What did you do in the garden today?

@WthrLady, I'd forgotten about epsom salts and bone meal. I use those too. My grandfather had high praise for that particular multi-use product! He was an old salt himself, so...

@rocking chickens Oooo, what kind(s) of rose(s) did you plant? We rescued a yarrow from the Sad Plant Rack last fall—pathetic, half-brown, wilted thing but it was a buck, so why not? It just bloomed last weekend and it looks lovely—plus isn't the foliage irresistible? I'm always brusi

Oh, @Sueby, I hope your birds are okay! Though wouldn't it figure if you got tuck with only Mean Girl? That jerky sounds yummy. How did it turn out?

Wonderful photos, @Acre4Me! Those butternut squash are so pretty! And your wee red potatoes! Jacques Pepin has this fantastic recipe for those—I'm happy to share if you would like. The dish never lasts long around here, that's for sure...but if there ARE leftovers...they're great rewarmed with a couple of fried eggs on the top next day. Wowza.

Regardless, your dinner looked fantastic!

@NewBoots, that is a good point about the marigolds. and warmer nights. We had a good run of those earlier, but then it cooled off...God willing they'll get going soon! Good luck with your vine maple; we've understood the need for more shade ourselves. You've thrown some sort of mulch over that hole, right? Everything in your garden looks so beautiful! Aren't borage wonderful? Plus I've treated them kind of roughly before, digging them out when there are too many and planting them elsewhere. They've never complained! Your pond and gooseberries are both beautiful. ❤

Your garden looks lovely, @Wee Farmer Sarah! What kind of daylilies do you have there? They look like Michigan Lilies...Those acorn hulls might make a nice mulch if your little visitor leaves enough of them in there.

@TropicalBabies I had no idea mangoes grew like that! How cool!

So far as here, everything is (for now) that sort of steady 'waiting' period. No seed germination yet...some of them are a little old, so we'll see. A trip to the nursery may be required after church Sunday (though of course that would ensure I'd return to the garden Sunday evening to find everything had germinated and popped above ground overnight).

Since there's still quite a bit of season left here, I went ahead and ordered more pole bean and cuke seeds. *shrug* More bush beans did pop up, though!

It has been very hot and very humid, a poor combination for the Queen of Heatstroke (why can't I be the Queen of the Raindance, too?) and my slightly impaired breathing (past health issues). Le sigh! It did rain again last night, though. The plants all look happy! All, that is, with the exception of my poppies, which had a few just-about-to-bloom buds chopped off by something last night. Our feline overlords will have to give us a donation of fur tonight; I'll scatter that over the flowerbeds.

Since it was too hot to go outside during the afternoon, I cleared out, cleaned, and reorganized the fridge. Took a couple of hours but it's worth it every time!

Guess who has some baby tomatoes?!
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"Blueberry" cherry and Paul Robeson, respectively. :D

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Nigella and borage.

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Yarrow, and the (full blast of sun, sorry about the bad timing) remains of the grape hyacinth, among other things. I like the way they look once their season is over.

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Pretty visitor to our citrus plants!

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This is just pretty. Someone drew this on one of the supports beneath the awning that covers the walkway into church. :)

Stay cool, all! Happy gardening!
 
Have you thought about putting snails in the fish tank @NewBoots? Years ago when I had a simple aquarium, I used snails to control the algae. Not sure how many you would need for a tank that size but it might be worth a look into.
Snails can get out of control but I'll mention it to DP and see if she wants to try them, she really hates the algae.
Exactly my story, I love my job but I have other things to do! :gig There is no way I'm making it a day past 60. I don't care if I have to live in a box under a bridge, I will not work a day past 60.
I intended to work till I was 72, I had a good job with great benefits and insurance, a really good company to work for. However, I got to thinking about my dad, he never got to retire and enjoy himself, his health crashed and was robbed of a happy retirement. I decided that wan't going to happen to me. So I retired at 66, we sold the house in town and moved to the SW coast of Oregon, built a big garden, got chickens and rabbits, and go fishing. Retirement is awesome!
We moved the clothesline and DH mowed the lawn as I cleaned up the borders and I got the Ti cuttings potted yesterday.
I meant to ask before, what are Ti plants for?
My 11- one month olds have been getting longer play times in the run and have now graduated to the yard. I am surprised at how tolerant my big girls are towards them... maybe they know that the babies are really theirs! All have beautiful markings and I look forward to watching them grow.
OMG those are beautiful babies!

Went in to town for a hand truck (not sure how we've gotten along without one so far) and MORE potting soil and pots. But there is always something that needs up-potting or just one more tomato plant that needs a home. Got to get my hinnie out and pot up that san marzano and get the lawn mowed now. And I'll admit it right here, I actually bought a watermelon mostly for the chickens. I regret nothing.
 
Oooo, what kind(s) of rose(s) did you plant? We rescued a yarrow from the Sad Plant Rack last fall—pathetic, half-brown, wilted thing but it was a buck, so why not? It just bloomed last weekend and it looks lovely—plus isn't the foliage irresistible?

The roses were wild and because of they were on the lawn they never bloomed however now that they are in the garden I hope they prosper and bloom the large pink roses of nearby wild roses.
 
Aloha kakahiaka new (to thread) and old gardeners,
Big mahalo for all the beautiful photos and stories. I am reading- just not chiming in much cuz not doing a lot garden wise.
The veggie garden is plugging along fine... and I have been able to harvest a few things, despite still having a tomato thief :hmm ..., we are getting plenty papaya's, mangoes and starfruit's.
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We moved the clothesline and DH mowed the lawn as I cleaned up the borders and I got the Ti cuttings potted yesterday. Pretty sure there is nothing better than waking up to a freshly mowed lawn... for a moment all feels right in the world :cool:
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Been mostly doing the chick sales and shuffle, avoiding starting the back deck. It has been hella-hot and humid here... pretty sure my toenails were even sweating this last week 😝

My 11- one month olds have been getting longer play times in the run and have now graduated to the yard. I am surprised at how tolerant my big girls are towards them... maybe they know that the babies are really theirs! All have beautiful markings and I look forward to watching them grow.
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The new babies are all sold. I think I will go through the feed stores for selling from now on as I got scammers and weirdo's on craigslist for the first time. BUT, I also met more than a few awesome folks too and got a few future orders and coop builds out of it :D .View attachment 2218515Jazz's is back out sitting on another clutch of eggs, lord knows where :th . I do know that Kea has been mating her so I am not horribly sad.
Rose is less hormonal scary with only two chicks to care for. I found a home for her other 7. Not sure if I mentioned b4.
Only odd chicken out is 2nd Stormy, below, who started to crow and mate so is now named Kaumakani (where the 2 winds meet) Maybe he can blend in...? :lauView attachment 2218514
K. All, stay dirty and well!!! Again, thanks for posting!!!
With all those mangoes I am thinking you are going to need to invest in a still soon. That or let em fall and ferment into a nice chicken 4th of July celebration. Mine love the mangoes. I hope you have a good cultivar as some of the volunteers do not taste good. Your papaya are looking good too but hate how bland those things taste.
 
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Good morning gardeners. I guess that rain dance worked @Sueby, because in the middle of dinner the skies opened up. It rained for nearly two hours. Although there was some thunder and lightening, nothing too horrific. We must have got nearly 1/2 inch of rain. So now I know just how dry things were underground, with all that rain the sump pump hasn't been on at all. I checked the basement a little while ago when I threw in a load of laundry and the basement is dry. Yay! My squash and potato supper will have to wait another week at least @Acre4Me. I did a walk around the garden this morning and picked a few more peas and the rest of the carrots in the squash bed. I weeded that one and the pole (green) bean bed yesterday. In defense of direct seeding, the butternut squash plants in with the cabbage were direct seeded barely a month ago and they are doing quite well. The dill in my herb bed is doing well and I think I will be planting more of it with the winter squash and cabbage as apparently it attracts the beneficial bugs that eat the bad bugs. My little Hungarian Pepper plant is pushing out a pepper. Very cute. Have you thought about putting snails in the fish tank @NewBoots? Years ago when I had a simple aquarium, I used snails to control the algae. Not sure how many you would need for a tank that size but it might be worth a look into. No plans for outdoor work today. We may get more thunder storms. I'm working on laundry and baking bread today. Yesterday's dinner was carnitas, Spanish rice (made with last season's cherry tomato and corn salsa) and black beans cooked an easy way I just heard of on a cooking show. Rinse a pound of black beans (no pre-soaking required) and put them in a pot with 1/2 medium sized onion and 1 teaspoon dried cilantro, add about 2 quarts of water. Cook until tender then add salt and whatever other seasoning you prefer. I really like the part about not having to pre soak the beans. These were absolutely the best black beans I've ever tasted. And so simple. Have a great day everyone.
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The daylilies behind the garden are starting to bloom. Yay!
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Looks like a chipmunk has been snacking on acorns in this planter. The indentation is from me pouring water into the planter from the other side of the fence.
I missed the original post about the aquarium, but I would think twice about snails. They have a radula (like a rough cat tongue) that scrapes the algae. They scratch up the sides of the tank and make a better surface for algae to grow. If @NewBoots is having algae issues, I suggest limiting how much light hits the tank by leaving the light off, adding a loose cover, or maybe a plecostomus (algae eater fish).
 

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