Here we are, in my last week in Toronto and there is a lot of work to be done in the garden. I'll give you a quick update before I get back outside.
Over the weekend I managed to track down some free soil. Having a vehicle definitely made the work of bringing the soil from one location to another a lot easier. I managed to get six garbage pail loads to the car before I felt like we had enough for the time being (meaning I didn't think I could carry another load at that moment without collapsing.) After a short drive I unloaded it into a pile in the backyard as I wasn't quite sure exactly where I wanted it.
I was also able to find a lumber tarp free from the Home Hardware lumber yard. Can you believe they just throw those out? They are perfect for putting over your compost pile in the yard. With the black side up they insulate well and keep the compost with just the right amount of moisture. And free!
Also people were willing to give away all their old leaves they'd raked up this spring. I scored a bag of leaves (though judging by the amount of brown bags on the side of the road I could have enough leaves to fill the backyard numerous times.)
This morning I also found a full dumpster of straw. It was being used to insulate a foundation that had been built over the winter and was about to be thrown out. If you need something to mulch* your garden you can find this bounty of straw in the alley between Spadina and Roberts, South of Harbord.
So now its off to find some free cardboard and get going with digging out some beds and turning some soil. This week I'll be in search of some heirloom seeds, some buckets (hopefully free) for hanging the tomatoes and some kelp to add to the garden to give the seeds a kick start in nutrients.
Hope you're having as much fun in your garden! Keep your eye peeled for cheap or free garden aids!
*One uses mulch to retain moisture reduce erosion, provide nutrients, and suppress weed growth. You lay a mulch over your beds once you've planted your seeds.
