What did you do in the garden today?

[BReeder!]

Those cherry plants ARE my garden so far. I am hoping Spring comes early. The weather seems to be leaning that way, but who knows. I have to head out of town in mid February and I am hoping to be able to start landscaping and construction on the garden. I have a lot to get done before planting: move 2 raised beds, build a new raised bed, move a huge pile of dirt, tear down the garden fence and rebuild along the new perimeter, spread compost, move the compost bins, till, rake soil into rows, frame the new paths, mulch paths, modify duck pen fence to keep them out of the garden... plus I need to setup the seedling station. Oh, and I am planning a leap year quail hatch.

 

[NHMountainMan]

Garden advice needed!
Zone 4a
I've got a large raised bed garden. My biggest pest problems are mice getting at the tomatoes and porcupine destroying everything else. My plan is to use electric poultry netting for the porkies. I've trapped & relocated (didn't know that was a violation) and shot too many to count. Those little buggers, in addition to costing me $$$ due to dogs getting into them, will take a single bite out of every squash, pumpkin, eggplant, and corn plant.
Question: I want to plant something in a recently cleared field. Can you think of any veggie that porcupine won't want to eat? I really don't want to buy any more fencing this year!

Any thoughts would be appreciated. I'm ordering seeds today- starting many plants indoors around March 15, and transplant outside around Memorial day.

 

[igorsMistress]

Good morning gardeners. I checked yesterday, no new sprouts yet. The grass sprouted early, everything else is taking it's own sweet time I guess. We're working on the main coop this weekend, major renovations. The roost and ramp need replacements and I'm lowering the roost a bit, we're taking out the poop boards and making changes to the nest box. Have a great weekend everyone!

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

Good morning gardeners. First up, @WthrLady please post a picture of the bread trough. I'm curious. I think I've mentioned that I make my own bread as well. Nothing fancy, just fresh "I know what's really in it" bread. But my Pyrex loaf pans are wearing out. Your little shrubs look great @BReeder. They will be fine until the weather warms. The trees and shrubs you order are usually super healthy stock that can handle less than ideal conditions for a while. OK, if it were my field [USER=533572]@NHMountainMan , I would plant corn. Yes, it just might attract some deer but you should be able to get something of a harvest. Also, have you tried liquid deterrents such as coyote urine? You can usually find it in feed stores or hardware stores. I need to get some for my fruit trees. I'm still on the fence whether to try starting the asparagus from seed indoors or buying starts. Another request @WthrLady, can you show me a picture of the spacers you build? I may need some for my peach tree. Sorry if I'm getting too needy. Welcome to the thread @BigBlueHen53. Most of us are working on our garden plans for the coming season, however we do have a few friends who are in active gardening mode now and share some awesome garden shots. Have a great day everyone.

 

[NHMountainMan]

Good morning gardeners. First up, @WthrLady please post a picture of the bread trough. I'm curious. I think I've mentioned that I make my own bread as well. Nothing fancy, just fresh "I know what's really in it" bread. But my Pyrex loaf pans are wearing out. Your little shrubs look great @BReeder. They will be fine until the weather warms. The trees and shrubs you order are usually super healthy stock that can handle less than ideal conditions for a while. OK, if it were my field [USER=533572]@NHMountainMan , I would plant corn. Yes, it just might attract some deer but you should be able to get something of a harvest. Also, have you tried liquid deterrents such as coyote urine? You can usually find it in feed stores or hardware stores. I need to get some for my fruit trees. I'm still on the fence whether to try starting the asparagus from seed indoors or buying starts. Another request @WthrLady, can you show me a picture of the spacers you build? I may need some for my peach tree. Sorry if I'm getting too needy. Welcome to the thread @BigBlueHen53. Most of us are working on our garden plans for the coming season, however we do have a few friends who are in active gardening mode now and share some awesome garden shots. Have a great day everyone.

Will using coyote pee attack more coyotes? Thanks for the advice on corn - that may work is I plan a lot. The porcupines killed all 4 pear trees, and 1 apple tree.

Anyone old enough to remember Elmer Fudd from the Bugs Bunny cartoons? I'm like that - "be vewy vewy quiet - I'm hunting porkies..haaahaaahaaa haahaa.

We've got a several well established asparagus beds. I started from starts. I got a nice crop the following spring, and in the second year - fantastic results. Too bad they only last for early spring. It's a favorite of ours.

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

Good morning @NHMountainMan. And no, the coyote urine should not attract coyotes. What it does is "mark" the territory so the animals that are coyote prey will avoid the area. There are also herbs you could plant that annoyance critters like mice and squirrels are not fond of. Mint, lavender and rosemary are good. My chickens have not tried messing with my herb gardens.

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

Oh, and about the trees. Tree wrap should protect the young trees. But putting a small fence around them is a good idea as well. If you still have green inside the branches then your trees can recover. They'll need a lot of TLC.

 

[WthrLady]

@weefarmersarah here it is. I washed it to get the decades of dust off, and it has one coat of mineral oil on it just so I could check for cracks and see what I was dealing with. Now I'll scrub it down, scrub it again with peroxide, then lightly sand and then seal with butcherblock oil and wax, then I can use it again. You mix and rise directly in the trough. There are Youtube videos on how to use them. I like the hermitage ones.

As for spacers. I use quart stir sticks from the paint department of home depot. 98 cents for like 20 of them, or some such craziness. I put them in a pocket and use my trimmers to notch a "v" in each end and use them near the trunk to get the right angle. I get a shot of that, when I go out later this afternoon.

 

[WthrLady]

I'm jealous! The one time I found one I didn't know what it was at the time. It was huge and looked hand carved. I found out just days later what it was and regretted not buying it. It was at Home Goods. They are like a clearance outlet store (a sister company of TJ Maxx actually that's just focused on home furnishings) so they tend to carry random things as they get their hands on them. I've checked several Home Goods stores since then, but no luck. I'll find another one one day...

Modern ones are from questionable sources, from questionable woods, with VERY questionable sealants or treatments on them to keep bugs in the woods from hatching in your house - like the emerald ash borer, and there was one that hatched and went after peoples furniture and wood floors, can't remember that one. They are made for decoration only. I would NEVER put food in them. So consider yourself lucky!

 

[WthrLady]

Garden advice needed!
Zone 4a
I've got a large raised bed garden. My biggest pest problems are mice getting at the tomatoes and porcupine destroying everything else. My plan is to use electric poultry netting for the porkies. I've trapped & relocated (didn't know that was a violation) and shot too many to count. Those little buggers, in addition to costing me $$$ due to dogs getting into them, will take a single bite out of every squash, pumpkin, eggplant, and corn plant.
Question: I want to plant something in a recently cleared field. Can you think of any veggie that porcupine won't want to eat? I really don't want to buy any more fencing this year!

Any thoughts would be appreciated. I'm ordering seeds today- starting many plants indoors around March 15, and transplant outside around Memorial day.

POPcorn sorgum!