What did you do in the garden today?

[Acre4Me]

Here are our two very different varieties of strawberry seeds. They are planted in moveable planting boxes. One was planted from bare root stock this spring. The other was started from seed and is a very tiny strawberry plant (called Mignonette). The seeds were planted in mid Jan. They should produce small, but intensely flavored, strawberries, so we will see what happens! They are planted in the same type of planter, so I tried to take a pic so could see the big different in size.

 

[LittleMissCountry]

Sounds like you need to pay the neighbor kids $1 a wheelbarrow full

I would have to pay a lot more than that! Our neighbor's 16 year old has his own lawn business already and makes a fortune. The other kids on our road are the same age as mine...too young. My ten year old daughter can help this summer, though. I can pay her in ice cream.

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

Good morning gardeners. I mowed and weed whacked the front yard yesterday. Got my two herb & flower garden frames set up. I just need to fill them with dirt. So I can finally move the dirt pile out of my driveway. Fortunately we did not get frost last night. It did get down to 36F, so it was close. I have a dentist appointment this afternoon which is near a store I used to buy my plants from. I'll be stopping in to pick up more herbs for the garden. So I mentioned it in a previous post about this exotic looking plant in my yard (it came with the house). It's starting to bloom so I took a picture. Can someone please tell me what this is?

 

[MissChick@dee]

Yesterday about did me in - amended last raised bed! They are actually 16' x 4' wide, full of clay soil, but I'm trying to get it broken up with amendments (vermiculite, perlite, peat moss, gypsum). Also, 2 of the beds have many root systems of bindweed, and since we were turning over the soil, I took the time to try to remove the root systems of everything I could find and as deep as I could find. My neighbors, a friendly, older couple who also cultivate a large garden, have been watching me turn over the soil by hand for several days as their shady spot is directly in line with my raised beds. Every once in a while they drive their golf cart over to see my progress and tell me how hard I'm working - but it's nice to have the conversation and short break. Of course, they've tilled their garden already (gas powered and brand new tiller in hand) and have been planting it up - so yesterday I was razzed about how long it was going to take me to start planting! Luckily, I had an answer - I was going to put some seed in that very evening!

Last night we planted 4 varieties of beans for drying: Black, and some mottled varieties. One is a pole bean, so that will be my first experience with a pole bean. Some squash starts I purchased, and some brussel sprouts I started were planted. I put in some carrot seeds (2 varieties), some radish seeds (2 varieties), cucumbers (2 varieties), some turnip seeds (2 varieties and a first time crop for me) and some muskmelons (3 varieties). Last year we had little success with melons, so I picked different varieties this year and added some granules into the planting hole that is supposed to deter the ground bugs that often plague melons, cukes, squash.

Tomatoes and peppers still need to be planted, but we are getting a storm today/tonight with some gusty winds. I'll wait till this weekend to plant those and that will give me some time to make some cages for the plants, and will get me past the upcoming chilly Friday night.

One more half row of bush green beans to plant.

Wow it sounds like you’re going to have a great garden. Perhaps I read your post wrong...your nice older neighbor has a tiller and didn’t offer to share?
Or let you borrow it? Sheesh really?
When I filled my boxes I mixed every thing by hand one wheel barrow at a time...a friend offered his cement mixer for me to use cause he thought I was crazy lol. He thought I just threw all the amendments together. I had to pass on his offer because the way I work he’d have to loan me the mixer for along time. Now Iffin he had a automatic sifter of some type I’d be on that ... in a heartbeat.
I dunno if I had a tiller to share I would. I’m so blessed to live in this little town. I have great neighbors.

 

[Searsmom]

Good morning gardeners. I mowed and weed whacked the front yard yesterday. Got my two herb & flower garden frames set up. I just need to fill them with dirt. So I can finally move the dirt pile out of my driveway. Fortunately we did not get frost last night. It did get down to 36F, so it was close. I have a dentist appointment this afternoon which is near a store I used to buy my plants from. I'll be stopping in to pick up more herbs for the garden. So I mentioned it in a previous post about this exotic looking plant in my yard (it came with the house). It's starting to bloom so I took a picture. Can someone please tell me what this is?
View attachment 1769017

I have no idea what it is, but it's lovely.

I moved 2 big concrete blocks to paint brown for my raised garden and my back reminded me why I need the raised garden.

I've asked for help, but we're pretty much both in the same shape, so I may get it done by the end of summer.

 

[WthrLady]

Good morning gardeners. I mowed and weed whacked the front yard yesterday. Got my two herb & flower garden frames set up. I just need to fill them with dirt. So I can finally move the dirt pile out of my driveway. Fortunately we did not get frost last night. It did get down to 36F, so it was close. I have a dentist appointment this afternoon which is near a store I used to buy my plants from. I'll be stopping in to pick up more herbs for the garden. So I mentioned it in a previous post about this exotic looking plant in my yard (it came with the house). It's starting to bloom so I took a picture. Can someone please tell me what this is?
View attachment 1769017

FRITILLARIA

 

[WthrLady]

Coworker gave DH an envelope of Indian Pumpkin seeds last night, so I'll get those going today. I'll show you my garden ride later. It's down in the barn. BRRRRRR....... next trip outside.

It has steering, big wheels, turning big seat, place for a 5 gallon bucket/trug/ and tool pockets. I use mine for my water bottle, scissors, and tie ups.

 

[Acre4Me]

Perhaps I read your post wrong...your nice older neighbor has a tiller and didn’t offer to share?
Or let you borrow it? Sheesh really?

They didn't offer, but I would not have accepted because these beds need digging their full height. My pitchfork goes down on a slight angle, as far/deep as I can, then up and over. Across the 4' of width, I am getting in about 6 deep digs, and turn over. I dig and turn, then I add about half my amendments, turn again, then add other half and turn for a third time (64 cu ft per bed x3!) Then hoe it more or less level, then make rows. The tiller would not have dug deep enough for my purposes. Once I increase the organic material in the garden, and to a good depth, then I could move to a tiller, but I have at least one more year of hand turning, I think. It really is terribly clay-filled dirt....why they would have done that (use terrible soil) is beyond logic, but from living in this home, I get the feeling that the path of least resistance and cheapest, was the one followed by the previous owner - thankfully that owner did not fancy himself as a fixer-upper.

The neighbors are really nice and they had an old tiller last year (20 years used), which died, causing them to buy a new one. I'll guess that if I asked, they would have said sure - I could borrow it...but I wouldn't know unless I asked - maybe they would say no way. On the other hand, we had tween digging up dandylions - so much $ for a 5 gallon bucket full. They offered their nice dandelion digger to tween to use (its one you can stand up and use - and works pretty well), which tween appreciated.

Wow it sounds like you’re going to have a great garden.

I sure hope so! It is frustrating to amend the clay soil and break up, by hand, all the large clumps of clay, to then have the soil dry out a bit and basically have hard clay rocks and pebbles all over the top of the soil. It will take much more organic matter to improve this soil. Working on that compost pile! The chickens are pooping up a storm and soiling the wood shavings (more compost material!) We are eating veggies and fruit, and composting the extras and trimming! We are mowing the grass and dumping the clippings! We are putting all coffee grounds, tea bags, and all egg shells in the compost pile! But, we need to collect it all together a bit better, in one place so that it can compost more quickly. Currently, most wood shavings are in the run, along with most grass clippings andy any straw given to chickens - while the egg/tea/coffee and some grass are in the temporary compost bin. Also, we need to make sure it stays moist consistently.

 

[WthrLady]

I should take the tractor out and turn the compost piles tomorrow. Tomorrow. Thanks for the reminder.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Good morning all actually found lettuce sprouts the other day at Ace in town bought a miracle grow soil to regenerate tires I want to put it in .. not moving super fast suppose to be 80 here today we are not geared to those temps