What did you do in the garden today?

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

Good morning gardeners. I've been watching the weather forecast closely and keeping an eye on my late season peppers. There's a bell pepper in the main garden area that is nearly ready to pick and a couple of poblanos in the front yard as well. The butternut squash are nearly completely ripened except for one that still has some green on it. The stems are still green even on the ripest so I'll leave them as long as I can. Indoors, what I purchased as a Meyer Lemon tree - I really think this is a lime. A year ago I let it develop fruit and it never ripened as a Meyer lemon should. It stayed green. I finally caved and picked the two. I zested it and used it as a lime. I currently have one fruit on the little tree that has been developing for 2 months now. This one is not getting all that big. Should I fertilize the tree now or wait? I've been considering getting a Meyer Lemon tree from one of the garden vendors online not HD. I've had this tree for at least 4 years and it is barely 2 feet tall. So I'm a little disappointed. My basil finally dried. I tasted it and OMG! concentrated basil flavor and the house smells like basil. I'm thinking oregano next. Who needs Glade Plug-ins when you are drying herbs. Have a great day everyone.

 

[AllenK RGV]

My lemon trees grow incredibly slow, that or I am just too lazy to water them to the level they require. We have a row of rootstock regrown lemon trees that we usually just juice for things like koolaide/Flavoraide drinks. Those rootstock regrowths are incredibly fast growers compared to their grafted brethren. The smell though is so awesome when they are in bloom though. As far as fertilizer goes I don't offer my citrus a helping hand beyond the occasional deep watering and accept the good years with the bad. Mind you I am no professional citrus farmer just a homeowner with 3 good producing shrubs...and 5 more random regrowth ones.
@Wee Farmer Sarah I was curious about your butternut squash it is getting that season when that will be popping up crazy in the stores what recipee's do you enjoy making from them? All I have ever used them for is supplemental monarch butterfly food when they eat through all of your milkweed for late stage instars.

 

[Acre4Me]

I feel your pain with moving (and paying for) all that dirt. We have 16 side dump truckloads under our barn! ((BARF))

Yes. Unfortunately when the barn was built (previous owner), they really didn't elevate it much. So, now over the last 20 years, the ground has settled and created some low spots near the building. Crazy how $$ dirt is. I questioned the quality for it being "topsoil" (although not meant to be garden quality), but was told it is typical for topsoil here, in this area. So, it will serve its purpose of leveling the ground, providing a slight slope to the farmers field, and growing grass. I think price-wise, it is a little bit of demand drives price - so much water and wet for about 2 years (especially the last year) that many people are getting extra drainage dug, more dirt brought in, etc. Seeing those projects all over the place.

@Acre4Me I have seen people in Italy bend over & bury their fig trees for the winter! I thinks its too cold here for even that so I bring it in.

Good to know! We bought this bc it is rated for 1 or 2 zones lower than we are. Hoping it does well. Spouse thinks it will get knocked back a bit, but should live through the winter.

My goodness @Acre4Me you have been busy. Your gardens are going to be so amazing next year. I can't wait to see pictures of it. And I am so jealous of your fig tree. We have such a short growing season here, it's hard to jump start the figs.

I hope so. Today we map out the locations of the beds. we will build 2-3 more beds. Curious though - does anyone know if there is any advantage to positioning raised beds N-S or E-W? I looked for this info, but never came across anything definitive. They have been situated N-S and everything has done well, so thinking will leave them that way.

Fig tree - yes, I am also impressed with its growth! It is planted where we don't see it too often, so we walked around the corner and went "WOW!" bc it was so big in a fairly short period of time. I think the radiant heat off the brick of the south side of the house is a big help for it.

The beds have been amended with alfalfa pellets and hay, gypsum, purchased garden soil/compost, and I had quail in the garden for close to a year.

We've used all these same things too! It helps, but with so much clay in our soil, I think we will be buying bags of coarse sand to add to the beds to help break up the soil. I sourced huge bags of Perlite and Vermiculite and added that too, but might go heavier on the Perlite since it is will help break up the soil a bit better. Both hold water. Added Peat Moss, as well, but that can get pricey, so might just save that for planting holes.

@Acre4Me your place looks great!

Thanks! Still a ways to go, but looking forward to gardening in a hopefully less soggy area.

Why not rent one of those Bobcat dump loaders

Kinda pricey here. I know you responded to @Wee Farmer Sarah, but we were going to rent one, but $200/day was cheapest rate we found. Then needed it delivered as they weigh nearly 4000 lbs, then add in the trailer weight and we could not tow it. So, delivery charges ranged between $45-100 EACH way . Then add in learning curve of using the Bobcat - depending on difficulty of task.

I was talking pain in the wallet!

Oh yes.

 

[AllenK RGV]

Kinda pricey here. I know you responded to @Wee Farmer Sarah, but we were going to rent one, but $200/day was cheapest rate we found. Then needed it delivered as they weigh nearly 4000 lbs, then add in the trailer weight and we could not tow it. So, delivery charges ranged between $45-100 EACH way . Then add in learning curve of using the Bobcat - depending on difficulty of task.



Oh yes.

I must be lucky with the informal economy here on the border there are two heavy equipment operators within a one mile radius not to mention all the farm equipment nearby. I even have an informal truck company on the corner of my street. I keep thinking I'm going to ask the guy about bringing back a truckload of compost from McAllen's composting site should he ever get stuck there without a return paying load(at a discount mind you). My little fruitstand has an everything is priced to $1 thing going on and of course no state sales taxes as most everything else(informal) in the Colonias of Texas. I betcha I could rent that backhoe guy for $200/day sure he would probably start at $350 since I am a gringo.

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

My lemon trees grow incredibly slow, that or I am just too lazy to water them to the level they require. We have a row of rootstock regrown lemon trees that we usually just juice for things like koolaide/Flavoraide drinks. Those rootstock regrowths are incredibly fast growers compared to their grafted brethren. The smell though is so awesome when they are in bloom though. As far as fertilizer goes I don't offer my citrus a helping hand beyond the occasional deep watering and accept the good years with the bad. Mind you I am no professional citrus farmer just a homeowner with 3 good producing shrubs...and 5 more random regrowth ones.
@Wee Farmer Sarah I was curious about your butternut squash it is getting that season when that will be popping up crazy in the stores what recipee's do you enjoy making from them? All I have ever used them for is supplemental monarch butterfly food when they eat through all of your milkweed for late stage instars.

The climate in north central Massachusetts is not conducive to growing citrus outdoor. You can put the trees out in the summer but they need to come inside in Autumn so they aren't able to tap into soil nutrients the same as in-ground plants therefore fertilizer is needed from time to time. As far as butternut squash goes - it's always been a popular vegetable to my knowledge. You can bake it, steam it, make soup out of it, even make pie and "pumpkin" bread. Winter squash can be used the same as pumpkin. Most canned pumpkin you get in grocery stores is actually winter squash. Pumpkin is one type of winter squash. My favorites are butternut squash soup, mashed squash with butter, butternut squash ravioli. My chickens like it as well.

 

[AllenK RGV]

Yesterday's harvest from some mutant tree pruning. This is still from last winters fruiting out, much more was littered under the thourn underbrush and why it was pruned back.

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

Yes. Unfortunately when the barn was built (previous owner), they really didn't elevate it much. So, now over the last 20 years, the ground has settled and created some low spots near the building. Crazy how $$ dirt is. I questioned the quality for it being "topsoil" (although not meant to be garden quality), but was told it is typical for topsoil here, in this area. So, it will serve its purpose of leveling the ground, providing a slight slope to the farmers field, and growing grass. I think price-wise, it is a little bit of demand drives price - so much water and wet for about 2 years (especially the last year) that many people are getting extra drainage dug, more dirt brought in, etc. Seeing those projects all over the place.



Good to know! We bought this bc it is rated for 1 or 2 zones lower than we are. Hoping it does well. Spouse thinks it will get knocked back a bit, but should live through the winter.



I hope so. Today we map out the locations of the beds. we will build 2-3 more beds. Curious though - does anyone know if there is any advantage to positioning raised beds N-S or E-W? I looked for this info, but never came across anything definitive. They have been situated N-S and everything has done well, so thinking will leave them that way.

Fig tree - yes, I am also impressed with its growth! It is planted where we don't see it too often, so we walked around the corner and went "WOW!" bc it was so big in a fairly short period of time. I think the radiant heat off the brick of the south side of the house is a big help for it.



We've used all these same things too! It helps, but with so much clay in our soil, I think we will be buying bags of coarse sand to add to the beds to help break up the soil. I sourced huge bags of Perlite and Vermiculite and added that too, but might go heavier on the Perlite since it is will help break up the soil a bit better. Both hold water. Added Peat Moss, as well, but that can get pricey, so might just save that for planting holes.



Thanks! Still a ways to go, but looking forward to gardening in a hopefully less soggy area.



Kinda pricey here. I know you responded to @Wee Farmer Sarah, but we were going to rent one, but $200/day was cheapest rate we found. Then needed it delivered as they weigh nearly 4000 lbs, then add in the trailer weight and we could not tow it. So, delivery charges ranged between $45-100 EACH way . Then add in learning curve of using the Bobcat - depending on difficulty of task.



Oh yes.

Wow, I'm exhausted for you already. I agree, leave your beds facing the way that has worked for you. My beds face west, however, they do get early sun from the south. Last year I brought my Brown Turkey Fig into the garage to over winter, however I know the pot it was in froze due to the low temps we had. This winter I'm going to try to insulate the pot so it won't take as long to thaw come Spring so maybe I'll get figs next year. You, me and @Sueby can compare notes. She's keeping her fig tree warm this winter. Good luck. Take pictures of your finished beds. I can't wait to see them.

 

[Sueby]

I love to use butternut squash as a sauce for pasta!

My beds are west to east, but they get 100% sun. I plant tall stuff in the back (north).

I'm very lucky, we have a small Kubota tractor & a giant Case. Nothing that we can't do with one of those. DH even dug the foundation for the shop with it. They come in so handy moving heavy things too.

My Lime tree is like 5 years old, doesn't produce crap because I dint have a good place for it in winter, we keep the house cold & I have no south facing windows.

Here is my fig, it's very odd after the 'accident' but it recoverd well. Has about 25 figs in it that probably wont ripen.

My onion harvest, a lot of small ones & a few more that weren't dry yet.

& My latest Dahlia, not quite open & the suns in the wrong spot

 

[Sueby]

I'm baking a 6 layer carrot cake with the last of the garden carrots, the house smells delish!

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

I love to use butternut squash as a sauce for pasta!

My beds are west to east, but they get 100% sun. I plant tall stuff in the back (north).

I'm very lucky, we have a small Kubota tractor & a giant Case. Nothing that we can't do with one of those. DH even dug the foundation for the shop with it. They come in so handy moving heavy things too.

My Lime tree is like 5 years old, doesn't produce crap because I dint have a good place for it in winter, we keep the house cold & I have no south facing windows.
View attachment 1920958

Here is my fig, it's very odd after the 'accident' but it recoverd well. Has about 25 figs in it that probably wont ripen.
View attachment 1920959

My onion harvest, a lot of small ones & a few more that weren't dry yet.
View attachment 1920960

& My latest Dahlia, not quite open & the suns in the wrong spot
View attachment 1920961

The color on that dahlia is gorgeous. Have you considered a grow light for the indoor “winter” garden? I’m over wintering my lavender on the enclosed front porch, I’m thinking of doing the same with one pot of mint. Although I get a lot of light in my sunroom, there is no natural light from the West so I’m putting a grow light on that side of the room. Your fig tree is awesome.