What did you do in the garden today?

[akroberts1085]

Haven't been in the garden for a few days but it's been hectic. Got the new shed so I now have to try to get all the chaos out and get some organization done. I'm having trouble with strawberries because of the heat. Hopefully getting some rain on Monday.

 

[gtaus]

Those raised beds look real good and the price is even better. Maybe I’ll put one or two in or perennial vegetables. Maybe a rhubarb patch or some asparagus.

If you plan on putting perennial vegetables in a raised bed, make sure you do not use the hügelkultur system to fill that raised bed.

As the hügelkultur wood decomposes underneath, you will notice a drop of 1-2 inches in soil level each year. Normally, that is a good thing as the wood decomposes it feeds the roots of the plants above. Each year you would top off the hügelkultur raised bed with a fresh 1-2 inch layer of compost. So, the bed gets refreshed from below and above each year and that is great for the annual plants.

However, if you plant perennials in that type of hügelkultur raised bed, the soil level will drop each year but you won't be able to top off the bed with fresh compost without covering your rhubarb. I had that problem when I planted strawberries in one of my hügelkultur raised beds. The soil level dropped about 5 inches over 3 years, but I could not top off the bed without digging out and replanting the strawberries.

For perennials, you would have to fill the raised bed with a soil mix that would not compact and drop level each year. Don't make my mistake.

 

[chickengr]

If the strawberry plant is considered past its productivity after 2 or 3 years, do the runners from that plant reset that clock?

I am wondering if it is worth my time and effort to keep some of the runners from my plants that I dig out of the raised bed, and then plant the runners into pots for the deck for next year, for example.

my mother keeps the strawberries going on by planting the runners.

I gave up strawberries till I find a cooler corner to plant them. too much heat always kills them early.

 

[gtaus]

my mother keeps the strawberries going on by planting the runners.

Thanks. I'm going to look into that. My strawberries had lots of runners.

 

[MotherofOrpies]

I am like 20 pages behind.... Apologies if I missed anything directed at me. Work has been crazy lately and I've had little spare time.

I did make time this evening to put together the new automatic opener I bought for the duck coop. The motor died on the old one. Instead of paying $150 for a new one, I spent $70 and bought the parts off Amazon to build it myself. This picture was taken before I secured the timer down and prettied it up a bit. This opener is actually more secure because it uses an actuator to keep the door from budging. The old one was lifted up/down by a string. I was always worried that a critter would manage to get their claws under the door and lift it. Thankfully that's no longer a concern!

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Wow, I have tu buy expensive stuff, every time I try to save money and diy, in the end I have to spend even more money to fix what went wrong there is always the screw that won’t let go, or something else that isn’t supposed to be there, but is….

 

[Tstraub]

I am like 20 pages behind.... Apologies if I missed anything directed at me. Work has been crazy lately and I've had little spare time.

I did make time this evening to put together the new automatic opener I bought for the duck coop. The motor died on the old one. Instead of paying $150 for a new one, I spent $70 and bought the parts off Amazon to build it myself. This picture was taken before I secured the timer down and prettied it up a bit. This opener is actually more secure because it uses an actuator to keep the door from budging. The old one was lifted up/down by a string. I was always worried that a critter would manage to get their claws under the door and lift it. Thankfully that's no longer a concern!

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That door controller looks awesome. I really wanted to diy an automatic door. I’m always looking for an excuse to heat up a soldering iron. I simply didn’t have the time. I had chicks outgrowing their brooder and no coop to move them to. It was just easier to order the door and screw it on once I got the coop itself all built and painted.

 

[Acre4Me]

but every year when we start pricing it out we decide that the dirt that came with the house is probably good enough. When I spend a day in the in ground garden my back always wishes we spent the money on a raised bed lol.

Lol. Totally understand this! A few years ago, we just pushed reset and tilled the entire area behind and south of our barn, brought in 4 truckloads (102 tons) of dirt to level out the area bc it was variable and uneven allowing water to sit in places. Dug a ditch and put in two double wall drain pipes (smooth inside) to take water to farmer field behind our yard (with farmer and water district blessing). Built more raised beds, and trucked in decent (not “great”) garden soil for two large raised garden areas. All of that over a couple of years, but glad it’s done!

 

[Acre4Me]

Pickled some peppers. Jalapeños in the top-some are red, and then red Serrano peppers at the bottom. The peppers are pretty hot this year.

We grew red okra this year (“Candlefire”), so I pickled some of the okra, and the red color has colored the pickling solution. I’ve never had pickled okra.

 

[Sueby]

Hey all. Been so friggin busy at work, ugh.

Still picking sungolds. I have a fig just about ready, a few to follow. This is a new tree so not as abundant as my old one. & white figs!

The lettuce is ready to eat any time, it's growing well in the greenstalk. I succession planted.

The spinach is actually growing & looking good. Despite the deluge. I haven't had to water the greenstalk since I first set it up. More rain coming too.

I lost my old Red Red yesterday. She even did me good & died before I had to feed her for the winter, lol. She was a good bird & a good flock leader.

 

[Acre4Me]

I lost my old Red Red yesterday

Oh, I’m sorry you lost a good hen!