Need A Garden Buddy in Northern Ontario...November

16 years ago

Hi Marcia

We had a mini blizzard here last night, blowing and snowing, I was getting a bit nervous with the way the wind was blowing. We didn't get much snow but enough to cover the ground,,,again. Tomorrow it is suppose to go up to 12C; it is -4c right now. Crazy weather for sure.

The petunias, marigolds and impatiens on the patio are finished but the silly geraniums are still green! LOL I couldn't believe it when I looked out today and they were still green, I didn't think they were so tough. Our lilac bushes still have leaves that are green too..very weird.

Son finally came over and put the shelves up in the shed and I got the door painted. We moved a lot of stuff into the shed and took another load to the dump. I still have bags of dirt on the driveway which I'm going to dump in the holes left by the garage. (The chipmunk is very upset that someone stole his home, he lived under the garage.)

We found out that our contractor is going to wait until spring before he starts on our house roof which really ticked me off as the porch wall is going to be in terrible shape by then. Every time it rains the wall inside gets wet now. *ugh* I get so tired waiting for men,,, Marcia u can relate, I know. LOL That is why we have hired a female electrician! LOL

Marcia, about the amaryllis. I don't wait for the leaves to die back. I just stick them in a paper bag with another one over the top to keep out all the light. I put mine in the fruit cellar,,it isn't very cold down there maybe 64F, it's just that I like them out of my way. I don't know what they would do if u covered them up but left them in a warmer space. Maybe they wouldn't go completely dormant?

We didn't have any trick or treaters last night so I have started putting up the Christmas decorations... *G*

Take care

Debbie :-)

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (3)

marciaz3 Tropical 3 Northwestern Ontario
16 years ago
I heard about your weather, Debbie. Lucky people! LOL Actually, we're the lucky ones - no snow yet. We had some rain today, and my daughter said it was sleeting tonight, but i haven't looked outside to find out. I don't want to know!

There are still a couple of million bells that are alive and well. I finally brought the geraniums inside last weekend. They were in the mini-greenhouse and still as green as could be and some were flowering nicely. I also got a daylily and three foxgloves from Veseys this week, but i've got them planted inside. There wasn't much left of the digitalis, as they'd been in the mail for almost two weeks. I wasn't too happy and i told them so - Veseys not the foxgloves. :> They're giving me a credit for them!

I guess people are getting fussier about online plant shopping because there hasn't been too much arguing with companies like them or Dominion Seed House when you complain. They give credits quickly. I guess they really want the business. I wish it wasn't such a sickness, though - i must buy plants!!! LOL

Maybe i'll put my amaryllis in the garage where dh keeps the potatoes. If it's cool enough for potatoes, it should be cool enough for them.

Can't you get your contractor to put a tarp or something on your roof? That's crazy, not fixing it now. Your wall is going to be ruined! Ahh, do they do walls too? Maybe that's the catch!

Anyway, i need to get to bed. My eyes are drooping. Will talk to you again soon!
Debbie_N_Ontario
Original Author
16 years ago
Hi

We are getting quite a bit of snow here and more coming down. Marcia, I know how much u enjoy snow; I will send some to you. LOL

I finally got the electricians to come over and do the work I have been waiting for over almost 2 months now.
I needed to go into the backyard to plug in the christmas lights in the plug on the shed so I had to wear my snowmobile boots. LOL We have so much snow now my shorter boots weren't high enough. *L*
I have got all the decorations up in the house for the past couple of weeks and the tree is up too. It sure was easier this year now that I've had my cataract removed. It is so nice being able to see better. *S*

Not many birds around anymore. With taking the garage down and all the banging and lost of the shelter of the garage, I guess they have found a better place.

I did have a brown bunny coming into the garden before the snow stuck a few weeks ago. It was very big too. I have never seen a rabbit up here and especially not in our yard. He was cute. I was able to get a few pics of him too and I will try and post them.
{{!gwi}}

I have all the amaryllis down in the cellar covered up. Marcia, won't the garage be too cold for yours?

Take care and Marcia, I hope you will enjoy your early Christmas gift,,,, (snow) LOL
Debbie :-)
Related Discussions
Need A Garden Buddy in Northern Ontario... March
Q
Comments (7)
Where did you get the worms, Geo? Someone here gave a demonstration on worm bins and she had to get special worms from some woman in Winnipeg. I'm glad you're doing this - the kids really learn something. We did regular composting with our kids a couple of years ago and got nothing but complaints from the teachers because the buckets with the fruit scraps in them stunk a bit. Sheesh. So we didn't do that again. Debbie, plugs are like tiny seedlings. You know in a nursery when they seed into inch square (or less) compartments? Each little seedling that comes out of there is a plug. If you google "plant plugs", you'll come up with quite a few sites. My cold has come and gone and come back again, viciously. I sure haven't been feeling that well. But i guess it will end sooner or later and i should be okay for March Break. I've done a couple of dozen containers of winter sowing and some indoor sowing as well. And there are sprouts in most of the indoor ones - petunias, impatiens, lisianthus, vinca, nierembergia, datura. I'll be doing more this coming week, indoors and out. Last year the little grandguy planted daisies for his mom and bachelor buttons for himself. I asked what he wanted to plant for his mom this year and he said "Roses." Okay! I don't have any seeds for roses, and i'm not about to buy a $20 rose for an ex-daughter-in-law, so we'll have to see about that one! LOL I need to get some bachelor button seeds because i forgot to save some last summer - maybe i can find some roses! Maybe i should see if there are any hips left on my wild rose bush and he can plant those. What a guy! :) Not much else going on. I'm waiting for spring and it's taking its sweet old time. We had some decent weather but are in the deep freeze again for a couple of days. Supposed to be better for next week. After that it can only improve. I hope. Talk to you later! Marcia
...See More
Need A Garden Buddy in Northern Ontario... April
Q
Comments (11)
Hi Debbie and everyone. Haven't been over here in quite awhile and thought i'd check in to see how things were going. Glad your dog is feeling better, Debbie. Ours had a couple of days where he seemed to be a little off, but he bounced back quickly (literally too! LOL). I've been doing a lot of winter sowing and some inside as well. This evening, i transplanted a bunch of petunias into 4" pots. We finally had a bit of a break in the weather and it was mild enough this afternoon that i went out and cut back some dried up sticks in a few beds. There are lots of tulips poking through as well as one daffodil and one lily. It has been way too cold for anything else, but i think the melting will start this week. It had better! Debbie, i was thinking about you and all that s***. It missed us, thank goodness, but we've had the cold winds for over a week. Like i said, today wasn't bad, and it's supposed to be decent for the next few days. Hey, Danni! Good to see you! Are you ready for a nursery run on the 28th? I'll be in Thunder Bay for my dad's concert that weekend. I haven't heard from Gale all winter, but Kelly posted once or twice at the Far North forum, and so has Margaret. It would be great to get together again! Yesterday we were in town because dh had a doctor's appointment. We were killing some time and i convinced him that he had to go to the hardware store that has a nursery attached. While he was looking at hardware i disappeared into the nursery and, oh man, they had things blooming in there! This place makes up great baskets and they had them all out on their nursery benches. The plants weren't that big but thre were a good many blooming. It was wonderful!! One of the girls who works there is a real gardener herself and she was quite excited about some of their new plants. Amazing how something like that can give you such a lift! Yesterday i also bought one of those Walmart bodybag roses, a Hybrid Tea called "Oregold". It was only 3.97, so if it doesn't last, what the heck. I've planted it in a container and i have another matching container, so i probably need another rose, eh? LOL That's about it for now. Talk to you all again soon! Marcia
...See More
Need A Garden Buddy in Northern Ontario... June
Q
Comments (11)
Hi everyone, The weather here has been up and down, it's crazy! Yesterday I was wearing my light winter coat in the garden today I was out there in the warm rain. I was going to weed, no bugs when it rains and the weeds come out easier, but then the lightening and thunder started. I am having trouble gardening this year. I can see better now but my arthritis is in my hips, back, legs, everywhere that is hurts to bend over. Going to see the doctor and tell him that I can only stand for a few minutes before it feels like my hip and legs are going to collapse. Someone told me it sounds like my sciatic nerve,,, all i know is it's really ticking me off cause I want to be in the garden! Anyways, I almost finished weeding one little bed, and putting mulch down and I will have to finish it another day. It does look much nicier now that the dandelions are mostly gone... I can actually see the hostas. LOL Son and grand daughter came over the other day and dug up some lilies from the back and moved them into the front gardens for me. I hardly ever go to the backyard and am actually hoping to saw up those timber beds and put gravel in the backyard and just put some big pots with annuals in them. That way I won't have so much weeding to do and I can just spray roundup on any that pop up thru the gravel. Rosie was asking me what the names of the different plants were and she wanted to help nannie carry the 5 gallon weed bucket, even though it is almost as big as she is. *L* Ever cute! I had son pull out Winnipeg parks rose and we planted some lilies from the backyard there. He didn't have time to pull out Morden Centennial but when he does I think I'll plant a hosta. My JP OConnell always seems to die right back to the ground even though it's planted in a very protected area. Marcia, I'm so sorry u lost so many roses and clematis too! Did u lose that pretty yellow rose I think it was a Morden something or other....can't remember the name of it. Marcia, how adorable is that baby and the grandguy too! Is Darius your son's daughter? And u didn't waste gardening time! How wonderful a new baby!! *S* Is that a pic of you holding the baby? Congratulations!! Here a pic of Cherry Berry Francis Williams, mom gave me this one so it is special. *S* Striptease I've got to go,,, have people coming to look at the roof tomorrow *sigh* Take care Debbie :-)
...See More
Need A Garden Buddy in Northern Ontario... September
Q
Comments (13)
Hi Everyone *waving* Still waiting for contractors here but hopefully this week. *S* Also have to empty the garage as our neighbours are causing a stink as it's 2 ft on their property, since 1928, but they want it off. So we will have to start clearing it out whether we are going to take it down, make it narrower or move it. I will have to call about a dumpster tomorrow as I have a lot of gardening pots and junk in there....or I should say "WE" have a lot. *L* Hi Kay, welcome to the group!! *S* You can grow Brandywine in Sudbury? wow, aren't those things humongous? I usually grow tomatoes, but this year was the first time in 20 years I didn't grow any. I usually grow Siberian, Early Girl and have tried Stupice, and I few others I can't remember now. I have clematis, I lost a few this year so I just have Jackamannis left now and they did great! Is your soil alkaline? If it isn't u maybe need to add some limestone around them. Hi Cordel, Welcome to the Group!! *S* You are a few hours south/east of me,,, I think. I know I go by the tri towns on the train when I go to Toronto. I also try to stretch the zone in my zone 2 area, I can do it pretty easily if the snow cover is deep enough. Last winter we didn't get our five feet of snow so I lost quite a few things. This summer I guess we got your rain up here *S* I grow a lot of hostas as they like a shadier spot, I grow a lot of mine in full sun too. Marcia, yes it was too bad about the trip, don't think we will get another chance as we were going with another couple so it wasn't costing us much at all. I like the look of those Martagon lilies but I don't have any...yet. *S* What kind of bulbs did u order this fall? I was so disappointed with the ones I got from Walmart last year that didn't come up that I'm not getting any from them this year. The goatsbeard that u are talking about are they white & green? I made the mistake of planting some quite a few years ago and they took over so I pulled them out,,, again and again and again. LOL It took me a few years to get them to stop coming back,,,so be careful. What hosta did u plant? That rose is beautiful and the leaves look so healthy! I hope it will winter over for you. You gave/sold your son your property that u wanted to retire to? Sounds like they are closer to u now so u can see Darius more often maybe? *BWG* I love her name by the way. *S* She sure is a cutie and she is 3 months already? Wow time does fly! I can hardly wait until February when our grandchild is born and I am so hoping it is a girl. I love buying all those cute clothes....LOL Hope u get over your cold soon, Take care everyone Debbie :-)
...See More
marciaz3 Tropical 3 Northwestern Ontario
16 years ago
Hey, thanks, Debbie! LOL Actually right now i want the snow to come and insulate the gardens. I didn't get near enough leaves this year, and now they're saying this is going to be the coldest winter in years. With any luck, Environment Canada will be wrong as usual! LOL

Cute bunny! We've had one around for awhile too. Of course, he must be all white now! I took some pictures of him earlier this year but you couldn't see much because it was getting dark and i was taking them from the car window.

The garage is actually dh's workshop and is minimally heated all winter. Our potatoes, onions and carrots are stored there in winter and they do great. How long before you bring yours into the light again? I have one to plant now and i'm going to bring it to work and hope it grows there.

My computer was down for awhile. The computer tech from work reinstalled "Windoze", but he said he had more trouble with it than he thought he would. I'm finding it slow now. I just want it to last another year because i might be able to afford a new one by then.

I don't have any decorations up yet. I'm going to start getting things out tomorrow, though - the Christmas dishes and glasses, and maybe a few other things. I don't have all my shopping done yet, but i'm close to it, and have even wrapped a few things. And i suppose i should come up with a Christmas letter, especially since we have Darius to brag about! :)

Bedtime now - talk to you later!

Need A Garden Buddy in Northern Ontario...November

Comments (3)

marciaz3 Tropical 3 Northwestern Ontario

Debbie_N_Ontario
Original Author

Related Discussions

marciaz3 Tropical 3 Northwestern Ontario

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Need A Garden Buddy in Northern Ontario...November

Comments (3)

marciaz3 Tropical 3 Northwestern Ontario

Debbie_N_OntarioOriginal Author

Related Discussions

marciaz3 Tropical 3 Northwestern Ontario

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Debbie_N_Ontario
Original Author