Sunday Bits #28 ( filling beds, compost, rhubarb recipes, pickled radishes...)

Our wonderful little spring heat wave is over but we got a fair amount of yardwork accomplished. Today was going to be my day to pot up the flower pots but is cool and windy, so will be a putter in the craft room day instead. So many things I am working on right now! Kind of exciting to not have to think about going outside.

We got a big delivery of 8 yards of compost the other day and filled our beds up to the brim. The compost will settle as we have so much organic matter like straw and leaves in there, will not take long for them to start 'sinking'. The compost seems to be quite lovely. We found bits of plastic and fruit label stickers, so figure it must come from the local green bin program. I cannot find any reviews but it looks and feels nice... time will tell, and then I will tell you all ; )

So, here then is our next dilemma. What will grow in these beds this first year? Compost is a soil conditioner, it feeds the soil, but is too rich to plant straight into. We wanted half compost and half garden soil but that is two deliveries and therefore, too much moolah. We have invested a lot into making good soil and improving the soil in the yard, which will pay off next year and in the years to come... but perhaps less so this year.

We purchased 50 bags of black earth from the local Home Hardware store and will place that on top of the compost so that we have something to plant into. I will make trenches and put a deeper amount of the black soil in them so that the roots of my seedlings have about 4 inches of soil before they hit the compost, and lightly layer the rest over the bed.

What can we grow in it this year, then? Heavy feeders and brassicas, but probably will not have much luck with root crops like carrots and beets (though I am going to try- hah). Looks like a year for lots of squash, winter and summer, plus cabbage, brussels, cauliflower, and broccoli. They say tomatoes and peppers, too, so may pop a few in there and see how they do. It's all good, I knew this year was going to be all about doing things differently till we get things the way we want them. As long as I am growing food, I am happy. Plus, the compost will keep moisture in longer so less watering - that's a big win. I will let you all know how things are going/growing.

Want to read about how we built the beds and our thoughts about them? See that post here... Building & Filling the New Raised Beds (themarigoldgc.com)

Here is an article about growing in compost that is a pretty good read, in case anyone else is in the same boat as I am. Can You Use Compost As Soil (Planting Directly Into Compost) (helpmecompost.com)

Here then, are this week's finds. Interesting bits that I enjoyed checking out.

This is my inspiration garden, my garden 'muse', if you will.

I may have shared this greenhouse and garden with you last year... I have it pinned and look at it often, it is in my 'goals' to make my backyard look something like this. Of course, the Swedish climate is more temperate, closer to the island weather than prairie weather so things grow faster there and there is more variety one can grow. However, we can have pretty things here, too! I will tweak and keep this 'template' in my head ; )

This is such a great gift for a gardening mom and I love the presentation, too - "Grow a Tomato Sauce Garden" Gift Basket - Satori Design for Living. I'd be so happy to get this!

This article gives good information that is the basis to a healthy organic garden. No fancy talk, just facts. Here is what he says about feeding pollinators...

Stu says the flowers considered the most beautiful are not natural at all because they have been bred to have an abnormal number of petals. The cost of this is they have fewer stamens, which contain pollen. So we find the plants more attractive, but the pollinators don’t find the nectar they need to survive.

“Avoid those ones that are most pretty,” Stu says. “Go for the ones that don’t have all those extra petals.”

Truth! You can add simple flowers to feed the pollinators, combine them with the fancier ones in your pots, gardens, and planters (if you want), for the best of both worlds for you and the bees. HERE are my favourite potager flowers to use for the pollinators and beneficial insects.

Now that it is gardening season and the greenhouses are open with all those lovely annuals, these planter ideas are so good!

I love using Cannas either on their own, or as the thriller in a big planter. In my zone 7 garden, I just cut them down in fall and popped them into the unheated hoophouse. In my new zone 3 home, I will be saving it in the cold room in the winter, just as I would/will do with dahlias.

This beautiful greenhouse and cottage garden is simple and carefree, so very lovely. Love these pretty yards that are left to be just a wee bit wild and carefree. They just feel friendlier than yards that are super manicured. I would love to linger here.

Creating a cottage garden! More lovely and simple ideas here for creating your carefree garden. Creating a cottage garden - June - Lobster and Swan

I love This kitchen with all the brass accents - simple, white, clean, gorgeous.

3 different doughs and recipes to go with them. Bread Types: Understanding the Difference Between Common Doughs (attainable-sustainable.net)

These fantastic rhubarb recipes. My rhubarb is currently under a garbage can, will be ready for harvest at the end of the month! Strawberry rhubarb pie for the grandbabies' bday party!

I am so hooked on the pickled onions since I made that wedge salad I shared with you all the other week! I then saw this recipe for pickled radishes, with onions, that looked amazing, so I had to make that, as well. Here is the recipe that I got the idea from... of course, I tweaked all the ingredients and quantities, did my own thing, so the only thing the same is the original idea.

Those are my great finds for this week. Pretty great, eh? Love having a snoop in people's gardens, even if it happens to be on the world wide web. Love getting new ideas for growing, eating, crafting, making... and love sharing these finds with you all.

Have a fantastic Sunday ~ Tanja