What did you do in the garden today?

[jerryse]

Watering everything and hope it recovers from the damage. My young pear tree has a broken limb from coons climbing. Deer ate most of the leaves off my new peach tree plus all the green fruit it had. A swarm of bees moved into one of my swarm traps. Not many mulberries due to the late freeze. What berries there are starting to ripen. Success on mulberry grafts 3 out 4 are growing but not much due to drought.

 

[fuzzi]

Well, I hope they work it out so that I'm not the bad guy. I know both the manager and the head mechanic. They are good people. I'll be happy if they fix it and I'm ready to move on.

Speaking of lawn mower problems. I'm not a mechanic, as I said. But my good old Snapper riding mower up and refused to start for me the other day. All I got was a clicking noise when I turned the key. The shop I would normally take the mower into for repairs and maintenance is currently backed up 3 weeks. So, I talked to the head mechanic and he suggested I replace the solenoid, which he thought was probably the problem.

In theory, replacing the solenoid should not be a problem. However, the solenoid on this Snapper mower was positioned under the seat and the screws bolting the solenoid to the frame were next to impossible to reach. After much effort, I finally got the solenoid out, but I broke off one of the terminals in the process. So, if the solenoid was good before, it was certainly broken now.

I bought a replacement solenoid at the Fleet store when I went there to talk to the shop manager. Less than $12.00 for a new solenoid, but I knew it was not the cost of the part that was going to be the problem on this repair.

I had a few other errands to run in town, so I also ended up going to an Auto Electric shop and had them test the old solenoid. They said it tested out good, but with the broken terminal, it would have to be replaced. Since the solenoid was good, they said I needed to check out the starter motor and make sure that was working.

Seems like I always break 2 things trying to fix one.

I was pretty discouraged at this point, knowing that I broke a good solenoid and thinking that I was going to have to replace the starter next. I took off the starter, which was pretty easy, and it tested out fine. So, I put it back on the engine. Next was to replace the solenoid and hope that the mower would start, or at least have everything back together before I hauled it into the shop.

It took me nearly another 2 hours to put in the new solenoid! I just could not reach the screw head to bolt it down way back under the seat. I had half my garage tools out trying to get something to work. Finally, after much effort, I finished the job. It only took me 3 hours to perform a 15 minute job! I was completely soaked from the heat and humidity, and dead tired, mostly from all the frustration.

Well, I turned the key and the mower started right up! So, my 3 hours spent working on the machine was well worth it considering it would have been sitting in the shop for 3 weeks, or longer, waiting to get serviced.

I mainly use the old Snapper to tow my garden cart full of tools and such for gardening. I need to break down some more pallets to build another raised garden bed but had no good way to move all the lumber without my garden cart. Tomorrow, if it does not rain, I'll be able to start on another pallet wood raised bed build. So, I'm hiting the bed tonight completely tired out from the repair job but looking forward to doing something productive tomorrow.

Your repair experience is how every repair experience works for me. If I can find a repairman I bite the bullet.

 

[Smokerbill]

Here's the mystery chicken egg I found in my yard a few days ago. I'm still thinking a raven picked it up somewhere and brought it to a secluded spot in my yard to eat.





And my leaf lettuce is getting big!

 

[pennyJo1960]

Morning Gardeners my lettuce gives us salad most days Bill.

 

[gtaus]

Your repair experience is how every repair experience works for me. If I can find a repairman I bite the bullet.

I like to think I'm the better for having fixed something myself. Replacing the solenoid on a lawn mower is not considered a major repair that requires lots of experience. I had no problem understanding what and how to replace the solenoid. My only problem was with where the solenoid was located and how I could get to the mounting bolts. Maybe you need special tools for that particular mower?

In the end, it took me 3 hours messing around with it before I got it done. The minimum repair shop bill is now over $100. So, I'm OK with having done it myself. Also, the shop was backed up for 3 weeks, so I"m real happy to have my rider back in action, now, and not sometime in mid to late July.

 

[gtaus]

Something I read about Hugelkultur beds is that they shouldn't be used for perennial plants with extensive root systems. As the wood rots and collapses it damages the perennial's root system. Whether it's true, I couldn't say but it makes sense. Just thought I'd throw this out for you. Hope your new/old mower runs like a top and stops on a dime when you get it back.

You must know me pretty well because you addressed a question on my pallet wood raised beds that I have not yet addressed. Yes, typically I use the hügelkultur method to fill my raised beds, and normally I only have the top 6-8 inches filled with soil with mainly wood type stuff as filler in the bottom 8-10 inches. Works great for my annual veggies.

What you said about the perennial rhubarb roots and hügelkultur beds makes sense to me, I guess. I'll have to look into that more deeply before I plant the rhubarb. I have so much chicken run compost, that I could easily just fill a 4X4 foot bed with compost and top it off with a good soil mix. I'm not limiting myself to the hügelkultur method on every raised bed.

Thanks for the wishes on the mower repair. Other than the brake issue, I really like the machine. I'm OK with a used mower not being 100% as good as a new mower, but no brakes is a major safety concern and I don't trust it as it currently is.

 

[Sueby]

Collected eggs & put them on the garden bench to take a quick walk thru the garden & fill the critter water - called the dog over for a drink & his chain knocked over the whole basket of eggs & smashed them to bits.

Wrapped some bean runners on the trellis. Cukes tiny fruits are flowering but no males yet. Saw a few bees on the wildflowers. Still need to get DH to pick some rhubarb.

Still nasty humid out, hear the smoke is coming back this way. Joy.

 

[igorsMistress]

Hi all I’m about a hundred pages behind

Nothing happening here except the normal watering and hiding from the sun. Our temps supposed to get up to 115 by early next week, but so far our morning lows have been pleasant. I hope you’re all well!

 

[Sueby]

Hi all I’m about a hundred pages behind

Happens quick this time of year here!

 

[gtaus]

Collected eggs & put them on the garden bench to take a quick walk thru the garden & fill the critter water - called the dog over for a drink & his chain knocked over the whole basket of eggs & smashed them to bits.

I would just scramble the broken eggs and feed them back to the chickens - if the eggs are not fit for my consumption. And yes, I've broken a few eggs over the years. My egg collection basket is nothing more than an empty ice cream pail. However, if I break any eggs, all the stuff stays in the pail, so I have the option of frying up those scrambled eggs for the chickens. Then I just wash out the pail for the next day.

Funny how when you raise chickens and collect eggs yourself that each and every egg seems to have more value to me.