Fun, fun, fun!

The first week of gardening in Inuvik has been a success both at home and at the Inuvik Greenhouse. The goal of this Blog is to officially chart and track my gardening activities in Inuvik and what I have learned over the past years and to see if what I 'think' is actually tried and true. This past week of gardening has proven many things to me.

 

1. Fact: We plant at the greenhouse around the weekend BEFORE the May long weekend. We had a mild winter and little snow this year and so planting took place about 5 days early but this proves this to theory true. So in future years gardeners should be able to gave the timing of seedlings based on this timeframe.

2. Fact: For the first 2 weeks at the season only plant seeds, wait on planting seedlings. Again, this is true as you can always expect a few more cold days in the season (this is the forecast for this weekend). Seeds will be fine in the cold-ish weather but your seedlings will be in shock. Keep them inside and safe and warm for a bit longer, don't rush them out of the house. I started opening a window near the seedlings so they can start to feel the cooler weather of the morning air.

3. Fact: Perennials do work outside in Inuvik. be persistent with this and find the right variety but I now have a solid base of perennials in my yard at home (outside). I have 4 lilac bushes that do well over the winter without mulch or burlap coverings and I have poppies that are already growing from previous year's. After about 5 years of yard work and planting I think I am at a point where I will not require annuals in many of my Inuvik flower beds. Saves time and money.

So for the greenhouse, I have dug up my plot. I have added bone meal, vermiculite, turkey fertilizer and another random fertilizer mix. And I have planted some seeds:

• Cilantro- planted now as it will not last long
• Radishes- which I am testing as year's ago I did not have success with this
• Beets- which I like some to grow quite big (longer time needed)
• Carrots- regular and a new round variety
• Lettuce
• Basil
• Peas- I always plant a dwarf variety thinking that will produce faster but I never get a good crop with a dwarf- early season variety. See what happens this year as I tried a mid-season dwarf variety.

In the yard, I have only started with picking up garbage, checking out the condition of the flower beds and raking the lawn. I want to get some seeds thrown down and some shrub 'food' added in case we get a bit of snow/rain this weekend to give it all some moisture.

A great start and fun as usual.

S.