What did you do in the garden today?

[BReeder!]

I didn't get the beans transplanted yet.
I got out of work much later than expected. And when I got home, I felt the need to prioritize clearing three weeds in the rose bed. I used a steel rake to get most of the weeds out since it was mostly shallow rooted creeping Charlie. I will need to pull the old dead rose bushes and some older shrubs (I cut down to stumps but the persist to grow back) with chains and the truck. Since I will be planting new roses, I think I'll spray Roundup to finish off the weeds and then dig extra large holes for the new rose bushes and fill with quality soil mixto plant them in. This will hopefully kill the weeds while not damaging the roses since they'll be in fresh new soil free of the Roundup.

 

[Cindiloohoo]

I mulched around my melons again, hoed between plants, and pissed off some fire ants. Yesterday I tilled the whole acre so today was light duty for the sake of my back

 

[WthrLady]

I didn't get the beans transplanted yet.
I got out of work much later than expected. And when I got home, I felt the need to prioritize clearing three weeds in the rose bed. I used a steel rake to get most of the weeds out since it was mostly shallow rooted creeping Charlie. I will need to pull the old dead rose bushes and some older shrubs (I cut down to stumps but the persist to grow back) with chains and the truck. Since I will be planting new roses, I think I'll spray Roundup to finish off the weeds and then dig extra large holes for the new rose bushes and fill with quality soil mixto plant them in. This will hopefully kill the weeds while not damaging the roses since they'll be in fresh new soil free of the Roundup.

I need to do that with my wisteria. UGH. Beautiful but invasive.

 

[chickengr]

Going fishing today. My weekend fishing trip is canceled. Dw did not want me to drive 5 hours alone, so we compromised. Yeah not going. She is getting on my nerves.

I understand you but your wife is right. we cannot do what we could years ago.

 

[pennyJo1960]

So 8 ft between chicken and garden or dogs and garden @Smokerbill

 

[chickengr]

I have a rant to share. About 2 weeks ago I bought a Bauer impact tool $129 at Harbor Freight. I get it home and unbox it to charge it. Only the tool as charger and battery sold separately. Grrr. So today while out fishing in a different town with a Harbor Freight I thought I better buy a charger and battery. Nice lady tried to help me. About 30 feet from tool here is the charger. What about the battery? Oh we are out of those. Well I still can't use the tool. Well we have a kit that has the tool, battery and charger. $99. I will return the one I have. I had no idea they are selling the tool only. Sneaky price hike IMO.

the same thing here with lawn mower - or better trimmer. I did a lot of research before finding one with low price and battery/charger included.

finally got it, drove to the courier to pick it up. I am happy with it. it has light weight so I can handle it easily and battery is 5 Ah instead of 4!

 

[LifeSimpleAndSweet]

I toss a rope over a low tree branch or from a hook in the former shed and use it to hang the bird from the feet for plucking. A 5-gallon bucket or garbage can under the bird catches most of the feathers.
I always do the kill outside, in the past with a log and ax or hatchet to decapitate quickly and this last time by slicing the jugular. Decapitation is less messy, but either way I just use the garden hose to water the blood into the ground where the nearby peach tree's roots will appreciate it. I have done 3 ducks in one sitting before and no smell of blood later after I house the area for a few minutes.
The other part of my "station" is a folding table, which is where I do the butchering after the bird is plucked. A few bowls are handy always - desirable organs and scraps such as neck and cleaned feet go in a bowl to add to a stock bag and another bowl is good if I am segmented the bird to hold the pieces as I cut them off the carcass.

I definitely prefer instant and stealthy decapitation. No fear or pain for the creature.
We used to 'hypnotize' our chickens before the lop, so they were quite calm.

On your own, it's more challenging to hold the bird, the ax, and get it all done smoothly, so I am considering a cone to hold the bird and then a quick lopping off.

Thank you for sharing your station. That helps me think it through and make sure I'm not missing something that would be helpful.

I'm thinking of something like this...

 

[LifeSimpleAndSweet]

I no longer use cage traps for coon. My go to is a dog proof coon trap.

I'd not seen one of those before. I think I'll get one. Thanks!

 

[LifeSimpleAndSweet]

Frost warning tonight. It looks like the last one! Everything is covered that needs to be, and everything else is coming inside.

I finished weed whacking in the garden yesterday, and it looks SO much better! I plan on staying on top of all the weeds this year! Last year, they got ahead of me... I still need to till up the last garden bed, but I MIGHT just leave it and use the bed that is going to be empty...... hmm.... that sounds way better than my current plan of tilling it up for half of it to be empty...... then, I have all of this year to get that done..... yes... I like this plan as I don't have to dig right now.

I want to get blueberry plants next year, but have NO idea what variety to get. I'm in zone 5b, and prefer a tart blueberry. Any suggestions?

Northern highbush blueberries are what you probably want.

They are generally self-fertile, but you will get larger and earlier-ripening berries if you plant several different cultivars (varieties) close by for cross-pollination. Match them to their bloom set season.

Northern Highbush Varieties: Alphabetical, within season.

Early season​

• Bluetta - very hardy, small dark berries
• Collins - medium size, light blue berries with excellent quality is excellent.
• Duke - large, easy to pick. Mild, low acidity.
• Earliblue (or Early Blue) - one of the earliest, very popular
• Hannah's Choice - medium-large fruit with high sugar content, firmer, better flavored than Duke.
• Reka - Medium size with strong huckleberry-like flavor.
• Spartan - firm and very large, very good flavor. later than other early varieties, large crop.
• Sunrise - Large size and excellent flavor, not as heavy yielding as Duke

Late Early to early Mid-season​

• Patriot - large, firm berries, early bloom, but more midseason ripening.
• Toro - large size, easy to pick, good flavor.
• Weymouth - excellent flavor, a derivative of the wild varieties .

Mid-season​

• Berkeley - light blue, firm and very large with very good storing but only average flavor
• Bluecrop - Medium to large size, variable picking; old variety taste.
• Bluehaven
• Bluejay - moderate crops of medium, sized, high quality fruit
• Blueray - medium size with good flavor and high yieldsl
• Cara's Choice - medium sized fruit with 30% more sugar than Duke or Bluecrop and the berries stay good on the plant for an extended period
• Chippewa - large firm fruit, productive and winter hardy
• Draper - very good fllavor
• Hardyblue - Small size but easy to pick; sweetest berry. Good for cooking.
• Legacy - Large, firm, sweet, aromatic, excellent flavor and stores well
• Northland - medium sized, dark,soft berries; extremely productive
• Nui - Very large size and excellent flavor but light yields
• Olympia - Medium to small size, excellent flavor
• Rubel- derived from a wild variety, small, firm, dark berries, similar to low bush varieties, but only average flavor
• Sierra - large firm berries

Mid to late season​

• Bluegold - Medium to large size, yields vary from season to season
• Chandler - Very popular due to its large size and good flavor.
• Darrow - Their size varies, easy to pick; excellent flavor. /li>
• Nelson - Large size, very good flavor, the berries can stay on the bush for extended periods.

Late season​

• Aurora - a new variety, 5 days after Elliot; firm , large berries that store well; very good yield.
• Brigitta - large, firm, flavorful fruit that stores well. The plant grows late into the fall
• Coville - Large, firm, highly aromatic, tart, very good flavor
• Elliot - Late season, large size, easy to pick; tart flavor. Very good shelf life, 30-45 days in a fridge, Beware not to pick early, turns blue before ripe.
• Liberty - ripens 5 days before Elliot with better flavor. Stores well
• Jersey - an old cultivar dating to 1928, small, soft berries

I did a quick search for local blueberry plant growers to you, as they often sell the ones that are good for your area. I found this package that might interest you.

https://degrandchamps.com/product/home-gardeners-packages-growing-zones-5-7/

 

[BReeder!]

I definitely prefer instant and stealthy decapitation. No fear or pain for the creature.
We used to 'hypnotize' our chickens before the lop, so they were quite calm.

On your own, it's more challenging to hold the bird, the ax, and get it all done smoothly, so I am considering a cone to hold the bird and then a quick lopping off.

Thank you for sharing your station. That helps me think it through and make sure I'm not missing something that would be helpful.

I'm thinking of something like this...

View attachment 3518660

Fancy...