Archive for November, 2008
Indoors
It may be snowing in November but I’ve got my lovely hibiscus to keep me company. My son calls her “Sweetheart” and always remembers to say good morning to her.
Here’s my avocado tree that I grew from a seed a few years ago. It will be so exciting when it grows fruit one day.
I’ve been really getting into geraniums recently, I’ve always thought of them in the past as an “old lady” plant but I’ve been rediscovering them. I love the scented ones especially rose and lemon.
Every one should have an aloe vera plant in their home. Great for burns.
Some baby aloe vera…
And spider plants are not only easy to grow but they also make good air purifiers.
Known as air cleaners, spider plants were identified by NASA in the late 1980s as one of the plants that help to purify the air by removing dangerous toxins (formaldehyde, carbon monoxide, benzene, and others).
Our backyard
10/06/2006
We’re fortunate to have two backyards…the one section close to the house is where I grow all the vegetables. There are white and red grapes growing along the north fence. They make wonderful grape jelly! Our “secret garden” at the back of this has a most amazing tree house for the kids! Along the south fence we have blackberries and raspberries. These shots were from June 2006, just before we bought the house.
back gate
back steps leading up to the treehouse
the bridge to the tower
gate, facing towards the house
Companion Planting
I would say my style of gardening would be a cottage style where I mix and match rather spontaneously flowers with vegetables and herbs. But this year I planted too much and things got rather crowded. The pumpkins and sunflowers took over the garden.
I absolutely love herbs since they’re so easy to grow, well maybe except for rosemary (a tender perennial) which I always have difficulty with. One of my favourite places to buy herbs is Heritage Line Herbs
“The importance of buying local farm produce is becoming more apparent. Supporting our local farms will ensure a supply of high-quality, safe and environmentally responsible food.”
I got this information from a talk they did…
Companion Planting
Basil – plant with tomatoes to improve growth and flavour and to repel flies and mosquitoes. Also good near peppers and marigolds. Dislikes rue.
Borage – companion plant for tomatoes, squash and strawberries – deters tomato worms.
Chamomile – improves flavour of cabbages and onions
Chervil – companion to radish for improved growth and flavour
Chives – improves growth and flavour of carrots
Dill - improves growth and health of cabbage. Don’t plant near carrots.
Garlic – plant near roses to repel aphids (I tried this and it really does work)
Lovage – improves flavour and health of most plants
Marjoram – improves flavour of all vegetables
Mint – improves health of cabbages and tomatoes
Rosemary – companion plant to cabbage, beans, carrots and sage. Deters cabbage moths, beetles and carrot flies.
Savory – near cucumbers or bush beans
Thyme- near cabbage
Yarrow – near aromatic herbs to enhance production of essential oils
a recent picture
A gardening journey…
baby spider plant
Moving from Toronto to a mid-sized south western Ontario town has allowed me to buy a house and have my dream garden. From years of growing in pots, I’ve advanced to having my very own garden. One of the purposes of this site is to record my gardening experiences so I can learn and share. I believe we all need to get back to the earth and grow our own food. I also like to promote green, sustainable living to anyone who will listen. As the weather becomes colder and the growing season has ended, I would like to look back on the year and reflect upon my accomplishments…