What did you do in the garden today?

[Peep_Show]

Potatoes like corn.

I like corn too !!!

We should nickname you "Spud"

- - -

My philosophy is ..... Where there's a garden, there's veritable hope and promise.

Can hardly wait for the seed catalogs to start arriving. Better than all this Fingerhut/Signals/any cheesy retailer Christmas crud that's gracing my mailbox.

- - -

Yep, the veggie garden is pretty much put to bed. We've had a couple of near-freezing nights which did in all the deciduous leaves, so cleanup season is approaching. Time to deadhead and work on trimming spent stuff. Garden chores are pretty much raking and blowing. Managed to get 4 figs before the crispening. Kale is still going strong, but it's getting tough and needs lots of saute for tenderness. The chickens are enjoying it in their treat ball, though

 

[Nofowlplay]

Question......I broke up my straw bale tomato garden I was experimenting with and pitched both bales in the raised beds. The straw looked a bit mouldy ....should i be worried? Will it breakdown and be as effective as leaves? I like to let the leaves be in my yard for the bees and butterflies.....or at least part of them .

 

[LittleLakePhil]

Where I live I wouldn't worry a bit but, 40 below pretty much kills all that crap anyway.

 

[Nofowlplay]

40 below ? I guess so!

 

[Beekissed]

Question......I broke up my straw bale tomato garden I was experimenting with and pitched both bales in the raised beds. The straw looked a bit mouldy ....should i be worried? Will it breakdown and be as effective as leaves? I like to let the leaves be in my yard for the bees and butterflies.....or at least part of them .

Takes a long time for straw to break down, but it can provide good air spaces in the soil and ground cover. I wouldn't worry about mold...it's the first thing required to start the composting process. You really can't get good compost without it.

It won't break down like leaves, nor will it have the same nutritive value as the leaves, but it certainly won't hurt.

 

[Nofowlplay]

...

Takes a long time for straw to break down, but it can provide good air spaces in the soil and ground cover. I wouldn't worry about mold...it's the first thing required to start the composting process. You really can't get good compost without it. It won't break down like leaves, nor will it have the same nutritive value as the leaves, but it certainly won't hurt. Thanks for the film and the info! Guess I will be asking family and friends for their leaves! Want to start that worm bin too!

 

[shortgrass]

Ol Bee got every one of them leaves from the closest town...not a one came from my land!     I started noticing all the heaps and heaps of bagged leaves in town and I kept wondering why in the world would I rake all my leaves when the townies are doing their leaves and just throwing them away.  So, my leaves get to stay in place for my chicken's foraging efforts and all of the leaves that would ordinarily end up wasted in the land fill are coming to my place for their new home.  I'm going to be their new mama...isn't that sweet?    I even got lawn clippings, shredded leaves, sawdust, flowers, veggies, straw, etc. in those bags.  181 bags total....hope to make it 300 before the season is done. 

I'm going first thing tomorrow to adopt more leaves....saw a HUGE pile of bags just today as I was driving through town and will be rescuing the poor little guys ASAP.   And didn't have to lift a rake....bags...but no rakes, no tarps, nothin'. 

Aauugh that's CHEATING ha-ha!

Well, after I have a soak in some Epsom salts to help my aching muscles from RAKING leaves for 3 days, I'm going to challenge that "Don't even ask" look DH gave me when I told him where you got the leaves


I think I heard him mumble something about "the truck isn't running very good", and " blizzard, collecting leaves, crazy, grumble grumble" lol

Oh but I have to "rescue" too ha-ha, how sweet to give them a better life than a landfill

 

[beginnergirl]

Takes a long time for straw to break down, but it can provide good air spaces in the soil and ground cover. I wouldn't worry about mold...it's the first thing required to start the composting process. You really can't get good compost without it. It won't break down like leaves, nor will it have the same nutritive value as the leaves, but it certainly won't hurt.

I was surprised that the straw and manure from my coop has broken down in the compost bin. It has been 3 months or so and the stuff at the bottom doesn't have the structure of straw anymore. Thought it looked pretty good- almost ready to use. I only have a non motorized mower. Love it because it is quiet. But it doesn't shred leaves. Would a string trimmer work to shred them? The girls have mixed up my leaf pile and sod piles. Not sure if this is good or not. Digging up my lawn has been a slow process but the sod when turned upside down in a large pile does break down without turning. In a year. I may have to build a bin to put the sod in. They are having great fun though and it keeps them busy.

 

[lazy gardener]

Question......I broke up my straw bale tomato garden I was experimenting with and pitched both bales in the raised beds. The straw looked a bit mouldy ....should i be worried? Will it breakdown and be as effective as leaves? I like to let the leaves be in my yard for the bees and butterflies.....or at least part of them .

Mold is good, as long as it's outside. Let it mold away! Not as much nutrient in the straw as there is in leaves, but it breaks down faster. IMO, ANYTHING you put on your garden as long as it's not contaminated with herbicides or pesticides is a good thing.

I was surprised that the straw and manure from my coop has broken down in the compost bin. It has been 3 months or so and the stuff at the bottom doesn't have the structure of straw anymore. Thought it looked pretty good- almost ready to use.

I only have a non motorized mower. Love it because it is quiet. But it doesn't shred leaves. Would a string trimmer work to shred them?

The girls have mixed up my leaf pile and sod piles. Not sure if this is good or not. Digging up my lawn has been a slow process but the sod when turned upside down in a large pile does break down without turning. In a year. I may have to build a bin to put the sod in. They are having great fun though and it keeps them busy.

I don't worry about shredding leaves, though any that fall on my lawn during mowing season do get shredded, simply b/c I'm mowing. But, leaves go on the garden or in the green house whole. Any shredding gets done by the chickens.

 

[LindaD29697]

I considered driving around and scarfing random leaf bags from the curb.....but concerned about doggie poop being in there too......

Hey fertilizer is fertilizer. LOL