What have you done today in the Garden?

That sounds like some handy technology. Around here, we hang laundry outside. If it's flapping around, we know it's windy. If ot's dripping, there must be rain. If it's stiff and crackly, it's freezing. Your technology is better, because it involves less work.

 

I puttered for a while.

I picked about ten pound of Roma tomatoes. It seems the end is near, for that crop. I blanched them, cut into chunks, portioned into freezer bags in about 15 ounce portions (similar to what is bought in cans), and froze.

I cleaned up the Chinese Chive plants that
I grew from seeds last Spring, and replanted them into a very large container, where I hope they thrive next Spring for Chive dumplings.

I picked another box of Asian pears and a box of apples.

Early next week, we're expecting an atmospheric river and bomb cyclone. That will be interesting. That was the motivation for doing some chores today, even though I wanted to do nothing LOL.

 

Good work, Daniel. I guess you are using the philosophy from your quilting work— a stitch in time, saves nine?

 

Went to see my friend Geoffrey then Marion and Barry arrived and we did some gardening in Geoffrey's garden. I started on some weeding, Barry cut the lawn and Geoffrey trimmed the buddleia. I was supervising them all, asked Barry to put the grass cuttings on the ground that i had weeded. Showed Geoffrey how to prune the buddleia and supervised Marion what were weeds and what wasn't, while i wasn't watching Marion dug up the lupin that i planted 2 weeks ago thinking that it was a weed. At the time i thought I'd better check on the lupins and glad that i did, i don't blame her because she doesn't know much about plants, I quickly planted it again and asked her to get some water for it, but we had a great time doing it, also saw a small frog hiding at the back of the camelia.

 

Chuckle Loggie—what a day.

 

Yes it was a great day thanks Sjoerd.

 

I can't believe how beautiful your Asian Pears are. They are a real treat here. It would be so nice to have a fresh one.

We're watching that weather closely as well Daniel. My son lives on Vancouver Island and is getting quite a bit of it. They've had a three year drought so it's difficult for the land to absorb such a large amount of water. We're getting ready for the large rain we will see from it in my part of BC, but nothing like you folks and the coastal part of BC. It is a big part of the push for trying to increase the grade of our driveway as much as possible before all of that rain comes. From what I read it is a one in five year event for your area. Stay safe there.

 

The last of my garden comes out today. The kale, chard and a small amount of carrots. All are destined for soup tomorrow. The stock is simmering it's love all day today for the big day tomorrow.

 

Yesterday some of my order of spring bulbs arrived, the tulips are smaller this year, same in the garden centres, must be a bad year.

 

That sounds like a fun day. Glad you rescued the lupin.

 

Seeds came. I had ordered a mini-clover that grows four inches tall, and spreads quickly by stolons. That's for the former flower bed in front of the house. When the atmospheric river, now flowing, has softened the soil, I'll smooth it and sow the clover seeds. I also ordered a shorter growing, drought tolerant grass seed mix. I'll co-sow that with the clover.

I brought a couple of geraniums / pelargoniums into the sunroom. I'll bring in some additional plants today - a red leafed oxalis, the orchids, and the Schlumbergeras. Also the dwarf Alstroemerias.

I may bring in a French marigold that I want to save seeds - Alumia Vanilla. The seeds are harder to find, and it has a nice pale flower, good bloomer, compact shape. Unfortunately it shares a container with an orange double French marigold, so may have cross pollinated. Might not be worth the effort.

The cleanup around the new sidewalk continues. The trenches on the sides need filling in. They are a tripping hazard. It's gradually happening. I also moved two daylilies out of that area and to the edge of my vegetable garden.

I moved the second "tree ring" planter from the front, to my vegetable garden. I don't know what to call this. It's made from arcs of scalloped cinder-block-type concrete, and sold to use as a border around young trees. They nest together nicely, sort of inter-locking, and when stacked, they make a very sturdy planter a bit larger than a half-wine barrel.

Image from 2014.



They are durable, never rot, and can be moved one piece at a time. The size is convenient for sort of a mini-raised bed, at a height that works for me. These are open at the bottom, so I set the up on top of some screening to keep moles away.

I set that up in the garden and started filling with soil. I layer, lasagna-style, soil, kitchen scraps, soil amendments, until full. This planter is nice for perennial plants that are challenging to keep clear of grassy weeds, such as chives, Chinese chives, and I'm thinking, a few of the bearded irises that still need a home.

Really, it's all just puttering.

 

Daniel, that is not "puttering", it is planning, thinking, and will result in great plants!

 

Thank you Daniel, yes i thought that i should keep an eye on her and yes had a good time.

About a month ago i asked her to plant some poppy and eurigeron plants in, last Saturday she asked me if they were weeds.

 

Loggie— oh dear me.

Daniel—Always interesting things there. I can’t wait to see the results.

 

Sounds like a good time to stay inside and read or quilt..... as long as the power stays on. We used to have bad wind storms when I lived in Washington. Those types of terms weren't floating around, they were just, "bad wind storms", but we lost power quite a bit. Then they started changing the power to underground. But the wind could still pull up huge trees, roots and all!