What did you do in the garden today?

[3xhhheather]

I’m a bit jealous of everyone who lives where they still sell tomatoes and peppers in packs. Bonnie plants has a monopoly here. All their tomato and pepper plants are singles that cost $5 a plant. The only place I’ve seen that sells something that isn’t Bonnie is an extremely sketchy gas station near work and I don’t feel comfortable enough there to stop and browse the plants.

Oof yeah, but I do like how Bonnie will have like 8 basil plants crammed into a small cup

 

[pennyJo1960]

We have what is called Sunbirds here buy all my plants there no Bonnie ones thank heavens

 

[Happy hen lover]

Hey does anyone else notice that shopping for seedlings are almost like chicken math! I started a bunch of different seedlings from seeds online and yes I've bought several 6 pack plants in addition ! Now I'm getting very creative on where to stick them all. ! At least I've learned a lot and have planted some perriniels in the midst of it all! But yes I have the same sickness as you as far as plants go but love producing my own feed and heh any extra us just chicken FEED! HA HA

 

[chickengr]

For what purpose ? If saving seed, beans are self pollinating and rarely cross since they pollinate before the flower is fully open .

thank you. I found some old seeds and if they happen to sprout I want to save some seeds. I feel relieved now.

 

[3xhhheather]

Hey does anyone else notice that shopping for seedlings are almost like chicken math! I started a bunch of different seedlings from seeds online and yes I've bought several 6 pack plants in addition ! Now I'm getting very creative on where to stick them all. ! At least I've learned a lot and have planted some perriniels in the midst of it all! But yes I have the same sickness as you as far as plants go but love producing my own feed and heh any extra us just chicken FEED! HA HA

So much this! I feel like I get FOMO about growing all different varieties, that I forget the basics (like jalapeños) so while I have 10 different peppers already, I’m gonna pick up packs and then oh look flowers on clearance!

 

[littledog]

My new plan is to build raised beds, to make it easier to weed and to control temps, and maybe get a bit longer growing season. So I built 5, but after leveling and situating one last weekend, it was taking way too long. I was sore from digging, and my back was severely protesting.
So today my awesome neighbor who has a side business tilling, came and tilled and leveled the whole garden.
I have tomorrow off work, because I lied to my employer that I was getting my first covid vaccine tomorrow, even though I actually got it yesterday. [No side effects, except for a slight headache (easily cured with 2 Tylenol) and a bit of fatigue (took a nap for two hours, then felt great, and full of energy today.)]

So my plan for tomorrow is to situate the other four raised beds I have built, fill them with the compost that's waiting in my trailer right beside the garden, and plant lettuce and spinach in the one bed that's finished.
My seedlings inside are almost ready to go into the greenhouse - hopefully all the beds will be done by the time they are ready to plant outside, at least that's the plan...

The trees from Gurney's we planted 3 or 4 weeks ago are still not budding up, while the native trees we got from our local conservation district at the same time are not only budding, but branching out. How much time should I give the Gurney's trees until I demand a refund? They still owe me two butternut trees, that they claim have shipped, but when I try to track them, it says "arrival date is unknown." Ticks me off, I won't be ordering from them again.

Nature Hills Nursery is definitely super expensive, but the few trees we bought from them are super healthy and growing like crazy.

 

[jerryse]

Morning . All this talk about Cushaw squash reminded me I needed to find my seed . I have green strip , orange stripe and white . Really need to save new seed so I will probably grow the white as it is harder to find . No need to hand pollinate that way . You can grow 1 variety from each of the 4 squash groups and have pure seed . That is if no close neighbors have any compatible squash . I will likely be too busy to hand pollinate this year . Finally renewed some seed last year after missing my chance two years in a row . Hand pollination required on that one .

 

[Sally PB]

We all know about chicken math. But nobody talks about garden math...

 

[WthrLady]

Ditto, but inside the stores (Lowes mostly) typically has the multi packs. If I have to get the single, I keep it to one or two of just what I can’t do without.

I start my own cells, but I did notice not many places carry the small cells anymore, just the larger and giant rounds from BonnyBell.

Menards carries cells as well as our local grocery and ACE hardware. Boy did they look terrible. I don't think they brought them in from the frost. I found out it's a commission sale. The plant vendor doesn't get paid unless the plants sell, but rely on store owners to protect, water, and cover the plants. HA!

HomeDepot told me that when BBell comes in once a week to stock, they pull plant that have been there over two and compost them so that all the best and newest plants show off and get sold. They make their money selling early and reselling when things people buy die, either in the ground, or waiting to get in the ground. I swear they start selling extra early here for just that reason. Last frost here is May 22nd, and the plant sales started in earnest over a month ago.

Morning . All this talk about Cushaw squash reminded me I needed to find my seed . I have green strip , orange stripe and white . Really need to save new seed so I will probably grow the white as it is harder to find . No need to hand pollinate that way . You can grow 1 variety from each of the 4 squash groups and have pure seed . That is if no close neighbors have any compatible squash . I will likely be too busy to hand pollinate this year . Finally renewed some seed last year after missing my chance two years in a row . Hand pollination required on that one .

I have plenty if you want some, let me know and I'll pop them in the post.

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

Good morning gardeners. Hopefully this is our last cold morning. No frost but in the upper 30's with a brisk wind. The pollen count is through the roof and I need to get a second dose of allergy medicine real soon. I hear you on the sad looking plants from the stores. I stopped at HD the other day on my way home from TSC. I did pick up a few herbs and replacement daisies and a geranium. I looked at the tomato starts because mine are still small, but they were selling the 4 inch pots of tomatoes for nearly $4 each and they were only a wee bit bigger than my own. No thank you. As soon as the wind dies down a bit I'll be covering the garden hoops with plastic and warm up the tomato bed. We were fortunate in that we got a little over 1/4 inch of rain yesterday. More rain Wednesday though Friday, but warm temps great for planting. Laundry today and hopefully grass mowing tomorrow. It's fun this time of year, ask me how I feel in July and August. LOL!