What did you do in the garden today?

Nice list! Do you have previous experience with luffa? I've read once it's in it can be difficult to get rid of so I'm curious about others experience with it.
I have a nice covered garden right now but we're working to expand by adding a full sun garden in another area for the same reason, to be able to produce much more at home.
I did luffa last year. All the plants died after the frost so perhaps that depends on your area. It produced fruit but I planted it too late in the season for it to turn into sponges. I started them much earlier this year. If they dont produce I'll have to set them up with a grow light next year. Here danger of frost is over shortly after mother's day and the season ends about mid to end of september. I started seedlings about a week ago for my other plants which I hope was not too late. So far sprouted are: luffa, tomato, broccoli and sunflower
 
I've never had good luck with broccoli @Farmdog267, but it could be a nitrogen deficiency. Have you tested the soil? I picked up a bag of worm castings that are a good source of nitrogen that won't burn your seedlings. I hope your's do better. Last year mine were doing pretty good and the local Ground Hog seemed to enjoy the heck out them. So I may not try them again for awhile.
 
I did luffa last year. All the plants died after the frost so perhaps that depends on your area. It produced fruit but I planted it too late in the season for it to turn into sponges. I started them much earlier this year. If they dont produce I'll have to set them up with a grow light next year. Here danger of frost is over shortly after mother's day and the season ends about mid to end of september. I started seedlings about a week ago for my other plants which I hope was not too late. So far sprouted are: luffa, tomato, broccoli and sunflower
That makes sense, cold kills a lot of stuff! I'm in the desert, our frost risk is from December to February. I might try it in a small bed and see what happens. Thanks for the info!
 
That makes sense, cold kills a lot of stuff! I'm in the desert, our frost risk is from December to February. I might try it in a small bed and see what happens. Thanks for the info!
No problem. Be sure to provide it a trellace to climb up on. It CAN be grown on the ground but you risk the fruit rotting. Ours grew to well over 6 feet last year but I've heard of them growing even taller. It loves sun and moisture rich soil so you might have to set up a waterer since you're in the desert
 
Plans for today: Till more soil, sprinkle chicken compost and crushed egg shells along with ash and till some more. We live on a ridge and our soil is really poor quality. We throw anything we can think of on it to try to improve it but clay is clay and there is about a foot of top soil over it so it needs all the help it can get.

Coffee grounds increase nitrogen in the soil? Cool!
 
Had some help with getting the sod up after the SO came home. After about another hour at it I physically could do no more. I think I'm just coming off my "winter body" (then again I did work on it for a total of 4 hours yesterday...:idunno) and I need to power through so I'm hitting it hard again today. Bad storm last night with penny size hail but at least the sod is still moist. We managed to get up a grand total of 5ft x 6ft. Not quite halfway done but a step in the right direction. I've been putting the sod on a low point in our yard that hasn't been able to grow grass. It looks like an awkward jigsaw puzzle :lau
Just came in from the garden. Man...is it muddy! I was able to accomplish what it took me 3 hours to do yesterday in 45 minutes though! The dog and I were so muddy we both needed a bath. Got to do another 5 x 8 for the front half of the garden and 5 x 10 for the back. My back hurts really badly though and I've got blisters on both thumbs so I'm not gonna be able to do much. I want to at leadt get the 5 x 8 done today though. I took my SOs advice and cut smaller squares of sod. I'm still not strong enough to lift them with the shovel though. There's too much dirt coming up with it. Maybe later it wont be so muddy and my cuts will be better. We dont have a sod cutter or a square shovel so it's a lot harder.
 
Plans for today: Till more soil, sprinkle chicken compost and crushed egg shells along with ash and till some more. We live on a ridge and our soil is really poor quality. We throw anything we can think of on it to try to improve it but clay is clay and there is about a foot of top soil over it so it needs all the help it can get.

Coffee grounds increase nitrogen in the soil? Cool!
Yea. You can use compost as well but coffee grounds will work in a bind.
 
No problem. Be sure to provide it a trellace to climb up on. It CAN be grown on the ground but you risk the fruit rotting. Ours grew to well over 6 feet last year but I've heard of them growing even taller. It loves sun and moisture rich soil so you might have to set up a waterer since you're in the desert
Thanks for the tips! I'm going to give it a try next year, we're too close to hot temps now to start anything new.
 

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