Garden Review 2011

This year, despite being uber pregnant - really went for the gusto with gardens. I had some learnings in 2010 about the temperature in this region. Unlikely Ontario, where you pretty much plant it, it grows like a weed, in Northern Alberta, you have to think about what you're planting and where. Some things can be sown early, some things not. Some things require a greenhouse. We're in Zone 3a for anyone who knows anything about that.

Luckily, the Hinton Community Greenhouse got started this year. Jax and I bought a large plot (18 sq ft) together in May, and sowed it almost immediately - this was a smart move to do early! Jax was lucky and also won a small plot (far left of picture) in the membership draw, and we were able to plant that right away too. The medium plot (middle left of picture) we eventually picked up too when the cost dropped to $2/sq ft when the greenhouse didn't quite fill mid-June.

In the large plot, we planted tomatoes (large and cherry), beets, onions, potatoes, zucchini (green and yellow), and cucumber. The cucumber bit it after about a week. We re-planted cucumber and Brussel sprouts (a gift to J on her birthday), and the cucumber bit it again. The sprouts however, continue to grow.

The zucchini never quite made it - it grew in it's large hills, produced a few small zucchinis, but contracted mould and then got killed by the coolness when the weather snapped cold. In hind sight, next year, we need to plant them in a middle box or end of the large one away from the sides (members of the greenhouse roll these up and down everyday). 

The "free" box (11 sq ft) - we planted strawberries, lettuce, tomatoes, and carrots. The strawberries grew like crazy, threw runners into our cheap box, and we enjoyed many many salads with all the lettuce. The tomatoes grew (and I did them from seed), and produced large tomatoes, but before we could get to them, Jack Frost took it's toll. 

Well, I have a full window sill full of green tomatoes now, hoping they ripen! The carrots were delicious - but needed to be planted a little further apart. Oh well, we learnt something there!

The "cheap" box (15 sq ft) - we planted herbs, red leaf lettuce, spinach and beans. The herbs grew well overall (although the basil was so-so), the spinach not-great, and the beans just fine.

If you want to read about how other people's garden's went in the greenhouse, I recommend checking out Sarah's Blog. Let's just say her zucchini's fared a lot better!

My front garden beds - left side - I picked up a bunch of perennials and annuals. My mom brought me some last October and planted them in after helping me re-shape my beds. I was pretty skeptical that anything from Ontario would take in my colder garden, but a few plants did, the sedum in particular. In 2010, I had a terrible time keeping anything alive as the back bed (behind cement divider) is under our roof overhang. So it never got water - unless of course, I was at the end of the hose. My lovely MIL visited in July, and we were able to pick up some bushes and annuals at 70-80% off at Canadian Tire which we planted in the back. She diligently watered them while she was here so that they would take in the dry soil.

The right side - used partially for veggies - spinach (grew amazingly tall), peas, beans. We got a fair amount of peas and beans, but not until mid to late August. The spinach plants produced beautifully through July and August. Also had a few annuals and perennials for colour, and bushes at the back to even out the other side.

Still learning a lot. Would like to have some raised square foot gardening boxes along the lilacs in the front or perhaps in the back near where the old deck used to be for some of the more hardier veggies (and more of them), but we'll see what happens! Looking forward to another season of growing again next year.