What did you do in the garden today?

[fuzzi]

I used to play in a field meadow as a kid that was always loaded with milkweed and monarch butterflies. I have such fond memories of that time. I have thought about planting some here but it is highly toxic to my horses. Plus I've never seen a monarch here. Plenty of other butterflies though. Anyway, while cleaning out my mom's gardening shed, I found a small packet of milkweed seeds. I'm thinking about planting them in my garden area somewhere. Let's just hope they don't spread beyond the garden!

I planted mine in a raised bed. Those that escape are pretty easy to pull up.

Wisteria, on the other hand...

 

[fuzzi]

Picture heavy post of my hour outside this morning...

We live in USDA zone 8a, subtropical I believe. It's hot and humid from May through September most years, and I am prone to heat exhaustion so I can only garden in short spurts.

I went outside to attack the weeds around the containers containing my second planting of bush beans, but decided to rescue my last two blueberry bushes instead.

Tools

• Milwaukee cordless hedge clippers
• Utility knife
• Hand pruners
• Box (from the new hot water heater)
• Leather gloves
• WD-40

9:30am

There's a small blueberry bush next to the maple sapling.

Found it! (the white fence was just hidden)

The dark material around the blueberry bushes is well composted litter from the chicken run that I just added.

Cutting the box to fit:

As I worked I placed last week's grass/yard clippings on top to hold the cardboard in place.

I had to expand the trimmed area, too:

10:40am - DONE!

The cardboard does a good job of suppressing weed growth, for the summer. Earthworms love it.

And what is the WD-40 for? I use it on the clipper blades, and spray just a little on the cut ends of trees and other woody plants that I cannot remove totally...call it a "discouragement".

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

Good morning gardeners. So we got nearly two inches of rain yesterday evening. That’s close to 8 inches this week alone. DD came over this morning to pick green beans. I decided to pull the potatoes. The yard is squishier than it was yesterday. These fingerling potatoes really needed another week or two but by then they would have rotted. We pulled up quite a lot of small potatoes. We brought them inside and layed them out on a big 1/2 sheet baking pan. I pulled a couple of leeks to see how they were doing and they seem to be dealing with all the rain. The raised beds in the big garden have better drainage so they should be fine. I’m growing lima beans this year @karenerwin. Mine are just now starting to bloom, however I did plant them the year before last. Those pods look about right but likely not ready for picking yet. The pods will get very fat when they’re ready. You can try “candeling” them while they are still attached to the plant to see the actual size of the bean. They develop very slowly. You can pick them green or let them dry on the vine. Your choice. My corn patch is doing well considering all the water. There were a few puddles in there this morning but hopefully they’ll dry up before nightfall. The squash and beans planted in there are all doing well.

Baby figs

Fingerling potatoes

Corn patch

 

[WthrLady]

@Sueby this picture is for you. View attachment 3584864 I still have more ripe on the vine. Too bad you don’t live close by. I would share with you.
View attachment 3584865

@WthrLady is it you that is growing lima beans? Do they look like these? Most of the pods aren’t very filled out yet. Do you pick them green or do you let them dry out? Never grown them before. Don’t even like them. But I have a friend that loves them. However she has never grown them either nor has she ever bought them fresh. So I don’t really know what I’m doing.

I am SO not growing Lima beans!

 

[Sueby]

I finally got a tractor bucket of wood chips down on the garden paths. I'll do another bucket tmrw - don't want to push the back.

Repotted a miniature sunflower plant I rescued from the grocery store. Got the small coop cleaned out a bit. Fertilized the cucumbers, tomatoes & rosemary & watered the beans. Picked a giant cucumber for lunch, going to stuff it with tuna salad. Headed out to little music fest soon with a friend. It's beautiful out, sunny, a bit breezy & 76 degrees. If this was summer, I might not hate it so much.

@karenerwin I hope you guys get what you need to care for him & he does better at home. Insurance & doctors sometimes make it really hard - fight for what you need if you have to.

 

[HenHouse Henry]

I harvested half of my Rosemary, I leave half until the oregano blooms, they love oregano flowers. Lettuce is the only vegetable I've picked. Tomatoes are still green. Beans are just about ready.

 

[fuzzi]

I am SO not growing Lima beans!

They call them butter beans here

 

[Sammster]

I'm finally getting zuchini. Just one, so far. We've had wetter/cooler temps than normal. That darned rabbit started eating my cream sausage tomatoes, after decimating my peas and most of my pole bean plants. I sowed more seeds and bought some chicken wire, to wrap the chain-link fence that surrounds the garden. I've lost almost all the foliage from the 2 tomato plants that the rabbit damaged - to blight. But if the rest of the tomatoes survive to blush I will have so many. They're loaded!
I harvested my cabbages and freeze dried them. First time growing cabbage, which did ok - but I learned a lot. Slugs were an issue.
The vertical gardens on the deck have done wonderfully! Lots of beans, tons of cukes and lettuces. I've learned a lot there, too. I've re-planted my lettuces and beans in them. And I've started more cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower in the AeroGardens. I'll transplant them to growing bags, in time. I'm hoping I can use the greenhouse to extend my growing season, with the bags.

Freeze-dried Cabbage

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

Hello my friends! CT zone 6a checkin' in just to look at everyones pics and such and post a few of my own. The season has been LOVELY! Lots of appreciated and appropriate rain with thunder/lightning you name it! The mushrooms are everywhere! Bugs and bee's galore! Everything is really happy including the helpers in the garden bed 'gently' raking and taste testing the kale for the first time this season before sunset.

It stormed off and on all day until 6pm when it cleared and the sun came out for about 5 minutes. You shoulda seen my hens drop and spread em when their face hit that sun! It was Hilarious!

All is well. Take care and enjoy the season

 

[WthrLady]

They call them butter beans here

you can call them chocolate ice cream, I still don't like them. Nope.