What did you do in the garden today?

[Smokerbill]

My Grandpa taught me the same! He worked at the Ford Tractor plant in Detroit, and he could fix absolutely anything. One of my early memories of him was when I was 4 or 5, he taught me the right way to curl up a hose without twists or kinks (and made me show him I knew how to do it) because if you do it right, the hose can last a lifetime.

So how DO you curl up a hose the right way? I used to coil them, which can cause kinks. Now I lay the hose down in a figure 8 pattern, about 5 feet wide, laying each figure 8 over the last. It pulls out perfectly just about every time now, no kinks.

 

[Smokerbill]

Someone here asked what microbial product I used this year (I had used the one they selected last year). Here are my choices this year:

This one get sprinkled on the roots of seedlings transplanted. Very fine powder (so bad idea on a windy day).
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This one I specifically selected to use, in diluted liquid form) on the fruit trees - just drench the soil. It had some different microbes and I recall my research told me that it may be a better microbial mix for fruit trees. Just a note, many of these teas are very high in sugar, so I looked for one low in sugar to not attract ants so readily.
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There is no real way to say if they really work …. However lots of info that says a varied micro environment is healthy for the plants, some providing symbiotic relationships. I figure that I can buy a new version and each year and something is bound to be beneficial at some point.

That was me, so thank you for the pic of your fungus! LOL
Looks like your Mikro Myco has a wider variety of fungal spores. I'll give that one a try next time. I need to check my package to see if it has a "Use By" date. I don't know if it goes bad over time or not.

Thanks again!

 

[TJAnonymous]

I managed to plant 6 more blueberries, leaving 4 to do tomorrow. Watering and the rain really eased the rototiller work, so I am looking forward to having that task done.

In my entire life, I have murdered approximately 50 blueberry shrubs.
I really hope I have this figured out this time.

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We'll see. I'm hopeful and doubtful at the same time.

I did some mowing. I cannot do my entire place all at once anymore. It's too big, with too many obstacles, and my time is so limited. So I just try to focus on the tallest areas at a time.

Learning how to mow around my giant yard swing...

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I weeded just for a moment in the strawberry bed. I've got to get down some cardboard to block the weeds, but the blueberries have top priority for me this week.

I cleaned off my table and chairs and put up the umbrella. It was in the hope that I could do my writing outside today, but I'm officially out of time. Tomorrow should work, I hope.

We must be soul sisters... I've also murdered more blueberries and strawberries than I care to recall. I FINALLY have 2 thriving blueberries and somewhere around 100 healthy strawberry plants.

I'm waiting until the fall to buy more blueberries though when I can get them on clearance.

 

[WthrLady]

I bet they have a ton of pecan groves.

last I saw it was suburban maples and pear

 

[WthrLady]

DH helped me clean the winter corral of all its nasty chaff and rotting hay. Then I blew it fully clean. Came in and showered and used my Nivage to clear my nose from dust, dirt, mold, and Lord knows what else (started the day with a sinus headache from cleaning the garage yesterday), a.....n.....d popped an eardrum in the process. FCOL! I cannot win today.

Deep drip irrigation is currently watering the orchard, then I'll switch over to the garden. OH wait, no I won't, I hooked the strawberry beds to the system, but am missing 3 T connectors. Disaster averted. Phew. I'll be watering by hand apparently.

Oh, I kicked the alpacas out into the pasture while I cleaned so I could leave the barn gates all open. They stood there and whined and moaned and sulked for two hours. It seems I was keeping them from sitting in front of their electric fan.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Morning Home Gardeners.
Marine layer is back here keeps temps easier no humidity.
Plants are growing at a good pace.

 

[Sally PB]

These are going to be the sweet potato rows. I have weed block fabric down to help warm up the soil. The slips are supposed to arrive Tuesday.

 

[Acre4Me]

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These are going to be the sweet potato rows. I have weed block fabric down to help warm up the soil. The slips are supposed to arrive Tuesday.

I hope you have success this year! For us, the black plastic was key for hot soil. So your black fabric will serve that purpose! All performed much better under the black than the ones not under the black. Not sure exactly when ours will arrive.

 

[Sally PB]

I just got an email from the place I ordered the slips from. They said that the tracking number I received was correct, but the estimated delivery date was not. So, no, they are not delivering them a week before they're shipped.

Which would be quite a trick, huh?

 

[Smokerbill]

I sifted out a few cubic feet of composted leaves to use as garden mulch today, while I babysat the chickens as they free ranged for the second day in a row.