What did you do in the garden today?

[WthrLady]

Just got in for almost 2 hours working outside doing storm prep.
I did more work in those two hours than normal people would dream of doing in a weekend.
I still need to bank livestock water ahead of this storm, but I'm going to snack and warm up first.
It's only 12'F out with a chill of 0. My nose is all red and sniffly from the dust and cold.
Our projected high for Thursday is now -5'F with a chill of -55F
The alpacas will be locked into the barn and the doors shut when we feed them breakfast in the morning and they have warm water to drink as long as we have power.
The hens are well out of the wind and have already dealt with below zero temps many times this winter, but I still worry about the ones that aren't fully feathered. Nothing I can do about that. So wish me luck there.

 

[TJAnonymous]

We only have Spanish Lavender at my local Home Depot and Lowes. Their leaf branches and flower taste the same to me, but the flower are more potent. I use those mini 12 slot/dome seed starter trays and keep the dome on for at least a month. I notice that the ones that had their leaf touching the potting mix died and the ones that didn't survived. I made some clones to give away as gifts.
The Lavender that I have, thrive in potting mix that kills my tomato plants. I think its immune to nematodes.

I've tried from both seed and established plants. Currently I have two tiny plants that are still hanging on (unless the cold snap this week kills them!) This is the new variety I picked up to try...



I do have a Mona Lavender plant. Not sure if it is a true Lavender though. It is flourishing very nicely but it generally stays indoors in a planter.

 

[TJAnonymous]

I cut a pineapple crown into 4 quarters and stuck them in 1 gallon pots and they grew. I add pelleted chicken manure around the top once a month to keep them green. I have become attached to them. I treat them like ornamental house plants. There in a place where they get morning sun and the potting mix stays moist for a few days between watering. I love these plants because bugs don't bother them and they look happy.

I plan on taking them to the fruiting stage with calcium carbide, next year and will be using 2 gallon pots for this experiment. (See product review) https://www.amazon.com/Calcium-Carb...f-4436-8a62-241c5393dc02&ref_=pd_gw_ci_mcx_mi

I started with 2 pineapple tops. They both sprouted several suckers which I broke off and rooted separately. I now have 7 growing pineapple plants. I've already had to transplant them once. I planted them with a Miracle Gro potting soil which is supposed to have plant food in it. I think I transplanted them back in early October maybe? Haven't fed them separately besides whatever is already in the potting soil. Makes me wonder if I should feed them with something separately?

 

[Sally PB]

@WthrLady, be safe out there! Sending positive waves... ...and hugs!

 

[TJAnonymous]

Just got in for almost 2 hours working outside doing storm prep.
I did more work in those two hours than normal people would dream of doing in a weekend.
I still need to bank livestock water ahead of this storm, but I'm going to snack and warm up first.
It's only 12'F out with a chill of 0. My nose is all red and sniffly from the dust and cold.
Our projected high for Thursday is now -5'F with a chill of -55F
The alpacas will be locked into the barn and the doors shut when we feed them breakfast in the morning and they have warm water to drink as long as we have power.
The hens are well out of the wind and have already dealt with below zero temps many times this winter, but I still worry about the ones that aren't fully feathered. Nothing I can do about that. So wish me luck there.

Just checked our weather update. They are predicting wind chills of -20 to -30 below! Ugh. We will close the sliding doors on the barn which will help it stay warmer in there for the horses. Probably have to hay them inside the barn too which DH will whine about since he gets muck duty. Will put more straw down for the goats and ducks. Chickens should be fine... Let's hope none of the trough/waterer heaters fail!

 

[igorsMistress]

Just got in for almost 2 hours working outside doing storm prep.
I did more work in those two hours than normal people would dream of doing in a weekend.
I still need to bank livestock water ahead of this storm, but I'm going to snack and warm up first.
It's only 12'F out with a chill of 0. My nose is all red and sniffly from the dust and cold.
Our projected high for Thursday is now -5'F with a chill of -55F
The alpacas will be locked into the barn and the doors shut when we feed them breakfast in the morning and they have warm water to drink as long as we have power.
The hens are well out of the wind and have already dealt with below zero temps many times this winter, but I still worry about the ones that aren't fully feathered. Nothing I can do about that. So wish me luck there.

Good luck, yikes!

 

[WthrLady]

60 gallons of water banked for the livestock
made a 100 sq ft pen to add on to the alpaca stalls for hay feeding as doors will be fully closed in the morning
5 gallons of drinking water put up for us
10 gallons of water for flushing
if we loose power we have no water
But we have gas for cooking.
Years in northern North Dakota, has our blood thick and proper outdoor clothing in the closet, but my arthritis since we lived there...... glory.

 

[ChicksnMore]

Just got in for almost 2 hours working outside doing storm prep.
I did more work in those two hours than normal people would dream of doing in a weekend.
I still need to bank livestock water ahead of this storm, but I'm going to snack and warm up first.
It's only 12'F out with a chill of 0. My nose is all red and sniffly from the dust and cold.
Our projected high for Thursday is now -5'F with a chill of -55F
The alpacas will be locked into the barn and the doors shut when we feed them breakfast in the morning and they have warm water to drink as long as we have power.
The hens are well out of the wind and have already dealt with below zero temps many times this winter, but I still worry about the ones that aren't fully feathered. Nothing I can do about that. So wish me luck there.

Ouch that's cold. Hope it blows through fast and all's well there.

 

[chickengr]

Yes! I love lavender but it hates me. Always goes toes up and dies. That being said, I did pick up a new variety this year so we'll see.

do you plant it in soil or planter? I tried it in a planter and it died. I also have a cousin who lives in zone 7 and has lavender planted in soil. it overwinters without any problem.

 

[TJAnonymous]

do you plant it in soil or planter? I tried it in a planter and it died. I also have a cousin who lives in zone 7 and has lavender planted in soil. it overwinters without any problem.

I've never tried to put it in a planter. I've only ever sowed or direct planted it in the ground.