The Nitty Gritty Potager

06/03/2023

One more tomato and pepper vendor for you island folks... a lot of the tomatoes that I grow and used to sell : )

In case you find yourself needing a couple more tomatoes to fill that bed, or maybe want to gift someone a seedling or two (nice!).

You can find her advert on Marketplace, she is closer for those of you who don't live on the south side. Here is the advert...

Tomato, pepper and eggplant seedlings $2
Friday through Sunday (June 2-4)
730 Brechin Road

Self-serve stand set up in the driveway. E-transfer ([hidden information]) or cash in the mailbox please.

Tomatoes:
- Yellow pear (indeterminate cherry tomato)
- Orange cherry tomato (indeterminate, small and sweet)
- Black Beauty (medium sized, indeterminate, the world's darkest tomato!)
- Costoluto Fiorentino (ruffled Italian heirloom) - SOLD OUT
- Dwarf purple heart (semi-determinate, large heirloom type)
- White cherry (indeterminate)
- Paul Robeson (indeterminate, one of my faves from last year)
- Pink bumblebee (indeterminate, cherry)
- Yellow (indeterminate, medium sized)
- Romano's Ukranian (large paste tomato, semi-determinate)
- San Marzano (Italian paste tomato, indeterminate)
- Ropreco (paste tomato, determinate/bush)
- Ananas Noire (large, heirloom, indeterminate)
- Thornburn's Terracotta (medium, semi-determinate)
- Uluru Ochre (large, semi-determinate)
- Red beefsteak (large, indeterminate)
- Mandarin Cross (medium sized orange, Japanese slicing tomato, favourite from last year, indeterminate)
- Tasmanian Chocolate (medium, determinate/bush, good for containers)
- Indigo Rose (purple cherry, indeterminate)
- Tiger Pear (yellow/purple saladette, indeterminate)

Eggplant:
- Chinese string

Peppers:
- Jimmy Nardello (sweet Italian heirloom)
- Buena Mulata (purple heirloom cayenne)
- Criolla de Cocina (hot, from Nicaragua)

Personal Note - My favourites are Paul Robeson, Uluru Ochre, Ananas Noir, Dwarf Purple Heart, and Romano's Ukrainian, a beautiful big paste tomato (see picture). The peppers all sound amazing!

05/05/2023

Hey guys... the pollinator packs are now available at Superior!

Feed the bees and attract beneficial insects for organic pest control, too. Plus, your garden never looked prettier ; )

Happy planting! Tanja

04/07/2023

Nanaimo and south - Dancing Frog Farm is taking orders for tomatoes, cukes, and other goodies!

11/15/2022

Barbara Ebell passed away peacefully in her sleep November 4th, after being tucked in for the night by her husband Lorne. She was diagnosed with late stage cancer in August, but had no complaints of pain or need for palliative medication.

Born in 1931 in Golden BC, Barbara was raised in a house full of extended family in New Westminster. She had happy memories of her childhood, exploring the city with sisters and cousins. This boisterous home was contrasted by Barbaras equally found memories of teenage years spent in a Tuberculosis hospital in the interior of BC where she was introduced to a quieter life of sophistication. In her twenties, Barbara bought a 1952 MG with a friend and moved to Vancouver Island. In the fall of 1958 she met Lorne on the tennis courts. They where married two weeks later, launching into a life full of adventure together, camping, fishing and skiing every weekend. Barbara had her daughter Sarah and son John in Victoria while she trained in voice at the Royal Conservatory of Music. In 1970 she and Lorne moved their young family to Libera, West Africa where Barbara joyfully taught kindergarten and choir, grew gardens and tended to pet monkeys. In 1976 she and Lorne moved to a rubber plantation in Brazil. Here Barbara grew orchids, played tennis and studied Portuguese. When they returned home to Victoria she worked for the Ministry of Agriculture and facilitated a women’s equality program. While working full time, Barbara sang with the Linden Singers, was a leader in what’s now the Greater Victoria Performing Arts Festival, grew an abundance of food in their backyard and captured the odd swarm of honey bees. In 1986 Barbara and Lorne bought a parcel of raw farmland in Nanoose Bay where they retired and began developing Nanoose Edibles Farm. Her beautiful salad mixes nourished countless local families as she passionately pioneered the organic farming movement in the area. Barbara lived a life of elegant practicality. Her callused working hands adorned with rings, she could plant half an acre of garlic then attended the symphony that evening. She was quick to share robust honest opinions yet never let facts get in the way of a good story. Barbra lived a long vibrant life. She will be dearly missed.

Barbara is survived by her loving husband Lorne, son John and daughter-in-law Nadene, her grandson Jared, her granddaughter Marla with partner Drew and two great grandchildren, Aulden and Soli. She was proceeded in death by her daughter Sarah, and treasured sisters.

Her passion for organic farming and growing local nutritious food touched many in our community. A scholarship fund supporting young farmers in our community will be set up in Barbara's name through the Coombs Farmers Institute to continue her legacy. Contributions can be made through the "gofundme" linked below.

A celebration of Barbras life will be held December 4th, if you would like to receive more information for this event please sign up with your email though this link.

https://mailchi.mp/54d894fcc27c/untitled-page

10/14/2022

This is the time of year when I am usually sharing my top 10 (or 12) performing tomatoes of the year and why.

This year, I grew no tomatoes as we moved smack dab in the middle of summer. You guys all know that I live and breathe tomatoes!

So... would you like to share your tomato favourites with me and all my friends? I would really love to hear which ones did best for you, which ones you enjoyed the most, which ones you would grow again, how the season went.... anything you want to share about your tomato season.

Put it in the comments below or send me a message, if you prefer.

You can tell me (us) about any tomato that you grew and loved, not just ones you purchased from me in spring. You can even put down hybrids, if you want, but we really are interested in which heirloom or open-pollinated tomato rocked your world this summer, and why : )

Happy fall, y'all!

08/26/2022

Hi Guys. Here is another local farm selling organically grown garlic. They also have all sorts of other cool things on their farm.

Check them out : )

08/24/2022

Want to keep in touch? Ask questions? I would love it if you follow me on over to the new fb and insta page.

We do not have to be in the same gardening zone to stay in touch. If you enjoy garden chat, reading blogs, or asking questions, give me a like or a follow : )

I have not been posting super often yet as the yard is completely torn up and life has been pretty chaotic. We are getting a new fence and new patio put in, mud everywhere, nothing pretty to post pictures of ; )

I would love it if you wanted to chat about anything at all on the new page. Will take my mind off of the chaos outdoors and the boxes yet to be unpacked here in the house. Anything at all! Really, lol.

The new page is called Marigold Garden. The cottage part, a fancy she-shed type greenhouse, is still a dream that we are getting quotes for. I am also on insta but still putting together the new blog. That is coming very soon! It is going to be a lot of fun!

08/23/2022

UPDATE - Mern is SOLD OUT. If you know of someone selling garlic, please feel free to share in the comments on this post : )
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Hey guys, remember our garlic conversation before I left the island about saving your best garlic bulbs for planting, the ones with the biggest cloves? : )

If you do not have enough or just want some more, here is the information to order from my friend, Mern, in Ladysmith. She has lots of lovely garlic, locally and organically grown on her own farm.

To order, please contact here by email at [email protected]

Garlic on the island or the coast area of BC is planted anywhere from late September through late November. I liked to plant right around Hallowe'en.

PS - If you also have garlic to sell, please feel free to post in the comments below.

08/20/2022

I understand that you guys are having quite the year! The weather has been similar here on the prairies. Cool start and then heatwave. The only difference is that you guys have a month of extra growing time on the west coast : )

Here is a repost of the summer 2020 September ramblings because some of the weather patterns are the same this year as they were then.

In 2020, we actually got very little heat at all, was cool all summer long except about 2 or 3 weeks in August.

That is why I thought I would post this again. The most important tips...
1. Pinch off the tops of your indeterminate tomato plants so that they stop making more vines and flowers but rather will put the energy into ripening what you have on the vine.
2. Remove flower blossoms. They will not have time to become tomatoes, energy goes into ripening the ones on the vine.

Ps. the storage tips are not the same if you live on the prairies ; )

Organic food gardening blog