Planting trees with NWCGS

On a very snow day this November me and Brennan, from The New Westminster Community Gardening Society, went to check out some trees that had been offered to us for transplanting. The home owners were remodelling their back yard and didn't want everything to go to waste.
I had posted an ad on the Shared Harvest website in the fall looking for trees and shrubs for the garden that is planted at St. Mary's Church on Columbia.
This garden, called The Mary Mount Garden, is the first of two community gardens started last year. It has 15 plots and plans to double in size this spring. The Shared Harvest site allows you to post if you are looking or have items for sale, barter or to give away. It is one more step in creating a secure local food system.

We decided to take some smaller shrubs, wood we could reuse to build more beds, some jasmine plants, lily's, five cherry trees and one magnolia.
We planned to do the work this winter, and on February 5th we had a work party!

We arrived at the home with a half dozen other members and the home owner. We dug out and moved everything quite efficiently. The owners also generously donated a bench and arbour as well as stones to use for building beds.

Ava and Brady dug for worms and checked out the beds back at the garden.

Mark and Brennan staking out spots.

Brady and Autumn are finishing up with this small cherry tree.
The soil was really beautiful here, there was even a lot of compost in the composter and we added some of that as well.

This was a really big worm, it was fully twice this size when we first pulled it out of the ground!

When the gardening society was still forming member and co-founder David Maidman had the idea to build a public orchard. Well we are one step, and six trees closer to that dream today!

A tree is known by its fruit; a man by his deeds.
A good deed is never lost; he who sows courtesy
reaps friendship, and he who plants kindness gathers love.- Basil

Garden Tips

From my community Gardens Group this message came through last week and I thought I would share it :)

As some people are still planting and others are harvesting, making
way for more crops;I though I'd give a quick breakdown on what's
perfect to plant at the moment.

July
Direct Seed - Kolrabi, Asian Greens, Beets, Carrots, Scallions,
Turnips
Transplants - Late Cabbage, Cauliflower,

Aug
Direct Seed - Arugula, Carrots, Corn Salad, Overwinter Onions, Radish,
Spinach, Turnips
Transplants - Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts

Sept.
Direct Seed - Corn Salad, Garlic, Rutabagas, Spinach
Sow Lettuce under cover

Happy growing
-Rob

free water

Our rain barrel is full! Well it was at least the other day when I went to water my garden! I purchased it from the city last month and hooked it up to the front drain pipe of my house. I didn't think too much about it after that. Our family went on vacation for a few weeks, I guess it has been raining a lot in those two weeks because when I returned home this week and decided to turn the taps on this barrel we had water! LOTS of water! The pressure was akin to the backyard hose!

The city of New Westminster is selling rain barrels for $75 each. A good investment when you factor in the savings from using the hose to water the garden, unlimited recycling, and no chlorine in this water to boot!

I am thrilled as I have only barely started my garden, knowing we would be out of town I selectively planted a few things and lefts most of plants in containers, dreading the cold nights or droughts that may affect them in my absence.
Thanks to my wonderful friend Jenny, and the plethora of rain, all my plants have survived! (with the exception of one small catnip plant that a neighbourhood cat likes to remove from it's container every night!)

My previous gardening experience has been limited to the rooftop gardens I have had while living down town. This is our first year in a house and the possibilities are exciting and a little overwhelming!

I have been dreaming and planning for the warm weather, and now it is here and I need to get our and plant! I read recently that gardening is the number one hobby in Canada ( they must not have asked the hockey fans) I also read that younger people are coming to gardening, but that it is a harsh reality to encounter, as we are used to an instant gratification that does not come the day the seeds are sown, but weeks and months later.

I plan to grow vegetables and flowers, I have two strawberry plants and a raspberry stalk that has already flowered! I have a bunch of herbs, and a backyard plot that is currently overrun with lemon balm and some other interesting looking "weeds" that I will examine further before planting back there.

Gardening is a lot of work and so rewarding! There is nothing like fresh vegetables from your own garden! My basil is already needing some pruning so we will be making pesto this week for sure! I am looking forward to getting into the garden and growing Kale, peas, carrots, chard, beans, peppers, onions and potatoes, it may not sound exciting, but really I can't think of anything I would rather be doing!

Now I am off to water my raspberry stick, um I bean bush!

Colours

I have had this basket of dried leaves since the fall. I have been meaning to compost them. We originally collected them for thanks giving because when I was growing up we always decorated the house with beautiful leaves we would find for thanksgiving dinner.
I couldn't believe how the colours had lasted, and although they will crumble if you touch them, they are frozen in time and now here forever beautiful.
(click to enlarge)

For the birds

This weekend the kids and I attended a wonderful exhibit about birds of prey. It was held at The Fraser River Discovery Centre.

We saw all types of birds that had been "stuffed" and were in many natural poses, some with their prey! The kids loved to build the bird houses, we made one for my dad too, as you can't have more then one per house Chick-a-Dee's are very territorial!
We are hoping that Chick-a-Dees will nest in our box this spring! We have seen dozens of these cute birds at our tray feeder this winter and would love to have some babies to observe too!

We are planning on taking part in this years annual Great Backyard Bird Count starting in February. I also wrote about another event that involves counting bees this spring and summer, on my website here.

I know it is still deep winter, but we are very eager for spring around here!