What did you do in the garden today?

[BullChick]

It’s Jan, it was 40F, so I used the opportunity to sprinkle oyster shell on the raised beds (partly bc I discovered I had 150 lbs of oyster shell in the barn). Then added some sulfur bc we know our beds are too high in pH. Finally added some ground rock for trace minerals. Gives them time to mellow in the soil. It was nice to be outside in the garden for awhile.

It was forty degrees. I fell on the ice.
I will add oyster shell to the tomato bed tomorrow. Thank you for mentioning it.

 

[BReeder!]

I, personally, use more thyme than most others so I say more thyme! How about sage? Mint?

ETA: I grow most of my herbs in pots as a lot come in for the winter but I'm thinking of adding something like this raised bed as an herb garden:
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That sounds like a great idea!

I have a 2'x10' raised bed for herbs already. I could possible plan more raised beds, but trying not to. I have six 4'x8' raised beds and two 2'x10' raised beds already. I might eventually go with all raised beds, but I'm still recouping the cost of the beds I already built.

As for more thyme, I think I'll put quite a bit of time in the new border in front of the garden fence, which is the bottom of my last picture. where I threw in lavender, thyme, oregano and chive. The idea is to grow attractive perennials, many of which can be used in the kitchen.

 

[BReeder!]

I have dome envy!

Geodesic domes are very cool. I would love a dome greenhouse if I had space. I eventually want just a rectangle greenhouse like what Palram manufactures.

 

[BReeder!]

Good idea with the domes... I have some of those clear plastic containers that they sell salad greens in. I bet I could put the seed starter cups in those with a little bit of water at the bottom for humdity. Thoughts?

That would work fine. Once the seeds germinate, open the domes. You need high humidity for germination and then want to just keep the soil moist as the plant develops. Regular watering will be needed likely, but that's frequent opportunities to check on the plants and talk to them, sing to them, or whatever it is you want to do with them.

 

[TJAnonymous]

I saw a sale ad yesterday for a new nursery that is located the next town over. I took a break during lunch and drove over there only to realize as soon as I got out of the truck that I forgot my wallet! The owner asked if I needed any help. I said 'well, I was going to buy some blueberries but I will have to come back.... " I explained my forgetfulness and said since I live 45 minutes away, I'd have to come back another day. Some lady overheard me and paid the man for 2 blueberry plants on my behalf... I had no idea! I wish I could have thanked her! I will have to pay it forward.... I am going back on Friday to pick up 2 pecan trees.

 

[BReeder!]

I saw a sale ad yesterday for a new nursery that is located the next town over. I took a break during lunch and drove over there only to realize as soon as I got out of the truck that I forgot my wallet! The owner asked if I needed any help. I said 'well, I was going to buy some blueberries but I will have to come back.... " I explained my forgetfulness and said since I live 45 minutes away, I'd have to come back another day. Some lady overheard me and paid the man for 2 blueberry plants on my behalf... I had no idea! I wish I could have thanked her! I will have to pay it forward.... I am going back on Friday to pick up 2 pecan trees.

That's awesome! It's great that there are such kind people in the world. Just think, if you pay it forward you will make somebody else feel the same way you did.

 

[littledog]

Usually when I have days like this I feel like it's God's way of telling me "While you may feel like you are pushing a boulder uphill, I'm really saving you from levels of heartache that you are blissfully unaware of had I allowed your plans to go as you expected..."

But, of course, I'm an optimist so I like to make Lemonade from lemons.... (OK, maybe some tequila and salt to go along on select days....)

That's so true, thank you! We actually joked about that, after we got home and took a bit of time to unwind (with a couple beers, instead of Lemonade and Tequila...) We figured out it was a good thing the ferry was cancelled, because with the kind of day we were having, it would have sunk and drowned everybody if we'd been on it! And if we hadn't been delayed by the long freight train, we might have been involved in whatever accident closed the road - hopefully it was minor for the people involved.
We're going to make another attempt tomorrow morning.
In the meantime, it's been good for my big old truck to be driven around, despite the gas prices. Today I went to the feed store and was able to fill the truck up with several months' worth of horse and chicken feed, so it's not all bad.

Have you tried floating row covers? I've never tried them but may get add them to the garden supplies this year since I'm wanting to try cabbage but getting paranoid about loopers.

I tried them, and it didn't help much. I'm going to try hoop houses this year.

Anyone want to make a suggestion for a good sauce tomato?

San Marzano! For me, they took a long time to ripen, but stayed healthy late into the fall season without rot or blight. I got my seeds from Territorial.

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

Good morning all. Not so bitter cold again today. What are the dimensions on that raised frame you posted @Sueby? I have 2 slightly raised round beds for my herb gardens that are about 3 1/2 feet in diameter each. The majority of my herbs are grown in them. I have two rosemary plants in pots and they go into the center of each bed. Basil always get planted with the tomatoes and peppers. I may try dill again but most likely in one of the tomato beds. Mint is grown in two separate pots. I planted nasturtiums 2 years ago in the 4 x 16 foot garden bed and a few plants came up again this year. No plans to do anything in the garden today. If I can get one of the big garden gates open I will likely take down the wreath from the potting shed. That and maybe rescue the decorations in the front yard that have been frozen in the little iceberg out there. It's a good thing I like snow because we just may get a big storm next week.

 

[Sally PB]

Just think, if you pay it forward you will make somebody else feel the same way you did.

Reading that made me smile.

Well, the story made me smile too.

 

[Sally PB]

My tomato thoughts last night as I tried and failed to fall asleep...

I planted short season determinate toms in two raised beds in my "downhill" garden that has a shorter season than the "uphill" garden. They didn't do diddly. My melons in the uphill garden did the same.

So, I'm going to skip the melons and put all my tomatoes in the uphill garden. I might get some short season determinate ones again, to see if they do better up there. I grow toms to can, mostly, and having a bunch ripen at one time is convenient.

What to put in the two now open raised beds in the downhill garden? More onions! I have roughly 400 onion sets coming. Half Red Baron, that DH loves, and half Stuttgarter that always have done well for me.

I ordered Red Barons from Gurneys last year, when I couldn't find them at local stores. That experience turned me off Gurneys, pretty much forever, I think. I looked online for Red Baron and Stuttgarter sets, and ordered them from the Maine Potato Lady.

I told a (non-chicken, non-gardening) friend that I stopped buying eggs, potatoes, tomatoes, onions, and garlic from the store. She asked, sarcastically, how much money that saved me. Well, okay, they aren't big ticket items, but there is a LOT of YUM you can make from them by themselves, or with one or two additional ingredients.

Actually, if I had to buy all those items as organic, then, yeah, it adds up.