PlantCatching

I discovered a neat plant and garden sharing resource online this morning called, PlantCatching.  This platform facilitates the sharing of plants, seeds, garden materials (e.g., compost), produce, and other garden-related items.  The site looks easy to use and is available in English and French.  

There are buttons on the site that allow visitors to share it via social media (Facebook and Twitter).  If you click on, "Seed Your City"  under the heading, "More" in the menu at the top of the page, you will find downloadable flyers and posters to put up in your community, labels to attach to your shared items (if you wish to use them), and widgets to place on your blog or website. 

The Plant Room and Feline Helpers

I spent the morning potting some more pepper and tomato seedlings.  We are finally having sunny, mild weather again.  All the kitties are as relieved as we are by this and have been assisting in our garden projects in their own ways...


Saj, our senior supervisor (16 years old). She doesn't see much any more, but likes to follow us around while we work outside.   Her nose and ears still work quite well.

Karl snoozing in a dahlia pot.

Karl guardin' the garden.

Butters took a major detour on her way to check out the plant room.

Most of the seedlings in the plant room.  The cats don't get much use of their "tree" during the month of May!

Butters sniffing the herbs. Squished a few.

Heading for the corner, I think...

Spots a bird out the window...

The rest of my seedlings, including newly potted tomatoes on the floor. 

A tranquil Butters resting behind the French lavender.  I am tempted to email this picture to her owner. 

Bad Ass Gardening

Ron Finley - Guerilla Gardening in South Central L.A. 
(I love this presentation.  No wonder it went viral!)

Stephen Ritz - Green Bronx Machine 
(Have a cup of coffee before watching and listen closely - this guy speaks quickly and is a riot!)

Guerilla Gardening - East End of Downtown Calgary

Hi-Tech Guerilla Gardening in London.  The real fun starts at 1 min 38 seconds!


James Jiler - A Sentence of Transformation. 
Prisons, gardens, restoration, and inspiration.
(For some reason, I am not able to embed this video in my blog.  To watch this TEDx presentation, click HERE). 

Cool Links

Gardening 

Nice garden shed!

Food Not Lawns

Grow Food Not Lawns

Common Roots Urban Farm (Halifax, NS)

The Year Round Veggie Gardener

Herbs to Herbs


MyFolia -  track your garden's progress from seedlings to harvest.  Free site with optional paid features.  Upload photos, create a garden journal, connect with gardeners in your area, swap seeds, and research varieties of vegetables, flowers, & herbs of interest.

Guerrilla Gardening.Org

Heavy Petal - How to Make Seed Balls

A lane of dahlias

Sid's Dahlias - dahlia tubers from Nova Scotia


Seed Savers.org (American) - their online downloadable catalog is sheer eye candy.

42 Flowers You Can Eat




Seeds of Diversity (Canadian) - subscribe to their free email newsletter.  

(from their site)   "Seeds of Diversity is a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to the conservation, documentation and use of public-domain, non-hybrid plants of Canadian significance. Our 1400 members from coast to coast are gardeners, farmers, teachers, scientists, agricultural historians, researchers and seed vendors. Together we grow, propagate and distribute over 2900 varieties of vegetables, fruit, grains, flowers and herbs. We are a living gene bank.

Creeping Thyme

Members receive our 40-page magazine Seeds of Diversity twice a year, plus our annual Member Seed Directory which allows members to obtain samples of over 2900 varieties of seeds and plants offered by other members in exchange for return postage."

Seedy Saturdays (Canada) - a list of "Seedy Saturday" events.  Join one to exchange or purchase heirloom seeds, attend workshops, film presentations, picnics, etc.  Each one is a little different!

Tatiana's TOMATObase -  detailed directory of heirloom tomato varieties.  You can also purchase seeds through this site.

Tomatoville - the largest online community of tomato growers. 

Still want more on tomatoes?  Try Tomatopalooza and the blog of Craig LeHoullier's (aka NCTomatoMan), From The Vine.

A Bean Collector's Window - Pictures and descriptions of over 260 varieties of beans collected over the years by bean enthusiast, Russ Crow.

Seed Snatcher - assorted articles

Jeepers Creepers - "Down Low and Fun to Grow".  Durable perennial plants with a spreading habit that makes them ideal for use as a groundcover, lawn substitute, pathway or edging plant.

Square Foot Gardening - site and forum 

How to Grow Giant Sunflowers

Vegetables that will grow in shade 

Neem insect spray recipe 

Sharing Backyards - connecting people who want to garden with the available land in their area to do so.

Covered Greenhouse Garden tutorial 

How to Make a Homemade Olla ("Oh-yah") - clay pot irrigation for the garden

The Best Canadian Seed Companies -  "Harrowsmith's 35th annual guide to the best Canadian seed companies and specialty nurseries"

Safe Seed Resouce List -  From the Council for Responsible Genetics, a list of businesses offering GM-free seeds.  International.
 

Other

TreeHugger -  green living, technology, social, energy - great articles!

Fuzzibum in the snow

Spiritual Cinema -  inspiring films that rarely make it to the theatres. (Not religious)  Watch the short video to see what it's about.

Green Plant Stream - a unique site showcasing films with a focus on the environment, nature, agriculture, wildlife, etc.  You can stream the videos for a small fee or purchase the DVDs through this site.

Feline Diabetes Message Board - an invaluable resource if you have a diabetic cat.  Forum and main site

CBC - radio and podcasts  (My current favourites are Tapestry, Under the Influence, and Ideas)

Find A Spring - locate a freshwater spring in your area, or add to the database if you can!

The Rainbow Bridge - if you have lost a beloved pet...

True North Treasures -  featuring favourite Canadian products 

The World Needs More Love Letters - if you love good old fashioned "snail mail"...

IANDS - International Association for Near-Death Studies