What did you do in the garden today?

[Smokerbill]

Looks like I'll have my first decent cabbages this year after 3 years of trying.



I chopped down the chive clump in the back a month ago and it's got something edible growing out of it now. I trimmed of the other chive clumps yesterday.


Dill is getting ready to bloom, but the timing's off, because my pickling cucumbers are just forming their first true leaves. Do I freeze the dill or dry it to make pickles with later? Not sure what to do.

 

[Smokerbill]

The first picture is a Roma tomato that I started by direct seeding in the garden. The second pic is of 6 Roma plants I started indoors a couple months ago. Waiting to see how they compare. The direct seeded plant is about half the size of the ones I started indoors.

 

[Molpet]

The first picture is a Roma tomato that I started by direct seeding in the garden. The second pic is of 6 Roma plants I started indoors a couple months ago. Waiting to see how they compare. The direct seeded plant is about half the size of the ones I started indoors.

View attachment 4149769View attachment 4149768

For me, when the transplants are about done the volunteers are producing.

 

[TJAnonymous]

I made a simple syrup with the peaches I picked this weekend. With the leftover mashed pulp, I decided to try the fruit leather again. This time it finished in about 6 hrs instead of 16+. It also tastes WAY better but then, given the addition of the cane sugar for the syrup, that's no big surprise... I'd like to go pick more peaches today, but waiting til later this evening when it's cooler. It's raining, humid, hot, and can't decide whether to be sunny or cloudy. Still 90 degrees though. Yuck.... Everything is battling fungus now but it won't stop raining long enough to spray for it.

 

[Smokerbill]

For me, when the transplants are about done the volunteers are producing.

I guess that's kind of what happened last year with the single volunteer tomato I let grow. The plant grew big and fast but it produced later. And that would be good, because all the determinate tomatoes wouldn't be ready at the same time.

 

[Rick589]

Today was weeding two of my beds, about 1000 sq.ft., by myself. Pulled more peas, blackberries, and raspberries and processed those. Managed to catch my broody hen taking a break and raced to snag the eggs for candling, candled and returned before she had a chance to complain - although she did fluff herself up while out in the yard when I was doing the deed. Got to see blood vessels so it looks like I’m going to be, hopefully, adding to the flock with no effort on my part.

 

[Rick589]

The Blue Lake pole beans I planted last week are starting to break ground too. The beans I planted right next to the onions and shallots. I hope their companionship works out ok. LOL

That weed tea fertilizer I have rotting in the bucket sure stinks. My fingers still smell after washing several times. And the garden stinks when the wind blows the wrong way.

I side dressed the zucchinis and cucumbers this afternoon with Espoma organic fertilzer granules. That stuff stinks too...

The radishes were past their prime so the grandkids pulled them all up from their little gardens and fed them to the chickens.

And I have a lot of that red Russian kale to process sometime this week. I might try pressure canning this batch.

Ok, I give. What is this weed tea concotion?

 

[Rick589]

UGH OH, and they tax at 100% valuation.

Geez, somehow this doesn’t compute with me. For no particular reason I’ve just never associated Nebraska with this type of taxation. I don’t know maybe its the Breadbasket, Norman Rockwell image I’ve always had of Nebraska. Well color me obtuse.

 

[Smokerbill]

Ok, I give. What is this weed tea concotion?

I take a 5 gallon bucket and fill it with weeds or even some grass clippings. Deep rooted weeds like dandelions are supposed to be better because the plants pull up nutrients from deep underground that are depleted closer to the surface. Fill it with water and let it ferment, the longer the better. I started my bucket several months ago.

For me the mess starts bubbling after a few days, sometimes so much that it tries to push the weeds out of the top of the bucket. Strain some out and mix it one part tea to 10 parts water, more or less, and pour it around your garden plants. I usually water it in after the fertilizer has had a chance to soak in a little.

The theory is that the fermenting weeds release minerals, nutrients and nitrogen into the water. Whether or not it's true or really works, I couldn't say for sure, but I believe the theory of it is sound.

And if it works, it's free organic fertilizer! Can't beat that. I'm pretty sure it helps my plants.

 

[Rick589]

I take a 5 gallon bucket and fill it with weeds or even some grass clippings. Deep rooted weeds like dandelions are supposed to be better because the plants pull up nutrients from deep underground that are depleted closer to the surface. Fill it with water and let it ferment, the longer the better. I started my bucket several months ago.

For me the mess starts bubbling after a few days, sometimes so much that it tries to push the weeds out of the top of the bucket. Strain some out and mix it one part tea to 10 parts water, more or less, and pour it around your garden plants. I usually water it in after the fertilizer has had a chance to soak in a little.

The theory is that the fermenting weeds release minerals, nutrients and nitrogen into the water. Whether or not it's true or really works, I couldn't say for sure, but I believe the theory of it is sound.

And if it works, it's free organic fertilizer! Can't beat that. I'm pretty sure it helps my plants.

Thank You. With the amount of weeds I have this sounds as though its something I should try.