What did you do in the garden today?

[pennyJo1960]

Morning Gardeners ..

 

[Fishychix]

I

Did you use any black plastic to heat the soil around the sweet potatoes?

We used it for most, but there are 7 of them that are not under plastic, and they definitely took longer to grow and vine out. Plus no evidence of sweet potato growth …but we will have to dig to be sure.

The ones under black plastic seemed to have done well. We dug up one bed already, waiting to dig the rest. They seem to be looking ok after the recent cold night- we had frost on elevated items (a table we left out, the shingle roof of the stand alone coop).

So, assuming we grow them next year, we will use black plastic. Including pre-warming the soil (which we did this year). We will give them a little more space between plants. We will put in all-day full sun just like this year.

never found any and hadnt bought trash bags before they showed up. I saw a flower today
I will get some online for next year. And buy the potatoes earlier, now that i have a source.

 

[Acre4Me]

I

never found any and hadnt bought trash bags before they showed up. I saw a flower today
I will get some online for next year. And buy the potatoes earlier, now that i have a source.

Good!

I bought 4’ wide rolls of heavy black plastic from Menards. It is for landscaping, which is why it is 4’ wide - but it was in a really odd location in the store. I had to ask where it was, and when they took me to it, there was no way I would have found it in my own….and probably would have walked past it too.

 

[NewBoots]

Idk if you have ever tried it but the only thing I purchase from Starbucks is the londonfog latte. No espresso or coffee just earl grey and foamed milk. I don't have a milk frother so every once in a while I slurge lol.

I find their coffee too burnt. I do like their espresso. When I would travel for work, I’d just get a double shot of espresso and drink it black. Then I was ready for the travel and not holding a cup along with luggage, etc. but, I’ve been drinking black coffee since I was young, and prefer black coffee, but occasionally in the mood for some cream/milk addition.

I really like the slightly scorched flavor, the very first time (yes I'm old) I had espresso it put me off but my tastes changed.

I’m so sad that I missed a conversation about coffee. I am about to drink a pot of freshly ground Starbucks. The aroma is heavenly.

That scent is incredible, I loved that smell even as a kid and just couldn't believe that something that smelled so good could taste like it did. Now, my first coffee of the morning is iced black cold brew, bottled now since I've been too lazy to make my own.

I guess it's time to really start planning next year's garden!

Yup, that and prepping beds for fall/winter crops.

I've never met a coffee I liked. I'm a iced chai latte person, and I figured out I can make it myself for $.50 a cup instead of $5.00 like Starbucks.

I make the their Matcha lattes at home too and better than the ones they make. Theirs are too sweet for me. I found a powdered matcha that doesn't have that weird grassy tang to it and so it doesn't need disguising. Delicious!

Apparently Rose of Sharon is a spreader? I have it showing up on the other side of my driveway. Its definitely the same thing as it flowered.

I don't recall the cultivated version being spready but the wild native one here sure is. We've sent for some seeds since we don't have any wild ones that we've seen.

So, assuming we grow them next year, we will use black plastic. Including pre-warming the soil (which we did this year). We will give them a little more space between plants. We will put in all-day full sun just like this year.

We planted ours in feed bags but we haven't harvested yet. If this time didn't work, we'll wrap the bags in black plastic next time.

And I have to post a picture of the mural we're going to have painted on our garage door:

We wanted our carnivorous plants, the coastline, the chickens, and a semi-hidden peace sign. The lady will start it in October and we can't wait.

 

[TJAnonymous]

Not really. They grew exponentially and did it by selling an “experience”. And it really is a marketing strategy studied and analyzed by other industries. Here’s a more recent sampling of this topic, but I know there are older sources of this topic.

View attachment 3270119

View attachment 3270120

View attachment 3270121

Notice, none of these things has anything to do with yummy coffee!

I realize it might have started that way in the Pacific Northwest but there's not a single person I know who has ever purchased Starbucks for the experience. I've worked with a global company for years and Starbucks is pretty much a staple "go-to" for coffee no matter where you are. But every time I've ever talked to anyone about coffee (which I am ashamed to admit is a lot... Lol), no one has ever felt Starbucks coffee tasted great (on its own) or went there because they really made an amazing customer experience. It has always been the same response... "I like their caramel macchiato...pumpkin spice...gingerbread... Cinnamon dolce latte....vanilla cold brew with caramel foam..." You name it. It was something special they did to make something OTHER than a black coffee like you could get at a gazillion other places.

 

[WthrLady]

Ah that's the sneaky aspect of it. They are purchasing it for the 'experience'. I personally haven't found anything that is any good there, and prefer small shops, that were doing it long before SB made it a trend. It's like the McDonalds/KFC sameness across the country that is now the 'experience'. Like the Apple junkies that have to have the newest now, the second it hits the market mentality. (Not saying all are like that, but you know what i mean.)

My sister did my dad's books before he died. despite having a machine at home, he like the experience of being out at a coffee shop and holding a cup or driving through and getting a cup of coffee. He was spending 20$ ish a DAY on coffee, of which he never drank all of, and usually complained about the quality, which cracked us up! If they don't make a good cup, then WHY GO there?!

 

[TJAnonymous]

Oh my parents got involved when I got in trouble in school. No they didn't just let the school handle it, I got my ass whooped. Trouble DID happen, but not very often

Aaron

I was always a teachers pet so I never got into any serious trouble but I do remember that the school principal had a paddle and would spank major offenders. I don't believe parents were notified before hand but probably afterwards. Of course, back then behavioral correction from any adult related or not was the norm. If someone in the neighborhood caught you doing something wrong, it was common for them to grab you by the arm or ear and drag you home to your parents who would ALWAYS take their side. People did not hesitate to speak up and put others' kids in line if or when it was needed and you learned to respect that as a kid.

 

[TJAnonymous]

Ah that's the sneaky aspect of it. They are purchasing it for the 'experience'. I personally haven't found anything that is any good there, and prefer small shops, that were doing it long before SB made it a trend. It's like the McDonalds/KFC sameness across the country that is now the 'experience'. Like the Apple junkies that have to have the newest now, the second it hits the market mentality. (Not saying all are like that, but you know what i mean.)

My sister did my dad's books before he died. despite having a machine at home, he like the experience of being out at a coffee shop and holding a cup or driving through and getting a cup of coffee. He was spending 20$ ish a DAY on coffee, of which he never drank all of, and usually complained about the quality, which cracked us up! If they don't make a good cup, then WHY GO there?!

My mother ritually drank black coffee every day. I thought it was nasty growing up. I have extended family who lives in the Redmond/Wootinville area of Washington State. As an adult, I began to appreciate some of the artisan coffee houses up there. That's also where I was first introduced to Starbucks. I look at like McDonald's. As a kid, I LOVED McDonald's. I wanted to go there all the time. Now if I want a GOOD burger, it sure as heck won't come from McDonald's but if I'm in some podunk town and there's limited choices at least I know what I'm getting (pink slime and all) from McDonald's.

 

[Ascholten]

McDogmeats, BoogerFling, Wenchies, NONE of them have decent food anymore.

Now Wendy's 'Hot and Juicy' taste more like they took ground cardboard, soaked it in grease, threw it on a griddle until it started to burn, rolled it in salt, and fed it to you on two fresh hot sponges. I mean even the McD's french fries are crap now, how do you F up french fries? In their efforts to squeeze every penny they can, the quality of the 'food' and I use that word cautiously, has turned into total processed crap. Just remember, Hoofs, Tendons, Nerve Bundles, soaked in an ammonia solution to soften it up, it STILL IS PURE BEEF !! it came from a cow!!

Aaron

 

[TJAnonymous]

This is the most millennial commercial I have ever seen....