Michigan

[Opa]

Something that I have never done but may have to try this year is pruning tomato plants. Initial research indicates that it may be quite beneficial and result in larger fruit. Anyone ever tried it?

 

[vjwilmoth]

Yesterday's egg and this morning's egg. Do you suppose they could both be from the Isa Brown? We also have a Black Australorp, 2 SLW that are the same age.

 

[RaZ]

Well, it isn't a good scale. I took a picture of what I'm seeing and you can be the judge. I'm going grocery shopping today and may go to Meijer so I'll have to look at digital scales.

If that read about 1.5 ounces then you have a 42 gram egg. That's why I like the metric system, it is more accurate. Plus, a digital scale is easier to read with my tired old eyes.

Something that I have never done but may have to try this year is pruning tomato plants. Initial research indicates that it may be quite beneficial and result in larger fruit. Anyone ever tried it?

I've done it with cherry tomatoes. I can't say that they were bigger, but the number produced was higher. I didn't do it as a scientific experiment and my results are merely anecdotal. I did the same with a chili pepper plant and got 150 peppers from 1 plant. They were tiny peppers, no more than an inch long, but they sure had a bite!

 

[gladahmae]

Something that I have never done but may have to try this year is pruning tomato plants. Initial research indicates that it may be quite beneficial and result in larger fruit. Anyone ever tried it?

My BIL breaks off all branches that don't have flowers/fruit on them once the plant gets well-flowered. Don't know if that's what you mean by pruning, but he swears by it.

I may have to go out and pick squash bugs today. I think I've lost 2 plants to them....didn't know what they were, and they are everywhere now.

I have a little chickie that's sneezing quite a bit....should I be concerned at all? It still seems to be eating/drinking/pooping normal, but is maybe a little lethargic? This batch of chicks isn't nearly as fiesty/paniced about me reaching into the brooder to grab them.

Oh, and does anyone have a suggestion as to building an incubator vs just buying one? We're handy, and DH is an electrician, but part of me wonders if I should just save up and splurge on a brinsea......

 

[vjwilmoth]

Oh and Raz...in regards to the "are chickens pets" question. These pictures say it all. Feel free to print it out if you need to. My middle son...he is almost 11 and this is his chicken Cuddles.

 

[vjwilmoth]

If that read about 1.5 ounces then you have a 42 gram egg. That's why I like the metric system, it is more accurate. Plus, a digital scale is easier to read with my tired old eyes.

I've done it with cherry tomatoes. I can't say that they were bigger, but the number produced was higher. I didn't do it as a scientific experiment and my results are merely anecdotal. I did the same with a chili pepper plant and got 150 peppers from 1 plant. They were tiny peppers, no more than an inch long, but they sure had a bite!

You know what, I was reading the hash marks as 10g, not 20...you're right.

I'm getting a digital scale today because depending on where you stand to read that scale it varies widely!

 

[vjwilmoth]

Opa - I'm sorry you weren't able to get Granny's MRI done. And it sounds like you have tomato plants gone wild! I know nothing about gardens so I don't know about pruning. You could try it on a couple plants and see how they fare I suppose.

Bob - dang, I'm sorry about your losses. So far we've been lucky not to lose any but I expect it all the time. I don't think we have a huge predator issue where we are though. My dad has lost several over the past 2 years but he completely free ranges his chickens on about 40 acres and he finds a pile of feathers from time to time from coyotes and fox I'm sure. He started with 12 and now has 7.

 

[RBahmer]

This morning I went to open up the chick coop and heard something hilarious...it was either a little roo hitting puberty and trying to crow or someone was in there shaking a chicken around.

I'm guessing hitting puberty cause I'm pretty sure I saw which one did it when they came outside. (Robin, it was that porcelin that I said I was pretty sure was a roo)

See Jen, he is telling you he needs to come to my house and live LOL

 

[vjwilmoth]

Oh...I also forgot...

M2M - That darn Uggo was crowing this morning! Very proudly too. Dipped his uggo head to the ground and came up with a huuuuuge crow...several times. At least he sounds normal.

 

[ladyrsanti]

Something that I have never done but may have to try this year is pruning tomato plants. Initial research indicates that it may be quite beneficial and result in larger fruit. Anyone ever tried it?

I pinch off the shoots that start growing from the "armpits" of the tomato plants but only after the plants sets a good amount of fruit. Those shoots send out more flowers and more fruit, not to mention extra greenery that wastes energy. The result being that the plant will concentrate all of its resources into what's already growing, rather than on new growth that may or may not result in ripe fruit by the end of the season.