What did you do in the garden today?

[DParker75089]

How do you keep the corn from cross-pollinating?

I don't. The sweet varieties are hybrids anyway, so there's no reason to save the seeds.

Does it mature at different rates?

They do.

Also, I planted Tall Telephone peas today too, first time trying! Do you like them?

I'll let you know. It's my first time with them as well.

 

[chickengr]

Mint will take over like a weed if you let it. Some of them will string out of the original pot and spread where they touch the ground. Not necessarily a bad thing.

I heard from a few people, which I need to check if it's true or not, they are experimenting with mint in beehives to keep the hive beetles out. If this is true, I wonder if it'd keep certain pests away from the girls too, if you can keep them out of it. If not, at least their poop might smell a bit nicer

Aaron

the pests will still be there and their poop would stink the same, lol. some of my pekin (bantam cochin) decimated mint last summer. but it regrowed.

 

[chickengr]

tomato gardeners, this will just make you happy - time lapse

that's how I preserve seeds. just slice tomatoes and eggplants and let them dry. next spring I burry the slices in dirt and water them. it is a big mess when it comes to transplanting but worth doing it that way. it seems that dried flesh feeds them.

 

[chickengr]

@Sueby - so an idea hit me today... I'm planning on building some small raised beds (3 ft L x 1 ft W x 18" H) and arch some plastic lattice between them. Think of the McDonald's golden arches... The purpose of these beds is to grow my Butterfly Peas and Runner Beans. However, I was thinking about the space under the arches between the boxes. There won't be a ton of room under there. Maybe 3 ft x 2.5 ft under each arch... But I was wondering if the lattice work and flowers could provide enough shade for lettuce to grow?

what is humidity in summer? I cannot grow lettuce due to lack of humidity, it becomes woody.

 

[638858]

Those are lovely mixes of herbs with a bit of lettuce thrown in! Once it grows in it should be gorgeous. I hope you have it near the kitchen door, I know for mw, the closer to the kitchen the more I use my fresh herbs.

I'm betting it depends on how wet your planting area is. Here, you have to jump back once it touches the ground and hope it doesn't outrun you. Seriously! We planted some in a old cast iron bathtub that was left in our backyard at our first home in Portland. It filled the tub frighteningly fast. But even before that, it shot out runners in all directions and tried to escape to the main garden. The only plant that I've seen that is worse for spreading is Creeping Jenny.

As someone else said, I'd nip off the leaves from about half way down and maybe lay the pots on the side and once they reorient, either up-pot them or plant them outside if the weather permits.

Oh lord, please don't put that mint in the ground in your main garden. Once it goes nuts, you'd have to get every scrap out or it'll regrow.

I'm so sorry Sueby, that sounds miserable.

We've tried to mix varieties of mint the the same pot but the common mint always outgrows everything and fills the pot with roots. We uproot it, trim it back roots (it always looks like there is no soil at all) and all then replant it to let it go nuts again.

I've been tempted to plant it in wet ditches in the past. Actually did once and I figure whoever lives there now curses me.

Oh THIS! I have a 8 gallon pot of the stuff in front of the covered run and thanks to you, I'll put it into the open run today!

Oh man that stuff is so hard to dig out. If you try to pull it up like a normal weed, you end up with a handful of leaves and the root stays put. Try dynamite.

No lettuce in pictures.. Chinese Mustard

 

[muddy75]

Finally cleaned out, tilled, and spread rabbit droppings yesterday. Still a possibility of frost tomorrow night so hopefully we can start planting by the weekend

 

[638858]

Any other vermisomposters out there?..

 

[Sally PB]

Giant Hog weed. Stuff is a *&*%$ mean. It has a lot of cousin plants that aren't poisonous and don't cause photo reactive burns, and they're all big. Member of the carrot family if I am remembering correctly.

Oh, man, a neighbor told me about that stuff and I looked it up. I read an article (no link, sorry) about someone getting 2nd degree burns from the sap on their skin reacting with sunlight.

Well, two nice days (actually a day and a half), and then Mother Nature puts her B-hat on again. I got 9 hugelkultur holes with wood chunks dug over the weekend, and they got a good soaking with the rain last night. The next 3-4 nights will be near to slightly below freezing, and cooler than average forecast through the next 10-14 days. If we just get some sunshine, the greenhouse will be warm. If we don't, then the starts won't start.

 

[638858]

Finally cleaned out, tilled, and spread rabbit droppings yesterday. Still a possibility of frost tomorrow night so hopefully we can start planting by the weekend

I cleaned rabbit litter yesterday too, added to the compost pile behind woodshed..

 

[638858]

Re: yellow dock. Apparently its leaves are edible and the roots have medicunal qualities. interesting

Yes, Dock is a wild edible.. you’d be surprised what all “weeds” people get rid of that are edible and quite nutritious and beneficial to man... what a concept, almost like someone planned it that way... with coming food shortages it may be time to learn what’s growing in your area that you and your family can use to supplement your diets.. animals too.. but always positively identify anything you are not familiar with.. before consuming..