Dreaming of Spring Gardening in the Middle of a Wisconsin winter part 2

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Gorgeous weather today. I shut off the central air and opened my windows. Wish it would stay like this all summer, but I suppose we wouldn't get much for vegetables. I see I have some primrose blooming. I will get a picture to share.

Nice to meet you Anjanet, and Barbara. Barbara I hate mowing at any sort of incline as well. Not worth it. Let the snakes have the ditches I say.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Primrose didn't photograph very well, too bright out maybe, everything looks green.



My garden boxes, pardon the weeds,

 

[Callender Girl]

What a nice-looking set up; I love your raised beds! I have only one, it isn't as tall nor as nice looking.

I made mine a few years ago with concrete blocks after I saw someone do the same on Pinterest. He filled the holes in the blocks with dirt and planted strawberries -- clearly more successfully than I did. The berries didn't do well, but the dirt is great for growing unwanted grass and weeds. I need to finish covering all the holes with lumber and/or bricks. I tend to use whatever is on hand -- a trait I gained from my dad who "recycled" long before it was popular.

Although I know you're not supposed to let first-year strawberries produce fruit -- and I have been faithfully cutting blossoms off all the plants in the garden -- I could not resist planting a few bare roots in a strawberry jar on the deck. Yesterday, I ate the first ripe berry and it was AMAZING! It's been a struggle to keep all the deck plants (pots of herbs, annual flowers and a few veggies) safe from critters -- including chickens, a gazillion baby bunnies and, mostly, those infernal squirrels who want to dig up the dirt. I outwitted the critters with zip ties and a wire basket over the strawberry plant; there are two more berries that just need a bit more color.

I was at Menards yesterday to buy a deck brush so I could remove all the chicken and wild bird poop off the deck/steps/ramp. Of course, I can never resist looking at the garden center for any clearance plants. So, for $1.87 (plus the 11 percent rebate!), I got six honeydew plants that need to go into the ground today.

Yesterday's weather was nearly perfect for working outdoors -- and for napping on the sofa in the afternoon. Back to work today!

 

[WIchickMama]

Back to work at my normal desk job today-boo! I would definitely rather be outside doing anything than sitting in front of a computer all day, the only saving grace is I can work from home so I take some much needed breaks outside.

I think I have a broody hen, she sat in the nesting box yesterday afternoon and only left his morning to come eat and drink (egg in box that I left was warm to the touch). I need to go out and see if she went back to the nest or not, if so I have a friend to reach out to for a few eggs, if not that is ok too. I would love to add to my small flock but it isn't a need to do sort of thing.

I have so many squash and cucumber flowers, I need to go and take a peek and see how many are females so I get an idea of what the crops will look like.

Youngest is home all week, first time this summer without anything, so it will be interesting trying to keep her busy while I work, guess I will be taking my computer outside!

Enjoy the day all!

 

[jvls1942]

Had neck therapy today. I feel pretty good right now.
bought a new spark plug for the tiller. Didn't help, it still kicks back.
I tried a few other things, still kicks back. gave up for now.
bought a can of great stuff foam crack and hole filler. Squirted it into the valve stem of the inner tube on the yard cart. It seemed to work. at least the tire got hard. a lot of the foam leaked back out of the stem. I expected that. It is a real mess. I expected that, too. I am letting it set until at least tomorrow to let the foam set hard. that tire should never go flat again.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

That Great Stuff is crazy stuff. Husband likes to use it, but I don't like it. Too tempting for critters to eat it, plus eventually it seems to get shrunken and gross looking. I sure would be interested to see how it works in a tire. That sounds like a good place for it.

I just watered my garden today, otherwise did some house cleaning while the windows are open.

 

[jvls1942]

At first the stuff works, IDK about the long term. I would never do it to a good tire. as long as I can get a tube into a tire, that is what I like to do
this tire was a lost cause.
If it ever fails, I will let you know.

 

[jvls1942]

Yesterday was a very nice day.
I cut a few skapes from the garlic.
today I want to get them all cut. they surely do grow fast.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Nice rain here. I'd call it a nice day. Going to just take it easy in the house today.

 

[Callender Girl]

The honeydews I planted yesterday survived their first night!

I intended to work on flower beds. But, today's unplanned project was pounding metal posts into the ground and fastening woven wire garden fencing that I installed about a foot away from the regular livestock fencing so the ruminants wouldn't immediately destroy the new "chicken deflector" fence.

It started recently with my Easter Eggers slipping through the fence to hang out with the goats. Eventually, several others followed their lead and made their way across the goats' lot to the tempting farm field on the other side -- a field that is regularly sprayed with chemicals. One of the "escapees" is a Cochin Bantam girl with terribly crooked toes; she would be easy pickings for any predator.

Tomorrow, I plan to get back to those flower beds and apply some Neem oil to the grape vines where the beetles are making the leaves into lacework -- before I take a badly limping and totally uncooperative goose to the vet.