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We got back to our Valley a few days ago. One of the highlights of road tripping is returning back to our own home.
While we love going away and exploring, we are always happy to be home again.
So we are settling back in and getting to work; after all the outdoor season has begun.
Warm weather means all the snow is gone and we have even managed to miss the dreaded mud season that leaves our vehicles, driveways and rubber boots a total mess.
The Aspen trees have begun to bud out and our perennial flowers are shooting out their greenery.
Lots to do so what to tackle first? Well, all the mail had to be sorted and I was so happy to see my envelope arrive from Incredible Seeds.
Based in Eastern Canada, they offer ONLY heirloom, non GMO or open pollinated seeds and they ship their seeds all across Canada. I’ve been growing their seed for several years now and am always happy with the results.
Here’s my bounty for this year. Since I have some of their seed left from the last two years, I’ll be using that up too!
I’ve got some tried and true favourites, but am also trying several new things this year.
Anyone planting Goji shrubs? Their berries are full of antioxidants and the shrubs are hardy to -40C! These will be my 2016 garden experiment.
I’ve got several different types and colours of lettuces, as well as chard and some Tendergreen Mustard Greens.
We’re expanding the garlic beds again this year and we’ll use the mustard greens to suppress nematodes and build up the health of the soil before planting garlic in those new beds come Fall.
They are also delicious, nutritious and fast growing since we can start pulling small leaves one month after planting. Treat them like spinach by lightly steaming or toss them fresh into your salads.
Incredible Seeds ships within 3 days of ordering so you still have time to get great seed for this years garden.
When we plan our yearly garden, we first check our cold room to see what we are getting low on.
Since we are low on green beans (due largely to a fiasco last harvest) we need to plant a lot of green beans this year. I can them in the pressure canner .
If all goes well, I’ll be adding at least 60 pints of delicious beans to the cold room.
Snap peas, cauliflower, red and green cabbages, carrots and beets are also going to be planted.
Yesterday Graham got started with tilling the garden. Since it’s been so warm, the soil was dry enough to get in there.
We got a good downpour late afternoon though, so it may be several days before he can get the job done.
As long as you can work the soil, you can plant all your root crops early in the season. Carrots, beets, spinach etc. can go in too.
Even though the May long weekend is the “traditional” planting date for much of Canada, there is no harm in getting some seeds in early.
As long as they don’t mind the cool temperatures, they will start to grow.
I was able to get some seedling trays done up yesterday including, cabbage, tomatoes and peppers.
You know you’re a diehard gardener when you are planting seedling trays before unpacking your suitcases!
Today I need to get some corn seeds in and added to the table in front of the living room windows. I am late in starting the tomatoes and peppers, but we will still enjoy a good harvest from them.
Here in the Cariboo, you have much better success if these are transplanted into a Greenhouse. We have quite extreme day and nighttime temperatures here and neither peppers nor tomatoes like being too cool.
We always have success with them inside the unheated Greenhouse.
A couple of years ago, I again tried to set up my seedling trays in the Greenhouse and watched as most of the seeds germinated and started growing.
Imagine my disappointment to come out one morning and find chipmunks enjoying tossing the seedlings around and digging in and eating the seeds of all my Zucchini plants.
So I have retreated back into the house to get seedling going. This late in the season I cannot afford any more delays.
We’re hoping the rain holds off for a few days so we can get the garden ready and get some seeds in.
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