Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Canada Finally got the garden in !

I hope you have a good season. Mine is off to a good start, planted just after the Victoria Day long weekend.

Nick

It might be a hot, dry summer!

We had a frost advisory here, so I put it off for a few days after the long weekend. We planted flowers and tomatoes at the trailer as well.

Thanks Nick;

Planted early, mid & late taters, grape & beefsteak toms, cucumbers, green & yellow bush beans, brussel sprouts, iceberg & bib lettuce.

There's something else I'm forgetting !!!

Yeah, we can get frosts up to the late May, or early June full moon.

It's why we waited.

You guys are north- I'm North! And coastal marine - not as warm summers as Interior, but warmer winters. It's an art and a science, but mostly just a PITA. Oh, if I could be a Biden farmer! . The things I do for a couple months of good tasting produce, vs store cardboard.

Like you I use raised planter beds, and passive green house (tomatoes and cucs.) These are south-faced images, looking north.

Anything to raise the soil temp is good! I took these pics in late eve, just a few minutes ago.

Damn! Imgur/ internet service is being difficult/slow tonite! Bear with it.









Nearest the garage wall is a 4' wide raised bed ( with frame for visqueen cover) of concrete block, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower planted in middle- in the block holes nearest the garage are kale, lettuce, and carrots. The front row of block is backed with 1.5 inch rigid styrofoam for heat retention for the strawberries there, (strawberries like warm feet) The next two ranks outward are single row concrete block, again painted black on 3 sides (E, S, W) for maximum heat absorption for the strawberries. (California style.... I have "jam"- basically wild origin - strawberries in another plot that winter over- just need to dig them out, remove as much grass, etc as possible every 3 years or so. and replant the younger sets). Kind of not real sweet, but good flavor, winter well and prolific.

In front are raspberries, being "renewed". Sod bound, they took a hit the last two years, first from a renegade porcupine, then this spring from a starving moose who jumped/mangled the wire gate, now replaced by wood. Dug the sod out, replanted the sets as needed. There will be additional reinforcement to the gate by fall

Not expecting much with the raspberries this year, but next year the production should be great!.

The black typar is for weed control, soil heating, and moisture retention. Need to add more, and more block planting area. I buy 2nd year strawberry sets each spring in April (ordered Feb or so) , plant them in 8" pots under light, , then transplant them into the raised beds in mid May- June 1. I'd be a lot happier if my wife's damned geraniums weren't hogging most of the over-winter space in the garage loft. Which was supposed to be my man-cave/ reloading, fugg-off space.!

I took the visqueen cover off the frame yesterday. The green strawberries underneath are twice the size of those in the front two ranks, planted the same day, around May 25. Future consideration... I'll have to cover them with netting when they start to ripen. F***in Robins... staggering plantings for the cabbage family crops- who the hell needs 10 broccoli, etc. maturing all at the same time?

Off to the left is another block raised bed, 3' wide in the center, again with (staggered) cabbage family in the center, kale, carrots, and lettuce in the block holes in back, "leftover" strawberry sets (missed runaway CA from last year- didn't think they would winter over in the center beds, but did (sneaky bustards!) and carrots in the front blocks. No styrofoam backing on this one, but I've some leftover down at the rec cabin to go in behind the front block for next year.

Still farther left , I'm building more garden, mostly for the cabbage family of plants, which take a lot of room. Maybe taters and peas.. Got some carrots planted against the Lexan wall for this year....

I need to get another PU load of Ironbender's composted horse-pucky tho - used the last load all up.

The garbage cans are for water- it comes out of the ground here at 40* or less - warmer is better... I have a salt-activated softening system for the house- and switch to straight well water for watering.

I hate spring.....

Cool beans, Mr Las !

Yeah, lots of work, but much more betterer !

Garden had a visitor, last night, dogs were going crazy !!

What is it Paul?

Nice set up las. I don’t use planting boxes. I plant in a traditional garden plot but mulch everything with hay/grass clippings. It keeps the weeds down, holds the moisture and feeds the soil. In the fall I rake all my leaves up and rototiller it into the garden. Over the years I have built up a healthy soil. It’s still challenging to garden in zone 5b but it’s not Alaska. Good luck this season las.

Nick

Painted box turtle, Richard !

Thanks Paul, cool!