Day neutral or ever-bearing types of strawberries start blooming soon and will bear fruit right away this year – in June. And they will keep right on blooming all summer into fall. I was even surprised by the few berries I picked last November. Day Neutrals bear fruit for a long time but the heaviest crop is still in late June with fewer berries after that.
When you start tomatoes from seed they get their second set of leaves in about three weeks. This is the perfect time to transplant seedlings.
It’s time to start chitting! And I mean that in the best possible way. If you have been growing your own potatoes you know what I am talking about. Take the potatoes out of storage and let them sprout in daylight.
Potatoes kept in the dark form long unwieldy sprouts. If yours have done that then the only thing you can do is pull them out of the cupboard or storage area right now and break off all those long sprouts. Then get to work chitting them.
Have you got plans to buy a clump of pussy willows at the next seedy Saturday or market? Did you get a piece of curly willow in your Valentine’s bouquet? Or maybe, like me, your neighbour gave you some really amazing raspberry or rose twigs after they finished pruning their plants. Here is how you can turn a woody plant into 100 woody plants easy peasy.
Whether you live in Whitehorse or Calgary you probably dream of longer summers. In fact even if you live in the mild west coast, you’d probably love more summer and the ability to grow more adventurous crops like Lemons, Navel Oranges or Figs. In northern climates this is now possible with the help of Bob Duncan of Fruit Trees and More .
Before I tell you something about the tomatoes I am growing this year let me admit my own bias. I am a fan of the newest hybrids because I love the flavour and richness they bring. Since reading the book Ripe: The Search for the Perfect Tomato by Arthur Allen (2010, Counterpoint Press) I have been excited about the potential of all the new tomato genetics brought to us via scientists going back to the wild looking for new flavours, new colours, new interest, new genetics.
