Week three of the EDTC 300 learning project, and this week I am very thankful for my learning community! Emily Mooney shared one of the best resources, and one that I have already learned so much from! Emily shared her friend Kristen’s gardening blog called Shifting Roots which is a beginner gardeners dream! Not only is the blog beautifully aesthetic and easy to use, it is Saskatchewan specific and tailored to zone 3, which is where I am! Through this learning project, I am learning that I much prefer websites, written posts, and pictures compared to videos when it comes to online learning. Having all of the information at your fingertips, while also thoughtfully organized makes the learning process seem more manageable as you can digest the information at your own pace, instead of trying to listen, record, and keep track of all the information shared in a video. Going into this project I thought I would be utilizing online resources like YouTube, Instagram, and Tik Tok, however, my preferred resources have all been print. The only downside of using mainly online print resources is the presence of advertisements throughout blogs and websites. Advertisements can be very creative and sometimes blend into the website/blog so it can be tough to discern the difference between an ad and relevant content.

Following the steps outlined on Shifting Roots, I am feeling good about where I am in the gardening process. This past week I have top-dressed my soil with compost, and re-tilled my garden to mix it all in. I have learned that in order to harvest any tomatoes or peppers, I am too late to start them from seeds and instead have purchased plants. An important tip I learned for any pre-started plants is that you will need to harden them off (put them outside during the day and take them in at night) for about a week before you plant them. Other things I am completing in preparation for planting my garden include soaking my pea seeds, preparing my seeding potatoes, and purchasing some garden tools like trellises and cages for my tomatoes and peppers. I learned that peas require a lot of moisture before they will germinate, so soaking them gives them a bit of a head start. As for my seed potatoes, I have cut the larger ones into chunks that have at least two eyes per chunk. Cutting up your seed potatoes helps you make the most of the seeds you have and maximize your crop. I plan on letting my cut seed potatoes dry out for a day or two before I plant them to protect them from rotting in the cool, moist soil.

As for actually planting my garden, many Saskatchewan gardeners do a big plant May Long Weekend as this is when the last frost has often passed. I have checked the weather forecasts and think I am officially in the clear and should be good to plant all of my vegetables. I have mapped out my garden and where I plan to plant my seeds/plants. Each plant has different requirements for spacing and depth planted, luckily the Almanac website has all of this information available for every vegetable I will be planting. These growing guides are very accessible, easy to use, and have all the information a gardener could need all in one place! Once planted all that will be left is watering, fertilizing as suggested, weeding, hoping for some sunny days, and enjoying the fruits, or should I say vegetables, of my labour!