Recent content by Branching Out

Stunning weather here too. Warm and sunny. We're loving it! 😍

My neighbours and I grow a considerable number of zinnias. They are beautiful, useful for cut flower bouquets, and quite drought tolerant once established. Over the years we have found that larger transplants are preferred, so we start them inside and then plant them out once they're at least...

Time to plant out a tray of Ella Dill and Cruiser Cilantro. The cilantro tends to get muddy when it rains, so this time I mulched it with Japanese maple leaves to see if that helps keep the foliage clean. It's going to be hot and sunny for the next couple of days, so the mulch will conserve...

Easter ham with home grown asparagus!

Well hang in there. Spring will be just around the corner. We are still having cool, windy conditions at times, but it's as though a switch has been flicked that has turned on the mechanisms for plant growth. The difference over the course of a couple of days is remarkable. I suppose those...

I stand corrected-- it was indeed Ninny Mary that recommended this melon. Thanks for pointing that out flowerbug. Hopefully we'll hear from Ninny Mary again soon. And I appreciate the tip regarding light. Our neighbours have a really hot spot, with containers placed on black lava rock near...

What's your weather like this time of the year Pulsegleaner?? Is it beginning to look like spring?

The gardens are bursting with spring flowers!

I noticed a heavy infestation of tiny ants along the edge of our lawn, where it meets the driveway. There were so many that it looked like the ground was moving. Initially they didn't seem too interested in the Borax ant bait I put out, but a bunch of them were devouring a worm that they had...

Last year Dahlia recommended this lovely little French melon called Petit Gris de Rennes, and I decided to give it a try. But by the time I ordered seeds it was on the late side, so the melons did not have a chance to fully develop. This year I vowed that I would start earlier. On April 7th I...

What beautiful combinations of colour Phaedra. Is that Frizzy Fruit Salad Mix that you're growing?? https://www.westcoastseeds.com/products/fizzy-fruit-salad-mix?srsltid=AfmBOoq-t2vsFGgl96_oDSJ2ldSotUXFg8veBr-9W8s1T54RIsPMqr4E I'm noticing a few special pansies popping up in my garden this...

A warm welcome from British Columbia! Love the orange rose. What a unique colour.

Carrot Sowing Day! I got out my handy dandy carrot seed template and started flinging seeds. This spring I'm trying a new variety called Goldfinger. Voles ate most of my carrots a couple of years ago, so I seeded this patch in a large cement ring that I hope will deter them. I'm also...

Having started all of my tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, and zinnias in tiny cups of vermiculite I can attest that the roots go straight down-- and they do not get tangled with the roots of adjacent seedlings, which is what makes it so easy to prick them out. The pea seeds can also go several days...

Followed our local garden guru Linda Gilkeson's advice and started Green Arrow peas on vermiculite. Very good root development, and exceptionally easy to transplant. I will definitely try this pre-sprouting technique again. 👍