Pinch Brussels sprouts: Right now is good timing to cut or pinch out the tips of the Brussels sprouts plants to force the formation of sprouts lower down, along the stem. If your plants already have nice big sprouts this isn’t necessary, but it is essential if your plants currently have only pea-sized nubs where the sprouts should be. With tip growth stopped, the plants quickly start plumping up their sprouts. Even if your plants are still small because they were planted too late, this is worth trying because it might force a few sprouts to form. As regular readers know, if you don’t have good-sized sprouts on the plant by the end of October, they likely won’t form at all because in the spring these biennial plants bypass making sprouts and go straight to flowering. Check thinning: This applies to any crops sown for winter harvest, but especially to carrots and beets. Leafy greens and lettuce should also be checked for overcrowding. If your summer sown carrots are not baby-c…

With temperatures dropping a bit and the possibility of rain showers early in the week, right now is the perfect time to sow seeds of arugula and other hardy greens such as mizuna, collards, kale, Chinese cabbages/Napa cabbage, leaf mustards, mustard spinach, broccoli raab, winter radishes/daikon. These crops must be sown within the next 10 days to have enough time to produce a crop that can be harvested this winter. Veggie seedlings can be transplanted any time this month. As long-time readers know, August 12 is Spinach Day at my house: the timing that works best in my garden to seed spinach directly in the garden for a fall through spring crop. August-sown spinach plants remain in the garden over the winter and will go on to produce a big crop of new leaves crop in the early spring. There is one last, late August to early September planting window, when corn salad, winter lettuce and arugula can be sown. After that unusually dry May and the dry weather that has featured a …

With garlic, onions, early peas and spring-sown lettuce, greens and radishes, etc. finished, you should now have space to plant more winter crops. My winter broccoli and cauliflower seedlings are about big enough to parachute into the garlic space next week (see below for a list of nurseries that sell winter starts). Now is the perfect time to edit your garden to open up more planting space: pull out anything that is overmature, surplus to requirements, wasn’t as tasty as you hoped, or not performing up to expectations. With 4 kinds of zucchini planted this spring (no one needs that many zucchini!), I have now frozen, pickled and dehydrated enough and am removing some plants to make room for winter crops. From now to early August, you can sow seeds of arugula and other hardy greens such as mizuna, collards, kale, Chinese cabbages/Napa cabbage, leaf mustards, mustard spinach, broccoli raab, winter radishes/daikon. Given how hot and dry it has been, I would wait to sow your fa…

It hardly seems possible, but we are starting into the main planting season for vegetables that will be harvested over next winter. Crops for winter harvests must do their growing in the growing season, which means sowing them early enough that they have time to mature before the shorter, colder days of October put an end to growth. Ideally, in October your living refrigeration (the garden) will be bursting with maturing hardy vegetables—but it all depends on getting those seeds planted at the right time. You can print out a planting chart showing when to plant what veggies. (Stick the list on your fridge to help you remember to keep on planting over the summer). The last two weeks of June is the main planting window for sowing seeds of winter broccoli, winter cauliflower, and cabbage varieties that take less than 80-90 days to mature (check the days-to-harvest information in variety descriptions). Sow them directly in the garden or start them in flats, whichever works for y…

As we move into the El Nino weather pattern this summer, here comes the first heat wave of the season. Over this weekend, forecasts show highs of 26-28oC [about 80oF] on Vancouver Island and coastal areas and up to 34oC [93oF] further inland and up the Fraser Valley. Every time I check the long range forecast, it shows higher temperatures! I have sent out heat alerts so many times in the past that I know most of you know the drill, but there are a lot of new gardeners that might need a warning: These temperature would be too hot for tiny seedlings, newly sown seed beds and plants that have been transplanted recently. No matter how well beds are watered, a bare soil surface can get so hot that seedling roots fry because they are close to the surface. Heat waves this early can also damage the new leaves of perennials and overwintered plants because their leaves have been used to cool, moist conditions and leaf cells have not yet adapted to hot weather. SO, start heat proofing yo…

Onion sets ready to harvest - Photo: Linda Gilkeson Like the last two springs, this year is also off to a late, cold start. With the Pacific circulation projected to change over from the La Nina pattern to an El Nino pattern over the summer, we can expect a shift to the warmer, drier weather typical of El Nino, but whether it will be a rapid shift in June or a slow transition over the season isn’t yet known. In any case, it is still too cold to plant much, but after the weekend the weather looks much more promising to sow or transplant the hardier vegetables: lettuce, spinach, radishes, mustards, kale and other salad-y plants, peas, Chinese cabbage, potatoes. Although hardy, Swiss chard is readily vernalized by cool weather (see below for more of an explanation) so I always wait until the first week of May to sow the new crop to avoid the risk of plants bolting to seed this summer. It is getting to past time to plant onions (both sets and seedlings). Onion varieties grown a…

Signs of Spring are everywhere on the island! Most are welcome, but one is a reminder to act now and stop the spread of a particularly nasty invasive plant, Daphne laureola (aka Spurge Laurel). This is an evergreen shrub resembling a rhododendron. The small yellow flowers are now starting to bloom, so getting rid of these weeds before they set seed is highly recommended. There are two big problems with this non-native garden escapee: 1) all parts of the plant are highly toxic, posing a severe threat to humans and pets, and 2) it spreads aggressively, often in dense patches, out-competing native species. The seeds are distributed by birds (whose digestive systems handle many compounds toxic to mammals) and can grow in undisturbed soil and sunny or shady places. Because of this, our forest ecosystems near residential areas are particularly at risk. Removing Spurge Laurel is easy, but wear gloves to avoid skin irritation. Pull small plants out when the soil is moist. Cut lar…

With the first days of spring officially here and after a couple of warm, sunny days this week, things are picking up in the garden. The first bumble bees, butterflies and hover flies are visiting crocus and my red flowering currants are bursting with bright colour (to the delight of hummingbirds). Looking back my March 20, 2022 message, I see that the list of resources for coastal gardeners still looks useful, especially for new gardeners. If that interests you, read it here. There is also info in that message on how to grow more in the same space, so there is no need to repeat it here…. Here are some things to do/not do over the next few weeks: By the end of the month, dig up root crops still in the garden and store them in the refrigerator. As the weather warms they start to grow, using up sugars stored in the roots to grow a flower stalk with a corresponding loss of flavor and quality. Don’t clear away damaged winter vegetable plants yet: Leafy greens often grow …

Sprouting sweet potatoes I was hoping we could tiptoe through February unscathed, but it looks like winter is not done yet as we have a brief Arctic blast predicted for later this week. Forecasts show it getting colder Tuesday and Wednesday, with an very cold night Thursday with lows possibly down to -6 degrees C (21 F) around much of the coast. Temperatures that low can be especially damaging for plants that have spent the relatively warm weeks since early January resuming growth and, in some cases, starting to bloom. While garlic shoots are very hardy and should be fine, perennials that have started to grow and now show new shoots could be damaged. Artichokes are particularly vulnerable and can die from a late cold spell after the crowns have started to sprout. SO, cover them up with mulch by Wednesday, and if possible, turn a bucket or large plant pot upside down over the crowns for couple of days of cold. Get out those tarps again and cover beds of lettuce, spinach, Swis…

With days noticeably longer and our last month of serious winter coming up, gardeners are itching to be doing something. It is too early to think about garden cleanup or starting seedlings, but it is a good time to start pruning fruit trees, plan the vegetable garden and get seeds. Dormant pruning: On a dry day (there are some in this week’s weather forecast!) you might want to start pruning fruit trees, grapes, kiwi and berry bushes. If you don’t have many plants to do, you can wait until February, but if you want to get out in the garden or have a lot to do, go ahead and make a start now. Aim to have all dormant pruning done by the end of February. I just finished pruning my super dwarf apple trees (on M27 rootstock) and was struck, once again, by how much I appreciate these small, productive trees. It only takes about 10 minutes to prune each one, no ladder needed, yet they carry large crops of full-size fruit. With the warm weather last October, which caused trees to …

I usually send a note earlier in December celebrating the solstice and the beginning of longer days, but this year’s plan was derailed by having to rush my sick dog to Victoria in the teeth of last week’s blizzard, getting snowed in in Victoria for two days and, after getting back to the island, coping with the winter weather we have all been dealing with. My little dog is making a complete recovery and, thankfully, we survived the experience through the great kindness of friends who drove us through the snow storm, billeted us for days, and shoveled ever more snow… The deep snow we had during the coldest weather benefitted our overwintering vegetables, burying them in an insulating layer and keeping them from frost damage. Root crops under mulch probably didn’t feel a thing. While other plants may now be looking pretty squashed by the snow, most will be fine. Crushed leafy greens, leeks and smaller plants usually straighten up over time and, even if older leaves have been b…

Well, here it is: The first really wintery cold weather is forecast to arrive this coming week. It may get truly nasty after Tuesday with snow and very low overnight temperatures forecast by Thursday. SO right now, this weekend, finish all mulching and supplement any mulches that might have packed down in the rain. And now you can layer enough mulch on top of beds of carrots, beets and other root crops to completely cover over the tops. If needed, lay light boards, sections of stucco wire or chicken wire on top to hold leaves or straw in place. The thick mulch essentially turns the root crop bed into a living root cellar. Snow is predicted too, therefore check that your large plants, such as winter cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, are well staked up so they won’t get pulled over or broken by the weight of wet snow. While you are in the garden, cover lettuce, Swiss chard, salad greens, spinach, with tunnels, plastic or whatever you are using for winter protection this…

Look for cutworms on leaves after dark.

With frosty nights forecast this week and even a chance of snow in some places (!), mulching the garden is top of mind. The problem in my area is that many trees still have most of their leaves due to the long warm fall. I find myself standing under my biggest maple, exhorting it to get on with it! The soil is still warm enough now that there is no risk of frost damage to roots in the soil, but if you have mulch to spread this week, the priority should be roots crops that have “shoulders” sticking above the ground. Beets, in particular, push up out of the soil, especially the long Cylindra types, so they are at the top of my list, along with celeriac, to get the first mulch. Empty beds are another priority for mulch to protect the soil from erosion and prevent compaction in the heavy rains that have been arriving in storm after storm. I expect it will take a week or two yet for all the leaves to drop so…

Dear Salt Spring Island, As of right now, we are considered a primary control zone for the highly pathogenic avian influenza after the detection of a farm here on our island. This means that no birds are to arrive on or leave your premises. Please, practice good biosecurity. The highly pathogenic avian influenza is arriving on migrating birds. Limiting food that attracts wild birds, and keeping your birds away from open water sources is crucial. We know that this is hard for everyone but please buckle down for the time being. We will post any updates moving forward. If you do need to move birds for processing purposes, you do need a permit. Please contact Debbie at the BC Ministry of Agriculture: 778-405-3954 For culling, we have two volunteers, as of now, that are willing to come to your farm and help dispatch. Please message us for more details. Above everything else, please, please do not dump birds this year. We as a club want to help, but birds runn…

September this year was certainly a far cry from the cool, wet month we had last year. After being away for a couple of weeks I was surprised to come back to such warm weather, but happy to have the extra warm days making up for the late start to summer this year. Garlic: Top of mind garden task this month is planting garlic, which is best done in October. You can pretty much plant garlic any time in the fall, but believe it or not, it is best to wait until the soil is cold and wet. Planting while the soil is still warm and dry as it is right now can increase the risk of infection with Blue Mold Rot (Penicillium spp.). This fungus is short-lived in the soil and thrives in dry soil at soil temperatures of 22-25oC [71-77oF]. It is well managed by good sanitation (crop rotation, planting only healthy cloves) and by waiting to plant until the soil is cold and wet. If you have already planted garlic, tough, don’t worry about it! If you prepare the beds now, before the soil bec…

The days are getting shorter and with less than a month left until fall officially starts, it means it is too late to plant some things people have asked me about this week, including beans, peas, Brussels sprouts. We are out of time to grow chard, kale, spinach, or Chinese cabbage from seed before winter, but if you can find seedlings right now, they should succeed in gardens that are still getting a full day of sun. With the sun lower in the sky these days, gardens in forested areas or urban neighbourhoods where buildings and city trees cast shade, now have fewer hours of direct sun than gardens in wide open spaces with sun from sunrise to sunset. In gardens with more shade, planting earlier helps to compensate for the fewer sun hours this time of year. There is still time to sow the small leafy greens (winter lettuce, corn salad, arugula). These can usually can be sown up to the first week of September in most gardens, but last fall was colder than normal so late seeding …

There is a heat wave forecast for next week with temperatures rising tomorrow and staying quite high all week, especially away from the water. Regular readers will know the drill by now, but if you are a new subscriber or want to review what to do to protect your garden, see the heat alert information in my June 24, 2021 message. Garden editing week has arrived: Late July is a good time to take stock of your garden and “edit out” some plants to make space for fall greens and overwintering crops. Look for plants that aren’t doing well or are maturing so late they aren’t likely to produce a crop. Winter squash, sweet corn, melons, eggplant (unless they are in a greenhouse) might be in this category depending on when they were planted. Perhaps you planted too much of some things or need to thin plants that are too crowded now that they are full grown. If you have lettuce or leafy greens that are sending up flower stalks, radishes that are not making a proper root (some do, some…

The first day of summer is here and it is drizzly and cool again, but there IS a forecast of warm sunny weather coming at week’s end. For vegetables, the forecast highs of 24-27C [75-80 F] for much of the region (hotter than that up the Fraser Valley), constitutes a heat wave. Plants have been growing for so long in cool, moist, cloudy conditions that leaf tissue is soft and unprepared for hot weather. Should the heat materialize, before you head out for beach or barbeque, take time to rig up shade on seedlings, seedbeds, cool weather crops (peas, lettuce, young plants in the cabbage family). Any plants with large, soft leaves (squash, beans, leafy greens) could experience sunscald injury, especially at the highest temperatures. So keep your shading materials handy (shade cloth, latticework, lace tablecloths) for rapid deployment and watch the weather forecast. We haven’t been thinking about watering until now, but don’t forget to check that soil isn’t getting too dry. Every…

Photo: From left, Sheila Dobie, Nicole Melanson, Valerie Perkins, Stephane Aucoin, Ella Bronstein. (Not pictured: Daria Zovi) - Source: Farmland Trust Salt Spring Island Farmland Trust is anticipating its first AGM since the all new board of directors was installed last June. All interested community members are welcome to join by Zoom for the Monday, June 6th meeting starting at 6:00 PM. The meeting promises to bring famers and the community up to speed with the milestones, progress, and momentum the organization has enjoyed over the past year. It will also roll out what people can expect through the rest of 2022, with some large achievements coming to fruition. The most significant announcements will be concerning the long-anticipated food hub, The Root on Beddis Road, and the final countdown to its completion and launch later in the year. The Root’s three-storey facility, barn, and surrounding grounds have the mandate to improve Salt Spring’s ability to produce, …