What did you do in the garden today?

[jerryse]

Rant. I have had it with inaccurate weather reports. Our severe weather turned out to be wind and no rain. 90 some percent chance and nothing. They get you concerned over nothing. Yet I can look before working outside and nothing forecast. An hour later rain runs me inside. Really they can not see it a hour ahead.

 

[Liz Birdlover]

I watered the garden for the first time this year. All the peas are up out of the ground now. The old carrot seeds haven't sprouted, but the ones from a new pack of carrot seeds I bought ARE coming up. Maybe carrot seeds have to be fresh.

Love that 1st watering, checking out the sprouts!

 

[Liz Birdlover]

Rant. I have had it with inaccurate weather reports. Our severe weather turned out to be wind and no rain. 90 some percent chance and nothing. They get you concerned over nothing. Yet I can look before working outside and nothing forecast. An hour later rain runs me inside. Really they can not see it a hour ahead.

I hear ya! Sometimes I wonder if they try to create drama . Every time they give a tornado warning I go into high weather anxiety mode, too. You know the actual times we had tornadoes...there were no warnings! Get with the program weather dudes!!! Please?

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

I feel your pain @jerryse. The last two nights the weather forecast reported the overnight lows of 37F. So why has there been frost on the garden and a thin layer of ice in the bird bath both mornings? Yesterday was productive. The grandkids planted a 16 foot row of potatoes. Then we mixed garden soil, coir and perlite to fill one of the big grow bags. Then we carried it over to the kids garden where they planted chard, carrots and radish seeds. Back where they planted the potatoes we found a carrot leftover from last season. It was in great shape so I cut it up along with some celery to go with their lunch.

I’ve been working on filling the raised bed. I put 5 cubic feet of soil in there already. DD is delivering another 5 or 6 this weekend. I may add some coir. Just not sure yet. My daffodils in the front yard are blooming nicely now. The tulips are up but not blooming yet. The Daylilies are emerging and my purple azalea is blooming now. All three of my apple trees are putting out leaves now. I need to check on the blueberry bushes, the pear tree and grapevines. I need to work on tilling and cleaning the big pea patch today. At least I’m making progress. Have a great day all.

 

[igorsMistress]

Wow, that's nice, but the short spring sucks. It heats up here pretty quickly. But not that fast.

I put up shade cloth over all of my beds in the summer or I get no tomatoes... Too hot. Then we get a surge of crop as it threatens to frost/freeze. I usually end up with a bunch of green tomatoes for relish, salsa, etc., as we go into weird freeze then heat wave October. Every season is a crap shoot here. I just do my best and keep rolling the dice.

Yeah, shade does nothing when it’s 115 for days here. Glad you can wing it well!

 

[Sally PB]

Sometimes I wonder if they try to create drama

A friend of mine refers to one of the local channels as "Panic 8."

I was hoping for a good watering last night/today. Yesterday, they forecast close to an inch here. Now it's down to 1/10-1/4 inch.

The local team ("panic 8") really does do the best forecast of the 3 network stations here. They have the most up-to-date meteorological equipment/software, and their broadcast is the most "lay person" accessible.

The chief meteorologist also likes to explain obscure weather stuff, like "fetch." It's the distance wind blows across water to pick up moisture and then dump it on land as precipitation. Being close to Lake Michigan, that's important, especially in the winter with lake effect snow.

There was a day last winter when there were strong due north winds. They blew all the way down the length of Lake Michigan and dumped huge amounts of snow on Chicago.

 

[Grannys Backyard Chicks]

Busy... moved some of my raised beds. Planted thyme and basil around tomatoes. Checking for worms and bugs daily and watering.
We are taking the next step in our homestead process...fruit trees. I am getting peach and pear from a local nursery.
Love to read about your gardens.

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

I did the big garden walk a little while ago. The snow peas are finally coming up. The leaves are starting to break out on the surviving blueberry shrubs and the pear tree is alive.

While checking out the grape vines I got a sightseer. A motorized parasail / hang glider. I did not know they were legal in our airspace.

 

[Sally PB]

I am afraid a vole went down my pea row and ate every last seed I planted. I see the humping of the dirt, and nothing has come up yet.

I'm hoping it missed a few...

 

[fuzzi]

Nature is amazing. Many plants we try to grow in spring do better fall planted when day length is getting shorter. Turnips, radish, Chinese cabbage - mustard family and spinach. Will not bolt in the fall.
I like to catch sunfish during their spawn. Triggered by 68 degree water and day length. Ensures it does not happen too early or in the fall. Success is the goal.

Carrots do better planted in the fall.

Harvested March 1.