Luckily... we have a well with good water level and quality. Also, surrounded by wood. so don't have that to deal with.
Yes, I too had too much water and just catching up with sun and heat. Nothing fancy neither...well melons, and all the regulars-but thats it.
I finally planted a nice bee and medicinal plant tire garden this year. Got artistic and positioned tires in a spiral design.
Had a hive die off this spring so replaced that with a new hive. Honey is marvelously tasting.

The Garden is in full swing and harvests are starting to come in..

Have you started saving seed yet? What you have saved seed on?

Elderberries are starting to turn black and ready to take the first harvests.. Apples are close, the plums are turning color.. the black chokecherries have one last picking..

So many cucumbers coming in now.. I think one of the things I am most excited about it the Montreal Musk Melon (its a green fleshed melon like the honey dew but deeply ridged and when mature it has a nutmeg scent and somewhat flavour in there) Its been a amazing melon year in that regards..

The Garden is in full swing and harvests are starting to come in..

Have you started saving seed yet? What you have saved seed on?

Elderberries are starting to turn black and ready to take the first harvests.. Apples are close, the plums are turning color.. the black chokecherries have one last picking..

So many cucumbers coming in now.. I think one of the things I am most excited about it the Montreal Musk Melon (its a green fleshed melon like the honey dew but deeply ridged and when mature it has a nutmeg scent and somewhat flavour in there) Its been a amazing melon year in that regards..

I am guilty of saving nothing for seed this year....to much to do, to little time, though I do have a extensive seed reserve so I wont be caught short.

I enjoy having a fair amount of perennial fruit, berry and garden plants and also obtained a sizeable stash before the planting season. I will try to save my peppers, cucumbers and tomato seeds as well as keep a few samples of each of my beans and peas. Finally, I always end up with potatoes I can plant the following seasons.

EDIT 1 to below: I am loving what the garden gives in food and satisfaction. Also. A confession. While priding myself ( now know to have been false) on being prepared and ready to take on challenges, I was weak on the gardening prep. I was able to pull the bunny out of the hat in time but without some available funds and being lucky with my health, it would not have turned out as well as it did. So to those who plan on doing it “if needed”, for your sake and those who will count on you, get your ground And “stuff” as ready as you can. If it only grows buckwheat, pretty flowers or clover for ten Years then so be it but at least your in better shape then I was.

As a first time serious gardener, I recommend the following for those planning on planting next spring OR for anyone with a location that they plan on using if and when needed / be it next year, in three or ten…. You have your seeds but you need or want other supplies as well. As things will likely be rushed or scarce, you want to have everything in hand long before needing them.

Heli mentioned those with seed vaults ( I had some and that concept in mind for years) being in for a possible surprise when the time comes to plant, reason being there is a lot more to it then throwing in some seeds in a random pattern, need for irrigation, fencing, knowing what works and doesn’t etc. etc. so below are many lessons learned on my part and hope they help others like me who didn't understand all that is involved 😳

Seeds are obvious, but quantity and selection for your planting area and preserving needs is something you will want to research and plan for. Including making up a garden plan for your future spot.

Define your garden plot now, clearing of shrubs, trees that will block sun ( I had to remove a good twenty trees to get more sun in but it gave one year’s supply of firewood for one of the kids). Work the soil and remove rocks. If not using in foreseeable future, plant some high nutrient cover crops

Soil, either brought in and enhanced with manure, organic matter etc.

Any fertilizers if going that route should be purchased and safely stored for when needed.

Fencing if needed.

Gardening tools like shovels, hoes, rakes, spare handle for them, sledge hammer or axe to drive in poles, nails, fence wire, cordage, gloves, wheel barrels, buckets, pruning shears tie wraps to support vines. Any mechanised equipment such as a self-propelled tiller or an attachment for the tractor. Spare spark plugs and oil for mechanical items. Any animal deterrent systems or items, motion lights if two legged thieves are an issue (yes the dog or other alarm as well to wake one while dreaming of being on a beach in better times)

Watering system. What will be your source that you can draw from during very dry periods, Weeping hoses, collection barrels, hoses, sprinklers, any timers ( with needed batteries!), connectors, washers, any support poles etc. You will want spares for everything!

You will want lots of poles to support peas, beans, tomato plants etc. String or cordage to bind poles together or for support lines. I plan on cutting and prepping many more poles and support frames this winter so I have all ready to go in the spring and not be scrambling like a fool that I was this spring.

Polyethylene or vapor barrier plastic to build a greenhouse, cover spring crops or to quickly and with the use of some ready to go poles to protect crop from hail. Large 20X20 tarps also work for protecting against hail.

Assuming you have a bountiful crop you will need to preserve it. Chest Freezers, Zip lock bags ( a few hundred), pickling salt, mason jars with lids and caps (plus spare caps), canning cooker with any spare gaskets, large pots to boil water and mason jars in and for cooling of blanched veggies, markers to write what’s in the bag.

Cold frame construction (with all the material one needs for that) may be an option if one lands at their retreat when a foot of snow is on the ground and planting a garden is a bit of a poser. At least you will have some fresh and nutritious greens to start eating in a month or so 

Any bales of hay one may want to enhance soil, act as protection/ heat around cold frames or to cover/protect plants. Same for wood chips.

So per my mad scramble this lovely Whuhan Flu spring. I learnt the hard way there are LOTS of things to do and items to have ready. Lots more than my Mylared organic seeds 😯 fortunately I had many of the items mentioned but I was also missing a great deal and now know what is needed.

I got my peas, beans, beets in later than ideal and while I am OK, if I was counting on this for full bore survival, I would have been in pain and perhaps a bit hungry in veggie area come mid to late winter!

I am sure others on this board will add many more items I have forgotten about or don’t realise I may be missing so really look forward to learning about them.

Do not have money to "deer Fence"

Expanding garden's and have a healthy deer population

Check this trick out.. (ps, yes its been FG vetted) A way to get around costly supplies when money is tight or they are unavailable but you need that harvest! yes its hands on cutting hauling and work to do it.. but its a amazing way to take scrap clean up and help keep your young fruit tree's alive and or your garden harvest!

https://www.facebook.com/sundaura.alford/videos/vb.1228566245/10218230682538348/?type=3

Interesting. I would not have thought of that.

honestly neither would have I.. I know its not "pretty" in the same way deer fencing is, and it does not protect from rabbits or such but for those with deer pressure and not alot of money.. its a great way to get a helping hand at very low cost.

Aug 31st... woke up to unannounced frost this morning. Dashed outside to water leaves on everything, hope it helped and not hinder. Dipped to -0.5 from what I could tell with the thermometer.

Aug 31st... woke up to unannounced frost this morning. Dashed outside to water leaves on everything, hope it helped and not hinder. Dipped to -0.5 from what I could tell with the thermometer.

Same here.

Surveyed the damage after work. By and large, things are ok. Most of my winter squashes have at least some damage. Summer squashes are fine. Outdoor peppers, tomato and cucumber plants have some damage (especially cukes), but most of my plants “heat-loving” plants are inside my greenhouse, thank goodness.

Its 9 pm, and on my deck the temperature reads + 2. Expect a killing frost tonight for those in the country.

Its 9 pm, and on my deck the temperature reads + 2. Expect a killing frost tonight for those in the country.

Last night was operation “Frost Fighter”, covering the garden with tarps. Then showed the final product to Mrs HP and stating “see, this is why I always need tarps when they come on sale!”

Forecast was for +4 but I really didn’t trust it.

Covered everything last night here, went out this morning and the sheets were white with frost. Thermometer was at -1.

Surprisingly, North of Edmonton, it was warmer this AM at 6 than at 9 pm last night. No frost.

Should be good for a couple of weeks if the forecast is right.