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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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.

March 5, 2024 - Potted spring corms and bare roots from Costco

Weather: clear sky | Temp: 10.94 Celsius | Max Temp: 20.95 Celsius | Min Temp: 8.27 Celsius | Morning Temp: 11.89 Celsius | Afternoon Temp: 11.21 Celsius | Evening Temp: 10.11 Celsius | Night Temp: 18.12 Celsius | Humidity: 80% | Max Wind: 6.37 km/h | Clouds: 1% | Rain: 0 mm | Sunrise: 06:51 | Sunset: 18:14

I picked up a bunch of spring bare-rooted plants and corms from Costco this year. I potted up:

  • crocosmia
  • liatris
  • trillium
  • bleeding heart

and placed them in the cold frame until I will be ready to plant them in the garden. I’m not sure where to put the trillium as they are not deer-resistant, and we’ve had a herd of deer in the yard every day for the past couple of weeks.

I also purchased some asparagus and astilbe but will plant these directly in the ground.

March 1, 2024 - Trying micro tomatoes again

Weather: clear sky | Temp: -3.54 Celsius | Max Temp: 7.08 Celsius | Min Temp: -5.44 Celsius | Morning Temp: -4.61 Celsius | Afternoon Temp: -4.2 Celsius | Evening Temp: -1.96 Celsius | Night Temp: -4.84 Celsius | Humidity: 83% | Max Wind: 7.86 km/h | Clouds: 1% | Rain: 0 mm | Sunrise: 06:58 | Sunset: 18:09

My first try at growing micro tomatoes in the greenhouse over the winter didn’t work out so well. The plants grew well and produced tomatoes, but the fruit didn’t ripen. The fact that we had practically no sun from mid-December to the end of January didn’t help.  Eventually, the plants started to suffer from the massive fruit growth and lack of sunshine, so I tossed them.

I’m trying again, earlier than I would do normal tomatoes, late enough into spring that we will have more sun hours. I plan to transplant these into the herb bed or a pot and get some early tomatoes for the season without stressing a full-sized tomato plant. My experience trying to grow tomatoes extra early does produce a few early tomatoes (early July for me). However, the health of the tomato plant struggles, and it produces less overall. So, I’m starting my main garden tomato seedlings 2 to 3 weeks later this year. Hopefully, the micro-tomatoes will give me that early harvest fix.

I’m growing three varieties from seeds acquired from Moonglow Gardens in Alberta:

  • Yellow Cup
  • Venus (orange)
  • Pinocchio (red)

March 1, 2024 - Trying Begonia and Euphorbia from seed

Weather: clear sky | Temp: -3.54 Celsius | Max Temp: 7.08 Celsius | Min Temp: -5.44 Celsius | Morning Temp: -4.61 Celsius | Afternoon Temp: -4.2 Celsius | Evening Temp: -1.96 Celsius | Night Temp: -4.84 Celsius | Humidity: 83% | Max Wind: 7.86 km/h | Clouds: 1% | Rain: 0 mm | Sunrise: 06:58 | Sunset: 18:09

Seeded Euphorbia Glitz White and Begonia Viking XL choc Red from seed. Covered both lightly with vermiculite.

February 27, 2024 - Thinned large weigela this week

Weather: overcast clouds | Temp: 3.32 Celsius | Max Temp: 11.2 Celsius | Min Temp: 1.17 Celsius | Morning Temp: 3.11 Celsius | Afternoon Temp: 3.33 Celsius | Evening Temp: 5.47 Celsius | Night Temp: 9.78 Celsius | Humidity: 91% | Max Wind: 7.17 km/h | Clouds: 100% | Rain: 6.66 mm | Sunrise: 07:03 | Sunset: 18:05

The weather is still unusually warm for February, with no snow cover. It was a good opportunity to thin out some older branches from the base of some of the larger weigela while I can see the structure.

February 27, 2024 - Seed starts - annual salvia, heliotrope, primrose

Weather: overcast clouds | Temp: 3.71 Celsius | Max Temp: 11.2 Celsius | Min Temp: 1.17 Celsius | Morning Temp: 3.11 Celsius | Afternoon Temp: 3.33 Celsius | Evening Temp: 5.47 Celsius | Night Temp: 9.78 Celsius | Humidity: 91% | Max Wind: 7.17 km/h | Clouds: 100% | Rain: 6.66 mm | Sunrise: 07:03 | Sunset: 18:05

I’m starting most of my seeds in small flat trays this year, especially hard to germinate or new varieties. I hope this will save both space in the greenhouse and soil costs.

Primrose seeds were put in the fridge for the next two weeks.

February 25, 2024 - Split creeping jenny mother plant

Weather: clear sky | Temp: -5.01 Celsius | Max Temp: 2.83 Celsius | Min Temp: -7.14 Celsius | Morning Temp: -5.83 Celsius | Afternoon Temp: -5.62 Celsius | Evening Temp: -3.86 Celsius | Night Temp: -3.68 Celsius | Humidity: 79% | Max Wind: 9.37 km/h | Clouds: 5% | Rain: 0 mm | Sunrise: 07:06 | Sunset: 18:02

I pulled a creeping jenny from one of my planters last fall to overwinter in the greenhouse. Today, I split the mother plant into 17 4″ pots. This, combined with the 3 cuttings I propagated in water, will give me enough for all my annual planters this spring. Based on both approaches, growing one mother plant and splitting it out is better as you can tease out quite small pieces.

February 23, 2024 - "Planting in February!" Just kidding.

Weather: overcast clouds | Temp: 5.55 Celsius | Max Temp: 10.33 Celsius | Min Temp: -0.97 Celsius | Morning Temp: 4.98 Celsius | Afternoon Temp: 2.74 Celsius | Evening Temp: 0.83 Celsius | Night Temp: 10.13 Celsius | Humidity: 72% | Max Wind: 5.12 km/h | Clouds: 100% | Rain: 0 mm | Sunrise: 07:09 | Sunset: 18:00

I took advantage of the nice weather to break out my new pool garden plan and do some “planting”. This turned out to be a good process as I found some design issues which means I’ll have to make some changes to my plan.

February 21, 2024 - Winter sowing - Larkspur

Weather: clear sky | Temp: -0.57 Celsius | Max Temp: 8.54 Celsius | Min Temp: -2.92 Celsius | Morning Temp: -0.28 Celsius | Afternoon Temp: -2.2 Celsius | Evening Temp: 0.47 Celsius | Night Temp: 4.34 Celsius | Humidity: 76% | Max Wind: 6.36 km/h | Clouds: 0% | Rain: 0 mm | Sunrise: 07:12 | Sunset: 17:57

I’m trying winter sowing this year, starting with Larkspur Shades of Blue. I sowed three seeds in each cup and placed them on the west side of the greenhouse.

February 19, 2024 - Pruned hedge maple and crab apples

Weather: broken clouds | Current Temp: -1.93 Celsius | Humidity: 60% | Wind Speed: 8.712 km/h | Wind Gust: 13.32 km/h | Clouds: 55% | Rain: mm | Sunrise: 07:14 | Sunset: 17:56

I removed two larger inside branches off the hedge maple that were growing inward, along with a few other small branches. I’ll wait to hedge trim the edges until later in the spring after leaf-out.

I also started to prune the crab apples, removing water sprouts and a few small inside branches. I’ll finish up later this week as it looks like were are having another warm-up.

February 18, 2024 - Repotted perennial seedlings in Black Swallow Living Soil

Weather: clear sky | Temp: -7.23 Celsius | Max Temp: -2.67 Celsius | Min Temp: -7.9 Celsius | Morning Temp: -7.48 Celsius | Afternoon Temp: -7.59 Celsius | Evening Temp: -6.86 Celsius | Night Temp: -6.33 Celsius | Humidity: 89% | Max Wind: 9.65 km/h | Clouds: 5% | Rain: 0.15 mm | Sunrise: 07:17 | Sunset: 17:53

My echinacea and salvia seedlings have not grown much, while some salvia are on the yellow side. I’m concerned they are too small to fertilize with even a quarter dose of liquid fertilizer. (As a side note, I don’t like using fish fertilizer in the greenhouse – it smells horrible, and the smell stays in the soil).

And it’s possible it’s the containers, which are the small 12-cell trays I got on Amazon – the soil might be too compacted to encourage root growth. Note to self – don’t back the soil down so much.

So I decided to:

  1. Re-pot them in new potting soil in bootstrap farmer 32 tray pots.
  2. Try some organic ‘living soil’ since these perennials will be in the containers for at least another 3 months.

I picked up some KIS mix blended soil from Black Swallow Soil in Brantford. I will be curious to see if growing in this medium will require less chemical fertilizer.

I also potted up what few (5) balloon flower survived.