trying to get everything done this week and next

Okay, let’s talk about birds. 

First, last year I saw evidence of tomato hornworms (i.e. their huge poop on some tomato plant leaves).  Then there were the robins - every time I looked out there was a robin or two on the jute woven around the tomato plants.  I never actually saw a tomato hornworm the rest of the summer nor any evidence of one. 

In the past week, I’ve been seeing little sparrow couples and chickadee couples in the greenhouse close to the base of the celery plants.  A few weeks ago, I discovered mealybugs on the plants and had written them off, pulled some out and sprayed real hard with the water hose to blast those bugs off.  After seeing the little birds there, the bugs are pretty much gone. 

Birds are always a welcome addition to a garden.  They take care of business for you.  If you spray chemicals on your lawn for weeds or spray your plants for bugs or buy plants which have been raised with spray and “cides” – you are killing the birds which will do all of this work for you.   Please think before you buy or spray.  What’s a bad bug to you may well be a delicious bug for your bird friends.  Not to mention, it’s so wonderful to hear their songs and enjoy the beauty of their colours, isn’t it.

The big push is on now to plant, plant, plant.  This is what we’re doing every minute, aside from picking Salad Greens which we can only do in the cool morning hours before the lettuces begin to wilt from heat in the Greenhouse.  The one plant which grows like stink here is my red orach (spinach).  Check out the size of the leaves.  The small leaves are what goes into the Salad Greens.  The big leaves are as nutritious and add such lovely colour to any dish.  I’ve been using the large leaves by stacking them on top of one another and just making slices to throw into salads.  Flowers are become more plentiful now.  It’s always a delight to add them to the Salad Greens, so much variety of colours. 

It’s now late in the day Wednesday and I do want to get the menu to you for the weeks so here you go:

Herbs:  Chives, Citrus Thyme, Mint, Oregano, Tarragon  $2  bunch

Kale  $3 bag (this is the new kale, it quite tender)

Red Orach  $3 bag

Salad Greens (washed and table-ready)  $5 bag

Sorrel  $2 bag  the little bugs have found it so it has holes, but if you’re looking to use it for soup, it’s great

Granola, with fruit  $8  500mL jar

Granola, with nuts and fruit  $10  500mL jar

Sprouts:  $3 bag

Ancient Eastern Blend (fenugreek, lentils, kamut & adzuki) 

Crunchy Bean Mix   (peas, lentils and garbanzos)  

Sandwich Booster (clover, alfalfa, radish and mustard) 

Spring Salad Mix  (broccoli, radish, alfalfa & clover)

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Until next post, have a great every day.  

Jo