What did you do in the garden today?

[Sally PB]

We got the new roof on the run today! I have some amendments I have to make, but all in all, I'm pleased with how it turned out.

Next week will still be warmer than average, and I should be able to get a lot done for garden clean up.

 

[chickengr]

Sometimes I wish I were in a gardening zone where I could rest but then I get fresh veggies pretty much year round in zone 9A. Getting things ready now. Got some brussel sprouts in yesterday. Went through my seed stash today and I've got spinach, lettuce, kale, parsley, Cilantro and sweet pea seed ready to go. Only other I need is collard and onions and the onions have to wait until the plants come in @ the feed store. Only thing after that is getting the winter cover crop goin.

I live in 9A too but this summer it was 11A.

temperatures started to drop but no sign of rain. picked more hot peppers. I just dry them and if I use them for chickens I grind them when I need.

 

[Elyrian1]

We're 8a, supposedly. That map is almost ten years old though, and it was stinking hot this summer. I anticipate good fortune with fall gardening nonetheless.

Today dh got started on the first garden bed, which is going to be a whopping 3.5 ft wide by 30+ feet long. I need to get garlic planted in two to four weeks, so it's a timely move.

We've got the space to make three or four beds of that size, plus some smaller ones, which is going to be a lot of room for relatively high intensity gardening.

 

[WthrLady]

Heading out to shovel manure into the rows.

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

Good morning gardeners. Not much happening in the garden today. I picked what is likely the last of the green beans yesterday. Although the okra is still blooming, I don't see any anything else developing. There's a few small bell peppers struggling and with the warmer temps they may likely get to a more edible size. The limas are still going as is the chard and the carrots. I picked my lonely little butternut squash on Friday morning. It weighs a whopping 1/2 pound. Personal size squash. LOL! I started pulling up the tomato and bean plants from the big garden yesterday. Still a lot of work to do in there. I planted my new Gala apple tree yesterday. It was a lot easier digging this time from a few years ago when I planted the Cortland tree. Rain is in the forecast for this evening and tomorrow so I will try to get the front yard mowed before the rain starts. Hopefully that will be the last time this season. I have mixed feelings on year round gardening. On one hand it would be nice to go into the garden and pick fresh vegetables for dinner everyday, however, I do love the change of seasons and snow. And I can't imagine having to mow the grass all year round. And hot soup is less enjoyable on a hot summer day. There's nothing like a hot bowl of soup, chowder or chili on a cold and snowy day in New England. I am so running behind this year. I learned that the Concord grapes are being harvested so I put in an order for 7 pounds of the lovely fruit to make two big batches of Concord grape jam. I'll pick them up tomorrow. BTW: Walmart and Tractor Supply here have jars and lids. I picked up 3 more boxes of lids in Walmart. These are the Ball, 18 month lids. Have a great day all and happy canning.

 

[Fishychix]

Do deer or chipmunks, etc. eat garlic and onions? They have never touched my chives, but I want to make sure.

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

Do deer or chipmunks, etc. eat garlic and onions? They have never touched my chives, but I want to make sure.

I'm not sure about deer, but definitely chipmunks and squirrels in my area don't like onions or chives. My local groundhog, Lou apparently doesn't like onions either so I spread chunks of cut up onions around the garden in Spring to shoo away these garden raiders. I have so much clover in my yard and garden paths that the bunnies don't bother my plants, they are happy to enjoy the bounty of clover.

 

[Acre4Me]

Today dh got started on the first garden bed, which is going to be a whopping 3.5 ft wide by 30+ feet long.

That's a nice size! the longest we have is 16'. Why? well, bc the beds left here by the previous owners were 16', and so we made more, but the size fits our space, and gives space for a middle path. We also have some that are 8' and 12' in length. All of our are 4' wide. That is the max I would go for a bed, unless a person is tall/long arms!
How tall will you make the new beds?

 

[Acre4Me]

I picked what is likely the last of the green beans yesterday. Although the okra is still blooming, I don't see any anything else developing. There's a few small bell peppers struggling and with the warmer temps they may likely get to a more edible size. The limas are still going as is the chard and the carrots. I picked my lonely little butternut squash on Friday morning. It weighs a whopping 1/2 pound. Personal size squash.

Same here! Okra is not producing really anything - they really don't like any kind of cold.

Peppers - waiting it out to see if they will get any larger

Butternuts: got 9 small butternuts from 2 plants...haven't weighed them yet.

I started pulling up the tomato and bean plants from the big garden yesterday.

I'm waiting until its a bit colder - bc WOW...the SPIDERS...so many jumping spiders this year, and the annoying yellow jackets. I know we have garden spiders (those only want bugs), and wolf spiders - they are ground dwellers and run away from humans....but the jumping spiders get into mad/attack stance at this time of the year and they JUMP! so, cleanup will occur when it is colder. Right now, in order to pick the beets and beans, I have to go out scouting for the jumping spiders, some are up high, and then spray them off with the jet setting, so at least the high ones wont land on me from above. And I don't know if its just my imagination, but they jumping spiders this year look BIG...not wolf spider big, but fat and big... and they turn to face you ready to jump! ick!

 

[Acre4Me]

We are down to 4 bunnies now. three were sold, one was given to a family as a pet. The other four we bought as 5 week olds, and will get processed as we are curious if we will like rabbit meat. They must be loving the extra space now - we separated them into the empty cages that the others occupied. Then the meat chickens can get evicted out of the barn to the larger pen (where bunnies were located). The meat chickens are looking good! They are just a month old now, due to be processed end of Oct/early Nov.