Thursday 9 July 2015

Happy Canada Day!

Romance Series Cherries
Ok the pictures were taken around then, even if it took me a week to get this posted. Its being a cooler and wetter than usual spring and the ducks have done more damage than I ever imagined. Still some things are coming along.

No longer am I cherry starved, as my Romance series cherry bushes have after 3 years started to produce. Not a huge crop, but tasty treat that is most definitely worth having a few. The bushes got their first prune and are most are now chest height. They are suckering a bit, but my intent was to create a hedge dividing my vegetable garden from my lawn and smaller garden. They flower, fruit and offer colour. why would one not want a few?

Forgotten Seedless grape
Another first is my seedless grapes. The muscat varieties on my trellis seemed to not have set, but the seedless grapes look like I will get a bunch or two this year. These I planted 3 years ago as well now. I bought them from a retired gentleman in orangeville than traded scions. These seedless being a recommendation on and afterthought.

Purple Peacock Broccoli
Although I am fairly strict on only buying heirloom vegetables, preferring their taste for one. That said, I will buy open pollinated like this purple peacock broccoli I tried this year. As you can see, some gardener has being eaten it raw, giving it little chance to flourish. Having had little luck with regular Broccoli (lots of leaf and little head), this may be a keeper.

Squash Trellis
Another thing that is new this year is my squash Trellis concept. I actually built a few of these. Just 2 feet by 2 feet and 5 feet high, my hope is than I can grow a vineing squash in as little as 4 square feet. since I have a few I am trying this year, and its part of my "extend into winter plan" plan, I have high hopes for it. I side benefit seems to be the ducks stay out!
Potatoes


Last years success on gourmet finger potatoes, is something I am keen to continue. The pink fir and ratte being my favourite, were stored in the bottom of the fridge to see if year 2 would produce. One the ducks have taken to eating, but the other is looking good.

Cabbage

This years cabbage for my sauerkraut and Kim-chi has being mixed bag. The Chinese cabbage did  very well, but got eaten by the slugs and earwigs in the damp. The red cabbage has also not done well. These thick leaved varieties though are looking good. (except for the one the ducks somehow managed to get to). Lettuce and pak choy I have none, after the brake in. I also had a lot of Zucchini and bush bean damage.

I have planted a few flats including a new batch of cabbage to plant out in the next couple weeks. My second season crop.

So far, I am not starving, but the ducks are making life a little more difficult. Especially since I got them to eat the bugs and not the veggies. That said, they come running when I arrive home, hoping for a worm or some other treat, "ducking" their heads and making offering quiet the applause. I also had a egg from DD almost every day since March.