Garden 2022

[UrbanHunter]

Haven't seen earwigs here, but roly polys are the devil. And those cute white butterflies flying around my cabbage, kale, brussel sprouts.....

OH!!! Those white butterflies are of the devil, they are so cute and they lay those eggs for the little green caterpillars that love Cabbage, Broccoli, and any other tender plant that I like.... Shoot um, swat um, kill um....... I HATE THEM... They are the reason I have a walk-in section of my garden surrounded by bug netting....

And the earwigs are just a bad they will eat at the base of the plants (the like lettuce and celery) and get into the inner working... BAD

And don't get me started on slugs.... yuck

Well, you woke me up....

 

[Amish Heart]

i have one of those tennis racket looking bug zappers. I try to get little granddaughter out there to play tennis with those little white butterflies.

 

[UrbanHunter]

This morning I am off (more than usual, starting a 4 day weekend) and I paid a visit to Home Depot for gardening supplies, some containers so I can keep my "extra" tomatoes per the wife's request.

While I was there I saw the cutest little tomato plants, they are some type of dwarf cherry tomato, and they were on close out, got 2 for the growing station.

I bought 1 red bell pepper plant to replace one of mine that died, when I went to plant it I noticed that the seeds I planted next to the dead plant came up, so I had to scrounge another container for the replacement plant. It's okay, the wife likes Bell Pepper

I am thinking of setting up an experimental group of bottom watering plants with a water reserve container so I can monitor the water levels in all the containers in the chain, don't know what I want to plant I have 3 - 12"X36" rectangle containers that I can use. I just don't know what I would grow in them, something valuable and water sensitive would be my guess, I just can't name that tune right now.

As a side note my wife is having trouble getting small self watering pots for her African violets, I don't care for them but I try to supportive. Anyway back to my thought If I take my 1/4" drip irrigation lines and run 1 to the bottom of each of her sealed glazed pots and put all the other ends into a single quart canning jar she can water all her plants from 1 location and can check the water by just looking at the quart jar. Imagine that, she could water a whole shelf of plants from 1 end.... What could possibly go wrong?

Well the sweat on my back is dry so it must be time to put on my rubber gloves and play....

 

[Neb]

Since was in the garden I rook this picture of the red potatoes in bloom.

And half of the garden.

Ben

 

[UrbanHunter]

It is so warm outside and a dry wind blowing, not good for the plants, they all look like they just lost a beauty contest.

 

[Amish Heart]

Ha! That's how ours have been looking. Did put 4 banana peppers in the ground today. Picked a small bowl of blackberries, and a couple of quarts of green beans

 

[Bacpacker]

Harvested elderberry blooms off 2 plants. Already got them in vodka working on a tincture

 

[UrbanHunter]

I got some weeds pulled and then trimmed the hedge, it was only about 8" too high, but it was time. The plants were really beat down with that dry 95F wind that blew all day. I ended up planting some squash and okra this evening but I ran out of light. I think I will give them all an extra drink in the morning. I wanted to mow the lawn but it was too hot. I did edge with the string trimmer, but the mower will have to wait till tomorrow. We are expecting it to be in the 70s tomorrow so time to get some stuff done.

 

[Tommyice]

Didn’t get to go near my garden at all today. This mornings weather was crappy, then work, then took dad to the steak dinner it was a fundraiser for a scholarship.

Tomorrow will be going to Lowe’s to pick up some lumber. Dad‘s gonna build a deck for under the greenhouse. So many leaves and that get under the edges of it He thought a wooden deck would be helpful. Of course it doesn’t come without strings attached. I have to paint a small half bathroom.

 

[UrbanHunter]

Today went well, I got the lawn done, got some green (grass clippings) to line the bottom of my containers. Did a lot of weeding, worked on adding irrigation lines to the new containers. The okra I planted yesterday has really perked up. While I was checking things I realized I didn't have irrigation going to my chives and they looked neglected. So I hooked them up to the system, part way through I realized that there are 2 tomato plants growing in there. I'm finding more tomatoes growing in odd places than I actually planted this year.

 

[Amish Heart]

I've found three volunteer tomatoes growing in weird places. One volunteer sunflower. And a volunteer patty pan squash plant that is now huge and producing. I view them as treasures.

 

[snappy1]

My garden is still producing, but having to water at least once a day and same for the next week of no rain.
I did spot a couple of eggplants yesterday. No melons of any type yet.

 

[Smalltimefarmer]

I have bags of outdated flour. Does it serve any purpose if dusted around the base or maybe on leaves of plants?

 

[Amish Heart]

I don't know. But I've used five yr old flour before and it was fine.

 

[ClemKadiddlehopper]

I am using flour from 2014 and its working and tasting just fine. Have you tried using your flour before deciding to ditch it?

 

[Amish Heart]

Oh, but self rising flour (bread flour) you may need to add baking powder to

 

[Tommyice]

I don’t know about using flour but I have used corn meal dusted on brassica plants to help those little green worms bust a gut.

 

[Tank-Girl]

I got a burst of energy yesterday and so I moved the chickens AND the ducks..<--funny story about THAT!.
The RSPCA was suppose to come and steal them and rehouse them for my own good and yet never turned up!
We had had a lot of rain and the pen was a state as you can expect for duck pen.
Looks like not getting their uniforms dirty was more important than stealing poultry from a cancer sufferer.
So...they're still here!
I washed out their plastic pool and another water bowl and moved it and filled it in the new location.

I'm waiting for the pen to dry out completely because both of my hydroponic systems are in that pen and they're both filthy.
I want to move both of them to the other side of the house onto a patch of concrete that gets more sun.
The citrus trees have grown a lot and have shaded that part of the yard.
It's good for poultry esp in summer....not so great for the things I want to grow.

I'm sore on my left hip. I'm choosing to believe it's muscle strain.

 

[LadyLocust]

I have a itty bitty baby delicata squash growing I'm still at war with the earwigs. They are monsters!
I pulled a wheelbarrow full of weeds today. It was finally nice enough to be outside for a little while.

 

[Pearl]

I got a burst of energy yesterday and so I moved the chickens AND the ducks..<--funny story about THAT!.
The RSPCA was suppose to come and steal them and rehouse them for my own good and yet never turned up!
We had had a lot of rain and the pen was a state as you can expect for duck pen.
Looks like not getting their uniforms dirty was more important than stealing poultry from a cancer sufferer.
So...they're still here!
I washed out their plastic pool and another water bowl and moved it and filled it in the new location.

I'm waiting for the pen to dry out completely because both of my hydroponic systems are in that pen and they're both filthy.
I want to move both of them to the other side of the house onto a patch of concrete that gets more sun.
The citrus trees have grown a lot and have shaded that part of the yard.
It's good for poultry esp in summer....not so great for the things I want to grow.

I'm sore on my left hip. I'm choosing to believe it's muscle strain.

Things may be turning in the right direction!!

 

[UrbanHunter]

Today I picked up a double female hose fitting, now I can easily fill my water barrels from city water if needed for short term emergencies. I decided to pickup 2 cucumber plants while at the Home place, when I got home I realized that each container had 6 or so plants in it, so I am going to have to find homes for about a dozen cucumber plants.

I have a lot of old wire tomato cages but they don't work well for container gardening because when the wind blows the plant and cage lift out of the container. I hate to waste anything so I am taking 2, lacing the small ends together and cutting the large end on the cage that will go in to the container, now there will be a ring at the bottom of the container with all the weight of the soil in the container pushing down on it. I plan to make 6 of these and see how they work this year.

Well breakfast is over and I only plan to work till about 15:00 so I can get out the "in-person" work clothes and get everything ready for going to the BIG city for meetings with 800 of my closest friends tomorrow. Talk about a super spreader event, 3 hours on mass transit, 10 hours of meetings in crowded halls for the next 3 days.... Oops, that was a rant in the wrong thread. I'm going back outside to work in my garden where the dirt is clean.....

 

[Pearl]

Today I picked up a double female hose fitting, now I can easily fill my water barrels from city water if needed for short term emergencies. I decided to pickup 2 cucumber plants while at the Home place, when I got home I realized that each container had 6 or so plants in it, so I am going to have to find homes for about a dozen cucumber plants.

I have a lot of old wire tomato cages but they don't work well for container gardening because when the wind blows the plant and cage lift out of the container. I hate to waste anything so I am taking 2, lacing the small ends together and cutting the large end on the cage that will go in to the container, now there will be a ring at the bottom of the container with all the weight of the soil in the container pushing down on it. I plan to make 6 of these and see how they work this year.

Well breakfast is over and I only plan to work till about 15:00 so I can get out the "in-person" work clothes and get everything ready for going to the BIG city for meetings with 800 of my closest friends tomorrow. Talk about a super spreader event, 3 hours on mass transit, 10 hours of meetings in crowded halls for the next 3 days.... Oops, that was a rant in the wrong thread. I'm going back outside to work in my garden where the dirt is clean.....

Sounds like its own super spreader event!!

 

[elkhound]

red fingerlings died all of a sudden. so i pulled up row in little garden. they only grew 60 days or so. should be 90-100..failed in my book

broccoli and collards. i cut collards back to stem and they still trying to produce even in high temps and humidity.

about to get big gardens taters all weeds pulled and then hilled.

 

[LadyLocust]

I thought I'd share - if I have already sometime in the past, forgive me please.
You know those little mesh gift bags they hand out at weddings and such? I think they have them at the $ store. They have a draw string like old tobacco pouches. Anyhoo, those are really handy for saving seeds. I don't always get to them quickly enough or think "Oh 1 more day." I put one of those bags over the end of the plant and secure it with the draw strings so it holds the seeds inside.

 

[Amish Heart]

Good idea Lady L.
We got a lot of weeding done today, have a few more patches to tackle tomorrow morning. Put three more tomato plants in the ground, and got two big tubs ready to plant peppers in tomorrow. Still have a dozen or so large pepper plants in the greenhouse and same for tomatoes.

 

[joel]

red fingerlings died all of a sudden. so i pulled up row in little garden. they only grew 60 days or so. should be 90-100..failed in my book

View attachment 88382

broccoli and collards. i cut collards back to stem and they still trying to produce even in high temps and humidity.

View attachment 88383

about to get big gardens taters all weeds pulled and then hilled.

View attachment 88384

You sure you have enough white potatoes?

 

[elkhound]

You sure you have enough white potatoes?

actually no...lol....last years crop i started harvesting on july 23rd..they lasted until april 1st roughly. so i didnt get a full year out of it in goal to be self sustaining feeding 3 people. plus i gave away a bushel to bushel and half. plus some vole damage i used to plant part of what you see. theres a clear difference in seed potato parts vs. my own. i had to replant 25-30 hills in far right row. but they are really coming out extra nice so they might make up for it. but the part i dont like is potatoes stop making taters above 80f..or rather slow down..per commercial potato farmers and its going into drier weather too. but i have hope.

theres a 20ft section or so of red fingerlings that all vines are on way out,dried up leaves and falling over.thats going to hurt production per foot.this probably be last year i grow fingerlings.this had/has potential to be as much as 13 bushels. last year was 10 bushels. only time will tell. one reason too is you cant buy kennebec potatoes in my are to eat. its just not a thing.my uncle found some once but they only had a few bushel. they bring top price because they are considered a gourmet potato.

 

[Ozarks hillbilly]

Been on vacation for about 16 days. We had some family check on chickens and garden. Everything looked small in the raised beds but moving along. Holy cow! Came back to corn about 4' tall with green beans and peas going everywhere. Tomatoes, lettuce and spinach ready to eat. Cucumbers, squash, zucchini, and okra is trying to take over everything. Feeling pumped for the harvest. Only my second year trying this, but I'm excited about what this garden will do this year!

 

[joel]

We plant white potatoes around Feb.14, to get wet/cool weather for max growth. I understand a lot of soil is rock hard in Feb., but not here.
Do you dig them with a shovel or turn them with a plow?

 

[LadyLocust]

Okay, I'm hopeless. So in addition to 2 zukes, today I got 4 more pepper plants, a Greek oregano, and a tri-colored sage that I'm pretty excited about. I've been planting radishes in rotation and have 4 different varieties. So far I like the white radishes best. They are mild and have a good crispness to them. The party radishes will be next and I've not yet tried those.
We had planted quite a few peppers for Hubby, but he doesn't like to put compost in the soil so some are doing better than others. I'm thinking of sneaking some in next to the plants to see if they pick up. The 4 I got today, I put in a different spot and worked compost into the soil before I planted. Will see how they do. Tomorrow my goal is earwig traps!