What did you do in the garden today?

[Artichoke Lover]

Weather says we might get down to 34 in a few nights. Should I worry about frost?
I really was not expecting frost this late. Almost everybody here puts plants out between May 1st and Mothers Day. The weather is so bizarre this year.
I've been planting things outside over the last few weeks. I have peppers and tomatoes with flower buds on them already. Most are established fairly well. I'm hoping that helps them pull through if there is a frost. I also have young cucumber plants that are n barely more than seedlings with only one real life on many of them. Also my potatoes are sprouting above ground. The taller is a few inches already. All of these are not frost hardy, and I am not sure I can cover them all either... feeling a but worried.

If it’s getting that low I would be concerned. With a frost that light an extra bed sheet, plastic nursery pot, straw or pine straw, or even grass clippings should provide some protection. If it comes down to it cover the things that would be the hardest or most expensive to replace. Potatoes are also slightly more hardy than the others a frost will knock them back but not kill them.

 

[Happy hen lover]

Today, more weeding a little planting and sewing seeds, more allergies(although masks help a lot. who knew?) and then a little yart project. Been wanting to make a bowling ball lady bug for a while now and today was the day. I had the bowling balls I had picked up for my goats to push around but the aren't that interested so I took one of them and painted her up. Now I just need to find the right place for her. I have a couple more bowling balls so I may make her some friends. I'm hoping they will send a message to the aphids.View attachment 2654049View attachment 2654051View attachment 2654054

How cute she is my mil left me her ladybug cookie jar! So I put her right outside for all to see. I LOVE ladybugs.

 

[AmeliaBedelia]

Has anyone tried neem oil as a personal bug repellent? Would that work? I know people use it for plants, so was wondering.

I find that lavender or rosemary essential oils seem to help a little. Or monoi oil. I put them on my clothes and/or in my hair.

Edited: maybe check if any of those attract bees before use if you're allergic. I do sometimes get curious pollinators following me...not sure if that's a coincidence. No landings or stings though.

 

[gtaus]

Fellow gardeners, Just want to pass on a little promo for a product that really helped me. One of my riding mowers was surging really bad, enough to make you almost seasick. It was terrible. Worse yet, I only had 30 hours on the machine. Anyway, I talked to the shop where I bought the machine, and of course, fuel issues are not under warranty. But the head repair man walked me down to the isle of gas additives and told me that he had heard good feedback from some customers with similar problems on their poor running machines. He suggested I try out a product called Star Tron.

So, having not much to lose, I bought a bottle. I added it to my gas can and filled up the tank on my mower, At first, no difference, after an hour, somewhat better, and after two hours the engine was no longer surging. It now runs like brand new. Whatever stuff is in that Star Tron, it cleaned out my carb and the engine just purrs now.

I guess I'm turning into my dad, when a good riding lawn mower is all it takes to make me happy.....

 

[Sally PB]

@gtaus, I will remember that about Star Tron, and tell DH. Thanks for the info.

35 and freezing fog here. Colder tonight, and frost possibilities for the next 3-4 nights.

I haven't planted my potatoes yet. I'm using taters from last year for my seed. Wow, are some of the sprouts LONG! I'll have to bury them 8" deep just to cover the sprouts. I plan to plant them sometime next week, after this frost crap is done.

The true potato seeds have sprouted, and I'll be planting those just before we go to NC, probably. The tomatoes will have to wait till we get back.

I told DH this is the last time I go anywhere between April 1 and October 1. It's not really a vacation for me when all I do is worry about the weather back home. And now I'll be worrying about chickens too. Yeah, I trust my neighbor, but... I just want to be there, ya know?

And if the started plants fail, well, that's 8 weeks of work down the toilet. Just thinking about this is making me nervous.

 

[Sueby]

@BReeder! I would also be a bit nervous about a frost with some of those plants. @Artichoke Lover has some good advice. I always save old sheets just for covering plants when there is a threat of frost in the fall. Good luck, I hope it doesn't happen!

@chickinlittles I love the ladybug!!

It's nice out today. It's my day off & I have a back doc appt so I'm not sure how much I'll get done. I need to clean out the big coop & get the littles moved in tonight. I'm wondering if I just close up their coop if they'll find their way to the big coop of if I need to physically move them after bed time. They don't get handled much so it's not going to be fun!

Beef bone broth is still cooking, I'll let it go a couple more hours & call it done. It smells good in here!

We had our first salads of the season from the garden last night. I failed big time at thinning them long ago. But I thinned the 2nd plantings that are coming up.


The squash starts in the straw bale. Looking kind of yellow for some reason.

My basket of perfect eggs. I love when no one poops.

 

[Auntiejessi3]

Yesterday I picked some spinach, kale, rapini, and sugar snap peas sauteed them with butter onions and garlic, it was damn good

 

[igorsMistress]

You forgot where you put your forget-me-nots!!!

Pretty bad

 

[jerryse]

Well when I planted 5 tomato plants no frost in the long range forecast but now maybe . I consider May 15 safe no matter what they say . The remaining tomatoes will go out later .

 

[igorsMistress]

Good morning gardeners. The birds are singing, the ducks are chatting away and the garden has been watered. There are flowers on the jalapeño plant, yay! One of the San Marzano tomatoes looks bad. The leaves are small and folded up like it’s not getting enough water but that’s impossible. The soil was still slightly moist so I didn’t water a lot and the other two are looking fine. The garlic is coming out tomorrow, probably a bust this year darn it. The luffa too, it’s not looking great. The squash is still fine and the cukes and watermelon too.