[yrt+viva=1system]

My garden still isn't quite done.......

Today's harvest ( November 4th, 2023):

View attachment 517875

Chives, Chervil ('French Parsley' with a sort of anise flavour) and Portuguese Peppers (a bit undersized, but still nice like this).

Not on view, my parsley still putting up new growth and my almost completely dead tomato plants are still ripening the last few cherry tomatoes (I ate one before I took the pic!)

If you leave the tomatoes to rot and be covered with soil you’ll get a plant for next season. Today I did exactly that, picked the remaining cherry and beefsteak tomatoes and tossed them into a hole and filled it in.

Finally got around to do my autumn garden clean up. Pulled up all the dahlias and stored the bulbs for next season. Did some pruning of dead stems on the roses but left major pruning until the spring. Tossed all the now frost bitten and dead plant matter onto the lawn and ran it over with my Toro Recycler lawn mower. I’ve effectively stopped brown bagging ever since getting this mower, now I only put out one bag at the curb that contains rose stems and weeds. Some of the mulch I moved it back into the flower beds and mixed it into the soil.

Had purchased a few bags of clearance deeply discounted triple mix for spreading around the beds and making mounds at the base of the roses.

 

[Northern Light]

I have to report with some bemusement, this is the first year I've ever had some of my fresh herbs survive into December.

Chives are usually the longest lasting, they died off for the year at the end of November........

But to my surprise, this year........

My Chervil is still pretty robust as we approach mid-December, while my curly parsley has slowed its growth considerably, it too is still putting out new growth.

 

[just east of the creek]

I have to report with some bemusement, this is the first year I've ever had some of my fresh herbs survive into December.

Chives are usually the longest lasting, they died off for the year at the end of November........

But to my surprise, this year........

My Chervil is still pretty robust as we approach mid-December, while my curly parsley has slowed its growth considerably, it too is still putting out new growth.

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If the weather continues as is we will be taking off the winter wheat months in advance!!

 

[Flint]

Wow, late to this thread, but I'll be sure to share during the upcoming season.

Mid-way through the growing season, I built a hydroponic system for my west-facing balcony. I had mixed results. My guess is that I didn't properly monitor the nutrient and pH levels. This season, I'm going to be on top of it. Hopefully I get quite a bit of production from it.

 

[Northern Light]

I've been harvesting off my balcony since April (Chives); but had a particularly nice harvest yesterday, so decided to showcase it.

Harvest from August 20th, 2024:

From Left: Early Girl Tomatoes, Fresh Basil, Cherry Tomatoes, Fresh Thyme, green and red Jalapeno peppers, and finally Portuguese Peppers.

Not above, but growing - Rosemary, Parsley and Chives, and earlier in the season, Red Leaf Lettuce.

To make use of the above, yesterday's lunch was a BLT; Toasted Sourdough Bread, with a Basil, Red Jalapeno, Lemon and Garlic Aioli, with mixed field greens, bacon, freshly sliced Tomato, and quick pickled Portuguese Pepper.

 

[evandyk]

The laneway wildflower garden is on a west wall, so gets tons of sun, and I have watered it regularly ever since I planted stuff there. I'm just looking for nice colourful wildflowers that pop out at various times of the summer/fall without too much maintenance. Weeds with flowers, basically.

 

[Northern Light]

The laneway wildflower garden is on a west wall, so gets tons of sun, and I have watered it regularly ever since I planted stuff there. I'm just looking for nice colourful wildflowers that pop out at various times of the summer/fall without too much maintenance. Weeds with flowers, basically.

Bee Balm (Monarda fistulosa) is an excellent performer, in bloom now, will give you light purple typically, though some variations have a bit of a red hue.

Photo Credit: Cure Nursery

Woodland Sunflower is a great choice for bright yellow in July:

Photo Credit: https://northeastwildseedcollectors...hus-strumosus-pale-leaved-woodland-sunflower/

Barren Strawberry (not edible) (Waldsteinia fragaroides)
will give you June Yellow: - low to the ground)-

Photo Credit: https://www.vanberkumnursery.com/plants/waldsteinia-fragarioides/

New England Aster (Symphyotrichum-novae-angliae) is late season purple in Ontario mid August to late September:

Photo Credit: https://growitbuildit.com/new-england-aster-symphyotrichum-novae-angliae/

Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa) will give you mid to late summer bright orange:

Credit: Eric Hunt

Also, since you mentioned Evening Primrose, the Latin name is Oenothera biennis

The Latin names matter by the way, because different species often have similar or even identical common names. So you use the Latin one to be sure.

That should get you started.

 

[just east of the creek]

Looking forward to planting season next year, online and through your local nursery you will be able to find premixed wild flower seed packets, often with various themes (butterflies etc). With some judicious planting, perhaps a little tilling and drilling, and you can add to the varied nature of the display you are seeing. The packets will come in varying sizes if you order them online, you do not want to be too skimpy with the seeds. Once started the seed beds should rejuvenate from year to year

And once you get that going, try talking to a hydro about overseeing some of the hydro corridors…..untold benefits.

 

[evandyk]

I planted from these three packets this year. I figure some of them should come up again next year, though they'll always be fighting against weeds in that spot. It's hard to do much to improve the soil since it's literally the laneway - stuff has to grow roots through the cracks in the pavement. I put down about an inch of topsoil, but I want it to be a laneway, not a garden.

 

[Northern Light]

I planted from these three packets this year. I figure some of them should come up again next year, though they'll always be fighting against weeds in that spot.

View attachment 669632

Cosmos are not native to Ontario, or anywhere close, they are native to Mexico and some adjacent portions of the south-west U.S.

The McKenize package has a couple of natives such as Blacked Eyed Susan, the Purple Coneflower is technically a bit further south but is Ontario. But most of the rest is not native, hell, calendula isn't even native to North America, its European. Gypsophilia is Asian, Malope is from the Mediterranean etc etc.

The Burpee one is no better, same two natives, but then Iceland Poppy, English Daisy, Siberian Wallflower etc.

There are so misleading to people here...........

 

[evandyk]

My wife wanted the Cosmos...

I'm not sure the packets claimed that the flowers were native to Toronto, but I wasn't specifically looking for that. Anyways, I didn't really have a choice. I just bought the two wildflower mixes that were on the seed packet stand when I went looking.

 

[Northern Light]

My wife wanted the Cosmos...

I'm not sure the packets claimed that the flowers were native to Toronto, but I wasn't specifically looking for that. Anyways, I didn't really have a choice. I just bought the two wildflower mixes that were on the seed packet stand when I went looking.

It wasn't an indictment of your choice; just information; plus it was an indictment of the seed companies for being misleading.

I think the default assumption of people looking for 'wild flowers' is that will be native to the region they're in; 'Wild Flowers of the World' is a weird concept.

 

[evandyk]

Probably relates to our differing levels of expertise regarding plants/gardening, but I wouldn't have assumed it was local/native wildflowers. Just flowers that grow in meadows etc. I assume they're selling this same seed packet at least all across North America.

 

[just east of the creek]

My wife wanted the Cosmos...

I'm not sure the packets claimed that the flowers were native to Toronto, but I wasn't specifically looking for that. Anyways, I didn't really have a choice. I just bought the two wildflower mixes that were on the seed packet stand when I went looking.

Have a look at 'Guerilla Gardening ' This should take you to seed 'bombs' featuring natural sourced product, and targeted to Ontario.. I was late to find them this year, but I thought they would be something i could use whenever we are fixing fences and working on or in the areas unplowed/undrilled. Lots of variety.

Guerrilla Gardening Canadian Wildflowers | Buy Seed Bombs |

Guerrilla Gardening is a movement encouraging the planting of native wildflowers in cities. Throw seed bombs anywhere, then watch them grow, providing homes for insects and pollinators. Bring life back to our cities by Guerrilla Gardening.

guerrillagardening.co

 

[evandyk]

I like planting native plants, but I am not going to pay $23 for a packet of seeds.