What did you do in the garden today?

[GardenNut]

We started a new project today. Around the garden plots we are putting up a chicken fence so they can spend a couple hours a day munching on fresh leftovers and pesky grasses and weeds that are popping up. Was wondering if I should relocate my herb garden? Will they (I imagine so) eat basil, oregano, various mints and could any of these make them sick?

I feed herbs to my chickens, and they especially like them fresh! So they'll likely tear up your herb garden.

 

[Birdy Buddy]

I'm kind of new here at BYC so this is my first post on this thread. I think gardens and chickens go so well together. I moved recently to a place in Sacramento where I have enough room for a decent garden and a few fruit trees. I built a tractor coop because I liked the idea of being able to move my birds to fresh dirt and pasture. So far since May when I started my day old pullets I have moved the coop five times. In between I keep a thick layer of dry straw in the coop and a thick layer in their dirt run too. When I move the coop I rake out all the old bedding and replace it with fresh straw.
Yesterday I made a big compost pile with the spent straw from the past five moves. The next day the pile was hotter than any pile I have made for years from horse manure. I smelled the steaming pile from fifty feet away. I check the heat by opening it with a fork and feeling the heat with my hand. I could hardly believe how hot it got just overnight. I am so happy I just had to share. People like me get excited about such things. The photo below is my chicken tractor and next is my compost pile. The basket is full of stuff I would put on my pizza last week.


The tree behind the pile is a Black Mission Fig. Chickens love figs.

Pizza toppings.

 

[lazy gardener]

Thank you for sharing. Beautiful pics. Am I seeing a green house in the middle pic? Gardening is the main reason why I got a flock of chickens. They have lived up to all expectations I had of them. Eggs and meat are simply an added benefit for me. Many of us put our general location in our profile. Makes it easier to keep track of geographic differences in gardening.

 

[chickadoodles]

Hey Birdy Buddy welcome to BYC! You have a nice looking farm and a nice set up.

 

[chickadoodles]

Have any of you tried dawn dish soap as a bug spray on your veggies? I am looking for a organic method to use on my veggies next year.

 

[Brooke215]

Have any of you tried dawn dish soap as a bug spray on your veggies? I am looking for a organic method to use on my veggies next year.

I tried it this year and had no luck whatsoever. Here in central va Japanese beetles are a huge and devastating problem as well. This year I'm going to be putting out milky spore and hopefully next year I won't have the same bug issues I did next year.

 

[Brooke215]

I'm kind of new here at BYC so this is my first post on this thread. I think gardens and chickens go so well together. I moved recently to a place in Sacramento where I have enough room for a decent garden and a few fruit trees. I built a tractor coop because I liked the idea of being able to move my birds to fresh dirt and pasture. So far since May when I started my day old pullets I have moved the coop five times. In between I keep a thick layer of dry straw in the coop and a thick layer in their dirt run too. When I move the coop I rake out all the old bedding and replace it with fresh straw. Yesterday I made a big compost pile with the spent straw from the past five moves. The next day the pile was hotter than any pile I have made for years from horse manure. I smelled the steaming pile from fifty feet away. I check the heat by opening it with a fork and feeling the heat with my hand. I could hardly believe how hot it got just overnight. I am so happy I just had to share. People like me get excited about such things. The photo below is my chicken tractor and next is my compost pile. The basket is full of stuff I would put on my pizza last week. The tree behind the pile is a Black Mission Fig. Chickens love figs. Pizza toppings.

OMG your garden is so beautiful!

 

[Birdy Buddy]

Thank you for sharing. Beautiful pics. Am I seeing a green house in the middle pic? Gardening is the main reason why I got a flock of chickens. They have lived up to all expectations I had of them. Eggs and meat are simply an added benefit for me. Many of us put our general location in our profile. Makes it easier to keep track of geographic differences in gardening.

I added my location in my profile. I started building the greenhouse last spring. I got the shell up just in time to start a few seedlings for spring planting. It's too hot inside all summer. The past week or so I put doors on the greenhouse and made some shelving to get ready for winter. I have a few things going for my winter garden now. I started lettuce, chard, spinach asparagus, artichokes, garlic and a lot of onions. We had a little rain last week that softened the soil and sprouted my cover crops. I plan to move the chicken tractor more often as the grass grows all winter.

 

[GardenNut]

I have greenhouse envy!

 

[lazy gardener]

I have greenhouse envy!

No need to envy. You could build a cattle panel green house for very little cash outlay.