What did you do in the garden today?

[akroberts1085]

I went out and had to block around my stairstep bed because Athena got into it. My husband was trying burn the big pallet bed and it worked a little bit but he didn't want to catch it on fire so he quit. Got all of the recycling bagged so I can take it in next week sometime. That's about all for her.

 

[WthrLady]

I had poor results with the colored lights. I had a light set up you could switch for white full spectrum, violet, or blue for different stages of growth. EVERYTHING did better with full spectrum and a timer.
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The chickens have been kicked out of the shop and thrown back into their coop. The shop has been cleaned (enough for now) and the tractor is back where it belongs, and the utility vehicle is back where IT belongs.
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43 today
47 tomorrow
and heading for 50s and low 60s the rest of the week.
We earned it.

 

[TJAnonymous]

Have you planted any of the holy basil seeds? I'm going to be having a bunch of it.

I didn't yet... I am planning to sow them in the spring garden though! I'm very excited to see if it does well.

 

[dirkandlorie]

SSaw the bitter melon seeds on baker creek. Don't remember the cost, sorry.

I am looking for a place to buy single seed packs without getting killed by shipping costs. Specifically, I am looking for Bitter Melon [Ampalaya] seeds, an Asian cucumber, which I cannot find locally. I found the Bitter Melon seeds on Amazon for $8.45 for 25 seeds, but before I order, I wanted to ask if there are other online places that people here prefer.

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[dirkandlorie]

Allow me to rephrase: I can get three of the colored lights for the price of a white light. But if they don’t work, it’s wasted money.

I have 2 4 foot grow lights, one is a shop light with enough lumens to work as a grow light, the other a fancy multi color full spectrum grow light. I see no difference in the growth of my seedlings regardless of which light they're under.

 

[Sally PB]

I like the Japanese method of sealing the wood by burning. It’s really easy and is effective at sealing the wood to protect it from decaying. Your wood should not catch fire as long as you go over it lightly with the blow torch and keep it moving.

If you get good with this technique, you can use it to "sterilize" the inside of your coop if you ever get mites. I've never done it, but another member has.

Btw, in case anyone needs to know, wood ash is AMAZING at cleaning your glass stove top.

Oh, wow! I'll finally be able to clean the inside surface of the glass from of the wood stove!

 

[akroberts1085]

I didn't yet... I am planning to sow them in the spring garden though! I'm very excited to see if it does well.

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They did good for @Nym. I bought a chemistry set to see if I can possibly extract the essential oil from the holy basil and use it in tea. I hope they do good for you.

 

[Nym]

Btw, in case anyone needs to know, wood ash is AMAZING at cleaning your glass stove top. We have used it for years to clean the soot and residue build up on the glass front of our fireplace insert, but it never dawned on me until today to use it for the glass stove top. Much cheaper and works FAR BETTER than any commercial product.

On a gardening video about using ash in the garden, the comments sections was taken over by ppl sharing all their household uses for wood ash. You can also clean rusted metal and SS cutlery with it. i wish I could remember more uses.

I use it to cover the dog's collection bucket to prevent flies.
It reduces odors and can also be used in the house to absorb moisture and damp.
Applying it to driveway seams / cracks will kill weeds - broom in into cracks while it's still quite warm.
Snails and slugs don't like it (when dry at least).

 

[Nym]

Heading for 28C / 82F here today. I've already watered, pruned the catnip back, collected a large agapanthus seed head, bathed one dog after he rolled on a deceased rat. Hmm, I might cover him in ash - the rat, not the dog lol

 

[LaurenRitz]

Heading for 28C / 82F here today. I've already watered, pruned the catnip back, collected a large agapanthus seed head, bathed one dog after he rolled on a deceased rat. Hmm, I might cover him in ash - the rat, not the dog lol

Wouldn't hurt to do the dog as well.