What did you do in the garden today?

[chickengr]

I'd like to learn to can some sun dried tomatoes....

me too. I find a lot of information on youtube. I am a learner, lol.

 

[jerryse]

Garden fever is good thing! How are you getting along? Still making good progress?

I saw my surgeon and he said see me in1 year . Therapy will end on the 18 . Walking good without a cane . Slow but good . I tire easily but it will take awhile to get my strength back . Good news is nicer weather is coming and I like being outdoors .

 

[igorsMistress]

I saw my surgeon and he said see me in1 year . Therapy will end on the 18 . Walking good without a cane . Slow but good . I tire easily but it will take awhile to get my strength back . Good news is nicer weather is coming and I like being outdoors .

That’s great news! I’m so happy for you that your recovery is going well. Slow is ok as long you’re moving under your own power.

 

[littledog]

This will also be my first year using Baker Creek Seeds. And I also bought 2 melons to try. Here are the ones I picked. Which are you going to try?

Yours look like they will be delicious! I ordered 1 packet of Prescott Fond Blanc (warty skin with orange flesh) and 1 of Yamato Silver (green striped with white flesh). Can't wait to see how they do!

It's a bit hard to see since it's a long image, but click on it and zoom in if you like.

Nice how you did that! Easy to picture how your long bed will look when everything's blooming.

There's a video out there also of a guy who uses hot sand he bakes in the even to heat pvc. 1 or 2 cookie sheets full of sand was enough to fill an entire length of 2" pvc. The pvc pipe soon became soft enough to easily form into a curve but held it's shape thanks to the mass of sand inside. And he just let the sand cool in the pipe and then popped end caps off and poured it out to use in the next pipe

I saw a video of someone who built a frame - it was a large piece of plywood with pieces of 2x4 attached to it in strategic locations to hold the PVC into the shape he wanted. He turned it upside-down so the bottom ends of the PVC would be up when attached to it, then poured boiling water into the PVC, worked it into the frame, and by the time it cooled, it was in the shape he wanted. It's definitely a way one person could do it by themselves, and making the frame could be pricey and a lot of work, but worth it if you have many pieces to do in the same shape.
I'll try to find the video, since I'm probably not explaining it in a way you can really picture it.

Gurneys and Territorial Seed. If this experience with Gurneys is like my last one I’m never ordering from them again. I ordered seed potatoes from them last year and when I opened the box there was mold. I haven’t ever ordered from Territorial before. They don’t give any ship dates that I’ve found on their website.

I love Territorial. They're pricey and take longer to ship than some others, but their seeds have never failed to produce for me. Even leftover seeds that were two or three years old had a decent germination rate.

I won't be ordering from Gurney's again - last year they had such good prices on trees that I ordered 6 or 7, and I doubt a single one has survived. We did have a terrible heat wave last summer that killed a few of the native baby trees and shrubs as well, but the Gurney's trees never had a chance because they shipped so much later than they should have.
That reminds me - maybe I can save one or two of them if I get out there now while it's still winter and prune them back to almost nothing? Worth a try, I guess.

 

[BReeder!]

That reminds me - maybe I can save one or two of them if I get out there now while it's still winter and prune them back to almost nothing? Worth a try, I guess.

This is the situation with my apple tree. I bought it from Lowes on clearance though and it's still exchangeable if it does not come back. It's pretty much just a 3ft twig sticking out the ground right now. I'm hoping it has enough vigor to grow some new branches in the coming weeks.

 

[BReeder!]

Somebody recently mentioned getting small beds for herbs. Here's another option to grow up in compact spaces if needed:
Mr. Stacky 5 Tier Stackable Strawberry, Herb, Flower, and Vegetable Planter - Vertical Garden Indoor/Outdoor https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007TFTW3U/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_i_7J7088E8D0F7D5E240T3
$35 doesn't seem bad for 5 tiers.

 

[littledog]

Not sure if I did this right, but it's the video about building a jig and using boiling water to bend PVC.

 

[WthrLady]

I solved my building problem at about 4 am standing outside with the dog. MY CATTLE PANELS. I took down arches to put the hoophouse up, LOL, I'll just use those! Lordy, some days I swear my brain makes things more complicated than they need to be.
I'll work here and there as weather permits. False Spring is fun, but it allows us to ease into yard work.
Upper 50s today and HOWLING winds.

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

I'm just wondering (don't get offended please) If all the people who have fruit trees know this:
You have to give your fruit trees a 5-gallon bucket of water every week unless you get 2 inches of rain that week. All spring and summer, for 2 years.
You also need to fertilize twice a year. I did twice for the first 4 years and now I do it only in the spring now that they're 10 years old.
Also, if you lose trees from Gurneys, call them and tell them. You could get replacements or money back. They have new owners now, but I think they still stand by their policy.

 

[BReeder!]

I'm just wondering (don't get offended please) If all the people who have fruit trees know this:
You have to give your fruit trees a 5-gallon bucket of water every week unless you get 2 inches of rain that week. All spring and summer, for 2 years.
You also need to fertilize twice a year. I did twice for the first 4 years and now I do it only in the spring now that they're 10 years old.
Also, if you lose trees from Gurneys, call them and tell them. You could get replacements or money back. They have new owners now, but I think they still stand by their policy.

Good info! I get the rain and snow (turns to melt water in early Spring) here to make due for the most part. I do water trees on the summer though with the hose or duck pool water. I fertilizer with fruit tree spine that push into the ground. Is this like what you use? I think Jobes makes the ones I have.