Landscaping and Plantings for a Free Range Flock

[duluthralphie]

We got a dusting last night. Garden season not over for me. Clean up of garden will continue until ground frozen. The rest of gardening effort has simply moved inside, and into green house, cold frame, pots in front of windows, and sprouting jars. Then, there will be the sweet potato sprouts this year, and before you know it, it will be time to start seedlings.

Love the eggs. From my 16 girls, I'm getting about 12 eggs/week. delaying starting a light, b/c I have quite a few eggs stored in fridge.

If you would like some snow, feel free to come and get some of mine. MInnesota Snow is a great fertilizer. So take a lot, most the year I charge for it, at the holidays it's free.

 

[memphis]

I actually picked a tomato yesterday and ate it right out there in the yard. In front of my chickens. I'm pretty sure thats it for the year. I think i miss the tomatoes the most.

 

[memphis]

My rye grass & wheat is coming up. Birds are loving the little green shoots. I've been blowing all my leaves off the grass up against the fencing. The girls love scratching through the leaf piles. Keeps them occupied, following the fence line looking for bugs. When I'm blowing the leaves, they follow behind me looking for bugs. I planted some pansys in afew pots that got eaten...I'm suspecting the turkeys are the culprits. Thats about it in my yard right now....leaf control.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Good morning Memphis. Oh... I'm just barely 5 days into this snow cover business and I'm already missing my garden. I love hearing of your last tomato and rye grass shoots and funny birds who know how to forage it following the food lady with her special leaf blowing bug revealer! I will say as I get older there is something about getting garden tomatoes that becomes more and more anticipated each year. And growing basil now to go with them... Oh yum. It's going to be a long 5 months!

 

[duluthralphie]

My Snow Flowers are in full bloom. It's just too bad they are white and cannot be seen by anyone without a trained eye...I am ready for spring. Winter has been long enough.

I planted grass seed on my new lawn area just before the rain and snow, hopefully the chickens missed a few seeds.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

I have a few spots that need repair with grass seed but I have expert seed seekers in my yard! Waiting until just before a snow is an excellent idea!

 

[lazy gardener]

If you would like some snow, feel free to come and get some of mine. MInnesota Snow is a great fertilizer. So take a lot, most the year I charge for it, at the holidays it's free.

Thanks. Great fertilizer, no doubt due to Babe waltzing through your snow. You bring it and I'll take it.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

It was -26 Fahrenheit here. The bachelor buttons are dead!

The chickens have been cooped for 2 days and will be in there another day. We'll get above zero on Sunday. then they can stretch their legs in the run. They are up on roosts anyways in this weather...so we just close the pop door to conserve any warmth in the coop. May as well.

In short I'm very much in need of pictures from Hawaii and Australia....as Lazy said...some gardening Manna for the soul. Hope you're all doing well. Days are getting longer!

 

[lvie]

Hey BC - Lets you and I take a trip. Hawaii? Leave the kids and DH's home. Lay on the beach with a good book and heal that cough you just got.

I finally (I hope) kicked my third cold since November 21st when I got home from Florida. Man - been miserable! and I am sick of the sickness!

Starting to view seed catalogs. I figure we are almost half way through January. January thaw predicted for next wee - yea! and then there is only February
and half of March, so eight weeks at most, and the weather will start to break up. Holy cats! I had better get some dedicated sewing time under the belt before
the last half of March. Then it is onto the seedlings and hopefully my hens will produce some chicks. I am not buying chicks anymore! Unless it is the 'special'
breeds I want. I have 20 hens right now. Never intended for that to happen. Thought I would loose some over the winter. Hasn't happened yet. I want down to
four or six. I know how to make that happen but ummmm . . . . well, they are my chickens. Although some should stop laying this summer or this may be their
last summer to lay (ISA's) and then they will go to be processed for soup. I won't do the deed.

Stay warm and have fun planning your landscaping. I am definitely downsizing mine but want more of an impact and more chicken friendly.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Ivie I would love hanging with you in gorgeous Hawaii. I think you and I have the same idea of fun and relaxation.

I should get on the look out with some seed catalogs and get some ideas.

It might be a more expensive year for gardening this year-- in materials and sweat value-- as I have plans to get that retaining wall cleaned out and put in raised beds. I also saw a pergola idea which can help trellis climbers for raised gardens....so I'm really dreaming big for this spring and somehow I'll need to carve out the time. I suppose I could do the boxes this year and the pergola climbing thing next year. Anyways....lots of sweat & Achy muscles pulling out the russian sage, dead honeycrisp tree and weeds. Lots of Fun building the Boxes. More sweat hauling in the black dirt and compost. Those boulders and rocks are also a haven for garter snakes. I'm okay with the snakes insecting and sunbathing on the rocks...I know they are good for a garden but I just don't want to stumble on a lair of their babies. Or have one get the jump on me....they always scare me...they are so well camoflaged; I never see them until I'm about stepping on them. Since it will be a veggie garden I will need to be clever with obstructing my feathered friends for a majority of the growing time. I also have deer who like to access my yard right by this spot. They will no doubt be interested.

Also want to try a different grass down by the coop in that little stone garden that has the zebra grass stuff in it. Or maybe just put in my Annabelle Hydrangea. That garden needs a WoW factor plant there.