Breakfast Buffet of Branches

   As April ends, we're getting a preview of Summer temperatures.  The daytime temps for this week range from 20-26 degrees C with overnights well above zero (forecast: 6-10 degrees C).  This will be wonderful for drying out the garden plots and the yard in general so we can get started with weeding and prepping for planting cool weather crops in mid-May. 

   This weekend, our neighbour across the street worked on trimming back the trees in his yard.  He piled the branches against his fence, presumably so he could take them to the city compost this week.  When I looked out the front door this morning around 8:30 AM, I spotted two small moose (a mother and youngster?  Two youngsters?) having a munch on the branches.

 

 

   The larger of the two eventually sauntered north up the street, leaving this little one to rest and ponder his options.  About ten minutes later, he wandered off in the same direction as his companion.

 

   The tomato and other transplants are coming along.  I could use more growlights!  The transplants are a bit leggy, but otherwise okay.  The leeks are getting regular "haircuts" and I added some more milk jug greenhouses (cosmos, cabbage, parsley, summer savoury) to the line-up outside.  It will be nice to have everything hardened off and finally in the ground outside.  

 

 

A few more tomato transplants and the celery forest.

 

 

   The chives are already up and going strong, and the first asparagus spear has appeared.  R. drove out of town yesterday and snagged a few buckets of aged manure.  We'll begin adding that to the raised beds and garden plots soon. After several years of neglecting to build them up, they are really in need of compost, manure, and amendments.

Easter Monday Seedlings and the 2023 Tomato List

  It's a sunny, blustery Easter Monday, 7 degrees C outside at noon.  I'm about to make a big mug of hot chocolate and poke around the yard to see how much more snow melted since yesterday.

  Things are gradually getting underway for the gardening season.  I started Amsterdam celery and Giant Musselburgh leeks in late February, and waited until April 1st to start tomato (varieties listed below) and Diamond eggplant seeds. 

 

Celery and leek seedlings, and a bit of marjoram growing in a peat pellet. 

 

More celery!  (The germination rate was excellent, and I sowed generously.  Opps.)

 

 

   I'm growing strawflowers (Pastel Mix) for the first time this year.  The seeds just starting to germinate. Pacific Beauty Mix calendula are planted in the right-hand container (no sprouts yet!).

 

 

 

Chives on the south side of the house have emerged.

 

 

  

   On April 3rd and 4th, I started cabbage (Brunswick, Golden Acre, Kalibos, and Cour di Bue), kale (Lacinato, Rainbow Lacinato, Curly Blue, and Red Russian), and a few pansies (Springtime Cassis) in milk jug greenhouses.  Later this month, I'll add chard, cosmos, herbs, and possibly some lettuce to the collection of jugs.

 

 

 

TOMATOES 2023

 

These are the varieties chosen for 2023.  The Rose de Berne seeds were old (at least 10 years) and only three have germinated.  I might select another pink variety to replace them.  I received a few Franchi Red Pear in a trade recently.  So far, only three have germinated.  The rest seem to be coming along well.

 

Update: A Russian pink paste variety - Petrusha Ogorodnik - was started April 12.

*First time growing these varieties

Determinate

EM-Champion (DET, red/meaty, 3-4’ tall, can grow in large pots, early-midseason, Russian origin.)

Principe Borghese  (DET, red, heirloom, determinate, small, dry, few seeds, good for sundried tomatoes,~ 75 DTM)

Fisher’s Earliest Paste  (DET, red, (shape?), early, hardy, good flavour.  90+ years of selection by the Fisher family of Montana. RARE.)

*Mongolian Dwarf  (DWRF, large red oblate, 100-200g, only 20-25cm tall, early/fast growing.  Bush habit, spreads to ~2’ across. Russian (Siberian) origin.  Uncommon.)

Black Sea Man (DET, brown/black, heirloom, beefsteak, 8-12 oz, rich flavour, slicer, determinate, can be grown in large containers, Russian origin, early, ~ 75 DTM)

*Favourie de Bretagne  (DET, 3" tall, elongated, green/gold striped (Green When Ripe), sweet/fruity, created by Tom Wagner. 80DTM. RARE.)

*Uluru Ochre (DWARF, dark orange/green/ochre, med-large/6-12oz beefsteak, sweet smoky flavour, juicy, compact plants, heat-tolerant, named after the giant monolithic rock in central Australia (Uluru/Ayers Rock).  Early 65-70DTM.  A cross between “Orange Heirloom” and “Rosella Purple” by Patrina Nuske Small.)

*Fred’s Tie-Dye Dwarf (DWARF, 3’ tall, deep red w/green and gold metallic stripes, flesh similar in appearance and taste to purple/black tomatoes, beefsteak, average 8oz, minimal cracking.  Sweet, juicy.  Essentially “Berkeley Pink Tie Dye” on a dwarf plant.  75DTM.)

Clear Pink Early  (DET, round, pink fruit, compact, heavy yields, bushy growth, 3-6oz round, slicer, sweet, Russian heirloom)

*Petrusha Ogorodnik (DET, elongated, plump, dark pink paste, compact. Some sources say early-mid and others say mid-late season maturity.  Sweet flavour. Productive.  Good variety for cooler climates.  Russian origin. RARE/uncommon in North America.)

Indeterminate

Reinhard’s Chocolate Heart (INDET, brown oxheart, rare, rich flavour, 300-400g, cross between Cherokee Green x a pink oxheart. 80-85DTM. German origin.

Hungarian Heart  (INDET, pink, large oxheart (often 1lb or more), heirloom, paste/canner/fresh, crack-resistant, few seeds, origin: Hungary, ~ 85 DTM)

*Rose de Berne (INDET, rose-pink, round, 4-6oz, dependable, crack-resistant, blemish-free excellent flavour, good for slicing, cooking, or saucing.  Good yields. 75-80DTM. Swiss heirloom.)

*Sylvan Gaume (INDET, large red variable oxheart (some say a beefsteak), great flavour, 80DTM, Canadian heirloom, RARE.

*Franchi Red Pear  (INDET, red, large, pear-shape with vertical ribbing, 8-18oz, early for a large tomato, 75DTM, origin: Northern Italy)

*Moonglow  (INDET, deep orange globes, 6-8 oz, productive, excellent sweet flavour, solid flesh, few seeds, long shelf life/good keeper, 85DTM)