What did you do in the garden today?

[igorsMistress]

Good afternoon gardeners. Guess what I did today! Yeah, watered. Exciting huh? I did go out later and walk through the garden to make sure everything is still alive. There are a ton of lizards in the garden, a few ran across my feet in the dark while I watered. I had to close the pop door to the big coop to keep out pigeons. Those damn things were in the brooder with the youngest chicks eating their food yesterday. The AC chicks, only a month older than the d'Uccle and still content to hang out inside the coop all day. Anyway, time to get dinner going, have a good night.

 

[jerryse]

Cucumbers went to seed while I was gone . More coming on . Tomatoes Olpaka and Polish paste . Butternut squash on top of chicken pen .

 

[NewBoots]

@NewBoots one year I had a ton of green tomatoes at the end of the growing season so I pickled them - they were delicious in Bloody Marys! I like dilly beans in them too.

Neat! And even my DP is interested in the green tomato pickles. Gonna look them up.

Looking forward to the mature feather pattern!

My 2 speckled sussex are the prettiest birds in our flock, I'll try to get a good picture of them. And as pretty as mine are, I am betting roosters will be even prettier.

She confuses reality at times but other times is accurate with what she knows and what is going on.

That's how it got with Lucy, the 102 year old lady that DP looked after. Sometimes her imaginings were of sailing in a cruise liner and going dancing with her fiance. No one ever tried to talk her out of those, she'd just realize sometimes that she was dreaming.

Almost stepped on these 2 amorous box turtles yesterday when going out to check the garden.
I hope the were successful and she lays a lot of eggs later!

That is so cute! Do you see them often? I have never seen a wild box turtle myself.

Once the watering was done this morning it was a shopping day. Did a pick up at Walmart, got a few things (okay more canning jars) at a hardware store, hit a pet store for cat and rabbit food, and then the Cash n Carry for DP's vanilla syrup (coffee additive) and cider vinegar. I do enjoy shopping days, it's a beautiful drive along 101 and prevents cabin fever. And at 10 am today. Glyness gave us another egg. Such a good girl.

 

[NightingaleJen]

Oooo, pickled tomatoes! That sounds good, @Sueby. Question about the Sav-A-Chick...do you give that to grown birds as well in the heat? Is it their only water for the day? We had a plant fail to yield tomatoes, too, but happily, it was the only one that pulled that stunt.

Congrats on the pole beans @Acre4Me! A friend at church has also had a rough year with them. We have spent (too) much time commiserating about this, so I'm glad to hear you're having some luck now. Beautiful birdhouse gourd...those are such fascinating fruits. And those babies! The Langshans and Silver Spangled Hamburgs are so pretty! But they are all adorable.

Pretty corn, @cooingdove! Sorry it is not human tastebud-compatible...

Those baked goodies look amazing, @penny1960! I don't know how you bake when it's this hot, but it looks worthwhile!

Box turtles are so cool @karenerwin! I hope she laid many eggs, too.

Not much in the garden today—we had a couple of downpours yesterday and another today that actually came in the front windows with a vengeance. Oops. Plus it has been hot and muggy. Today's storm *did* knock down one of the cherry tomatoes in a container and I straightened that back up...does that count as 'in the garden'?

Besides...our chicks got to check out their run for the first time today! It was so cute! A couple of the girls even managed to find a worm and a grub (not in video, sorry).

I must confess, that took up a lot of my time.

Happy gardening all!

 

[Swiss]

I need to do that too. I won't be planting my marigolds so close to the peppers next year.

I made notes for next year's garden, so hopefully it will be better!

Today, I did clear some space for a fall planting. I hated to have to kill even just the 4-ish marigolds because they are just the happiest! I didn't have to kill as many as I thought I would because my cucumber plants are gone, and some pruning really opened up more empty spaces where other plants had died (I'm looking at you, Zucchini). I did pull my yellow-fleshed watermelons because they had no fruits or flowers, and I wanted to plant some (old) squash seeds that should have time to produce.
I have never done a fall garden before. It always stressed me out, knowing I'd have to kill some plants to make room for new seeds/seedlings, and trying to schedule it out and figure out which ones will be done producing when and how early to plant the new stuff.... I haven't done succession planting, either. It is kind of difficult to do when you have a little garden. The rabbits didn't touch my garden this year, so I assume I could get away with less marigolds next year. They really stayed in the middle of the yard (for the clover and maybe birdseed?). The neighborhood cats seemed to stay out, too.
So, to summarize, I planted carrots, peas, beets, radishes, squash, spinach, a loos-leafed cabbage, and Chinese kale. All should have enough time to produce before frost (unless it decides to be early). The Brussel sprouts will be a fall crop, too.

Golly, I had a lot to say, but I don't really have people I can geek out about plants with!
A picture to make this more interesting:
A Gaillardia finally opened all the way (planted from seed this spring, and apparently, they aren't supposed to flower until their second year?), and I am in love! I want a field of them to walk through!

 

[pennyJo1960]

Think next year I have prune my tomato more it is out of control allot of flowers on it not very many tomatoes I bought beefy boy and roma may buy like two more tomato next year

 

[karenerwin]

@NewBoots yes, I usually see at least 1 box turtle, sometimes 2 every year on our property. One year I was cutting grass and came upon the turtle digging her hole to lay her eggs!!
I stayed away from that area for a long time so that I hopefully didn’t disturb or accidentally harm her eggs or hatchlings.
I made another batch of zucchini muffins. Still trying to find a recipe I LOVE. The one I used to love I can’t make any more because Pilsbury quit making their nut bread mix and that was the base of the recipe.
I cut some grass. Burned some branches and watered the garden. Wasn’t feeling the best today so I did not go see my mom. I did talk to her this evening which is good because she hasn’t been answering her phone for about 4 days. She didn’t actually answer my call either but she did call me back.

 

[Sueby]

@cooingdove it is beautiful!

@karenerwin love the turtles! I helped a little one cross the street the other day, she was heading to church (literally).

Yum @penny1960, I miss real sweets. There are lots of low carb substitutes but they really aren't the same.

Oooo, pickled tomatoes! That sounds good, @Sueby. Question about the Sav-A-Chick...do you give that to grown birds as well in the heat? Is it their only water for the day? We had a plant fail to yield tomatoes, too, but happily, it was the only one that pulled that stunt.

Yes, I give all of them a small bowl of it when it's this hot & humid but they still have their water. They don't drink much of it, but I do see them sipping a little. I don't mean 'glad'...but glad to hear I'm not the only one who has seen a dud tomato plant.

@NewBoots I think you'll like the pickled green tomatoes. I don't even like tomatoes really & I liked them. Plus it's great not to waste them. Let me know if you try them.

@Swiss I grew Gaillardia at my old house one year, they are so pretty! They didn't come back the following year though.

Morning all! Beautiful, cool day out there. It's so refreshing, especially after we just broke the record for number of days over 90 degrees yesterday. & we still have the rest of Aug & all of Sept!

Have a great day everyone.

 

[littledog]

@Wee Farmer Sarah, I used your squash fritter recipe the other day too - SO delicious! Used up two gigantic zucchini my in-laws gave us, and tripled the recipe. Even Mr. Dog, the strict meat & potatoes guy, loved them! We ate tons of them and froze several containers as well. I'll definitely be making them again!

 

[littledog]

View attachment 2305786Almost stepped on these 2 amorous box turtles yesterday when going out to check the garden.
I hope the were successful and she lays a lot of eggs later!

Haha, that's hilarious that they're breeding while keeping their heads and legs inside their shells. Maybe they're practicing their own form of "social distancing?"