What did you do in the garden today?

[igorsMistress]

Wow, that's nice, but the short spring sucks. It heats up here pretty quickly. But not that fast.

I put up shade cloth over all of my beds in the summer or I get no tomatoes... Too hot. Then we get a surge of crop as it threatens to frost/freeze. I usually end up with a bunch of green tomatoes for relish, salsa, etc., as we go into weird freeze then heat wave October. Every season is a crap shoot here. I just do my best and keep rolling the dice.

Yeah, shade does nothing when it’s 115 for days here. Glad you can wing it well!

 

[Sally PB]

Sometimes I wonder if they try to create drama

A friend of mine refers to one of the local channels as "Panic 8."

I was hoping for a good watering last night/today. Yesterday, they forecast close to an inch here. Now it's down to 1/10-1/4 inch.

The local team ("panic 8") really does do the best forecast of the 3 network stations here. They have the most up-to-date meteorological equipment/software, and their broadcast is the most "lay person" accessible.

The chief meteorologist also likes to explain obscure weather stuff, like "fetch." It's the distance wind blows across water to pick up moisture and then dump it on land as precipitation. Being close to Lake Michigan, that's important, especially in the winter with lake effect snow.

There was a day last winter when there were strong due north winds. They blew all the way down the length of Lake Michigan and dumped huge amounts of snow on Chicago.

 

[Grannys Backyard Chicks]

Busy... moved some of my raised beds. Planted thyme and basil around tomatoes. Checking for worms and bugs daily and watering.
We are taking the next step in our homestead process...fruit trees. I am getting peach and pear from a local nursery.
Love to read about your gardens.

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

I did the big garden walk a little while ago. The snow peas are finally coming up. The leaves are starting to break out on the surviving blueberry shrubs and the pear tree is alive.

While checking out the grape vines I got a sightseer. A motorized parasail / hang glider. I did not know they were legal in our airspace.

 

[Sally PB]

I am afraid a vole went down my pea row and ate every last seed I planted. I see the humping of the dirt, and nothing has come up yet.

I'm hoping it missed a few...

 

[fuzzi]

Nature is amazing. Many plants we try to grow in spring do better fall planted when day length is getting shorter. Turnips, radish, Chinese cabbage - mustard family and spinach. Will not bolt in the fall.
I like to catch sunfish during their spawn. Triggered by 68 degree water and day length. Ensures it does not happen too early or in the fall. Success is the goal.

Carrots do better planted in the fall.

Harvested March 1.

 

[fuzzi]

All my tomato's are up in there solo cups, no sign of any peppers yet. Tilled in the chicken manure and shavings, I don't plant most things until the last week of May most years.

Peppers like heat.

 

[fuzzi]

There was a little frost on my truck this morning, and it's supposed to get down to 32 degrees tomorrow morning. My tomatoes want to be in the garden but it's too early. Mid May is best for setting out tomato plants in my area.

Do you warm your garden beds with black plastic? We used to do that in Connecticut.

 

[fuzzi]

Planted these and tore up most of the weed cloth in the vegetable garden. Have to lift the bed up to get to the rest. But yeah. It was all torn up and holes in it and stuff so we’re just gonna put new down.

View attachment 3803280

I have a lily like the white one pictured.

June 2023

 

[fuzzi]

A friend of mine refers to one of the local channels as "Panic 8."

I was hoping for a good watering last night/today. Yesterday, they forecast close to an inch here. Now it's down to 1/10-1/4 inch.

The local team ("panic 8") really does do the best forecast of the 3 network stations here. They have the most up-to-date meteorological equipment/software, and their broadcast is the most "lay person" accessible.

The chief meteorologist also likes to explain obscure weather stuff, like "fetch." It's the distance wind blows across water to pick up moisture and then dump it on land as precipitation. Being close to Lake Michigan, that's important, especially in the winter with lake effect snow.

There was a day last winter when there were strong due north winds. They blew all the way down the length of Lake Michigan and dumped huge amounts of snow on Chicago.

"Panic 8"

I refer to the local station forecasting as In-accuweather! When they predict storms and rain I water my gardens anyway.