You Grow Girl™

caterpillar photographed in High Park on Saturday, Aug. 10

As I've probably mentioned several times now the tomato plants are getting huge. I was really concerned that despite my best efforts they weren't getting enough nitrogen. In my area of town, and without proper transportation, it can be very difficult to get organic fertilizers. Miracle Grow is available in every hardware and department store around, but if you want anything organic forget it. I know this and yet for some reason I always neglect to stock up when the opportunity presents itself. I suppose I'm usually too concerned with getting the plants and less concerned with the soil despite the fact that I KNOW that good organic gardening is about growing the soil. That's not to say that I don't pay attention to the soil, I just never seem to have enough fertilizers on hand when I need it.

There are so many plants out on the deck right now I need a jumbo bottle of kelp concentrate to get me through the summer. I just ran out a week ago and am going to be hurting for it really soon. There's a small amount left for spraying the epiphytes and foliar feedings, but that's it. I do have a huge jar of dry kelp but I have to admit I've been spoiled by the pour and mix liquid concentrate. The dry mix requires the extra work of boiling vats of water, pouring boiling water into jars, and mixing in a teaspoon of dry kelp. Then the mix has to sit for some time before using it. I used to perform this procedure happily, but now I'm far too lazy to be bothered. Plus I've long been rid of my collection of empty tomato sauce jars.

Last week, when I was on my usual route through Kensington Market shopping for food, I stopped into the new hydroponics store on the off chance that they might have organic fertilizers. I was surprised to discover that they had a very generous assortment of products for sale. I really felt that nitrogen was what my plants have been lacking, and had already determined that I wanted to try a fish emulsion this time. They had a really good assortment of super high nitrogen mixes but unfortunately they all had blood meal in them. Unfortunately organic often means "of natural origin" rather than "grown or raised without chemicals" so I've been very reluctant to go the blood meal route. In the end I settled on a muskie fish emulsion by Green Earth. My neighbour went about the business of the first application and I am happy to report that it really didn't reek like I thought it was going to. Just don't spill it on your hands!

Yesterday I was reading in my orchid care book that epiphytes don't like tap water (what living organism does?) but prefer water that has been processed through reverse osmosis. Now I make it a general rule not to water house plants with water that comes directly from the tap. Outdoor plants are the exception as I have no choice. But with indoor plants or any water going into a spray bottle, I allow it to sit for some time and the chlorine etc to gas off for a day before using it. Well yesterday I went out and bought a bottle of reverse osmosis processed water just for the epiphytes. I know I'm such a sucker. I drink bottled water but not reverse-osmosis because around here it's kind of expensive. There is only one kind available at the corner store (no health food stores around here) and it costs $1.99 for a 1 litre bottle. Well I thought I would at least try it and see if I notice a difference between the special water and the water I gas off. I'm calling it an experiment and thereby absolving myself from loserdom.