What did you do in the garden today?

[Rick589]

I plant all of the hardneck cloves when I have them. I've only gotten small heads due to our climate. Soft neck varieties do wayyyyy better here. I only plant the biggest cloves and every year the harvest is better than the last.

A few years ago I went to the grocery store for garlic and the only fresh garlic that was available was imported from China. I was so mad. I live an hour away from huge garlic growers.... But I couldn't buy California or any US grown garlic.... That day I learned all about growing my own garlic. I haven't bought garlic in three years. I will keep growing garlic.

Unfortunately for us this years harvest was less than last year, not sure why. Once we harvest we’ll separate out for the fall planting the largest bulbs(cloves) just like you. The largest cloves definitely produced better bulbs, although not always. Of course I lose tract of what size clove was planted where almost immediately so….you know…..there’s that. Our whole plan, really my plan, my retirement hobby is to see how far removed I can get from the grocery store.
I never would have thought that garlic, of all things, would be imported from China. So, why couldn’t you buy the local garlic?

 

[Rick589]

I’ve picked a few tomatoes and that’s about it. These stupid chipmunks are such big nuisances. They are constantly digging up seedlings. I also noticed that my two biggest tomato plants are starting to get what looks to be blight

BB’s, pellets, or bullets.

 

[Molpet]

Those were growing in my grandma's yard when I was a kid and she called them Naked Ladies. My mom thought that was an inappropriate name so she called them Surprise Lilies.

Resurrection lilies here

 

[dirkandlorie]

Powdering all the dried herbs I've been collecting for the chickens nesting box mix. Lot of different things in there, but such a high proportion of lavender and mint that my house smells amazing right now!

 

[OnlySympathy]

I found this yesterday

 

[akroberts1085]

I have naked lady lillies in my yard. They're so pretty. Even though the plant that comes up before them is so strange it's hard to believe that they are going to turn into such a beautiful flower.

 

[OnlySympathy]

BB’s, pellets, or bullets.

I’ve shot around 10 this year. related to that I also found out chickens really really really like the taste of lead so my killings of them have been halted. My dad got some lead free stuff though so if this continues their luck has run out

 

[Rick589]

I’ve shot around 10 this year. related to that I also found out chickens really really really like the taste of lead so my killings of them have been halted. My dad got some lead free stuff though so if this continues their luck has run out View attachment 4191836

Interesting. I wonder if this is the case in general.

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

I’m still worn out from yesterday so I’m taking it a bit easy today. I picked yet another handful of peas this morning and a whopping 1 1/2 pounds of green beans. Yesterday I processed 2 pounds of green beans then put them in the freezer. I gave DD 1 1/2 pounds of freshly picked beans, 1/2 pound of peas and some fresh shallots. I only kept 1/2 pound of green beans not expecting to pick so many this morning. So right now I have 2 pounds of fresh beans in the fridge. I have 3 pounds in the freezer and I’ll likely add another 2 pounds tomorrow. I’m trying to muster the energy to start mowing the backyard. The air quality has improved a lot. Yesterday afternoon the ac unit in my sunroom died. Fortunately the temps are really hot. I swapped out the unit from my bedroom to put in the sunroom. I haven’t needed the ac in the bedroom for a few days because it’s been cooling down nicely at bedtime. There’s another ac unit on it’s way to me for delivery tomorrow. It’s all good. Are those red kidney beans @OnlySympathy? I’ve never tried growing those. I tried growing pinto beans last year but they didn’t do well at all. I got just over an 8 ounce cup from a 16 foot row. Wah!

 

[TJAnonymous]

I

I'm so sorry.

So you store your garlic as bulbs? I break them apart into cloves. I've been told that that's why they don't store as well. (Hardneck, Music variety.)

My reason for breaking them up is to separate out the biggest ones for planting, and find any that have any issues.

This year, I chose 12 bulbs that didn't have any huge cloves, and will store them whole to see if they last longer.

I'm going to mince and freeze a lot of garlic this year. I should have done that last year, but didn't.

I found some cloves I forgot I'd harvested from 2 or 3 years ago. They were kept inside, hanging as a braid by my laundry room. Some are still good! Even after so much time. Some, however, just turned to dust. My point is that the factors that go into longevity in storage might be more complicated than we expect.

I have about 15 - 20 bulbs of the Music variety that I harvested about a month ago. They've been hanging to cure in a darkened spare bedroom This is my first time storing this variety. I've always just planted store bought cloves previously.