What did you do in the garden today?

[RoseHawke]

My back aches just looking at them! They look great! Are you using the same soil or replacing that as well?

Same soil, although hopefully we'll be able to amend that with some horse manure. My dental hygienist has horses and has said that we might have some. Fortunately I believe their tractor has a loader so we won't have to shovel it onto the truck. Shoveling off isn't so bad, but my back isn't what it used to be!

I probably could've used 2x6's just as well as the 2x12's, but it's just so much simpler with the 2x12's. I can handle the 2x12x8's alone, but the 12 footers are a bit much. Hopefully I'll get the garden all straightened up and tidied, it's a mess right now. Mr. RoseHawke is more than willing to help, but I have to supervise , he doesn't really know what needs to be done unless it's pointed out to him.

 

[RoseHawke]

Paint both sides they will last longer
If I have not welcomes you before will now also

Did that before, didn't really seem to make a difference.

 

[pennyJo1960]

That can be weather I used a exterior paint on a fence we did
5 years old now still solid

 

[igorsMistress]

Same soil, although hopefully we'll be able to amend that with some horse manure. My dental hygienist has horses and has said that we might have some. Fortunately I believe their tractor has a loader so we won't have to shovel it onto the truck. Shoveling off isn't so bad, but my back isn't what it used to be!

I probably could've used 2x6's just as well as the 2x12's, but it's just so much simpler with the 2x12's. I can handle the 2x12x8's alone, but the 12 footers are a bit much. Hopefully I'll get the garden all straightened up and tidied, it's a mess right now. Mr. RoseHawke is more than willing to help, but I have to supervise , he doesn't really know what needs to be done unless it's pointed out to him.

Definitely not fun to shovel into a truck but you’re right, shoveling out isn’t horrible.
When it comes to building things Igor is pretty good at it. I just have to be specific about layout and then explain why . He likes to “improve” on my plans and sometimes makes things much more difficult than they need to be.

 

[RoseHawke]

That can be weather I used a exterior paint on a fence we did
5 years old now still solid

Not just weather, but in constant contact with damp soil as well which of course encourages fungal growth. Even pressure treated, unless specifically manufactured for "ground contact", will rot within 5-10 years when in constant contact with damp soil. I built a large planter out of scrap decking which lasted, if I remember, about 5-6 years before it needed replacing. It had a largeish Japanese maple in it and got watered a lot which I'm sure contributed to its short lifespan.

 

[pennyJo1960]

I do not like to put pressure treated in the ground out here
just personal preference

 

[RoseHawke]

I do not like to put pressure treated in the ground out here
just personal preference

Out there you've probably got reasonably priced Western Cedar as an alternative. Here, unfortunately, the cedar is extremely expensive and would only last about 10 years anyway. I believe I read somewhere that if you were a certified Organic Farm, you're not supposed to even have pressure treated lumber on the place although I find that hard to countenance. We get such high rainfall that unless I want to be replacing these things every 3-4 years I don't have many alternatives. At almost 64 I really don't want to have to do this again!

 

[pennyJo1960]

I have started gardening in tires now I am 60 but have my issues get them free as the shops have to pay to get rid of them have close to a dozen now this year

 

[NewBoots]

We made it through all of our bananas this week but I found a few zucchini in the fridge that needed using up so zucchini bread is in the oven.

I am really jonesing for zucchini fritters myself. I wonder if they're as good made with store bought zucchini as they are with home grown? SS check came through so I did a big grocery pick up run and now it's time to order my seeds! DP needs my backup bags of planting soil so I'll have to make a pickup run for bagged soil to start the seedlings in. We haven't nearly use up all the tomato sauce I put up last season so since I plant to raise even more tomatoes this season I'll be looking into canning tomato paste.

 

[Artichoke Lover]

I can’t imagine collecting enough plastic bottles to do something like that. However if you don’t have regular recycling pick up I suppose it could have some value.

There isn’t a recycling center in our whole county. We’d have to drive like 30 miles to drop off recycling. We keep them to carry water down to the chicken coop and garden.

Snow is in the forecast tonight. estimates are a bit all over the place, but seems like 6" is a common trend. And its going to be heavy wet stuff! I've seen a couple estimates as low as 2-3" and a few 9+"....so we will see what we get by tomorrow morning. Normally, this would just be fine...its on a Sunday, no-one goes to work tomorrow....except now spouse has to go to work tomorrow bc a co-worker's father died, so that co-worker is off and they were unable to find a replacement...probably no-one volunteered due to the weather! Since its a Sunday, they will not likely plow very early. The only good thing is that we are fairly close to a healthcare facility, so they generally always keep that maintained/plowed for any potential ambulances (even though it is not a hospital). Make it to the roads that border that facility and usually then it is pretty smooth going. But the drive is long!

Tonight's recipe: White Chicken Chili. Mmm..mmm..yum! I just make a triple batch so there is plenty for freezing. my recipe is actually just a list of ingredients from someone - I never got the recipe...lol and forgot to ask. She gave me the ingredients to buy for a meal our team was making at a Ronald McDonald house! She made the chili that night per her recipe, but it was really yummy. I never remember to write down the instructions , so every time I make it, I have to determine a procedure based on the ingredients! Fairly straight forward though, it is a roux for the thickener...then proceed as usual with ingredients in typical order, ending with all the shredded Jack cheese and sour cream to melt/warm before serving. Gotta cook the chicken first to chop/shred to add to the pot.

I love white chicken chili. We have a crockpot recipe.