What did you do in the garden today?

[igorsMistress]

Hi everbody

Been pulling out old pavers, moved those to the new area for installation later. Think I'm done for today. It's hot and sticky and I have to go to work

 

[Pensmaster]

What sort of latches did you have? Did i tell you about the time i shot a racoon, skinned it, gutted it and fed it to the livestock dog and the chickens? Everyone but the coon was happy

The vultures get every one of the critters trapped here. I'm on their list as the best place in town to dine.

 

[Pensmaster]

Mowed the garden paths and watered the beds with the overhead sprinkler....an hour in each circular section nets 1 inch. Gathered cucumbers, peppers, squash and tomatoes. Took some tomato cuttings to root for fall tomatoes.
We have had damage on some cucumbers from rats so placed rat poison in the cottage cheese cartons and set the live rat trap too.
Still working on catching the boar raccoon that keeps raising my chicken pens...he is smart and has learned how to open the nest box lids and kills and carrys off a hen or rooster. So today I changed closures on all the boxes.

Since raccoons and skunks have destroyed numerous of my birds here and my neighbors, the live trap is always set. Also on all gate latches I put a bolt and nut through the lock hole. A real pain but it's been working for me.

 

[lazy gardener]

Thanks for the biology refresher! Even if you get some crosses, some of those hybrids can be pretty awesome! This year, it's butternut for me. But, I may end up with spaghetti squash also, and that cross would be a looser, IMO.

Well no need to worry . Spaghetti squash is C . Pepo group and butternut is C. Moschata group . So that cross can not work . Yes crosses can be interesting .

Thanks. I wondered about that. But, knew that if I had it wrong, you'd set me straight!!!

Since raccoons and skunks have destroyed numerous of my birds here and my neighbors, the live trap is always set. Also on all gate latches I put a bolt and nut through the lock hole. A real pain but it's been working for me.

I need to set my live traps, some critter is making night time excursion paths through the underbrush at the back corner of my clearing. Also need to set some kill traps for mice/voles and rats. Found a suspicious looking turd in my FF trough the other morning. And want to get voles before they start mining the beets and carrots.

 

[NorthTexasWink]

Found a few mole tunnels in the "back 40" by my backmost fence that abutts neighbors back lot. The one uphill where a lot of their runoff comes under the fence to me. Looks like they are rebuilding their terracing there too, so maybe not so much runoff afterwards, though I don't see anything that looks like it's built to channel their drainage. Probably won't do anything for drainage. Oh well. I've got it handled on my end long ago. But it did probably send their moles my way. They won't stay long, because dogs will fix that. Good thing about terriers, they have high prey drive. Bad thing about terriers, they have high prey drive.

Worked on my drainage system at coop site, measuring everything again for foundation. Finally ready to dig and put in some decomposed granite to place the blocks on. Trying to get it as level as possible on that slope and above unlikely but possible light flooding. Could get a couple inches water for a short time if my pond and drains all get overcome by a frog choker on top of a deluge. Seen it happen twice in 8 years, so best to be prepared. Although my drainage now is vastly improved.

Letting the tomatoes ripen on the vine like you suggested @Farmer Connie and got my rooted cuttings outside to be ready for those spots. If the cukes don't shade it out too bad. Still harvested tons of veggies.

Starting to get warm now, but got a nice breeze for my morning break. Cicadas going, hearing the hawks, hummingbirds catching flies and mosquitoes (yay!), and Dolly is sniffing mole tunnels way off. Life is sweet!

Y'all have a good day!

 

[CapricornFarm]

The vultures get every one of the critters trapped here. I'm on their list as the best place in town to dine.

I hate those black vultures! When we lived in TN, i had two POL speckled sussex pullets killed and eaten by them. They left only the drumsticks!

 

[NorthTexasWink]

Look what Dolly just brought me! Yup, gotta build it strong. Guess one of the neighbors lost a chicken a while back.

 

[dan26552]

My eggplants are doing well this year. No fruit yet but they have flowers and made it further than last years.

Lots of squash too. Mostly butternut.

I think this is a winged ornamental squash that crossed with a yellow summer squash last year.

Pumpkin.

Peppers are coming in good. Also picked four pounds of cucumbers yesterday and another pound today.

Ok not exactly garden related but look at my new tillers, fertilizers and old produce eaters! Just born this morning, she had ten.

 

[NorthTexasWink]

Omg I luuurves me some piggie babies!

 

[Pensmaster]

I hate those black vultures! When we lived in TN, i had two POL speckled sussex pullets killed and eaten by them. They left only the drumsticks!

Weird mine haven't killed any. But I guess if they are hungry enough....