First Snow in Ottawa

October 30, 2013

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Weather : 1 degrees C

Yes, it did snow this morning.
Kieren was happily stumping every snow flake he found in the ground.

Just like the days when he discovered his shadows, and every chance he got, he try to chase his own shadow or his sister shadow.

My plants were not too impressed with snow, of course, they are tropical. LOL
see my snowed in avocado!

i have lots of basella rubra and basella alba in my basement.
a pot of mint
my herb garden (parsely, oregano, mints, lemon balm)
pineapple sage
coleus

and yes... my basement is getting crowded.

Fall: Frost visited my garden?

Thursday
October 21, 2013
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada


Mr. Frost, did you visit my garden?

I was so oblivious with weather lately, and the garden was neglected. The midterms ordeal was a perfect excuse.

Today, after my Earth Science Laboratory midterm, I have enough of academia and decided to come home and cook myself some pancit. I bought a bag of shrimp, Kenny loves it, so do I.

I came home and started on cooking. I usually add all the herbs and veggies from the backyard, so I decided to clip some. And oh my! The backyard is a sorry state, but my favorite mints are still kicking.
Coleus is totally browned - like any tropical plants.

I manage to bring in my "Berries and Cream Mint".
Why?
 Isn't mint perennial in Zone 5?
Beats me, I like my berries and cream mint for winter. So, I rather have this inside, added to my many pots that I drag inside my house.

So, here are some pictures of my plants, evidence that Frost indeed visit. Or maybe not frost, just plain cold nights...

Basella alba

coleus canina

coleus blumei

coleus "peter wonder"

sweet potato "Ipomea batata"

scarlet runner beans and tomato

pot of herbs

pots of herbs

see the totally burned "browned coleus" in the middle


So, how is everyone's garden doing?
Not as bad as mine?

Fall 2013: Is it coming anytime soon?

Tuesday
October 21, 2013
 Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

 I am feeling cold, and I am wearing my sweater, so this is rough time for me. Too many of my potted plants outside, I am contemplating of bring them all in. Why not? I love them all equally. So, mint will come back, perennial in Zone 5. But I like the Berries and Creamt Mint Tea? So, this pot is no.1 to come in my crowded indoor greenhouse.

And i look at the beautiful mini-rose. Why did i planted this one in the ground? Should I dig?


 And down with my spinach: Basella alba. This a tropical spinach, it grows in my kitchen, I take one or two leaves to add to my breakfast sandwiches. By next year, I will re-seed anyways, so I am gonna bring her inside. I should start paying Karlina to water my plants in winter.

Peruvian Hot Pepper

Ornamental Peruvian Hot Pepper:)

Liliums in my garden this year

aug. 22, 2013
ottawa, ontario, canada

each year my lilium blooms
the japanese bettle attacks
geraniums decimate them - that you geranium genes

and here are my blooms, planning on adding some more bulbs next year, but darn...no more space.

Cherry Tomato: Brown Berry

august 22, 2013 
ottawa ontario canada

I did not start this tomato from seeds, this heirloom seedling was given to me.
I neglected this one for sure, tuck between one of my pots in the corner.

I was surprise to see fruits and it is very sweet. It is an heirloom variety i was told.
It is called brown berry. Maybe because it is nicely brownish.

For taste - i like the sweetness of this one. I love Tims French Vanilla - so i really like sweet fruits.

Luffa, Giant Zucchini or Cuccuza Squash

August 22 , 2013
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

This season has been challenging for me. I am not a stay at home mom anymore - I work and keep working out of the house, into clients garden pulling weeds, and all weeds. I will come home very tired, and barely have energy to tend for my jungle garden.

This year - I am also very blessed with friends. They gave me seeds and more seeds.

Karen K gave me luffa seeds.

Matt M. from USA gave me some Cuccuzza seeds to try.

And of course i have random zucchini seeds from neighbors. So these plant grow in my front yard, and reaches 15 feet - around 13 feet circumference too. One big fat zucchini and I have no idea if i wait long enough it will like Cuccuzza, or Luffa



I did cook it today - it is young and tender. Maybe young luffa?
Maybe young Cuccuza?

I added slivers of dried fish, ginger, young pods of scarlet runner beans, vietnamese coriander, parsely, green perilla, orange mint, chives, basil, pea leaves, philippine spinach, cucurbits flowers - picked like 30 of them, garlic and onions.

The City Jungle: Bare Fence to Strangling Vines

august 9, 2013
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

I know seasons change so fast, and I am all for change. I like the change, I like the variety of plants in my backyard. I looked at how bare it was in May and now, i cannot walk straight without knocking a pot of eggplant, or beans, or step on the squash.

So, here are some photos to show you how the bare fence become a jungle.

Summer Squash (Cucurbita pepo) White Scallop

ottawa ontario canada
august 5, 2013

This is one of those seeds that I notice at the seed rack towards late June. I said...oh, I really do like summer squash, but I might not have space for it. I bought it anyways, and I planted it outside my backyard gate.

And I thought - it never did flourish but it did. I saw 3 fruits today, and I am extremely happy.
life's little surprise....

Karlina played with them - or sorting them according to her. Harvested Aug. 13, 2012.
The rest of the vine looks like it has been attacked with mildew.