What did you do in the garden today?

[cj2024]

Big bulbs need 4-6 inches apart

I will re-pot them if they make it that far, I always get sidetracked. At least I'll get to eat the tops this time around. I think they will be okay as long as I don't overdo it.

 

[Acre4Me]

I’m in the midst of making orders for seeds. Seems so $$ as it all adds up!!!! Of course, when I add 20+ items per website, I think the problem might be me. But I think I’m in a sympathetic group at least!

I haven’t actually ordered anything yet. I actually have to assess my current seed stash. I’ve gotten my stash out…now need to get down to business of sorting, assessing, interpreting notes in my garden notebook.

Carrot update: we left the last four rows of carrots in ground last Oct/Nov. we trimmed off all carrot greens/tops, then covered with tarp and then leaves/mulch. We’ve been digging up carrots since then, as needed. Nothing has frozen…yet. We are getting this deep polar vortex now, it’s so cold my kid’s school preemptively cancelled school for today/tomorrow (along with all districts around us). I’ll be interested to see how the carrots fare when we go out to harvest some more. The current polar vortex should ease up by Thursday (after a windy Wednesday).

Goat update: just two little Nigerian Dwarf goats. They were able to grow a nice thick undercoat and longer hair -they sure are fluffy! We’ve upped their feed (grain) right now bc of cold, and they always have hay. We built them a little hay “hut” in their pen for a warm area. So far, the only shivering we’ve seen has been mild and not constant. We will assess this morning as to whether they need to sleep in the shop tonight due to cold. Hoping they can stay out in their protected pen. But wind picks up later today, so we will keep an eye on that.

This was in Nov/Dec when we put this up. They have since chewed down one bale of straw, so we had to replace it, and cover with a metal fence. Silly goats. Their pen is behind the barn and next to the chickens. There is a roof and clear panels to block wind on one side, and lower half of doors. It works great, unless wind comes from a different direction or is really high and swirling.

 

[jerryse]

-10 with a high of +3. 2 more months of winter.

 

[Liz Birdlover]

Brrrrrrr!

No wonder our road is still an ice sheet, several inches thick. Please melt...it does get above freezing after Thursday.
I'm indoors a lot. Organizing my garden seeds, starting them soon.

 

[WthrLady]

-3 this morning. I remember working all day in the cold. I was much younger then.

-12 this morning with winds sending it to -30.
All the critters are now fed and watered, up and moving- OUT of the wind.
At least the sun is out.

 

[Acre4Me]

Let the seed games begin!

First order placed with Seed Savers. They sell a particular sweet pepper we like, none of our other sources sell it, so I ordered that along with a few other items.

Pepper update: we’ve begun processing our frozen red peppers into pepper sauce (frozen red peppers+ certain amount of vinegar and salt per liquid volume of blended pepper). We buy plastic juice bottles from ULine, age sauce in fridge for a month, then freeze it in the juice bottles. We have processed the pimento peppers into sauce already (and a few bottles of pimento with some hot peppers). Now it will be Serrano and Anaheim peppers, with some sweet peppers added. 22 bottles done!

 

[Molpet]

Let the seed games begin!

First order placed with Seed Savers. They sell a particular sweet pepper we like, none of our other sources sell it, so I ordered that along with a few other items.

Pepper update: we’ve begun processing our frozen red peppers into pepper sauce (frozen red peppers+ certain amount of vinegar and salt per liquid volume of blended pepper). We buy plastic juice bottles from ULine, age sauce in fridge for a month, then freeze it in the juice bottles. We have processed the pimento peppers into sauce already (and a few bottles of pimento with some hot peppers). Now it will be Serrano and Anaheim peppers, with some sweet peppers added. 22 bottles done!
View attachment 4033193

How long does it last?

 

[Acre4Me]

How long does it last?

Since it’s acidified with vinegar, plus salt, it’s fine during its aging process in the fridge. Then, it is frozen. We’ve eaten 1 year old (12 months) sauce (frozen for 12 months) , and it’s still great taste. But, after it’s 1.25-1.5 years old (frozen), I start to notice a flavor change when using it when thawed. But these juice containers maybe aren't the best for long term frozen storage anyway.

 

[TJAnonymous]

Spent the evening putting together the 2025 garden layout and sow/harvest dates. I really want to buy more seeds but I keep telling myself that I don't NEED them! It's....so....hard....to....say...no. I keep going to sites and filling up the cart and then leaving without checking out. It's my garden version of toying with a pack of cigarettes but not actually smoking any.

 

[CatInTheHenHouse]

I’m in the midst of making orders for seeds. Seems so $$ as it all adds up!!!!

Same. I picked out some bunching onion seeds but haven’t actually bought them yet, the shipping prices for seeds are mildly horrifying. Complicating the matter is I’ve got a seed swap coming up next month, and I know if I buy everything I’m looking at I’ll find the same seeds at the swap and kick myself for spending the money on them.