It’s almost June here in Moncton, New Brunswick. I usually wait for June 10th before planting my starter plants in our vegetable garden. That’s something I learned from my dad while I was living on a farm in central Ontario. It seems to be the same here on the east coast of Canada.

But, before I transplant my starter plants I needed to acclimatize them to the elements so they will be strong and sturdy enough to survive the wind and rains early season.

Acclimatizing Starter Plants

I managed to get the seeds I started a month ago to survive by moving them to the garage where they could get more direct sunlight. I used my new mini greenhouse to put my starter plants in so they would get enough sunlight to get strong and healthy but to keep the harsh weather off them.

I gradually allowed them to experience more of the wind and a little of the chilly weather until they were acclimatized. They are getting bigger and stronger. Just a couple more weeks to go and they will be ready for planting in our vegetable garden.

I kept my seed trays in the house until they had sprouted. This way I didn’t need any special lights or heaters to keep the soil moist and warm until the seeds started. Once they had sprouted I wasted no time getting them out to the mini greenhouse in our garage. I add each tray as the seeds sprouted and now have dozens of starter plants.

I open the garage door to allow the sun to hit them but without the wind and as the weather improved and the starter plants got healthier and stronger I moved them outdoors during the day and back in the garage at night.

The last two nights have dropped to almost freezing but being in the garage they were protected. But remember it only takes on time forgetting them outside to lose all your hard work. Sure glad Jenny reminds me to check them before I go to bed. So love having my mini greenhouse.

I did my best to get rid of them but my strength at the time didn’t last long. I managed to dig one up and trash it. The second I only cut of at ground level and the third, well I was just to beat and left it.

Then that one blossomed and I got so depressed. I had destroyed two of the best looking flowering shrubs in our yard. But that one I cut off at the ground came back to life after a couple of years and is now ready to produce it’s first bloom in seven years. It’s not quite ready to display quite year but I will as soon as it’s ready.

I woke up just before 5 AM and was ready to jump out of bed when I heard the birds singing and chirping so I had to stay there for a while to enjoy their songs. Last year at this time all we heard was crows. It nearly drove our son Steve mad.

One of the crow babies fell from the nest early. I named him Chris the Crow and watched him live in our backyard, mostly under the bushes and shrubs. But his parents stuck with him and even taught him how to eventually fly out of our yard and join them in the air. It was the most amazing thing I’ve seen.

After enjoying the birds singing for a bit I got up, had a coffee, some breakfast and then went for a nice long walk to see what happening in the yards in my area. I prefer to get out early to avoid walking when it gets too hot.

Just a few days ago our big rhododendron hadn’t started showing signs of blossoming yet but a day later and we could see the silky blossoms getting ready to pop into view once again. Something I look forward to each year.

So when I looked outside and saw them starting to blossom I knew it was going to be a great day for walking. But first I had to take a few pictures of our own rhododendron and share it’s beauty.

The image below shows how they start their blossoms. They look like little silk hankies folded up into a flower or blossom. The picture in the top left of this post is a blossom that was popping out. It was on the opposite side of the rhododendron and I didn’t see it until I went out to take a few pictures.

Next it was off for my walk so I headed in the direction of the Moncton City Hospital as I usually see a lot of trees in blossom around there at this time of year. But before I even got to the next block I saw the rhododendrons below already in full bloom. I didn’t see any blossoms even started a couple of days ago.

Everywhere I looked I had to take a picture of something beautiful. It wasn’t long before I found another rhododendron which was even more gorgeous that the first one.

Their home was off the street just enough I couldn’t get a clear picture but I didn’t want to step on their property as I don’t like people doing that to us. Maybe next time someone be in the yard I can ask for permission.

My new camera allows me to zoom in without so much shaking but still it was just out of my reach, even with the zoom. I hope it’s enough for you to see just how awesome looking it really is.

It’s hard to get a good healthy walk in at this time of year. I just can’t pass an opportunity for a good image so I stop walking to . The picture below is a good example. How could I walk past a cute little scene like that?

Jenny thought this was the cutest picture of the day so I had to include it. Speak No Evil, errr I mean, Croak Croak Croak.

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Using a garden tiller in your home garden will uncover luscious beauty that was simply waiting to be unveiled. You wouldn’t expect to perform at your maximum capacity if you feed yourself nothing but Doritos and sodas, right? Why hope that your garden will thrive without the best possible conditions?

Preparation and Planning

Before you even start, it’s essential to make sure the soil is dry and warm enough. Tilling soil that is not ready will sabotage your efforts and may even keep you from improving your garden. The soil should be at least 60 F.

Planning what is going to be planted in your garden and if it is right for your local climate will ensure that you pick the best plants to thrive in your home garden. You’ll find certain plants may not do well in your location so it’s best to learn which so you have the best opportunity to succeed. Next you should test your soil for the right consistency and if all the proper nutrients are present.

Testing The Soil

Testing the soil for consistency is as easy as balling it up in your hand and poking it. If the soil falls apart it is dry and ready to be tilled. Next test for the proper soil PH levels. PH soil testing kits are available at most home improvement , and gardening stores. Test in multiple parts of the garden to ensure you readings are correct and balanced throughout the garden. Once you are done testing the soil properly it is time to move on to the action of tilling the garden.

Tilling The Garden

Depending on the size of your garden, you may want to till the soil manually, or utilize a garden ride-on mower with a till attachment. Often you can rent the ride-on mowers, or convince a friend to let you borrow it, or simply pay a professional gardener to help you with this task.

It is possible, however, for you to do this manually. Once you have your till decide the layout of your plants. Wile making the lines with the till keep in mind that errors would be costly, as tilling a line twice can degrade and compact the soil. Do not rush, it’s better to till the soil slowly.

Knowing when and how to till your soil can make a tremendous difference in the beauty of your garden. Tilling may be hard work, but it sure pays fabulous dividends!

Virginia Cunningham is a writer, mother and gardening lover. She currently works with Alphacard (link to alphacard.com), spoils her children, and thrives on caring for her garden.

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You don’t need a lot of expertise to try out the following ideas–just enthusiasm, some space to plant in and of course some sunlight!

Container Gardening For Beginners

The easiest way to get your hands dirty and start growing plants is through a container garden. A container garden can be as simple as a single tomato plant in a recycled container from your kitchen as a pot or make it a little more complicated with a whole bed of different veggies.

You can build your own container, and make it in whatever size and shape fits your yard.  We just finished building a 10×4 foot raised bed as a container for our strawberries.

When you build the container yourself, you can be sure that it’s made from all green materials. Bricks are a great option, as they will retain heat and keep your plants warm at night. You can also use recycled wood, as long as it’s never been painted.

To start out with, make a container that is about two feet deep and any length. Fill the container with some potting soil, and add in some seeds or starts. Follow the instructions on the seed packet to determine the spacing between plants.

You also want to make sure that any plants you put outside will be warm enough. If it’s too early in the year, don’t worry. You can keep the plants inside until the weather gets comfortable for them. This can be a great way to extend the growing season in more northern climates. This process is known as making starts.

One easy way to get your starts going is to use old egg cartons. Fill the carton with potting soil (or compost, if you have any ready) and put a seed in each separate compartment. Most seeds like lots of light and water, so be sure to keep the soil well-watered. If you don’t have any big windows, you might need to supplement the sunlight with grow lights.

A little warning about using egg cartons. I tried using egg cartons but our eggs come in pressed cardboard and it just soaked up all the water and really just made a huge mess so I suggest you use plastic or pressed foam cartons over cardboard.

Another way to keep plants warm is to make a cloche. A cloche is like a tent for plants. You can make one by draping clear plastic over a simple frame of recycled wood or bamboo. Keep the cloche over any tender plants growing outside.

When we run into problems we like asking our local nursery staff for help. We also have a gardening friend who knows about how to have the best container garden. They’ll likely have plenty of home gardening tips for beginners. They can also clue you in on what you expect in terms of local weather, common pests, and the best types of vegetables to grow in your reason.

About the Author

Jeffrey Hancock writes for brickpavers.org and loves to write about his two passions: gardening and recycling. A long time environmentalist turned blogger, he now writes for several online publications in order to spread the word about environmentally friendly tendencies.

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There were guys and ladies working away, some were moving mulch and topsoil around while others were tilling the plots for people to use. I saw Jamie MacLellan pitching right in and was shovelling top soil into a wheelbarrow and working really hard. I had to stop and tease them for a minute. Told them to work a little harder and then ran.

The First Garden Growing

I was just about to take a picture of the little square foot garden setup below when this very nice lady asked if I wanted to take her picture. When I said yes she got a little shy and declined, even though it was her little garden I was interested in.

She even brought her own watering container. I believe they are called water butts.

We chatted for about 15 minutes and she showed me what she had done. She actually dug the garden herself and did a great job. The day she was ready to start her garden the tiller guy wasn’t but that didn’t stop her. Now she has a head start on everyone else. I so enjoyed talking but after she left I realized I didn’t even get her name so I hope I see her there again.

I noticed she had a really cool 3D bamboo trellis for her beans and peas. It is actually something that I would like to build with all the left over pieces of bamboo I have in our garden shed. I didn’t get the best picture of it but hopefully you’ll see what I liked about it.

Bamboo Trellis

Continuing Through The Gardens

I continued on looking at the gardens. Most haven’t been prepared yet although I saw a man preparing his garden. He was working hard and I didn’t want to stop him but other than that there were not many setup yet. I was a bit early but I’ll return in about a week and see what’s happening.

Of course we teased our son and would tell him he should stand outside in the rain to shower so we could save some money. He didn’t think that was funny at all. But the truth of the matter was that we just used a lot of water to keep our flower, vegetables and container and raised bed gardens happy.

This water problem brought back memories of growing up on a farm. My younger brother and I were always the last to be bathed and we had to use the water everyone else bathed it. Gross.

Eventually Dad had water collection systems, I believe it was called a water cistern system. It was added to the basement and was made from concrete. It didn’t even have a cover over it. That’s not what we have in mind as we would prefer a closed system.

I’m so happy we have the Internet today. I started looking at some solutions to our current problem. The amount of water that comes off the roof of our house and garage is significant yet it’s goes straight into the ground. Why not put those eves to good use and direct the water to a collection system.

We are now seriously looking at plastic water collection systems at www.watertanks.com.

It was Judy the Gardener. She had dropped Jenny off from church Sunday and saw that our vegetable garden hadn’t been turned yet. We had been so busy cleaning up the yard before garbage pickup and then the rain we had turned the garden to mud. Five minutes trying to turn that and I was beat.

She said she and her husband Jean would be over in ten minutes with their garden tiller. I was immediately speechless as my mind raced thinking about all the other stuff I’d be able to do as it would have taken me at least a week to dig up the entire vegetable garden.

Here is a picture of our vegetable garden a couple of days ago and another an hour after that. I watched Jean tilling the garden from inside our house. I had already done all I could in the yard for the day and was thinking about taking a nap, if I was a guy that took naps.

Vegetable Garden Before Jean Arrived

You might be able to see that I started digging the garden myself. I didn’t get much done as it was just too wet and heavy. I think I worked for ten minutes and managed to turn a section about 1 foot by 1 foot.

Vegetable Garden After Jean Was Done

What took Jean about a half hour to complete would have taken me days and many many rest periods and it still wouldn’t have looked as great as it does now.

Many thanks to Jean and Judy the Gardeners. After seeing how great a job Jean did with their little garden tiller, which fit right into their car’s trunk, I knew we had to have one, so Jenny and I will see what’s available this fall when they might be a little more in our price range as we need a snow blower as well.

Since the first time Barb gave us jars of her salsa we were hooked on having our own salsa garden so we can make our own salsa. 2012 is that year.

The tomatoes are far from fresh, having been sliced, diced, and pureed far from the grocer’s shelf. A popular brand of salsa tries to gain credibility by claiming that the other guy’s salsa is made in New York City.

New York, San Antonio, San Jose. Doesn’t matter, you can probably come up with a better–and more cost effective–brand of salsa wherever your garden is located.

What’s In Garden Salsa?

What are the key ingredients in homemade salsa? Tomatoes, of course, and peppers (jalapeno or other), garlic, onions, and cilantro. That’s only a basic recipe, though. Feel free to experiment with outside the box salsas too.

I looked through Youtube this morning to find a great salsa recipe I could follow and of course one that made my mouth start watering for salsa and the following page is not only shows you a great salsa canning video but I also added the recipe directly from their site.

Plan on allocating at least half of your salsa garden to tomatoes. As they are the main ingredient, fresh tomatoes will make all the difference, whether you decide to go with a chopped tomato, chunky variety or opt for the more conventional saucy variety that settles onto a chip. My preference is a small dice so I can get some of everything on a dipping chip.

Some gardeners prefer the meatier, but less juicy Roma tomatoes over more watery varieties. Leave the cherry tomatoes for salads though. Tomatoes like long sunny days and well tilled soil to dig roots into, but they’ll grow in deep containers on sunny porches. If you’re using a container, mix peat into the soil so the water won’t drain out so quickly.

Jenny and I are starting a salsa container garden so we will have enough tomatoes.

Jalapeno peppers are most valuable players in your salsa line-up. Jalapenos supply the kick in your concoction, and the amount of heat will be determined by what kind of peppers you pick.

Jalapenos aren’t the hottest peppers, though; Tabasco and habanero peppers pack even more punch. Peppers are hardy growers that like to climb along fences and work well in those odd spaces in the garden. They’re colourful, attractive in the garden, and like a lot of sun to bring out their heat. If you like a little less heat, try poblano peppers; they can be used to make chile relleno.

Home-grown onions will also be a flavour enhancer, not just a decoration, in your salsa garden. These can be started from immature onion sets, which like mild sun–too much and they’ll bolt and go to seed–and well-aerated soil in which to grow plump. You can get two growing seasons, once in the spring for harvest through August and once in late June for fall harvest. When the foliage turns yellow, they’re ready to pick.

Garlic is a must-have in any kitchen, but when mixed with fresh onions, peppers, and a squirt of lime juice, it compliments its fellow veggies, and completes the salsa taste sensation. Everyone has their own tolerance of garlic, but it shouldn’t be left out of home-grown salsa. Garlic plants well in either fall or spring. Plant the largest cloves form the bulb. Harvest when the upper leaves begin to dry.

Cilantro gives even the most pedestrian of salsas a garden-like flavour. Since your fresh tomatoes won’t smother this herb in a lot of sauce, you’ll appreciate its distinctive flavour all the more. This herb does well in containers, with its tasty fern like leaves growing bushy in your pots or herb box. You’ll need to give the plants a pinch to prevent them form flowering, which causes cilantro to lose its flavour. Flowering can also be delayed by moving plants into shade as days grow warmer.

Of course, a selection of simple garden tools–hoe, rake, trowel, shovel–will aid in the process. Soon, you’ll have fresh ingredients to produce a home-grown salsa that is more economical and more flavourful than anything on the grocer’s shelf.

My Best Canned Salsa Recipe Revealed!

First I would like to share the video that drew me to Horticulture and Homes as it makes the salsa making look pretty straight forward. Enjoy and get canning.

Years ago I tried a salsa recipe from a book entitled Canning and Preserving by Linda Ferrari. I checked and you can still buy this book new or used on line. The recipe is very good but I had to do my own tweaking. I looked at canned salsa recipes and studied canning information regarding acidity levels and came up with this recipe which makes 6 to 7 pints.

My Best Canned Salsa

• 5 1/2 Pounds Plum Tomatoes
• 3Cups Chopped Onion
• 7 Ounce Can Diced Green Chilis
• 1/4 Cup Fresh Cilantro Leaves
• 1/2-1 Jalapeno Pepper, Finely Chopped
• 2 Cloves of Fresh Minced Garlic
• 2 Teaspoons Canning Salt
• 1 Teaspoon Fresh Ground Black Pepper
• 1 Teaspoon Ground Cayenne Pepper
• 3 Tablespoons Bottled Lemon Juice
• 1/2 Cup White Vinegar, 5% Acidity
• 1/2 Cup of Tomato Juice (This can be made from the skins and seeds of the 5 1/2 pounds of tomatoes. Refer to the following video for more information.)

Working in small batches, plunge the tomatoes into boiling water for one minute and then into ice water to loosen skins.

Peel, seed and chop tomatoes into a large bowl or pot. Reserve skins and seeds to boil. Process skins through a food mill and reserve a cup of the juice for the recipe. Compost the skins.

Combine all ingredients and heat until salsa is hot.

Place salsa into hot sterile pint jars and leave 1/2 inch of head space.

Clean jar rims with a damp paper towel.

Attach lids and rings.

Place in a water bath canner with hot water below 180 degrees and water covering the jars by at least one inch.

Place the lid on the canner and bring to a rolling boil.

Water bath process for 45 minutes.

Turn off the stove and remove the canner lid.

After 5 minutes, remove the jars and place on a towel in a draft free place.

Once the jars have cooled for 12 hours, remove the rings and wipe jars with a damp cloth.

Make sure all jars have sealed and store in a cool dry place.

If a seal has failed, you may reprocess the jar using a new seal or place in the refrigerator for use within a few weeks.

This salsa is fairly mild. If you would like a medium or hot salsa, add more Jalapeno pepper and increase the cayenne pepper to 1 1/4-1 1/2 Teaspoons. I like to make double batches of this since my family enjoys it so much.

Jenny, Stephen and I do like our salsa just a bit spicier so we’ll be adding extra heat to the mix. We can hardly wait until our vegetable and salsa garden is ready to produce salsa for us.

Our son Steve moved out to Saskatchewan for work a couple of months ago and now it’s time to change his room into something Jenny can use herself. A place she can just relax, kind of like how I use my office/den/Mann Cave.

This spring cleaning is going a little further with some interior decor changes as Jenny’s not too interested in occupying a room that looks like a man cave. I guess my office is safe as it looks just like Steve’s room. As you can see in the picture below it doesn’t look much like a room ladies would be able to relax in.

I’ve had my own home office since we moved here in 2005 but Jenny really only has the living room to relax in and never gets any alone time. It’s now time for Jenny to start looking at what makes her happy and relaxed.

Jenny has now been looking for wallpaper that would cover up the wood panelling for us as ripping it out isn’t something we’re ready to do at this time. Her love for flowers means she’s been looking at floral wallpaper that will give he that relaxed feeling as she loves sitting outside looking at our flower gardens and can’t get enough.