What did you do in the garden today?

[karenerwin]

It may depend on your area you may be able to plant them after the last frost if your summers are very cool but here we plant them with the peas about 8 weeks before the last frost. You do have to protect potatoes from frost if they’re above ground when a frost comes though.

I live in Missouri. We have awful summers! Very hot and humid, especially July and August. I just don't want to wait too long or plant too early and end up with nothing (potato wise).

 

[karenerwin]

I just finished ordering a bunch of items from the Burgess catalog that came in the mail a week or so ago. I don't think I have room for much of anything else in my garden. In fact, I am going to try to grow the big vine items like watermelon, pumpkin and cantaloupe behind the garage where the apple trees, and raspberries are. That way they can spread out more and not take over the garden. I hope!
Probably should put the zucchini out there too.

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

Good morning all. Happy Ground Hog Day! This Nor'easter is almost over. We have between 18 to 20 inches of snow on the ground and still have flurries and wind blowing the snow around. DD dug out the backyard for the little dogs. There was a lot of snow that had blown into the chicken runs. I am so glad I got the snow blower tuned up. I'm hoping there's some shrinkage and melting in the next few days as the weather folks are talking about another storm headed our way on Sunday then the temps plunge into the deep freeze again. After I get the front yard plowed out I need to rake some of the snow off the roof. I know the garden is getting a good dose of nitrogen now so I'm looking forward to a good planting year. I use the dried ancho chilies for my chili @NewBoots. I remove the seeds and toast them in my cast iron pan, then soak them in hot water to rehydrate. After that I use some of the water and put them into a blender and turn it into a slurry before adding to the beans. This method takes longer, but oh so yummy.

 

[chickengr]

I just finished ordering a bunch of items from the Burgess catalog that came in the mail a week or so ago. I don't think I have room for much of anything else in my garden. In fact, I am going to try to grow the big vine items like watermelon, pumpkin and cantaloupe behind the garage where the apple trees, and raspberries are. That way they can spread out more and not take over the garden. I hope!
Probably should put the zucchini out there too.

I have seen pumpkins on the fence. good idea.

 

[igorsMistress]

Good afternoon everyone. @karenerwin you’re a good mom I wasn’t happy with my potatoes last year but I’m giving them another try this year, I’m growing in bags. Gurneys won’t even ship to me until 2/5 which is our average last frost date.

I watered the shade garden early this morning and it’s currently 81 degrees. We’re supposed to have a couple of days in the upper 60’s but our rain chances have literally dried up. The weekend should be in the mid 70’s though. I’ll be out early tomorrow to water the veggies and I’m going to move the started plants outside. If the temps hold I’m going to plant new stuff outside rather than start them under the grow lights. One really awesome thing about Runner ducks is they don’t fly, so I can set the starts on the picnic table and just move in and out of the house in the bin while they harden off. Love that! Some people say that Runners are nervous and unfriendly, but that’s not my experience so far. My three are quite friendly, almost to the point of rudeness Anyway, sorry for the tangent, I’m just enjoying the heck out of having ducks. I was looking at the garlic earlier and I think there was 100% germination so I’ll be ordering a larger amount of seed for this year and dedicating a larger area to it in fall.

 

[Sally PB]

I feel like there is a BIG difference between understanding how to do something and actually being able to do it well.

I am proof of that! I understand how to make a piecrust. But, damn, I have NEVER made a good one. (Crumb crust doesn't count.)

 

[Artichoke Lover]

Today was a long day. Turned the compost pile. Pulled up the sod for the sweet peas. Pulled down about half the fence on the old garden which was really digging it up as much as anything since it had roosts growing through it. And weeded the strawberry bed. Which I discovered needs mulched. AGAIN! And I’m about to go start some habaneros.

 

[BReeder!]

I am proof of that! I understand how to make a piecrust. But, damn, I have NEVER made a good one. (Crumb crust doesn't count.)

Pie crust is simple, but requires technique. Get a dough cutter and keep everything cold while working (cold milk or water, frozen butter or lard core into small pieces, cold bowl, even chill the flour of you want). Butter and/or lard needs to stay in tiny lumps in the dough and not melt until it's in the oven cooking.

 

[karenerwin]

Not much going on here. I did check on the heeled in trees. They look like they are hanging in there. I pulled up a couple of carrots that were still in the garden from last summer. They were beyond tiny! I tossed them to the little bunny. I think only one was even worth eating.

 

[pennyJo1960]

I had a sweater I ordered arrive today it is beautiful post a photo tomorrow