Garden Tour June 2024

[@jeanpauldupuis]

I was in the garden moving plants, but a colossal rhubarb leaf was blocking where I wanted a tomato to go. So I had to harvest that stalk and make a quick microwave compote (avec grand marnier and some past-prime grapes). I was almost out the door to finish moving that tomato and plant some zucchini, but I made the mistake of checking youtube. Now I have no choice but to sit here and drink coffee and eat rhubarb and be humbled by this garden tour! I have no choice!

[@maritimegardening4887]

Thanks JPD :)

[@carissalizotte8977]

I like your style. Function over pretty. I think your garden is beautiful! But, I also totally relate to certain things in our gardens being a “work in progress”.. we all have projects! 😊

[@askmamalouise7605]

This is a great garden tour! Thanks for such a content-rich, relatable tour!

[@maritimegardening4887]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@franceshoward7112]

Your garden tours are always interesting and the plants loook great and the fish doing fine. I can't grow from seed (inDartnouth) because of slugs, which devour 100% of brassicas, peppers, cucumbers and zucchini in particular. Last year I put down cardboard as a weed spuppressent a la Charles Dowding and had a eureka moment with slugs. They eat during the night and sleep it off during the day and their particular favourite place is under dark wet cardboard, I only had a small amount of cardboard and only four small raised beds but everyafternoon could despatch over 100 slugs and snails with ease. Just pick it up and there they are. No dubious slug bait, no money, easy and very sucessful. I must have destroyed about 3000 slugs and snails over the summer. I was really hoping you would peel back some of your extensive cardboard, lying right next to your slugs favourite food! Though it is best if it is wet. Charles Dowding did that with an area of plastic and was amazed but he didn't connect it to the slugs daily routine and missed an opportunity to do it on a daily or even weekly basis. Daily is better. There is rain today and it would be worth while checking your cardboard. There may be none but there could be tons. The moose eating is a real puzzle.

[@Howwerelivingfishing]

I live in Dartmouth too. I haven’t found the slugs to be that bad yet this year but have definitely lost kale plants to slugs in the past. This year I think I got them off to a good enough start early on the season before the slugs became active. Hopefully it will pay off but if not I’ll just keep starting more because I have a lot of leftover seeds.

[@jamess1787]

Okay, we need a video on how you store all of your produce. This amount of food growing is literally bananas 🍌 🍌

[@tobruz]

Tons of wild Saskatoon (June/Service) berry bushes/trees in Ontario I have 6 trees at 25’ and numerous bushes at the berry peak picking time right now, great on cereals or ice cream but better to make pies with!

[@JohnS-s2v]

Nice Greg looks good

[@osmia]

I had an area where I wanted to know what animal it was that was getting at it and I took my flower sifter outside and sifted flour in a large circle around it and when I checked the next morning it was obvious raccoon prints.

[@carissalizotte8977]

One thing you might want to try as it’s worked for me.. I Planted clumps of Comfrey in the back of my beds up against the fence and it has done a wonderful job keeping the weeds back on the other side of the fence and prevents them to a certain extent from reaching through. Plus, they are so useful!!

[@maritimegardening4887]

I would need 200 feet of comfrey

[@ScenterSquare]

@@maritimegardening4887comfrey is quite prolific. Within a few seasons the rhizomes of both the Bocking 14 and Officianalis can be split many times over. I like the Bocking 14 for my fruit trees and the Officinalis for other garden spaces. Both provide a lot of green mulch and have many other uses. I’m about to line hundreds more feet in Officinalis to slow/stop the perennial rhizomatous weeds and define a soft looking border.

[@essentialcomforts2166]

Does the comfrey expand and take over when used like that? I want to try it as a border but I'm afraid of it getting out of hand. I know you cant dig it up because that makes it produce more plants from root bits. I have a couple of plants I could use to propagate for a border if I decide to.

[@ScenterSquare]

@@essentialcomforts2166 the Bocking 14 stays pretty well in place for us. I’ve only been able to expand manually with root cuttings. It is a sterile variety. the officianale can spread a bit on its own through seed and rhizome. This varietal is the one favored for medicinal uses and animal fodder so it has its unique place in the garden distinct from Bocking 14.

[@juliemacdonald9243]

Enjoyed the tour! 🌱😊

[@maritimegardening4887]

Thank you! 😊

[@franceshoward7112]

Greg , an update on slugs. The day after 12 hours of rain here in Dartmouth NS on June 15 on a raised bed with one ratty piece of cardboard just 12 inches by 6 left over from last july, produced 25 slugs and 4 snails. 3 empty plastic compost bags produced about 2 or 3 slugs and one or two snails each I also found 2 free roaming snails, snails definitely go in pairs. Where there is one you will find another. Cardboard is one of the best slugs traps there is. Especially wet.

[@essentialcomforts2166]

Are they under the cardboard? Or does the cardboard make them come and get your plants easier? Maybe you can give them to chickens.

[@MargaretEvans-ge6oc]

Hello Greg, We are linked to your ancestry tree through Auntie L. I have a little plot for our west coast garden in Metchosin, BC. Every blessing. George E.

[@maritimegardening4887]

I have more than one Auntie L - not sure of the reference sorry

[@Howwerelivingfishing]

I’m trying to grow my first pumpkins this year. Hoping I can grow my first watermelon successfully this year too.

[@TheNewMediaoftheDawn]

Cool garden, I grow lots of watercress they’ll love that pond, especially with the fish sh-t. My guess is huge bull moose that leaned over untouched, or maybe a small beaver? Cheers🎉

[@maritimegardening4887]

Could be

[@judifarrington9461]

I really like your garden beds--especially the stone beds. I've tried to copy some of your ideas into my garden.

[@maritimegardening4887]

Thanks

[@tobruz]

A video about the construction of you dome bed cover would be nice. Thanks Bruce

[@maritimegardening4887]

dome bed cover?

[@tobruz]

@@maritimegardening4887 I saw some new plastic covered frames I this recent video. You also have some wire frames covered with plastic. The all look quite sturdy and more than I would like a closer look! Thanks Greg

[@DavidMFChapman]

I’m having trouble germinating peas, cucumbers, and cucumelons. My pak choi and rapini are all harvested now. Beans have germinated and are growing. I’ve not seen many slugs! Carrots are up but parsnips won’t germinate. It’s been a weird spring.

[@judifarrington9461]

I have deer. They jump over the barbwire fence around my neighbor's cow pasture. They ate a lot of my garden until I started putting a white insect netting over my plants. I think it spooks them. It's been working so far this year and I know they come for water. We have dry spells and they are hungry and thirsty. I put out apples when they need something to eat.

[@essentialcomforts2166]

they seem to be lazy too...if a plant simply has some chicken wire laying on top, they wont move it. I protected my pumpkins last year by doing that, haha. and like you , they have not bothered under areas with insect net over the hoops.

[@ecocentrichomestead6783]

There's such a thing as a perfect garden? 19:14 Lamb's Quarters Saskatoon herbivore. I'm guessing moose reached over the fence. However, sasktoon berry bushes grow like a weed here and the moose don't seem to bother them.

[@maritimegardening4887]

From the way it's chewed and broken I'm inclined to think the same. Also - I couldn't seem to find any rabbit poop - and if they had eaten that much - it would be all over the place

[@shawnfromportland]

I'm having the same problem with slugs and snails this year they took out almost most of what i planted. last year wasn't like that, but it's only my second year on the land (Central New York highlands)

[@michaelboom7704]

I feel so lucky Greg, you had more slugs on one kale plant than what I have seen so far this year on my slug tours before going to bed.So far so good with slugs here. Can you give your opinion on topping onions on a video sometime.I see people talking about it and wondered how good of an idea it is.

[@essentialcomforts2166]

Beautiful garden! What is the size of wood you are using for the beds? Is it untreated wood? I love that you are holding down cardboard with branches and rocks...whatever you have. I have cardboard but not mulch so I havent put the cardboard down. I didnt think of doing this til I gradually get some. I'm in a windy area but this may work. How close are your peas planted? Perhaps rebar at the ends of your mesh would make it more sturdy? or t posts? How do you keep weeds out of your dirt paths? Do you use a hoe or vinegar or what? Why do you need grape leaves for pickling cucumber? Sorry for so many questions, haha but it's a long video and I havent seen your other vids yet. I love your easy going determination to keep growing even when the slugs and critters are taking things out. I'm on the Colorado plains so I have to deal with loads of grasshoppers and flea beetles along with hail and wind. It can be disappointing but the Lord always gives me something good even though I dont feel like a master gardener haha. Perhaps a few sticks popping up near your border would help. I hear deer wont come in even a short fence if it cant see a good landing spot. It does look like deer chewed that bush to me. small chicken wire on the bottom of the fence will keep out baby bunnies. Anyway, blessings on your day. Thank you for sharing your ideas and beautiful space! I used to live in Oregon so I can sympathize about the slugs (Dowding says to pinch lower leaves off to help keep slugs down).

[@09echols]

❤❤❤

[@osmia]

I don't know if you have snake flies (an absolute grand general predator) where you are but here in the Okanagan Valley of BC, they absolutely love perching on my parsnip flowers and surveying their territory for prey

[@maritimegardening4887]

I'll have to read up on that

[@phyconinga]

Our cucumber plants got eaten by something then the second planting didn't germinate I think. Carrots were 50/50 one bed is doing good the other started good then they disappeared.

[@grantraynard]

I vote deer for the Saskatoon destruction or Sasquatch 😮

[@mynuttyfamilyadventures]

Looks so beautiful ❤

[@maritimegardening4887]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@shawnfromportland]

lets goo

[@jen1396]

Impressive SLUGGERY! Lol!

[@Orange_You_Glad]

The current camera really captures all the bugs that you live with ahaha.

[@79PoisonBreaker]

I think moose would break stuff as evidence but deer would be my bet as they are great jumpers with no depth perception so . 8 ft fence deer can jump but 2 4ft fences with juast a few feet between they can not jump as can not judge distance to safely land.

[@alligator_pie]

I gasped out-loud when I saw the Saskatoon! 😮. I have a small one in my front yard that I need to net, to protect from birds and wild hares here in town. Here in Alberta in the wild they get to the size of a small tree, so take heart . At least we humans can use a ladder.

[@maritimegardening4887]

It was trashed! :)

[@franksinatra1070]

Boy you have a real slug problem up there. Maybe worse than the UK. Regarding the basil, I find you have to be more careful hardening it off than other plants. I've had damage bringing them out in the spring also. This year I just kept them in the shade for a couple days and then gradually gave them some morning sun until I thought it was safe to plant them. My asparagus is frustrating me too. They are on their 4th or 5th year and a bunch of the crowns have died off and the remainder are not really producing nice ferns and the harvest was not that great this spring either. The beds it grows in has a ton of compost also so not sure what the problem is.

[@wynnmacneil6985]

I had a gardening friend who said regardless of how nice weather may be never basil out till the end of June.

[@jamess1787]

Gah! Watching your video today made me spend another $65 on my vege garden 😂😢

[@maritimegardening4887]

Oh no!

[@cindijones1734]

Can the leaves of a wild grapevine be used for pickles?

[@maritimegardening4887]

As long as they are grapes - I would think they would work

[@michaellippmann4474]

Yes they work fine...as Greg said make sure it is a grape vine!!! 😂

[@wynnmacneil6985]

Are you pickling grape leaves or using them as part of the process?

[@michaellippmann4474]

@wynnmacneil6985 part of a process for making pickles as it helps keep pickles crisp. You can also just pickles the grape leaves as is to make Greek Dolma...stuffed grape leaves - with rice and herbs. Delisciuos!

[@sharonpreston2826]

Aren't you near the sea? Why don't you use seaweed as mulch. I think it would not be such a draw for slugs like the wood and cardboard. People here where I live in Alaska do.

[@maritimegardening4887]

I do sometimes. It doesn't prevent evaporation as well as leaves, and it does not deter slugs at all. I think of it more like a fertilizer - like a manure, to be added in the fall.

[@jessicahamilton1414]

In the past, I've had cut worms and slugs take out my young plants. For 2 years, I've put cardboard toliet paper tubes around the base of the plant, and it seems to do the trick. By the time the card board tubes disegernate, the plants are well established