Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[Sally PB]

I hilled up dirt around some of my potatoes today. This is the earliest I've ever done that. I planted them on April 14th. Figured that they sprout after being in frozen ground, so I thought I'd plant them earlier than usual. I'll be doing that again, that's for sure.

I have 4 or 5 hills that didn't sprout. I have 8-10 volunteers that I missed last year, so I'm ahead.

The last of the tomatoes are in the garden now too. If everything produces well, I'm going to be looking for tomato and potato recipes come fall.

 

[Dreamzchaser]

Long hot day here! The pain sent me to late nap. However, I was so out, that neighbor came and tilled again,lol never heard a thing,

But re-planted 4 tomatoes plants, 6 bell peppers plants with 2 marigolds in bigger containers. Seeds for Italian parsley and greek oregano as well as basil are cooking since yesterday. Herb box is coming along nice. Definitely what understand of a raised bed that I do not have to bend,

Girls came out for a bit but since it was not until 6pm, they missed the closing of the automatic door because they were out with me. Opened it manually and once they were in, just closed it for the night.

Hope that if possible, I can do some lettuces right on the ground tomorrow. I might prepare it in the morning and plant in late evening. Cannot stand being in the sun,lol It makes me think at times that did not got north enough,lol


Question, can I use pine needles and dried leaves and straw as mulch around the plants?

 

[Dreamzchaser]

Well, weather says that it will be 67 high. Now that is not bad!

 

[Dreamzchaser]

Good day! Beautiful cloudy day, perfect for me to work outside and begin beefing up the garden. But, nooooo, my right knee does not want to do crap.

However, on the 30th, I did some seeds started of basil, Italian parsley and Greek


Today just did different kind of lettuces.

 

[RaZ]

I'm not getting the new post alerts either. Must be a glitch somewhere.
Looks like my ducks are nesting. Caught the khaki hen covering a clutch with straw then saw her and the rouen hen both sitting on the nest together. This will be a first for me, having ducks hatch out eggs. I did have a chicken hatch out some ducklings a few years ago. That was fun.

A month or so ago I told you about a rooster fight that left one roo with a bloody ear. Turns out it was the older roo (father) who got beat up. So Junior is top roo but he isn't very good. I have had a fertile egg at all. I didn't get any chicks because I thought at least one hen would go broody. No broody hen and no fertile eggs. Might have to pick up some chicks at some point to keep egg production going. Some of my girls are 4+ years old.

I haven't heard any reports of HPAI in weeks. I'm hoping that MDARD lifts the live-bird ban before CS22.

My garden has been drastically downsized this year due to injuring my back and knee at work. I'm turning into a basket case.

 

[1muttsfan]

Pine needles are on the acid side for mulching; other than Black Walnut leaves, others should be fine. Straw is a good mulch, but not hay - too many grass and weed seeds.

Lettuce is a cool weather crop, so it may be a little late down there, you should still get some harvest but it will bolt (go to seed) quickly.

 

[Dreamzchaser]

@1muttsfan ok on the pine needles then. The leaves are of oak and just darn maple tree that I have. I do not have hay only straw.

On the lettuce, it does go to seeds? Have no clue on what I am doing,lol The seed packet say to sow on May-Jun and again every 2 weeks all up to Sept. ????? Thank you.

 

[Sally PB]

I got 6 grubs out of the garden while I was digging around. I put them in with the bucket of weeds for chickie snack. The girls got them in short order. Man, are those things UG-LEE! And destructive.

I just read on another thread that North Carolina has lifted the bird show/swap ban.

 

[Sally PB]

The leaves are of oak and just darn maple tree that I have. I do not have hay only straw.

On the lettuce, it does go to seeds? Have no clue on what I am doing,lol The seed packet say to sow on May-Jun and again every 2 weeks all up to Sept. ????? Thank you.

Oak and maple leaves make a great mulch. When they get wet, they can pack down into layers, like when you find them in the spring after having been snowed on. This can be a good or bad thing. Bad if you put them over seeds that are trying to push their way out of the ground. Good if you put them next to plants that are already up and growing, as they keep the weeds from coming up.

Lettuce "bolts" when it sends up a flower stalk. It makes a flower, and if that gets pollinated, will make seeds. Usually the leaves get smaller and more bitter too.

Some lettuce seeds won't sprout if the temperature is too hot. It likes cool weather. Doesn't hurt to try planting them, but you might not get a lot of plants growing.

 

[Dreamzchaser]

Oak and maple leaves make a great mulch. When they get wet, they can pack down into layers, like when you find them in the spring after having been snowed on. This can be a good or bad thing. Bad if you put them over seeds that are trying to push their way out of the ground. Good if you put them next to plants that are already up and growing, as they keep the weeds from coming up.

Lettuce "bolts" when it sends up a flower stalk. It makes a flower, and if that gets pollinated, will make seeds. Usually the leaves get smaller and more bitter too.

Some lettuce seeds won't sprout if the temperature is too hot. It likes cool weather. Doesn't hurt to try planting them, but you might not get a lot of plants growing.

I meant one maple tree,lol I love maple trees but all I have is oak,yuck!
I want to mulch the walkway so I doi not get that much weeds there and have that space to walk in between rows. Those this makes sence?

So if they come up, I need to collect before the flower comes, right?
They are called Royal Oak Salad lettuce;Lollo Rosa lettuce; Simpsom Lettuce and Red salad lettuce. (as per bag of seeds)