My Everchanging Garden
Gardening That Grows With Me
Garden Journal
I’m trying to do better at record-keeping. I’ve tried regular diary journals, garden journals and home-made journals but I’m flighty about bringing a paper journal out into the greenhouse and garden. I do tend to take pictures with my camera so starting in the fall of 2023 I’m going to try and keep a record here from my camera and phone notes. I’ve entered some information from sowing early 2023 from my paper entries as a starting point.
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October 5, 2024 - First Fall Frost 2024
Weather: clear sky | Temp: 12.18 Celsius | Max Temp: 19.57 Celsius | Min Temp: 5.8 Celsius | Morning Temp: 6.05 Celsius | Afternoon Temp: 16.45 Celsius | Evening Temp: 17.03 Celsius | Night Temp: 9.25 Celsius | Humidity: 34.5% | Max Wind: 3.5 km/h | Clouds: 5% | Rain: 0 mm | Sunrise: 07:22 | Sunset: 18:56
Light frost on the grass this morning. Remaining planters are OK. I’ve already pulled in some dipladenia. It’s projected to be even colder at night early next week.
July 1, 2024 - Obelisks added to my square planters
Weather: few clouds | Temp: 14.89 Celsius | Max Temp: 24.36 Celsius | Min Temp: 10.13 Celsius | Morning Temp: 10.33 Celsius | Afternoon Temp: 21.48 Celsius | Evening Temp: 22.02 Celsius | Night Temp: 11.2 Celsius | Humidity: 47% | Max Wind: 4.37 km/h | Clouds: 22% | Rain: 0 mm | Sunrise: 05:44 | Sunset: 21:05
I replace the boxwoods in the square planters outside the greenhouse with 4 large iron obelisks from Wayfair: Ambur Metal Obelisk Trellis in Charcoal (really a light grey)
June 23, 2024 - My first bowl of strawberries!
Weather: overcast clouds | Temp: 22.69 Celsius | Max Temp: 24.3 Celsius | Min Temp: 17.98 Celsius | Morning Temp: 24.3 Celsius | Afternoon Temp: 22.74 Celsius | Evening Temp: 21.31 Celsius | Night Temp: 20.9 Celsius | Humidity: 84% | Max Wind: 10.01 km/h | Clouds: 100% | Rain: 0.95 mm | Sunrise: 05:41 | Sunset: 21:05
Not too bad for plants that just went in this year (and a few last fall thanks to a neighbour)
June 14, 2024 - First veggies of the season
Weather: scattered clouds | Temp: 21.13 Celsius | Max Temp: 23.66 Celsius | Min Temp: 12.78 Celsius | Morning Temp: 15.45 Celsius | Afternoon Temp: 22.21 Celsius | Evening Temp: 22.3 Celsius | Night Temp: 20.59 Celsius | Humidity: 59% | Max Wind: 5.89 km/h | Clouds: 33% | Rain: 0 mm | Sunrise: 05:40 | Sunset: 21:02
Picked some snow peas and a few tomatoes from my micro-tomatoes.
June 6, 2024 - Tied up the tomatoes
Weather: moderate rain | Temp: 21.6 Celsius | Max Temp: 23.6 Celsius | Min Temp: 16.01 Celsius | Morning Temp: 18.93 Celsius | Afternoon Temp: 21.84 Celsius | Evening Temp: 23.5 Celsius | Night Temp: 18.29 Celsius | Humidity: 63% | Max Wind: 7.47 km/h | Clouds: 98% | Rain: 0.95 mm | Sunrise: 05:42 | Sunset: 20:57
The tomatoes were almost three feet tall, so it was time to tie them to their trellis system. This year, I’m pruning to 2-3 stems each.
June 6, 2024 - Hilled the potatoes
Weather: moderate rain | Temp: 21.6 Celsius | Max Temp: 23.6 Celsius | Min Temp: 16.01 Celsius | Morning Temp: 18.93 Celsius | Afternoon Temp: 21.84 Celsius | Evening Temp: 23.5 Celsius | Night Temp: 18.29 Celsius | Humidity: 63% | Max Wind: 7.47 km/h | Clouds: 98% | Rain: 0.95 mm | Sunrise: 05:42 | Sunset: 20:57
I hilled the potatoes with straw today. Used only 3 bales of Straw Boss as these are the only two rows we are growing this year.
May 31, 2024 - Frost warning the very end of May - again
Weather: clear sky | Temp: 16.81 Celsius | Max Temp: 23.17 Celsius | Min Temp: 6.72 Celsius | Morning Temp: 6.72 Celsius | Afternoon Temp: 20.2 Celsius | Evening Temp: 23.17 Celsius | Night Temp: 8.62 Celsius | Humidity: 36% | Max Wind: 4.33 km/h | Clouds: 0% | Rain: 0 mm | Sunrise: 05:45 | Sunset: 20:53
We’ve had unusually warm weather all spring and no sign of frost in May until the very end of the month. Temperatures were predicted to fall to 1-3°C for two nights. Turns out we didn’t get frost but it was cold.
May 24, 2024 - New arbours added to the front walkway
Weather: clear sky | Temp: 21.64 Celsius | Max Temp: 25.39 Celsius | Min Temp: 11.91 Celsius | Morning Temp: 11.91 Celsius | Afternoon Temp: 22.78 Celsius | Evening Temp: 24.95 Celsius | Night Temp: 15.12 Celsius | Humidity: 45% | Max Wind: 4.5 km/h | Clouds: 4% | Rain: 0 mm | Sunrise: 05:49 | Sunset: 20:46
I’m working on my Monet-inspired garden along the front walk. Today, with my neighbour’s help, I added two new arbours. The arbours came from Wayfair: Alari 66.25” W x 21” D Iron Arbour in Black (although the colour is really a steel grey).
May 10, 2024 - Replanted the Circle Garden
Weather: light rain | Temp: 12.65 Celsius | Max Temp: 16.66 Celsius | Min Temp: 8.06 Celsius | Morning Temp: 8.06 Celsius | Afternoon Temp: 14.14 Celsius | Evening Temp: 13.78 Celsius | Night Temp: 11.34 Celsius | Humidity: 62% | Max Wind: 3.62 km/h | Clouds: 100% | Rain: 0 mm | Sunrise: 06:03 | Sunset: 20:31
I replanted the Circle Garden. I’ve limited the colours to purple and white and split the circle into six sections. I planted Echinacea White Swan around the centre clematis (Clematis ‘Jackmanii’, I think). There are six large clumps of the reblooming Iris Immortality. Around the edges are alternating plantings of Pursian Blue Dwarf Catmint, Sensational Lavender and Blue Marvel Salvia.
May 3, 2024 - Planting under the blue spruce
Weather: broken clouds | Temp: 17.55 Celsius | Max Temp: 14.83 Celsius | Min Temp: 11.27 Celsius | Morning Temp: 11.27 Celsius | Afternoon Temp: 13.59 Celsius | Evening Temp: 13.51 Celsius | Night Temp: 13.11 Celsius | Humidity: 53% | Max Wind: 5.76 km/h | Clouds: 54% | Rain: 7.6 mm | Sunrise: 06:12 | Sunset: 20:23
Added some Ice Dance Sedge, lungwort and hellebore under the blue spruce at the front entrance.
May 3, 2024 - Planted potatoes today, just before the rain
Weather: overcast clouds | Current Temp: 13.5 Celsius | Humidity: 86% | Wind Speed: 22.68 km/h | Wind Gust: 38.088 km/h | Clouds: 100% | Rain: mm | Sunrise: 06:11 | Sunset: 20:25
I’ve cut back on both the amount and number of varieties of potatoes we are growing this year. I planted two beds only, with:
- Excellency
- German Butterball (glad these are available again. We have not had them in a while and they are a great storage potato)
- Bridget
- Purple Russian (again from my own seed)
May 1, 2024 - Added three black raspberry plants
Weather: clear sky | Temp: 15.99 Celsius | Max Temp: 23.34 Celsius | Min Temp: 6.87 Celsius | Morning Temp: 6.87 Celsius | Afternoon Temp: 18.64 Celsius | Evening Temp: 22.74 Celsius | Night Temp: 12.13 Celsius | Humidity: 58% | Max Wind: 8.46 km/h | Clouds: 1% | Rain: 0 mm | Sunrise: 06:15 | Sunset: 20:21
I added three Munger Black Raspberry plants to the raspberry patch today. These should produce fruit in early July. We only need a few plants as I’m growing them for eating not preserving.
May 1, 2024 - Hardening off annuals part II
Weather: clear sky | Temp: 15.99 Celsius | Max Temp: 23.34 Celsius | Min Temp: 6.87 Celsius | Morning Temp: 6.87 Celsius | Afternoon Temp: 18.64 Celsius | Evening Temp: 22.74 Celsius | Night Temp: 12.13 Celsius | Humidity: 58% | Max Wind: 8.46 km/h | Clouds: 1% | Rain: 0 mm | Sunrise: 06:15 | Sunset: 20:21
I started hardening off most of the hardier annuals today including the Dipladenia and Scenecio Angel Wings. I don’t plan on putting them in pots for another two weeks to avoid having to cover for potential frost in pots around the yard like I did last year. I’ll leave the plants on the greenhouse patio by the end of the week, only bringing them in if the temperatures drop below 6°C or so.
April 26, 2024 - First cold season crops planted in vegetable garden
Weather: clear sky | Temp: 4.6 Celsius | Max Temp: 14.52 Celsius | Min Temp: 0.05 Celsius | Morning Temp: 0.25 Celsius | Afternoon Temp: 13.1 Celsius | Evening Temp: 12.86 Celsius | Night Temp: 2.55 Celsius | Humidity: 31% | Max Wind: 6.45 km/h | Clouds: 0% | Rain: 0 mm | Sunrise: 06:22 | Sunset: 20:15
I spent a full morning planting out my cold-season seedlings today, including peas, onions, cabbage, lettuce, kale and Swiss chard. I’m trying a couple of new approaches this year:
- I seeded carrots in the middle of a bed with onions planted along both sides. I’m hoping this will help reduce white flies without the need for a cover.
- I’m interplanting more onions among my tomatoes. I’ve planted onions along the front of the bed before. This year, I’m planting fewer tomatoes and spacing them out more, so I’m trying some intercropping.
- I am also cutting back on the amount of potatoes I plant but increasing onions, so I converted one of the potato beds to a second onion bed.
April 17, 2024 - First cut of the lawn 2024
Weather: broken clouds | Current Temp: 10.6 Celsius | Humidity: 48% | Wind Speed: 18.432 km/h | Wind Gust: 41.328 km/h | Clouds: 68% | Rain: mm | Sunrise: 06:36 | Sunset: 20:05
Cut with the tractor to mulch leaves and because the edging is not done.
April 12, 2024 - Gave up on Angelonia seedlings
Weather: overcast clouds | Current Temp: 6.87 Celsius | Humidity: 89% | Wind Speed: 34.956 km/h | Wind Gust: 59.94 km/h | Clouds: 100% | Rain: mm | Sunrise: 06:43 | Sunset: 20:00
I struggle with germinating small surface-sown seeds. I’ve tried watering from the bottom, misting, using vermiculite, and no vermiculite. Regardless of the method, I get spotty germination at best. I started eight trays of angelonia and only ended up with about five very small seedlings. I won’t bother again next year. Some flowers are just meant to be purchased from professional growers, I guess.
April 8, 2024 - Seeds starts - Cosmos and Dahlia
Weather: overcast clouds | Temp: 9.18 Celsius | Max Temp: 15.8 Celsius | Min Temp: 5.46 Celsius | Morning Temp: 5.46 Celsius | Afternoon Temp: 10.62 Celsius | Evening Temp: 15.8 Celsius | Night Temp: 7.4 Celsius | Humidity: 52% | Max Wind: 4.03 km/h | Clouds: 100% | Rain: 0 mm | Sunrise: 06:51 | Sunset: 19:54
I’m trying dahlia from seed for the first time – starting with two mixes from Flotet Seeds – Bee’s Choice and Cancan Girls. I’m not sure how many I’ll end up planting, but I started a 32-flat bootstrap farmer tray to see how it goes. I also started my cosmos today.
April 3, 2024 - Tomato starts for 2024 - 2 weeks later than last year
Weather: light rain | Temp: 5.87 Celsius | Max Temp: 6.26 Celsius | Min Temp: 3.27 Celsius | Morning Temp: 5.53 Celsius | Afternoon Temp: 5.86 Celsius | Evening Temp: 4.62 Celsius | Night Temp: 5.48 Celsius | Humidity: 99% | Max Wind: 8.55 km/h | Clouds: 100% | Rain: 8.4 mm | Sunrise: 07:00 | Sunset: 19:48
It’s been a warm spring but I still held back and started my main tomato seedlings two weeks later than I have in the past. We’ve struggled with cool weather in late May, resulting in leggy and stressed plants that I find don’t catch up and produce any earlier. So this year, I’m hoping to put in smaller but healthier tomato starts. I was going to sow them in flats to save soil and space but decided to use the 12-cell packs I bought from Amazon. I have found these trays to be good for individual seed starting where you can plant one seed per cell and expect good germination. I’m still using the heated floor as my heat mat, then moving the trays up to the bench once they start to germinate.
April 3, 2024 - Seed sowing - marigold, including some small ornamentals
Weather: light rain | Temp: 5.87 Celsius | Max Temp: 6.26 Celsius | Min Temp: 3.27 Celsius | Morning Temp: 5.53 Celsius | Afternoon Temp: 5.86 Celsius | Evening Temp: 4.62 Celsius | Night Temp: 5.48 Celsius | Humidity: 99% | Max Wind: 8.55 km/h | Clouds: 100% | Rain: 8.4 mm | Sunrise: 07:00 | Sunset: 19:48
I usually plant standard French marigolds in the vegetable garden to help deter insect damage; however, this year, I decided to add a couple of small-flowered marigolds, including Little Giant and Lemon Gem, for my flower containers.
April 3, 2024 - Seed starting - snow and sugar snap peas
Weather: light rain | Temp: 5.87 Celsius | Max Temp: 6.26 Celsius | Min Temp: 3.27 Celsius | Morning Temp: 5.53 Celsius | Afternoon Temp: 5.86 Celsius | Evening Temp: 4.62 Celsius | Night Temp: 5.48 Celsius | Humidity: 99% | Max Wind: 8.55 km/h | Clouds: 100% | Rain: 8.4 mm | Sunrise: 07:00 | Sunset: 19:48
I’m starting peas a couple of weeks later than 2023, even though the spring has been early. There is no guarantee it won’t get cold again in May, and experience has taught me that planting them out too early just leads to plant rot. I’ll sow some seeds directly in the ground once these are transplanted in the garden.
March 31, 2024 - Hellebores starting to bloom
Weather: overcast clouds | Temp: 3.88 Celsius | Max Temp: 9.07 Celsius | Min Temp: 1.6 Celsius | Morning Temp: 1.97 Celsius | Afternoon Temp: 3.86 Celsius | Evening Temp: 8.92 Celsius | Night Temp: 4.15 Celsius | Humidity: 76% | Max Wind: 3.38 km/h | Clouds: 85% | Rain: 0 mm | Sunrise: 07:05 | Sunset: 19:45
The Hellebores up near the house are really showing their blooms now. These are three years old, so the clumps are finally a good size.
March 27, 2024 - Sowed Gomphrena seeds - 2 trays
Weather: overcast clouds | Temp: 7.1 Celsius | Max Temp: 9.2 Celsius | Min Temp: 1.94 Celsius | Morning Temp: 6.02 Celsius | Afternoon Temp: 5.79 Celsius | Evening Temp: 4.23 Celsius | Night Temp: 8.55 Celsius | Humidity: 82% | Max Wind: 8.86 km/h | Clouds: 100% | Rain: 1.19 mm | Sunrise: 07:12 | Sunset: 19:40
I love Gomphrena. It’s a great annual flower for both containers and in the garden. I like them so much I sowed 2 full flats of the small 6-cell trays this year.
March 27, 2024 - Started ageratum seeds - blue and red
Weather: overcast clouds | Temp: 7.1 Celsius | Max Temp: 9.2 Celsius | Min Temp: 1.94 Celsius | Morning Temp: 6.02 Celsius | Afternoon Temp: 5.79 Celsius | Evening Temp: 4.23 Celsius | Night Temp: 8.55 Celsius | Humidity: 82% | Max Wind: 8.86 km/h | Clouds: 100% | Rain: 1.19 mm | Sunrise: 07:12 | Sunset: 19:40
I liked having the shorter blue ageratum (Aloha Blue) around the edges of my containers last year and did try a taller blue one but found it flopped. This year, I’m trying another tall one, Red Flint, mainly because the different colour intrigued me.
March 27, 2024 - Seed starts - alyssum, trying more varieties
Weather: overcast clouds | Temp: 7.1 Celsius | Max Temp: 9.2 Celsius | Min Temp: 1.94 Celsius | Morning Temp: 6.02 Celsius | Afternoon Temp: 5.79 Celsius | Evening Temp: 4.23 Celsius | Night Temp: 8.55 Celsius | Humidity: 82% | Max Wind: 8.86 km/h | Clouds: 100% | Rain: 1.19 mm | Sunrise: 07:12 | Sunset: 19:40
I grew short alyssum for my flower containers last year and fell in love. Since it’s getting harder to order from Stokes, I’m trying some new varieties from Swallowtail Garden Seeds this year. We’ll see how they compare in terms of colour and bloom time. Sadly I was not able to get blue (which is a kind of blue mauve) from either seed source.
March 19, 2024 - The cold and snow has returned
Weather: broken clouds | Temp: -1.68 Celsius | Max Temp: 0.09 Celsius | Min Temp: -3.1 Celsius | Morning Temp: -1.83 Celsius | Afternoon Temp: -2.03 Celsius | Evening Temp: -1.46 Celsius | Night Temp: 0.09 Celsius | Humidity: 86% | Max Wind: 9.13 km/h | Clouds: 82% | Rain: 2.1 mm | Sunrise: 07:27 | Sunset: 19:31
After an usually warm February and early March, winter weather is returning just as the first day of spring arrives. The Weather Network is predicting -10C for Thursday night and 5cm of snow on Friday.
March 15, 2024 - New edging project begins
Weather: light rain | Temp: 5.53 Celsius | Max Temp: 9.55 Celsius | Min Temp: 1.33 Celsius | Morning Temp: 4.96 Celsius | Afternoon Temp: 7.55 Celsius | Evening Temp: 5.71 Celsius | Night Temp: 5.82 Celsius | Humidity: 82% | Max Wind: 5.44 km/h | Clouds: 99% | Rain: 1.2 mm | Sunrise: 07:34 | Sunset: 19:26
The team has been hard at work on the new garden edging. Streamline brought their equipment on March 11, and deliveries of materials began on March 13. By the end of the week, the team had the edging well under way from the barn to the back of the property and around the woodland garden.
March 9, 2024 - Last onion 2023 garden season
Weather: overcast clouds | Temp: 6.59 Celsius | Max Temp: 11.88 Celsius | Min Temp: 5.1 Celsius | Morning Temp: 6.11 Celsius | Afternoon Temp: 7.23 Celsius | Evening Temp: 8.97 Celsius | Night Temp: 11.88 Celsius | Humidity: 95% | Max Wind: 10.21 km/h | Clouds: 100% | Rain: 19.71 mm | Sunrise: 06:44 | Sunset: 18:19
We ate the last of the onions from the 2o23 garden season. The garlic is also largely finished; most have dried or desiccated rather than starting to grow this year.
March 8, 2024 - 2024 maple syrup finished - about 1.5 quarts
Weather: clear sky | Temp: 5.55 Celsius | Max Temp: 11.61 Celsius | Min Temp: 2.2 Celsius | Morning Temp: 4.86 Celsius | Afternoon Temp: 2.24 Celsius | Evening Temp: 3.23 Celsius | Night Temp: 10.46 Celsius | Humidity: 79% | Max Wind: 6 km/h | Clouds: 5% | Rain: 0 mm | Sunrise: 06:46 | Sunset: 18:17
We did not get as much sap this year. We tapped early since it was unusually warm in February, however it stayed warm with few swing days (above zero in the day, below at night). However I still have half a quart from 2023 so this is enough for our needs.
March 8, 2024 - Pulled agapanthus from the garage
Weather: clear sky | Temp: 4.09 Celsius | Max Temp: 11.61 Celsius | Min Temp: 2.2 Celsius | Morning Temp: 4.86 Celsius | Afternoon Temp: 2.24 Celsius | Evening Temp: 3.23 Celsius | Night Temp: 10.46 Celsius | Humidity: 79% | Max Wind: 6 km/h | Clouds: 5% | Rain: 0 mm | Sunrise: 06:46 | Sunset: 18:17
It overwintered very well and is starting to grow. I transferred it to the greenhouse and have started to water. A few posts on Facebook indicated this may survive in the ground over winter. I plant these in a container but may try some in the ground once they need splitting. From what I’ve read agapanthus bloom better when crowded.
March 6, 2024 - Potted canna and calla lily bulbs
Weather: light rain | Temp: 9.8 Celsius | Max Temp: 16.16 Celsius | Min Temp: 6.29 Celsius | Morning Temp: 11.86 Celsius | Afternoon Temp: 8.22 Celsius | Evening Temp: 6.7 Celsius | Night Temp: 15.86 Celsius | Humidity: 97% | Max Wind: 4.47 km/h | Clouds: 100% | Rain: 3.96 mm | Sunrise: 06:50 | Sunset: 18:15
I purchased some Angel Martin Canna bulbs from Costco and pulled out my overwintered Canna lily bulbs today. I potted them and left them in the greenhouse as we are still getting below zero nights.
