It’s crazy how life seems to get in the way of what we’re working toward.
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My last post was in September 2023. Has that much time really gone by?
Fast forward and I’ll give you a brief update of life between then and now. New grandbaby, looking after grandbabies while my daughter works toward becoming an RMT, spending a LOT of time designing crochet patterns, having a cabin built, and a very hot and dry summer.
Gardening Oopses
I was quite excited about my greenhouse last spring but it wasn’t as big of a success as it had been in 2023. Even with fans running the veggies didn’t do well, and I ended up with a spider mite infestation. It was quite frustrating to say the least.
I planted potatoes in my new garden spot that had been worked up in 2023 and was so excited about them. The joke was on me because in my haste to plant I didn’t take the location into consideration, and out of 28 hills I don’t think I had enough to fill a 5-gallon bucket. Note to self: do not plant anything next to a weeping birch (or any big tree for that matter) that’s going to require a lot of water. Any water that the potatoes got was sucked up by the tree. Lesson learned.
This year that spot will most likely become a mini wildflower meadow. I need something to attract the pollinators anyway, so it’ll be pretty and practical. I’m looking forward to seeing more flowers than weeds. The flowers won’t care much about the rocks either (and that spot has a lot of them).
I had another spot worked up in October that is out in the open, away from any trees that will take every drop of rain/watering it gets. I’m also happy about the fact there are a lot less rocks than the first patch that was cultivated. I’m sure my potatoes will do much better, and I’m happy to be able to plant peas, beans, corn, sunflowers, etc.
Garden Wins
The rhubarb I started from seed in 2023 did very well. I’m excited for spring because I’ll be able to harvest more than a few stalks. Now that I know how easy it is to grow rhubarb from seed I’ll be adding at least a dozen plants to my trial run of bedding plant sales this year.
I should also get a few asparagus spears this spring. I know I won’t be able to harvest much but even just a few spears for the taste will make me happy. I’m looking forward to when I can get enough to steam for a family meal.
My cherry tree bloomed but I don’t think the bees found it in time because I didn’t get any cherries. The fact that it bloomed was a win for me.
My straw bale gardens did a little better as well. I think they became more conditioned over the winter and I was able to fill one with strawberries and the other with herbs. I’m hopeful the strawberries and some of the herbs survived the winter. Both beds were buried under a lot of snow so I have my fingers crossed.
What I Have Started So Far This Year
I was able to overwinter two citronella plants in my living room and last weekend I took over 20 cuttings from them. I put the cuttings in potting soil and put the tray in a bit plastic bag. They’re all still nice and green so I think I have been successful in getting at least some of them to take root.
I was also able to get a few Cape Gooseberry and Goji Berry seeds to germinate. (In 2023 I successfully germinated about 10 Goji Berry trees, and of the 10 I believe 7 or 8 made it through the winter. I should get some berries this year.) I’ll be adding a couple to my mini orchard and the rest will be added to my plant sale.
I planted saskatoons, grapes, crabapples, cotoneasters, strawberries (Alpine), and blueberries the same time I planted the gooseberries and Goji Berries but haven’t seen any life yet. It has been a month so my thinking is the seeds should have been given a chilling period. I did put the remainder of the seeds in my freezer so I’ll give them another couple of weeks and try again with a few of each to see if it makes a difference.
I’m also waiting for a couple of banana seeds and a number of passion fruit seeds to germinate. The packages said they can take 1 – 6 months to germinate, which makes me wish I had put them in soil before Christmas. It’ll be fun to have a banana tree again, and with any luck it’ll grow several feet high. I have the space for one now but I may have to invest in a grow light for tall plants as my living room faces north.
Peppers and tomatoes have been put in my aerogardens and will be moved to containers when they are a few inches high. My spare bedroom and office face south so both of those rooms will be full of plants by the time it warms up outside.
Gardening Community
I recently started the Cold-Climate Gardening community on Skool. As of writing I have 5 free memberships still available. (The regular price is $7/month.) Membership gives you access to an increasing number of resources, classes, and other perks. You’ll be able to connect with other gardeners (indoor & outdoor) to share your wins and ask questions. I will be posting in the community regularly and encourage you to join me there.
I started the community so there can be conversations about all types of gardening, and in real time. It’s more interactive than commenting on a blog post and can lead to lifelong friendships. And with the increase in the price of not-so-fresh fruit and vegetables, it’s good to be able to eat produce within minutes of harvesting in a lot of cases.
Wrapping It Up
I have droned on long enough for the moment so I’ll close for now. I’m happy to be back in the game and am excited to share more of my wins with you. You’ll also learn about my oopses (which I’m sure there’ll be a few) and the lessons learned from them (potatoes for instance).
Until next time, happy gardening!
All-In Gardening 