Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

[hbfarm]

Not sure if anyone might know, but there used to be a Nursery/Aquatic Garden Center that used to carry some poultry/waterfowl right along Stevens Pass Highway between Monroe and Sultan on the South side of the road. Does anyone know of this place and if they are still in business, I can't remember their name?

 

[Chickielady]

I'm right on the beach, we always get the rain.

Not much rain....not enough, not nearly normal !

 

[Chickielady]

I have watered my garden 3 times since the beginning of may! We are doing pretty well as far as production, but maybe not quite as good as people that are watering multiple times a week. This method has really worked for me though.

http://www.homeindisarray.com/2015/06/low-water-vegetable-gardening.html

My "new" watering areas are freshly seeded, and the under ground pipe thingy would not work to keep the freshly seeded 1/2" top of the soil wet enough...seeds must be kept damp until they root.

 

[Chickielady]

Had a hatch last night into this morning. Barometric pressure seems to work on chicks as well as women. Ten chicks accounted for so far. Thank goodness for the rain

Maybe that is why I have such great hatches between Feb-May

 

[Chickielady]

Had a hatch last night into this morning. Barometric pressure seems to work on chicks as well as women. Ten chicks accounted for so far. Thank goodness for the rain

BY THE WAY~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Chickielady]

We're on the Hood Canal. Loving our chickens

Where on the Canal ?

 

[Chickielady]

Couple of comments. Don't till your beds, it breaks up the network of micro-organisms that are breaking down the compost materials and releasing nutrients used by plants and worms. When it gets broken up the process halts and so does the natural source of nutrients until it's had time to reconstruct the network. Second, it brings more weed seeds to the surface that you then have to manage. Wood mixed in with the dirt and compost (not counting branches, logs, and big pieces) sucks up all the available nitrogen as part of the decay process, therefore stealing it from vegetables. However, a thick layer of compost topped with a thick layer (4 inches) of wood chips made up of multi-sized pieces and includes the leaves and needles that were on the tree is an excellent thing to put on top of the beds. It's a super mulch, a sponge like described in that link, and it breaks down slowly over time adding rather than taking nutrients from the soil. If you want to add more compost, just toss some on top of the wood chips and water it in. It's best to add these layers in the fall to allow time for them to do their thing before you plant in the spring.

Kick butt Carolyn !!!
You are correct on all statements.
The issue of seeding (and I do reseeding all year long) is the reason I water, and have to water daily (almost 2X a day lately) to keep my seeds germinating. I plant 2-5 crops of radish, lettuce, mustards, and kales all season long.
The under-the-ground-pipe system would work very well, IF we all had nothing but 1 season growers.
Crops planted by seed (think: carrots, radish, lettuces. kales, mustards) all must be started by seed & watered in. Larger plants that grow on 1 X a season, such as summer squash, and tomatoes, would work fine for the under-the-ground-pipe-method

I also do not disturb my soils,as Carolyn stated, but add fresh compost every spring, (and Ironite) before I plant my grown (in 1 gal pots) plants.

So Carolyn....how are the sweet meats growing this year ?

 

[Chickielady]

Hi! I'm looking for a buff orpington duck hen. Anyone know anyone of any available within a few hours of the tri-cities?

Look here, in your quest, it may help.


https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/353771/eastern-washington

 

[Chickielady]

I have a wonderful thing to have to deal with.........................

YUCK.................

I have a 1 yr old Blue OE, that lays an awesome avacado-spotted EX large egg every day.......who is crop impacted.
I have kinda waited to see if she is going to handle it, and we did the hang-upside down thing months ago....
I am thinking I should get my surgical stuff out & deal with it....but I still need some local anesthetic.................so we'll see, I hate to operate on an animal with no local !

 

[Cockatrice6420]

Where on the Canal ?

South end. Are you familiar with the area?