What did you do in the garden today?

[igorsMistress]

Okay gardeners, it has come to my attention via YT that Greenstalk planters, the original specifically, are on sale right now. If you've been wanting one, now's a good time. $109 right now instead of $169. Greenstalk Website Linked here in case you want to check it out. No impulse buys now, lol.

I don't think I can use the things, so I'm not buying. Everything I had in a pot or planter last year died when we hit over 110F for multiple days. Garden beds for me! More thermal mass! Wood chips to help regulate moisture and temperature retention! Yeah. Wolf spiders running around by my feet....

Edit to add this was my 777th post. Must be my lucky day!

Yup, no pots for me. Here the beds are actually sunken not raised. Keeps things cooler, water stays rather than runs off.
I’m working on it.

 

[Sueby]

Got an email that half my tomato starts have shipped. Again, a little early on the shipments! I thought I was done carrying starts in & out, guess not.

I have broth going in the pressure cooker, trying to get rid of so many bones in the freezer. I've been drinking a cup for lunch everyday. Some people swear by it, & my joints could use all the help they can get, but I have a feeling it's just another one of those fad things.

Patrick & I are taking it easy today, we'll take a walk thru the garden, check on the girls & probably call it a day.

My kitchen cabinets are being delivered today.

 

[Iluveggers]

Put the tomatoes out before leaving for work. Hoping to run the tractor to mow tomorrow so we can till on Sat. I would love to get the tomatoes in the ground (the forecast starting Monday looks fantastic), but I think I’ll wait one more week to be safe. Maybe I’ll up pot tonight after work. Can’t wait to have to summer to get out there for longer than an hour or two during weekdays!

 

[littledog]

Passion flower. This hasn't set fruit yet but it should eventually

That is so beautiful - I've never seen anything like it before - and you grow it! Amazing. What is the fruit like?

Yes, I understand the concerns about e.coli. I'm not talking about taking it direct from the pasture to the field. I'm just wondering why there isn't a domestic business that would collect the manure, process it for fertilizer, and make fertilizer domestically? Why are we having to import fertilizer?

You'd think, but the federal, state, local regulations and permits involved in fertilizer plants are crazy. I don't make the rules. Don't shoot the messenger.
Plus by the time things would get going the cost to build, produce and sell, would have the price of product crazy high and possible by that time, come into production after cheap out of country production and shipment picks back up. Then no one would buy the local expensive stuff. Also crazy, but true.

It seems like the main problem is all the regulations and expenses involved is doing this on a large scale. But is seems like it might be done on a smaller, local scale? Like so many things when it comes to local gardening, livestock raising, stuff we build and create, etc, the more we can barter with each other locally helps us get, or get rid of, the things we need, bypassing corporations, middlemen, taxes, etc, that suck off so much of own work, directing it into corporate profits. The more of us trading with each other locally, makes a better world, in my opinion.
For example, my local conservation district has a "manure program" where cattle and horse barns sign up to get rid of manure, and local gardeners can find them. We need more stuff like this.

Geoduck is a horrible mollusk

LOL, horrible-loking, but delicious.

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

Good morning all. Yesterday was pretty much a wash out. I did manage to get some weeds picked up. The grass is soggy and will likely not dry out until tomorrow so mowing is pushed to then. I can do the weed whacking today for as long as I have string. I need to set my seedlings out and start hardening them off. All of my tulips are pretty much in full bloom as are my daffodils in the front cutting garden. The lilies in that bed are coming up as well. My peach tree is looking good and both my apple trees are leafing out. I picked 2 asparagus spears this morning and I see a lot more tips poking through the dirt. Considering we’ve only had one day that got up to 70F the asparagus is doing well. So much to do. I think I need a nap already. Lol! Have a great day!

 

[littledog]

Four new raised beds, made from one of the freebie construction crates from work, treated with plain linseed oil. I still need to level and fill them.

Italian parsley

Chives

New strawberries, growing in their new space.

Naughty plant-digging kitty!

Double Rainbow!

Lettuce and spinach grow box experiment, so far so good!

Potatoes sprouting in a raised bed - I also have some in grow boxes, to experiment which method gets better results.

Big fail with my peas - only two sprouts out of a whole bed, of old seeds. I'll plant pole beans around them and see if the peas do anything.

 

[WthrLady]

Even small businesses are throttled by local, state, federal regulations and permits.
===
Dark cloudy and cold again today, with more rain.
Not watering unless necessary as the cold will cause wet disease, so the fan in the greenhouse is running. There isn't one in the hoophouse, so the windows are open. I swear the potatoes grew two inches yesterday.
I need mulch out there to walk on, big time, but with all the rain we've had, I'm sure the bags will be gross and wet at the box store. UGH. I need 10 bags, so I might hook up the trailer and just get it done.
I'll drill holes this weekend and prep the holes for tomatoes, that won't be going in for a couple of weeks.
Get down and dirty, or at least have dirty thoughts, today everyone.

 

[Elyrian1]

Huh, I planted rutabagas back in... November? October? I can't remember exactly. One came up about two weeks ago. Same with my mustard greens. I got one that sprouted about two or three weeks ago that was planted months ago. Odd, but I'll take it!

 

[SheaLoner]

Forecast is looking decent gor the next week. Am normally a few degrees cooler at nights here. Think I can get away with leaving the tomatoes out in a covered plastic greenhouse overnights?

 

[Iluveggers]

Forecast is looking decent gor the next week. Am normally a few degrees cooler at nights here. Think I can get away with leaving the tomatoes out in a covered plastic greenhouse overnights?
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The 36 makes me nervous & is the only reason I’ll be bringing mine in! Covered greenhouse would make a world of difference.