What did you do in the garden today?

[CNJ]

I forgot to take up another peanut (what I use for bait in the snap trap), so I put 3 spinach seeds in it. We'll see if that gets any interest, if another one gets in.

I am trying a ready made honey corn flour blend from Walmart and equal parts of baking soda. I saw a video where someone did an experiment and it worked for him. He pointed out that rats and mouse can't fart so they die.

 

[Sally PB]

I am trying a ready made honey corn flour blend from Walmart and equal parts of baking soda. I saw a video where someone did an experiment and it worked for him. He pointed out that rats and mouse can't fart so they die.

Let us know how it goes.

I looked that up, and decided to stick with snap traps.

 

[Ascholten]

Well, in the rush last week to get everything in from the killer frost. I had my pineapple that was in a really weird shaped planter, kind of like an inverted bell and BIG. By the time I got everything in, I then noticed him sitting in the corner, and im with no more room really in the garage.

So i said, well lets try something. I took a 5 gallon bucket and filled it with ground leaves, ie leaves picked up by the mower and shredded and thrown into the bag. Filled the whole bucket up i did. I then took this bucket and turned it upside down and whumped it down on top of the entire pineapple plant. Basically the leaves were to be a sort of buffer, cushion, insulating material and the p-a just kind of smooshed it's way up thru it for the storage time.

Fast forward to today, about a week later, I took the bucket off, the leaves were a bit more mulchy and poured a lot of powder down too at this point. I was able to blow it off, and use water to rinse the rest away and it seems the pineapple came through just fine. THe leaves in the bucket were enough to shield it from 17 degrees and 30 MPH winds.

I also have an IBC tote that has walking onions in a corner of it, basically threw a few 5 gallon buckets of crunchy leaves on the WA's to bury them and threw a burlap sack loosely over the top of it to keep the wind from blowing it everywhere.

They survived too.

I got plenty more of the leaves and I think I am going to actually hang onto them, and when the next big freeze comes, just bury everything in them and it can poke its way out come springtime. The leaves will by then have turned into some awesome compost too.

Aaron

 

[Sally PB]

Sounds great, Aaron! Glad everything made it through.

 

[TJAnonymous]

Well, in the rush last week to get everything in from the killer frost. I had my pineapple that was in a really weird shaped planter, kind of like an inverted bell and BIG. By the time I got everything in, I then noticed him sitting in the corner, and im with no more room really in the garage.

So i said, well lets try something. I took a 5 gallon bucket and filled it with ground leaves, ie leaves picked up by the mower and shredded and thrown into the bag. Filled the whole bucket up i did. I then took this bucket and turned it upside down and whumped it down on top of the entire pineapple plant. Basically the leaves were to be a sort of buffer, cushion, insulating material and the p-a just kind of smooshed it's way up thru it for the storage time.

Fast forward to today, about a week later, I took the bucket off, the leaves were a bit more mulchy and poured a lot of powder down too at this point. I was able to blow it off, and use water to rinse the rest away and it seems the pineapple came through just fine. THe leaves in the bucket were enough to shield it from 17 degrees and 30 MPH winds.

I also have an IBC tote that has walking onions in a corner of it, basically threw a few 5 gallon buckets of crunchy leaves on the WA's to bury them and threw a burlap sack loosely over the top of it to keep the wind from blowing it everywhere.

They survived too.

I got plenty more of the leaves and I think I am going to actually hang onto them, and when the next big freeze comes, just bury everything in them and it can poke its way out come springtime. The leaves will by then have turned into some awesome compost too.

Aaron

This is basically what I did with the pepper plants that I never got around to digging up in the garden. I had pruned them back to 6 inch stumps then packed dead leaves and straw around them and threw a 5 gallon bucket over them. Going to leave them like that until March. We'll see if they make it...

 

[TJAnonymous]

It was in the mid-60s today so I let everyone out to free range. Frostbite is becoming more apparent on more chickens now. Two roos with big wattles both have major frostbite. At least half their wattles are black as well as comb tips. What a bummer... Wasn't much I could do about it though.

I went down to the garden to look around. My green onions are a slimy mess. The cold also killed off a bunch of raspberry and blackberry leaves that had stayed green. Hoping they all bounce back.

Going to Lowe's tomorrow to pick up some boards that I can cut for hanging shelves. I'll put my seed trays on those to keep the dogs, cats, and bunny out of them. I'll get seeds started in the next few weeks.

 

[NanaK]

I wanted to get out to the garden today but got tied up in other things. Plan to get outside tomorrow and look around for cold damage. I have the veggie garden but also some Gardenias and Camelia's that may have some burn too. The Camelia's were blooming before the freeze so I know those blooms are gone but most still had lots of tight buds so maybe those are okay.

Suppose to be 67 degrees tomorrow. Got to get outside!

when the next big freeze comes

Let's hope the next big freeze is not so big!

 

[jerryse]

High of 65 yesterday. Set a new record. Dog spent hours outside in the fenced yard. Her choice. Beautiful afternoon.

 

[Sally PB]

It was 53 degrees this morning! It's cooled off a couple of degrees, and supposed to rain later. All the snow is gone, except for a few ridges where it was piled up. I wish we wouldn't get weather like this, and it just makes me more eager for spring. Then when winter comes back, I feel trapped by the cold and snow.

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

I’m enjoying the break in the sub-freezing temps. Good opportunity to get the car washed. There’s some yard maintenance I’m hoping to get accomplished with these warmer temps.