What did you do in the garden today?

[Sueby]

@BReeder! did you ever make the Victorian BBQ sauce? I am making some right now. Smells really good. Wondered if you’ve had any.

Others, if you are curious, It is 8C chopped Rhubarb, 3.5 C brown sugar, onion, raisins, salt, vinegar, and spices: allspice, cinnamon, ginger. Recipe is in Ball canning book.

I was hoping to make some of that this year, but I don't see canning in my near future - or picking the rhubarb even. Maybe I can freeze it all & can later.

Didn't someone make it earlier - or last year? Or maybe it just seems like we were talking about it forever ago. LOL

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

Picked just a few of the millions of cherries off my bushes, just a gallon at a time so I don't get overwhelmed.

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

Two varieties of tomatoes I planted are more vigorous than the others so far. I planted two each of six varieties to find out which does best in my garden.

Back row, from left to right:
Large Cherry - Early Girl - Black Krim

Front row, L to R:
Roma - Oregon Spring - Stupice
View attachment 3540577

Large Cherry:
View attachment 3540579


Oregon Spring:
View attachment 3540581


One each of the Black Krim, Early Girl and Roma are doing pretty well. After the season is over I'll decide which varieties to replant next year, and whether there are any I won't plant again.

I have a gardening journal. I write down everything I planted and how I liked it. That way I can look back and see if I've tried something before and so I can keep track of when I planted each tree.

 

[Tired old Rooster]

Surveyed the destruction wrought by our first frost.Tomatoes gone, chilies hanging on in ICU.

 

[riss]

We are STRUGGLING with voles. Nothing is working. Does anyone have advice. They keep eating everything

 

[saysfaa]

We are STRUGGLING with voles. Nothing is working. Does anyone have advice. They keep eating everything

Mouse traps worked for us.

 

[Tired old Rooster]

We are STRUGGLING with voles. Nothing is working. Does anyone have advice. They keep eating everything

Depends on the size. Can you try raised beds? You can even set those up on concrete floor.

 

[Smokerbill]

I picked all my garlic bulbs today. They were mostly falling over and some of the leaves were starting to turn yellow so I figured it was time.

Can anyone identify the type of garlic this is? I bought the bulbs last spring (2022) from Home Depot, and the label just said "Garlic".

I planted them last spring, they came up, grew a bit and immediately died back. Then they came back up early this spring.

I think it might be a hardneck variety. A couple of the stems were kind of hard and woody, but the others just flopped over.

It smells like the bunches of wild onions/garlic that grew in the yard when I was a kid.

If it's a decent variety I'll just replant all of them in a more proper garlic bed when the time is right for fall planting.

 

[Smokerbill]

I have a gardening journal. I write down everything I planted and how I liked it. That way I can look back and see if I've tried something before and so I can keep track of when I planted each tree.

That's what I need to do instead of counting on my memory.

 

[Swiss]

I've planted plenty of watermelons, but somehow, they've failed to get the message TO GROW! We've had tons of rain, so they have plenty of water. I give them manure tea once in a while, so where are my watermelons???

Weird! Maybe they're waiting for certain conditions?

You most likely have a male vine and will not get fruit.

That would be sad... Maybe it's a cultivated variety that the previous owners decided to stop caring for...

Your remark about thinning your carrots really threw me off guard @Swiss. I haven't done this at all this season. I felt really bad. Then I remembered I splurged and bought the seed tape carrots. LOL! No thinning necessary. That's why it costs so much extra.

This is only my second time growing carrots, and I tried a different method than last year. And actually thinned them this year. It's all about learning! I remember seeing something many years ago about making your own seed tape.... I think they used a flour paste and toilet paper. Maybe I'll try that next year.