What did you do in the garden today?

[chickengr]

As predicted, we didn't get a single drop of rain from the storm I posted yesterday. I watered the stuff this morning that I missed yesterday.

I need to set myself a reminder to go pick broccoli tonight. I keep forgetting to harvest the side heads.

Oh, I bought some purple broccoli seeds from Clear Creek Seeds (I think). I'm rather disappointed in them. I started these back in February so they've been growing over 6 months now. They are well over 3 ft tall but not a single floret on them! I keep wondering if they are going to fruit at all or just have a crap ton of leaves but no heads.

they are winter crop. you should start them in july and have them ready for harvest in winter. they can stand freezing temperatures but not heat.

 

[ChicksnMore]

do you use salt only or vinegar as well? recipe please.

my mother makes sauerkraut in a barrel with salt and water only but she does it around november when the temperature drops.

I use salt and water. I chop the cabage and layer it with salt in a huge stainless steel basin. Then add water til almost covering it and let it sit covered on the counter over night.

In the morning I put it in pickle jars and press it down. Then I use an long long handled bar spoon to make sure I got all the air out . Add a pickle weight or a sandwich bag full of water on top to keep everything under water and let it sit on the counter until the colors right and the taste is right. Here that only takes a day or less...the hotter your room, the faster it ferments.

I don't fill the jars to the brim to give it room to do it's thing without loosing liquid...and I put a pan under the jars just in case and leave the lid loosely screwed on so the gas can escape.

We don't have a cold storage room to keep the temp right so we have a second fridge in our laundry room that's for all our fermented foods and set to the right temp.

I make one gallon at a time of various types of pickles. Sauerkraut, kimchee, pickled jalapenos both Mexican style and Korean style, dill pickles, pickled garlic, fermented hot sauces etc. My whole family's nuts for fermented foods.

 

[Acre4Me]

This morning’s harvest! Plus some onions.

 

[WIchickMama]

Are yall watering down your runs for those that do not forage outside of the run?

I do! some of them love it and some avoid it at all costs, lol

they say we are in the path of severe storms today, we will see what the afternoon brings.

I am headed to a local farm to grab some veggies that I don't grow (beets, cabbage, cukes-well I grow these but mine aren't producing) so that I can start canning, gonna be a long hard fall/winter I think and not just weather wise.

 

[Gammas Bearded Babies]

I dump the old water out and then walk to the hose with a waterer. So, that area of the run is wet and the chickens go to scratch around. But, they mostly hang out under the coop, dig hollows to sit in during the heat. The coop is elevated about 2.5’ and it is close to the barn wall, so protected and shady under there.

I have Silkies, Satins, d'uccles...they dont dig hollows like the big chickens do. They have similar area underneath their coop they hang out in the mornings when sun is on the opposite side of the run...then they got to direct opposite corner of the run for late afternoon sun.

 

[igorsMistress]

Zone 9b. Winters are mild...days in the 80s for most of it and nights just cool enough to get some frost here and there. We only get a handful of nights cool enough to freeze.

Are you in AZ? You can add some garden gypsum to the hole you’re planting tomatoes in and add it around the plant as well. Consider testing your soil pH levels, if they’re off it can have an impact on nutrient uptake. This stuff is amazing for fixing BER so all may not be lost if you can fix the issue before the plants quit producing
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B...GBI1O&linkId=392394c9b260e3a12a2bcd7f46f8055a
Also, make sure you water consistently.

 

[igorsMistress]

Good morning gardeners. Finally did the deed and sent that roo to freezer camp. Gave the girls some bugs and grubs and put their second nest box in the coop. It was so nice not to have to watch my back constantly! Nothing much in the garden today, it rained a little bit earlier which cooled us off about 7 degrees, but still hot and muggy enough to completely soak a shirt with sweat in about ten minutes. I am going to move out all that bark mulch I got, I think there’s something in it that the plants don’t like, but that’s it for today. Better get to it before it gets any warmer. Have a great day all!

 

[Sueby]

Thanks! I kinda had a feeling cuz several had ber, but i didnt know it could be internal. One weird thing about the video, it says dont bother adding calcium. Ive always heard to do just that. Even @WthrLady does it, and she lives in NE (just in case it was location specific advice).
These are the ones that look half dead too, while all other tomatoes look perfectly fine. I got them from Bonnie, but all others were my own from seed. I know i will not be buying them again. I only did cuz I thought id missed my window. I hadnt seen all my volunteers then

I tend to agree with them in my case, the year I had ber I had my soil tested & it was def not low on calcium. I have never added calcium & have never had it again. I believe it was either the plants themselves or my inconsistant watering.

Picked a couple cukes. The garlic is dry, I think I'll braid it next weekend, or maybe even tomorrow.

My chickens have deep shade in the run, they dig holes & sit in them most of the day. I don't wet it at all. I did give vits/electrolytes a couple days ago. Tomorrow (supposed to be the worst day) they'll get frozen squash guts & a couple cukes I missed that are over ripe. So far everyone is doing fine, even considering the wormer they're on.

 

[Sally PB]

Come check out my thread and please vote in the poll

I did! I know you ran out of poll options, but you forgot onions and potatoes.

I also posted what I know about fruit trees and added a link to a good place for tomato seed saving, a page from Seed Savers Exchange.

https://www.seedsavers.org is a great site for information, and no bs.

 

[Sally PB]

We went for a walk this morning, but the flies were too bad. So we came back to the hotel for A/C, no bugs. But no gorgeous scenery, either. I have a fly bite on the back of my head that is the size of a grape.

I sure am missing my garden. I want fresh green beans, my first vine ripened 'mater, and to dig some potatoes. Instead of freakin' McDonalds oatmeal.

And I'm missing my chickens. And their eggs.