What did you do in the garden today?

[nao57]

Isn't it a bit harder to transplant melons? Interesting comment you had there. Thanks.

I have still got just 1 leave after transplanting bitter melon a few weeks ago

 

[saysfaa]

I haven't been able to tend to the tomato patch since stealing a hour or so three weeks ago on the way out of state. And ten minutes or so a couple of days ago.

So, I played catch up today (yesterday?). Given a choice between hoeing the teeny tiny weeds or pulling the grass seedlings that were just small enough to pull without tooooo much difficulty, I chose pulling. The grass pulled much, much, much easier a couple of days ago so I think it was the right choice. There is still a good chance I can get over there again while I can still hoe the little weeds; hope for it anyway.

I pretty amazed at how good the weed situation is given how little input I've been able to give the patch. I think the weather just worked really well for it, combined with watering each vegetable plant instead of setting a sprinkler up for the whole area. Usually, this garden plot is solid lambsquarters where it isn't hoed often.

Anyway, the tomatoes look really good - the plants and the fruit. Turns out the gopher took only five or six of the plants before leaving them alone. I replanted some of the spaces with other varieties of tomato plants and some of the spaces with potato plants. I know it is not best to plant them together but it is what I could do this year. Oh, and some spaces with marigolds, so maybe it was seven or eight plants that the gopher took.

 

[saysfaa]

One of the apples is nearly ripe enough to eat. Not ripe. Just ripe enough to eat. If you don't eat too many at a time . I think there are a lot more apples on that tree than there were last year. The pruning has been worth the time. I did not have time, this trip, to check the rest of the apple trees.

I could see the clusters of wild grapes from the road; they are looking good.

In the home garden, I tried a variety known for secondary heads which turned out to mean it makes many, many, many more heads - all of which are very small to teeny tiny. We recently discovered broccoli leaves are edible. So, we are eating the leaves instead. I cut them into fine strips and added them to the pot. They need longer to cook than I allowed but taste good.

And I was sloppy about taking out the lettuce that had bolted. Usually, I take out most of the root mass, this time I left the roots. It is putting out a little cluster of leaves just like tree stumps do sometimes. I'm looking forward to seeing how it does.

 

[jerryse]

When you did your grape vines, does it work on thin stems also? Or only thicker stems? The youtube videos all had pretty thick stem cuttings. I'd like to know if smaller stem cuttings can work too. Thanks.

IDK I only used the thicker ones pencil size or a little smaller diameter,

 

[Farmer13]

I have still got just 1 leave after transplanting bitter melon a few weeks ago.

We had a cool damp spring & the Winged beans, bitter melon, Cucumbers, morning glory's, butterfly peas, squash, all started early, just sat for a month. Now everything is growing well however I lost any time advantage I was trying to get by starting them early.

Just maybe it was the weather, yet I have gotten better plant growth response by sowing the seeds direct. The soil temp at time of transplanting was 69 degrees.
I don't know what your season is like, I would replant in ground if you have the time.
Soak the seeds for 2 days they have a very hard shell.

 

[EuroChook]

I stood still, with my arms out to the sides, and put a really blank look on my face. I wanted to see how long it would be before my neighbors realized I WASN'T a scarecrow.

 

[Sueby]

Lehmans! Thats where I got the lids I'm currently using.
And Ball says you do not need to simmer their newer (now been a few years) lids. I still do anyway, lol. But not for the pressure canner.

 

[Grandmas Coop]

View attachment 3596267
B- ball
K-kerr
GH- Golden Harvest
The new no name ones are the blue. Noticeably thicker and wider seal, Noticeably thicker metal on lid.

Anything is better than a 30-75% ball fail rate. It used to be less than 5% fail rate, darn right rare frankly and it was usually due to a micro chip on the glass or a stuck piece of food.

Now it's whenever with ball.

where did you get the blue ones?

 

[Grandmas Coop]

I didn't get around to doing the fence project around my big raised bed today. Too many aches and pains for a big project. But I did add some protection to the bed that has green beans and squash. Added a covering of 1" plastic mesh around the bottom, so the chickens can't eat bean leaves anymore. Poor mistreated chickens!

View attachment 3596616View attachment 3596617View attachment 3596618View attachment 3596619

My crocosmia is looking great this year compared to last year. I've been watering it regularly, which made the difference.

View attachment 3596624View attachment 3596626

And I was successful in tricking my artichoke into thinking it was in its second year of growth. It's actually forming an artichoke!!! Artichokes are biennial and don't produce buds to flower until after going through a chill period. I planted the seeds very early, and when the plants were strong I placed them outside in my little front porch greenhouse so they'd get enough chill time to simulate going through a winter.

View attachment 3596621View attachment 3596622

And I think I planted my butternut squash / bean bed a little tight. Six hills of squash (most with two plants side by side), surrounded all the way around by a green and yellow wax beans. If I don't get squash this year, I'll space them farther apart next year.

View attachment 3596620

Looks great!! good work

 

[Grandmas Coop]

100% seal rate- new lids- loud seals! Lol
They are not subtle.
6 chicken
6 beef mince View attachment 3596671

THe superb ones are new and I just ordered some, but the plain, unmarked gold ones at Lehmans have been around forever.

When I get ready to can meat you will be my go to for questions! good work there