Our Future

Looking Ahead

This year I had planned to create a heritage garden planting seeds that would have been used in this region by any settlers in the year. Time and other factors swayed me in another direction. Next year I will focus on peas and beans in my community garden plot.  Heritage Harvest has proven to be an excellent provider of what I need. I will post updates here, including photos of the seeds I choose and the whole process.

This Year's Garden

Winter is hanging on, a cold wind is blowing and the snow is melting, slowly. However, gardening season is coming. Well, I feel it is always gardening season but the actual get out and get dirty, the best aprt, is on its way.

The Campbellton Community garden will add three new beds. One is a heritage garden. Vegetables that would have been grown in this region or similar climes or their closest living relatives, will be plants. The purpose is twofold, to save the seeds for future gardens and to savout the foods, our ancestorscared for and consumed.

Seed saving is at the forefront of this year's gardening endeavours. The Inspire Coop has received tomato seeds from Seeds of Diversity. We will be planting a minimum of 20 tomato plants ( more on the variety, next post) and saving the seeds. We will also snack on a few.

A third garden bed, the mandala garden, will be planted with seeds borrowed from the Seed Library. The Seed Library is a partnership project with the Campbellton Centennial Library. We will save some of the seeds to return to the Library and set up a Food Is Free project with the rest of the garden's yield. All our efforts will be documented and shared. Stay connected for updates.

Seeds of Diversity; Tomatoes

This year, the Inspire Coop is taking part inf The Canadian Seed Library- Tomato Project Grow-Outs. The tomatoes will be planted at the Campbellton Community Garden. Updates with photos will be posted here regularly, once the project begins, most likely early May.

Chalk's Early Jewel is what we will be growing.

Seeds

Two of the most common questions, readers ask, especially today with the concern about genetically modified organisms, are what seeds are best and what is the difference between hybrid seeds, open-pollinated and heritage seed. The answers and more in this Friday's tribune

1760s Garden

The following may be found in a Northern New Brunswick garden' black eye peas, beans, corn, potatoes, turnips and cabbage, plus others. I am seeking the actual varieties grown during that period and seeds. If you have any information about this you want to share, please leave a comment.

My long-term goal is to establish a heritage garden.

Seeds

The topic for  From The Garden in the Tribune of  Feb 6, 1015  is seeds.


"However, if the seeds selected are of a poor quality, then, despite the other three factors being adequately met, the end produce, the tomato, squash or pea will not provide all the flavour, nutrition and beauty, that is possible. You do get what you pay for, especially when buying garden seeds."

Six Words to Guide Your Plant Choices

There are six words that will help you create a garden that thrives. The words are right plant, right place, and right time.

Right Time: It can be very tempting to rush out into the garden and start planting after a few days of warm weather. This can be especially tempting after a long and cold winter. However, this is often, almost always a mistake.

I have found this out from experience. Put seeds in the ground before the soil is warm enough and they may not germinate. Put plants out before the night’s are warm enough and they may die. If you follow the instructions on the seed pack and know when the last day of frost occurs where you live, the odds of success increase significantly. 

Here, in northern New Brunswick, spring may be a day away, but the ground is still frozen and I will not be planting any seeds until the last week of May at the earliest.
If you are planning to start seeds indoors, again read the instructions on the seed package. Seeds started too soon indoors will be ready to plant out before the outside conditions are ready to accept them.


Right Place: Seeds and seedlings must be planted where they will receive the amount of sunlight they require. You need to know your site; how much sunlight falls on it and you need to know whether the plants you are planning to plant require, full sun, partial sun or full shade, for example.


Right Plant: This is more complicated that it may seem. On one hand it refers to a plant that will do well in you climate zone and in the light and soil conditions of your garden bed.

Ten Steps to a Succesful Organic Garden

All you need to do to grow flowers, herbs and vegetable, organically, is follow these ten steps.

1.      Put the right plant in the right place. In other words, make sure the plant you choose is placed where it gets the amount of sunlight it requires as well as the water and food needed for strong growth.
2.      Do the above in the planning stage so you know what you are going to do before the actual planting, what you will plant, where you will plant it.
3.      Organic gardeners feed the soil because healthy soil will produce healthy plants. One of the most effective ways to build healthy soil is to add organic material, such as compost to the soil.
4.       Mulch, proper mulching prevents weeds from taking over your garden and thus reduces your labour. Mulch also reduces the soil’s thirst, as it reduces the rate at which it dries out after watering, and will warm up the ground in Spring and Fall.
5.      Use organic and heritage seeds as these will breed true and you are then able to save seeds from the most productive plants.
6.      When planting the seeds, especially if you are a novice gardener read the seed pack and follow the instructions.
7.      Rainbarrels allow you to collect rain and use it when you need to water the garden. Dry days are not uncommon and to save turning on the tap to provide the plants with that needed drink if you have a rainbarrel you can meet their needs and conserve water at the same time.
8.      Spend time in your garden simply observing the activity. An evening stroll can serve as an early warning system and help to avoid infestations and diseases. Paying attention to your garden can pay big dividends when it comes to combating pests and diseases.
9.      Keep a garden journal, record your observations and thoughts. This will help when planning next year’s garden.
10.   Enjoy experiment and have fun. We learn by doing so do not be afraid to do.