BYC gardening thread!!

[CherMoz]

Sounds delicious! What are you doing to get usable apples? We moved to this property about four years ago and are trying to bring the orchard back. Any tips are welcome. (We will be cutting down a cedar tree that I believe is causing apple-cedar rust and have been pruning to get better air flow throughout the trees.) Thanks!

 

[Evewon]

Our girls going crazy for Kale this morning! What all do you folks grow for your chickens to snack on? This year I had gourds, brussels sprouts, tomatoes, cabbage, and swiss chard. They didn't meet a green they didn't devour! I've heard of people feeding marigolds to their chicks, but are there any other flowers you all feel comfortable giving your chickens? Thanks in advance!

 

[CherMoz]

Besides what you've already listed, our chooks enjoy turnips - greens and bulbs...

 

[CherMoz]

oh and cucumbers!

 

[Evewon]

Awesome! What kind of bulbs do you feed? Thanks!

 

[Evewon]

Oh I see turnip bulbs lol!

 

[CherMoz]

Right - turnip bulbs

 

[Peep_Show]

Our orchard was neglected (as in no pruning and minimal H2O) for over a year. Lots of water was what our orchard needed, then a round of Miracle Grow fruit tree stakes in the Spring. I'd suggest doing a spray, too, as we lost quite a few apples to coddling moth. Some trees took longer to come back than others.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

This year I grew your usual vegetable garden: green beans, carrots, beets, peas, zucchini, tomatoes, sweet corn, cukes, dill and sunflowers on the sides to attract pollinators. Being that the free range and get their fill of plantain, dandelion, grass, clover the only thing they're really interested in is the tomatoes, corn and ripe sunflower heads. And weirdly they've been lukewarm about the sunflowers this year compare to other years. Spoiled. Spoiled. Spoiled.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Other flowers you can feed: nasturtium, bee balm, purple cone flower, yarrow along with the marigolds.