Did it. Built a potato cage.

  
Had to dig up a big part of the left over garlic patch and move the thyme. But there was no other spot for potatoes this year. I did not bother getting seed potatoes, so I took a dozen left over baby spuds and tried to chit them in the kitchen. The sprouts were so small, that I was hesitant to plant them and then figured why not.  Could get a surprise crop. 

Got the beefsteak tomatoes in that I got at Canadian tire.  Two at Astrid’s, one in the salad bar, one in the bed by the peony, good sun, and two in the vegtable garden.  

Watered 14 for 4 hours yesterday.  The front lawn was so dried out.  Hope I can save it all.  Been so dry. 

The end of a week off.  

  

i thought it was pretty harmless when I found the two boxwoods in the veg bed full of leaf miners. I observed how they were eating between the upper and lower skin of each leaf.  Gave them a hard cut back and put the cuttings in the garbage.  Today I see that all of the boxes in the perennial garden have what looks like microscopic puffy noodles all over the new tips. Looks like I have boxwood psyllids (Hemiptera).  I researched a systemic toxic, but they are right next to the columnar apple trees that have bloomed this year.  Let’s hope it is something innocent.

It is the year of blooms. The lilac is amazing, the apples and even the young pears bloomed.

  
Need to find an easy way to track my use and application of fertilizer. A bit random and that’s not good.

Even the evergreens are going to town.  

  

Getting ready for Mimi and Kevin and  Rory and Ashland to come over for dinner.  Got the front yards top dressed with some sheep manure and reseeded and well watered. Will keep soaking it this week while I am off to make sure the seed takes.  I love the look of a fresh mowed lawn. 

Got the rest of the transplants in. $70 at loblaws yesterday, including three bags of sheep manure.  That means two peppers are in, a pot of la endear at the back door, one in the garden, along with the rosemary.
The revised fence quote came in at $30k. Just can’t do that with the siding bill yet to come. About the same amount and one is going to be a lot more important come winter. Plus there will be some surprises once they peel back the old stuff.

officially the first year to have four yards to mow. Asrid’s, 10, 12 and 84.  Not much to mow. Ironically Astrid has the best grass, though weeds are creeping in.  Got the summer tires out of the shed, empties back and a stop at loblaw’s garden center.   Bough some lavender, basil, green and yellow pepper for the salad garden. Devin’s mom says he likes pepper. Got some seeds in from last year. Socked peas, bush and pole beans overnight and planted the all on the veg bed. Sowed some arugula seeds. 

Chopped off the tops of the columnar apples this winter and lo, we are loaded with blossoms. 

 
Was a major day. Got all of the transplants planted: lettuce, marigolds,  fennel, basil, cucumbers, tomatoes – early girl, San marzanos, sweet 100s and a tiny millions for the pots by the balcony.  Already had the eggplant and some tomatoes in on the top deck.

Tried to divide the yucca, but only got off a couple of pieces so far. I will need to pot them up to develop true roots.  Got the summer bulbs planted, or some of them. They had already started to sprout in the bag, so I am not opposition they will grow or flower. I can give it a few weeks before yanking them out.  Did decide to soak the dahlia and put them in.   Have been using Btk on the apple trees and it seems to be reducing the leaf curl  caterpillars.  A lot still to do!  

 from their winter to our summer. It has been amazing 

 

Got home to 24 degrees. Major cleanup, fresh pots for 14,  got peat from east end and veg from Jays. Hen manure on the salad bar and the tomato row in the back veg.  Added soil acidified around the blueberries. Haskaps are in bloom and the crab apple is promising big buds. 

Moved indoors out.

First tomatoes planted, early girl, San marzanos, sweet million,  four lettuces, eggplant, marigolds and fennel. 

Balcony herbs got planted and today we had a light rain.

  
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