What did you do in the garden today?

[AusHen]

it's almost spring here but being sub-tropical area I already have lots already in the ground.
Today though I have sown some beetroot, radish and turnip, also started a bunch of other stuff in seed trays. I have a ton of cherry tomatoes ripening now but I think I may start some bigger ones for preserving

 

[gtaus]

I've been thinking of doing this myself! But I know I'll just go out & shovel & spread straw anyway.

Well, depends on where you live and how much snow stays on the ground. Last year we had snow cover from end of October till about mid April. I don't have the energy to go out and shovel the chicken run all winter long. My better idea is to cover a section of the run with a hoop house type structure that will not collapse under the snow load, and then the chickens can enjoy some fresh air and snow free ground. Maybe this fall I will actually get something put into place.

 

[gtaus]

Half the reason I have a midwife instead of a regular doctor is because of this standard of behavior.

Q: What's the difference between God and a doctor? A: God knows he's not a doctor!

More seriously, some doctors have better bedside manners than others. I have been fortunate to work with some great doctors. As an RN, I would talk to my patients about their medication and if they knew why they were taking that medication. If your doctor does not, or will not, take the time to work with you, then lean on the nurse to answer your questions. If they don't know the answer, they should be able to find out the answer for you and get back to you. RN's don't prescribe medications, but we have a pretty good understanding of why a medication is prescribed.

 

[gtaus]

Started picking my second go round with my first year Ever Bearing strawberries. This time the plants are much more established and stronger, and the new strawberries coming in are almost twice as big as the berries I picked earlier this summer.

Even had a couple strawberries that were soft/bruised so I just threw them to the chickens. Mad dash and fight over them as you can imagine.

Nothing like seeing a chicken pick up some food and running all around the chicken run so her sisters cannot get anything to eat. They are not so good at sharing.

 

[vall]

Today, picked two honeydew, one had split so I turned down the irrigation dripper. Picked more cabbage looper eggs off the seedlings and was unsuccessful at trapping the actual loopers with a pond net. Baked some chocolate zucchini bread. If any more watermelon ripen this week they will be juiced and frozen because I have no more room in the fridge.

I wondered which would win, the pole limas or the windmill - well, it's a tie. The windmill still spins, but no longer rotates.

 

[Phaedra Geiermann]

Cut bramble into pieces and compost them. As removal isn't possible, at least to control it. The reason I didn't cut them earlier is they still provide food for the pollinators.

They go into the compost now and will become something good for other plants.

 

[Sally PB]

I really need to haul the compost to where I'm going to put it. I started a new pile, and need a place to fork it into.

Unfortunately, where I want to put it is up a steep hill. Well, it's good for the muscles, right?

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

Good morning gardeners. Loving these cooler temperatures. It's so much easier getting outside work accomplished. Busy day today, I got up a little earlier to get the garbage out. It seems like they get here earlier and earlier every week. Long day of medical appointments yesterday so trying to catch up today. I started the bread early so I would have time to mow the grass later. I also watered all the gardens, front and back and picked some tomatoes and green beans. I still haven't made the ravioli yet. That will likely happen tomorrow. I feel like an expectant mother waiting for my peaches to fully ripen. They are so close, but not quite there yet. The high price of straw, whew, around here it's $11 to $12 a bale. You can get it for a little less from some local farmers if you want a lot of it. I don't need all that much and I buy it from the local farm store NOT Tractor Supply. As for covering your chicken runs, I can't imagine a chicken run that is not covered, even in the milder climates of the south. I built my runs with a roof over them from the start. I understand the winters in this part of New England are not quite as harsh as northern Minnesota, however, we normally do get quite a bit of snow. (there have been years that we've had 6 to 9 feet of snow for the season). I converted an existing shed into the main chicken coop that was positioned on the south side of the property under a couple of trees, one oak, one pine. I attached the run and covered it all with corrugated roofing. The second year I added on a "sunroom" for the ladies on the side of the coop and was south facing. I used the not so cheap UV safe clear corrugated roof for this area. It is quite popular in the winter. The trees provide shade in the summer and even a bit of a snow break in the winter. They have 150 square feet of run with 3 roosting bars and an 80 square foot chicken coop so they are not in the least crowded. Even on the really hot days there is quite a nice breeze blowing through sometimes from the east where the thickest stand of trees is. Blowing snow and rain do get inside the run but it's not all that bad. Then shoveling snow from my back door to the chicken run leaves a nice little path for the gang to come out and take a break from confinement. My chickens don't like to walk in fresh snow, but the next day, they are all in for a snowy romp.

Merry Christmas!

 

[Boise-girls]

Cut bramble into pieces and compost them. As removal isn't possible, at least to control it. The reason I didn't cut them earlier is they still provide food for the pollinators.

They go into the compost now and will become something good for other plants.

View attachment 2801412

I hate those thorny things! They take over the world if you turn your back for two minutes! We also cut them into pieces, but put them into the city compost carts. If we put them in our pile, they would just root!

 

[BReeder!]

I am struggling to keep up on this thread... quickly caught up on 6 pages.

Anybody grow Jerusalem artichokes (AKA sunchokes)? They are supposed to flower I thought. I still see no signs of flowering. The plants otherwise are doing great and getting very tall.
Also, when do I know to harvest them?