What did you do in the garden today?

[chickengr]

So how is the flower bed?

not much damage, bulbs still there, some leaves missing but will grow back. BUT they destroyed male kiwi that already was in a bad shape. I am thinking they probably did me a favor. I'll get another one that will be in better shape.

 

[chickengr]

I put all tree trimmings into a pile and we cut off two limbs from the lilac
View attachment 4051553
While the ducks supervised
View attachment 4051554

liliac I planted last year almost died in summer. it started to grow from the root. when I see lilac in your climate I hope this one will make it. the previous 2 died.

 

[dirkandlorie]

Yup, lovely weather we're having, lol. Thunderstorms, tornados, rain, hail, floods, and then snow. And that was just last night.

 

[chickengr]

Since I'm adding pawpaw and pomegranate trees to my property this year, I was looking over the Wish List for what I might want to pick up in the fall or early next year... I think I'm going to try avocados and olives... Maybe a sweet cherry too.

sweet cherry will thrive in your climate but the rest you need to protect in winter.

 

[BReeder!]

Been a long time. Hope the gardens are all doing well. I'm just starting to plan this year's vegetable garden. The garden is under of blanket of snow at the moment. Only things really worth carrying about it there are the garlic and asparagus, both of which are still dormant for the winter.

Anybody else deciding to cut back on plant varieties this year? I really think I am going to focus heavily on tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers. I just might dedicate over 400 square feet just to those. And I'm thinking of going with one variety of tomato, one of cucumber, one of sweet pepper, and probably two hot peppers (jalapeno for salsa and chipotles and something else for other stuff like spicing up tomato sauce, pickles, relished, etc.). Marigolds are something else I want to mix in even more this year along with some other flowers perhaps. I'll definitely plant onions, potatoes, carrots, zuchinni/ summer squash and herbs. That really might be all though... In a 1000+ square foot garden that currently has 12 raised beds!

It . Seems crazy to be so simple this year, but I need to limit the amount of work on the garden. My job will be busy in the Spring and Summer and DW is busy with an infant these days in addition to our two school aged kids. Less variety will be simpler to manage and should produce more of the things we like most. Seems like a win win.

 

[igorsMistress]

liliac I planted last year almost died in summer. it started to grow from the root. when I see lilac in your climate I hope this one will make it. the previous 2 died.

I’m sorry you lost a couple, that’s always a bummer. I have four of these, they are Arabian lilacs and do quite well here. Fast growing and the one I trimmed back really hard is over six feet tall. Or at least it was.

 

[igorsMistress]

Been a long time. Hope the gardens are all doing well. I'm just starting to plan this year's vegetable garden. The garden is under of blanket of snow at the moment. Only things really worth carrying about it there are the garlic and asparagus, both of which are still dormant for the winter.

Anybody else deciding to cut back on plant varieties this year? I really think I am going to focus heavily on tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers. I just might dedicate over 400 square feet just to those. And I'm thinking of going with one variety of tomato, one of cucumber, one of sweet pepper, and probably two hot peppers (jalapeno for salsa and chipotles and something else for other stuff like spicing up tomato sauce, pickles, relished, etc.). Marigolds are something else I want to mix in even more this year along with some other flowers perhaps. I'll definitely plant onions, potatoes, carrots, zuchinni/ summer squash and herbs. That really might be all though... In a 1000+ square foot garden that currently has 12 raised beds!

It . Seems crazy to be so simple this year, but I need to limit the amount of work on the garden. My job will be busy in the Spring and Summer and DW is busy with an infant these days in addition to our two school aged kids. Less variety will be simpler to manage and should produce more of the things we like most. Seems like a win win.

I think that sounds like a good plan since you have have a lot on your plate right now. Maximize for what you like and can manage.

 

[Sally PB]

Been a long time.

 

[Acre4Me]

Thinking about earth worms eat the buried chicken. Live chickens eat the earth worms.

<sigh>. We have 4 chickens segregated due to tapeworms . Apparently from earthworms, according to farm vet (several farm vets) business that does not treat chickens. Tapeworms are species specific, and require an intermediary host (like earthworms, flies, grasshopper, etc). Asked if they can ID the tapeworm (so we know which intermediary vector like worm or fly) but they cannot do that, and said most likely earthworms. So now we will address the wet area that the chickens dig around and we’ve put off addressing. Chickens are receiving meds, a tapeworm med for horses at a small dose, and require 2 treatments followed by 2 week egg withdrawal. With the price of eggs, I’d rather treat and keep, plus all 4 chickens look healthy and are laying eggs. In a solid bottom dog crate now, once they get 2nd dose next week, we will put them in a separate pen.

Anybody else deciding to cut back on plant varieties this year?

Yes! But, this naturally happens when you figure out what works best, what you eat and enjoy.

In a 1000+ square foot garden that currently has 12 raised beds!

That’s similar to mine - 11 raised beds are just under 1000 sqft, plus 2 large “raised beds” (garden dirt on top of ground) for an additional 1100 sqft, not including cane berry beds. You live in a neighborhood, so you have a very nice size garden!!

DW is busy with an infant these days in addition to our two school aged kids.

Congrats on new baby!!! Another little gardener! I know your other two help you with some things garden related.

 

[CatInTheHenHouse]

Anybody else deciding to cut back on plant varieties this year?

No, this year I plan to try melons and squash in my 2’x1.5’ garden boxes. (And I’m planning to grow cucumbers too, but those I have managed before, and they’re specifically a container variety.) Fun times ahead!