The first hazelnut blossom. Those little red hairs. So exciting for something so tiny!

Go big or go home. First major prune of the elderberry and I went for it. Before and after…

Appendix A – Native Ontario plant species for wetlands and adjacent habitats.
— Read on www.torontozoo.com/adoptapond/urbanoutback/part53.html

Helpful list.

Started some arugula and spinach. Some brilliant shoots in 10 days. Germination rate is a bit spotty. Highest response was the arugula seeds from my own garden.

Spent the first $6 of the new gardening year!

Trying an indoor salad crop; arugula, spinach and oak leaf lettuce under lights!

Last pick of the season. A lot f small hard green rocks. The garden is pretty much put to bed. Some more straw mulch would be good. Got six cloves of garlic planted. Loungers are in the shed as are most of the pots. Spread a handful of fall fertilizer on the front yards. Leaves are still on the trees. Put lots a straw around the kiwis.

Loofahs turned out. 7 in all

And a reminder of these veg that turned out amazing this year. And the Apple tree, just in case.

Even pruned the Akane. About 30%. Fingers crosses.

Ah fall is in the air. Time to start emptying the pots – some 18 in all. Plus what’s on the top deck. Have to mulch up the new kiwis and the asparagus. Want to get some clover sown. The cucumbers are still going strong. I’ll leave them. Have to reseed before the temps drop much further and the pear at #14 is full of rust. I’ll spray again with sulphur but if its back next year, away they all go.

Kevin and Rory did the cedar hedges last week and they look great. Ah and the leaves have yet to turn; little tinges of red, a little yellow that’s all.

(This was original in 2017 lost in drafts) Ken had his team over for drinks in the garden and it was most excellent. Needless to say the garden was ready. A slow day and a great way to enjoy the first radishes.

Will be checking and tasting haskaps tomorrow. Peonies almost over. Cornus Venus only put out about 20 percent this year. Some apples to wrap tomorrow. Otherwise all looking good, less the pear rust. Back in full force.

And The peonies are done. The last one of the season.

But everything has a yellow tinge. Most noticeable on the peach.

It never stops, but the garden is looking amazing. Nothing at all when you put in three hours a day or more.

Really truly have everything planted. Carrot seeds went in today along with some more oak-leaf lettuce. It is supposed to rain tomorrow which is needed even after such a wet spring.

The peach has some minor leaf curl mainly on one branch. I’ve been pulling off the infected leaves. Ants have started farming aphids one the columnar Apple trees. The boxwoods have had one round of the leaf curl bug, through washing, insecticidal soap and manual shaking I reduced the overall impact. It takes a lot to stay on top of it.

Ken just finished putting the swing together. Yeah!