What did you do in the garden today?

[igorsMistress]

Combined with our unholy winds, it's a convection oven here in the summer. It's just harder on the plants than it needs to be and if it protects from some hail too, that's a bonus.
Speaking of which, next town to my nw had 10 minutes of golf ball sized hail. That's more ethanol crops destroyed.

I can relate to the convection oven!

 

[esturtz27]

Sorry, but the point of cutting cable is to minimize costs. Just having the internet is nearly $100 per month. Add in additional cost of streaming services will put you back into the same expense as regular cable. There are less expensive even free apps for streaming.

Oh my! I'm sorry I had no idea. Yeah we have cut out alot of stream services to save...I just noticed the want for local news which I wasn't sure of any free ones. Sorry about that.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

I’m still here @igorsMistress. Crazy week. My chickens stopped laying completely over a week ago. Then Monday I cut the cable cord. This saves me $100 per month, but adjusting to streaming only is stressful. I’m a local news junky but I’m getting better. We don’t get over the air channels because I’m in a bit of a valley and surrounded by trees. I’m also up to my ears in leafy green vegetables. The garden is doing well mostly. Cucumbers and okra plants are not growing all that well. And I lost another tomatillo plant. The remaining one is a cucumber beetle magnet. I’ll be spraying after I water again. I felt bad I had no eggs to give to my local food pantry this week so I gave them two bags of lettuce and endive. I picked kale and chard this morning. I also thinned my second planting of kale so I have a nice bunch of baby kale for a couple of salads. I’ve been trying to catch up, but I just gave up on that. Sorry. Have a great day.
Today’s haul. (I’ll be freezing kale today) I had picked a bunch on Thursday. PS the chickens are laying again. Yay!
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We haven't had cable for years and years! Like so long ago that I don't actually remember when, 10+ years ago. I don't miss it at all, lol.
If there's a show you really want to watch you can always do temporary channel subscriptions through Amazon to watch it or purchase it. It's still so much cheaper.

I love your cute produce basket!

 

[TJAnonymous]

I should consider trying bug netting. The pests here are terrible.

It's a never ending battle here... And since I try to limit the nuclear bombs (like Sevin), I pull out all combinations of organic options like companion planting and non-toxic chemicals like homemade insecticidal soap (castile soap), neem oil, pyrethrins, kaolin clay, diatomaceous earth, etc....

I made some hinged row covers with 2x2s and bug netting for my broccoli. Not a cabbage looper in sight! Then, of course, I also covered my hoop house with 2 layers of bug netting too which has helped tremendously although aphids and white flies still get through....

 

[SheaLoner]

I need to find some cheap skunky beer. The slugs found my Dahlias. Hand picked a few this morning, lovely orange slime everywhere.
Need ducks. Some one send me ducks.
Muscovies preferably.

 

[bruceha2000]

Can't long haul cattle with a hybrid.

True, and if a family has only one vehicle it has to be able to do all that you need.

going to pull the final rhubarb (thought it was done but it isn't)

Pull? It is a perennial.

if you keep them from freezing the indeterminates will keep going.

Come mid September you are on borrowed time here. Might be able to keep them alive for a light frost but the tomatoes don't ripen much on the vine by then.

 

[TJAnonymous]

Japanese beetles arrived yesterday. I thought I had 2 traps, but have found only 1, which I put up.

Sweet potato slips look good, some had their leaves wither so I am hopeful they will put out more leaves - I remind myself they are related to morning glory, which bounces back from just about everything.

Garlic looks great - leaving it in for a bit longer. Have two heads of fresh garlic and some onions to the neighbor.

Watered the newest fruit trees - the ground was surprisingly drier than expected there. On to the tomato and pepper beds for watering now (soaker hoses). Need to dig up the older strawberry bed to get it ready for something else. But, it’s hot…. Might get rain tomorrow, but still need to water today.

Still only getting 2-3 eggs per day. Come on girls….LAY SOME EGGS!!!

Yeah, I can relate. I was picking off like 1 or 2 Japanese beetles per day from my Catawba grapes. Yesterday I picked off over a dozen! Putting out some traps when I get home tomorrow.

 

[esturtz27]

Grazing in the garden for breakfast is the way to go! We do that a lot.

My husband is a city kid and just watches me and our lo eat berries hahaha he always chimes in with "is that okay to do?"....yep just don't eat anything with bird poo haha!

 

[Sueby]

My chickens stopped laying completely over a week ago.

No! Say it isn't so! I haven't given any away this year & I still don't have many stored up. They have slowed a tiny bit, but I'm still getting 5 or 6 a day.

& as far as cutting the cord we did that long ago. We have an antenna (which I understand won't do you much good) that gets us locals & a Roku TV that gets us the rest. Oh & Amazon prime is a bonus for just having Amazon.

Oh yes!! Rutabaga is wildly loved by the cabbage looper! Cover those babies!

Thanks for the confirmation. I'm going to pull the strawberry hoops & use that for the rutabaga today (or tmrw am when it's cooler).

 

[Sueby]

NOT looking forward to the stupid japanese beetles. Will be soon I guess.