What did you do in the garden today?

[igorsMistress]

So am I warm or cold? Lol. Zone 6b if that means anything to you, I know you aren’t in the states.



I saw on the nightly news they has a big breakthrough & have come up with a vaccine for bees, I guess they can vaccinate the queen & she spreads it to the rest. Obviously it doesn’t protect form everything, but they think it will help some. I only caught the tail end so I don’t know when it will/if it will be rolled out. But heres hoping it’s a good start.


Question…I’ve been trying to think of ways to move feed that don’t involve carrying 50lb bags, whats your plan with that? just open the bag & what, carry it in buckets or something? DH is having his ankle replaced this summer so that leaves 2 of us unable to carry over 10 lbs. We are a hot mess.

My EWO are coming to life too, if I didn’t say that earlier.

Feeling better today, going to try & sow some lettuce right now!

Maybe a wagon? Or a dolly? Hubs and I do it as a team. We each lift one end of a bag and put it in the wagon and then reverse when we get it all into the shed to put in the trash cans for storage. From there I just scoop into a two gallon bucket and top up the feeders as needed.

 

[igorsMistress]

Hope you all are enjoying you day. If any of you is interested, Israel is in a mess right now. All roads are blocked, the protesters are killing each other with fireworks. The conservatives and Orthodox Jews are in a strange war, and Ramadan has just started, so it’s just the beginning.

Stay safe!

 

[igorsMistress]

Ginger from the store…

Anyone stick it in a pot in dirt in the windowsill?
Anyone grate it first & then freeze it?

I usually just throw it in a bag in the freezer but am looking for easier ways. I find it a pain to peel & then grate it when frozen. Our season isn’t long enough to grow it outside & then store it, it doesn’t have long enough to develop it’s skin is my understanding.

I freeze it in 1” chunks, it thaws out faster than whole pieces and is easier to separate than grated.

 

[igorsMistress]

Good morning gardeners. The snow & ice cap continues to melt. I was able to get to my apple trees a little while ago and they both look fine. I was concerned the baby tree didn't make it but it looks okay. Fingers crossed. Nearly all the tomato seeds I started a few days ago are sprouting as are the kale and Pak Choy seeds. The leeks are doing well, getting taller and a bit thicker. The temperatures are nice. Yesterday it was in the mid 50's and did not get any lower than the mid 30's overnight. Today a little cooler with a possible snow shower over night tonight. I'm really looking forward to the frost free days. Lowes was a disappointment on the food grade buckets, but fortunately the Super Walmart across the street from Tractor Supply had them. It was so much easier carrying the chicken feed from the garage to the chicken coop. I noticed the compressed bales of straw at TSC. They are $15 a bale. I'm not shocked at the price because I spent $11 for a standard bale of straw 2 years ago. This looks cleaner and I think it's chopped a bit. Has anyone used this? I didn't think it would fit in my car with two bags of pellets and two bales of shavings so I thought I would see if it's worth it before buying it. The surprise daffodil on the south facing side of my house is starting to bloom again. Second year in a row. Apparently the other one that was planted before I moved in is starting to bloom as well. My daffodils are still sleeping under a layer of icy snow but should be waking up soon. The lilies of the valley are breaking through and my heather is blooming. I need to snip a few forsythia branches later today. My white geranium that is spending the winter in the sunroom has two blossoms on it and the impatiens are developing flower buds as well. Sounds like the plants are telling me that Spring is really here. Yay! The aurora is beautiful @WthrLady. I'm a bit jealous. I'd like to chime in on pinching blooms on baby plants was it @Sammster? Pinch off the buds. They need all their energy to grow roots and leaves. Let them grow into strong healthy plants before bearing fruit. My garlic bed looks nothing like yours @BReeder! But it's getting there I think. A few pictures I took this morning. With all the giant trees gone I can see the beautiful sunrises now. Perhaps not so much once the hardwood trees get their leaves.

View attachment 3442076
Next is my garlic bed
View attachment 3442077

And the first daffodil
View attachment 3442078

Yes there's a lot of brown, and yes I need to paint the blocks on this side of the foundation. Have a great day all.

I get the compressed bales at TSC and they’re fine for whatever. I use it in the coop, nest boxes and have given a few bales to the chickens to spread around.

 

[igorsMistress]

Mine is inside a walled garden, so deer aren't a problem for the garden. We just get too hot too early and stay that way for it to be functional.
So I've adjusted its use. More to come on that later

 

[igorsMistress]

Good morning gardeners. This weekend I’m transplanting the tomatoes and lone Armenian cuke. I also have a jalapeño and one more that’s about to break out. After that it’s all greens under the grow lights for now. We’ve had enough rain this year that I haven’t had to water the grass yet, although I’m pretty sure I’ll have to start doing it soon. It does need some feeding though so probably tomorrow morning. We’re supposed to hit 80 one day next week and then drop back down to the 60s and 70s again. Some fellow zonies are complaining about the cool weather, not me! The longer it stays like this the better as far as I’m concerned. Anyway, we’re headed to the park with the dogs early today, have a great day all.

 

[jerryse]

Rain not snow so far. Should stop mid day. Makes it hard to work outside.

 

[Sueby]

So jealous of that view @WthrLady! One of these days you may find me sleeping in your chicken coop.

@TJAnonymous cute babies! Hows the rest of the hatch going?

I would love a greenhouse with bug netting, I did the 2 hoops last year covered in netting & it helped so much, no svb but the cucumber beetles did eventually find their way in. It was a bit of a pain, but well worth it.

@igorsMistress do you peel the ginger first?

DH is home.

 

[Sally PB]

Anyway, I figured I’d chime in. I’m starting to get my garden built for 2023 season. I’m building raised bed tomorrow.

Jared! Hi! This is "the other really nice, friendly" thread, like the baking thread.

Rain not snow so far. Should stop mid day. Makes it hard to work outside.

Same here. Bleah.

 

[igorsMistress]

So jealous of that view @WthrLady! One of these days you may find me sleeping in your chicken coop.

@TJAnonymous cute babies! Hows the rest of the hatch going?

I would love a greenhouse with bug netting, I did the 2 hoops last year covered in netting & it helped so much, no svb but the cucumber beetles did eventually find their way in. It was a bit of a pain, but well worth it.

@igorsMistress do you peel the ginger first?

DH is home.

Not usually, I just cut into one inch pieces and toss it in a freezer bag or container.