A visit to Ritchie's

13.5 year old Lucy makes a great seed-shopping companion.  Easy-going and mellow, she's happy as a clam smelling everything while slowly wandering the aisles.  The treat from the cashier at the end of our visit makes her day.

Ladies and gentlemen, we have petunias!!!

Look what has popped out of the soil already!  I planted them only 1 week ago; really thought they would take longer.  I guess they liked their little plastic greenhouse.  Now, into the light they go, putting my VSSS to its first plugged-in use.



Nice to have a sign of life and a bright light on a dreary rainy day.

First outdoor planting of the year: green onions

I figured why not take advantage of this big melt we're in, and get some of last year's leftover green onions into the ground.  Don't think I've ever planted so early in the year before! Some of last year's planted green onions are also trying to get a scraggly head start on 2017.

Ottawa's last and first frost dates

According to various sources:

Last frost:

May 1st to 10th (http://www.plantmaps.com/interactive-ontario-last-frost-date-map.php)
May 6th (http://www.veseys.com/ca/en/learn/reference/frost/canada)
May 7th (http://www.almanac.com/content/frost-chart-canada)
May 11th (http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/crops/facts/climzoneveg.htm)


First frost:

October 1st to 10th (http://www.plantmaps.com/interactive-ontario-first-frost-date-map.php)
October 1st (http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/crops/facts/climzoneveg.htm)
October 2nd (http://www.almanac.com/content/frost-chart-canada)
October 5th (http://www.veseys.com/ca/en/learn/reference/frost/canada)


Also came across these good articles about frost dates:  http://veggiepatchreimagined.blogspot.ca/2012/05/last-frost-date-watch-and-planting-out.html
http://ottawahortiphilia.blogspot.ca/2007/04/my-date-with-last-frost.html
https://ai731.wordpress.com/2012/03/20/spring-planting-dates-last-frost-and-fox-terriers/

It must be spring! Brand new VSSS, and -- wakey wakey, petunias and tuberous begonias!

Oooooooh, look at my brand new Super-Duper Professional Grade Vertical Seed Starting Structure (VSSS)! 

Actually just a run of the mill metal shelving unit from the hardware store, plus some boot trays to better support the flimsy plastic greenhouse trays, with one of my ancient grow lights hooked up to test it out.  I love it!  So exciting!  Can't wait to get it all filled up with seeds and plantlings soon! 

Alas though, too soon to get much started just yet.  But, I did plant some petunia seeds (my first time trying that), and I'm hoping to wake up last fall's begonia tubers by potting them (my first time trying that, too).   There they are soaking in some rays on the bottom shelf!  Ooooh!  Ahhhh!

Ottawa's plant hardiness zone: 5A

I always forget, so posting it here.

According to this page, Ottawa is zone 5A.

Building a tiered lighting system!

Woo!  Thinking about the upcoming seed-starting season, and inspired by this article, yesterday I bought a metal shelf unit.  Haven't put it together yet but am excited to rig it all up with my grow lights!

Bonus, it was on sale for only ~$55 + tax at Canadian Tire, $20 off!