What did you do in the garden today?

[BirdsBeesTrees]

I got most of the garden and wildflower beds cleared out yesterday. I got the garlic and walking onions planted too.
I haven't had any luck planting garlic so I hope maybe this time will be different.

 

[Sally PB]

I also need to remove the marigold plants and pull what seeds I can. Can I store them in the fridge?

I kept mine in an envelope in a plastic container with the rest of my seeds in the mudroom. It's chilly out there; probably 55 most of the time when it gets really cold. They did fine.

 

[Sally PB]

I haven't had any luck planting garlic so I hope maybe this time will be different.

What have you done in the past? Are you planting hardneck or softneck?

I'm on my 4th year of planting hardneck garlic, all descended from the stuff I bought at a farmer's market 4 years ago. I don't know about softneck; hardneck is recommended for Michigan.

I plant it about 2" deep (2" of soil above the top of the clove), and put some mulch over that. I pull the mulch away about the second week of May when the threat of hard frost is over. Feed it with some nice compost; you're growing a modified leaf, not a root.

I'm not sure what insect pests might bother it -- maybe the same as onions? -- but the furry critters here seem to leave it alone.

 

[Sueby]

I'm on my 4th year of planting hardneck garlic, all descended from the stuff I bought at a farmer's market 4 years ago. I don't know about softneck; hardneck is recommended for Michigan.

I plant it about 2" deep (2" of soil above the top of the clove), and put some mulch over that. I pull the mulch away about the second week of May when the threat of hard frost is over. Feed it with some nice compost

Same here, except I have both hardneck & softneck. Both seem to be doing well & are on multiple generations. I plant them in Oct or so & they seem to thrive here.

 

[Ascholten]

I tried a few years ago, they were doing well, then we had one of those typical florida springs, two weeks solid of crappy rain. They all neck rotted. My drainage was not proper for them, I did not realize that unlike an onion who grows on the surface pretty much where you put the bulb, garlic likes to go down a bit, it got down where the water was pooling and .. so much for my fancy garlics and they were doing so well too, I was not a happy camper.

Will get them in SOON here and see how we do this year, I really want some decent garlics out here! Have ate them fermented, and they were good, and want to try different types see how they turn out.

aaron

 

[Sally PB]

Oh, yes, I should have mentioned drainage! I kind of take it for granted since my soil is so sandy.

 

[Elyrian1]

I got out and watered this evening. Been feeling super tired for reasons unknown, so taking a hint and getting some rest. I have a purring kitten in my lap, life is good.

Five bean jalapeno chili in the slow cooker tonight! A lazy, and tasty, dinner! I'll share it here for all of you guys in case you wanna give it a try. It makes a ton of food!

5 cans of beans (all different kinds)
1 Jar of pickled jalapenos
2lbs of boneless beef rib meat (cheapest cut sold locally) in 1" cubes roughly
1 sweet yellow onion diced
1 whole head of garlic diced
1 yellow or orange bell pepper diced, remove ribs and seeds
2 pack of McCormick's chili mix (the least offensive ingredient list version)
3 cans of diced tomatoes in sauce

Saute/sear the meat, add the chili mix, deglaze with a little water after a couple of minutes. Then throw in everything else, draining the juice from the beans and jalapenos before adding them. The moisture from the tomatoes is plenty. Then slow cook at least four hours, but up to ten. The longer it cooks the more tender the meat gets. Can't mess this one up unless you saute the meat too long. The chunks should not be fully cooked before you add everything else. They'll get there during the slow cook.

Salt and pepper at the end to taste, of course. Enjoy!

 

[vall]

Today pulled some weeds, shelled some limas, set gopher traps and cut the oleander down to the ground. I don't have the inclination to completely remove it right now, but it was getting covered with sooty mold and I would like it to stay shorter than the fence so the garden gets more sun in winter.

 

[Ascholten]

I have so much i need to do and every day i work so hard, and find i have more and more to do. I want to win a lottery so I can pay someone else to do this $#$ for me.

Aaron

 

[chickengr]

When I first saw his picture I thought Pharaoh Hound but Basenji would work too. He really is a sharp looking dog.

I pulled more of the tomatoes, and other assorted vegetable plants from the raised beds. I found a happy healthy pepper plant in the middle of a big group of dead tomato plants. Pulling the tomatoes out probably doomed the pepper since the upright composting of the tomatoes were keeping that pepper warm. I'll dig it up later and put in in a pot in the greenhouse. I'll definitely be planting peppers again next season, I got a surprising amount of fruit from them this last season. And DP wants me to make more cowboy pickles since everyone she gives them to loves them. She can't eat them herself (too hot and she hates any pepper flavors) but knows what great gifts they make now.

It's been beautiful and sunny the last couple of days but more rain is expected. That's great since we are still short for the year but the lake is filling up again which is really awesome. Going fishing in a few minutes.

I remember when I was a kid people exchanged jars of pickles, jams or whatever they made. it was the best gift to give someone instead of a bunch of useless things people spend money for.