Great weekend in the garden. Pruned, planted, prodded and probed around. 

Planted arugula, spinach and radishes in the salad bar.  Pruned the haskaps, gave them a well deserved clean up.  Moved and divided the peony at the back. Got the door screens out of the shed. Sowed grass seed and white closer in the lawn. Spread some red clover in the garden path. 

And best of all commissioned Kevin to build a retaining wall on 84 Badgerow lot behind #14.  A serious investment as in the future it’ll be the back knee or dwarf wall, for the greenhouse.  Thrilled. It will be gorgeous. And he convinced me to move the crab apple and get the “path de Versailles” in place this year. Did I say thrilled?  

Refreshed the front planters for spring. 

First weekend in the garden. Fabulous weather. Marylou is here and lemon pies are going in the oven. A general tidy today. Winter pruning appears to have been successful. Sad to say the figs dropped their fruit. Overwatering before we went to Arizona perhaps. Got the seed tray ready to go. Have to put the seeds in tomorrow.  Divided the large yucca to make room for the pyramidal boxwood and columnar apple. Speaking of Arizona. The botanical garden was amazing this year.

First of Feb and the fig’s in fruit.

I got to my winter fruit tree pruning a couple of weeks ago. I was pretty severe so keen to see what happens this spring.  This is the Akane apple in the main vegetable garden. Planted this spring. 

And the pear, moved from the back of 14 and in situ for two years. That red shoot in front is the Empress Peach shrub. It’s alive.  I am really interested to see if all the pencil sized branches should have come off.  
Have to clean up this corner of the garden. Get that rain barrel moved. Not pretty. 

First time in 50 years.  But I did get some daffodils in this fall. 

First time in 50 years. It snowed in Tokyo.  And I finally got into the garden today. Reallly I was just on my way to the composter.  Did get some bulbs in this fall.

And of course the winter straw.



One of those big fall days. The weather was perfect, as planned. East End garden centre delivered 6 bales of straw, 6 bags of manure and 2 bags of pine mulch. Of course the blueberries got one bag of the pine mulch right away. Even happier that I got 36 daffodils in. Cheap thrills from Home Depot. But never enough spring bulbs, but with what went in two years ago, hopefully it will be a surprising spring show. Or delight.  Speaking of delight, grew ginger. 

Ken, my ginger, is making ginger, honey carrots tonight. 

Pulled the last of the tomatoes. One more time, crappy year for the garden. And did I mention the water bill? Up almost 30%. Seriously.  Got the garlic in, added a pinch of actisol – hen poop – over top.  Gave all the straw mulch covering the winter garden a decent watering. 

Did a good clean up on the other side of the retaining wall. Had to make room for the back stored straw and get ready for the fall leaves, to come. The soil there is amazing. I will be digging that into the veg bed come spring. Still lots of worms around. Must be time for supper? 

A hot dry summer. With humidity, close to 40 yesterday. Parking pad grapes are at their best. Have clipped and pruned and looks like some more leaves could come off.  Black eyed susans and cornflowers are looking good.

Trying to recuse a rhodo Kevin gave me. Took me about three weeks to find a home for it and get it in the ground. Trying to soak it hard at least once a week. Buds seem to be forming. Hope some of them, it, survives.
Ken found a tomato hornworm the size of a finger on the beefsteaks. Drowning it in a pail. Gross.
And the hops. Wow. Need to find a wet hop brewmaster.  Great video on hop ripeness.
The annual deep fry is on for September 3.  Lots of prep to do for that. Of course my back went out this week, so taking it slow. 

Taking the day off. Had a blast last night, so today is all about the quiet.  The siding is done! The garlic and lavender are thriving? 

The hazel has nuts…

And the grape vine near the parking pad is looking its wildest best.

Went to Fiesta Farms for the first time this morning.  Great selection. Got my verbena, Amish paste tomatoes, bay laurel, parsley, Rosemary, basil and peppers for Ken. 

Spring garlic that is. Two year old garlic bulbs. Had to make room for more tomatoes. Put in three San Marzano’s and five early girl. Two in Astrid’s yard and one in Jen, Rachel, Devon and Victoria’s. 

Cut the tops off the cedar hedge. Had a good catch up with Richard. He’s finishing Astrid’s patio door.  The garden is doing so well.  Ferns are overgrown, but enjoying it. Off to Madrid next week. Put off mulch weekend.  Ah the siding is in progress. Demolition, stucco, carpenter ants.  No surprises really. Insert emoji. 

Caught some short films today while it rained. Really needed it.  Have had heat and no rain for 10 days. Refreshed the front planters this weekend. Went to Jays for $150 for the agapanthus and dianthus. Not potting up herbs as the siding is to start this week.

Not a really great shot.  Planted edamame and the beefsteak tomatoes, the last of the basil and marigolds that I started from seed. Picked up 5 more tomato plants at Loblaws, on the way home. No San Marzano’s.