Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[RaZ]

MDARD has reported the first case of HPAI in the UP. It was found in a Menominee County backyard flock.
USDA Farm Service Agency posted what to look for in your flock. https://content.govdelivery.com/acc...IOXok7MP1p0RjQYpgO_jveyNWx9uy6zGXoOTkG3KPjb98

 

[CedarLane]

In the past, it's been mid-May when I planted potatoes. Then I read to plant "as soon as the soil can be worked." Well, that can be the beginning of April, and even earlier. The soil where I put them is sandy, sandy, sandy.

I always seem to miss a few when I'm digging in the fall, and find them growing in the spring. That's why I'm wondering if it would be ok to plant them this week or next. I might just plant some of the ones sprouting in the basement, and see what happens.

We often plant our peas and potatoes around Good Friday...or as soon as possible afterwards if its still too wet by Good Friday. Due to our schedules this week, I doubt we'll get them planted for another week or so.

 

[RaZ]

I just came in from putzing around outside all day. One of the things I did was turn the compost piles. I found black gold. Holy cow! There was some nice soil there. I moved 2 scoops from the pile and dumped it up by the house for the flower bed. There is still a whole pile of rich compost to add to the garden. I consider myself very lucky to have a tractor to work the compost.
The funny thing was that as soon as I started working the pile, the chickens all swarmed the pile for tasty treats.

 

[Sally PB]

We often plant our peas and potatoes around Good Friday

I've heard that before. We're going to get some heavy rain in the next few days, so I might be planting them next week.

I tilled the potato bed today. That area hasn't been tilled in about 3 years, I think. It's very sandy soil, and I've been putting raked up leaves on it to keep down the weeds, which works pretty darn well. I added the leaves to the soil via the tiller. Now I gotta find more leaves...

 

[Dreamzchaser]

Can sweet peas be planted in West Michigan?

 

[1muttsfan]

Sure, they are cool climate plants and can be put out as soon as the soil warms up a little. They are easy to grow from seeds.

 

[rjmyooper]

I'm pretty new and I'm 'in da U.P. eh', so sadly, I won't make it to the get together. Are there any other Yoopers in here?
Also, do you think I will have to shut down my filtered pond, then drain it for the Winter? Will I be able to heat it enough for ducks?

 

[rjmyooper]

Anyone do the wordle game? I think I'm hooked on it.
Wordle 290 4/6

I do the basic solitaire. There are 5 different games. A big waste of time, and I have duckies coming.
Lots of rain and T-Storms here over night. It is breakfast at 1:30am and back to bed at 4.

 

[saysfaa]

I do backgammon, mostly.

It is not the least bit surprising but still truly amazing how much better it is when you can't feel dental work being done. I have had a LOT of dental work and yesterday is the first time it has truly not hurt although it was much better at the last dentist vs all earlier ones. She would give as much anesthesia as it took - so at least the drilling didn't hurt. It always took double and sometimes triple the norm.

Yesterday, I found out there is a difference between "not hurting" and "truly being numb." - even the metal dike thingy was numb - it didn't even pinch.

My new dentist's best guess is my accessory nerves are grown into the root of the tooth. She said that isn't common but does sometimes happen. Her fourth shot was placed to affect them and that worked. She made a note in the chart (as if I will forget to remind her, lol).

Of course, my face was numb from above my eyebrow to behind my ear to down my neck a bit or even the top of my shoulder felt a little weird. The shoulder part might be because of how much of me felt weird - between the numbness, itchiness, and effects of the epinephrine. Well worth it but hopefully next time it might only take two times normal if she puts some in the normal place and some for the accessory nerves.

 

[Sally PB]

Can sweet peas be planted in West Michigan?

My Great Aunt Lou, who had a huge garden, had millions out sweet peas around her property, and when they bloomed, ahhhh.... it smelled heavenly. Newer cultivars don't have as much scent, sadly.

Don't confuse them with peas you grow to eat, however. The pea seeds from sweet peas are toxic.