Your 2024 Garden

[NanaK]

Yesterday I planted seeds for watermelon, canteloupe, pie pumpkins, butternut squash, sunflowers and zinnias. Planted a few marigolds in with the melons to stand guard on the root knot nematode invasion.

I had a helper yesterday. My favorite pea picker!

He helped me pick these.

 

[Sally PB]

I need more and bigger pots. I split up a couple of "two-fers" that were in a pot into two pots. Oh, my! They had some good roots on them, that's for sure. Good sign of how they're all doing, I hope!

 

[tripletfeb]

Got my rhubarb, different sunflowers, and echinecea planted

 

[LTAY1946]

I'm trying to make it rain by pumping water on the sweet corn. It is over 90's here now and dry.

 

[LTAY1946]

Rain appearing now in the forecast but that will not be felt by the plants here unless it does rain here and not 10 miles away. I'm turning the pump back on and going to finish the corn patch and then the onion bed. Need to till some sprouted new weeds under and plant a lot of beans and other warm weather vegetables today. If it rains I'll be most thankful when it does.

 

[LTAY1946]

After watering sweet corn last night I found the first tassels in the patch this morning. I planted 8 feet of 4 rows to Early Sunglow so we could have some early ears for table use. Another day or two we should see silks start to come out. I saw one what looks like an army worm today. I thought it was very early for them. Two years ago late in the season they stripped a lot of okra. Leaves and the pods... That will not happen this year. The same stuff used in chicken coops for mites and lice with kill them too. Same active ingredient. Some peppers are blooming and a few tomatoes are showing opening blooms. I'm going to put a few fast release calcium pellets around every plant before it rains again. Sweet potatoes are growing and will soon have short vines spreading. I really want to get more green beans planted today along with the okra.

 

[LTAY1946]

I got a lot of tilling done today but nothing planted. Not going to plant in a seedbed that is not good enough. To much plant residue still that interferes with the planter and seed placement. If we double time it tomorrow we should get all the planting done before a potential stormy wet week.

 

[LTAY1946]

My French hens (Bresse) are helping dig the Irish potatoes. The plants are tall and well bedded up and the hens to like to get in them in their shade to dust bathe and nap a little. I'm going to dig them after this next rain as some are starting to die off now. I want small to medium sized ones for using with green beans and a smoked ham hock.

 

[fuzzi]

My French hens (Bresse) are helping dig the Irish potatoes. The plants are tall and well bedded up and the hens to like to get in them in their shade to dust bathe and nap a little. I'm going to dig them after this next rain as some are starting to die off now. I want small to medium sized ones for using with green beans and a smoked ham hock.

Helpers in the garden!

Last night I wrapped and staked my Summer squash.

First I cut back the outer leaves, careful to not cut the main stalk/vine.

Then I dug away some of the dirt at the base and laid barrier fabric or cloth around the main stem. I wound it around the stalk so there were no gaps, but not tight.

I then secured the wrap. I used masking tape but last year I used electrical tape as I had several rolls on hand.

After the wrap was secure I covered the base of the plant with a little dirt, to cover the wrap.

Finally I attached the squash to the stake with more of the wrap, crossing it ("figure 8") between the plant and the stake. The photo below shows it pretty well

As the squash grows I will cut excess leaves and continue to wrap it to at least 12" from the ground. It really helped deter squash vine borers last year, was great to have more than a couple Summer squash fruits before the plants wilted.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Bought some plants, and going to start seeds again some time this week (probably monday)Monday. Earlier seeds from March didn't work out.