I open my garden door to public sales for one or two days each year. I sell off enough to pay the electrical usage for starting up a thousand babies, barter for baked goods like cookies, but more importantly, get to meet fellow urban gardeners and take pleasure in showing all the weird stuff and how i grow it.

On That BLACK WIDOW!!!!
I have seen larger in the jungles of Arkansas, but not by much!
I like spiders, i really do...i know how there are big ones and smaller ones getting smaller into the microscopic....and that they eat lots of bad bugs.... BUT...almost planting something in this spot in the dark with a spider big enough to take out a mouse freaked me out. Nope, i didnt kill it. Im also not going to put my hands into the blocks around that part of the garden again.

Last weekend had about 500 people come march against Monsanto. I waved my own banner.

Pegged and plugged a carrot lately?
I did it for the first time....and it was awesome! They say you cant transplant carrots but i react to "they say you cants" with creative success every time. I found that when thinning carrots the "throw away" babies will in fact grow, but the damage and shock to the tiny plant usually hinders normal growth. I seeded plugs with up to two dozen seeds, grew for six weeks, separated, and took the largest ones and dropped them into holes pegged in the ground.
This way there will be no weeding, thinning, or worry from nematodes (tiny slugs) mowing down the newly planted carrots.

Singing in the rain?
Not exactly, but perfect planting weather! The mild winter and deep mulch allowed many plants to stay alive long enough to bolt into flowering. These gorgeous chard plants exploded into quite large leaves - especially for this time of year.
All good things must come to an end and change, so i chopped it all into gifts so the tomatoes and new chard have room. In the background is my vertical garden ready to plant.

If could only grow one vegie, this would be the one!
Big long legged chard is my fav!

Carrot Mountain Ranges:
A dozen years went into making carrot beds in deep mulch. They like well drained, organic rich, sandy soil. If the organic matter is not VERY decomposed you get some very kinky carrots.
Also is pic of favourite youngest son stomping leaves deep in the valleys of the three range carrot mountains. These leaves will completely decompose throughout the year and be mixed into the soil as i dig the carrots out through the summer, fall, winter, and early spring.

My long double row only needs one "valley" to be stuffed and compacted, then seeds can be sprinkled, covered, and watered easily.

Here i am digging my way under the kale trees.

Kelowna Permaculture at OUC
www.kelownapermaculture.org

Last weekend favourite youngest son helped clear College garden compound where Haruko organized a big spring cleanup.
If you like eco friendly gardening this is a nice group to join. I will be hosting a garden tea party for the group at my house saturday morning May 18, 10:30 to noon. 2438 Richter St.

Spank that Bottom!......of the pot, silly....to get the 1 gal broccoli baby out. You can see how i filled about one third of pot with leaves and how the roots have wiggled their way into them. Good timing to get them into the deep mulch garden. Just spread the moist leaves and make a deep hole in the life filled dark chocolate loam. Insert snuggly the plant and feel the wave of satisfaction. Another baby planted.

Beat Up - Size Does Matter!
Another great example of winter/spring food stored away for whenever. Thought i had all the beets juiced but a few missed the final picking a few weeks ago. I love my apple beet juice all winter and into spring. The larger they are the more the food is un nibbled by bugs. Trick is to prevent the beet top from freezing by covering deeply in the fall all plant but the top leaves.