A Tale of Two Lettuces
Two sets of lettuce seeds sown at the same time; the first grown under a plastic take-out container “cloche”, the second grown without. With Cloche Without Cloche Here it is with the cloche on.
Containers
Here’s something I have a lot of experience with. You can grow anything in a pot, although some plants do better than others. Let me show you what I’ve learned over the years.
Grow a Crate o’ Mache
Fruit crates are just tall enough to accomodate leafy greens or herbs with shallow root systems. I decided to fill this one up with a crop of mache. Mache is the de rigour green of the uppercrust and a good choice if growing lettuce feels like a waste of time and space. The succulent leaves …
Phase 1 Complete
Phase 1 of “Project Deck Garden 2006” was enacted yesterday afternoon. It was inspired by a sunny day and a headache that wouldn’t quit, which not surprisingly, was abated after a few hours in the fresh air. I won’t bore you with the details as Phase 1 involves large helpings of gardening’s lesser joys; clean-up, …
Pop Bottle Pots
So they’re not very stylin’, but these self-watering planters made from junked pop bottles are pretty handy for the well-intentioned but forgetful gardener. The bottom watering system keeps cuttings and seedlings on the right side of moist without the discipline (and hassle) of routine dampness patrol. There’s more talk and experimentation with this concept in …
There’s Some Livin’ Going On
We’ve been experiencing unseasonably warm temperatures here in Toronto which have pushed me to get out and do some early-season garden work. I can’t recall being this eager to get gardening but I suspect that I am always this excited, it’s just the lapse of time between fall and spring that has me convinced my …
Everything’s Gone Massive
The more I garden the more clearly I understand that gardening is a continuous learning process. The last few years have been excellent reminders of that. Last year’s weather was unseasonably grey, cool, and wet and I had to adjust and strategize to work within those limitations (and positives). This year has been incredibly hot, …
Did I Mention It’s Hot?
This has been the hottest, driest summer I can remember in a while. It has been raining around the perimeter of the city on a fairly regular basis, however it has been dry as a bone in my area since June 13! The weather has threatened rain several times; the sky has turned grey, the …
Rooftop Garden: July 1
Things are coming along swell on the rooftop garden. In fact, this is turning out to be my best year ever! The weather has been incredibly hot and dry, and as a result I have been out there religiously watering containers, sometimes as much as twice per day. But the combination of heat and consistent …
Photos of My Rooftop Garden
As promised, a few photos of my rooftop garden in June. In the foreground you can see lemon cucumber, tomatillos, and peppers. – A full view from underneath the gazebo – Facing north. – Facing west – Facing west (closer) – Sweet and hot peppers in the foreground with purple tomatillos in the grey, oval-shaped …
Parkdale Horticultural Society Plant Sale 2005
Another May, another act of gluttony at the Parkdale Horticultural Society plant sale. Okay perhaps there was slightly less gluttony on my part this year — arriving late always helps since the good stuff goes in a matter of minutes. But I just can’t help myself when I see a big container of something-or-other for …
Basil: Variety is the Spice of Life
Guest post by Kelly Gilliam What do you think of when you imagine basil? The scent of a summer herb garden filling your nostrils? The taste of a nice pesto on a cool evening? Bees rushing around feverishly from tiny flower to tiny flower? Or maybe it’s just the different textures, sizes, shapes and tastes …
August on My Deck
Yikes. It’s been a long while since I’ve updated. Obviously an awful lot has happened in my gardens since my last update. The weather has been the strangest this spring/summer of any year I can recall. It has been wetter, cooler and greyer. As a result, some plants have grown taller and bigger than ever …