What did you do in the garden today?

[Sally PB]

I didn't know hops grew wild here so i looked it up and I was also surprised to find that they are invasive to America

Again, that surprises me! I'd heard they take quite a bit of attention to grow.

Are there different kind of hops, and maybe the ones used for beer are separate from the invasive kind?

 

[1cock2hens]

Again, that surprises me! I'd heard they take quite a bit of attention to grow.

Are there different kind of hops, and maybe the ones used for beer are separate from the invasive kind?

I read that hops don't grow true to seed and domesticated hops are very different than wild hops. Some could be really good and others not worth anything to anyone.

 

[itsasmallfarm]

I don't know if they'll grow in zone 3. They usually are grown in zones 5-8.

Hmmm! This sounds doable. I'll ask Ed, my "bee guy" if he's ever done that.

I'm going to guess that the reason I haven't heard about this at bee club meetings is because it is cheaper and easier to feed sugar, sugar syrup, or patties, and anyone harvesting honey wants as much as they dare take. Sugar is also easier to store than frames of honey.

The beekeepers I've met at the meetings sell a lot of honey. Ed charges $48/gallon, and the last place I bought honey last year was $55, up from $48 in 2021. And that's buying it by the gallon; I don't know what anyone charges by the pint or quart.

Oddly enough, I have heard from several people that beekeepers start keeping bees to get honey and to have pollinators. But they get out of keeping bees because of honey. It's messy, kind of a PITA to extract, attracts lots of insects and mice, and you might not get enough to make it worth your trouble.

there are a few types we can grow up here in Canada, from most of my limited research, and a few of the places i order seeds from offer hops that can grow in zone 3 (keep in mind this is Canada planting zones and not usda zones)

 

[itsasmallfarm]

Pics of hops growing wild. Still has seeds. If you want some seed message me.

very nice pictures!

never new hops could grow wild in north America, we have a few types that can grow in Canada but there all planted and made for being really cold hardy.

 

[itsasmallfarm]

Again, that surprises me! I'd heard they take quite a bit of attention to grow.

Are there different kind of hops, and maybe the ones used for beer are separate from the invasive kind?

i have no idea about wild hops, but learning from some brewing guys and other brewing sites there seems to be quite a difference for different strains of hops to add flavor to beer.
with recipes even using 2-3 different hop types for a different flavor (and to add more complexity to this they add them at different stages of the brew)

which makes this funny to me as i hate beer lol i just like gardening (prefer cider to beer)

 

[jerryse]

I don't know if they'll grow in zone 3. They usually are grown in zones 5-8.

Hmmm! This sounds doable. I'll ask Ed, my "bee guy" if he's ever done that.

I'm going to guess that the reason I haven't heard about this at bee club meetings is because it is cheaper and easier to feed sugar, sugar syrup, or patties, and anyone harvesting honey wants as much as they dare take. Sugar is also easier to store than frames of honey.

The beekeepers I've met at the meetings sell a lot of honey. Ed charges $48/gallon, and the last place I bought honey last year was $55, up from $48 in 2021. And that's buying it by the gallon; I don't know what anyone charges by the pint or quart.

Oddly enough, I have heard from several people that beekeepers start keeping bees to get honey and to have pollinators. But they get out of keeping bees because of honey. It's messy, kind of a PITA to extract, attracts lots of insects and mice, and you might not get enough to make it worth your trouble.

Many plants have not been tested in zone 3. My cabin is in zone 3 - 3B. I have black walnut, black raspberry and magic - mystery lilies growing there. None of those are rated for zone 3.

 

[saysfaa]

I think I broke my littlest toe this morning. It hurts way, way more than last time thought I might have broken it. Both times, I kicked chair legs as I walked past.

It is warm, dry, and sunny out - almost certainly the last nice day before winter. The forecast is cold, wet, and nasty starting tonight.

I really wanted to get all the outside winterizing things done today. Or, at the very least, put back all the supplies I pulled out of the coop yesterday - cleaning it and getting ready to winterize it.

It took a LOT longer than it otherwise would have but I got the essentials of the coop done: windows in, pool noodles blocking the eaves - leaving only the open side and ridge vent still open.

It was when I started to put the supplies back that I just couldn't do any more. Then I tried to rest it, elevate it for a while and it just keeps getting worse. I can't bear to touch it to the ground now.

Thankfully, dh took a half day today. He will put it all back. I feel bad about; I didn't need clean as thoroughly as I did, I should have just shifted enough to get to the windows. His good attitude about it makes appreciate him soooo much.

And we were going to clean the gutters, get the rest of the leaves off the lawn, store the window screens, burn debris from the garden. We hope burning the debris will mean healthier plants next summer.

It is what it is.

 

[gtaus]

I think I broke my littlest toe this morning. It hurts way, way more than last time thought I might have broken it.

Sorry to hear that. Toes can be so sensitive, and we put all our weight on them when walking.

 

[Smokerbill]

I think I broke my littlest toe this morning. It hurts way, way more than last time thought I might have broken it. Both times, I kicked chair legs as I walked past.

Ouch! I did that once years ago. My little toe caught the leg of a sofa as I walked by. It was bent out at a 90 degree angle! I pushed it back where it belonged and went to the Dr. and got an x-ray. He told me I did a great job resetting the bone!

I trimmed all the yellow lower leaves from my kale and Brussels sprout plants and gave them to the chickens a little while ago.

 

[TJAnonymous]

I ordered some huckleberry seeds from Baker. Not sure if I'm going to regret that decision or not... It's incredibly toxic to horses so I'll have to be uber careful it doesn't migrate via bird or fallen fruit to other parts of my property.