What did you do in the garden today?

[Iluveggers]

I tried growing pink celery. It never sprouted.

I planted the rest of the onion sets I have. It's getting hot and muggy out, but there's a nice breeze. After lunch, I'll go out and sweat some more.

Here’s what the pink celery looks like so far. I hope it gets bigger! (Don’t mind the radishes that are just starting to sprout!)

 

[ChicksnMore]

Lavender is a tricky beast to get going.
As for the mint, I've NEVER had the wives tale of mint deterring critters, actually work.
In fact, I have a bag of horse treats, made with real mint oil, so strong you can smell it through the unopened bag, and the mice not only chewed into it, but ate half a bag full.

I've always wondered if peppermint oil works! So glad you shared that!

 

[rjmyooper]

Some of you may remember my disaster last summer with the blueberries. Essentially, my blueberries were looking really chlorotic. I thought it was because the soil was acidified enough so I kept adding sulphur & fertilizer. This ended up killing my plants. I got a soil report done by the extension office last summer but it was too late. I stopped added ANYTHING to the soil immediately but was unable to save the plants. Six of 7 of my blueberry bushes died.

Well, I got two new blueberry bushes this spring but I've been hesitant to plant them because of the soil concerns. I was hoping that a year of rain would help level the soil out. Anyway, it's a good thing I waited because I have the new soil reports from the extension office.

I took two soil samples from my big raised blueberry bed - one from each end of the bed. The soil pH is ranging from 2.9 to 3.2! Also the phosphorus is still incredibly high 138 - 181 ppm. Optimum range is 36 - 50 ppm! Potassium & Zinc are also really low. Well, the positive news is that I can add lime, ammonium sulfate, and potash which will make a big difference. The tricky party is the phosphorus. I haven't been able to find any way to lower it with an amendment. The only advice I've seen is to plant nitrogen-fixing plants and pray. Anyway, it's a really GOOD thing I waited to plant the new blueberries because they would have died in this bed. I'm going to keep them in their containers for this year and retest the soil next year to see if it is improved before moving them into their permanent home.

The 2nd bed soil is where my only remaining plant is located. It was slightly better. The pH is 4.4, however the phosphorus is still too high at 154 ppm. Potassium & Zinc are also very low. So, basically the same problems.

ETA - When I built these beds I added quite a bit of compost, pine needles, etc...basically things that are probably contributing to the high phosphorus.

I planted 5 Blueberry bushes last Spring. They did nothing the 1st year. I added homemade mulch, coffee grounds and some yellow powder ( have the bag in the garage I forgot what it is). I see they're sprouting this hear despite the deer or rabbits feeding on the tips during the Winter.
I'm in "Copper Country" of the U.P. of Michigan. In fact, the first copper mine is within 1 mile of my house, which was built in 1922, no doubt by a foreman miner who didn't live in the "Row Housing".
So the soil is acidic with metals. The soil has an orange rust hue to it, in some places.
Thank you for your post, it was very informative.

 

[rjmyooper]

I did a lot of coop work in the last 2 days. I've been installing 1/2" hardware cloth venting and adding/ changing some of the fence work.
As far as gardening, I only do kitchen herbs in small pots. I wish I could keep them alive during the Winter, but moving them inside, combined with the change of seasons, is too much of a shock to them to survive. Every year I start over and grow from seed.
This year a friend bought me a large potted cherry tomato plant. I can't wait to bake cherry tomato's in EVOO, salt and basil. Bake them just until the tomato's break. SO good!

 

[WIchickMama]

As for the mint, I've NEVER had the wives tale of mint deterring critters, actually work.

me either! I planted a bunch throughout my garden and use peppermint oil and nope, plants are eaten left and right. nothing but a good old fence works.

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

The Amish guy that my husband works for, (his wife) gave my husband some fresh rhubarb the other day. He asked her if he could buy a part of her plant for us to grow. She said $5 but my husband gave her $10 for taking the time to dig it up. It was a large section and it's really growing and taking off in the garden.
I made from scratch Rhubarb muffins for the first time this morning.

 

[Acre4Me]

Planted another bed: the bed with two bean towers. It is 16’x4’. I planted several kinds of pole beans for drying, 1 type for fresh green beans, 1 bush type for drying. Then, on the side that will be the most shaded by the bean towers I planted white Japanese/salad type turnips. On the sunnier south side of the bed I planted some smaller Japanese melon seeds. It was a monumental occasion bc it’s the first year the towers were strung BEFORE the seeds were sprouting!! In fact, everything was planted right after the towers were completely strung.

I added some alpine type strawberries in the rhubarb bed.

We moved the 30 chicks to the outdoor pen. They were terrified, of course. They are 4 weeks old, but haven’t been outside yet, and had only been in the brooder in the barn. More space, sun and fresh air!

 

[Acre4Me]

The Amish guy that my husband works for, (his wife) gave my husband some fresh rhubarb the other day. He asked her if he could buy a part of her plant for us to grow. She said $5 but my husband gave her $10 for taking the time to dig it up. It was a large section and it's really growing and taking off in the garden.
I made from scratch Rhubarb muffins for the first time this morning.
View attachment 3116163

So….how did they taste?? Only rhubarb in the muffins?

 

[CNJ]

Well 2nd time seeding lavender has failed so I broke down and bought 2 from a local country market.

I bought a Lavender plant from my local nursery, and I was surprised at how wonderful the flowers taste as a tea. I use a packet of diabetic friendly Purecane per cup. I feel like I am growing a treasure. https://purecane.com/products/purecane-packets

 

[Gammas Bearded Babies]

The Amish guy that my husband works for, (his wife) gave my husband some fresh rhubarb the other day. He asked her if he could buy a part of her plant for us to grow. She said $5 but my husband gave her $10 for taking the time to dig it up. It was a large section and it's really growing and taking off in the garden.
I made from scratch Rhubarb muffins for the first time this morning.
View attachment 3116163

Oh those look delicious!!!
My Granny used to make rhubarb pie! Man I miss that...miss her more though!