What did you do in the garden today?

[gtaus]

I already use buckets to garden in for some things. They stay out in the winter all season long. They have drain holes and don't crack or expand. So far, for the past decade down to -22F real temp. They're fine.

No doubt the holes allow the water to drain out, which prevents the bucket from cracking when the water freezes. I don't have drain holes in my buckets because I most often use them to tote water around the garden. I just turn them upside down if they remain outside in the winter.

Otherwise, the water inside the bucket will freeze and I have cracked more than a few buckets that way.

 

[WthrLady]

Gosh, we even use them for alpaca water in the winter and they freeze solid and dont crack.
Oh well.

 

[fuzzi]

I already use buckets to garden in for some things. They stay out in the winter all season long. They have drain holes and don't crack or expand. So far, for the past decade down to -22F real temp. They're fine.
The table set up would just bring things up higher to work with.

Maybe it's the brand of bucket I am buying, blue ones from Lowe's (like Home Depot). On more than a couple the lip cracked, and then the handle broke off.

 

[gtaus]

Gosh, we even use them for alpaca water in the winter and they freeze solid and dont crack.
Oh well.

I'm sure different plastics might hold up better than others. I have rubber pans and feeders that don't mind freezing water inside them. But I have had a number of 5-gallon buckets freeze with water inside and they have cracked. Good to hear your's don't.

 

[WthrLady]

Maybe it's the brand of bucket I am buying, blue ones from Lowe's (like Home Depot). On more than a couple the lip cracked, and then the handle broke off.

Mine are all home depot, tsc or butter cream icing from the bakery.

 

[WthrLady]

Mine are all home depot, tsc or butter cream icing from the bakery.

THat SAID, my blue buckets from ace are fine, my pink buckets from ace all had their handles fall off at poor moments, and the green ones, from menards are darn hearty!

 

[TJAnonymous]

It was just 74 degrees a few hours ago.... Now it FEELS LIKE 18 DEGREES!

 

[Nym]

Went to the foot doctor today for my wart. All along they told me they are not allowed to do surgery or burn off warts in the office. So last week they did a biopsy in the office. They took enough to require several stiches ( surgery ). I was told the wart would have to be cut out in the hospital. Lab confirmed it is a wart. Today they say come back in 2 weeks after it heals. They will then burn it off in the office. About 8 visits over a year plus. In 1964 they burnt them off in the office first visit. One visit and done.

I've used Black Salve on lots of skin cancers, moles etc that seemingly appear overnite, all with great success. I had a small, raised red-brown mole on my upper right arm. The GP spotted it and drew a big eye-shaped diagram on paper by way as showing me what she would do. I said I would be back .. as in not a chance of lol! The salve only eats unhealthy cells. It's no less painful than having them burnt and there are no stitches or scar tissue. A tiny white dot is all that is left. There is a lot of fear propaganda on the web about it - but it's just that - propaganda. Drs don't want ppl treating themselves, after all.

 

[fuzzi]

The weather was supposed to warm up to 60°, so after lunch I headed outside to do some yardwork.

I decided to double-dig the bed next to the one in which I planted peas last week.

Look at how the soil level has dropped

I started digging, and found some Hugelkulture wood not quite decomposed, from a year ago.

What do I mean by double-dig?

Dig a trench:

Fill with leaves:

Dig a second trench, use the dirt removed from the second trench to cover the leaves in the first trench, add leaves to the second trench...repeat:

Notice the soil level now.

Then I gathered sticks from the front yard. Our sycamore tree drops a lot of small branches, so there were plenty.

Then I added the sticks to the two remaining raised beds as part of the Hugelkulture process. I climbed in on top and walked over the sticks to break them down and make it level.

Then I started adding leaves, partly-rotted, from my compost piles.

At this point I knew I'd better stop, before I crippled myself for the rest of the weekend...my body is not as forgiving as it was 20 years ago.

My mom's favorite...

 

[chickengr]

this is another reason I grow my food:

https://www.greenfeed.it/eng/materi...MIzoHJtd2xhAMV-te7CB2-RQyTEAEYASAAEgJv-vD_BwE