What did you do in the garden today?

[Cynthia12]

My pumpkins are turning orange..my biggest one is almost there.

 

[karenerwin]

I've frozen them raw and blanched. The blanched ones were much better.

Be sure you pick them before frost! Frost will ruin them.

Thanks for the heads up!

 

[karenerwin]

I went a head and brought 6 of the loofahs inside. That way if the temperature drops unexpectedly I won’t loose all the loofahs

I included the 2-liter bottle as a size reference. It is rightup next to the 1st loofah.

 

[Fishychix]

I managed to get the pop up greenhouse that fits into a bed on top of my sweet potatoes finally. Something ate all the leaves off. its also supposed to get even more cold next week after hitting 70. Its too early! At least i work just a few hours today. Maybe i can bet the hoses undone from the manifold. Not sure if theyre corroded or im weak

 

[Ascholten]

I went a head and brought 6 of the loofahs inside. That way if the temperature drops unexpectedly I won’t loose all the loofahs View attachment 3278020I included the 2-liter bottle as a size reference. It is rightup next to the 1st loofah.View attachment 3278021

So how do you use those as sponges just dry them out peel or what?

Aaron

 

[Iluveggers]

Pulled the squash, cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, and pole beans yesterday. Left the kale, chard, cabbage, collards & celery. Low of 33 this week, so not taking any chances. I threw half of the bean vines in the chicken run and the ladies had a blast! Have also pulled a bunch of dead sunflower heads. Might have enough by winter to give the girls a couple of heads every week. Will get next year’s garlic planted and mulched before Halloween, but giving the soil a rest for a few weeks first. Will be the first year I can add halfway decomposed chicken run shavings…will see if that makes a difference in the garlic beds!

 

[Ascholten]

Will be the first year I can add halfway decomposed chicken run shavings…will see if that makes a difference in the garlic beds!

The garlic will grow like crazy ! But need some phosphates in there too for the bulb development later on. A big bushy green don't do much if the bulb is teeny. I have done some research and found that instead of paying a ton of money for the 'Triple Phosphate' fertilizers they sell, you can goto Lowes and get a box of the TSP, for cleaning walls and greasy stuff and it's pretty much the same thing really, for a lot cheaper.

Remember, the reason they outlawed phosphates in detergents in the first place was because they were making plants grow too well !

Aaron

 

[karenerwin]

So how do you use those as sponges just dry them out peel or what?

Aaron

Yes, that’s my understanding. Let them dry out, peel off the outer layer, shake all the seeds out and you’re ready to go. I’m assuming that I’ll need to cut them into useful sized pieces. This is my first time growing them.

 

[Sally PB]

Remember, the reason they outlawed phosphates in detergents in the first place was because they were making plants grow too well

Algae was one of the big growers they were trying to stop feeding, IIRC...?

I remember seeing soap suds washing up of the shore when I was a kid. That was not a good thing.

 

[Sally PB]

Does anyone make their own bone meal, with bones and wood ashes? I've read about it, not done it.

I have gobs (and gobs and gobs) of wood ashes, six months of the year, with the wood stove. I use them sparingly in the garden, though, because it's easy to dump on too much when you have a bucketful. Or three.