What did you do in the garden today?

[Sueby]

Morning gardeners!

@NightingaleJen - you are right about the rings on the jars hiding a popped lid, I had forgotten about that as I have always removed them anyway!

Not much happening in the garden around here - it's too hot & humid. I continue to pick the beetles, but the plants are getting bigger so they aren't killing anything. I think it's time to fertilize, I may do that right now. I need to dig up the rest of the lettuce & get the rutabaga seeds in. I just hate summer, I can't stand the thought of going out there.

Have a great day all.

 

[Sooner Magnolia]

I was late planting this year, but everything is coming along great.
I tried the Ruth Stout method this year and couldn’t be happier with the results.

What is the Ruth Stout method?

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

Good morning gardeners. No rain yesterday, just hot and humid. I sprayed an epsom salts solution on my Roma tomatoes and pole beans yesterday and this morning they were looking quite perky and healthier. I have tiny tomatoes developing in many of my plants. I picked a zucchini, some bush beans and some peas. The peas are starting to slack off which comes as no surprise. It is mid July already. I have several cucumbers forming as well as jalapenos. Somethng is eating my bell pepper plants so I'll try some dish soap spray on them and see if that helps. My okra is starting to bloom. I'll try to remember to take a picture mid-day when the blossom should be fully opened. I used the Hungarian peppers in my Pad Thai last night. They are spicy. I tasted a raw piece and I thought it was between a jalapeno and a serrano for the heat. I'll have to wait until tomorrow to have the leftovers for lunch. I noticed a shift in my blood sugar levels after consuming all those carbs from the Pad Thai. Tonight I think I'll go with steak tips and steamed zucchini. I'm not planning for much in the garden today. The temps are supposed to be in the low 90's. So I'll do a load of laundry and hug Mr. Air Conditioner. That makes so much sense @TropicalBabies about the towels. I use puppy pads in the brooder and put pine shavings on top of that. It makes clean up easy but so much trash. Have a great day everyone and stay hydrated.

 

[Sooner Magnolia]

Big storms here overnight. We lost power about 3AM, but they had it restored by 8:30 this morning. Much faster with our smaller electric cooperative than the bigger company that covers more of the urban areas. My sister was without power for a day and a half after the last storm. Plus they are providing rural high speed internet with no contracts or equipment charges for $55 per month. I was so glad to drop the big satellite entertainment provider!

Lots of cottonwood limbs blew down. I wish the dead oak branches would do the same. My poor little olive tree was completely bent over by a fallen branch and a couple of plants up on stands blew over. My garden plants seem fine though. The babies didn't get their rainfly, so the bedding is wet, but they seem fine..

Glad I have power to flush toilets and make coffee now! I'm having my coffee and watching hummingbird battles for a bit. I need to plant some groundcover and tie up a couple of tomato plants today. Plus it is cooler, so we will grill out or use the smoker.

 

[igorsMistress]

What is the Ruth Stout method?

https://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/ruth-stouts-system-zmaz04fmzsel

 

[igorsMistress]

Good morning gardeners. I walked through the garden today to check on stuff, so far the shrubs are still living. I'm so happy I used that hay to mulch this year, it really helps a ton! I went out to scrub waterers this morning and found some ants so at least I know where to spray outside the coops. @AllenK RGV I can relate to being a depressed gardener! Maybe try to keep looking forward to fall when you can plant again, it helps me stay motivated to get stuff done. I have a bunch of loose ends to tie up today and need to go grocery shopping. I have hamburger in the marinade to make jerky finally and some 'shrooms I dehydrated to put into a jar. Time to get busy, have a great day all!

 

[WthrLady]

Morning all. Heading out to mow for a few hours. In case you missed it.

 

[Plsc]

What is the Ruth Stout method?

Deep mulch using straw or hay about 18” think to start.
I throw leaves, grass, yard weeds on top as it all naturally mulch’s itself. Weeds are few and far between which is unheard of here in the sunny upstate of South Carolina. The hay holds the moisture in the dirt even through our 90+ degree no rain for weeks weather.
I could go on but you get the picture I’m sure!
I just marked out my rows with string when I was planting and parted the mulch layer and barley covered the seeds, no tools required.

*worth googling or reading through Pinterest on this, there are also books written on it.

 

[Compost King]

I am so enthusiastic about my garden that I have come close to neglecting chickens. My meat birds need to be fed and watered multiple times a day, luckily they haven't gone empty on water but they have had a few fasting periods where they learned how to scratch up their pen. I forgot to open a coop this morning because I was distracted by the garden while making my coop rounds. Poor RI Red Bantams had to wait until noon on a hot day to get out in their pen for a drink of water. So that's what I did in the Garden this morning, I neglected Chickens. Nothing bad came of it so far and just admitting to it in a public forum tends to lead towards me being so embarrassed that I do not let it happen again.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Afternoon gardeners I did get up till 10 this morning .. I do take melatonin to sleep .. Hey @Compost King your not a bad bird owner your human.
My garden is rather depressing my pepers are in horibble shape I have two
only brussle spouts coming up with heads on them