What did you do in the garden today?

[WthrLady]

Had my own surprise critter this morning. The tag is a standard seedling 6 pack label. So that will tell you how tiny this little guy is. LOL I set it free instead of feeding it to the hen.

Also all the bees are still home ! Both hives are going gangbusters.

 

[AllenK RGV]

@TropicalBabies Actually I said my last surprise was a black widow, that isn't completely true. I find scorpions just about any time I turn over anything. I have just come to expect those. Like roaches. It is why we keep chicken and my DW agrees to tolerate them. Also why I know my UV lights so well.

 

[littledog]

Hi gardeners! After yet another 6-day work week and 2 more to go (hopefully) I'm facing the reality that my garden is going to be limited at best this year.

What brought home the reality finally, is that our refrigerator died this week. We lost a lot, but not everything - thankfully, not our whole pork/ lamb, soups, sauces and veggies that were all in the big freezer, or our picked/canned veggies, plus most of the cheese could be saved. At least we could compost most of what we lost, and the spoiled poultry we threw in the woods to let the scavenger wildlife have at it.

Our one day off was taken up by shopping for a new refrigerator, which won't be available for two weeks, so we bought a mini-fridge just to get us through and store a few days of meals. No point in growing things we won't be able to keep fresh.

So, I'm following Acre4Me's advice, to use this year to improve my soil by planting cover crops. My order of 2# buckwheat seed and 5# winter wheat seed just arrived, so the plan is to only plant a small section of cabbage and basil for fermented canned sauerkraut and frozen pesto, and sow the other 3/4 of the garden in buckwheat, to be tilled under in July. Sow another crop, till it under in September, then sow winter wheat and leave it until next Spring. Looking forward to see how my soil turns out next year.

Just for fun, I did also order some loofah seeds to plant on the trellis, to try something new. A three-month growing season should be OK for our area. And they're apparently not a crop that needs a lot of processing or special storage, you just dry them out and peel off the rinds. I'll let you all know if they turn out successful, as well as how useful they turn out to be for sponge replacements.

Thank you, all of you, for all your good suggestions and ideas.

 

[Acre4Me]

Hi gardeners! After yet another 6-day work week and 2 more to go (hopefully) I'm facing the reality that my garden is going to be limited at best this year.

What brought home the reality finally, is that our refrigerator died this week. We lost a lot, but not everything - thankfully, not our whole pork/ lamb, soups, sauces and veggies that were all in the big freezer, or our picked/canned veggies, plus most of the cheese could be saved. At least we could compost most of what we lost, and the spoiled poultry we threw in the woods to let the scavenger wildlife have at it.

Our one day off was taken up by shopping for a new refrigerator, which won't be available for two weeks, so we bought a mini-fridge just to get us through and store a few days of meals. No point in growing things we won't be able to keep fresh.

So, I'm following Acre4Me's advice, to use this year to improve my soil by planting cover crops. My order of 2# buckwheat seed and 5# winter wheat seed just arrived, so the plan is to only plant a small section of cabbage and basil for fermented canned sauerkraut and frozen pesto, and sow the other 3/4 of the garden in buckwheat, to be tilled under in July. Sow another crop, till it under in September, then sow winter wheat and leave it until next Spring. Looking forward to see how my soil turns out next year.

Just for fun, I did also order some loofah seeds to plant on the trellis, to try something new. A three-month growing season should be OK for our area. And they're apparently not a crop that needs a lot of processing or special storage, you just dry them out and peel off the rinds. I'll let you all know if they turn out successful, as well as how useful they turn out to be for sponge replacements.

Thank you, all of you, for all your good suggestions and ideas.

I’m so sorry your fridge died! That is very frustrating! Glad you were able to get a replacement, although not as soon as ideal. However, I’ve heard freezers are in short supply and hard to find due to Corona, so glad to hear fridges are more readily available.

good idea on cover crops. My yellow blossom clover is doing well, and will get tilled under in the next couple of weeks. Your choices for cover crops sound great! I’ll sow winter peas in the garden bed after crops are harvested.

this should give you a good chance to get situated for next year!

 

[Acre4Me]

Nearly everything planted in the beds. Have melons left to plant. All Melon types but one sprouted, so that is good. Then redo the pots for planting on the deck.

great weather forecast for today, with warm sunny weather.

baby meat chicks already feel “heavy” -just different than regular chicks. On Day 2 they were hanging out regularly away from the heat plate and I’ve already had to raise the plate 2x bc they grow so fast. Of course, I’m only raising one or two clicks each time, but for a chick that is a lot! i tucked them under the heat plate in the darkened barn (enough light for me to see), and they didn’t complain, just peeked their heads out, ready for the night.

we have planned a meat chicken area, and will begin to build that soon.

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

Good morning gardeners. A bit cool this morning, but it's nice. Tuesday and Wednesday are forecasted to be near 90F. Ugh, too soon for that. I got all the mowing done and was able to get the linoleum tiles on the floor of the baby coop. I've got a load of laundry going already, but plan on getting started on assembling the baby coop. I would love to get the littles out to their own place by the end of this week. My potato plants are doing really well as are the leeks. I need to thin the turnips soon. I picked a few more radishes yesterday. They are almost gone. I did manage to water the garden yesterday morning. The peas are climbing now. So much to do. Dinner tonight is slow roasted half chicken on the charcoal grill. Easy dinner for a busy day.

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

I forgot I have a question regarding asparagus crowns. Most likely directed @karenerwin. How long after planting the crowns do you see any sprouts? I tried googling it and can't seem to find a good answer.

 

[NewBoots]

So, I'm following Acre4Me's advice, to use this year to improve my soil by planting cover crops. My order of 2# buckwheat seed and 5# winter wheat seed just arrived, so the plan is to only plant a small section of cabbage and basil for fermented

Since I have more beds than I'll be planting with winter crops, I think I'll do the same come winter. And sorry about your fridge.

Another nice day today, no rain so there's watering to do. No rain till next Friday so they say. Two of my okra plants have tiny flower buds forming! They're growing pretty slowly, maybe I need to hit them with the liquid fertilizer more?

And time for another Quarantine Haircut session! DP got this cool clipper set with a ton of combs and when we cut hair last time we just had scissors so I'm kinda excited. I keep my hair really short (think modified buzz cut) so not much harm can be done plus, it's hair, it grows back. I once ended up with a real GI buzz cut when my hair stylist insisted on doing my haircut when she had a high fever.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Good morning Gardeners was in the garden yesterday getting herbs for pork
realized my lettuce is up about to bolt so salad tonight with 50 x 50 burgers

 

[WthrLady]

Sultry no wind, super humid day.
Storms last night and more tonight.

Working on building new steps into the garage.
House came with faux steps made out of pieced left over TrexDecking that wobbled a bit / flexed when you stepped on them. They were exactly the width of the doorway. Since I installed a screen door, I wanted them to be a little longer to the opening side and without a disconcerting wobble. It was creepy.

SO I stained new steps with deep black cherry stain and when those are dry will install them. Hmmmmm maybe I should paint the risers while I wait. Ya. I'll go do that.

OH garden wise. A flat of squash seeds that did nothing for three weeks and was in the clean out pile for the compost, is suddenly sprouting today. NO idea. I'll let them keep going and plant them by the hives. You'd have to be a crazy squash beetle to go over there.

Iris' and Lilacs finally blooming! Talk about late !