Intruder Alert!

I went out back to do some gardening at around 7 pm this evening and found this little guy on the roof of our shed. I suspect he was just about to jump down onto the deck and eat my baby spinach. We have a lot of old garages and sheds in the neighborhood where raccoons have made homes and early in the morning on garbage pickup day we'll often see the big mother raccoon with three or four of her babies in tow, checking out what's available.

Fun Facts about Raccoons

• Raccoons get their English name from the Algonquian Indian word 'Arakun', which means "he scratches with his hand".

• The territory of the average urban raccoon has been documented at less than 0.1 sq. km./0.5 sq. miles.

• Raccoons usually don't build their own dens. They take over a den that was made by a skunk or a fox or find a way to get into your home or shed.

• As omnivores, raccoons feed on grubs, insects, rodents and other small animals, eggs, fruits, nuts and vegetables. They will also eat from garbage and compost containers.

• Male raccoons are polygamous and will mate with several females in succession. Female raccoons are monogamous, will mate with only one male and will not tolerate other males after mating has occurred.

• The life span of urban raccoons is only one to two years; most urban populations are completely replaced over four years.

• Raccoons conserve energy during winter through inactivity, not hibernation.

• Raccoons are one of the few creatures capable of making the adjustment from family pet back to wild animal.

• In Ontario, it is against the law to keep raccoons as pets.

• Raccoons can be kept away from houses by trimming tree branches to 10 feet from roof and by keeping climbing plants trimmed away from roof and eave areas.
• To deter raccoons, sprinkle strong smelling repellents such as oil of mustard, in or around the composter and garbage.

• To help keep them away from compost and garbage storage areas, install motion-sensitive outdoor lights.

Cold-Tolerant Annuals To Plant Now

The early warm weather we've enjoyed for the past few weeks made me forget that our official average last frost day is not until May 24th! And then it snowed on Tuesday - just when the annuals had finally arrived at local garden centers. If you're uncertain about whether to plant, be assured that cold-tolerant annuals can stand up to our changeable weather.
All plants listed below are cold-tolerant to at least 2C/35F and lower, and after a brief hardening-off period, can be planted out in window-boxes and containers this week. To harden off your newly-purchased flowering plants before planting (since they may have just arrived from Southern Ontario or even Florida), put them outside for longer and longer periods over the span of three or four days, bringing them indoors at night.

Calendula (aka Pot Marigold)
Gorgeous sunny daisies available in lemon yelllow, gold and red tones, this compact plant is ideal for containers. Needs full sun and well-drained soil. Flowers are used in hand creams, etc., to soothe dry and irritated skin.

Dianthus (aka Annual Pinks)
Bright cheery fringed flowers in all shades of pink and red were once sacred to Artemis in Ancient Greece but became the poor girl's sachet in Victorian times. Heirloom varieties have a strong clove scent. Full sun and good drainage a must.

Diascia (aka Twinspur)
This frothy delicate South African native is related to the Snapdragon. It comes in pastel shades and jewel tones. Trailing varieties are best for containers. Does best in partial shade in hot weather.

Dusty Miller (Senecio cineraria)
One of the few cold-tolerant foliage plants, the silver leaves of this plant come in many forms from fern-like to oakleaf. Needs full sun and well-drained soil. Good accent in mixed containers.

Godetia (aka Farewell to Spring)
Cup-shaped blossoms in white, pink, red, or lilac give a summery effect long before July arrives. This plant is native to British Columbia. Stick with the shorter 25 cm./10 in. varieties in containers. Full sun or partial shade.

Iberis (Annual Candytuft)
A small, compact plant literally covered in white, red, lilac or pink blooms. Full sun. Often found in wildflower mixes, very easy to grow.

Lobelia
No other annual is as brightly blue as lobelia and the trailing forms beautifully soften the edges of any container. Also available in pale blue, lilac and white varieties. Does best in partial shade in hot weather but can take full sun in spring and early summer. Trim back plants by one-half once blooming slows down in midsummer, to encourage a second flush of blooms.

Nasturtiums
With saucy upturned flowers and lily-pad-like leaves, Nasturtiums come in yellow, red, orange and and every hue in between. Available in trailing, vine and bush forms. Tolerates lows of 2C/35F. Seeds need warmth to germinate but hardened-off transplants can be used outdoors in containers at this time of year. If frost threatens, bring them inside. Leaves, flowers & seeds are all edible and brighten up salads with their mild peppery taste.

Nemesia
Another South African native, Nemesia is a small bushy plant with orange, purple, white or red tubular flowers. Prefers cool temperatures and will not thrive once hot and humid weather arrives. Full sun or partial shade and moist, well-drained soil.

Osteospermum (Cape Daisy)
Also from South Africa, these large daisies come in white, cream, yellow, lilac, purple or pink shades and have dark blue eye-like centers. Place in full sun, keep well-watered, does not tolerate hard frosts. Low-growing varieties work best in containers.

Pansies & Violas
One of the best spring annuals, pansies, and their tiny fragrant cousins the violas, even bloom through the snow. For a quick show, plant them 3" apart in containers. The colour selection is almost infinite with bi-colour, ruffled and striated petals. Removing the old flowers and stems keeps them flowering through to July. Pinch back plants once hot weather arrives, continue watering and fertilizing, and they will bloom again in the fall.

Petunias
Once properly hardened off, Petunias can tolerate lows of 2C/35F. They are one of the most reliable annual flowers and come in a range of colours from pink through red, lavender, purple, peach, white, cream, and even yellow. Trailing varieties work especially well in containers. Keep fertilizing to encourage flowering all summer.

Phlox (Annual)
A common wildflower in Texas, phlox drummondii or annual phlox is available in compact forms that work well in containers. Prefers full sun and well-drained soil. Remove spent blossoms to extend flowering time. Although it prefers cool temperatures, more heat-tolerant varieties are becoming available. Also attracts butterflies.

Primulas (aka Annual Primroses)
A perennial often sold as a spring annual, primulas are frost-hardy shade lovers that will tolerate partial sun in cool weather. The tiny flowers, either white, lavender, pink, red or yellow, nestle in tiny clumps of puckered leaves. Flowers usually fade once the summer heats up but containerized primulas can be planted out in the garden in early fall to bloom again next spring.

Snapdragons
Shorter varieties create great vertical interest in containers. New trailing varieties are worth checking out. Available in a multitude of colours, they prefer a rich, well-drained soil and full sun. Remove dead flowers and continue fertilizing to keep them blooming all summer. They are tolerant of 2C/35F temperatures once hardened off.

Sweet Alyssum
Fragrant delicate white, lavender or pale pink flowers make excellent trailing plants in containers. Plant in full sun or partial shade in well-drained soil. Do not over-fertilize - this plant likes it lean. Make sure to smell these before you buy - the white varieties are often the most fragrant. A member of the mustard family, the edible flowers and leaves taste like a broccoli.

Sweet Peas
The princesses of the spring garden, sweet peas are both fragrant and fussy. They prefer to be directly-seeded into moist, rich, organic soil as early in spring as possible. You will need to provide a trellis, a bamboo teepee or string for these vines to climb. Showy flowers usually appear 6 weeks after germination and on warm days will scent the air with a heady perfume. Constant feeding ensures continuous bloom. There are hundreds of varieties available but heat-tolerant versions are best for Ontario.

Lettuce Be

Lettuce is one of the few vegetables that hasn't been hybridized to death and there are hundreds of tasty self-pollinating varieties available. Unfortunately, the lettuce transplants you find at farmer's markets and garden centers are usually hybrids, bred to ship well and stay fresh longer, not for flavour. Investing in a $3 packet of open-pollinated or heirloom lettuce seeds can reap rewards for years to come since it's so easy to keep on saving the seeds. Lazy gardeners like me just let their lettuce bolt at the end of summer and find it usually re-seeds itself the next year. It may not come up exactly where you want it to, but the small seedlings are easily moved.

Because most lettuce is self-pollinating its easy to save seeds that will be exactly like the parent plant. Choose one of your best lettuce plants, don't pick it and keep watering & feeding it until it flowers. (You can pick some of the outside leaves for eating without harming seed production.) Lettuce sends up a tall branching flower stalk topped with small yellow daisies. Harvest the entire stalk when the seeds are ripe - about two to three weeks after flowering. Hang it upside down inside a paper bag in a dark, dry place for a few days until completely dry. Store in an airtight container in a dark place until next year.

Colourful Lettuces for Containers:


Brunia
A red oakleaf lettuce with amazing flavour. Large heads hold up well in the summer heat. Ruby wine colour looks great on the balcony garden. Space 6 in./ 15 cm. apart in containers.


Tom Thumb
This teeny-tiny butterhead (boston-style) lettuce dates back to 1853. It's a very early variety with deliciously soft leaves. Each head makes a tiny salad for one person. Perfect for container gardening - should be spaced 2-3 in./ 5-7 cm. apart.


Black Seeded Simpson
An 1850 heirloom leaf lettuce, with light green crinkly cut leaves. Good mild flavour, matures early, great yields. As with most leaf lettuces, if you keep picking the outer leaves, the plant will continue to produce foliage until it finally flowers. Space 8 in./ 20 cm. apart in containers.


May Queen
A medium-sized, mild-tasting butterhead lettuce. Pale green heads are tinged with red. Can tolerate early spring plantings - matures in 45 days so perfect for the Ottawa area. Space 8 in./ 20 cm. apart in containers.


Merlot
A Bibb-type lettuce with unusual deep burgundy leaves with ruffled edges. One of the most beautiful red lettuces I have grown - the colour holds all summer. Tolerates hot humid summers - very slow to go to seed. Space 6 in./ 15 cm. apart in containers.


Drunken Woman
This large Italian Heirloom butterhead lettuce has gorgeous bright green ruffled leaves with a hint of bronzy-pink at the leaf margins. Crisp texture, sweet taste, and very slow to bolt. Space plants at least 12 in./ 30 cm. apart in containers.

Growing Tomatoes in Containers

With hothouse tomatoes at almost $2 per pound in grocery stores this week, growing a few tomato plants on your balcony or deck this summer could save you a bit of money. Tomatoes you grow at home organically will be healthier, tastier and riper than those grown hydroponically in greenhouses. Depending on the variety, tomato plants usually bear fruit within 50-90 days from transplanting into containers. Varieties that mature in less than 75 days are best for Ottawa’s short growing season. Here’s how to get started:



A large deep container - 20 in./50 cm. in diameter and depth & up - is best. Use one container per plant – tomatoes don’t like crowding. Drainage holes are a must & a drip tray helps when watering. Recycled plastic vegetable oil buckets from restaurants are perfect as long as you drill holes in the bottom - use the lids as drip trays. If you use clay pots, keep in mind that the soil will dry out more quickly and you may need to water twice a day. Put a 2 in./5 cm. layer of clay pot shards, gravel or recycled packing peanuts in the bottom of each container, to ensure good drainage. Use a well-drained organic potting soil or a mix of one part soil, one part sand and one part compost.

Locate your tomatoes where they will get at least six hours of sunlight per day. A sheltered spot is best as high winds can break the plants once they start to carry fruit. If you're on a high, windy balcony, make sure to stake them well and screen them with sturdier plants so they don’t dry out quickly. Tomatoes are classified by the way in which they grow. "Indeterminate" varieties of tomatoes can grow up to 5 feet or more and will require staking. "Determinate" varieties are bush-form and usually stay under 3 feet in height and width. Most heirloom varieties are indeterminate. You can use tomato cages if you like but bamboo stakes, left-over doweling or old hockey sticks and garden twine work just as well.

Suckers will need to be removed regularly so the tomatoes stop making new leaves and start producing fruit. Suckers are new shoots that grow out of the joints between the stem and the main leaves. You can gently pinch them off with your fingers or use hand pruners for larger suckers. Be careful not to damage the main stem. (If you're a smoker, wash your hands before handling tomato plants. Tobacco & tomatoes are susceptible to the same viruses.)

Use an organic starter fertilizer - 10-52-10 or similar, with the middle number being the highest - when you first transfer tomato seedlings or starter plants into containers. In hot weather you may need to water daily - the leaves will start to wilt and droop when the plant needs water. Morning watering is best - watering in the evening can promote diseases. Always use lukewarm water – cold water will shock the plants and slow their growth.

Once your plants have gained some height, begin fertilizing to promote fruit formation using an organic fertilizer with an N-P-K ratio of 1-1-4 or 4-7-10. Make sure the first number, which indicates nitrogen (N), is lower than the other two, which stand for phosphorus (P) and potassium (K). Don't fertilize with fish emulsion - at 10-5-0, it’s much too high in nitrogen for tomatoes, and will result in lots of leaves but few fruits. It also contains no potassium, which tomatoes need to fight off disease. Tomatoes are heavy feeders and may need to be fertilized once every week. If the leaves have a yellowish cast or if few blossoms or fruits have formed, the plants need fertilizer.

5 Great Heirloom Tomatoes for Containers

I've grown many varieties of heirloom tomatoes but here are my top 5 favourites for container gardening:




Brandywine

Indeterminate, 80 days, large pinkish-red fruit, of Amish origin. Usually the last tomato to fruit here in Ottawa but the flavour of these early-September beefsteak tomatoes is worth the wait.

Tigerella

A bi-coloured heirloom variety from the UK, indeterminate and quite early at 59 days. Small red tomatoes have nifty yellow stripes. Two-tone slices look great in salads.



Yellow Pear

Small pear-shaped yellow tomatoes on indeterminate plants mature in 70 days. The golden yellow colour of the fruit really warms up the balcony garden. This prolific plant is loaded with fruit by mid-August. Gorgeous in salads.





Heirloom Beefsteak

75 days, indeterminate, large deep red fruit. In the Ottawa area, this slicing tomato matures in late August. Wonderful deep rich tomato flavour.



Heirloom Cherry

Tiny red tomatoes, 65 days, indeterminate. Produces loads of sweet cherry-sized fruit by early August. Great for kids - easy to grow, easy to pick!

Japanese Eggplant - Perfect for Containers

Japanese eggplants are a little different from the standard garden eggplant that most gardeners are familiar with. They are long and thin, rather like a purple English cucumber. The leaves are marked by purply-black veins and large flowers show up nicely against the plant's black stems. Japanese eggplants are more flavourful than regular eggplants and are excellent grilled or in Baba Ghanoush.

Japanese eggplants make an excellent container plant - they look good in leaf, in flower and in fruit, and they are very tasty. The yield is slightly higher than what you get with a regular eggplants - you'll get 5 or more Japanese eggplants fom each containerized plant. Seeds can be found at some Ottawa-area garden centers and at Preston Hardware in Little Italy.

Die Squirrels Die!

Our apartment is surrounded by silver and red maples, which are home to several families of squirrels, both black and grey. They bury maple keys and sunflower seeds in my containers every fall and then proceed to dig them up every sping. They seem to know when soil has been worked and until I started protecting my containers, they would dig up any seeds I'd sown and even small transplants. Even sprinkling bloodmeal around my plants didn't deter them. Now I use physical barriers - bamboo stakes, screening, and the presence of our two Siamese, Meng & Puff, to keep my plant babies safe!

Germination!

I love it when all the seeds I've planted finally start poking through!  I seeded spinach, sweet peas and evening-scented stocks directly into containers outside a few weeks ago and as the weather has warmed up they're all beginning to germinate.

I started the two basils, a small-leaved Genevose and some Purple Globe, along with Heavenly Blue morning glories inside in my kitchen window. The average daytime high has been around 55F/12C this week so I've been lugging them outside for a bit of sun and then bringing them back indoors in the late afternoon.

Tree Pollen, My Bête Noir

The red maples around our house are in bloom this week and our deck is surrounded by a gorgeous mist of chartreuse greenery. But it's also allergy time for me and this year the amount of tree pollen in the air seems to be much worse. I can usually get by with 12-hour antihistamines but this year even Extra-Strength isn't cutting it. It's overcast and threatening to rain today so hopefully that will keep the pollen count down!

The View From Here

Just to give you an idea of the neighborhood, and the amount of screening I'll need, here's a panoramic view from my balcony, taken on March 30th, 2010.

Video: Mechanicsville Panorama

April 15 2010

The early spring weather we had at the end of March inspired me to plant some early crops outdoors - sweet peas, evening-scented stocks and spinach. All were direct-seeded and within 3 days both the stocks and spinach had germinated. The sweet peas finally pushed through at the beginning of this week. The spinach is rather thickly planted but I'll try to harvest some baby leaves in a few weeks and thin it out that way.

I've also started some more tender crops indoors - Genovese & Purple Globe basils, May Queen boston lettuce, and heritage Lemon cucumbers.

I'm still trying to track down seeds for Japanese eggplant - they're compact, productive plants with gorgeous large purple flowers - excellent for containers.

Bunty