We had a cold, wet spring in SW British Columbia. In the past month we haven't had a whole lot of rain but its been cold and overcast, not too much sun. I'm still wearing jeans and 2 nights ago I had a fleece jacket on while walking the dogs. Its been cold. In the news they've interviewed some vegetable and fruit farmers and everything is about a month behind. There are no local strawberries available yet in the stores. A berry farm I purchase from hopes to open on June 28 for strawberries. We've been watering and feeding and have growth but nothing ripening yet. We actually have sun today, our first day of summer. I have different varieties of raspberry plants. The ones on the west side of the planter have much more growth than the east plants, could be due to different varieties. Lots of berries waiting to ripen. Can't wait! Raspberry plants June 21 2011 ( photo / image / picture from whistler's Garden ) My rhubarb is growing pretty good but it always does. I think this might have been a kid's sandbox for a previous homeowner but my rhubarb does well here. In the past few weeks I've already made a couple of rhubarb crisps, rhubarb lemonade, and today I'm baking a rhubarb dump cake. Rhubarb June 21 2011 ( photo / image / picture from whistler's Garden ) Here's a shot of the raised garden beds my husband built early in May. We rented a tree chipper after we trimmed our cedar tree and fed the branches to it. So we have recycled the chips back into our garden with little paths between the garden beds. Raised garden beds June 21 2011 ( photo / image / picture from whistler's Garden ) I have russet potates planted in this bed. Yes, I followed the instructions and placed them the recommended distance apart. As you can see lots of growth but not flowering yet. Kind of makes me wonder how big they'd be if we'd actually had some sun around here! When its not overcast this area gets sun starting late morning until pretty much sunset. Hope this means a bumper crop of russets! Not seen in this photo I have 4 pumpkin plants at the end of the row. One of them has a teeny pumpkin! Potatoes June 21 2011 ( photo / image / picture from whistler's Garden ) We have a net on the strawberries after I spotted a robin in the garden a few weeks ago enjoying an unripe strawberry. We have quite a few green berries. Hoping for some sun so they can ripen! Strawberries June 21 2011 ( photo / image / picture from whistler's Garden ) Last shot are my blueberries, I have a couple of different varieties. Some of them have lots of big berries. We decided to put a net on them to keep hungry birds out. There are blueberry fields near where we live and they use propane cannons. I didn't want to do that but I didn't want a flock of hungry birds scared away by the noise to find my small garden! Blueberries June 21 2011 ( photo / image / picture from whistler's Garden )
Wow, everything is so nice and green....and organized, you have done a great job. Several days of the warm bright sun should bring on a lot of blooms and ripe berries
It might be slow, but it is beautiful. Your raspberries are so full. And those rhubarb leaves are just huge, about the right size for those birdbaths I started last week.
Your finished raised beds look fantastic,..and full of healthy looking crops,..well done!,..i hope you get sunny days soon.
Toni - the slogan for our province used to be "British Columbia, keep it clean and green". Yup lots of greenery especially in areas closest to the coast. Carolyn - I have so many raspberries waiting to ripen that I've actually gone out to price jars in case I need to make preserves! Philip - its been sunny pretty steady since about noon today so my berries and potatoes have been getting warm. Weather forecast shows more sun tomorrow and then either rain or cloudy until Monday.
I think that stuff isd coming along pret-ty darn good...from the looks of things. I know that you must be glad that things are finally beginning to take off.
