Calgary Gardening Thread

[Chadillaccc]

Originally Posted by Doug_Cgy

Now that we've upgraded to a Zone 4A - I'd like to attempt to try a few fruit trees. I'm thinking that might have to wait until next year though.

That's a really good idea. I was looking at an apple tree earlier this year. I will probably wait for next year as well though. My backyard is shielded from wind pretty well though, as it is surrounded by large mature trees on the east and west, and our house on the north side.

Also, I just noticed that my gardens are getting ready to bloom for the 2nd time this year, so it looks like I'm doing something right! I was a little nervous, especially about my new rose bush, but it has more buds on it than when I got it a month ago. I'm going to be transplanting a bunch of wild raspberry bushes into a newly cleared (of massive weeds) garden area tomorrow. My first strawberries are starting to ripen too.

[speedog]

Have already enjoyed swiss chard, kale, cheery tomatos, rhubarb, horse radish and saskatoons. Purple carrots, purple beans will still be a few weeks followed by peas.

White turnips will be a bit later in the fall. Nasturtiums later in August as well as maybe some low bush blueberries.

Would like to put in an apricot tree but don't want to overwhelm the backyard with another tree - have one elm that is now close to 18 feet tall and will become massive over time. Could take out the apple tree on the south side of our house that is slowly dying (reaching the end of it's lifespan) and put an apricot there, is quite sheltered and might be a good place for an apricot.

[Doug_Cgy]

Chad - sounds like you're absolutely doing something right. I know by the pics of your yard that you posted, you do well with landscaping/gardening.

Speedog - apricot?!?! That sounds like a great plan! You'll have to keep us posted on the progress when you decide to do it!

My peas and tomatoes are loving the heat! Both blossoming like crazy right now! My flowers got a little scorched in the sun, but I working to nurse them back.

[devonb]

Originally Posted by speedog

Have already enjoyed swiss chard, kale, cheery tomatos, rhubarb, horse radish and saskatoons. Purple carrots, purple beans will still be a few weeks followed by peas.

White turnips will be a bit later in the fall. Nasturtiums later in August as well as maybe some low bush blueberries.

Would like to put in an apricot tree but don't want to overwhelm the backyard with another tree - have one elm that is now close to 18 feet tall and will become massive over time. Could take out the apple tree on the south side of our house that is slowly dying (reaching the end of it's lifespan) and put an apricot there, is quite sheltered and might be a good place for an apricot.

I may be willing to sell you an Westcot apricot. Bought it five years ago. It's bloomed twice and given some apricots when the birds don't get to the young fruit. Tasty, though small fruit. I have a small yard and my feelings toward my chokecherry tree have changed so I'm going to keep it. Not enough room for two.

[Jimby]

My nasturtiums are blooming, the neighbour's aren't.



nasturtiums by LUMIN8, on Flickr


Hanging over the railing. The parking garage is under the lawn.


shadow steps by LUMIN8, on Flickr

[Chadillaccc]

Originally Posted by Doug_Cgy

Chad - sounds like you're absolutely doing something right. I know by the pics of your yard that you posted, you do well with landscaping/gardening.

Speedog - apricot?!?! That sounds like a great plan! You'll have to keep us posted on the progress when you decide to do it!

My peas and tomatoes are loving the heat! Both blossoming like crazy right now! My flowers got a little scorched in the sun, but I working to nurse them back.

I didn't do most of that stuff, I just moved into this place two months ago. The backyard was a wasteland of weeds. The pathways and large garden around the garage have been there for a long time. The only ones I've done/redone myself are the two next to the house, and the one between the deck and fire pit. I will post a couple updated pics soon once my raspberry transplant project is complete and some of the new buds start coming out on the other stuff

[RyLucky]

Originally Posted by Jimby

Hanging over the railing. The parking garage is under the lawn.


shadow steps by LUMIN8, on Flickr

That's the way to do parking! A flower garden would have been nice too. I know a few developments in the Beltline that should take note. Congrats on your nasturtiums.

[Jimby]

A Flickr contact sent me this website so I thought I would include it here.
Use-Nasturtiums-in-Food



I face south so I keep the mint behind a chair to help shade it from the sun.



Mojito mint by LUMIN8, on Flickr

[speedog]

Sort of related - for those who wish to do some pickling but don't want to go through the traditional canning process, consider trying refridgerator pickles (link to one recipe).

My Mom does both traditional and refrigerator and the refrigerator pickles are very tasty - just don't have the shelf life of a canned product.

[Chadillaccc]

I completed the transplant of 10 raspberry colonies yesterday. I'm not sure if they're taking to their new home though. The problem with raspberries if that they have such complex root systems, and to transplant them I pretty much had to devastate their roots. Hopefully with some extra waterings, most of them will survive. The hot weather should help too.

[Surrealplaces]

Originally Posted by Chadillaccc

I completed the transplant of 10 raspberry colonies yesterday. I'm not sure if they're taking to their new home though. The problem with raspberries if that they have such complex root systems, and to transplant them I pretty much had to devastate their roots. Hopefully with some extra waterings, most of them will survive. The hot weather should help too.

I've done raspberry transplants a couple of times an they took both times, I think you'll be good to go.

I picked my 10th cuke from the garden yesterday.

[mersar]

Most of our strawberries were attacked by something in the past week, couple I managed to eat but unfortunately the rest of the patch is gone. Raspberries are looking good, quite a large number on them this year. And surprising to see that we somehow now have what looks to be a saskatoon growing in the middle of that patch of garden. And the apple tree is insanely loaded, I'm no longer regretting cutting off the 1/3 of the tree I did this spring.

Lilies are starting to bloom and our first peonies are nearing the end.

[Surrealplaces]

Spaghetti Squash is just about ready.


Spaghetti Squash by Surrealplaces, on Flickr


Kirby hanging around the garden by Surrealplaces, on Flickr

[Chadillaccc]

Originally Posted by Surrealplaces

I've done raspberry transplants a couple of times an they took both times, I think you'll be good to go.

I picked my 10th cuke from the garden yesterday.

I've been watering them every day since the transplant. They're still alive, but barely. Definitely won't be getting any fruit from them this year. Thankfully I left a bunch in the other garden, so we can still get some fruit this year!

Oh also, I remember mentioning at the meetup that I had seen a bunch of those tall blue flowers grow to like 10 feet tall, I took another look, and they're more like 6 - 7 feet. Still very tall though.

[Fuzz]

If you are transplanting them, make sure you grabbed the fresh green ones. Raspberries are on a 2 year cycle, so if you grabbed the redder stalks with berries on them, I'm not sure if they will sprout new green ones next year. I've transplanted raspberries several times, and they have never failed.

[Surrealplaces]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

If you are transplanting them, make sure you grabbed the fresh green ones. Raspberries are on a 2 year cycle, so if you grabbed the redder stalks with berries on them, I'm not sure if they will sprout new green ones next year. I've transplanted raspberries several times, and they have never failed.

That is absolutely correct. The second year canes won 't take for the transplant.

[Chadillaccc]

Ohhhh Three of the ten were mature with the harder stocks, the rest were new, small, and green. They seem to be doing the worst though, while the mature ones are looking much better.

[Surrealplaces]

Chad, by any chance are you talking about the place on 4th street NW ...about 17th ave? The whole yard looks to be full of Delphiniums?

Also a note on the Raspberries, it takes a while, but for anyone thinking about a cheap easy solution for planting Raspberries, try taking a handful of raspberries and simply burying them in some dirt. That's what I did and they came up the next year...and were giving fruit a couple of years later.

The way easiest of course is to transplant part of the plant....just make sure you take the suckers (the bright green growth with no flowers or berries)

Originally Posted by Chadillaccc

I've been watering them every day since the transplant. They're still alive, but barely. Definitely won't be getting any fruit from them this year. Thankfully I left a bunch in the other garden, so we can still get some fruit this year!

Oh also, I remember mentioning at the meetup that I had seen a bunch of those tall blue flowers grow to like 10 feet tall, I took another look, and they're more like 6 - 7 feet. Still very tall though.

[Surrealplaces]

Originally Posted by Chadillaccc

Ohhhh Three of the ten were mature with the harder stocks, the rest were new, small, and green. They seem to be doing the worst though, while the mature ones are looking much better.

The new green ones (suckers) will sometimes look like they are dying but will come back next year.

[Jimby]

A friend from out of town wanted to see the Botanical Gardens of Silver Springs which she had found on the internet as something to do in Calgary.
I hadn't heard of it and was a bit skeptical about what we would find but I was pleasantly surprised. It is quite extensive and makes for a pleasant stroll.
We met a Silver Springian at the labyrinth who told us to keep going when we got to the paved bike path as most people think that is the end of the gardens but it goes much further.
It is new so it will take a few summers to grow up but worth seeing now.

http://www.botanicalgardensofsilversprings.ca



labyrinth by LUMIN8, on Flickr