Stiff Neck Snake Garlic

http://Garlic1.notlong.com Starting to grow.


http://Profile1.notlong.com Some interesting information about this garlic plant.

31 March 2007. The fifty cloves were planted about 10 cm (4 inches) below the ground on 15 October 2006. No shoots came up until about 25 March 2007. All fifty cloves sprouted and appear quite healthy. The scapes will be harvested just prior to the flower opening, and the bulbs will be pulled about the 5 July 2007. Growth pictures will be presented throughout the season.

Durgan.

Planting Onions 2007.

http://onions.notlong.com/

29 March 2007 Zone 5. Onions are put in as soon at the ground can be worked. The end of the garden chosen was sufficiently dry to cultivate, so four twelve foot rows of onions were planted. Two rows of Red Onions,and two rows of Spanish White Onions, about 200 bulbs total were planted. The small Honda cultivator was used to condition the soil. Neena, a Pomeranian, got her hair clipped yesterday, and showed an interest in all the proceedings.

http://joofi.notlong.com/ 26 July 2007 Onions growing with bulb fully exposed.

In 2006 Spanish Onions were grown and they had a hot taste. Mentioning this to an experienced vegetable grower, I was told that fully exposing the bulbs to sun in the later stages of growth would produce larger bulbs and there would be no "heat" left in the bulbs. The bulbs tend to grow out of the soil anyway, so I scraped around the bulbs and exposed all except the roots. When the onions are harvested it can be determined if the "heat" is removed. The onions now are larger than what was produced in 2006 and are still growing.

http://www.durgan.org/Blog/Durgan.html

First Crocus Blooms 2007

http://Crocus.notlong.com 27 March 2007

http://CrocusB.notlong.com 28 March 2007

27 March 2007. This is the first Crocus blooms this year 2007.. We had warm weather for two days, about the first this spring and the Crosus responded. They are the first flower we get in Zone 5.

28 March 2007 More blooms.

Durgan.

Painting Rebar for Plant Supports.

http://Rebarp.notlong.com

27 March 2007. Eight foot rebar painted to inhib rust with Tremclad for use as supports for the tomato cages, and to tie the top part of the tomatoe plants. This coating will last for about 7 years, judging from past experiences.

This is a cheap and effective way to support tomato plants.

Durgan.

Garden Journal Brantford, ON, Canada 2007 Zone 5

2007 Brantford, Ontario. Canada Zone 5

This Journal will depict my efforts during 2007. Most of the journal will be pictures, and for reference here is the 2006 effort.

http://23april2006.notlong.com/ 23 April 2006

http://27may2006.notlong.com/ 27 May 2006

http://3june2006.notlong.com/ 3 June 2006

http://2july2006.notlong.com/ 2 July 2006

http://24august2006.notlong.com/ 24 August 2006

http://4october2006.notlong.com/ 4 October 2006

The 0.4 acre garden is located in Brampton, Ontario in Zone 5. This is my fourth year gardening on this property. It was covered in grass and the soil is heavy clay of fairly good quality, but poorly drained. The property was a wet mess after any heavy rain.The first year I put in drainage pipe across and down the yard for about 300 feet all by hand alone.

This is URL to my friends property. I assisted due to my previous experience. http://20april2006.notlong.com/ This ditch is about 18 inches deep with gravel in the bottom and plastic 5 inch weeping pipe on top then covered in gravel and sod. Now all the surface water is run to the street storm sewers. The sod was removed with my kick sod cutter, and then the sod was replaced.My garden area enlarged is about 1500 square feet was a clay swisshy mess.

The city supplies free of charge during the month of May about a half a yard of screened vegetable compost per day. Quality 100%. I built a half yard box in my minivan, and took a 20 km round trip daily for about 75 days over the last three years. I eventually put about 45 cubic yards of compost in the garden. Now I drop a seed in the ground and it grows and grows and grows.Durgan.

Method of Over-wintering Canna Lily Zone 5.

Method of Over-wintering Canna Lily Zone 5.

http://canna1.notlong.com/ 23 March 2007.

Apparently Canna Lily has been over-wintered in my area Zone 5 by covering with leaves in a sheltered spot, so I took a chance and covered mine wth straw and a tarp. The tarp was removed today and the bulbs appear to be in good condition. The final test will be when the growth is compared to the 2006 display. My fingers are crossed.

27 May 2007. The winterizing effort was in vain. All the tubulars rotted, and I have now dug up the bed and planted Snapdragon plants. So much for that effort.

Durgan.

Adding Fibre to Vegetable Bed 2007.

Adding Fibre to Vegetable Bed. 2007

http://gardenbed.notlong.com/23 March 2007 Zone 5.

http://strraw.notlong.com/ 29 March 2007 Rototilling straw into Garden Bed. This is the first rototilling, and the soil is a bit too wet Zone 5.

23 March 2007. The soil is presently too wet to work. I had some straw used as mulch to winter protect my Canna Lilies, so I decided to shred it and place on the garden bed to increase the fibre content. It will be rototilled into the soil when the moisture content is appropiate. I found that the straw almost completely disappears come planting time about the 24 of May or earlier. Fibre keeps the soil friable.

Durgan.

Making a New Vegetable Garden Area.

Making a New Vegetable Garden Area.
http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?ILYFM 30 April 2006 Addition to Vegetable Garden 8 by 36 Feet.
Notice the kick type sod cutter.

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?ESYUK 4 May 2006 Adding Compost (half a yard shown). I pick up about half a yard per day from the City depot. Two fourty five gallon garbage cans. I have a wooden box in the back of the van that takes exactly one-half yard.

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?IOELB 5 May 2006 Completed bed. Before adding wood chips.

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?ZGZED 7 May 2006 Adding Fibre, (composted wood chips). Two pictures of the bed with the fiber laying on top and then worked in.

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?DUGZQ 30 June 2006
Pictures of what is growing in the enlarged bed. Apparently the effort was not in vain. All plants are growing extremely well.30 April 2006.

Enlarging my vegetable garden by 8 feet. It is 36 feet long. First I removed the sod with a kick sod cutter, then spaded about a foot, then rototilled the lumps with the small Honda rototiller, then raked the chunks that wouldn't crumble. The larger slower turning rototiller simply throws the larger chunks aside, but the faster rotating little rottiller chews the clumps up.Today's effort took me about 8 hours.

I tore the sod by hand and put it through a shredding Yard Machine to shred the clumps and put it back onto the bed. This took about three hours. Not a bit of grass came up later in the season. The Yard Machine effectively killed the grass roots. This is the best method I have devised for destroying sod. No rototiller will break up sod sufficiently to prevent grass growth.

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?SVOPD Summary: Making a New Vegetable Garden Area

Durgan.

Making Juice from Fruit and Vegetables.

Making Juice from Fruit and Vegetables.Durgan's "Juice" Method http://xrl.us/ujtn

I suggest the new Canada Food Guide has neglected to mention utilizing the most useful appliance in all Canadian homes- the simple blender. Consumption of more fruit and vegetables is emphasized by the food guide.

I have used several juicers over the years and found all wanting. Most are very difficult to clean and eventually one quits using them. Also they are wasteful in that the pulp (fibre) is not utilized.

About 35 percent of the nutrients of fruits and vegetables exists in the pulp. This pulp is usually discarded with most juicers.

So after some thought this is how I make my "juice".

Select RAW; pineapple, peppers, oranges, grapefruit, carrots, bananas, mellon, cranberries frozen or fresh, strawberries, raspberry, blueberries, lettuce, spinach, peaches, kiwi, nectarine, plums, broccoli, grapes, tomato, pear, and in the summer I utilize any garden vegetable available. Bean sprouts are not particularly suitable, since the end product is overwhelmed by its flavour.

Skin thinly (I don't trust using the skin, since I am somewhat concerned about herbicide and pesticide residue) and, cut into reasonable size pieces and put into the common blender, add the necessary amount of water to blend to an even consistancy. Usually I make a one or two litre quantity at one time, and wrap the remaining fruit and keep in the refrigator until needed.

The product may be consumed as a liquid or simply eaten with a spoon depending upon the consistency of the mixture. Some people prefer to masticate, but I prefer to simply drink the end product about one litre per day.

I have been doing this many years, and consume far more fruit and vegetable than I ever would were the fruit eaten individually. Also the variety is much greater. Usually I eat or drink a litre of the mixture daily. The taste takes on the flavour of the prominent fruit used; in my case, usually pineapple or mellon, and the colour varies considerably from red, green, brown, blue, and all shades between. For a refreshing cold drink in the summer, sometimes I throw a few ice cubes in the blender with the mixture.

Using the blender method one gets all the nutrients plus the addition of the fibre. This method utilizes the fruit and vegetables completely, and is 100% efficient. It is palatable and healthy.

Durgan

Chipper Shredder and Composting.

Chipper Shredder and Composting.

http://xrl.us/pdxv 2 July 2006 Operating the shredder.

http://xrl.us/q7gy 24 July 2006 Turning compost bin over.

This ten horespower machine is used to chop up all waste foliage. I make a pile of foliage, and when there is enough I wheel the machine out, and chop up the waste. It only takes a few minutes. I use to do this with a machette on a wooden block. It disposes of the branches and waste plants in a clean and quick manner. Unfortunately, one has to justify the cost, and it probably wouldn't be economical with a small yard. Anyway it is probably easier than taking garden waste products to the dump.

The amount of composted material is very minimal. All I get is about 6 cubic yards of garden ready material, which I spread on the garden in the spring. I even get my neighbors grass clippings from two properties. I leave my grass clipping where they fall.

Leaves can be a hassle in a compost pile, since they tend to stick together and eventually become like a paper book. Leaves compost just fine if chopped up with the lawnmower into small pieces by running over and over a pile.

Durgan.

Method to Improve Drainage 2006

The first year I put in drainage pipe across and down the yard for about 300 feet all by hand alone.

The pictures doing my property were lost so I present this as typical.
http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?CBLUO

I assisted due to my previous experience. This ditch is about 18 inches deep with gravel in the bottom and plastic 5 inch weeping pipe on top then covered in gravel and sod. Now all the surface water is run to the street storm sewers. A simple sump about 2 feet square was put at street level to drain into the storm sewer. The sod was removed with my kick sod cutter, and then the sod was replaced. About 9 yards of gravel was required for 300 feet of trench, and the trench dirt was placed at the back of the property.

This only took about 18 hours with four people working.

Durgan.

The Small Roto-tillers. My Experience

Small Cultivators Honda FG110G

The Small Roto-tillers. My Experience

The Small Roto-tillers. I bought mine last year 2005 (Honda) and it has to be my most valuable tool in the garden. I use it like a shovel, hoe and rake combined. To plant trees, shrubs and to make a simple hole for some plant, for edging, and working established beds, and for breaking up chunks of earth it cannot be beat. The tine shaft runs about 180 RPM, which is much much faster than larger tillers. Note: No rototiller made will break up sod sufficiently to prevent grass growth.

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?JHCQU 7 April 2006 Honda FG 110 mini-rototill
Cultivating the main vegetable garden.

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?ESYUK 4 May 2006 Adding compost
Working compost into underlying soil.

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?YGOHE 26 May 2008 Planting Redhaven peach Tree.


The Honda FG110 was used to work reasonably good soil, clay with much compost with no rocks. The area worked was over 1000 square feet. This little tiller did a perfect job. If the tiller got clogged with fiberous plant strings, simply removed the outer tines and clear the obstruction within one of two minutes. The tiller engine startes with one or two pulls of the starting cord.

To plant onions I removed the outer two tines and pointed the remaining two inwards and got a perfect row for planting about 4 inches wide. I use the tiller by gently pulling backwards without the drag bar. All the work was done at full throttle as it should be with such a small engine. I consider the operation to be effortless, and the result on the soil is simply not achievable with hand tools.

The noise level is for all intents and purposes not noticable, since it is a four stroke engine. It is well built, and has no appearance of fragility or poor workmanship. I simply carry the tiller from place to place as required.

To use this small tiller amongst large rocks is misuse in my opinion. I have no rocks. Used with common sense, and not attempting to work it in conditions where a larger machine is clearly required this little machine should last a long time.

To make a small bed I remove the sod with a kick sod cutter, spade the compacted earth to the proper depth, then put the tiller to work to condition the soil. On large chunks it jumps around a little and reduces the chunks, but that is to be expected. A larger machine simply kicks them out without beating them into small pieces. The result is near perfection.

Worrying about turning a garden into flour like soil is probably little to worry about. I have spend my life trying to get the chunks small enough for a good garden. Usually I have had clay, but by adding city compost and composted wood chips the soil is friable.

Don't leave home without it. Since writing this summary, I have had the experience of using the much touted Mantis. The Honda is superior in every way, but the Mantis is also a good unit.

Weed Burner and Ground Sterilizer.

Weed Burner and Ground Sterilizer.

http://www.flameengineering.com/VT3-30C.html

I bought this "Weedburner" from the US from the Internet. Since ordering I found that Lee Valley locally sells the same device. I use the barbeque propane tank, and find the flame is ideal size for home use.

My hollyhocks have a fungus and I burned the tops off, and flamed the ground around the plants in October 2006. Next year will indicate if my practice is fruitful or not. I tried all the fungicides for three years now with little success.

These devices don't kill the plant, but they are probably excellent for killing insects, mold and mildew under the right circumstances.

Anyway my intent is to use it in what would be considered ideal situations as a supplement to other "cide" methods.

Another thread discussing the burner. http://xrl.us/u8fs

Durgan.

Kick Type Sod Removal Tool

Kick Type Sod Removal Tool

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?ILYFM Picture of my sod cutter in operation.

Place to buy. There may vbe others.
http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?ISGBL

Anybody who has removed sod with a shovel over a reasonably large area will know what backbreaking work it entails.

I have almost half an acre of hard packed grass, and if I want to enlarge a growing area a challenge is presented.

At first I rented a tool at 40 a clip or more and finally broke down and bought a sod removing tool off the internet. It was one of my finest investments in equipment.

If the ground is wet the effort is minimal. The device is kicked forward and proceeds about a foot with each thrust. The sod is a perfect depth and is almost effortless compared to hands and knees with a shovel. When dry, the kick will not go a foot depending upon the effort, but it is still relatively easy.

My dog Neena always helps me. She is saying, "Good job Durgan.'

I have rented a similar type several times. This one is perfect. It is strongly made and most durable. I paid a lot for shipping, since I couldn't find it in Canada. I think I paid around $179.00 US, but I wanted it and I am totally happy. I have only had it about three months, and have removed a fair amount of sod. It is as good as ones I rented.

I have seen others with a wooden handle, and higher price,for what reason, I can't imagine. Planting a tree is simple, because the sod can be removed in a few minutes as opposed to knee shovelling. Want a new bed, producing it is simple. I used to shutter everytime I had to remove sod.

The news of this tool should be spread far and wide. It is absolutely perfect for the use intended, and the price is more than reasonable.

I am in no way an agent for any company selling this product. I am simply a happy end user.

Durgan.

Planting Small Seeds "Durgan's Method"

Planting Small Seeds "Durgan's Method"

http://xrl.us/nh6x

Planting small vegetable seeds in the home garden can be a difficult both in spacing and depth, and keeping moist until germination.

Commercial seed tapes are one method, but they are difficult to handle, and all are not available, plus the cost is high.

My method is shown in the pictures.

A roll of toilet paper is laid in the row, then dampened slightly, the seeds are planted on the paper. Another layer of toilet paper is laid on top and gently presssed together when rolling out. This layer is then dampened. The paper is then covered with strained earth to the required depth.

There are several advantages to this method. Spacing of seeds can be optimal, depth of soil covering can be controlled, and the paper brings the seeds into close contact with moisture. Even on a light windy day I have kept the paper in place by dampening as I roll out the paper. The paper completely disappears in a short time after the seeds come up.

Durgan.

Dracunculus vulgaris My new plant. 2007

Dracunculus vulgaris My new plant for 2007

Dracunculus vulgaris My new plant. http://xrl.us/u9j9 11 March 2007 Zone 5.

Three Dracunculus vulgaris bulbs were ordered last fall. Two in the pictures were planted on 4 October 2006. One bulb was planted in the outdoor garden and heavily mulched to see if it will survive the winter in Zone 5. It appears the two in the pots are doing well. It is my hope that I will have blooms this year. This is the first year for this plant. It is always fun to have a new rather exotic plant each year. The growth pictures will be updated when something epochal occurs.

I transplanted once to this larger pot on the 25 February 2007 , and observed that the root system is extensive almost filling the smaller pot. It is a warm day so I put them out into the sun even though there is snow on the ground.

http://www.paghat.com/voodoolily.html URL to some detail about the plant.

http://arum.notlong.com/ 23 March 2007
Dracunulus vulgaris aka Arum dracunulus has survived outdoor planting in Zone 5. I removed the mulch about a week ago and found the shoot up about 3 inches today.

http://Vulgaris.notlong.com 10 April 2007
The dracunulus vulgaris is in bloom. When the greenhouse door was opened this morning there was strong odour similar to the odor of shell fish cooking. It permeated the greenhouse, hence the association with the name.

Durgan.

Planting Tomato Seeds for 2007 (Method)

Planting Tomato Seeds for 2007 (Method)
Summary of growth to date.

http://xrl.us/umgc 3 February 2007

http://xrl.us/uqz5 10 February 2007

http://xrl.us/u3y9 25 February 2007

http://xrl.us/u6ky 3 March 2007 Transplanting.

http://xrl.us/u8do 8 March 2007

http://xrl.us/vcqi 14 March 2007 Start of hardening off.

http://23march2007tomato.notlong.com/ 23 March 2007 Tomato Update.

http://TomatoeP.notlong.com 4 April 2007 Tomato Plant update

http://Tomatoupdate2.notlong.com 23 April 2007 Tomato Plant update.


3 February 2007 Zone 5. Tomato seeds were started indoors. The plants will planted outdoors in May and some will be ripe by about the 10 of June 2007. I expect a slightly warmer than usual season due to Global Warming. In my case this phenomena is serendipitous, so I am taking advantage of it.

The fibre pot is soaked in miracle grow to give some nutrients about the time the seedling roots require it. The coffee filter is put into the bottom of the plastic pot to prevent soil from falling out of the drainage holes, and to facilitate transplanting into a larger pot with minimal root disturbance, when the seedlings reach the appropiate size.

I have found if the fibre pot is used alone, it dries out too fast, since the fibre pot acts like a wick drawing moisture away from the seedlings. By putting soil around the fibre pot adequate moisture is kept in the area of the seeding, and watering is not so critical.

Three seeds were used per pot and as they grow the strongest will be kept and the others cut off at root level. I have previously tested this batch of seeds for viability by putting two or three seeds of each variety in one pot and observing growth, a precaution since these seeds were saved from last years tomato crop. I expect nearly 100% germination.

The compartmentized holding tray is more suitable than a flat tray since the pots are held more securely, when movng from place to place. Unfortunately, the compartment size is slightly too small for the pots chosen, but it is adequate.

8 March 2007. Today I moved some tomato plants to the greenhouse. These plants were started on 3 Feb 2007, so they are 33 days old.

Four days ago the door and the side of the greenhouse were damaged by a strong wind, so I had to haywire a quick repair with scrap lumber and make a new door. It took me about 6 hours in a strong wind and in about the coldest day we had this winter. I will fix it more come summer. I have had this greenhouse for three years, and it has served me well.

The greenhouse is heated with a 6000 BTU Pro Com Natural Gas heater from Northern Tools, and I have a small 750 Watt electric oil filled radiator for back up. I can go to about 10 degrees below C with no freezing. If colder than I move the plants indoors for the night. The fitting for the natural gas is outside for the barbeque, and I run a 50 foot extension welding hose for the heater. If and when I build a better greenhouse I may get the gas run into the structure with a more permanent connection. But I only use the green house for about three months and this seems to work reasonably well. On the floor there is a rubber backed mat, since the floor is only one in thick unfinished spruce boards screwed to some railway supports. The mat seals the cracks somewhat.

The plants are placed in the greenhouse as soon as posible, since I don't have good light in the basement.

Neena, the little Pomeranian is two years old, and always helps me.

17 March 2007 It snowed about 3 cm last night and the temperature was about minus 10C, but is sunny today.

23 March 2007 Tomato Update.23 March 2007 The plants are doing well. I lost two, probably due to over-watering. It has been relatively cool for the last week, so they didn't grow much. Th soil temperature in the pots was about 13 degrees C, but today the soil went up to 23 C. This was about our first warm day in Zone 5, Brantford, ON, Canada.

23 April 2007. Today half the tomatoe plant foliage was sprayed with a mild solution of Epson Salts. One tablespoon in a gallon of water. This is my test of the use of magnesium sulfate, which if often mentioned by various people to be beneficial. It is a reasonable first controlled test.

Durgan.