What did you do in the garden today?

[NanaKat]

I weeded the chicken garden and the backyard island bed, which were both full of crabgrass and dandelions that the chickens failed to eat, as usual. Those people who write about chickens helping out your garden, eating bugs, weeds and aerating the soil are liars and live in Chicken Garden Utopia LOL.
I am having some troubles with our tomatoes, and wonder if this is a common problem. Our tomatoes are in a raised bed that gets full sun, maybe too much, and grow in compost black dirt mix. Their leaves and branches on the lower part of the plant have begun turning yellow and dying, and this slowly spreads up the plant but besides this there are no signs of disease and the fruit are unaffected besides a few turn black on the bottom like blossom end rot. Is this a case of too much sun, not enough water or calcium?

Check the underside of the leaves for spider mites....really tiny moving specks with a very fine webbing. They can take over a bed in a hurry. You can spray with Pilorum and soapshield for an organic remedy...really spray the underside of the leaves where the mites are. Malathion works too. As with any spray...follow the directions!!...about when to apply to avoid killing the beneficial bees, etc.

 

[chickadoodles]

Unless the lids on your buckets are air tight, they may not do the trick for you. I agree with PP, that if you want to kill all insect life in it, your best bet is to seal it, AIR TIGHT in a black plastic trash bag, and let it set in the sun for a few weeks.

Thank you Lg. I will do that. I have a few 15 gallon containers that have screw on lids that I can set the bags in so they will be in the sun and bake.
I do hate to kill off the worms that are in it. But all the sow bugs, earwigs and every other possible bug are in it. Just don't want to lose the manure.

 

[NanaKat]

Today in the garden, I weeded a little, picked the tomatoes and while the sprinkler was running took time to clean out the wood shavings and poop on the brooder room floor. Decided to use the 4 wheel barrows full on the front lawn. Will have to take the Kubota out to spread it because our temperatures are 98 today. Had to spray the tomatoes for spider mites.
I really need to weed wack around the pens and the garden boxes. But also need to go to town to pick up hubby's prescriptions and some blocks of wood shavings. Guess we can force ourselves to eat out.

 

[CapricornFarm]

Has anyone heard their hummingbirds chirp? They make the most adorable sounds! I was watching for them today and they all disappeared when it got very windy, until the rain was over then they started showing up again. I wonder where they go.

 

[CapricornFarm]

I cheat, my caregiver does the dog hair 3 times a week I do it or James and I do

I wish they would coordinate their shedding. First it was the papillon, his fur looks like snow drifts. Now it is the Shepherd's turn and it is shorter but looks almost grey brown. Blows around everywhere. Next i bet the cat will start.

 

[Lazy Farmer]

I have had a subscription to "Organic Gardening" magazine since 1974 and was saddened when Rodale shut down the magazine this year.

 

[pennyJo1960]

I wish they would coordinate their shedding. First it was the papillon, his fur looks like snow drifts. Now it is the Shepherd's turn and it is shorter but looks almost grey brown. Blows around everywhere. Next i bet the cat will start.

I understand grew up with a pap... we have ticha he is pom x chi double coat 7 lbs of hair .. fear our gsd 14 yrs double coat.. moose lab always sheds

 

[Lazy Farmer]

Cleaned up the mess from the storm last night. My pallet garden was blown over
Wind was strong enough to blow a plumeria plant across the patio on its rollers, the patio chairs too. I asked, Mother Nature delivered

Ouch!

 

[Lazy Farmer]

I wish they would coordinate their shedding. First it was the papillon, his fur looks like snow drifts. Now it is the Shepherd's turn and it is shorter but looks almost grey brown. Blows around everywhere. Next i bet the cat will start.

Don't get me started! My cat and boarder collie's hair mated and mutated into DNA tumble weed balls rolling around the hardwood floors! My a/c filters look like incubators hatching cats!

 

[lazy gardener]

Processed 5 cockerels. (7 more to go, plus an old biddy) Buried the feathers and guts under some soil in the sheet composting "garden to be", covered that with cardboard, covered that with about 12" of sheet compost (leaves and grass clippings) covered that with some hardware cloth, covered that with about 5 bags of leaves. In the process of relocating those bags of leaves, I found 3 huge garter snakes. It's so good to see a return of my lovely snakes. I saw a smaller one last week. They are loving the habitat of the HK, slash piles, and leaf bags!