Farm And Garden Chat

[moonshadow0825]

Thanks Moonshadow. I also have red french fingerlings, they didn't do that well this year but the first year I grew them they were huge, not fingerlings at all. I'm trying something new this year, planted my potatoes in October. I have wire worms and by the time I trim the damage out I have a french fry but I had some volunteers and they matured early before the wire worms hit and the potatoes were huge and lots per hill so I'm trying to imitate that. Will see how it goes.

Sweet potatoes would be cool. I tried a couple in my greenhouse but they were too late and didn't form tubers. Please post photos of the WC seed sale if you have time to take them. I'm on the Sunshine Coast so would have to leave home at 5:45 am to get there for 8:30...not gonna happen.

I'm looking forward to warmer weather and seeing everyone's garden pics. (might have to ask Hound to find so me garden smilies)

I will endeavour to bring photos for everyone when the sale is on

were you able to get the sweet potato slips locally? I've only seen them online from a company in Ontario or Nova Scotia (I think?) and they would only ship in a specific time period which seemed to coincide with the beginning of their spring which is of course quite late

[Zone8]

Well I managed to do a bit of gardening the last two days of beautiful sunshine. Now on hold again!

Love the Owl finch bathroom photo RCreeker! I've just read all the posts and appreciate all the tips and recommendations and tid bits.
I think I'll go buy some Westcoast seeds this weekend and start a few things. Since I can't do much else except my paper work, taxes and getting rid of stuff I have accumulated, planting seeds is something I can get excited about!

Any thoughts as to varities and what has worked is always welcome. My brussel sprouts were disappointing this year! Enjoy the snow!!!

[Roberts Creeker]

I will endeavour to bring photos for everyone when the sale is on

were you able to get the sweet potato slips locally? I've only seen them online from a company in Ontario or Nova Scotia (I think?) and they would only ship in a specific time period which seemed to coincide with the beginning of their spring which is of course quite late

I grew my own slips from yams I'd bought. I've tried to get them to grow slips before but they were quite late too but one year, they produced some fairly early and I planted them but I guess not early enough. Have you tried growing your own slips?

[Roberts Creeker]

Well I managed to do a bit of gardening the last two days of beautiful sunshine. Now on hold again!

Love the Owl finch bathroom photo RCreeker! I've just read all the posts and appreciate all the tips and recommendations and tid bits.
I think I'll go buy some Westcoast seeds this weekend and start a few things. Since I can't do much else except my paper work, taxes and getting rid of stuff I have accumulated, planting seeds is something I can get excited about!

Any thoughts as to varities and what has worked is always welcome. My brussel sprouts were disappointing this year! Enjoy the snow!!!

How did you manage to do any gardening? Mine is frozen solid under about 3" of snow! Though I have been starting seeds inside, black goji seedling are coming up, I'm excited about them, potted the first tomatoes up into 16 ounce cups and have started another four varieties that are in 2" peat pots. My son is in Vancouver this weekend and I'm hoping he gets to Costco for another grow light.

I've never managed to get brussel sprouts from mine so I won't give you any suggestions there. Beans, I love Scarlet Runners, they're a little later than bush beans so worth planting both but they produce until frost where as I find the bush beans have a short production period. Bush beans, Dragon Tongue are my favourite, mature yellow with purple stripes and a bit flat, great flavour and unique looking. Easy to find on the plant too.

Leeks, I usually buy already started, you get lots in one package and they transplant really well. Kale, Red Russian, hardy, lives through the winter and produces tons of delicious flower sprouts, like tiny delicate broccoli, in the spring. Also self seeds so you never have to plant it again. Lettuce- Speckled butterhead, I found it highly productive with tender, tasty leaves. I ordered a red oak leaf from Tatiana's tomato base so I'll see how that compares. and flat peas, from my neighbour, I forget which country they're from but they produced really well all the way through summer and have beautiful purple flowers. the pods aren't flat like traditional ones, they curl a bit. Lemon cucumbers! Pick while still green and they're the best cucumber ever, imo. lol

Just a few of my favourites, I love gardening.

[moonshadow0825]

I grew my own slips from yams I'd bought. I've tried to get them to grow slips before but they were quite late too but one year, they produced some fairly early and I planted them but I guess not early enough. Have you tried growing your own slips?

you know, silly me I haven't. think I will put aside an older sweet potato to see if I can get some slips that way. Thanks!

[moonshadow0825]

Bush beans, Dragon Tongue are my favourite, mature yellow with purple stripes and a bit flat, great flavour and unique looking. Easy to find on the plant too.

these sound neat! gonna have to get me some. I do the usual yellow, purple and green but I love the idea of bi-colour!

Leeks, I usually buy already started, you get lots in one package and they transplant really well. Kale, Red Russian, hardy, lives through the winter and produces tons of delicious flower sprouts, like tiny delicate broccoli, in the spring. Also self seeds so you never have to plant it again. Lettuce- Speckled butterhead, I found it highly productive with tender, tasty leaves. I ordered a red oak leaf from Tatiana's tomato base so I'll see how that compares. and flat peas, from my neighbour, I forget which country they're from but they produced really well all the way through summer and have beautiful purple flowers. the pods aren't flat like traditional ones, they curl a bit. Lemon cucumbers! Pick while still green and they're the best cucumber ever, imo. lol

Just a few of my favourites, I love gardening.

I did the lemon cucumbers one year and they were fantastic! I like some of the ideas you mention, as I only have a small space and most of the gardening is done in containers I usually have to start planning now.

someone I follow on twitter who is in Ireland (so somewhat similar climate) mentioned https://www.rareseeds.com/ for heritage variety. I gather heritage is really more seeds from the 40's and 50's and a huge variety from Asia but still would be greater variety than what we can get these days.

I'm quite taken by the pink celery and the black magic cosmos

[Roberts Creeker]

these sound neat! gonna have to get me some. I do the usual yellow, purple and green but I love the idea of bi-colour!



I did the lemon cucumbers one year and they were fantastic! I like some of the ideas you mention, as I only have a small space and most of the gardening is done in containers I usually have to start planning now.

someone I follow on twitter who is in Ireland (so somewhat similar climate) mentioned https://www.rareseeds.com/ for heritage variety. I gather heritage is really more seeds from the 40's and 50's and a huge variety from Asia but still would be greater variety than what we can get these days.

I'm quite taken by the pink celery and the black magic cosmos

Ireland! I would never have thought they would be comparable climate, that would be interesting to see what they're doing differently and the same. I ordered from rareseeds.com this year, they have free shipping, even if you only order one package. They're about the same price as West Coast seeds but you only get 25 seeds instead of 125, which works just fine for me, I don't have any use for 125 bean plants.

My distant neighbour ordered pink celery. I restrained myself and only ordered Black Goji and the Crazy Yellow Grape tomatoes. I'm really excited about the Goji, they're already up as are all my tomatoes.

Photos: Tomatoes from my seeds: oxheart, not Black Tula and an orange grape. Fuyu persimmons I started from seed, I'm really excited about them and my brand new seed starting shelves. My wonderful son picked up a second grow light from Costco yesterday for me, now I have enough for all my seedlings.

[moonshadow0825]

I didn't end up ordering the celery but did get pineapple tomatoes and the black cosmos. Only 4 seeds but I love black or deep purple flowers. I'm going to put the black cosmos next to the red flame version. Probably a bit late to start seeds so hopefully it will be a longer summer

[moonshadow0825]

Sorry about the pic being sideways!

for those who are interested the West Coast Seeds sale is coming up. Take it from a local, I know it says it starts at 8.30 but they are open and selling around 8.15 or so. I will take pics when I am there and post for those who want to see but can't make it.

decided that while I will get a couple of tomato plants I already have a ridiculous number of seedlings started so will have to be picky this year (which will be torture!) and will focus on cukes, peppers and some more fun stuff like ground cherry and tomatillos

[Zone8]

Sorry about the pic being sideways!

for those who are interested the West Coast Seeds sale is coming up. Take it from a local, I know it says it starts at 8.30 but they are open and selling around 8.15 or so. I will take pics when I am there and post for those who want to see but can't make it.

decided that while I will get a couple of tomato plants I already have a ridiculous number of seedlings started so will have to be picky this year (which will be torture!) and will focus on cukes, peppers and some more fun stuff like ground cherry and tomatillos

Thank you for this, I would love to go, I'm sure it will be busy!!

[Roberts Creeker]

Sorry about the pic being sideways!

for those who are interested the West Coast Seeds sale is coming up. Take it from a local, I know it says it starts at 8.30 but they are open and selling around 8.15 or so. I will take pics when I am there and post for those who want to see but can't make it.

decided that while I will get a couple of tomato plants I already have a ridiculous number of seedlings started so will have to be picky this year (which will be torture!) and will focus on cukes, peppers and some more fun stuff like ground cherry and tomatillos

How did the sale go? Anything really exciting there that you had to bring home?

[moonshadow0825]

How did the sale go? Anything really exciting there that you had to bring home?

It's not until May 4 I'm afraid but I will bring a full report and pics if I can!

[PortKells]

Coyotes have decimated our sheep and ducks
I'm starting to learn the ups and downs of farming. Losing animals prematurely is a really crappy thing.

[stuffradio]

Coyotes have decimated our sheep and ducks
I'm starting to learn the ups and downs of farming. Losing animals prematurely is a really crappy thing.

Time to get a Llama or two!

[PortKells]

Time to get a Llama or two!

Were looking at donkeys actually but apparently they are expensive. Might be worthwhile at this point.