Harvest Conclusions

The tomatoes dramatically wilted with the first frost a few days back (Oct 1) and have been sent to the compost. The kale, brussels sprouts and swiss chard endure, despite the recent frost, and as of today, snow.

Above photo: Lovage (upper left), swiss chard and brussels sprouts.

One of the stranger looking carrots, between tomatoes and swiss chard. Most of the carrots were of similar diameter but a few inches longer (conically shaped).

Due to a sudden surplus of tomatoes with the mass picking before the frost, some were boiled into a yummy sauce, with lemon juice (citric acid) and salt added to help preserve while stored in the refrigerator.

July Rains = Harvest Gains

July has brought much needed rain, resulting in swiss chard, spinach, rhubarb, oregano, lovage and kale harvest nearly faster than we can keep up! Most is eaten fresh and maybe 30% frozen for use in winter. Bolted spinach harvest has involved chopping entire plants and stripping leaves, leaving most in garden to go to seed.

Most plants in photos are likely obvious, except maybe the Chervil at the bottom center of the above photo. Chervil is a yummy herb with liquorish-like flavouring. Note Lovage behind Brussels Sprouts at nearly 6 feet high (even after I chopped some down)!

The Blue Curled Kale, transplanted outside May 5, was ready to start harvesting the first week of July (left of Brussels Sprouts in above photo). The Dwarf Green Curled Kale (center of above photo) planted directly outdoors from seed (Apr. 11) is not ready yet for harvest, maybe by the end of the month.

The feathery looking plants in above photo is Dill, planted directly outdoors May 28. The large leafy looking thing at center right in above photo is a volunteer poppy from the neighbours yard, left to grow.

Should have allowed more spacing for the Bubbles Brussels Sprouts! The sprouts are just starting to form along the stems and branches. This is fascinating for us since we have never grown these before.

Potatoes (between strawberries and tomatoes above), planted June 21, came up July 8! These potatoes were thought to be a one-of-a-kind breed (by myself) since they were re-planted at the grandparents farm for nearly a half century. However, I have been corrected and need a crash course on potato breeding. More to come.

Delphinium is blooming (blue), between peas and strawberries (above). Pea pods are forming. Snap peas ready for picking and shelling peas in process. Snow Peas are near the top of the 5 foot fence, beyond the chicken wire. Homesteader/Lincoln Peas are about half the height of the fence. I have read these are a dwarf variety of shelling pea that came out in 1908.

Summer Solstice

Neighbour's Mountain Ash in bloom. Still some berries left from last year. Birds must be holding out for the strawberries!

Above, L to R: Brussels Sprouts, Spinach, Lovage, Peas (behind). Lovage is now nearly 4 feet tall and is starting to bloom. I'm guessing now is a good time to start harvesting it, but not exactly sure how best to do this i.e. How much to harvest at once? Cut off flowers or let bloom and go to seed? Etc.

Plus the tomatoes (above). Plants where flowers were plucked off before transplanting now starting tomatoes up to about 1 to 2 cm diameter. Other tomatoes up to ~7 cm on plant with previously non-plucked flowers.

Tenergreen Improved Bush Bean planted May 16 on each side of pathway. They look a little yellow, not sure if that's normal? Behind beans: Bloomsdale Spinach planted May 16 and Fordhook Giant Swiss Chard planted May 2.

Summary of approximate germination % with direct seeding in garden:

• Marigolds 10 - 20% (seed gathered from mom's garden)
• Fordhook Giant Swiss Chard 90-100%
• Bloomsdale Spinach 80%
• Cherry Belle Radish 70%
• Green Arrow Peas (planted Apr 11) 0%
• Oregon Sugar Pod II Snow Peas (planted May 3) 70-80%
• Homesteader/Lincoln Peas (planted May 3) 70-80%
• Carrots (planted May 2) 10-20% (from free package, didn't expect much)
• Tendergreen Improved Bush Beans 80%

This summary is not very accurate for small seeds planted densely together (such as spinach, swiss chard, carrots, radishes, etc), in which case the % has more to due with the gaps in rows than actual % seed germination. Just a rough observation for future reference.

Radish & Oregano Harvest

Cherry Belle Radish planted April 11, havesting 3 to 5 per week. Radishes are just starting to show chew marks from creatures below, so it's a good time to get to them first! Radishes are rich in ascorbic acid (Vit. C, antioxidant), folic acid (Vit. B9), and potassium. They are also a good source of vitamin B6, riboflavin (vit. B2), magnesium, copper, and calcium, among other minerals and vitamins. California Poppies behind radishes (in above photo).

Bubbles Brussels Sprouts transplanted May 5 (above). Not sure when or how to havest these. Advice welcome!

Fordhook Giant Swiss Chard (lower left) planted May 2 and Homesteader Peas (upper left) planted May 3. Planted Tendergreen Improved Bush Beans May 28 (upper right, just off photo) where Green Arrow Peas planted April 11 did not come up (planted too early). These beans are just coming up (June 21).

Oregano and radish harvest!

Snow!

East and north winds have brought snow! Low of +1 C last night with frost predicted tonight. Compare with last frost in early May last year (but then again we did get that snowstorm in June that ripped branches off the trees). Will definitely be making good use of the cold frame this year. The cold frame is also good protection from hail, which we've had more than once already this year (too small to do any damage so far). Fordhook Giant Swiss Chard in the bottom of the above photo, tolerates the cold well.

L to R in above photo (along fence): Kale, Brussels Sprouts and Lovage.

Tomato Transplant - Cold Frame #2

With a change of winds in the forecast (north to south winds) and the tomatoes becoming seriously root-bound, a risk was taken with transplantation to the outside world (May 21). They wilted for the first day or so, likely complaining primarily about the drastic drop in soil temperature they experienced (i.e. 20 °C to maybe 5 to 10 °C). A cold frame was built consisting of the old windows used in the Cold Frame #1 experiment to help warm up the soil and protect them at night. In hindsight the cold frame should have been constructed a few weeks in advance to pre-warm the soil (note to self for next year).

Note Kale & Brussels Sprouts on the left (transplant from generous neighbour) & Lovage in the center (in above photo). Peas and Swiss Chard are just starting to break the surface (can't see in this photo).
Part of the experiment was to test the cold frame in frost conditions with a sensitive plant like tomatoes. Frost was predicted that night, so last minute scrambling resulted in blankets and tarps over the windows and a 60W bulb placed inside to provide a heat source (a method used successfully by my aunt). I had plans to put a fan inside as well to circulate the heat, but due to limitations with the extension cord and time, only the light was used in the end.

The tomatoes survived the night with a frost of about -1.4 °C according to Environment Canada measurement at the Calgary International Airport. The Middle Earth Garden is about the same elevation as the airport and within 4km or so. So the airport temperatures are likely a good approximation for now.

A high-low recording thermometer is on the list of items to purchase for future experimentation. If anyone can recommend a thermometer please let me know. All the ones I've seen so far at Canadian Tire are battery operated digital and I'm trying to find a non-battery type. Searching just now there is one at Lee Valley. I have not been there yet as it is a bit far by bicycle. I suppose a digital thermometer with an indoor alarm for low temperature might be handy too, maybe establish trending into the computer... OK maybe too high-tech for this low-tech garden operation!