Your “shame” makes you more relatable, and more watchable. I am so glad that you share the imperfect parts of gardening too, it is really helpful. A lot of people are having trouble this year in zone 3 with pests and weather, and the last thing I want to see is another picture perfect garden haha, I have nothing to learn from that and it makes me feel like I’m failing. Also is very easy for us in zone 3 to compare to other parts of Canada which is not helpful.
Kristen, I understand your struggle with poor sandy soil. We brought in to our garden 18 yards of compost and will bring 20 more this fall to extend the garden for next year. It’s so expensive that I almost gave up gardening this year, because as a first time gardener I couldn’t try to amend my soil on my own. Next year, I want a cut flower garden as well. I loved my calendulas, zinnias and the few sunflowers my chickens didn’t eat.
Raised beds are looking really good, Kristen. Sorry about your soil. Takes a long time…..or a major expenditure to get poor soil up to par. Are there any dairy (or other animal) farms nearby that might have a lot of manure they want to get rid? Maybe you can find a farmer with a lot of manure that has a daughter getting married and you could work a trade. LOL. Zone 3 and poor sandy soil. You are a brave soul. Wish you the best always. 😊💖🦋🕊
I had a ton of the beetles in my snaps too. They're called a harlequin wee beetle. They're in the same family as stink bugs. I tap them into a water bottle with soap to rid of them as I noticed they don't fly away and often seem to be stuck back-to-back with other harlequin bugs, maybe mating?
Just wait until next year! That's what I seem to say a lot this year lol! You only have to look in your established beautiful raised beds to see what your garden is going to look like once you get your soil straightened out. I'm surprised anything grew at all, because wasn't that a grassy field last year? Wow! You're going to definitely get some brassicas this fall, they look good! Smart to plant for a fall crop, it's what I did as well. I feel like in 4a here, everything would do much better under cover, but we def. can't do that! You do really well pushing the season out so far in Zone 3, wow what a challenge! The Zinnias, I find that without those super hot summer days, they just dont get into the party mood very well. I am just starting to get some useable stems in Zone 4a, and I have mine in fabric mulch. You might try something I found helpful this year. I used a 50 cell plug that was really deep, and I started them a month early. They don't seem to suffer too much in the bigger cell trays for that long, and are half way there when you plant out. I realize your grow space is really limited, but now that you have your outdoor greenhouse maybe it will make a bit more room in March and April? I find with my zinnias, a smaller patch done well (because of my zone) does better than a bigger patch that's a disaster. Our friends down south are super lucky, with their 100 foot rows lol Anyway I let those 50 cell trays get nice and tall and left them in my hoop house to harden off rather than goin in and out. So much easier and I found as long as it was above freezing at night they did fine in the hoop house in late spring. Just do t leave them near the open door. I did that with the Mahogany Splendor and killed it lol Looks great Kristen, thanks so much for sharing. Your fans really love to see it all!! Ps my Feverfew didn't even get THAT tall, the darn tarnish plant bugs destroyed them completely. You are not alone!
I love your idea about the zinnias, that would probably work well here too. Last year we had a big chunk of it under a tarp, so this is serious progress.
It’s so nice watching your videos like this just listening u walk and talk about your garden. I live in zone 10a but I only recently gotten into gardening late in the season so I haven’t had any flowers bloom yet!! My white nights are just starting to look like they might consider blooming sometime soon. Its just nice being able to cheer on your garden and see all your successes 💕💕
Thank you! And I hope your garden goes well. Depending where you live, in some warmer zones like yours they skip summer and start planting in October, so maybe you’re right on time?
@@ShiftingRoots I’m hoping hahaha Some flowers/veggies I’m confident in and others I’m like “let’s see what happens :)” We have a lot of microclimates in my area so I’m just hoping for the best hahaha
I'm living in Winnipeg and I want to make a self sowing annual flower garden My mom has calendula, cosmos, forget-me-nots and bachelor's buttons. They are readily self seed every summer I'm wondering if you have noticed any other species of flowers that will self-sow easily. I'm not talking about seed saving, I'm refering to when you let the flowers seed and fall during autumn. Thank you so much for the advice. I love your channel and website since it's one of the only places I can get advice unique to zone 3
Also zone 3 and my zinnias are easily stunted by wind here. Greenhouse zinnias and the ones that were planted in wind protected beds are as tall as me while the zinnias out in the field look just like yours. I just keep saying theres always next year lol
I used your method for pre sprouting gladiolus. . Because I didn't get them in the ground early enough the roots tangled up. Trying to untangle killed them. Just planting the whole tangled platefull worked amazingly.though. They are already done here in Regina. Fyi, My garden is ahead of yours. We had lots of rain
Not any shame at all, it's the opposite: you managed to grow something where most people wouldn't and you're "growing" the soil, improving it for the years to come.
I've had the same issues with zinnias here in Edmonton. It doesn't help that I've had bunnies come and use them as their favorite snack all season. I also had the same issues with dahlias last year. I feel like I got about 1 bloom. But this year they seem to be doing better. I can't think of what I did differently!
Try Matacana sweet pea from west coast seeds available in stores locally. Mine is so prolific. Been blooming for over a month and the other sweet peas I planted did almost nothing yet
Your “shame” makes you more relatable, and more watchable. I am so glad that you share the imperfect parts of gardening too, it is really helpful. A lot of people are having trouble this year in zone 3 with pests and weather, and the last thing I want to see is another picture perfect garden haha, I have nothing to learn from that and it makes me feel like I’m failing. Also is very easy for us in zone 3 to compare to other parts of Canada which is not helpful.
Yes!! We really have to be tough in zone 3 to get anything!!
Beautiful garden! Thanks for sharing these are my favourite types of videos and help me make it through the winter when I need a garden fix
You're so welcome! We're have a pretty nice forecast so far, so maybe I'll be able to squeak in a September tour before everything is all over.
Kristen, I understand your struggle with poor sandy soil. We brought in to our garden 18 yards of compost and will bring 20 more this fall to extend the garden for next year. It’s so expensive that I almost gave up gardening this year, because as a first time gardener I couldn’t try to amend my soil on my own. Next year, I want a cut flower garden as well. I loved my calendulas, zinnias and the few sunflowers my chickens didn’t eat.
Oh wow, that would be a huge investment!! Thanks for the solidarity!!
Beautiful, I loved the garden tour. I’m zone 9b Cali so, very different growing season.
Seeing your glads are just coming I now don't feel so bad mine are at the same stage. Your little one is so cute.
Very nice veggie and cut flower gardens Kristen❤, and great tour and advice👍.
Raised beds are looking really good, Kristen. Sorry about your soil. Takes a long time…..or a major expenditure to get poor soil up to par. Are there any dairy (or other animal) farms nearby that might have a lot of manure they want to get rid? Maybe you can find a farmer with a lot of manure that has a daughter getting married and you could work a trade. LOL. Zone 3 and poor sandy soil. You are a brave soul. Wish you the best always. 😊💖🦋🕊
I had a ton of the beetles in my snaps too. They're called a harlequin wee beetle. They're in the same family as stink bugs. I tap them into a water bottle with soap to rid of them as I noticed they don't fly away and often seem to be stuck back-to-back with other harlequin bugs, maybe mating?
Just wait until next year! That's what I seem to say a lot this year lol! You only have to look in your established beautiful raised beds to see what your garden is going to look like once you get your soil straightened out. I'm surprised anything grew at all, because wasn't that a grassy field last year? Wow! You're going to definitely get some brassicas this fall, they look good! Smart to plant for a fall crop, it's what I did as well.
I feel like in 4a here, everything would do much better under cover, but we def. can't do that! You do really well pushing the season out so far in Zone 3, wow what a challenge!
The Zinnias, I find that without those super hot summer days, they just dont get into the party mood very well. I am just starting to get some useable stems in Zone 4a, and I have mine in fabric mulch. You might try something I found helpful this year. I used a 50 cell plug that was really deep, and I started them a month early. They don't seem to suffer too much in the bigger cell trays for that long, and are half way there when you plant out. I realize your grow space is really limited, but now that you have your outdoor greenhouse maybe it will make a bit more room in March and April? I find with my zinnias, a smaller patch done well (because of my zone) does better than a bigger patch that's a disaster. Our friends down south are super lucky, with their 100 foot rows lol Anyway I let those 50 cell trays get nice and tall and left them in my hoop house to harden off rather than goin in and out. So much easier and I found as long as it was above freezing at night they did fine in the hoop house in late spring. Just do t leave them near the open door. I did that with the Mahogany Splendor and killed it lol
Looks great Kristen, thanks so much for sharing. Your fans really love to see it all!!
Ps my Feverfew didn't even get THAT tall, the darn tarnish plant bugs destroyed them completely. You are not alone!
I love your idea about the zinnias, that would probably work well here too.
Last year we had a big chunk of it under a tarp, so this is serious progress.
It’s so nice watching your videos like this just listening u walk and talk about your garden. I live in zone 10a but I only recently gotten into gardening late in the season so I haven’t had any flowers bloom yet!! My white nights are just starting to look like they might consider blooming sometime soon. Its just nice being able to cheer on your garden and see all your successes 💕💕
Thank you! And I hope your garden goes well. Depending where you live, in some warmer zones like yours they skip summer and start planting in October, so maybe you’re right on time?
@@ShiftingRoots I’m hoping hahaha
Some flowers/veggies I’m confident in and others I’m like “let’s see what happens :)”
We have a lot of microclimates in my area so I’m just hoping for the best hahaha
2:14 u should also try growing ornamental ground cherry, isn’t necessarily edible but does very good as cutflower in fal
Thanks for this! I had no idea there is an ornamental variety.
I'm living in Winnipeg and I want to make a self sowing annual flower garden
My mom has calendula, cosmos, forget-me-nots and bachelor's buttons. They are readily self seed every summer
I'm wondering if you have noticed any other species of flowers that will self-sow easily. I'm not talking about seed saving, I'm refering to when you let the flowers seed and fall during autumn.
Thank you so much for the advice. I love your channel and website since it's one of the only places I can get advice unique to zone 3
I‘be heard saponaria and amaranth are also pretty prolific self-seeders, as well as poppies.
Also zone 3 and my zinnias are easily stunted by wind here. Greenhouse zinnias and the ones that were planted in wind protected beds are as tall as me while the zinnias out in the field look just like yours. I just keep saying theres always next year lol
I used your method for pre sprouting gladiolus. . Because I didn't get them in the ground early enough the roots tangled up. Trying to untangle killed them. Just planting the whole tangled platefull worked amazingly.though. They are already done here in Regina.
Fyi, My garden is ahead of yours. We had lots of rain
I’m glad it still worked even though they were tangled!!
try putting the dahlias in a hoop house next year. Planted them in a backyard greenhouse with limited light, zone 6a/b, and they did awesome for me.
Definitely considering giving up the hoop house for them!
Not any shame at all, it's the opposite: you managed to grow something where most people wouldn't and you're "growing" the soil, improving it for the years to come.
I've had the same issues with zinnias here in Edmonton. It doesn't help that I've had bunnies come and use them as their favorite snack all season. I also had the same issues with dahlias last year. I feel like I got about 1 bloom. But this year they seem to be doing better. I can't think of what I did differently!
I’m not even sure if it’s us, might just be the weather!
Try Matacana sweet pea from west coast seeds available in stores locally. Mine is so prolific. Been blooming for over a month and the other sweet peas I planted did almost nothing yet
I’ll definitely give that a try!
Beautiful! Could you please tell me why your raised beds are so tall? What do you fill them with?
same goes for zinnias
We've been trying to grow ground cherries but they always fail. They are annuals here in zone 3 right? Or do you have a variety that's perennial?
They are annuals here. I think they did well this year for me is because I gave them as much fertilizer and amendments as I did my tomatoes