Wild Turkey Update

The what I thought wild turkey has been hanging out a lot in my garden and two neighbouring yards. But he or she is not a wild turkey. According to my neighbour it is a guinea hen! I had to go online and google that one and sure enough it does look like the picture of a guniea hen. Well it sure looked like a turkey to me. At any rate this beneficial and congenial critter is welcomed in my

Christmas Miracle

Our new grandbaby made her debute Dec. 23, 2006 at 8:03 pm. She weighed in at 8 lb 6 oz and is absolutely the most perfect little sweetheart you have ever seen!Garden Gnome© 2006

Garden Gnome© 2006

Don't Throw Out That Poinsettia!

This doesn't look all that much like a poinsettia but it is a left over one from last year. It had special meaning so I decided to try saving it. I'm not sure if any red will appear this year but the plant is alive and thriving.Once the holiday season was over, I removed the foil cover from the pot and gave the plant a good watering then kept it moist but not wet. After a couple of weeks it

Christmas Trees

This is the time of year for heading to the bush or Christmas tree farm to cut the Christmas tree. It takes a lot of time and effort to find just the perfect tree. We haul it home to decorate it yet only to have to discard it in a couple of weeks at best. Others head to their local nursery or temporary Christmas tree booth to get their trees only to suffer the same fate.So what does this have

Winterizing a Hobby Greenhouse

A small hobby greenhouse is an ideal way to extend the growing season as much as three weeks on each end. Winterizing a small hobby greenhouse for continued winter use can present a challenge in areas such as ours. Our average minimum winter temperature is -9ºC (15.8ºF) for January. At these temperatures I found it was not feasible to keep the greenhouse going year round even with the

Climate Change & Global Warming

There is not a lot to do in the garden right now so I thought I would make a few entries on environmental issues that should be of interest to home gardeners. It's easy to sit back in our nice cosy homes, flip on whatever lights we want and enjoy a few hours in front of the tube. If we are cold we can crank up the heat. If we are hungry we can open our huge for some of us well stocked from our

Harvest Time

Wild TurkeyMany of the area farmers are taking advantage of the recent dry weather to harvest their fields. When the field behind us is harvested we never know what interesting critters will appear. I was out checking the greenhouse and garden beds last week to see what final winerizing was needed when I caught sight of a wild turkey in the field. After getting my husband to see the bird, I

Walking the Talk

'Every one of us can do something to protect and care for our planet. We should live in such a way that makes a future possible.'- Thich Nhat HanhEverything we do in life leaves some type of an impact on Mother Earth. As gardeners we are likely more aware of environmental issues than others. Still it saddens me when I hear some gardeners wanting the latest and quickest kill quick fix for even

Today's the dayghosts and goblins come out to play.

Composting Leaves

The leaves have been turning colour for awhile now. Many are on the ground and some trees are almost bare providing the incentive for leaf blowing and raking. Now that the leaves are accumulating it is time to consider composting. Leaves can provide wonderful organic matter for your soil. The first step is to gather the leaves.While raking is the easiest and quietest method for gather leaves,

Flowering Vines

One of the easiest ways to camoflage an unsightly feature or provide friendly privacy is to grow flowering vines. I think flowering vines are the most versatile for these types of applications but by all means can be grown just for their beauty.ClematisWhile I have other flowering vines both annual and perennials, I have to admit to liking clematis. They put on a showy display. I have two

First Snow of the Season

Trees and CloudsWe had our first snow flurries on October 12. At times the flurries were thick enough to cause whiteout conditions. In between the flurries, I shot this video clip of one of the trees near the vegetable garden. There were a few snow flakes but I don't think they showed well in the video clip.Video details: 21 seconds, taken by author October 12, 2006 using Cannon OPowershot

Sunflowers

Gardens need sunflowers not only for the simple beauty but for attracting beneficial pollinators. Both of these photos were taken last year. Since this year's growing season has closed I thought I would start sharing older photos.SunflowerI feed the birds and some of the mixture contains sunflower seeds. This is just regular, run of the mill sunflower seed or black oil sunflower seed. Each

The Start of Winterizing the Garden Beds

With the ADFF rapidly approaching we decided to start winterizing the raised garden beds Thursday before dinner. We already had plans to be away for the weekend so did not want the tomatoes to get hit by frost. In preparation, I did a final pick of the tomatoes including all the green tomatoes. We should have plenty of slicing tomatoes to last into mid Novemember.Tomato SnowmanOther than tomato

Ground Cherries & Herbs

With fall's official arrival there is no doubting the inevitable. Yesterday, one of my neighbours picked off all the green tomatoes and pulled her vines. I'll leave mine a while longer. The average day of first frost here is October 9 While it has been cool enough to have the funace on, today is sunny and bright. I did a clean pick this morning yielding a stuffed basket of tomatoes, cucumbers

There's A Fungus Amongst Us

We have a nice little tree on the waterfront. Then I noticed shelf fungus so of course was very interested. Shelf fungus is of the class Basidiomycetes. I haven't indentified the fungus but suffice to say the tree is still living so either this is a symbiotic fungus or parasitic.FungusThe shelf fungus is rather impressive. Once identified, I will know whether it is edible or not. For the

Beefmaster Tomatoes

My husband takes no real interst in gardening but he does help out in the garden. Now about this time of year he starts camping out in the garden waiting very patiently along with the toaster and loaf of bread. I tried to tell him he could pull a few weeds while he's out there but no he is after one thing and one thing only, a beefsteak tomato!BeefmasterThe past couple of years have not been

Large Scale Tomato Harvesting

Tomatoes are big business in our area and are now being harvested daily upto a frost. I thought this would be a rather interesting entry for those who have never seen tomato harvesting on a large scale. The following pictures are from a relative's farm. The pictures were taken on Saturday. It was a cool, damp, on and off rainy day but the harvesting continued.Tomato HarvesterAlthough some

Sunflowers

Sunflowers are so bright and cheery that every garden needs at least one. They attract beneficial pollinators and seed eating birds. The problem I've had is getting them to grow to any size but this year I got a surprise. I've tried planting potted sunflowers but they have always failed so I've come to the conclusion that sunflowers do not transplant well. Over the winter I had birdfeeders out

Garden Happenings

Meconema thalassinum (Drumming Katydid)I've been told when the Katydids start buzzing the summer is almost over. That may be as I'm now into canning tomatoes and the weather has cooled considerable. A Katydid is cricket like but not a true cricket. They make a buzzing sound very different from the sound crickets make. Quite often you can hear their buzzing but seldom see them so I was very

Garden Update

I've been very busy in the kitchen so if you want to check out some of my projects, check my cooking blog, http://momskitchencooking.blogspot.com. I thought I should give some type of a garden update though.Today it is unseasonably cool so I might plant some lettuce later. The tomatoes are fairing despite battling late blight. The one bed is doing a lot better than the other. However, and I'm

Amaryllis belladonna

Shortly after moving in here we noticed a strange looking lily. There were no leaves at all! The flower itself was a pretty pale pink so we just left them to see what would happen. One day our neighbour remarked that my "naked ladies" were looking nice pointing at the strange lily. So I did a web search to find out more about this lily.Amaryllis belladonnaI thought my neighbour was joking

A Close Call - Wake-up Reminder

I'm in the garden a lot as well as spending a great deal of time in the water during the summer months. I'm very, very careful so was surprised to have any problems. Almost two weeks ago, I had a suspicious mole removed and biopsied. Being terrified of needles this was no easy task! My dermatologist hoped for the results by the Friday as he was away on holidays the following week. No such

Pole Beans

Pole beans are one of my favourite, easy to grow vegetables. Despite a few problems this year the pole beans are producing nicely. They refuse to use only their eight foot trellises prefering instead to reach further into the sky where they dance in the breeze. I'm growing two varieties this year: Kentucky Wonder and Romano.Kentucky Wonder Pole BeansWhen using the square foot gardening method

Cucumbers

My garden brings me incredible peace and joy despite some of the downsides. One of my favourite things to do is sit in the garden at the crack of dawn just as our little corner of the world is awakening. Morning SkyThis morning's sky did not disappoint. I watched as it turned into streaks of pinky red tinged with orange. The huge fireball slowly peaked over the horizon turning the sky into

Bean Beetle & Squash Borer

We have a couple of new garden tennants. They have been living rent free while they damage the premises. They have been evicted but not before their mug shots were taken! It took a good chunk of my time this morning but it had to be done.Squash Borer & DamageMy zucchini plants are in two raised beds. The first in bed #7 has four plants while the other in bed #5 has one. The zucchini in

Tomatoes & Zucchini Oh My!

Despite well above average temperatures, stiffling humidity and torrential downpours, my garden beds are thriving. They almost seem to be enjoying the weather and are blessing me daily with a full produce basket or more.TomatoesI have thirty-two tomato plants outside with more in the greenhouse. The grape cluster and tiny tim tomatoes have been producing for awhile. It has been with great

Ants

Ants can be beneficial or harmful in the garden. First they irrigate the soil and for the most part don't harm the plants. Some are predacious on a wide variety of insects. However some ants like carpenter ants are harmful not to the garden itself but to any wood used for structures. Even smaller ants can cause a wide variety of problems in the house. Some can inflict painful stings as well.

Rose of Sharon

Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus) is a true beauty. The name is a little confusing as it isn't a rose at all, it is really a Hibiscus. It is a medium sized ornamental bush with showy blooms throughout the summer. There are several bloom colours to choose from and the blooms can be either single or double petal. The blooms attract hummingbirds, butterflies and small insects. Rose of Sharon

My Plants Have Issues!

This is meant to be a tongue in cheek expose. I just spent an hour or so trying to whip bed #2, the herb bed, into shape. The weatherman was wrong again so despite the promised cooler temperatures it is still hot and humid. These were some of my thoughts as I worked. Sorry no pictures today.My Plants Have Issues!My plants have some serious issues! Where can I find a plant psychologist? I

Attack of the Monster Zucchini

The zucchini plants have decided to take over the garden. There is a little competion from the tomatoes and beans but so far the zucchini are winning.Zucchini PlantsI have five zucchini plants this year. I'm averaging three to four zucchini ranging in size from six to eight inches daily. We eat a lot of zucchini! The two zucchini plants in bed #5 are smaller than those in this picture of bed

Weird Flower!

My daughter sent me a photo of one of two weird flowers growing in her garden. It appears to be a mutant form of a black eyed susan.Weird FlowerThe flowers were part of a wild flower perennial shade mix from Alymer Seeds. The other black eyed susans appear to be normal. Two of the flowers appear to be mutants. The entire head is about the size of an average palm. The centre is about two

Zucchini & Tiny Tim Tomatoes

My vegetable beds are looking good for the most part with only a couple of minor problems. The peas are beginning to wind down. The beans are showing signs of a healthy harvest. The Kentucky Wonder pole beans despite my concerns over a couple of plants with yellow leaves are making daily progress and are looking quite healthy with lots of flowers. Most of the bush beans have flowers and small

Garden Delights

I've made several entries regarding vegetables so thought I would share some of my other garden delights. As I was going through the flower pictures so far, I realized most of my flower choices this year have been in the warm tones.Asiatic LilyLilies are about the easiest perennial to grow! We have Tiger lilies (a common wildflower), naked ladies (Amaryllis belladonna), Stella de Oro daylilies

Peas and New Beds

The vegetable garden beds are really enjoying the rain and heat. We've had very hot weather with high humidity that has resulted in thunderstorms later in the evening or sometimes throughout the night. Beans & Peas: Bed #3The beans and peas are growing by leaps and bounds. Bean varieties I'm growing include Kentucky Wonder pole (green & yellow), Romano pole, Edible Snow, Little Marvel, and

Garden Planning

We had five raised beds and now have eight all planted in the square foot gardening method using companion planting. The beds are planted based on the ADLF. This means the cool weather crops are planted a month before the ADLF, some are planted on the ADLF and the frost sensitive plants are planted two weeks after the ADLF. For that reason garden planning is a must. This planning starts with

Constructing a Square Foot Garden Bed

Raised beds can be used for veggetables or flowers and can be planted using the square foot method. The square foot method of gardening is ideal for smaller spaces. Constructing a square foot garden bed is very easy. Since we just installed new beds, I thought I would share how I make my beds. In the true fashion of square foot gardening, beds are constucted 4' x 4' but you can make them any

Epsom Salt - A Gardener's Solution!

Epsom SaltThis 100% natural mineral is a gardener's solution! Epsom Salt is maganesium sulfate and it can be used to get great results in the garden as well as a soak for aching muscles after a day in the garden.General Use: Mix 1/2 c epsom salt per gallon of water for watering potted plants. Apply 1 tsp per foot of height for each plant once biweekly.Tomatoes: Add 2-3 tbsp per hole before

June 15, 2006 - Take Pictures!

You never know what you are going to see in your garden. If you do a 15 minute walk about of your garden as I do twice daily, you might see just about anything from the critter that is eating your beans to a wide variety of critters just visiting your garden. Pictures tell more than words so if one of your plants is doing something odd take a picture for troubleshooting. If you find an

June 12, 2006 - Garden Savings

There are so many ways to save on gardening but I thought it might be a good idea to highlight some of them. I think there are four main aspects: environment, cost, time, and effort. So I'll mention a few of the things I do to save in all aspects.Environment: As gardeners I firmly believe we are stewards of the land. That means we should do nothing to harm the land and we should encourage

Baby Birds & Bunnies

One of my first blog posts was about bunnies. We have a healthy and abundant jackrabbit population. From experience, the jackrabbit population is cyclic. Last year they never bothered with my vegetable garden or if they did, I never noticed. This year they like the garden and have quickly become a problem. Not so much "they" just one very persistant young one. Young rabbits are like

Watering Tips

Watering can be the single most make or break of gardening. Improper water whether too much, too little or at the wrong time can spell disaster. So here are some of my watering tips most of them learned through trial and error. They are by no means perfect and you will have to adapt to your situation.Timing:I prefer to water in the early morning before the full force of the sun hits the plants

Attracting Butterflies

Butterflies are a beautiful sight in the garden but more important they are pollinators so should be encouraged in your garden. Some decide to plant a specific garden to attract butterflies while others like me encorporate butterfly attracting plants and elements into the garden. I plant marigolds aroung the perimeter of one of my raised beds that is home to tomatoes, peppers, onions, and

Deer!

Sometimes you can't win for losing. Now I haven't seen the deer myself or any indication there have been deer in the gardens but my neighbour three doors down has some really nice pictures of deer in his back yard. I'm not really sure what to do. I've been fighting the wild rabbits and think I have them under control. I sat in the garden until dark and saw no signs of deer then spred more

A Walk Through My Garden

Come take a walk through my garden. This is a longer post with a lot of pictures. Relax and enjoy.One thing that you will notice as you walk through my garden are dandelions. We live on the water and have a field behind us. Dandelion control is a lost cause. I don't like to use herbicides that could get into the water so the dandelions stay. Yet in some ways they are a welcomed sight in the

Come Wander Through My Garden Thoughts :)

Where do I begin? This entry is more of a mish mash, or wandering through the garden. We were on vacation in Las Vegas and arrived home mid Thursday morning. I think I worried the entire time we were gone about the gardens even though I knew they were in very good hands. My son took the seedlings home to baby them while my neighbour took care of the main vegetable garden beds and the

Birds, Butterflies and Bats

Too often we focus on the garden pests without paying much attention to the beneficial garden visitors. These visitors should be encouraged as they help keep garden pests under control. They are a sign of a healthy garden. Make your garden a haven for these visitors. Don't use pesticides!Butterflies:You can't have butterflies without the caterpillars that will do some foliage damage but you

Odds and Ends

I really enjoysunrises and sunsets so I take a lot of pictures of them. This morning, the sky was threatening rain. The clouds were heavy enough to wipe out any sunset. I pondered the gardens while sipping on my morning coffee disappointed there wouldn't be a gorgeous sunrise to great the day. One thing I've learned living on the water is nature never disappoints. The water constantly takes

Thoughts on Watering

Watering is a concern that comes up every year. Everywhere I stopped for plants this week the common complaint was lack of snowfall that translates into it is already too dry. I'm already preparing to deal with another hot dry summer. Last summer was so hot and dry that watering was almost a daily chore. The problem was we are under a watering restriction so can only water every other day.

Planning and Prepping Thoughts

It's that time of the year when the stores start getting in their new gardening stock and I'm just itching to buy it all! I'm drawn to the plants like a moth to a light bulb. Surrounded by all the wonderful plants, I just have to buy whether I have a spot for them or not. I'm totally mesmerized as one plant after another is crowded into the cart. The sights, the smell and sometimes

Rabbits

If you have ever had rabbits in your garden, you will know where I'm coming from. Mind you they are cute but they can destroy a garden in almost no time with their grazing habbits. Aside of members of the onion family, I think they will eat just about anything! I've battled them ever since gardening but here they tend to be a little more numerous as the picture shows. However, being well

Garden Pests Part 1

I take a rather laid back approach to visitors to my garden. Here's a picture of a cute little fellow that took up residence in a piece of rug my husband was supposed to put on the patio. He stayed with us until the fall giving my husband the perfect excuse not to put the rug down.Mr. ToadOther visitors are not so welcomed. We've had a problem with wild rabbits. They are kept out of the

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Why I Became Interested in Gardening

Someone asked me why I became interested in gardening. The simple answer is "why not"? Honestly, at some level I've always been interested in gardening. So here are some of my earliest memories.My Mom had flower gardens and vaguely I remember her putting in a vegetable garden one year when I was very young. It must not have worked because the only edible thing I can really remember her

Welcome to Garden Gnome Wanderings

Welcome to my blog. Here you will find my adventures in gardening, cooking and anything else that strikes my fancy.I thought creating a blog of my gardening and cooking adventures would be fun so here I am. For us, these activities go hand in hand :) Now where do I begin? How about a bit of an introduction?We live in Ontario Zone 6A. For the most part, I do all of the gardening but my husband