Seedlings & sowings

I just realized that what I thought were weeds, might actually be the groundcherries! They look like weeds, perhaps because they are, in fact, considered weeds by many. And if I recall correctly, groundcherry was growing rampantly out on Plan B farm when I was visiting last year. Also, groundcherry is closely related to the tomatillo, which I remember at Everdale confusing with pigweed (before closer inspection). So I may have inadvertantly weeded out some of my groundcherries, but I've saved what I think are two tiny seedlings. The only thing that made these seedlings stand out to me from the other weed seedlings were their fuzzy stems, which I know tomatoes have as well.

Yesterday I began double-digging my fourth raised bed. It's the biggest one so far, and I only got about a third of it fully loosened. That was enough for the time being; I really just had to get two large tomato plants (one Sweetie and one Scotch Bonnet) and several oversized Simpson lettuce seedlings into the ground. Between the two I transplanted a bunch of white globe onion seedlings, which are a companion to both tomatoes and lettuce.

Today I sowed cucumbers, pumpkins, butternut squash, sweet dumpling squash, Pride of Wisconsin melon, and butterfly milkweed. I'm bringing the cucumbers and pumpkins inside during the night since it sounds like they require higher soil temperatures for germination than the other squash (according to the not-so-informative seed packets).

I tried to pick up a rain barrel today from a nearby Freecycler. Unfortunately, it was about 4 inches too wide for my bike trailer, so I had to leave it there. It was big and beautiful – a real functioning rain barrel, not just any old barrel – and it would have worked amazingly. Alas, I just don't have a big enough wagon, and I don't yet know of a local fossil fuel-free wagon producer. ;-)

I was working outside virtually all day today, and that was a mistake. I didn't realize today was a smog day in Toronto. I should have taken a clue from the characteristically orange-tinted sunlight, but I just wasn't thinking. As a result, I've felt a little sick all evening, especially after mowing the front lawn with garden shears. This is the first time I've ever noticed the effects of smog on my health so acutely.

A barrel of rain and a corn conundrum

I was greeted this humid, summery, sunny morning by a beautiful bucketful of rain, laced with apple blossom petals from next door:

It was actually brimming over when I first came out, so it would be nice to find a larger barrel. That bucket holds about three watering cans worth of water, and right now I use about one full watering can per day on my seedlings. Ideally, I would have a large barrel, or two or three, mounted about 4 or 5 feet above the ground, and a hose with a valve coming out the bottom. But I'm not sure it's wise for me to invest that much time and effort into this rented property that I might leave as early as this fall. But it's fun to think about it. It's actually very feasible. The hardest part I think would be finding the old wooden wine barrels.

I realized today that my Indian blue corn is ready to be transplanted (it grows very quickly), so I had to quickly come up with a plan to use up as many corn seedlings as I could manage. I maxed out at 4. (I sowed maybe 20, and unfortunately they're all doing quite well.) Corn needs 15" spacing, according to HtGMV, which left me with few options. I left a spot in the backyard bed for growing pole beans next to the chard (which are companions), and I remembered that corn and beans are also companions (two of the three sisters). So I figured out the arrangement that would use as much corn as possible while also making optimal use of space by filling in the rest with beans:

The circles represent the average amount of space needed by the corresponding plant. The beans I only sowed yesterday, so the corn will have a chance to get a little established before getting taken over by beans. And there I was wondering what kind of pole structure I'd need to design for the beans to climb on...

But what to do with the other 15 or so corn seedlings? I also have quite a few hulless Arabian blue barley shoots that look eager to move out:

Yasi's Place around the corner has a couple raised beds which they call the Wallace Community Garden. I'm definitely going to offer some of my surplus seedlings to them, as well as to my friend Kelly who lives a block farther. But somehow I think I'll still have some extras hanging around.

So I'm thinking of possibly doing a little guerrilla gardening. I live next to some train tracks which are surrounded by what appears to be mostly neglected but sun-soaked land. It looks neglected because it's abominably littered with trash. I might look around there for a spot that's far enough from road/pedestrian traffic but close enough to me that I can still keep an eye on it and do regular maintenance. I expect that at some point they'll want to mow around the tracks, so I should look for a spot that they wouldn't bother with (if I can find a little fence enclave perhaps).

Rain barrel nonsense

About a week ago I encountered my first thunderstorm since living here, and as the rain was pouring I noticed a spout from the roof that was spilling gallons of water onto a patch of gravel. My own personal waterfall, I thought. How delightful.

That, of course, isn't entirely true. My real thought was, as you might guess, how shall I harvest the rainwater? Rain barrel, naturally. But how will I aim the water into the barrel? Use the old duct that's piled among the debris that came with the house (which just happens to be the perfect length). But what should I use for the barrel? For now, the 5-gallon bucket from the shed will do, but I'd ask on Freecycle, I'm sure someone has exactly what you're looking for. (Note that this conversation is fictional; myself and I don't really talk like that.)

Pics for your enjoyment:

I predict the haphazard construction to last one rainfall before it needs to be repaired.