What did you do in the garden today?

[pennyJo1960]

love everyone sharing the photos found the tires are best for us as we do not need to bend as often no knee work either but refuse to give up fresh vegies

 

[henless]

Thanks for posting the pics - looks good! We had been sporadically working on our block garden most of the summer, and had hoped it would be finished before winter, but no such luck. I think we can finish it off early next spring. We want to use it as our primary veggie garden next year. Hubs had mentioned wanting to plant something in those little squares on the blocks. Do things grow well in them? I was worried they may get too hot...

Your welcome! I love to look and everyone's pics. Makes it easier to actually see what they are talking about.

About planting in the squares, it really depends on what you plant in them. I had planted herbs, marigolds and strawberries in my squares when I first built my bed. They did ok, but they did dry out really fast since there isn't much dirt area around them. I wouldn't plant anything that gets very tall. Try it and see. If the plants look like they are struggling, you can always pull them out and plant them in the bigger bed.

I got all my boards hauled out of the garden and chunked on the burn pile. Pulled out the dead okra stalks and put them in the burn pile also. I usually cut them off and pull out later in the season. Some where still green and even trying to re-sprout. As you pull on them, the outside skin will slip off making the stalk slimy and hard to hang on to. Okra may be good, but everything about it is just slimy!

Pulled off some kale leaves and fed to the chickens. They love kale, but hate spinach. In fact, none of my chickens have ever liked spinach. Just kale, cabbage & lettuce as far as greens go.

 

[deepbluesea]

Your welcome! I love to look and everyone's pics. Makes it easier to actually see what they are talking about.

About planting in the squares, it really depends on what you plant in them. I had planted herbs, marigolds and strawberries in my squares when I first built my bed. They did ok, but they did dry out really fast since there isn't much dirt area around them. I wouldn't plant anything that gets very tall. Try it and see. If the plants look like they are struggling, you can always pull them out and plant them in the bigger bed.

I got all my boards hauled out of the garden and chunked on the burn pile. Pulled out the dead okra stalks and put them in the burn pile also. I usually cut them off and pull out later in the season. Some where still green and even trying to re-sprout. As you pull on them, the outside skin will slip off making the stalk slimy and hard to hang on to. Okra may be good, but everything about it is just slimy!

Pulled off some kale leaves and fed to the chickens. They love kale, but hate spinach. In fact, none of my chickens have ever liked spinach. Just kale, cabbage & lettuce as far as greens go.

Thanks for posting the pics! My raised beds are showing signs of wear as well. This might be a good alternative.

I started spreading a few bales of straw on the raised beds that aren't getting planted with winter veg or cover crops. I also check obsessively on my driveway seedlings--bok choi, tatsoi, swiss chard, spinach, a couple of kinds of lettuce, cilantro and broccoli. Oh and kale. Chickens love kale and bok choi. And chard. I've read that spinach isn't good for chickens because it prevents calcium absorption, but can't remember where I read it, so take it with a grain of salt...

 

[lazy gardener]

Many of the greens, spinach being one of the most noted are high in oxalates, which inhibit calcium absorption.

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=george&dbid=48

 

[CapricornFarm]

It is supposed to rain at midnight here. And not supposed to freeze, so i will take up the tarps and uncover the cabbage so it gets rain.
I planted 2 holly bushes and a camelia, plus collected a bunch of junk wood for the burn pile. And put away the pallets i had out.
Oh, and we are getting a dishwasher!

 

[chickmom3941]

love everyone sharing the photos found the tires are best for us as we do not need to bend as often no knee work either but refuse to give up fresh vegies

One of the main reasons we are making our block garden is so that we can sit on the edge of the bricks to weed and care for the plants. I have osteoarthritis in both knees, and back issues also, so getting down on the ground for prolonged weeding is almost impossible. I know what you mean, though, not willing to give up gardening and all those fresh veggies.

 

[CapricornFarm]

One of the main reasons we are making our block garden is so that we can sit on the edge of the bricks to weed and care for the plants. I have osteoarthritis in both knees, and back issues also, so getting down on the ground for prolonged weeding is almost impossible. I know what you mean, though, not willing to give up gardening and all those fresh veggies.

I think i will get a load of blocks tomorrow to use in the flower beds in front of the house. Thanks for the idea!

 

[lazy gardener]

I thought about what I would do out there if only it was warmer and I had some energy.

I did stick a lily bulb and a mum plant in the ground. Should stick some hyacinth bulbs in the ground before the ground freezes up. Also have some clumps of garlic that need to be buried in the sheet compost area, simply to keep them from freezing.

 

[henless]

It is supposed to rain at midnight here. And not supposed to freeze, so i will take up the tarps and uncover the cabbage so it gets rain.
I planted 2 holly bushes and a camelia, plus collected a bunch of junk wood for the burn pile. And put away the pallets i had out.
Oh, and we are getting a dishwasher!

Yay on the dishwasher! I like how you can rinse and stack the dishes in the washer then run it when you get a full load. I don't like to leave dishes in the sink, so I would be washing all day if I didn't have one.

I have cross ties for my border across the front/side of our house. I was using them to separate my garden area from the rest of the yard. Since we went to all raised beds instead of BTE, I moved them to the house.

One of the main reasons we are making our block garden is so that we can sit on the edge of the bricks to weed and care for the plants. I have osteoarthritis in both knees, and back issues also, so getting down on the ground for prolonged weeding is almost impossible. I know what you mean, though, not willing to give up gardening and all those fresh veggies.

Weeding is tough on people with osteo or any of the arthritis diseases. That is why I'm raising my beds and making them 3' instead of 4' wide. Even though you can weed from both sides, I find the narrower bed easier since I don't have to lean as far.

Also have some clumps of garlic that need to be buried in the sheet compost area, simply to keep them from freezing.

I want to plant some garlic. I know fall planting is best, but does it do ok planted in the spring?

I had planned on raking up some leaves for the garden & coop, but the rain has other plans. I did get my garland put up across my porch railing and my wreaths on the windows before it started. I do my decorating in stages.

 

[lazy gardener]

I don't know how it does planted in the spring. If you can't plant it now, try it in the spring. Nothing to loose. But, if your ground is not yet frozen, pick up some at a farmer's market, or some organic garlic somewhere, and plant it. Stiff neck is good for cold climates. Soft neck is not as hardy.

ETA: I see you are in texas, so soft neck would be fine for you.