2 setbacks

i. This happened several weeks ago now, but I just remembered after reading posts about stolen plants on Apartment Therapy and Life on the Balcony. When I bring plants home from the store I tend to just set them in a space in one of my raised beds until I'm ready to plant them, and sometimes that takes several days as I tend to buy plants I'm not sure what to do with. One such plant was stolen out of my raised bed, IN MY YARD, and it was one of two the same. Someone stole one little $2 annual and not the other?? It wasn't the loss of the plant itself that was discouraging, so much as the knowledge that someone was wandering around in my yard. My neighbour suggested that maybe two crows carried the plant off, holding the pot in their beaks, and I've chosen to believe that story because I like it much more than the alternative.

In previous years I have used old pop or juice bottles, spray-painted black, to try to keep plants warm in the early spring. And I have had those stolen out of my yard as well (presumably for the deposit although I don't know if they can even recycle them once they've been spray painted). It's funny how your own yard feels like so much a part of your territory that it's hard to imagine anyone going in -- even though in my case, there is no gate or fence between the yard and the front street, so people do make their way through more regularly than I would like. (There is a narrow sidewalk between my house and my neighbour's which connects the front sidewalk with the back alley. This year we built a fence across it in the back, and later this summer I hope to put a gate across it in the front. I think a big part of the reason people wander through is psychological -- because it's not closed off, it feels like there's no reason NOT to explore.)

ii. Two days ago, I pulled out all my broccoli and cauliflower from the Back 40 (only 8 plants). The plants were full of holes and very droopy, so I could tell something was wrong. When I pulled them out, their roots were full of what I imagine must be cabbage fly maggots. It was pretty disgusting. I had inter-planted garlic among my brassicas to try to keep the bugs away, but apparently that wasn't enough. I have a half-dozen more growing in the East Farthing, plus some kale, all under floating row covers. I will see whether those become infested as well. I'm getting to the point where I don't think I'll bother with brassicas anymore. It's up to the last few cauliflower and broccoli, as well as the baby Kale, to change my mind.

(The way I wrote that made it sound like I have a baby named Kale. The weird thing is that, working in a public library, I am exposed to weird names for kids CONSTANTLY and the first thing that occurred to me was, hmm, Kale is kind of a nice name. And I imagine it could be for a boy or a girl since, let's face it, it's a vegetable.)

Bees in the garden

I just ordered one of these Mason bee boxes from AndrewsReclaimed on Etsy. I’m excited to take this next step in attracting yard wildlife. You can’t keep bees in Edmonton, and I don’t know if I would want to even if it were allowed – while the idea appeals to my pioneer woman sensibilities, the truth is that the jars of honey we purchase a few times a year at the farmer’s market are more than enough for us. If we kept bees, I don’t know what we would do with all the honey.

But the other wonderful function bees have in the garden, of course, is pollination. So I thought I would try a bee-box, mount it somewhere (maybe on my garage?) and see if I get any mason bees in residence next year. Mason bees are solitary creatures who like to nest in hollow holes or tubes. They are also pretty friendly (well, as friendly as a bee can be), since apparently they rarely sting. Plus I don’t think you can get in trouble for having a box for them. Because the City Bee Inspector (from the Department of Unexpected Wildlife, the DUW) might be like, “Ma’am, you can’t be keeping these bees,” and I would be like, "I’m not keeping bees. That’s a garden art object. I don’t know why it has bees in it."

I am also considering buying a box of ladybugs to help me take care of my aphid problem. Does anyone know where to buy live ladybugs in the Edmonton area?

In bloom | June 1

In bloom | June 1, originally uploaded by jocelynb.
Phlox (I think?? I forget), strawberries, chives, blueberries. 
My blueberries have never bloomed before (I just planted them last year). I was not expecting the tiny flowers. They remind me of old-timey bloomers.


I've been having a stressful time at work recently. The garden is a very welcome distraction. I wish it was more pleasant to be outside, but the bugs have been intense. Note to self: plant more carnivorous plants. Earlier today I killed a mosquito, and I gave it to Emma, just for revenge.

I hate you, Edmonton. I've been feeling a little warmer toward you recently, but that was just Stockholm Syndrome.

may29 (3), originally uploaded by jocelynb.

Hops vine growing on a cool trellis we got from Home Re-Use-Ables. I had never been to this place before -- it's amazing! I'm not sure what this trellis was in its previous life -- two long segments and two short ones. They're just kind of sitting on the ground now in the Back 40. Once I get some paving stones, maybe I'll do something more permanent to attach them.

what's in bloom - may28

what's in bloom - may28, originally uploaded by jocelynb.

From left to right:
Bleeding Hearts - I believe the variety is "Galaxy Red"
Crabapple - Although we don't have many blossoms this year.
What I believe is arctic campion
Lilacs. I am not particularly fond of lilac flowers, but I love the smell at this time of year -- you can catch it on the air sometimes, without even seeing a bush nearby.

Succulents on the steps

Succulents on the steps, originally uploaded by jocelynb.

I put some succulents (plus a couple other things, sweet potato vine and silver falls dichondra) in my tiered pot, and ice plants in the little pots. (Last year they took over my beds, so this year they're contained.) Most of these are perennials, so I'll try to find a post for them in the ground in the fall.

The yard -- May long weekend

The yard -- May long weekend, originally uploaded by jocelynb.

The yard as it looks today. Lots of stuff growing, lots still to do...

New back beds!

New back beds!, originally uploaded by jocelynb.

My neighbour salvaged this fence from the garbage, repainted it, and built a gate across the back of our lots. We are both growing stuff back here, although only the pots on the right are mine-- most of the property is the neighbours'.

seedlings

seedlings, originally uploaded by jocelynb.

This morning I had breakfast with some friends and they brought me these lovely seedlings. I attribute their loveliness to the fact that they have a greenhouse, because that conveniently contributes to my belief that I should build a greenhouse.

The back 40

The back 40, originally uploaded by jocelynb.

My mom and I painstakingly cleared this area out (well... partly) and I built another 36 square feet of raised beds back here. I also cut down about 10 trees in order to let the sun shine on this area. There is still lots to do.

A beautiful story

Once upon a time, there was a glorious Queen of England named Victoria. Victoria loved vegetables so much that she invented a new holiday, Victoria Day, at the end of May, so that Canadian gardeners could plant their gardens.

(I've been so busy over the last week or so that I haven't had any time to think. And Saturday and Sunday were PERFECT transplanting weather here. On Saturday and Sunday it was a bit overcast, with alternating sunny periods and little rain storms. And then today it's raining for real, hopefully helping all those plants get established. I'm going to upload a few photos to flickr though and I'll post them here too.)