNZ1nB9W/s320/july+2010+082.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">One of the solutions I'm hoping will work. I bought 1000 lady bugs from halifax seed. Says to release a few per night and keep the rest in the fridge. I put a few out tonight with a little helper and they seemed to start munching away right away. They lay larvae pretty quickly and those things eat between 600-1200 aphids over their larvae stage. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhquAYACVZHx2iq0aFBhyphenhyphenJ8CSDJxYN5sQcrKE-SsKxGR-fhMyHTHnj-HNkFd-Q7D5tcSizkBqczVo3z2c6cG7KHe4hJe_8I5Y27RymnufNeWjPglmQNizPuK3kqSlGnYHSn8_Ay3BY2enRA/s1600/july+2010+083.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhquAYACVZHx2iq0aFBhyphenhyphenJ8CSDJxYN5sQcrKE-SsKxGR-fhMyHTHnj-HNkFd-Q7D5tcSizkBqczVo3z2c6cG7KHe4hJe_8I5Y27RymnufNeWjPglmQNizPuK3kqSlGnYHSn8_Ay3BY2enRA/s320/july+2010+083.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Wetting the plants down before releasing the ladybugs. (note the pyjamas)</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRLaVbA44A1th91okNpLCWpqOILLIanTC2OYhyphenhyphensu8KeWIiKIopGyfIukpzq8wBOLtQraq-uI-5amux2SZfSwESq-0QLItmOVieOGs2t4Ep4misW8I2Xh17liEpAOP_AXAVj5HLLOY6hOs8/s1600/july+2010+084.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRLaVbA44A1th91okNpLCWpqOILLIanTC2OYhyphenhyphensu8KeWIiKIopGyfIukpzq8wBOLtQraq-uI-5amux2SZfSwESq-0QLItmOVieOGs2t4Ep4misW8I2Xh17liEpAOP_AXAVj5HLLOY6hOs8/s320/july+2010+084.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEekWrbHS5WlCtFy7Xity3LeUx-zX6AkXwAUev1DoYd3SumrCrYgWKVYUCFr_K5ioRrNLZlc_E0UhZHtU_wH2X9UiEbx1Wv0TR3Jm_xEXNIBFBUVbIlscCFjvSW0308zYfZSR9ldSHFeLi/s1600/july+2010+085.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEekWrbHS5WlCtFy7Xity3LeUx-zX6AkXwAUev1DoYd3SumrCrYgWKVYUCFr_K5ioRrNLZlc_E0UhZHtU_wH2X9UiEbx1Wv0TR3Jm_xEXNIBFBUVbIlscCFjvSW0308zYfZSR9ldSHFeLi/s320/july+2010+085.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Lady bug in action. Only one flew away.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">So far the garden has been a bit discouraging. I know why people invented pesticides. Its a BIG problem if you put in all this work to feed yourself/ your family and you find its been eaten by some bug. The problem of course is that by using those pesticides you make your food potentially harmful to your family. What a vicious circle.</div>Mainland Gardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00569063479257604752noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2565505995278189040.post-57313237768797214952010-06-28T20:45:00.000-03:002010-06-28T20:45:33.413-03:00Summer<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcdVnotHsHuVBZNMkhsC2Pd89rd5Rt9X5_NKVm1u7f_KpJ5x9ikKvJLRJDoOw9AiPH_AGxXWZmQU4qCbRe7ddY0a11AeXa419MctOMiXDtYIQrgBJZ4ICzNsrnzfwg5g0X-ZzpBdBbRbuk/s1600/garden+june+2010+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcdVnotHsHuVBZNMkhsC2Pd89rd5Rt9X5_NKVm1u7f_KpJ5x9ikKvJLRJDoOw9AiPH_AGxXWZmQU4qCbRe7ddY0a11AeXa419MctOMiXDtYIQrgBJZ4ICzNsrnzfwg5g0X-ZzpBdBbRbuk/s320/garden+june+2010+002.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">This tomato plant is growing like mad. I think It has nearly doubled in size since the last update.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Fec6jbgrZ84K5_J2RKzV-IgMXlnn-oNiMJ3AQQ8TMx5oO5vE9P7NbeUXXw6lf3-oTT_kRlwdTl_dbWY2Rat4jNeNOnTXtEYWngMXOgKUIuW5QcRWc1y8GjzHzdHPrBEnQgGGdvDt35Yy/s1600/garden+june+2010+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Fec6jbgrZ84K5_J2RKzV-IgMXlnn-oNiMJ3AQQ8TMx5oO5vE9P7NbeUXXw6lf3-oTT_kRlwdTl_dbWY2Rat4jNeNOnTXtEYWngMXOgKUIuW5QcRWc1y8GjzHzdHPrBEnQgGGdvDt35Yy/s320/garden+june+2010+003.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">The potatoes are growing well. As you can see below, the ones planted in dirt have grown larger and faster than the ones planted in the seaweed. Probably time to hill these potted ones.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjai8V9rxeOrtMkpuri5_yNZimK8ijDX2WNKvksN-yoBiBfl5TBg7HtytVdQL2M5ol6sRq9OzVhBQL80qtiBDq2qluf-fnynr4sHAOkrPFuXn4q_8b4dx8toM6kLk0aLK6P8cQTm9480i3p/s1600/garden+june+2010+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjai8V9rxeOrtMkpuri5_yNZimK8ijDX2WNKvksN-yoBiBfl5TBg7HtytVdQL2M5ol6sRq9OzVhBQL80qtiBDq2qluf-fnynr4sHAOkrPFuXn4q_8b4dx8toM6kLk0aLK6P8cQTm9480i3p/s320/garden+june+2010+004.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Not sure how to "hill" these ones. I guess we'll see what happens. The main problem with the seaweed is keeping them hydrated. The seaweed dries very quickly.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwFuPlD0PhLClWD5Uo32JzAClYG7dxVI49KePpMNwSCc0bxYF-CqdmO57JknA8qaGRNztc0i137q5_HMikLfBLUys0eD2WFkL8EsFptMY3vXG4jkQOmAMBR_I_8Gx2CZ4kPcLdjh_isv7D/s1600/garden+june+2010+006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwFuPlD0PhLClWD5Uo32JzAClYG7dxVI49KePpMNwSCc0bxYF-CqdmO57JknA8qaGRNztc0i137q5_HMikLfBLUys0eD2WFkL8EsFptMY3vXG4jkQOmAMBR_I_8Gx2CZ4kPcLdjh_isv7D/s320/garden+june+2010+006.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Tomatoes!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJKTRk2vjuYoEK4to9ej3E8HhlQlXXwR7ZRhoqI9d5hsAE3VZbryvsc_644zyy3zcf2FCo9ocCZJTWz5NEObR7R3_1-Z51I5LjqxRshqhS6KjNYDBkL0BHkE2tLIpjZQmFdSYBXxtKVjBc/s1600/garden+june+2010+008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJKTRk2vjuYoEK4to9ej3E8HhlQlXXwR7ZRhoqI9d5hsAE3VZbryvsc_644zyy3zcf2FCo9ocCZJTWz5NEObR7R3_1-Z51I5LjqxRshqhS6KjNYDBkL0BHkE2tLIpjZQmFdSYBXxtKVjBc/s320/garden+june+2010+008.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Peppers!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrACSsYwVkwZQhVBCy1AdR917L-kDQOlUG9aTUEtEOJ5KkJnm-eJgkkKi5QMYONy3mMorFwqTuxA2IZ48RZycgiCGbhttenKEwIhp_49U6zN5bMsPU3yw8k-Lfd28TitCDLxKf027vjVBD/s1600/garden+june+2010+009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrACSsYwVkwZQhVBCy1AdR917L-kDQOlUG9aTUEtEOJ5KkJnm-eJgkkKi5QMYONy3mMorFwqTuxA2IZ48RZycgiCGbhttenKEwIhp_49U6zN5bMsPU3yw8k-Lfd28TitCDLxKf027vjVBD/s320/garden+june+2010+009.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The sunflowers are really growing big now. The only problem is they seem to have attracted a ton of black aphids. Ugh, they are easy to squash, but annoying anyway. The ants are going wild with the aphids, but I believe they are just "herding" them. The aphids secrete a sweet liquid that the ants love, so they hang around them. I need some lady bugs.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKX8dh2y7dQqAa-2E_VnUxaOOsIhB5gk383IzOqDPeaYbKGjbw7CBUG5NS06NbhBg5YbUuZv8IkT6S9h3FwWwe2q4m99hRdyR5IrxzuVKl05wWkwS2WiYiGkneY-XK8RVMWW61-CtzuDPA/s1600/garden+june+2010+010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKX8dh2y7dQqAa-2E_VnUxaOOsIhB5gk383IzOqDPeaYbKGjbw7CBUG5NS06NbhBg5YbUuZv8IkT6S9h3FwWwe2q4m99hRdyR5IrxzuVKl05wWkwS2WiYiGkneY-XK8RVMWW61-CtzuDPA/s320/garden+june+2010+010.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Caught in the act. I sprayed the whole garden the other day with a garlic water mix and that seems to have lessened the aphid population. They were going to town on the sweet little lettuce plants, and had made their way to the tomato plants too. I couldn't let that happen!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Gw08IS1X4ZQHn5-onHqwZPxn_OE9DrKI-Q4YfS4fygztVplKKQVdKHZICiZeYMnyuef9HwJ0NpoGYWNo3IDmvqI3gMk4w0haOA_rn9Ip-X-U-QA9Nvnl-t90_X0ptqx8bQYw-Wfr80dT/s1600/garden+june+2010+011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Gw08IS1X4ZQHn5-onHqwZPxn_OE9DrKI-Q4YfS4fygztVplKKQVdKHZICiZeYMnyuef9HwJ0NpoGYWNo3IDmvqI3gMk4w0haOA_rn9Ip-X-U-QA9Nvnl-t90_X0ptqx8bQYw-Wfr80dT/s320/garden+june+2010+011.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This batch of radishes grew quicker and fatter than the first ones. They still taste great though!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvZjiQmh7KY-RoBIM4cay9bSk26CHd7D9g28aah4UE_ekArJfNI4eTOPHgmhmHSZzv8U7s_axueNdHk3nReA2wzdsvCvmYxa66xDqck2A1-CkAHxvM8JYyDjRHTkz7UzX3v0AtJ8tDD54s/s1600/garden+june+2010+012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvZjiQmh7KY-RoBIM4cay9bSk26CHd7D9g28aah4UE_ekArJfNI4eTOPHgmhmHSZzv8U7s_axueNdHk3nReA2wzdsvCvmYxa66xDqck2A1-CkAHxvM8JYyDjRHTkz7UzX3v0AtJ8tDD54s/s320/garden+june+2010+012.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The beets are comming along. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnUvD_s5oTmEsG2SLAHpk67jAudoQXKmkn4qcdU6G72vWF2hiksmfBQ8i83cr3-cE6EyngsJNmbM-zln3APU7N4-D3izh9E0bRVHcg7urefnECjpdvrpr5nMH-u2h-o43H_oAsQH-pOLYl/s1600/garden+june+2010+013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnUvD_s5oTmEsG2SLAHpk67jAudoQXKmkn4qcdU6G72vWF2hiksmfBQ8i83cr3-cE6EyngsJNmbM-zln3APU7N4-D3izh9E0bRVHcg7urefnECjpdvrpr5nMH-u2h-o43H_oAsQH-pOLYl/s320/garden+june+2010+013.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Basil is getting very leafy. We ate some of the lime basil the other day, very nice. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEbuoHavr-tzqBex63e7mIW59M7uYV2HgikoyZZSE51H6XP0Qnl2iUC77RuxTJKckyzwmbhlPvfVPQ8PnZniK9RYf_zupooET41WSj7w2Ai6ofBqrfWR-TbpbKskTg2H7-WBUprolMK5zi/s1600/garden+june+2010+014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEbuoHavr-tzqBex63e7mIW59M7uYV2HgikoyZZSE51H6XP0Qnl2iUC77RuxTJKckyzwmbhlPvfVPQ8PnZniK9RYf_zupooET41WSj7w2Ai6ofBqrfWR-TbpbKskTg2H7-WBUprolMK5zi/s320/garden+june+2010+014.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The kale is very pretty, but Im not sure when to harvest it. Perhaps now?</div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPo1uHRjqOvOBHfnry0N50yqpas49jJYYcO-K1IRai7TjMS_FaM4hH1R9_HvzjeKvWJwJBV3oDiebiQ3JeRrMSSOFNpGW-h9ESL_5oRVasJwDYit4G3fmEzZjkUPUEm73LIZsaY4VHWgv2/s1600/June_3_2010+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPo1uHRjqOvOBHfnry0N50yqpas49jJYYcO-K1IRai7TjMS_FaM4hH1R9_HvzjeKvWJwJBV3oDiebiQ3JeRrMSSOFNpGW-h9ESL_5oRVasJwDYit4G3fmEzZjkUPUEm73LIZsaY4VHWgv2/s400/June_3_2010+001.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">An overview of how green the garden is comming along.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHQ52GrkBO_oF06rUJp5O4ZIw4Z0YnYcbDQ1osQYX3h-vcdoWR8PM5fv077g6SMXPB8fhDJY87ywzr9ouDYb2OJ5GetvS3gM-yRvcFmXBYfrZdVbIA1UmIa44yCoAKpZuJV6L6Vq-zmUdi/s1600/garden+june+2010+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHQ52GrkBO_oF06rUJp5O4ZIw4Z0YnYcbDQ1osQYX3h-vcdoWR8PM5fv077g6SMXPB8fhDJY87ywzr9ouDYb2OJ5GetvS3gM-yRvcFmXBYfrZdVbIA1UmIa44yCoAKpZuJV6L6Vq-zmUdi/s320/garden+june+2010+001.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">The pole beans are climbing! I wonder if they are too small for this time of the year. I read that they don't like the summer heat, so perhaps I planted them too late, or didn't have enough nitrogren fixing bacteria in the soil. </div>Mainland Gardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00569063479257604752noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2565505995278189040.post-72549377043770020322010-06-19T21:25:00.000-03:002010-06-19T21:25:47.524-03:00Garden Update<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcWOKWsRuMhWtpegpqWOY6SzjsV3qT_0iESO1RtSyESjZfOPieYR4oRZJntSn7MYdwVUU7mdm62A0FmQr0NkA_XIZSBccDXFMyeZpyXf_jnerNXI-0toYQBYA7gTsRwDVh8U8UG0ULQR7G/s1600/June_2-_2010+011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcWOKWsRuMhWtpegpqWOY6SzjsV3qT_0iESO1RtSyESjZfOPieYR4oRZJntSn7MYdwVUU7mdm62A0FmQr0NkA_XIZSBccDXFMyeZpyXf_jnerNXI-0toYQBYA7gTsRwDVh8U8UG0ULQR7G/s320/June_2-_2010+011.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The potato's are growing! I thought all was lost. But since I took this photo they have really taken off. I think this seaweed lasagna might actually work. It seems like only the bottom row of potatos are growing, but I think we will learn lots from this attempt.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWVsYV8OiWnRk3Sui2AoyKxXfRHilxYgmPO2XCWPlRKHvwI8jSbaa-dWmvXpGTs9bDEhDwr-OJYPPpP985-IG_1kMeAH_16trz7CzCZyxJQ4gbr2wivY-6e16vaVxK1L9xnJThoQsCwyNR/s1600/June_2-_2010+005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWVsYV8OiWnRk3Sui2AoyKxXfRHilxYgmPO2XCWPlRKHvwI8jSbaa-dWmvXpGTs9bDEhDwr-OJYPPpP985-IG_1kMeAH_16trz7CzCZyxJQ4gbr2wivY-6e16vaVxK1L9xnJThoQsCwyNR/s320/June_2-_2010+005.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Mint! My favorite weed! It is getting a bit annoying, but it is seriously delicious to pick. </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWjngUArjMck9M_ux4R5usW6ke4-pgVCLd7ykHmxFrjbBmggBFzmNK7LZzWO_BfVhnUFaehDGlZCXF08XR4uEKFiSZ7Ovulyt_X7K77d5oGi-m2yFO6jvW96EQGPxGPQ842u1SC6LpP7nO/s1600/June_2-_2010+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWjngUArjMck9M_ux4R5usW6ke4-pgVCLd7ykHmxFrjbBmggBFzmNK7LZzWO_BfVhnUFaehDGlZCXF08XR4uEKFiSZ7Ovulyt_X7K77d5oGi-m2yFO6jvW96EQGPxGPQ842u1SC6LpP7nO/s320/June_2-_2010+004.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Blueberry plant is prolific this year.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7jjS7Jr928QwAzbG4rpOa4g3gvBwZOgEGMx8VHnc5g-KaQFUU8jh1OLHGgEFT76mdhj-zjCeKbKPRTsv72-iubhPFHvI0kxVQvy6DJU5-jkpBa16l0EfudiK7mMC4hNDb47nVJk7P_gjE/s1600/June_2-_2010+006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7jjS7Jr928QwAzbG4rpOa4g3gvBwZOgEGMx8VHnc5g-KaQFUU8jh1OLHGgEFT76mdhj-zjCeKbKPRTsv72-iubhPFHvI0kxVQvy6DJU5-jkpBa16l0EfudiK7mMC4hNDb47nVJk7P_gjE/s320/June_2-_2010+006.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Asparagus (bush?) is growing nice and tall. I wonder if we'll get to eat any next year. </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_7ydCS97uAQ0NWXg45aWb7ABfsYb3JOmb46gXwCZC6g_w_u3PnX64tERhVLGizlfWt7NmPa8ud0-lk58Z5kgVTlngm9SFyKL4yRSqyL1APKmYt9YfbdkeVFdgOMsygDRhJ7WZq4M2FOuB/s1600/June_2-_2010+008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_7ydCS97uAQ0NWXg45aWb7ABfsYb3JOmb46gXwCZC6g_w_u3PnX64tERhVLGizlfWt7NmPa8ud0-lk58Z5kgVTlngm9SFyKL4yRSqyL1APKmYt9YfbdkeVFdgOMsygDRhJ7WZq4M2FOuB/s320/June_2-_2010+008.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">The potted potato's have grown much faster than the seaweed ones. I think dirt is the way to go, but I will reserve my final judgement for later in the season.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0QrC1Q6bpOsFtULVUlPm54Yb_3EWWiIbQArZac1m4DRFHdHq5QNXt4fv0W9UpxGXSqcJXF7kEjnt0FrYtI-T4dlLjjOejBMh1yhlRs6cMA-vpj0H12l4pFmlY0g0TjB7TnPo7vA3dTpog/s1600/June_2-_2010+009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0QrC1Q6bpOsFtULVUlPm54Yb_3EWWiIbQArZac1m4DRFHdHq5QNXt4fv0W9UpxGXSqcJXF7kEjnt0FrYtI-T4dlLjjOejBMh1yhlRs6cMA-vpj0H12l4pFmlY0g0TjB7TnPo7vA3dTpog/s320/June_2-_2010+009.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">The lettuces have taken off. We are regularly eating from this area now. You can see the radishes are all gone, but there is a new crop growing!</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsi0MJ7B92IvH-vCHzIGq1a9RADBtner2trYc6lGouv_2vQ04I5D7d_WNMJwpuC7N5-6Heroa8bOXVwFK1njt1xbMeQImqcn6BIxTqpLEeEgSDkSlBOsho-5hDk5DOIcONksoHl2leDYG0/s1600/June_2-_2010+010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsi0MJ7B92IvH-vCHzIGq1a9RADBtner2trYc6lGouv_2vQ04I5D7d_WNMJwpuC7N5-6Heroa8bOXVwFK1njt1xbMeQImqcn6BIxTqpLEeEgSDkSlBOsho-5hDk5DOIcONksoHl2leDYG0/s320/June_2-_2010+010.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Another seaweed lasagna producing.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVnwuxVwCMy5DwW20mzreU5GsRuVJMlKVhVJGvlUeVzvxVrvziC3_gBlYYxQWD_ErndYlfe0RO2nOitWiwLIk6O11QgACE_vHsNMZXB9ccrHearQ1G8EZ4TTsbPymyBZMAwNN5T5L7RFDg/s1600/June_2-_2010+012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVnwuxVwCMy5DwW20mzreU5GsRuVJMlKVhVJGvlUeVzvxVrvziC3_gBlYYxQWD_ErndYlfe0RO2nOitWiwLIk6O11QgACE_vHsNMZXB9ccrHearQ1G8EZ4TTsbPymyBZMAwNN5T5L7RFDg/s320/June_2-_2010+012.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">The basil is in. I think I want more plants next year. We will see. I love the lime and lemon basil, how crazy is that! The thai basil is great too!</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqlVowqxStb-_Ii8hbOJJ49Cne07mzKudnNmuFFgaasWHFsP5fZjOOjlzQeXgzHM5GC98q0EUZ-zD6E23iJuGQG7MLiRY6ZJDvq9rX2x9wPMSi7Nc9vBu2vmKKRWYnCDH0JP5nHNjxCiDD/s1600/June_2-_2010+013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqlVowqxStb-_Ii8hbOJJ49Cne07mzKudnNmuFFgaasWHFsP5fZjOOjlzQeXgzHM5GC98q0EUZ-zD6E23iJuGQG7MLiRY6ZJDvq9rX2x9wPMSi7Nc9vBu2vmKKRWYnCDH0JP5nHNjxCiDD/s320/June_2-_2010+013.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Beets, Sunflowers, radishes and onions. All doing very very well. They are much bigger since I took this picture as we have had some really sunny warm days this week.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5CvT_pjrhlQ6WgAr42w0Ezr1QkYjcl7il1bJZmarN7gZW2A7UGJCc6zt1F09XdlEwrB-2OUky4EpnwFyqCQrshGp9vc1L9b9gQ_k821GDkJBjerhakKNMYslcV_qCsFqSj5B5lwm2Uz7e/s1600/June_2-_2010+014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5CvT_pjrhlQ6WgAr42w0Ezr1QkYjcl7il1bJZmarN7gZW2A7UGJCc6zt1F09XdlEwrB-2OUky4EpnwFyqCQrshGp9vc1L9b9gQ_k821GDkJBjerhakKNMYslcV_qCsFqSj5B5lwm2Uz7e/s320/June_2-_2010+014.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">An overview of our little garden. Its getting very green. Lots of comments from the neighbours now!</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOT_E57AF1Pt13NVITkClT0ty4oxyrSvNk3btYKtrx7hWDNXwhmP0K9PozNyfBbJcxXYvdrn684P09_L5hqOVoX-tyMWA4de5NT3Kr7oqUX-jFUfKagjW5c0lt_wvEzngIGe_3ncvWgYU4/s1600/June_2-_2010+007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOT_E57AF1Pt13NVITkClT0ty4oxyrSvNk3btYKtrx7hWDNXwhmP0K9PozNyfBbJcxXYvdrn684P09_L5hqOVoX-tyMWA4de5NT3Kr7oqUX-jFUfKagjW5c0lt_wvEzngIGe_3ncvWgYU4/s320/June_2-_2010+007.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">This tomato plant has grown immensly in just a few weeks. Its a black cherry tomato I think. I posted a picture right after I planted it on here and its amazing how small it was then! You hardly notice the changes when you look at them every day.</div>Mainland Gardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00569063479257604752noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2565505995278189040.post-1887137593277904182010-06-11T22:41:00.000-03:002010-06-11T22:41:38.727-03:00<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc9Uk-b9GOG1MM80uOp6qrAhzEbTPD6hVYiUWNZT5LsfobFkd0e-gTs1av1djlcjkYxx8Sc7aC0PUMIrgvBVfwUBVwycn9MGKaPF0sFv2jxBF4G00Bty1wWdA6PJEPOUiOVPUCIfCEyYY7/s1600/June_2010+014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc9Uk-b9GOG1MM80uOp6qrAhzEbTPD6hVYiUWNZT5LsfobFkd0e-gTs1av1djlcjkYxx8Sc7aC0PUMIrgvBVfwUBVwycn9MGKaPF0sFv2jxBF4G00Bty1wWdA6PJEPOUiOVPUCIfCEyYY7/s320/June_2010+014.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Why I bother. (He loved it by the way)</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2qnHAEYQuvm1K3zaB-X3q0EfsWILjOVf2JSP3vPvEz3qLQmUPzxvCpX0fNVU0Xd7BwghqPr0y-bdfAoxwX2ph9i9MCJpoKhE4puqSCfmHyVjc8_3LzSVsDJvJd7ohCLBn5XzrR7ksEpt-/s1600/June_2010+007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2qnHAEYQuvm1K3zaB-X3q0EfsWILjOVf2JSP3vPvEz3qLQmUPzxvCpX0fNVU0Xd7BwghqPr0y-bdfAoxwX2ph9i9MCJpoKhE4puqSCfmHyVjc8_3LzSVsDJvJd7ohCLBn5XzrR7ksEpt-/s320/June_2010+007.JPG" width="296" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">How I do it!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeItkKpMBjD6KzmoXAGm4yteQQGnW4Q5wUh_zU4irrEDjnVW9iy2WmxoYMqQGXeqhLe6-OlT7HPEwkju7zOpj-ca7a87SzEpkCR5e531Zjmy-EiHA5AcVeCxewKbYWblrqo_XKf4oDTvrH/s1600/June_2010+023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeItkKpMBjD6KzmoXAGm4yteQQGnW4Q5wUh_zU4irrEDjnVW9iy2WmxoYMqQGXeqhLe6-OlT7HPEwkju7zOpj-ca7a87SzEpkCR5e531Zjmy-EiHA5AcVeCxewKbYWblrqo_XKf4oDTvrH/s320/June_2010+023.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">One of our last bunches of radishes from the first batch. I will grow more next year, we really loved these!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgo2_8uL_8Nn9EpcPtdvMd0UpyogehjET6BzYSPMblPQCU8LFQzANfKN7kusFwxgvUXYkqilAwLlp913MI8vG4NW_1l7NHG1LKI2gfEC6ZyorViwFtAxGBt5MLn1QbWbN-53ertUfJc-j0/s1600/June_2010+018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgo2_8uL_8Nn9EpcPtdvMd0UpyogehjET6BzYSPMblPQCU8LFQzANfKN7kusFwxgvUXYkqilAwLlp913MI8vG4NW_1l7NHG1LKI2gfEC6ZyorViwFtAxGBt5MLn1QbWbN-53ertUfJc-j0/s400/June_2010+018.JPG" width="267" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">The Icicle radishes didn't work out so well. Im not sure if it was the soil, or the conditions, but they didn't plump up like they were supposed to and they got very fibrous. The plants grew like mad and even started bolting! I took them all out the other day because they were really covering the carrots. I wouldn't recommend marking your rows with radishes, at least not in a square foot garden. They really take up too much space. </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">All of the plants are basically in now. I keep thining I might be able to fit a little bit more, but I guess thats the gardeners addiction. The plants that are in are doing ok. The cuc's I planted are not, but my lemon cucumber transplants are still inside. im going to wait until its really warm before putting them out. I hope they work! </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">I will post an updated pic of the garden this weekend. Its really starting to fill in. The beets/sunflowers are growing well. My lettuce patch too!</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Lots of neighbors stopping by now. We have a popular street to walk on, so I sometimes watch out the window as people walk by, look, look again, look again and stop, and then smile and walk on. Ha!</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">On our nightly walk the other day I noticed that a recently bought house now has a small (3x12) veggie garden. Im always on the look out for fellow veggie gardeners. One of the neighbors down the street took up all the grass in her front lawn, I thought for sure she was going to put in a raised veggie bed, alas, no, more grass. Boooo!</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Mainland Gardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00569063479257604752noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2565505995278189040.post-22711631181313546702010-05-30T20:32:00.001-03:002010-05-30T21:02:01.914-03:00Tomatoes are in!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4ArPGUCexUyapejSAOsc7lRN90VbDonUym9Iliimdd_MdSMDuyHXpbB8e8yh5eHwd19tkpLeIlNE9MjS0MbA4wWHvWOW7VnPPqP5H7X_GFK185iUUrCsdZgdOdu87onhS8HqVLxbTFnm4/s1600/may+30+2010+016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4ArPGUCexUyapejSAOsc7lRN90VbDonUym9Iliimdd_MdSMDuyHXpbB8e8yh5eHwd19tkpLeIlNE9MjS0MbA4wWHvWOW7VnPPqP5H7X_GFK185iUUrCsdZgdOdu87onhS8HqVLxbTFnm4/s400/may+30+2010+016.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The tomato cages and plants are mostly all in now. I still have a few more inside, but I'm not sure where they'll go!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Xyh-01Hs_wwsezVqDnEE7KA2CpHgFqvOYr-bHWUum0IPEUT11WMXU_CdIi5dIMu1mYDSI0RPuudm86M59Yvhy3roO1-MzBx7KDCT43DSPjD_63jzdbgT3_AyAZ2bERAH3liM5DlGFx_V/s1600/may+30+2010+018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Xyh-01Hs_wwsezVqDnEE7KA2CpHgFqvOYr-bHWUum0IPEUT11WMXU_CdIi5dIMu1mYDSI0RPuudm86M59Yvhy3roO1-MzBx7KDCT43DSPjD_63jzdbgT3_AyAZ2bERAH3liM5DlGFx_V/s400/may+30+2010+018.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My first flowers! These will make some early Sweet 100's!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzxFe3t3jQsZaLYKYYGVt72qkAgEls2TEQBjiujr0GTogPPk34uBm8IufBwK5O5WhrOKM6LGa5ZlKGQdw-sWyIpStU-fRfxwKV2aDJC0mRMu4IJyOarK6QAHT9BJdcpanf0MfW9UXi1T0v/s1600/may+30+2010+019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzxFe3t3jQsZaLYKYYGVt72qkAgEls2TEQBjiujr0GTogPPk34uBm8IufBwK5O5WhrOKM6LGa5ZlKGQdw-sWyIpStU-fRfxwKV2aDJC0mRMu4IJyOarK6QAHT9BJdcpanf0MfW9UXi1T0v/s400/may+30+2010+019.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I had to get some pots for the extra tomatoes. Lets hope they grow well!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf0tpKIAgebfcrPW8tqSNvxriHQ0FzMM8Csf835jW3Z7XHJwAAa6967qNqqnr3G1CUpvYUXKYZWf6ScA15eALh-EvKcg1ZOR5qH5FOjVSK5CzaNzO64gR-12i8NVfIE9fWJBq3XLwoizwo/s1600/may+30+2010+020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf0tpKIAgebfcrPW8tqSNvxriHQ0FzMM8Csf835jW3Z7XHJwAAa6967qNqqnr3G1CUpvYUXKYZWf6ScA15eALh-EvKcg1ZOR5qH5FOjVSK5CzaNzO64gR-12i8NVfIE9fWJBq3XLwoizwo/s400/may+30+2010+020.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The asparagus are getting quite tall and branching out. I am excited to see what they look like as "adults". I don't think I could pick one out of a line-up.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl50gavM0zoo9zsxs6kgbhwu-0RqlZ9i_gdhtcqwxK_6FknPcKIGka0SQ5oX8HG_wxS027bdkXQjU1cFqCG-mhDegKGSwJWgUhsIFyWlQeCzAU8zREZD0EpKrNyd13tQq74YcN9pkSAXCQ/s1600/may+30+2010+021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl50gavM0zoo9zsxs6kgbhwu-0RqlZ9i_gdhtcqwxK_6FknPcKIGka0SQ5oX8HG_wxS027bdkXQjU1cFqCG-mhDegKGSwJWgUhsIFyWlQeCzAU8zREZD0EpKrNyd13tQq74YcN9pkSAXCQ/s400/may+30+2010+021.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The icicle radishes are finally plumping up. You can see way down the upper ends of them. The greens are absolutely huge! Can you eat those? They have these little spines on them that I feel when I'm rooting around for the plumpest ones. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjJ6EwBQt2vegiavdc4I6kS5vm7RsZEOz5SJymzD6FIvbkPW4pNl5v0rPqySd3GhxX_MCIB0uwjCDVDDM44Vik948kP-n73HDEGkb5yG8h_reShlmM3L_m14rIFF7bmsd-vyKg4JSs1fMb/s1600/may+30+2010+025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjJ6EwBQt2vegiavdc4I6kS5vm7RsZEOz5SJymzD6FIvbkPW4pNl5v0rPqySd3GhxX_MCIB0uwjCDVDDM44Vik948kP-n73HDEGkb5yG8h_reShlmM3L_m14rIFF7bmsd-vyKg4JSs1fMb/s400/may+30+2010+025.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Im harvesting about 20 radishes a day now. Way too many to eat, so my neighbors and relatives are all getting their fill too. Radishes have been really easy to grow, and even though I didn't thin them, they still grew really, really well. I have been washing, cutting and bunching them like this and giving them away.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We have had a good mix of rain and sun, so things are growing well. </div>Mainland Gardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00569063479257604752noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2565505995278189040.post-15208081906999859782010-05-25T20:54:00.000-03:002010-05-25T20:54:58.092-03:00Peas, Beets and Asparagus!<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">There is a lot of activity going on here on the mainland this past week. We had an absolutely beautiful long weekend and my plants just took in as much sun as they could handle. The peas and pole beans have finally sprouted, as well as the beets and even some of my asparagus crowns! Very exciting!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I decided to add some soil to the top of my seaweed potatoes as the seaweed seemed to dry out WAY too fast. I think they are staying a bit more moist now. </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisN7vHW_5IZBSVo62y6ncKOrdctCak7FxGq6ODOGDWZF4s4qPRY9TXMyPoi2qHK7MAfQU1UO24J6LRaFfrS8024r-Zmcdt6PZnwT81ZxbteVhXX0iln_2rQNtJsMUED2SjoLTInOrswk5Q/s1600/may+2010+007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisN7vHW_5IZBSVo62y6ncKOrdctCak7FxGq6ODOGDWZF4s4qPRY9TXMyPoi2qHK7MAfQU1UO24J6LRaFfrS8024r-Zmcdt6PZnwT81ZxbteVhXX0iln_2rQNtJsMUED2SjoLTInOrswk5Q/s400/may+2010+007.JPG" width="372" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">One of the many radish bunches we have picked. We have grown quite a few and have even resorted to giving some away! Who would have thought!</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYp7rQtdqHEx3tXBUHc27vusWaKY_BMuvShn74DICZzlWhI5klsQozSfENIWZPAu_AYmMP3XCGTVjktTgpREKP8KGmZS-1Qr63IuIuAFyFbyNQHHbxVcaFmT7cd0ido4NKLhfLAIhnTfOn/s1600/may+2010+023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYp7rQtdqHEx3tXBUHc27vusWaKY_BMuvShn74DICZzlWhI5klsQozSfENIWZPAu_AYmMP3XCGTVjktTgpREKP8KGmZS-1Qr63IuIuAFyFbyNQHHbxVcaFmT7cd0ido4NKLhfLAIhnTfOn/s320/may+2010+023.JPG" width="298" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4HoG6Vl1pamaXm4BOsdUsFv4YdIDtD5zC1AqjLCbEX8GZpzS7RpB29Cc-BHWeljWYMpD0vykkdxJYQiz1feOdu4hReQunQCW6cMtWk-Sv5RQAizq3WbF2YUR3MLLHmmkFCXxCqs-hz8an/s1600/may+2010+024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4HoG6Vl1pamaXm4BOsdUsFv4YdIDtD5zC1AqjLCbEX8GZpzS7RpB29Cc-BHWeljWYMpD0vykkdxJYQiz1feOdu4hReQunQCW6cMtWk-Sv5RQAizq3WbF2YUR3MLLHmmkFCXxCqs-hz8an/s400/may+2010+024.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">The pole beans are sprouting and growing right at the base of the pole. Not sure how to "train" them, but I think they sort of do that on their own. Learning Point!</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHK3g5FHopRgcz7CmaEwVJCErIpmE1sPn9L94veaK8yZfJTfCMiBXjxrAVzt_n1fWRuHb92g8_tXYjumXA9oHpj1VobFWczjnZxY_Pq0Zb-UcV7JPpaXN0QzWIvWXJl-6p6q_a3T2i-6Eb/s1600/may+2010+027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHK3g5FHopRgcz7CmaEwVJCErIpmE1sPn9L94veaK8yZfJTfCMiBXjxrAVzt_n1fWRuHb92g8_tXYjumXA9oHpj1VobFWczjnZxY_Pq0Zb-UcV7JPpaXN0QzWIvWXJl-6p6q_a3T2i-6Eb/s400/may+2010+027.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Asparagus! Next year we will be harvesting around this time. I can't wait!</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG4jBdMfd_bo2Zp0rqEIPb0S3o_F5tipp5cVf1CHvxlQr-aG2cuGCAVXQGfl46XxDQ5wiMnWK4JVn3vxF4zVhL6j44hMWShkgfu491z9bw3OkrRB-tVVG8FqdZ7rKx_FMDwZ6qMia1nZJf/s1600/may+2010+028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG4jBdMfd_bo2Zp0rqEIPb0S3o_F5tipp5cVf1CHvxlQr-aG2cuGCAVXQGfl46XxDQ5wiMnWK4JVn3vxF4zVhL6j44hMWShkgfu491z9bw3OkrRB-tVVG8FqdZ7rKx_FMDwZ6qMia1nZJf/s400/may+2010+028.JPG" width="267" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Hard to see, but the beets have sprouted above.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh315qo8RvWc_o17m078tm2CPyB5TBT9r2uCDmSWnqXwgXzOnc0u19xwOObu7vQAk_YF32Pr5dplO4np8fEqZEME1z05VoEJjWrOmHZiEB9a1PaJogqp4-rJT2HOAlSWCl9BzXUVVsgbEeu/s1600/may+2010+026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh315qo8RvWc_o17m078tm2CPyB5TBT9r2uCDmSWnqXwgXzOnc0u19xwOObu7vQAk_YF32Pr5dplO4np8fEqZEME1z05VoEJjWrOmHZiEB9a1PaJogqp4-rJT2HOAlSWCl9BzXUVVsgbEeu/s400/may+2010+026.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Three new additions to the little plot. In one I have "pot" zuccini growing. Apparently they do not spread as much as the traditional zuccini so they are good for pots.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje2lDcYPEJllktcN5UEKd8he79mfcDmlvWwgbqQ1kC9fGNQHXSNb8v4tZZykmS0cgiOoVs-fv4GtSmGo9Bp3tbMTR5ehsrXRADuv3EyFXtKIlpoEZxY2a-CnYbBwWg-fyrwLZQvPUF5QLm/s1600/may+2010+025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje2lDcYPEJllktcN5UEKd8he79mfcDmlvWwgbqQ1kC9fGNQHXSNb8v4tZZykmS0cgiOoVs-fv4GtSmGo9Bp3tbMTR5ehsrXRADuv3EyFXtKIlpoEZxY2a-CnYbBwWg-fyrwLZQvPUF5QLm/s400/may+2010+025.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Lettuce growing well!</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">All for now!</div>Mainland Gardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00569063479257604752noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2565505995278189040.post-24138532198631878112010-05-19T16:49:00.003-03:002010-05-19T21:42:48.236-03:00The Potatoes are in!<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">At long last I have had time to 1- Go get seaweed and 2- Build the potato lasagna!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">There was a lull of activity in the garden -- exams, weather, conferences, presentations... But yesterday was a glorious sunny day and I was back at it! <span style="background-color: #783f04;">We planted lettuce transplants, and some onion starters. I also bought 2 <span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background-attachment: scroll; background-image: none; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat;">beef-stake</span> tomato transplants and put them in. I know its too early, well at least <span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background-attachment: scroll; background-image: none; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat;">thats</span> what everyone says, so <span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background-attachment: scroll; background-image: none; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat;">Im</span> not putting out my own seedlings yet. Its more of an experiment. Lets see what happens!</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="background-color: #783f04;"><br />
</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="background-color: #b45f06;"><span style="background-color: #783f04;">The <span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background-attachment: scroll; background-image: none; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat;">polebeans</span> are starting to sprout and the lettuce that I planted underneath the bamboo poles is also coming up. This is going to be great</span></span><span style="background-color: #783f04;">! </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpw9cUybIQ2TktX_JGeiOlLraRifkvc6LLQEIImw7STRSHvLxadXaiWUdCEP1zq3U-t5iMnr1T2mXcGlCf8rpYLYKTM0_7zYMKKG4HfNTVLQ6RjSdsWT_oSZw5nC-_T8LvMECyzahTZWy1/s1600/Maddies+Birthday+2010+Garden+pics+142.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpw9cUybIQ2TktX_JGeiOlLraRifkvc6LLQEIImw7STRSHvLxadXaiWUdCEP1zq3U-t5iMnr1T2mXcGlCf8rpYLYKTM0_7zYMKKG4HfNTVLQ6RjSdsWT_oSZw5nC-_T8LvMECyzahTZWy1/s400/Maddies+Birthday+2010+Garden+pics+142.JPG" width="400" wt="true" /></a></div><div class="" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">The first harvested radish! (many more have been picked since)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQlvj8DyFqkQFzo5HVgvSiS08dPdYUk9NxAa8x2069IeQtQZjI8ckkpRtFLDnltj5hvAF8p-ijWdnGw40CmAJfkPY9YAgave6bZmagPxivNNSgiyziETGqJz3moTTQtkbNFtnUC8Fly34K/s1600/Maddies+Birthday+2010+Garden+pics+306.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQlvj8DyFqkQFzo5HVgvSiS08dPdYUk9NxAa8x2069IeQtQZjI8ckkpRtFLDnltj5hvAF8p-ijWdnGw40CmAJfkPY9YAgave6bZmagPxivNNSgiyziETGqJz3moTTQtkbNFtnUC8Fly34K/s400/Maddies+Birthday+2010+Garden+pics+306.JPG" width="400" wt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">The Seaweed Source</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9NV2CWR8hQbd-d2dTzGIpkQo5zXxRpkdpGZwyRXLC6HdtzB9si2B88FJD_RL7KPjWJx_oKC5tLzB41vgLbpPBaD3-wbvjDSCXujVT2uO6Ox3Ox8qiG47mBV17pjTSAum_ct9h8s6SqhQL/s1600/Maddies+Birthday+2010+Garden+pics+308.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9NV2CWR8hQbd-d2dTzGIpkQo5zXxRpkdpGZwyRXLC6HdtzB9si2B88FJD_RL7KPjWJx_oKC5tLzB41vgLbpPBaD3-wbvjDSCXujVT2uO6Ox3Ox8qiG47mBV17pjTSAum_ct9h8s6SqhQL/s400/Maddies+Birthday+2010+Garden+pics+308.JPG" width="267" wt="true" /></a></div><div class="" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">A plastic mesh cage, attached to my PVC hoop frame (I respect the wind now) You can see the potatoes in the egg trays eagerly awaiting their new home.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmKXfMXHTyUJYmLecYtFYI6Gma_1Lr-0ZdS74ryIpsiHkCiR58J34su5oPC-06IPXrs2vnUd7_Dh32JxPMH4TeOSoctMl9bgVHt-pnYfah617iCBntqS4iyNsofLS5aeSzoH-EWdtOB9Ue/s1600/Maddies+Birthday+2010+Garden+pics+309.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmKXfMXHTyUJYmLecYtFYI6Gma_1Lr-0ZdS74ryIpsiHkCiR58J34su5oPC-06IPXrs2vnUd7_Dh32JxPMH4TeOSoctMl9bgVHt-pnYfah617iCBntqS4iyNsofLS5aeSzoH-EWdtOB9Ue/s400/Maddies+Birthday+2010+Garden+pics+309.JPG" width="400" wt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">I probably put the potatoes too close together, but I have seen some others growing potatoes in buckets, and I thought their spacing was about this far apart. We'll see, this is the experimental year. What I did I make alternating layers of seaweed and potatoes. I arranged the potatoes so that the eyes were facing out. Hopefully they will grow out the side of the mesh and then course upwards. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdpXc13ERetK72-eSz8K-_PtYteQqj-mXVFNwdPFgxFq7THkEkmV0IVr0QnE6JHt1vcmEif1ryIFm7W4YsFmaNpbRiu2JnwOHCsSwHaZDIqIOvI8KKw24r1p6KUcg0frc3EvEzlpA8Zx9a/s1600/Maddies+Birthday+2010+Garden+pics+312.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdpXc13ERetK72-eSz8K-_PtYteQqj-mXVFNwdPFgxFq7THkEkmV0IVr0QnE6JHt1vcmEif1ryIFm7W4YsFmaNpbRiu2JnwOHCsSwHaZDIqIOvI8KKw24r1p6KUcg0frc3EvEzlpA8Zx9a/s400/Maddies+Birthday+2010+Garden+pics+312.JPG" width="267" wt="true" /></a></div><div class="" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">The final product. It doesn't smell and actually <span style="background-color: white;">looks <span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background-attachment: scroll; background-image: none; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat;">ok</span>!</span> Our little one thought it looked like hay and said "We'll be horses and that will be our food!".</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBSXdOFKZZPcm7xHnkMCBXaUJchNI_esHvoHP1ii3zaIRXqJ86FnotAEfyuDYnOPfuw30KC4ikKvr4_3iyxpi3zsnN1gMuP6aJrYhRMn-K8W3-NZjdRBu-Ja2jYDqhQV77eEPSAAjn8wp_/s1600/Maddies+Birthday+2010+Garden+pics+317.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBSXdOFKZZPcm7xHnkMCBXaUJchNI_esHvoHP1ii3zaIRXqJ86FnotAEfyuDYnOPfuw30KC4ikKvr4_3iyxpi3zsnN1gMuP6aJrYhRMn-K8W3-NZjdRBu-Ja2jYDqhQV77eEPSAAjn8wp_/s400/Maddies+Birthday+2010+Garden+pics+317.JPG" width="267" wt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">A look at the garden with some of the new transplants. You can see the radishes (closest) have really gotten quite large! The bamboo poles can be seen here too. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiswSU_JPdtYJ33k60k9Jf-noIX3LqtuZvfrn5P3_-qxr_ii3FchP5yata329C2JzikVZPeOgwXyhfES8zhkH5YJZ14ZKVnjPbOrPhznNGLiaR3nghYwK15k3RHYMjk1yWF4WtJZleKd6GJ/s1600/Maddies+Birthday+2010+Garden+pics+313.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiswSU_JPdtYJ33k60k9Jf-noIX3LqtuZvfrn5P3_-qxr_ii3FchP5yata329C2JzikVZPeOgwXyhfES8zhkH5YJZ14ZKVnjPbOrPhznNGLiaR3nghYwK15k3RHYMjk1yWF4WtJZleKd6GJ/s400/Maddies+Birthday+2010+Garden+pics+313.JPG" width="400" wt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Pea sprouts at the bottom of the bamboo pole!</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi0pDnkwjEw6Y38119NHeA32t6FMMZVA1eHjdu5JKSpKF-AJx_H8qf5YsdoXHqkh70JpbDxVLmmmHb2J5PDGojI-OGm5-sr2DraXVmnVbg7_zU78Y5tQ1saEGlMkCY79WrMiP8embLqO6p/s1600/Maddies+Birthday+2010+Garden+pics+314.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi0pDnkwjEw6Y38119NHeA32t6FMMZVA1eHjdu5JKSpKF-AJx_H8qf5YsdoXHqkh70JpbDxVLmmmHb2J5PDGojI-OGm5-sr2DraXVmnVbg7_zU78Y5tQ1saEGlMkCY79WrMiP8embLqO6p/s400/Maddies+Birthday+2010+Garden+pics+314.JPG" width="400" wt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Hard to see, but this is underneath the poles and hopefully will be a nice cool, partially shady area for the lettuce. There are some small sprouts already!</div>Mainland Gardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00569063479257604752noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2565505995278189040.post-55607660824912385382010-05-07T21:02:00.000-03:002010-05-07T21:02:23.013-03:00Wind StormWell, the hoop covers have been removed. Forcefully. <br />
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We live in a particularly windy area of town and my plastic covers could not stand up to the constant battering. They lasted about 1 month and then started to shred. Amazing really. Perhaps thicker plastic would do better, but its been warm enough that Im content to just remove the plastic. Its also much less of an eye sore with the plastic gone. <br />
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The radishes are growing well, although they are really not spaced well. I didn't plan on ALL of them germinating, but I guess its pretty close to 100%. The carrots are sprouting too! The asparagus crowns came today and I planted them in front of out living room window. The vegetable gardeners bible says that asparagus needs its own bed free of competition, but I just don't have that luxury yet. So, we'll see how they do there. <br />
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Pics to follow. <br />
Next is to get some seaweed for the potatoes! Hopefully this weekend!Mainland Gardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00569063479257604752noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2565505995278189040.post-74914888475353461172010-04-24T23:22:00.000-03:002010-04-24T23:22:06.787-03:00Seed PotatoesI bought my seed potatoes today! I bought a blue type and yukon gold. I got 5lbs bags of each, I think it will be plenty. <br />
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Here's a pic of the radishes growing like mad. I tried to outline where I had planted the carrots. Need to be more precise next time, clearly..<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinERXjgOR53HoTsw6NRvPKJWf3NVvh-oyJcmhHOwlKU5D4i3BcQrYBpKSLMXy13-uzOuANi70-tl5ACrsNGk_f5NilTuZKfLauz0Zqa06AZ9BZ-Pj69_OmZijo7RotoKnIvMK3GlDUrIcs/s1600/april+2010+019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinERXjgOR53HoTsw6NRvPKJWf3NVvh-oyJcmhHOwlKU5D4i3BcQrYBpKSLMXy13-uzOuANi70-tl5ACrsNGk_f5NilTuZKfLauz0Zqa06AZ9BZ-Pj69_OmZijo7RotoKnIvMK3GlDUrIcs/s400/april+2010+019.JPG" tt="true" width="400" /></a></div>Mainland Gardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00569063479257604752noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2565505995278189040.post-35515741563126120992010-04-18T22:19:00.001-03:002010-04-24T23:18:16.530-03:00Nature Called........ and said it wasn't quite done with winter.<br />
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So another snow storm for us here in Halifax. It snowed GIANT flakes of fluffy white snow all day. It didn't accumulate until tonight when it started to cool down. Mega-box is being put to the test. There was a lot of condensation on the inside, so I assume its quite warm in there. I don't want to open it to check, for fear of letting too much heat out. <br />
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The seedlings are doing well. Once I put the grow light on them they stopped growing so tall and are now working on maturing. I think Im going to be relying on transplants again this year, not sure how well my little seeds are going to do. I will get better, I will!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmgIicTMJPgfReGcWbQbRkvXDF_cuPsssNdooC9S1Pm9B-KR56533sr5DeNXKDW3A3aKssa1jnYUDPoQF7FnspfiJLMHTM0UIRr78F93fQt8Sm83RqPpeBsljE11mG56IoKRRgKYd5l1Sy/s1600/april+2010+006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmgIicTMJPgfReGcWbQbRkvXDF_cuPsssNdooC9S1Pm9B-KR56533sr5DeNXKDW3A3aKssa1jnYUDPoQF7FnspfiJLMHTM0UIRr78F93fQt8Sm83RqPpeBsljE11mG56IoKRRgKYd5l1Sy/s400/april+2010+006.JPG" tt="true" width="267" /></a></div>Mainland Gardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00569063479257604752noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2565505995278189040.post-43034671206716016452010-04-11T20:30:00.001-03:002010-04-11T20:31:32.652-03:00Hoop CoversI have done a bit of research and reading online about row covers. Last year I followed the SFG method of two crossed PVC pipes joined by one or two tie wraps. This year, with my 20ft extension, I needed something different. I used PVC pipes again (probably metal is better, but alas, this is what I have) and arranged them parallel and about 3 feet apart. My plan was to use a plastic cover with one side stapled and the other held down by cement blocks. This plan needed some tweaking however.<br />
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I realised that I would need something to hold the plastic onto the PVC pipes. I have seen several items online that were specifically made for this purpose, but I wanted to get things going this weekend (one of the few I have free this month). I bought 36 large binder butterfly clamps from staples. They are working fairly well. It has been extremely windy here this weekend and a few times when I was getting things up more than one went flying!<br />
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Its all together now (see below) and after discussing things with some local gardeners I decided to put in a few carrots and radishes to get things going. <br />
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My main concern now is that the soil I bought is too, well "soil-y". The soil is "garden soil" from Kel-Ann organics in Bedford, and he assured me it was a soil I didn't need to add anything to. But I can't help but feel that its too dense and that the roots will have a hard time getting down into it. There are also a large number of rocks in the soil. This is probably good for drainage, but it certainly seems like a lot. Anyone have experience with soil from Kel-Ann? Worst case scenario I have to take away some of the soil and add peat moss or compost or something like that. <br />
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Next project - Potato Bed!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZCDbU9R5FdXa0Jxsa5m6CApuyj1TpTy6hYfbCKzERkZmuzCj1inNXZhqTzuzCspGHebuep2HK-FcBxoto9DAeIsxAvSnJlEo80Od3bhiHtb9KnskZucbjWq1wTSAYFoJSGoqu4BmMEzey/s1600/Garden+April+2010+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZCDbU9R5FdXa0Jxsa5m6CApuyj1TpTy6hYfbCKzERkZmuzCj1inNXZhqTzuzCspGHebuep2HK-FcBxoto9DAeIsxAvSnJlEo80Od3bhiHtb9KnskZucbjWq1wTSAYFoJSGoqu4BmMEzey/s400/Garden+April+2010+004.JPG" width="400" wt="true" /></a></div>Mainland Gardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00569063479257604752noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2565505995278189040.post-8131047101366286362010-04-07T20:53:00.002-03:002010-04-07T21:35:34.540-03:00Dirt is here!Today was a big day for our little plot. The soil arrived this morning bright and early. I had the afternoon off so I came home to find two piles waiting to be relocated. I got out my shovel and started into it. About 10 shovels full later I realised that I was in for a LONG afternoon. But I made it and eventually the dirt was put in the right spots and I managed to cover the ugly gravel with bark mulch. Here are some pictures from the day showing the progress.<br />
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No sprouts from the seedlings yet, but I am hopeful!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_CZINYs8ENgtIXkzUMAwPwSemC4R_guuB0uPr9k_e5-qD7dof_h9qhZYCc2_tmQdVzBHCool-flRKH1Jsu9cMSQK11pOMOUCPdmZ89b_yR-RZtokFAxM7j-p_mfBgRaGXRRaINhXCUMU5/s1600/April_2_2010+084.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" nt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_CZINYs8ENgtIXkzUMAwPwSemC4R_guuB0uPr9k_e5-qD7dof_h9qhZYCc2_tmQdVzBHCool-flRKH1Jsu9cMSQK11pOMOUCPdmZ89b_yR-RZtokFAxM7j-p_mfBgRaGXRRaINhXCUMU5/s320/April_2_2010+084.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiean0PVtCsEh4rDKyyZwOjnPLI2lCBh6HS7GzxrIsvgsixHn8jxFhVfNU45t6OBftG2KGP6LKRn00r8r8jpQFToolLz6ZGTAvLGd7u-SOhskGRtb1jU2sLfCkIY784b72RX2VgERuDlZQs/s1600/April_2_2010+086.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" nt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiean0PVtCsEh4rDKyyZwOjnPLI2lCBh6HS7GzxrIsvgsixHn8jxFhVfNU45t6OBftG2KGP6LKRn00r8r8jpQFToolLz6ZGTAvLGd7u-SOhskGRtb1jU2sLfCkIY784b72RX2VgERuDlZQs/s320/April_2_2010+086.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCw1_IVe16X-Jh0HpZj4kyBYaOfK2AxmeP838SUIrrI0DG8Owqgf028WZ0NaznutHY510vOwwcvKrm-2xnifOX0ef_H3bYo-mdxqI55kY4A9V-xdF_A7fYcyOliLfo6KZ7bwoFvYvoNGrr/s1600/April_2_2010+082.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" nt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCw1_IVe16X-Jh0HpZj4kyBYaOfK2AxmeP838SUIrrI0DG8Owqgf028WZ0NaznutHY510vOwwcvKrm-2xnifOX0ef_H3bYo-mdxqI55kY4A9V-xdF_A7fYcyOliLfo6KZ7bwoFvYvoNGrr/s320/April_2_2010+082.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLKLUjPRWv5ooLHomZGxm8p5oSKBvkSGfjE25u0D54vIaWaYz-BR1R33MvfsQngAzsVIoeW94A3pGcBQiHhpSruEM7_1tb_clafvtGsBTv0xHZgGTXfUOrmng2dun51ZK0POkBFcCR6ZHM/s1600/April_2_2010+089.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" nt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLKLUjPRWv5ooLHomZGxm8p5oSKBvkSGfjE25u0D54vIaWaYz-BR1R33MvfsQngAzsVIoeW94A3pGcBQiHhpSruEM7_1tb_clafvtGsBTv0xHZgGTXfUOrmng2dun51ZK0POkBFcCR6ZHM/s320/April_2_2010+089.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSIYEozX2upyEK9STVS4kFAHMvmkBwPH30t844EJq_P2JSA610xD1QGE1veOFCOlzxpnNFBFCjutg4exWFHmcYgDfomtQWNeD_fWD2fsftvONTIn8AqId-zyer2my_Ld_MHvVjEbdWT3qk/s1600/April_2_2010+090.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" nt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSIYEozX2upyEK9STVS4kFAHMvmkBwPH30t844EJq_P2JSA610xD1QGE1veOFCOlzxpnNFBFCjutg4exWFHmcYgDfomtQWNeD_fWD2fsftvONTIn8AqId-zyer2my_Ld_MHvVjEbdWT3qk/s320/April_2_2010+090.JPG" /></a></div>Mainland Gardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00569063479257604752noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2565505995278189040.post-38526568021133305912010-04-06T21:03:00.001-03:002010-04-07T21:14:16.948-03:00Mega-Box Updates!Great progress has been made this beautiful sunny weekend!<br />
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Mega-Box now has a nice copper outer coat and all of its PVC supports. The dirt from Kel-Ann Organics is comming tomorrow. The seeds are in the starter trays! Hurray for the ultimate slow food.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinWQ-Cd-BMM7et_IaoqhqdSW28PGPeGThR_lrKn6_whysuFvk3giwzN4iKIQQy5e15iZEDFkPNl8r0XERlRjzj85rFfHgfD3uR-5MiA0gUXfSXis-2Pq_bPb_9jEH_qxB8oGTXUhsTr2kh/s1600/April_2_2010+085.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" nt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinWQ-Cd-BMM7et_IaoqhqdSW28PGPeGThR_lrKn6_whysuFvk3giwzN4iKIQQy5e15iZEDFkPNl8r0XERlRjzj85rFfHgfD3uR-5MiA0gUXfSXis-2Pq_bPb_9jEH_qxB8oGTXUhsTr2kh/s320/April_2_2010+085.JPG" /></a></div>Mainland Gardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00569063479257604752noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2565505995278189040.post-45640856056702055972010-04-05T10:54:00.001-03:002010-04-05T10:55:19.577-03:00Building the BoxConstruction on the Mega-Box has begun. I purchased 5 boards of Nova Scotia Spruce that were 1x12ft and had one cut into two 4 foot lengths. The long four would obviously serve as the sides and the shorter boards would be the ends. I added a third board in the middle for stability. I bought a few stainless steel brackets and some screws. Total cost about $100 .<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The total time to build was about 1.5 hours. I was worried that with such a long box, it wouldn't sit flat on the irregular surface, but it was really quite fine. I only had to shift a few areas. The box is nice and sturdy. You can see at the end there are two PVC pipes bent into a frame shape. This will serve as a support structure for the plastic covering. More on that later.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I also bought the dirt today. Its going to be delivered in 2 days. I bought 2 yards of bark mulch to put around the box so that ugly gravel would be covered. It might keep the weeds down too. Very exciting times here on the mainland!</div>Mainland Gardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00569063479257604752noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2565505995278189040.post-30788060326833266472010-03-30T21:42:00.005-03:002010-04-05T10:57:46.977-03:00World Food Production<strong><span style="color: yellow;">"World food production must increase by 70% by 2050 to meet world population growth"</span></strong><br />
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While driving home tonight from work I heard an expert talking about food. He stated that while the rate of food production is increasing, the human population is increasing at an even faster rate. His solution was to increase industrial agriculture output. It got me thinking.<br />
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The developed world's population is actually decreasing, 1.2 kids per family will do that to a population, but this is where the bulk of the worlds food is produced. The population of developing and third world nations is increasing rapidly, and this is where the food demand is going to come from. <br />
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My thought was that the solution would not be in industrial agriculture, but rather in small scale urban 'farms'. People growing their own food, or at least part of it. Community gardens, balcony gardens, rooftop gardens would all allow people to be slightly self sufficient. Much like the agricultural campaigns during the second world war in Canada and Great Britain, we should be encouraging all nations to "Dig for Victory" in their back yards!Mainland Gardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00569063479257604752noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2565505995278189040.post-52934187730279709472010-03-21T21:58:00.001-03:002010-03-21T22:05:20.837-03:00Resources<div style="text-align: center;">Here are the books that I currently own on gardening. I recently expanded my collection by a substantial number. </div><br />
I bought most of the books through <a href="http://www.abebooks.ca/">http://www.abebooks.ca/</a> which is a world-wide collection of used book sellers. Amazing, you can find just about anything on the site. I have been really impressed at the quantity of books, especially rare ones, and the prices are very, very reasonable.<br />
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1) Square Foot Gardening - by Mel Bartholomew<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDXyHYM-TsauTyHMWbtAL7pXq68A843eUVTLJR9r394Vgx_xrF_pMI52jUNqVfPKuz4ahf_hiFW7Yf-0SpHKwPCcUuuSMyuP18JC_rg4UAJ_YE6ppQPpnFv1fSgUXDYLq_m6d_WFZH158M/s1600-h/sfg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="cssfloat: left; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDXyHYM-TsauTyHMWbtAL7pXq68A843eUVTLJR9r394Vgx_xrF_pMI52jUNqVfPKuz4ahf_hiFW7Yf-0SpHKwPCcUuuSMyuP18JC_rg4UAJ_YE6ppQPpnFv1fSgUXDYLq_m6d_WFZH158M/s200/sfg.jpg" vt="true" width="200" /></a></div>Im the kind of person that needs explicit step by step instructions on how to do things, otherwise I feel that Im going to do something wrong. Mel does just that, his instructions were down to the little details. He is also very practical and flexible in the materals he recommends for the raised gardens. My 2009 garden was a 4x4 raised bed (which incidentally was photographed by the google maps street view) and worked very well. His recommendations for how many of a certain plant can be put per square foot is invaluable and Im sure I will be using that for years to come. You can find most of the information on his website <a href="http://www.squarefootgardening.com/">http://www.squarefootgardening.com/</a> for free.<br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">2) The Vegetable Gardeners Bible - </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">This is another great book. He also uses a more compact style gardening method, but he has a lot more space to work with. Again, I like it because he goes through gardening in excruciating detail. For example he dedicates two entire pages on breaking down the seed package, yes the package. You would be surprised how much info is on there. Actually planting the plants in the garden isn't discussed until about 1/2 way through the book! Nice big color pictures make this book a joy to go through.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYOSxKXSJVUNqM1SVk1AZEhkuqYpqGlNxyO4cb9ZigZdnoT2bXMBFl129kq_BDa9l4Qk8EtWfg-OeDISvV8f09-r1Dd3-jXKUF_9yuzk1tkE0fyrD6TDP94q4Ail7_TfvN1FyCtdNC95WX/s1600-h/nova+scotia.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYOSxKXSJVUNqM1SVk1AZEhkuqYpqGlNxyO4cb9ZigZdnoT2bXMBFl129kq_BDa9l4Qk8EtWfg-OeDISvV8f09-r1Dd3-jXKUF_9yuzk1tkE0fyrD6TDP94q4Ail7_TfvN1FyCtdNC95WX/s400/nova+scotia.JPG" vt="true" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">3) Grow Organic - A simple guide to Nova Scotia vegetable gardening - Elizabeth Peirce</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>Hot off the press! Hurrah, a region specific gardening guide. Excellent book with great pictures. I learned about compost teas and she has one of the ONLY references I can find about using seaweed garden beds.<br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>4) Garden Way Bulletin A-4 -Potatoes, Sweet and Irish<br />
No picture for this one. I found this at a used bookstore in Sidney, BC last month. Written in 1974 it gives you the ins and out of potato growing. Very helpful. Its only a small pamphlet. Im not sure where you would find this now, I did a quick google search and didn't come up with anything.<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPYm6c9fSY-MqUEEXoMAyz_F_XPIpaJlGhgNH7mpYybi-XPoK60cxdA8KdQvR9zF0mJ223Cgc2g_cDHOH8xTTB81qy-hntVVt-vbAceYhMYWoKZvbOCNCeIyQW85F0YS80XPGIi6QHu0op/s1600-h/mygfy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="cssfloat: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPYm6c9fSY-MqUEEXoMAyz_F_XPIpaJlGhgNH7mpYybi-XPoK60cxdA8KdQvR9zF0mJ223Cgc2g_cDHOH8xTTB81qy-hntVVt-vbAceYhMYWoKZvbOCNCeIyQW85F0YS80XPGIi6QHu0op/s200/mygfy.jpg" vt="true" width="200" /></a></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">5) Make your Garden Feed You</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">This is an interesting book. Again, a total fluke find in a book store in Sidney,BC. Written in the 1940's during WWII to encourage people to become more self sufficient to help the war effort. A great deal of info on gardening in small spaces. He even talks about chickens and how to build appropriate coops! I like history, so this book was a must have for me.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2MaexNpTS9reyAk_jScInOdJzQ-p08AGVc2y6VJQorkO9JnXe3PIbcFLVtjVFrIeIn6AEWNzSdi8HSw5Z-pgSJZTqWbRDaVm0s-O4Dsfmhx5SzXSLB4_OeKhuUWX9CbLxP18awaxL1F3y/s1600-h/organic+gardening+in+cold+climates.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="cssfloat: left; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2MaexNpTS9reyAk_jScInOdJzQ-p08AGVc2y6VJQorkO9JnXe3PIbcFLVtjVFrIeIn6AEWNzSdi8HSw5Z-pgSJZTqWbRDaVm0s-O4Dsfmhx5SzXSLB4_OeKhuUWX9CbLxP18awaxL1F3y/s200/organic+gardening+in+cold+climates.jpg" vt="true" width="200" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">6) Organic Gardening in Cold Climates - </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>I haven't had the chance to go through this in detail, but it seems like it might hold a few pearls of wisdom.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV68B8As2FdgFUyq0hh7qhzhomQpWByYPL8OWYc-1hMUIVPXOrwGDVRxTy3vDQmxD5i0P-QwQxj1PUUkGOnsYLqka8LpQ0SBtKW7mdQEtkXoLJm6OJ6DXkjs0zwkb4Yggvn9tGA79VqavM/s1600-h/cold+climate+gardening.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="cssfloat: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV68B8As2FdgFUyq0hh7qhzhomQpWByYPL8OWYc-1hMUIVPXOrwGDVRxTy3vDQmxD5i0P-QwQxj1PUUkGOnsYLqka8LpQ0SBtKW7mdQEtkXoLJm6OJ6DXkjs0zwkb4Yggvn9tGA79VqavM/s200/cold+climate+gardening.jpg" vt="true" width="200" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">7) Cold Climate Gardening - </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Another book I have yet to sit down with. Its on the shelf, looks like it might be relevant. Will get to it at some point.</div><br />
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Inspirational Books<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnBlpkY1Be-Ti74h79G0dnUBtrXsMCPTv7EjEHqymO9m5PcUpoVmCDnKhIIttRm_9UoPwsgeYGszaV-6a_ByN3ifVXP8ZMxmfzBOPLR8nlMX4Ir6IvGBxET1yFvw621a8dP1w169bndXDG/s1600-h/avm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="cssfloat: left; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnBlpkY1Be-Ti74h79G0dnUBtrXsMCPTv7EjEHqymO9m5PcUpoVmCDnKhIIttRm_9UoPwsgeYGszaV-6a_ByN3ifVXP8ZMxmfzBOPLR8nlMX4Ir6IvGBxET1yFvw621a8dP1w169bndXDG/s320/avm.jpg" vt="true" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1) Animal, Vegetable Miracle - Barbara Kingsolver</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>If you enjoy eating, and you haven't read this book, stop what you are doing, order this book online and choose expedited shipping (I know it costs more, but you need to read this book now). I have read this book 3 times, and I am gradually going through the audio books (read by the author!). <br />
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This book was my inspiration for starting a garden. She has a way of writing that allows you to smell the garlic and onions cooking on the stove, or experience the taste of fresh home made bread. <br />
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Barbara writes about her families experience living and eating locally for one year in rural Virginia. Its more than that though, she talks about food culture, raising children and about being a good neighbour.<br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNKxVDvjuX2OJ0qEfYhdLScM9ryj8w6su4dfhlXMMIHSeLcOTNxgTzT6-9oYhLOpJ0DD-BYmFBYBfy6SX3AmFPZkIcEpM1TPUtbTHcwrJYb8eUnOyplr-NthL2_lgoSvTLOKiDCeDKgyL4/s1600-h/farm+city.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="cssfloat: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNKxVDvjuX2OJ0qEfYhdLScM9ryj8w6su4dfhlXMMIHSeLcOTNxgTzT6-9oYhLOpJ0DD-BYmFBYBfy6SX3AmFPZkIcEpM1TPUtbTHcwrJYb8eUnOyplr-NthL2_lgoSvTLOKiDCeDKgyL4/s200/farm+city.jpg" vt="true" width="200" /></a></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">2) Farm City - Novella Carpenter</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Novella wrote a book about starting an urban farm in the ghetto, in california. She doesn't just grow tomatoes though, she has chickens, ducks, BEES, goats, pigs and rabbits. This book definitely had more of a meat slant to it than any other book I have read on this topic. She maintains a blog which you can find in my blog list. The only thing missing from her book was a few pictures of her urban farm, luckily I found them online!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBKHqBaAwCDMlgJ7VbdT-sHf7w0C4VPPU1ulgjddQkIvAiSph_mk8DLf5dD5b3qIGxSr6SVIXdlMjpmnO_AjIfa4tkXU1C2gnfVnbUBjtIAjBS6JWPgoxeb3qhjJUL9H-8lcCGjFlfOPP4/s1600-h/100mile.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="cssfloat: left; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBKHqBaAwCDMlgJ7VbdT-sHf7w0C4VPPU1ulgjddQkIvAiSph_mk8DLf5dD5b3qIGxSr6SVIXdlMjpmnO_AjIfa4tkXU1C2gnfVnbUBjtIAjBS6JWPgoxeb3qhjJUL9H-8lcCGjFlfOPP4/s200/100mile.jpg" vt="true" width="200" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">3) 100 Mile Diet- Alisa Smith & JB MacKinnon</div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">One of the earliest books in this genre. A quick enjoyable read. A bit artificial but still interesting. I don't feel sorry for people in California or British Columbia, what with their 11 month growing season..:)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtujwtkYXFFVVfx_3Br6ArE-M5gNnPFqfcr8ZWrsHWzv361lm76IJRFelZe6QdKqDKVy33HrZShkug69WkXJijjNkB9J10NNHSUp25yXcWSeiVVe6cQir1JO0wbtFL5Lxo72EB2eANA3e6/s1600-h/idf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="cssfloat: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtujwtkYXFFVVfx_3Br6ArE-M5gNnPFqfcr8ZWrsHWzv361lm76IJRFelZe6QdKqDKVy33HrZShkug69WkXJijjNkB9J10NNHSUp25yXcWSeiVVe6cQir1JO0wbtFL5Lxo72EB2eANA3e6/s320/idf.jpg" vt="true" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">4) In Defense of Food - Michael Pollan</div>A serious look at industrial agriculture. I think this was an attempt to boil down the Omnivores Dilemma. Michael Pollan is a well known journalist on this topic, he is loaded with information and factiods. He has certainly done his research, but I find his books tough reads. He has a tendency to ramble and spew out fact after fact. If you can get by that he makes some really good points.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-bgDcO7Gv_O_lNLaUzSlWQq_MJU799y014U-vK2cMBLvJIkqn3Fiqip3k0mQM0V2-m7jcruzyH-D9ssQHggiUza5Uuy_XsRJvxTK_-6Kw0FURfQvgK3qDbKHxzCW5oe3iKWOdyFOOSAR7/s1600-h/omnivore.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="cssfloat: left; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-bgDcO7Gv_O_lNLaUzSlWQq_MJU799y014U-vK2cMBLvJIkqn3Fiqip3k0mQM0V2-m7jcruzyH-D9ssQHggiUza5Uuy_XsRJvxTK_-6Kw0FURfQvgK3qDbKHxzCW5oe3iKWOdyFOOSAR7/s200/omnivore.jpg" vt="true" width="200" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">5) Omnivores Dilemma - Michael Pollan</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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One of the first books on the subject by author Michael Pollan. I really enjoyed reading this book, although I haven't quite finished it yet. I borrowed it from the Library and, of course, they wanted it back! This book focusses on Corn and Beef. Amazing. Until you start looking into these things, you would have never thought things could be so bad. Unlike the Food Inc movie, this book, which that movie is basically based on, is quite uplifting and he makes you realise that you can be the difference. <br />
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That is my reading list. If anyone is reading this as knows of other books that might fit into these categories I would love to hear about them!Mainland Gardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00569063479257604752noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2565505995278189040.post-40849644330843432942010-03-21T20:16:00.001-03:002010-03-21T22:02:01.437-03:00Baby Basil<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">We bought a basil window kit for our little 3 year old to start and watch grow. So far she is enjoying it. She checks on it every day. I taught her to rotate the little pot so that the plants don't always lean to one side. We sowed them a little thick, but I will thin them out later. My plan is to transfer them to individual pots at some point and eat lots of pesto..yum.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPaaMouCDIEtXk0baqxdxoGwVReajGQL21Qc7M6mBVAmbqr67lAox_QWfXytnc82IYRIFYdoojJPB5jLRSaksjlIp5jHpCPTmqv-12AmtbhNRvXe24dCZaHxJbd9wHdtcRhqVJ69_-h1ex/s1600-h/IsaacandMaddieMarch_2010+006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPaaMouCDIEtXk0baqxdxoGwVReajGQL21Qc7M6mBVAmbqr67lAox_QWfXytnc82IYRIFYdoojJPB5jLRSaksjlIp5jHpCPTmqv-12AmtbhNRvXe24dCZaHxJbd9wHdtcRhqVJ69_-h1ex/s400/IsaacandMaddieMarch_2010+006.jpg" vt="true" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>Mainland Gardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00569063479257604752noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2565505995278189040.post-72761078947923415162010-03-15T21:57:00.000-03:002010-03-15T21:57:29.064-03:00The actual Tabla RasaHere is my blank slate. Not much to work with, but it is a space at least and it gets unobstructed sun from 10am until dusk for the entire growing season. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqO3o10Dc2R3oevd46fP1yUAwPsh22u6-acolRcKmIyCNlTAfuOPTyxvEo2m_5aw8DfayI1UitL4aszqnqi5MPM1EI78DH04USNPBF18pLQ96QsLW1wo1P13Jen6q9sn0D8x6G5sPhqDvn/s1600-h/IsaacandMaddieMarch_2009+039.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqO3o10Dc2R3oevd46fP1yUAwPsh22u6-acolRcKmIyCNlTAfuOPTyxvEo2m_5aw8DfayI1UitL4aszqnqi5MPM1EI78DH04USNPBF18pLQ96QsLW1wo1P13Jen6q9sn0D8x6G5sPhqDvn/s320/IsaacandMaddieMarch_2009+039.jpg" vt="true" width="214" /></a></div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">You might be a non-believer, but I have confidence in this little space of ours. </div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Next steps: </div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Building mega-box</div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Start seeds!</div>Mainland Gardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00569063479257604752noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2565505995278189040.post-53527709554002806462010-03-15T15:35:00.002-03:002010-03-15T15:37:02.050-03:00Tabla RasaSpring is nearly here and the anticipation for the growing season is mounting. I am in my third year of growing vegetables and I hope to have the most successful season yet. I live in the suburbs, surrounded by driveways, cars and small rectangular pieces of lawn. In this mix I will add in a 4'x24' raised bed of vegetables to include: tomatoes, pepeprs, watermelon, pole beans, cucumber, beets, radishes, carrots, onions, BASIL and another 3x6 raised bed of potatoes grown in seaweed. <br />
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My gardening experience is minimal. It all started with Barbara Kingsolver's book Animal Vegetable Miracle which I recommend to everyone that even has a remote interest in food and food culture. This motivated me to start my own garden.<br />
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My first year of gardening I bought a few packs of tomato and pepper seeds at a local garden store, not realising that for my needs I only really needed one seed package, and proceeded to start from seed a large number of these plants. I was really jumping in with both feet. I bought a grow light, seed trays and had a nice little seedling growing area. My first problem was that I started too early and my second problem was that I kept the light too high. This resulted in tall, lanky plants. The problem? Well the first time I left them outdoors I lost about 50% to a mild wind. I had even realised my mistake and tried to transplant them to a deeper pot. <br />
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We had planned on moving that year so I knew I needed to have a mobile garden. What I didn't realise was that because there was less soil, they really needed to be watered quite often. I neglected to do that so at the end of the season I had a fairly small crop. But It was a learning experience and I had fun in the process.<br />
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The second year I received a book called "Square Foot Gardening" by Mel Bartholomew. Its a simple, no nonsense book that is perfect for the home gardener. It shows how to maximize your crop with minimal wasted space. I wanted to take things a little more carefully that year so I only did a 4x4 raised bed and a few planter boxes. I also bought ALL transplants. I bought the tomato plants at the local farmers market and the rest at a local garden centre. Overall the harvest was a massive success. I was still hoping for a larger bounty though, enough to make a few meals with! We did get lots of tomatoes and made some delicious pesto with the three basil plants we had. <br />
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So now here we are at year three of my vegetable garden. I bought a significant number of gardening books this winter season. I will post pictures of a synopsis of what I took from some of the books at some point. I read "Farm City" by Novella Carpenter and "One Hundred Mile Diet" this winter. Both worth a read. <br />
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Im planning to post pictures of Before and After the creation of my mega-box (4'x24'). Lets hope it fits on my tiny plot. <br />
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This year my plan is to have a mix of plants that I start from seed and transplants. I bought my Seeds from 3 places so far:<br />
1) <a href="http://www.annapolisseeds.ca/">http://www.annapolisseeds.ca/</a> - Annapolis heritage seeds.<br />
2) <a href="http://www.veseys.com/">http://www.veseys.com/</a> - A well known garden place in PEI<br />
3) <a href="http://www.halifaxseed.ca/">http://www.halifaxseed.ca/</a> - A local garden centre<br />
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My transplants will come from<br />
1) The local farmers market and<br />
2) Sea Change Naturals (seachangenaturals AT gmail DOT com)<br />
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The potatoes are another story. I will be trying to grow potatoes using the "lazy bed" method. People have often done this using a cover of hey, but I have heard people having loads of success with seaweed (no dirt, no bugs) and since we're by the ocean, I will try it that way. I will make sure to log my progress.Mainland Gardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00569063479257604752noreply@blogger.com0