Garden planning

[Boom Boom]

From Home Hardware. Here's a photo of it:
 

 
Home Hardware information on this item:
 

• VECTACOR
• FOUNTAIN, GARDEN SOLAR BIRDBATH 27"
• Item # 5076-131
• Model # 90205S

  Manufacturer's Info:  http://www.vectacor.ca/fountsolar90205s.html

[skdadl]

That is very cute, Boom Boom. I should think of doing something for the boidies during the dry spells of summer.  I've thought about a garden gnome too, but maybe that's going too far. Flamingos?

[Boom Boom]

That is very cute, Boom Boom. I should think of doing something for the boidies during the dry spells of summer.  I've thought about a garden gnome too, but maybe that's going too far. Flamingos?

The thing to remember about birdbaths (and maybe fountains as well) is that the water has to be changed regularly - like every day.
 
 

[skdadl]

Boom Boom, just before I signed off last night, I went to Vesey's to have what I thought would be an early scan, but they were advertising a special reduction for orders placed by yesterday, so I ordered a few things very fast.

Most of it won't come till April earliest (although I think they ship the seeds right away, which will mean me beloved nasties), but it got my mind into the groove. They sell out so soon; I have to be quicker this year than I was last.

Got my germaniums (pelargoniums) ordered, though. Those should come soon. 

[Toedancer]

Oh you guys are making me crazy with jealousy! I am inbetween homes right now and I sooo want to move this spring/summer as you all know. So I'm thinking, well if it is out of the queshion at least I've lots to play with already, but of course I can't plan and that is all the fun, innit? I dreamt I was dreaming the other night. (This is how bad it is) In my dream within the dream I was woken up by sweetie coming into the room. I opened my eyes and saw brand new cotton sheets. I was admiring the wee colourful flower design on a cream background. My fingers began to outline the flowers when I suddenly realized Holy Fuck I'm Dreaming and these are not my sheets, and I wonder if I can grow these wee flowers! LOL, it was silly.

The trick to the fresh water everyday in the BB's is making sure you place it close to the garden hose, which of course one wants near a window to watch the play. For those with indoor cats very doable. I love watching the wariness of the birds, then the brazeness by mid-summer.

So glad you ordered in time skdadl, your garden is going to be amazing!

[Boom Boom]

I still have seeds left from previous years, so I'll just be ordering seedlings - plants already started by Veseys - such as tomatoes and shrubbery. Quite a lot of shrubbery this year, actually. Three years ago I ordered small Hosta plants, and last summer they bloomed amazingly well. Last fall I planted a lot of lilly bulbs, as well as wildflowers, so I hope to have an amazing display this summer, again. I just wish I could get my veggie garden to do as well!
 
Veseys is the only company I order garden stuff from, now.
 
ETA: I'm not ordering anything until April. I risk not getting everything I want, but I don't want anything shipped here too early. I can't seed or plant anything here until early June.

[skdadl]

Boom Boom, if I'm reading Vesey's right, they won't ship to you too soon, or at least they're not supposed to. No matter when you order, they send out their stuff by zone, no?

Toe, wherever you are, you can still do the socially responsible thing -- walk along laneways, scuff your toe in the earth here and there, plant some nastie seeds. :D There can't be a plant that gives so much for so little, eh? I wish I'd taken a photo of my nastie hedge last year -- overplant! overplant! it's worth it!

[Boom Boom]

Boom Boom, if I'm reading Vesey's right, they won't ship to you too soon, or at least they're not supposed to. No matter when you order, they send out their stuff by zone, no?

They send all their stuff out by early May - it's on their order form - but we can't plant until the first week of June at the earliest.
 
ETA: oops - in my earlier post I said I was ordering in April - that's not right - I'm ordering in May.

[Toedancer]

BB or skdadl, I don't know Vesey's site as well as you do, but so far I cannot find Scented Geraniums, on net and reasonably close all I can find is a book on them from Richter's Herbs in Goodwood.

[Toedancer]

Oh wait I found them in Brampton 

[skdadl]

I can has nasturtium seeds already! Two bags full. Not sure these are enough, since I'm going to do another plot with them this year. Anyway, Vesey's is shipping seeds already, and these are great.

[skdadl]

Boom Boom, I'll switch threads if we're talking gardens, which we will be.

I'm still cleaning up, although I think planting here should be fairly close. Vesey's sent me my packages of nasturtium seeds back in January, I think, but dashed if I can remember what else I ordered from them. It's somewhere back there in my mis-filed email, I guess.

Have you got your orders in? I'm almost afraid to go to the site and see that everything else I want is already sold out. The flip happens very fast at that place.

[Boom Boom]

I haven't ordered anything yet. I had the unfortunate experience of ordering late last year - our gardening season does not begin until June! - and just ordered whatever was left.
 
I guess I'll do the same this year, except for seeds - seeds are okay to order early. I want to order quite a lot of live plants, but there's no way I can hold them from now until June.
 
So, if Veseys is sold out, I'll look elsewhere - there's a lot of competitors to Veseys on the 'net.

[Boom Boom]

I thought this was interesting, and would like to see it more widespread:
 
The Montreal Community Gardens Program (Quebec)
 
excerpt:
 
Montréal’s community gardens program began in 1975. There are 97 community gardens. The boroughs have managed the program since the municipal reorganization in 2002. Eighteen boroughs offer plots of land to their citizens for gardening. In some boroughs, a gardening instructor visits the garden regularly to give advice to gardeners. Some boroughs offer adapted gardens for persons with reduced mobility. Materials provided include soil, a water source, tool shed or toolbox, tables, fences, sand, paint and flowers. Each community garden elects a volunteer committee to oversee administrative matters.
 
 
Here on the Lower North Shore, the social workers have organised community gardens for seniors in many communities, but not here in Kegaska, as almost all seniors here already have their own gardens.
 
 
 
 
 

[Boom Boom]

This is interesting, too:
 
The Rooftop Gardens Project (Montréal)

Since 2003, Alternatives has been promoting the recuperation of unused spaces such as rooftops, terraces and balconies for developing new productive green space. The goal is to create simple models of food production that are affordable, ecological, participative, and easily transferable to the global South as much as northern countries, so as to deal with increasing urbanization, pollution, and impoverishment of urban populations. It's a marriage between hydroponics, permaculture, organic agriculture, and community gardening.
 
Essentially we cultivate fruits and vegetables in containers of earth above water. This optimizes the growth of edible plants and ensures a constant flow of water and oxygen. The containers also serve to capture rain water, and their mobility and adaptability allow people to cultivate food in places where the soil has been contaminated.