British Expats
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British Expats (https://britishexpats.com/forum/)
-   The Maple Leaf (https://britishexpats.com/forum/maple-leaf-98/)
-   -   The vegetable patch (https://britishexpats.com/forum/maple-leaf-98/vegetable-patch-754237/)

bandrui Apr 12th 2012 6:45 am
Re: The vegetable patch
 
Originally Posted by fletcher m (Post 10002630)
Yep, and he has all his hair, grey though!;)
This is sounding promising! :D

christmasoompa Apr 12th 2012 6:47 am
Re: The vegetable patch
 
Originally Posted by fletcher m (Post 10002308)
I hope you have dwarf rootstock, always easier picking and pruning when it is only just above your head. It is such a shame when large trees have fruit and the wasps and birds are the only benefactors.
Nope. Did consider it, but think they would just have been lost at the back of the garden. Anyway, isn't that what a ladder and a husband are for?! :lol:

Originally Posted by bandrui (Post 10002614)
Mm. I just turned 63. Is he handsome and kind? :lol:
Originally Posted by fletcher m (Post 10002630)
Yep, and he has all his hair, grey though!;)
Yay, matchmaking! You never know, this time next year we could have another wedding thanks to BE..........:thumbsup:

bandrui Apr 12th 2012 6:48 am
Re: The vegetable patch
 
Originally Posted by Piff Poff (Post 9996381)
Our next door neighbour (at the house we are selling) is an avid gardener and from late winter onwards he has his garden lamps on growing his seedlings (looks like a grow up) and now the snow has virtually all gone he will start digging, the man lives to dig. The only problem is he doesn't confine his digging to the back yard, he digs the front as well. Then when the grass is long enough - he only cuts it a few times a year, he smothers the veggies in grass cuttings to help keep the moisture in, this results in a big smelly untidy mess:thumbdown:

Hmm, I wonder why our house is lingering on the market....
Tell your silly neighbour that he should be composting those grass clippings. If he just puts them on the garden, he's sucking all the nitrogen out of the soil. Might help the house sale situation too. ;)

fletcher m Apr 12th 2012 6:52 am
Re: The vegetable patch
 
Originally Posted by bandrui (Post 10002609)
Nice house. I see it's a strata :confused: strange. I think it will take you more than 40 mins to get to Royal Jubilee. It's not that it is a great distance on the highway but you will have to go across Victoria and if it's rush hour, forget it. Have you thought of looking at the Saanich peninsula between Sidney and Victoria where there are some lovely homes and a rural feel.
Perhaps it is because of the communal land, 30 acres? i'll get the full picture from the agent. Highlands is another option, we're going to really check out the properties in September when we visit, are you talking about the area north of the uni? That does seem like a nice area, a bit pricey though. Keep me updated on the garden front, it seems the closest i am going to get to a British climate is on lower VI. I can't imagine not gardening, it is such a big part of my spare time over here, always something to look forward to in the garden, even if it is 20 lettuce ready at the same time.:rofl:

bandrui Apr 12th 2012 6:55 am
Re: The vegetable patch
 
[QUOTE=christmasoompa;10002641]Nope. Did consider it, but think they would just have been lost at the back of the garden. Anyway, isn't that what a ladder and a husband are for?! :lol:

I used to think I would never go for dwarf fruit trees because I love the look of an old-fashioned orchard but I can definitely see the benefits for picking and pruning. I just have an old plum tree and cherry tree. Must put an apple tree in.

Salt Spring Island used to be the apple producers for the whole of BC so there are many old orchards here. They're a real pain to prune but husband and ladder very useful. :)

bandrui Apr 12th 2012 7:03 am
Re: The vegetable patch
 
Originally Posted by fletcher m (Post 10002651)
Perhaps it is because of the communal land, 30 acres? i'll get the full picture from the agent. Highlands is another option, we're going to really check out the properties in September when we visit, are you talking about the area north of the uni? That does seem like a nice area, a bit pricey though. Keep me updated on the garden front, it seems the closest i am going to get to a British climate is on lower VI. I can't imagine not gardening, it is such a big part of my spare time over here, always something to look forward to in the garden, even if it is 20 lettuce ready at the same time.:rofl:
It is definitely God's country here and so many avid gardeners, nurseries, etc.

Places are such personal decisions but to tell the truth Highlands isn't my favourite area. Highlands, Colwood, Langford are new areas with lots of big box stores and not heaps of charm... loads of new builds.

North of Uni yes, but on the other side of Pat Bay Highway is where I was thinking of. Loads of small farms, nurseries, fruit growers and scattered residential communities. Good access to Victoria. I would personally even consider Victoria itself... many wonderful Victorian properties and charming little houses. I have a good friend in the Fernwood district where people even grow veggies on the grass verges as well as in their yards. You're right though... very desirable areas and probably not cheap though I haven't looked at pricing.

What is the feel of the area that you are looking for?

fletcher m Apr 12th 2012 7:15 am
Re: The vegetable patch
 
Originally Posted by bandrui (Post 10002677)
What is the feel of the area that you are looking for?
We will only know that when we get there, looking for semi rural, church, dry weather, not too cold, must have a little land - max 1 acre, prefer less, you just end up cutting lawns and that's just not the fun side. i 'll be a cash buyer so we know our limit and really don't want a mortgage, feels i have had one of those for as long as i can remember, I like the idea of what I earn is what i can spend or save. i have a small income, so if I retire early and go fishing, so be it, as long as I can afford the fuel for the boat.:) i know what i want from the rest of my life, and I don't want to be back on the tread mill.

fletcher m Apr 12th 2012 7:58 am
Re: The vegetable patch
 
Whoops, I meant Victoria General Hospital....i suppose that does make a bit of a difference!

Piff Poff Apr 12th 2012 1:43 pm
Re: The vegetable patch
 
Originally Posted by bandrui (Post 10002643)
Tell your silly neighbour that he should be composting those grass clippings. If he just puts them on the garden, he's sucking all the nitrogen out of the soil. Might help the house sale situation too. ;)
He is actually quite successful with his crops:confused: I'll let him continue and the other neighbours can do the complaining:rofl:

bandrui Apr 12th 2012 4:38 pm
Re: The vegetable patch
 
Originally Posted by fletcher m (Post 10002777)
Whoops, I meant Victoria General Hospital....i suppose that does make a bit of a difference!
Aren't Royal Jubilee and the old Vic General the same hospital? I have actually had this conversation before in the past few weeks. :huh:

JonboyE Apr 12th 2012 4:47 pm
Re: The vegetable patch
 
Zucchini (courgettes) seem to grow wonderfully well here. I am usually sick to death of them by the end of September.

bandrui Apr 13th 2012 10:09 am
Re: The vegetable patch
 
Originally Posted by JonboyE (Post 10003314)
Zucchini (courgettes) seem to grow wonderfully well here. I am usually sick to death of them by the end of September.
So true. Come late summer you start to see all kinds of recipes for zucchini muffins, zucchini stew, zucchini cake, etc. etc. etc.

This year I asked myself "What veggies do you actually want to eat?" and am growing only those. I can get carried away because I just like to grow stuff.

I must say I am a huge berry fan. They are so easy and low maintenance and I live on berry crumbles all through the winter (super high in anti-oxidants too).
I have blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, blackcurrants and loganberries in the garden but pick lots of blackberries from all around here in the fall. I bag them into small plastic bags and stick them in the freezer so they are ready when I need them.

Aviator Apr 13th 2012 12:11 pm
Re: The vegetable patch
 
Originally Posted by bandrui (Post 10002643)
If he just puts them on the garden, he's sucking all the nitrogen out of the soil.
Why is that?

fletcher m Apr 14th 2012 7:05 am
Re: The vegetable patch
 
Originally Posted by bandrui (Post 10003309)
Aren't Royal Jubilee and the old Vic General the same hospital? I have actually had this conversation before in the past few weeks. :huh:
They have different address and postcode.

http://www.viha.ca/finding_care/faci...l_hospital.htm

http://www.viha.ca/finding_care/faci...e_hospital.htm


Straight off the VIHA website.

Please be aware: Several units at Victoria General Hospital and Royal Jubilee Hospital have the same name because they are named for their floor and geographic designation (for example, 6 South). Please make sure you and your visitors know which hospital to visit.

Aviator Apr 14th 2012 7:46 am
Re: The vegetable patch
 
Originally Posted by bandrui (Post 10003309)
Aren't Royal Jubilee and the old Vic General the same hospital? I have actually had this conversation before in the past few weeks. :huh:
Totally different locations (that is the new Vic General), a long walk apart! The old VGH was downtonw and is long since closed.


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