Newest Innovative Technology in Renewable Resources

I know this is supposed to be a gardening blog, not some techie outpost where I compete with other Tech Nerds to be the most in tune with the latest version of the coolest software, or show off my knowledge of obscure gadgets that no one will actually need or be able to afford.  But when I came across this, well I just had to share it.  This new technology is so revolutionary, so innovative, so controversial I had to write about it.  The world must know.

This is the first time the great power of two renewable resources have been combined together to create an energy savings of such magnitude!  This product utilizes both Wind and Solar energy, but the best part is, it doesn't need full exposure to either to work.  It works best in full sun, but on a cloudy day, or in the shade it is still effective, and even just a small breeze is all that is needed.

It is rumored that Hypo Manufacturing Inc bought the patent for this product in the 70s and has suppressed it over the years in order to maintain profits in its appliance division.  But plans and details on how to build one yourself have been leaked over the years and have seen a resurgence as of late with the popularity of the internet.  I built my own last year, and it works great, and it was easy!

Without further ado, I give the latest and greatest, the one and only...

Clothesline!

(Does not work in the rain!)

TLC Tomato Loving Care

Yesterday the boy and I got to spend a big chunk of time in the garden.  It wasn't enough but there were jobs that needed doing ASAP.  As mention in my last Blog, I bought 3 tomato plants from the VanDusen Plant Sale a couple weeks ago and transplanted them into these pots.  

The cooking style pot was bought at the SPCA Thrift store for about a buck for this purpose.  I couldn't find any other so the other two went into regular reused nursery pots.

I didn't drill any holes in the new pot hoping that the sun would keep the soil from becoming too saturated, but I failed!  I thought about it instead of doing it.  I've been reading the Organic Sister blog and I am learning from her policy of Doing not Thinking!  You can't see it in this photo the the poor tomato became very water logged, very quickly.  And it became sick, which weakened its immune and made it prone to...

APHIDS!  

Although these three plants are next to each other, only the one has been attacked!  To me this is proof that better gardening methods are a better way to keep away pests then chemical spraying!

These little guys have been feasting, enjoying my tomatoes before I even had a chance.

I drilled three holes into the bottom of the pot and let it drain.

I then topped up the pot with Keefer's Soil Energizer to make up for the loss of soil through the holes, and to compensate for soil compaction cause from the flooding.  

I added a small layer of organic matter, dried leaves, to cover the soil so as to protect from further soil damage from rain, and to reduce evaporation.  I maybe should have waited on this stage until the soil had dried out, but I'd hate to waste more water. 

I will add an organic layer to the other Tomatoes as well as the azalea's to protect the soil from the elements.  This may be another good example of a time to use Organic Sister's Doing not Thinking.

I think that I read somewhere that Marigolds detract pests like Aphids.  I know that cats don't like them but I will try and confirm that.  So I bought a small 2X4" tray from Choices and placed it next to the Pot of Tomatoes.  Until the plant is healthy again I am leaving it in isolation so that the aphids stay off the other tomatoes.  Once they are gone I will return the little guy with his friends and repot the Marigolds into separate smaller pots and boarder the Tomatoes with them.

I miss my Garden

I really do miss my garden.  I have been giving it 10 - 15 minutes of attention at a time maybe 2 or 3 times a week.  Not enough, but time well enjoyed.  I was at the VanDusen plant sale a couple weeks back.  Just me and the boy, no pictures.  Here is the plant sale in a nut shell.  Terrible parking, HUGE lines, awesome selection, and great prices.  

Because I am planing on moving I am not doing anymore planting in the ground.  I'm a container man for now. 

Two Azaleas on the rim of my fire pit.  These are the pots I transplanted them into.  Cheap!

When we moved to our present place in Sept 07 we brought this hanging Strawberry with us.  I hung it from the north side of the carport roof to get it up and out of the way.  There it sat and did next to nothing.  I took 2 minutes on my way out the door to move it into the sun.  That should help.

These three pots represent my food crop this year.  Two Beefy and one striped Tomato.  I received a recipe for catchup and was looking forward to trying it out this fall.  I bought these at VanDusen at a moment when Cillian was attempting to run away from me.  I asked the ladies for a couple Beefeaters and they handed them over.  I got home, read the tag and thought to myself, "Taxi" is a funny name for a tomato...  Opps, yellow catchup it is!

The neglectful gardener

This should be the title of my blog.  My day job is eating up all my time right now.  I'm at work right now, on a Sunday, as I write this blog.

The garden is doing pretty good without though.  When I leave for work on time and the sun is up I take a moment to look over the garden.  It is my 20 seconds of relaxation and reflection.  Most of the daffodils are up and my minds tendency to unknowingly organize thing amazes me again.  I planted the daffodils randomly, but somehow they are mostly in a straight row like little yellow soldiers.  I don't know how I do it.  

The blue bells are ready to burst open.  The cherry and plum have blossomed and leaved and now dropping like a peddle snow storm.  Everything is growing bigger everyday, even my son.  

I am due for some time off, and it is happening starting tomorrow.  I am taking Monday and Tuesday off.  Monday so I can do my late taxes, oops, and Tuesday so we can go house hunting.  That counts as time off right?

Sorry, no photos, no time.

What is this?

Last year I stuck some cut-offs that I found on a couple different jobs I worked on in a pot and left them over the winter.  This is the only one that grew this spring.  I don't remember what it is.  I know its a ground cover but thats it.  Can anyone help me?

Alpine Garden Club of BC Spring Show

What?!  Two Blog posts in one day?  It must be all the free time I found by giving up on Facebook.  Try it, it's very liberating.  Anyway, I'll keep this short.

VanDusen Gardens holds many different events over the calendar year, and this weekend was the Alpine Garden Club of BC's Spring Show.  I went on the second day at about noon and it was not too busy.  I brought Cillian so I had to make it a quick visit, here are some of the highlights that caught my eye in the short time I was there.

Floral Room and VanDusen Gardens

Primula Denticulata

Some ribbon winners

Tulipa Turkestanico

Ribbon winner for best Deciduous Bonsai

Fritilaria Meleagris

Philip MacDougal's 1st place Rhododendron 

Abutelon Suntense Hybrid

I forgot to get the info for this one, but it sure is beautiful.

Happy Easter

What an Easter weekend so far.  My wife Suzanne is an active Raw Foodist and she has spent the weekend at a Seminar put on by Victoria and Velva Boutenko, mother and daughter of the "Raw Family."  Check out more details on Suzanne's Blog.

With her out of the picture that left Cillian and I to set up our first Easter Egg Hunt.  Cillian is over 2 but we haven't done a hunt before.

I started by boiling the Eggs.  There are a couple ways to hard boil an egg, and its been so long since I've done it that I had to look it up.  I put the eggs into a pot and covered them with an inch of cold tap water.  I turned the heat up to full and brought the eggs to a boil.  As soon as they started to boil I removed them from the heat, but left them in the pot.  Worked great. 

I set out four bowl and Cillian added the dye.

We then added the eggs and turned them once and awhile to insure good coverage.

I used eggs we had in the fridge.  Brown, free range, and organic.  In retrospect I should have gone to the store across the alley and picked up some cheapy white eggs, they would have taken the colour better.  Some of these eggs where in the day for more than 4 hours.

This morning I hid the eggs while Cillian got his morning dose of Mama's milk.  We did the hunt before Mama had to take off to her seminar so she could take part in the family fun.  

Some eggs where pretty tricky to find.

But once we got the hang of it, it was easy.

Except for the ones just out of reach.

In the end Cillian found them all.

And then he learnt the best part, how to peal and eat them.

This afternoon we are going to go to VanDusen Gardens for the Alpine Garden Club of BC Spring Show.  I'll share some pictures later.  Then its off to Mission for dinner with my oldest friend and his family.

Happy Easter Everyone!