We wish a Happy New Year to all our Sydney’s Green Garden friends.
2013 left us in a hurry, and 2014 has arrived with a cold vengeance we cannot help but feel deep through to our bones. Like many gardeners, maybe you are dreaming of warm temperatures and gardening? I am.
These cold January nights while curled up near a fireplace provide a great time for planning your container gardening strategy for next summer. For instance, the veggies you want to eat fresh and the quantity you want to grow. Or, this year you may want to try new vegetables.
We are excited here at Sydney’s Green Garden – In the next few weeks we will begin choosing the best varieties for container gardening in our region. Check back for updates on our progress. Like you, we can’t wait to dig in the soil and plant some seeds.
Again, Happy New Year and Happy Garden Dreams ~ your friends at Sydney’s Green Garden
We are celebrating Earth Day in a new way this year! We have decided to give away two free garden kits! We would like it if you could track your progress and your yield with a few notes and pictures. If you are willing to keep us posted on your results and would like to enter the contest, please contact us via e-mail. On April 22 two names will be drawn from a hat to decide who wins the gardening kits.
Spring is just around the corner and we have our seeds for 2013 in! You should be seeing them available for purchase online very shortly. In addition to the varieties you have come to know and love, we have some new-comers you may want to try: Blue Coco Beans, Blue Lake Beans, Nelson Carrots and Vegetable Spaghetti Squash. Try a new variety in your container garden this year.
The first workshop of the season was held at Lakeshore Lutheran. Everyone who attended enjoyed learning about container gardening. Scott had a fun time with this group, as well. Be sure to check out our workshop schedule often since we are adding dates and locations as they are planned.
We have several new varieties of fun vegetables that Scott is going to be planting in a research garden. If they do well in the containers you will be seeing them in our product line for 2014! Some of the new, fun veggies Scott will be growing are: Dynamo cabbage, Ruby Perfection cabbage, Snow Crown cauliflower, Turbo (slicing) cucumbers, Fancipak (pickling) cucumbers, a Chinese mustard lettuce called Red Giant, Mizuna mustard lettuce, American Flag leeks, Tokyo Long White onions and Scarlet Bandit onions (both bunching onions), Cherry Belle and Easter Egg radishes, as well as a new winter squash called Table Queen Bush. He is really excited to try these new varieties to see what Sydney’s Green Garden can offer you next year. Research via planting, tracking progress and yield is how Sydney’s Green Garden brings you the best seeds for container gardening. This way we can offer you “tried and true” seeds that will work nicely in your container garden.
If you are interested, please consider attending a workshop. ALL ARE WELCOME and there is no cost to attend. You will learn firsthand what is involved in container gardening and how easily it can enrich your life. Check out this list of upcoming workshops and be sure to check back often for new events! Also, if you would like to host a workshop for your group, please contact us via email.
March 12, 7:15PM (Start time is approximate.)
Lakeshore Lutheran, 4002 London Road, Duluth *Fireside Room
Workshop begins around 7:15 PM after the Garden Club meeting ends. The workshop is open to the public. However, we ask that you RSVP via email so we know how much seating is needed.
April 18, 6:00 PM
Whole Foods Co-op, 610 East 4th Street, Duluth
Join us for a fun workshop in what may be one of the best venues to showcase Sydney’s Green Garden container gardening! Pesticide-free, organically grown vegetables are a staple in a diet rich in whole foods. No need to RSVP, just come and enjoy the workshop.
April 20, 1:00 PM (Start time is approximate.)
Duluth Woman’s Club, 2400 East Superior Street, Duluth
Our workshop will follow after The Duluth Woman’s Club luncheon at Noon. This workshop is open to the public. We do ask that you RSVP via email so we can save a seat for you!
Sydneys Green Garden will be featuring new seeds for 2013! They will be available for order in mid February. The gardening season is coming soon.
Thanks everyone,
Scott
It has been a very warm summer in the northland and in many parts of the country. In Duluth, Mn. the beans should still be coming up. Remember to pick them when they are the diameter of a pencil. The more you pick early the more you get.
The onion tops are strarting to fall over and they are getting ready to be harvested. They can still be in the ground for some time. Check out the website on how to harvest.
I have some lettuces still growing but most have bolted. The lettuces I have are from my third planting in late July. No spinach though…. tough when it is hot out. This is usually done by end of June.
The basil is looking great and can be harvested any time.
The indeterminate tomatoes continue to grow and bear fruit. Pick these often. The determinates have set for some time and you should be enjoying mouth watering tomatoes.
Pick your summer squashes and enjoy. They have been coming since mid July.
The pickling cucumbers are just about done. The fanfare slicing cucs are looking great.
Potatoes do not look very good this time of year however they should stay in the ground for a bit more. I would wait a couple weeks to harvest.
Carrots are looking great. wait until after the first frost to harvest and they will be much sweeter.
Its amazing how great Sydneys swiss chard blend still looks. this is one green that looks and tastes great throughout the entire growing season.
I cant believe it but i actually have a good sized watermelon growing. This is a first for me. I think the warm summer has something to do with it.
The pumpkins are growing but seem to be a bit smaller this year.
Celery, kale, cilantro, oregano, parsley, horseradish are growing great.
Peppers have been fantastic this year. I have been harvesting for some time and even many of the bell peppers have matured.
Thanks everyone and email me with any questions you may have.
Enjoy your garden.
Scott
Sydneys Green Garden was part of the Duluth Women’s Club Garden Tour July 18, 2012. 10 Gardens in the City of Duluth were chosen for the women to tour. I had over 165 containers on the driveway with many varieties of vegetables.
The tour started off with alot of excitement. Around 9:30 am a big male bear came to the house. He came the night before and ate all of my birdseed I store in a metal container outside the garage. He thought there was more. My one eyed shitzu, Banjo, kept the bear at bay for five minutes while I got the women that were in the yard to safety at my neighbors. Banjo would not let the bear get any closer than the fourth stair up from the driveway.
The lettuces and spinach are up and I have been harvesting for two weeks thanks to the snowmobile trailer garden. I actually had temperatures reach 22.7 and did not bring the trailer in .
All of vegetables were snowed on and they all are growing fine.
I planted forum bulb onions and they have alreay sprouted in 7 days. that is very fast!!!
All cool weather vegetables should be planted. Peas, radishes, lettuces, beets, spinach carrots, swiss chard, potatoes, kale etc.
The forecast for the next week does not show frost so i am planting my cucumbers, squash, peppers, tomatoes, pumpkins and beans early.
Enjoy your garden.
Thursday, May 17, 2012 there will be a workshop from 6 to 7 pm at the Whole Foods Coop on 4th Ave. East and 6th Street in Duluth, Mn.
I will be giving a workshop for the 5th grade kids Monday, May 21 at 1:15 pm at Congdon Park School. The kids will learn about sustainable living through gardening. We will be planting Purple Haze Carrots and Red and Blue Potatoes. I donate the soil, seeds, and containers so each child will bring home a vegetable they planted.
I went on vacation from April 6 to April 15, 2012. I left the snowmobile trailer gardent out during that time and the temperature dropped below freezing many times and got as low as 24.7 degrees. On Monday April 16 we had snow which covered the containers . It reached a low of 28 degrees. I put the trailer garden out on April 17. All of the spinaches, lettuces, and peas are still good. the carrots and potatoes have not come up yet.
You can start your garden early by planting cool weather crops in containers on a snowmobile trailer.If it gets below freezing, just roll the trailer into the garage and roll it back out when the temperature gets above freezing. I planted potatoes, spinaches, lettuces, carrots and peas. I have taken the trailer in twice in the last two weeks. I will be harvesting spinach before many people have planted. Its a great way to get an early start on gardening!
Please join us at the Superior YMCA, 9 North 21st Ave. Superior 715-392-5611 on April 24th at 5:30 pm for a Free Workshop on how to grow pesticide free vegetables in containers. This is open to the public.
