What did you do in the garden today?

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

Good morning @Acre4Me. Love the rooster. How about Julius? His legs really are short. Wow. I love the bat house idea. That's been on my "to-do" wish list for the last two years. They are so good for gobbling mosquitoes. Good luck with that and please share pictures.

 

[Acre4Me]

one of the articles says you need like 40 tomato plants (another says 5-8 which seems more accurate) and one says like 10 cucumbers, etc. but we usually always grow at least 10 or 15 tomatoes and end up with waaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyy more tomatoes than we even know what to do with.

If we had 40, we would be drowning in them and they would never get eaten. Unless maybe we canned or made salsa or pasta sauce or something with them but even then probably still not.

And we only had 3 cucumber plants and had more cucumbers than we know what to do with. And was actually mostly just one plant providing most of them.

I'll be planting about 30 tomato plants, I think. In part bc we are trying out lots of varieties. We love fresh eating ones. Maybe I'll get to growing paste tomatoes for sauce, but not this year. Last year our tomato plants (about 20 or so) did ok, but not impressive by any measure. We know the soil was not in great condition, so this year it will hopefully be in better condition and will yield much higher/ better results. The optimist in me has driven me to get "beefsteak" types to see just how big they can get. And, the optimist in me bought the heirloom "Amish Rose" tomato plant from the feed store again- same as last year - to see if this year we would have better results. The "Amish Rose" had the worst performance in our garden last year, yet it is the top seller of the heirlooms at the feed store. So, I'm hoping for better results!

I'm mulching all the walking paths. I need to find a source of low cost straw to mulch the growing areas.

We have done this too. It is much better overall, so far!

My tomato starts are not growing very fast . They need more heat

Agreed! <Sigh> This year has been consistently cold and fairly overcast.

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

Quick note on covering my potatoes and leeks: covering not so much for the cold but more so they won't drown with all the rain and snow that's been forecasted.

 

[Acre4Me]

Good morning @Acre4Me. Love the rooster. How about Julius? His legs really are short. Wow. I love the bat house idea. That's been on my "to-do" wish list for the last two years. They are so good for gobbling mosquitoes. Good luck with that and please share pictures.

Julius could be good - I'll pass that by the kid, who is in charge of the chickens (helped by the parents, of course).

When I was reading up on a bat house, I learned a lot. Like the house should be in the sun, not among the trees that shade it too much. Houses mounted on posts or buildings tend to be more successful than when mounted on a tree or in the woods (less predation and barriers when flying in and out). Mounted about 15' high at least, if possible, and really "thin" space like 3/4", yet wide, and roughed up, or grooved for them to hold on. They like very warm houses, without drafts, and without moisture intrusion, and very dark inside (so use a very dark wood stain).

Told the neighbor we might build a bat house...he didn't seem too pleased. He told me if I built a bat house, then he might get some guinea hens....then he laughed. I just think he isn't much of a bat fan, so the idea of encouraging bats to come and live, and create more bats holds no appeal for him.

 

[AllenK RGV]

@Acre4Me I really need to plant some Sabal Palm trees for bats around here unpruned they make great bathouses. . I keep meaning to write the local tree guys number down and get a couple. Oh and first tomatoes are getting close for us. They have been in the ground for about 2 months. My biggest tomato thief is in the broody box with three eggs so.....



Here is my tomatoburgler!

 

[WthrLady]

We have bat houses. 15-20 feet up. Clear flying zone. And preferably south facing.

Checked the broody eggs last night as neither broody was in a box with them at 1130 pm. Sloshy both eggs on day 19,...um no. I'll take them away today and see if I can break these dippy birds.

Masks this morning then the barn is getting mucked out from winter, mostly just moving old hay and straw out and cleaning up odds and ends.

Trees need fertilized. I need to check the seedling shed and see what's up in there...HA see what I did there?

I'll let the birds roam while I'm working outside.

I do need to hose off winter panels, but I think I'll wait until Wednesday to do that.

Have a super day everyone!

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

So many people have been conditioned to believe bats are bad. They are so very important in maintaining our ecosystems. I watched a PBS show that showed how to build a bat house and it’s a bit complicated. I may just cave and buy one. But I definitely want at least one. Mosquito borne illnesses are really bad here in New England.

 

[Acre4Me]

I really need to plant some Sabal Palm trees for bats around here unpruned they make great bathouses.

Yes, in your region, you have a yellow bat that likes those palm trees bc their fur matches the dead fronds that hang down and they blend in great!

 

[Acre4Me]

Ugh! Windy and cold. It is noon. Even more disappointing, I put on a turtle neck bc its cold, overcast, and windy - up to 40mph gusts. Its end of April, this should not be turtleneck weather! Here is forecast for Mothers Day:

Blech!


So, I'm keeping the newly transplanted plants in for now, maybe they get some outside time later this afternoon.

 

[igorsMistress]

Good morning gardeners. Not much doing in the garden for me today, I just checked on everything to make it's still alive. The grass frame has more sprouts and I think my potted nasturtiums are getting too much afternoon sun. I spent quite a bit of time with the flock yesterday and I really need to figure out a wading option for them. The fully feathered girls are having quite a time with the heat and I hate to see them struggle. Hubs snapped this pic while taking out the trash, I thought I would share. Have a great day everyone!