What did you do in the garden today?

[TJAnonymous]

Does anyone hang bars of soap around the garden to keep deer away?

I have a bunch of Irish Spring that DH says irritates his skin, so I googled using it in the garden.

If this works, I need to do this around my thornless blackberries!!! They've nearly entirely ruined them. Eaten them down to bare cane and eaten half the canes altogether!

 

[gtaus]

We have an antenna on the roof

When I dropped my TV subscription, I bought a Tablo TV tuner/recorder which I now have mixed feelings about. IF I lived in a metro area with lots of Over The Air (OTA) TV broadcasts, I think I would probably really like the Tablo. But I live out in the country, only get 6 channels, of which only 2 channels have anything I care about. It records the programs great, but like I said, I am limited in what I can receive. I might install a bigger antenna on the house this summer to see if I can get more stations.

Funny how I grew up, pre-internet, with an antenna up in the attic and we got ABC, CBS, and NBC, plus a weak signal on PBS. I remember how if the signal got a weak signal the picutre would get "snowy." Today, with all digital channels, I either get a crystal clear picture - or nothing. Sometimes I would gladly accept a little snow in the picture.

One big thing I don't like about the Tablo system is that you have to have an internet subscription for the TV listings. Also, if you want more than the 24 free TV listing, you now have to pay $5.00 per month. So, the Tablo system is not a real cord cutter option in that respect. The way I feel, is that if you still have to pay for an internet subscription service, there are lot and lots of free programs with 100's of channels to watch without paying Tablo a $5.00 per month subscription for "free" OTA TV listings.

Bringing the antenna issue back around to gardening, one of the weekly shows I have set to record is Growing Green. "Going Green features interviews with sustainability experts, environmental scientists, and clean tech entrepreneurs." They often have segments on gardening and composting which I find interesting. My local TV station broadcasts two half-hour programs early on Saturday mornings. I record them, and watch them later. Who wants to get up early on Saturday mornings?

 

[igorsMistress]

Good afternoon all. Not much gardening over the weekend. There was no need to water as we are expected to get some rain tomorrow/Wednesday; if I need to supplement I’ll do it later this week. I’ve got my tomato starts on a weak nutrient solution with plans to transplant after the rain with full strength at that point. I have a few buckets to put under the grow lights, just need to drill holes for an air line and wait on new plants to be ready. I need to figure out dinner, I’m out of Parmesan for Alfredo sauce so having a last minute change of plans.

 

[ShrekDawg]

 

[BReeder!]

What variety of Rhubarb? We bought some Victoria from either Walmart or TSC…it’s very common, but large! Ours is coming back too! We have 3 varieties, but the Victoria appears to be the largest.

I planted Glaskin's and Victoria varieties. We put 6 crowns in and 4 made it. I think I ended up with 1 Victoria and 3 Glaskins. I'll know better as they grow.

 

[BReeder!]

That sounds like a great selection of perennials! You would be amazed how much one fruit tree will produce once it's mature! We get tired of picking pears when they're in season because there are so many!

If I could keep the squirrels away from the peaches... I started out two seasons ago with over 100 peaches growing in the tree. I was like "Wow! We are going to have so many peaches... peach pie, peach jam, peach cobbler, canned peaches..." I ended up with 12 just! The squirrels stole almost every single peach. I honestly was trying to figure out what was going on, and then our neighbor told me that squirrels were leaving peach pits all over yard.

Last year I tried squirrel repellent balls you hang in mess bags in the tree. That didn't seem to stop them. Late Spring frost and the first prune were hard on the tree last year too though so there weren't as many to begin with.

 

[WthrLady]

Hmmm... I would love to try it. I looked them up on several websites. They all said that they grow best in Zones 3 - 7. Check. I'm in 7B. But they also said that if you live in a warmer climate to ensure they get afternoon shade because they will get leaf scorch if you don't (being a cool weather plant). It's regularly in the triple digits here through July and August. I'm just worried that would be too much for a cool weather plant to take on a sustained basis?

We have the same weather you do in the summer. Mine are doing fine.

 

[WthrLady]

If this works, I need to do this around my thornless blackberries!!! They've nearly entirely ruined them. Eaten them down to bare cane and eaten half the canes altogether!

Irish spring soap changed about 8 years ago and no longer works as a deer repellent.
Cheap dryer sheets tied on to lower branches and dosed with cheap old lady perfume from garage sales. goodwill etc works well here. (wolf and coyote urine no longer works)

 

[WthrLady]

When I dropped my TV subscription, I bought a Tablo TV tuner/recorder which I now have mixed feelings about. IF I lived in a metro area with lots of Over The Air (OTA) TV broadcasts, I think I would probably really like the Tablo. But I live out in the country, only get 6 channels, of which only 2 channels have anything I care about. It records the programs great, but like I said, I am limited in what I can receive. I might install a bigger antenna on the house this summer to see if I can get more stations.

Funny how I grew up, pre-internet, with an antenna up in the attic and we got ABC, CBS, and NBC, plus a weak signal on PBS. I remember how if the signal got a weak signal the picutre would get "snowy." Today, with all digital channels, I either get a crystal clear picture - or nothing. Sometimes I would gladly accept a little snow in the picture.

One big thing I don't like about the Tablo system is that you have to have an internet subscription for the TV listings. Also, if you want more than the 24 free TV listing, you now have to pay $5.00 per month. So, the Tablo system is not a real cord cutter option in that respect. The way I feel, is that if you still have to pay for an internet subscription service, there are lot and lots of free programs with 100's of channels to watch without paying Tablo a $5.00 per month subscription for "free" OTA TV listings.

Bringing the antenna issue back around to gardening, one of the weekly shows I have set to record is Growing Green. "Going Green features interviews with sustainability experts, environmental scientists, and clean tech entrepreneurs." They often have segments on gardening and composting which I find interesting. My local TV station broadcasts two half-hour programs early on Saturday mornings. I record them, and watch them later. Who wants to get up early on Saturday mornings?

We have a 500 mile antenna and it runs through our wifi.
I get 44 channels.
We use the HomeRun system for a couple dollars a month and that gets me a listing and DS added a SD card and I can record shows. But I could watch tv without the homerun service. I choose not to.

 

[TJAnonymous]

If I could keep the squirrels away from the peaches... I started out two seasons ago with over 100 peaches growing in the tree. I was like "Wow! We are going to have so many peaches... peach pie, peach jam, peach cobbler, canned peaches..." I ended up with 12 just! The squirrels stole almost every single peach. I honestly was trying to figure out what was going on, and then our neighbor told me that squirrels were leaving peach pits all over yard.

Last year I tried squirrel repellent balls you hang in mess bags in the tree. That didn't seem to stop them. Late Spring frost and the first prune were hard on the tree last year too though so there weren't as many to begin with.

Well, crap. You mean besides keeping those dang tree rats out of my sunflowers, onions, and carrots....I'm going to have to chase them off my peaches too?!?! Provided I even GET any peaches after this FUBAR weather.

BTW, I've already walked my happy @$$ down to the garden and hung up TWO bars of soap around my blackberry canes. From what I can tell, they haven't touched any of the raspberries. Just the thornless blackberries. Go figure....