What did you do in the garden today?

[gtaus]

I've been busy loading up free pallets from our local Harbor Freight and breaking them down into parts. I already built a pallet tool holder for the garden, finished a pallet potting bench last week, and am getting ready to build some pallet raised beds and planters.

After breaking down just the pallets I hauled today, I used a quick spreadsheet to calculate that amount of usable lumber would have cost me over $140 at the lumber yard. OK, reclaimed lumber is not the same value as brand new, I know that. But I can make some more good things for the garden with that free pallet wood instead of spending that $140 on lumber alone.

At any rate, I'm having some fun building stuff that I have always wanted and it doesn't cost me anything more than the nails or screws I use on the final project.

Oh yeah, I also built a long pallet workbench on wheels for the garage. Easy to move around and put it out of the way when we park the cars in the garage for the night. Just a nice 7 foot long X 3 foot wide rough benchtop for throwing together some of my projects. It even has a storage shelf underneath the benchtop. Cost me $10 for the wheels and maybe a couple dollars worth of screws to put it together.

 

[igorsMistress]

I'd love to try some but I'm nervous about it...

They’re easy!

 

[WIchickMama]

1st year raspberry transplants gave me a few berries of their 2nd year canes!

Beautiful strawberry, round two on Everbearings.

Oh and 2 chicks hatched!

 

[Gammas Bearded Babies]

Your surgery looks amazing! Did you feed the grubs to chickens?

Hope tomorrow's a better day for you!

Tobacco! That's an unusual crop! Do you cure the leaves and make cigars or something?

I've been busy working on chicken and duck stuff. Got two mini beds refreshed and ready to plant though. Think the highs were only in the 80's today...might of been hotter. But lots of clouds and the tease of rain that never actually fell. It was a beautiful day at any rate.
My rain lily's are enjoying the humidity...nothing's changed but the moisture in the air and that sets them blooming View attachment 3204952View attachment 3204954View attachment 3204955

Those are gorgeous!!!

 

[Sueby]

I would like to make a jar of dilly beans, but only see recipes for large batches. Does anyone have a suggestion on scaling down a recipe youre not familiar with OR does anyone have a recipe that is for just a small number of jars? I imagine I can use the same brine for pickles?

This is the recipe I use: https://www.ballmasonjars.com/dilly-beans.html
But to just do one jar I'd use half vinegar, half water & .5 tps salt per pint or 1 per quart. Then I also add a bit of dill from the garden, a clove or 2 of garlic & a slice or 2 of hot pepper, depending on what I have on hand.

So far, @Elyrian1 and @karenerwin have pm'ed me their address for some Egyptian Walking Onion sets.

They aren't quite ready, but getting there. Is anyone else interested?

I've been meaning to ask you, do the greens turn brown like regular onions? Mine are but it's either they're supposed to or I just haven't watered them enough (which is probably true either way, they don't have a soaker hose on them so they get a bit neglected).

Morning all. I uncovered one bed of suyo longs & spaghetti squash. I tore out the kabocha, it wasn't producing. I also tore out the pickling cukes, not really interested with all the suyos & they squash need the room. Tied up some tomatoes & squash, picked the one tomato that's turning - won't let the critter get it again!

A hint for anyone trellising squash - keep up with tying! I missed 2 plants & they broke at the last tie. Not sure if they'll heal or not but I'll wait & see.

Pulled the shallots, lots of big ones, a couple smaller I may hold onto for replanting instead of ordering.

My wall of morning glory:

My favorite Dahlia, they are little & round, I call them lollipops:

 

[Gammas Bearded Babies]

This is the recipe I use: https://www.ballmasonjars.com/dilly-beans.html
But to just do one jar I'd use half vinegar, half water & .5 tps per pint or 1 per quart. Then I also add a bit of dill from the garden, a clove or 2 of garlic & a slice or 2 of hot pepper, depending on what I have on hand.

I've been meaning to ask you, do the greens turn brown like regular onions? Mine are but it's either they're supposed to or I just haven't watered them enough (which is probably true either way, they don't have a soaker hose on them so they get a bit neglected).

Morning all. I uncovered one bed of suyo longs & spaghetti squash. I tore out the kabocha, it wasn't producing. I also tore out the pickling cukes, not really interested with all the suyos & they squash need the room.

A hint for anyone trellising squash - keep up with tying! I missed 2 plants & they broke at the last tie. Not sure if they'll heal or not but I'll wait & see.

Pulled the shallots, lots of big ones, a couple smaller I may hold onto for replanting instead of ordering.
View attachment 3205216


My wall of morning glory:
View attachment 3205219

My favorite Dahlia, they are little & round, I call them lollipops:
View attachment 3205221

Beautiful! I ended up pulling my morning glory when it was determined to keep wrapping itseld around the entire deck rather than where I had placed it...it was grabbing hold of the chairs and all on top of the deck. Never a single bloom either.
So DH said it was invasive and I pulled it.
Yours is gorgeous!

 

[Sueby]

Beautiful! I ended up pulling my morning glory when it was determined to keep wrapping itseld around the entire deck rather than where I had placed it...it was grabbing hold of the chairs and all on top of the deck. Never a single bloom either.
So DH said it was invasive and I pulled it.
Yours is gorgeous!

It is invasive in parts, but here it dies in the winter so it's not considered invasive. I just love them because they cover the dog pen so well!

 

[Iluveggers]

Cucumbers have officially come in! I picked 3 off of my 7 vines today. Three female squash flowers are open, zucchini madness hasn’t started yet. Pulled my onions, got about 40 medium (a few were big, but mostly medium).

Question about canning sauce. I have always bought a box of tomatoes from the farm stand to process. I have 12 paste plants this year, and definitely have enough green ones once they turn red to make 6-8 quarts of sauce if not more. However, I’ve picked a bunch already. Is there a way to slice & save them, and once the rest turn red make my sauce then to process? It’s a shame they don’t all ripen at the same time. Lol

 

[Iluveggers]

Wow @Sueby your Morning Glory looks amazing! Last year I threw a bunch of seeds along my back fence line in hopes that it would grow since everyone tells me it is invasive. Not one single vine came up.

 

[Sueby]

Cucumbers have officially come in! I picked 3 off of my 7 vines today. Three female squash flowers are open, zucchini madness hasn’t started yet. Pulled my onions, got about 40 medium (a few were big, but mostly medium).

Question about canning sauce. I have always bought a box of tomatoes from the farm stand to process. I have 12 paste plants this year, and definitely have enough green ones once they turn red to make 6-8 quarts of sauce if not more. However, I’ve picked a bunch already. Is there a way to slice & save them, and once the rest turn red make my sauce then to process? It’s a shame they don’t all ripen at the same time. Lol

You can freeze them. That's what I always did when I did sauce. I just washed & froze. Then when thawing the skin comes off easy & then proceed as normal.