What did you do in the garden today?

[CNJ]

I bought one of those 5 gallon traps but can't get it to stay together. I'm going to try glueing it but for now it's back in the box, sitting on a shelf until I get to it

If you have the same yellow one I have, there should be 4 slots on the cover along the edge. Those slots are for zip ties, mark them on the bucket and drill 4 holes near the top of the bucket. I fill the pointed edge of the top cover with peanut butter mixed with boric acid. Furthermore, I am thinking about screwing the middle part of the flimsy two section plastic ladder with a strip of wood, so it doesn't bend or make the wood as long as the ladder and some how attach it to the bucket.

 

[TJAnonymous]

I bought one of those 5 gallon traps but can't get it to stay together. I'm going to try glueing it but for now it's back in the box, sitting on a shelf until I get to it

I love using reclaimed wood of any kind! I went through a pallet phase a little over ten years ago and built a tortoise house, chicken coop, compost bins, garden beds, greenhouse shelves, fencing...I even used some on the horses shade cover. The garden bed only lasted 4 or 5 years but think it would have made it longer if I'd built it better. I made it three pallets long and two wide. It start to bow out where the pallets came together on the long sides. Two spots in my greenhouse need repairs where the boards broke and I decided it doesn't belong on anything for horses. I just tore apart the chicken coop to turn that area into a duck run...but it was still going strong and I'm able to reuse some of the boards. Everything else is still in use after all these years. I'm not good at building pretty, but that's not the woods fault

They eat the plant and the blossoms so no berries.

I got stuck in the barn for an hour this morning due to a torrential downpour (hallelujah!) and lightning. I decided to do a bit of cleaning in the tack/feed room to pass the time. Found a 5 gallon bucket in the corner with 2 dead mice in it. It had nothing in it so I'm assuming they fell in and couldn't get out. Probably died from lack of water...

 

[TJAnonymous]

A slight break in the weather so I took the opportunity to check the garden. Tree rats have decimated the Sunflowers in pursuit of seeds. I harvested anything they hadn't yet stolen. Little (bleep)...

On the positive side, here's the rain gauge bank account so far. Still have lots more rain tonight and tomorrow.

 

[Gammas Bearded Babies]

I grew morning glories on a chain link fence one year and never had to plant again. They make a nice barrier as @Sueby said. Maybe you could put them somewhere else. I don’t grow them here because there’s not a good spot, but I would love to!

Well they just never ever bloomed! It's so weird...they were takin over everything but for what?! So weird...oh well. DH really didn't want me doin em anyway.

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

Good afternoon gardeners. Congratulations on the rain @igorsMistress and @TJAnonymous. We got a shower overnight but nothing measurable. Not much going on in the garden today. I should have a few more okra pods in another day or two. I cleaned up the weeds in the front yard and mowed this morning. The slope in front of the chicken yard can wait for now since the temps will be hot with no rain forecasted right now until Friday. I really hope that changes. But today is cooler and breezy with the high around 81F. Very nice.

 

[Sueby]

I'm so jealous of the rain! Still not a drop here. I watered this am.

I had to drain the onions, they were just boiling in onion soup! But looking good, I guess, lol.

If anyone wants morning glory seeds lmk, I think I still have some from last year & I will save more come next spring.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Morning glory is as noxious weeds here like bin weed is also.

 

[WthrLady]

Bane of my fire-break existence, bind weed. Dubious cousin to the morning glory.

 

[Wolfie2]

Some of the SOS, Waterin. But! Mrs. Lobo picked a Luffa about 16" long, cut it up and will be dinner for the next few days. There are more on the vine along with a long green one (?). Puttin more okra in the freezer, 4 qt bags + some to eat tonight.These buggers will probably produce until late Sept - early Oct. and we should have enough okra til thnew plants start producing next year. Mom also picked Ampalaya and we will be puttin some of that in the freezer also.
Pulled out the cucumber vines. Heat is gettin to them makin 'em bitter and the end rubbin trick never seemed to work well for us.
And one more thing today...I had an old steel barrel that the bottom was rusted out. So the other day I decided to make some tree edging rings out of it. For smaller bushes to hold the mulch in. Cut it into 3 pieces, Finished cuttin the bottom outta it. And sanded as much of the old paint and rust off. I've been @ this for a few days now due to It's Hot outside! Tried using different tools, 4 1/2" grinder with cutting disc, used up several discs and didn't get much accomplished, Jig saw with metal cutting blade with same results and finally found a metal cutting abrasive blade/disc for the Skil saw that did the trick. Finally got One deburred, cleaned up and painted so today I put it around a taro plant that the armadillo kept digging up ( taro getta be kept moist & dillos like that). Hope this stops this guy. Got 2 more pieces to go.

 

[gtaus]

I love using reclaimed wood of any kind! I went through a pallet phase a little over ten years ago and built a tortoise house, chicken coop, compost bins, garden beds, greenhouse shelves, fencing...I even used some on the horses shade cover. The garden bed only lasted 4 or 5 years but think it would have made it longer if I'd built it better. I made it three pallets long and two wide. It start to bow out where the pallets came together on the long sides. Two spots in my greenhouse need repairs where the boards broke and I decided it doesn't belong on anything for horses. I just tore apart the chicken coop to turn that area into a duck run...but it was still going strong and I'm able to reuse some of the boards. Everything else is still in use after all these years. I'm not good at building pretty, but that's not the woods fault

I guess I'm into a pallet phase. Years ago I built some pallet compost bins that I still use today. But, back then, it was really hard to find pallets for free. Now, with our new Harbor Freight, they put out lots of free pallets for the taking. So, I am into building more things with all the wood I am reclaiming.

Your pallet garden beds are much bigger than what I am going to build. Anytime you have a long length raised bed, you get bowing out unless you add cross supports when you build the bed. I'll be tearing down the pallets and rebuilding 4X4 pallet garden beds. Small enough not to bow out, big enough to make it worthwhile. If it starts to fall apart in 4-5 years, I'll either just patch it up or rebuild it at that time. I'm OK with not paying $$$ for a cedar garden bed that might last 15 years, or more.

Dear Wife wants me to build pallet planters for the yard so she can have more flowers around the house. We are looking at a number of designs on YouTube. Although I would consider myself a fairly competent carpenter, I prefer the simple designs that are easy to build, looks like a strong design for years of use, and can be easily repaired if needed.

Long term, I'm thinking about a pallet shed build. I have built real sheds and garages before, but, I think it might be fun to attempt to build a free pallet shed just for the experience.