Growing Tomatoes in Vancouver

It's time for another little update from the SixBalloons garden!

It has been a real challenge growing tomatoes this summer in Vancouver, as we had an unseasonably cold Spring, and an unusually cloudy July. Now that it's the end of August, I am finally seeing some colour on my tomato plants.

Of course, I love heirloom tomatoes, but I like to grow a mix, along with high-yielding hybrids. The tomato above was tagged as a Sun Cherry seedling at the VanDusen Garden Plant Sale but the size begs to differ!

See the mystery tomato compared to my Sweet Million cherry tomatoes? Speaking of Sweet Million, it is one of those varieties owned by the large seed conglomerate but the yield is amazing. There are endless clusters of sweet little cherry tomatoes everywhere I look.

My mouth waters at the prospect of eating my Black Krim heirloom tomatoes though. They are still green now, but I can't wait for them to ripen! The dark tomato flesh is so smoky and delicious, it tastes perfect with a bit of salt and pepper eaten fresh from the garden.

I'm so glad that the tomatoes are finally taking shape! I just hope the weather holds up so I don't end up with a bunch of green tomatoes on my hands. =)

Linking up a little late to the Tuesday Garden Party at An Oregon Cottage!

Pyrex Butterfly Gold Oval Casserole

Ah the mystery that is Value Village. I was perusing the shelves the other day and saw a small Pyrex mixing bowl in the Shenedoah pattern priced at $3.99. Right beside it was this beauty - an oval casserole with lid in perfect condition for the same price!

I find it a bit odd that a tiny little Pyrex mixing bowl costs the same as a good sized casserole dish with patterned lid...

The other interesting thing is that this is the second Butterfly Gold piece to add to my collection - I previously bought a Store and Serve piece from the same VV that was two dollars more, even though it's smaller!

Sometimes I get a bit frustrated with Value Village. The inconsistency in pricing is hard to deal with because I  know that a certain piece can cost anywhere between $4 to $12 depending on who is reviewing the inventory.

On the other hand, I guess I should just shrug it off when something is expensive, and swoop in when it's cheap, like I did with this score.

Luckily I was also able to get out in the garden today with my new piece, harvesting some peas and a little baby carrot!

I'm participating in Colorado Lady's Vintage Thingie Thursday and Thrifty Things Friday at The Thrifty Groove!

Vintage Pyrex Measuring Cup with Raised Lettering!

I found a Pyrex piece recently that I find myself using all the time - a vintage Pyrex glass measuring cup with raised lettering! In the one-cup size, I find that this is so practical for mixing sauces, measuring for wet ingredients, and even when I need to harvest a few peas. =)

Two characteristics of this beautiful cup give some indication of its age. First, the closed loop handle was phased out in the 90s and replaced by the hook style handle that we now see on modern pieces. Secondly, the also-distinctive red Pyrex lettering on measuring cups was introduced in the 1940s according to Pyrex Love.

 

I suppose this cup could be from the 1930s or even earlier!?

The bottom of the measuring cup is legible from the interior of the cup and reads: "Pyrex Made in Canada - Not for Legal Use - Liquid".

By the way, those are my beautiful Little Marvel Heirloom peas that I've been growing!

Linking up to HLA's Flea Market Finds!

Little Marvel Heirloom Peas Growing in the Garden!

I am growing an heirloom variety of peas this summer called Little Marvel, and the beautiful pods are emerging from the creamy white flowers.

I love seeing the delicate peas when the light is shining back behind the pods! Little Marvel only grows to about 4' in height and is well suited to container growing or on its own in the garden.

I staked about five pea plants around a green tomato cage, which acts as a trellis for the peas. This cluster of pods and flowers shows the little tips clinging on to parts of the trellis and each other.

The curly tips are so beautiful. They're reaching out for something to cling onto as they reach for the skies.

Also exciting to see in the garden is my garlic scapes, a SixBalloons garden first! Did you know that scapes tend to be ready for harvest around the date of the Summer Solstice? Interesting.

What's growing in your garden?

Linking up to the Tuesday Garden Party at An Oregon Cottage!

Purple Alliums in Bloom!

I had an interesting talk with my father in law this weekend. We drove by a huge swath of overgrown grass by some railroad tracks in Vancouver, and he sighed. He said that back in the old country, droughts brought on great struggles. Goats had to be herded to areas less affected by drought, and farmers had to pay land-owners for the "use" of their grass for feeding the animals.

He always found it funny that here in our rainy Spring seasons, we grow and mow our lawns, put the clippings into plastic bags, and dump them in the landfill... I think home gardeners everywhere can make a dent into this strange modern way of living with every bit of waste that gets composted, and every crop that is harvested.

For myself, I usually tend to go with veggies instead of flowers, but these hardy allium bulbs always make an appearance in my garden.

Back in the Autumn, I lined up the bulbs to create a little border. Check out this great splash of colour from my front yard alliums! It is hard to believe that just a few short weeks ago, they were waiting to burst forth.

I'm so relieved to report that I have transplanted most of my tomato plants now, after such a wet and cold month of May. I have a good combination this year of heirlooms and heavy-producing hybrids in the garden and can't wait to see how everything grows.
Better to be harvesting juicy fresh tomatoes instead of having a bit more grass to mow, right? =)

DIY Mesclun Salad

I harvested my first "crops" of the season and made myself a salad! This is my first year growing mescluns so I am pretty excited.

The cute little leaves are so tender, and it does taste better than the greens prewashed and boxed at the supermarket. It is shown above in a cereal bowl with my Pyrex Delphite side dish as a plate charger!

I have been growing them in a shady spot in my front yard in a planter, surrouding some little Carrot seedlings. This is what it looked like a week before harvest:

I'm really encouraged by this bit of growth, because we have had an unusual Spring in Vancouver. It has been too cold to put tomatoes and peppers out, but we had a couple days of heat last week that caused my lettuces and mustards to bolt. Can't win 'em all I guess.

My favourite way to eat salads is with some good olive oil, red wine vinegar or balsamic, plus salt and pepper. Is anyone out there having success in their veggie gardens yet?

Vegetable Garden Update - Growing Peas, Carrots, Onions, Mescluns and Mustards

It was a beautiful evening yesterday so I whipped out my camera and took some progress photos of my little veggie garden. My tiny bit of success last summer whetted my appetite for more. I can say that the most delicous carrot I've ever tasted came from my little urban garden patch.

The first seeds planted this year were for the heirloom Little Marvel peas. This cute little plant produces sweet pea pods on a small bush-like plant that works well for containers, and directly seeded in the garden. I love when its foliage starts to uncurl.

Growing next to them are my Mokum and Imperial carrots, as companion gardening rules say that peas love carrots! From what I understand, the biggest risk to carrot crops are the carrot rust fly. I hope that planting these within my rows of peas will confuse the bugs and keep them away from my tasty carrots. Carrots sure take a lot of patience and careful weeding. When they first poke out from the soil, they resemble blades of grass, but soon the familiar fern-like leaves will follow.

I would be really pleased if I can successfully grow baby salad greens instead of purchasing them in the wasteful plastic packages. I try to reuse them before recycling, but it bugs me that this is how some veggies are sold today. Hopefully these little baby lettuce blend mescluns will grow nice and strong.

Another first-time vegetable I'm attempting are these Tah Tsai mustard greens with beautiful green leaves. The little plot I'm growing the mustards in only gets morning sun, so I'm hoping the leafy greens can produce in this area. I'm saving the hot and toasty afternoon sun areas for my tomato and pepper plants!

I rounded out this plot with some onion sets I saw at the grocery store. I didn't realize till recently that you can plop these small bulbs into the ground in the Spring and wait for July to roll around. I purchased about 20 onion sets for about 80¢ so even if only a few onion bulbs fatten up, it'll be well worth it. Apparently you can even use some of them solely to harvest for scallions (green onions). I thought this was such a great deal that I went back and purchased 20 more last week, photographed here with my new Pyrex Delphite side plates, and I hope to get these in the ground soon.

I'm really optimistic about my garden this year, and hoping that the bugs don't get to the produce before I do. Simple tasks like weeding, mulching, and watering are so rewarding - I get to relax, and observe progress every time I get out there!

Stay tuned as I'll get back to our regularly scheduled programming within the next few days! I've got some great thrifty finds that I have to clean up and photograph. Thank goodness the days are getting longer!

Pyrex Delphite Blue Plates

Hello Readers! I am a little late with my regular Monday post as I had a very busy weekend, enjoying the sun, doing some vegetable gardening, going to a plant sale, watching playoff hockey, and of course a little thrifting.

I am feeling quite lucky with Pyrex finds lately at the thrift stores. These beautiful Pyrex Delphite side plates were sitting amongst a stack on the shelf, but the telltale pie crust trim around the edges caught my attention.

I paid more than I wanted to at $3 per plate, as I was expecting to be able to use a 25% coupon. When I got to the till, I discovered that the discount would only apply to my next purchase. Grumble. I caved and purchased them anyway, because I love my Delphite Casserole and it gets so much practical usage in my kitchen and garden!

I even used them this weekend to hold my onion sets. We prepared a big plot in the garden that gets morning sun and afternoon shade. It'll be the perfect new home for my hydrangeas, and root and leafy veggies like carrots, onions, and lettuce!

Linking up to ATG's Thrift Share Monday!

Tomato Seedlings and Garlic Growing Update

Spring has Sprung! The days are getting longer and we are coming out of the dark and gloomy... I'm really excited about getting back into the garden! Here's a shot of my tomato seedlings at 13 days.

I am growing a number of heirloom varieties from seed and am hoping they turn out well. Last year I started seeds in late April and the tomatoes ripened too late in the season. I am re-using old containers from salad greens to sprout the seeds - this will be their home for about a month until they grow "true" leaves and are ready to be transplanted to their own pots.

Remember last October when I planted some Red Russian garlic with my Pyrex Delphite's help?

After five months in the soil, protected with leaf mulch, here's how they look now. In July they will be ready to be pulled up and dried for use. Did you know this hardneck garlic variety can keep for 3-6 months if properly stored??



If you would like to know more about how these humble plants started, make sure to check out my Growing Garlic tutorial from October!

Growing Garlic with My Pyrex Delphite

During a summer roadtrip to the Okanagan area, I purchased some locally grown Russian Red garlic. It had large cloves, a great taste, and a beautiful purple hue to its papery skins. I have seen fresh garlic at Farmer's Markets sell for between $2 to $2.50 per bulb, which is a bit tough to swallow for a thrifty buyer like me. The solution: Grow your own garlic!


I enlisted the help of my trusty Pyrex Delphite casserole bowl. The first task is to break apart the bulbs and select the large cloves. Large cloves will turn into large bulbs and have a higher success rate. Most gardeners recommend simply using the smaller cloves in your kitchen instead of the garden.


Of the four Russian Red bulbs that I had, I got about 20 cloves to plant.


Prepare your soil by loosening the dirt, and plant the cloves with the pointed ends up. They should be about 5" apart, and about 2" deep. Garlic is a heavy feeder and needs nutrient-rich soil that is well draining. Throw in some compost if you have it on hand.


I understand that during a cold snap, the garlic cloves turn into bulbs. These little guys stay in the ground till summer. The tops of the plants can be cut in the spring and used in various recipes, as these garlic "scapes" can be used for anything from pesto to stir-fry's. Later in the summer, when the stalks brown, they are ready to be pulled up and dried for use! Make sure to get these in the ground soon, for a garlic-y bounty in July!

Thrifted Basil Windowsill Planter

I was running some errands on the weekend and noticed that a church in my neighbourhood had a sign outside for a Saturday thrift sale. I screeched to a halt and popped in for a look. It is hard to believe from the outside, but the church has basically converted their auditorium/gymnasium into a thrift shop! The stage was being used for storage of stock that hadn't been sorted yet. It was much bigger than I imagined from the little sign outside on the street. Even though I love thrift shops, I found it a bit sad that they closed down a useful space and replaced it with a store.

The number of looky-loos confirmed that this is a popular hidden gem with the locals. I spotted a bundle of beautiful colourful fabric in a nice floral pattern. It was two drapery panels in a previous life and a lot of fabric for the $6 I paid. I'm still trying to figure out what I can make with them... I mean, have someone make for me!


I spotted a nice vintage red flour sifter too but I put it back since I'm not much of a baker. I did pick up a little wooden kids' stool for $1.50 since I think this will be nice to have in the garden when weeding. I might also paint it white and have it in the kitchen so I can reach the upper shelves!


I scored a nice aluminum vintage loaf pan which is now repurposed as a basil herb planter. It'll look great on the windowsill when my seedlings grow into larger plants. It was 50 cents, a great price for a new planter!

Christmas in May

A couple weekends ago, we had a nice outing at St. George's school "Mayfair". St. George's is an all boys, high end private school in the lush Dunbar neighbourhood in Vancouver. This is no regular school fundraising event. They were selling raffle tickets where the grand prize was a $40,000 BMW Coupe!

The fair includes many components - a midway for kids games, the international food fair, tents dedicated to plant sales, book sales, homemade baked pies, a "fashion mall" with lots of lightly used brand name clothes, and my personal favourites, the Marketplace with art, jewellery, household goods, and toys.

Aside from the delicious Apple Crumble pie that we brought home, we scored some great deals. My favourite find was a bag of wooden Christmas ornaments. Look at the cute faces on the angels!



Now that we are starting our new home together, I am really excited about building up my cachet of ornaments for many Christmases to come. These remind me of ones we hang every year at my parents' house. A bagful of these bells and angels was mine for 50 cents.



Hubby also scored a great find. He and his brother always pined after a slot car set when they were kids, but it was just too expensive. We definitely didn't have that problem at Mayfair, as we spotted a big cardboard box labelled $3 on the side that contained a double loop set with remote controls and a yellow Mustang. We know this is the Artin Wheels of Fire set because we found the exact same set at a Salvation Army store in February with the original box... but no cars... for $10.



So for a total of $13 we have gotten ourselves a set that would have cost a couple hundred dollars brand new. Woohoo!



We also picked up a couple of other knicknacks like some supplies for my edible gardening project. I picked up a little terra cotta pot for 10 cents and it's happily housing my Little Marvel heirloom bush pea seedling. I also got a bright blue melamine tray that is perfect for holding my seedling trays!