Montana

[KMoran]

Hello, I am not from MT but my husband and I are planning on moving to the Missoula area here in the next year. I was wondering if anyone would be so kind to answer a few questions in regards to gardening. I would like to do a lot of canning and hope to have a large garden and a small fruit orchard. I have heard growing anything in MT is hard and sometimes impossible. Some have told me not to even bother. So I guess my question is what if anything grows well? Has anyone had any success? If so with what? Thanks so much for your time.

 

[Azriel]

Hi KMoran,
I'm from Mn where you can just sort of toss the stuff at the ground and it grows, so when I moved out here it was a BIG change, but yes you can have a graden and if you put some time and work into it a garden will do very well. I grow potatos, peas, corn, squash, cucumbers, zucchini, tomatoes, they all do well, but you need to water, water, water. On th other hand, I have apple trees that have never had an apple on them. They'll be in full bloom and we'll get a late hard frost and thats the end of them.
Maybe someone from the Missoula area will have more info, I'm closer to Billings, so temps, rain/snow fall and soil will be different, but gardens can be grown very well.

 

[KMoran]

Azriel, Thanks so much for responding to my post. Very encouraging news. I hope with the help of a good greenhouse I will be able to a grow a good size crop. Can I ask what kind of Apples Trees you have? I have read very few types grow well in Montana.

 

[popsicle]

On th other hand, I have apple trees that have never had an apple on them. They'll be in full bloom and we'll get a late hard frost and thats the end of them.

Hmmm... Our new house here in MT has what I would swear is an apple tree--yet there are no signs of old apples on the ground. I wonder if that's what's going on here, or if all the deer eat them up.

 

[Azriel]

I have Macintosh (spelling), maybe not the best type for here. Back in MN they did very well. I do know people that do have apple trees that do well closer to Billings, but I am much higher in elevation. I know that there are native more of a crab apple type trees that the deer and elk love to eat the fruit if they can. But I don't know any one that has them here in the Bull Mtns.
Bnnie

 

[Azriel]

Darn my o in't working,
thats
Bonnie

 

[karlamaria]

Hey everyone, hope your all enjoying the beautiful weather! It's been so nice here, chickens have now been out of the pen and enjoying my yard, and under the hedges. They love digging the leaves and foraging for bugs.
I believe our new chicks coming from cackleberrys is 5 weeks old, soon they will be a part of our family yeah! We are preparing there little home where they will be until they grow and mature and get to know the other ladies. We plan on putting there small coop in the same pen, but putting a baririor up so they can see one another but not harm the new girls. Cackle girl, I hope you can post a new pic so we can see how big there coming along? Oh and any hints on if they are girls or boys yet? We are so excited! Praying the little chick with the mascara look to her eyes is a girl! The kids have had me buying chicken books, there so interested in all things chickens, what a wonderful thing. Means they do not mind feeding and cleaning them lol

 

[cackleberrycoop]

Here you go Karla and family - your babies at 5 weeks old...... The first picture it sure looks like ALL the RIR-ish babies are girls.



Here's a picture for comparison - No doubt the bird in the front left is a boy, and you can see the difference very clearly compared to the girl next to him there.




OK, here is the little pretty one. You'll have to tell me if you are still interested - clearly she/he is not pure Rhode Island Red. But oh how pretty!!!!! This really is the part I like about hatching out and raising these barnyard mix babies in our early hatches each season - we have gotten some of the coolest birds this way! And...... I'm thinking girl....... but it's hard when they are clearly a mix, because what might just look like a small single comb could in fact be a cross with a pea comb making a boy's comb appear smaller..... but it doesn't look pink..... The legs may be a bit fat for a girl though..... I'm not ready to bet money on this one's gender.......

 

[karlamaria]

Oh my how cute! Getting big ! Yes, we want the funky girl she is so pretty! Well we hope she is a girl lol. Crossing my fingers! Thank you so much! Makes us a part of them even though we do not have them yet. Love the grey one in the picture and what's the black one in the back? Looks like our astrolorps lol. I will be fun to have a unusual bird, she must be part EE , I would love blue eggs! Thank you so much for posting, the boys are so happy lol.


Megan, what would you say she is mixed with? She is cool looking! We have an astrolorp that has giant legs and feet. We call her Gertie the gimp ( crooked feet) we thought she was either male, or a jersey giant. The fact she has pink feet tell me she is not a giant though she is way bigger then my other girls, then we tought she was a male as she grew bigger, redder comb and longer waddles a d giant legs and feet. She laid an egg finally 2 months later then the others as well. you would have thought her male 100% as she had all the signs, real big legs, heavy and giant feet. Fast combs and waddles bright red. Grew faster, and is bigger then the rest. She is also the alpha male. I will postictures this coming week.

 

[karlamaria]

Everyone in southwestern Montana ready for the snow? They predict between 3 and 10 inches, tonight, and up to three inches tomorrow. There is a big chill in the air... Brrrr