What have you done for garden prep so far?

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Maverick said:
For nothing better to do, I ask Lisa are earthworms native here, she said no, modern day earthworms where brought over by the Europeans.

I had no clue *sigh
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That makes sense too. I guess it won't hurt to buy a bunch of worms and turn them loose. I think I'll start by buying some today and go fishing, after I work on the tractor some more. Any that survive the trip will be set free in the garden area.
 
Hmm...I looked it up. It's a lot more complicated situation than you can imagine. There are earthworms native to North America, but in the northern climes (between 45° and 60° latitude) , native earthworms were wiped out by the "Wisconsin glaciation" in the last Ice Age which stripped the soil down to bedrock, taking the earthworms with it.

Much of the vegetation in the north adapted to slowly decaying organic matter. Some of the invasive earthworms were introduced in the 1700s, but many of the invasive earthworms are actually escaped bait worms, and as such are still being introduced. As earthworms spread north they accelerate the decomposition of organic matter, altering the makeup of the topsoil, causing native plants to die out in places.

Down South, earthworms have been part of the scene all along, so we are not as susceptible to the invasive species.
 
DrHenley said:
Hmm...I looked it up. It's a lot more complicated situation than you can imagine. There are earthworms native to North America, but in the northern climes (between 45° and 60° latitude) , native earthworms were wiped out by the "Wisconsin glaciation" in the last Ice Age which stripped the soil down to bedrock, taking the earthworms with it.

Much of the vegetation in the north adapted to slowly decaying organic matter. Some of the invasive earthworms were introduced in the 1700s, but many of the invasive earthworms are actually escaped bait worms, and as such are still being introduced. As earthworms spread north they accelerate the decomposition of organic matter, altering the makeup of the topsoil, causing native plants to die out in places.

Down South, earthworms have been part of the scene all along, so we are not as susceptible to the invasive species.
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That's similar to what the wife was saying but more technical using words I couldn't pronounce much less spell so I shortened her explanation which is generally what I do with her :-/
 
I gave up on the peppers and chillies today. They haven't moved since I pricked them out and when I tipped out the pots, there was practically no root system on them at all, I don't know what happened there.
I sowed some more Basil(the slugs got the last sowing) and Dill today as well as beans. The greenhouse is filling up.
Brussels, purple sprouting broccoli and kale are all up, I'm just waiting for the celeriac and leeks to show.
 
I've been hilling up my corn. I do have to replant a few as it seems that something got in and help themselves to it, but my dog that normally likes to stay out at night has been wanting to come in now that the weather is getting warmer out. She is my Anita, so has thick hair and doesn't care for the heat. There is whole in the fencing that needs repaired so that is probably where it got in last night. I made the mistake of planting horseradish in my garden a few years back and not containering it. Hunny took his tractor with the tiller and tilled the whole thing up not realizing after the season was done. This was when I wasn't keeping it going all year long. Anyway, he spread all those roots around and now I too am battling it. It is popping up where I planted my tomato plants, but I just take a hand shovel and dig as much of it out as I can. It's a pain in the rear, but I do love the stuff It doesn't ever seem to hurt the other plants around it so that's OK by me. In fact, I really think it helps keep the bugs away too, but that is just me.
 
Danil54grl said:
Always something around a homestead to do. Even when wet, or in your case snow, there's something else to do. . . keeps us young, right?
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That's right, I guess. My list of things to do is a mile long. On days like this I can work in the barn. But I am starting to get a little tired of being cold and wet and knee deep in mud.
 
Arcticdude said:
I was just thinking; if all this work keeps us young then I must be 18 by now.
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I just might live forever! On the same line here of two many projects going, I had a really great day. I actually completed sevreal things on my list. Even got the oil changed on one of the work trucks. Some days everything you touch goes to s--t, today was one of those smooth days.
 
Brent S said:
I just might live forever! On the same line here of two many projects going, I had a really great day. I actually completed sevreal things on my list. Even got the oil changed on one of the work trucks. Some days everything you touch goes to s--t, today was one of those smooth days.
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Today started out kind of crappy for me, cold and raining. So I decided to go to town and get fuel for the generators. On my way home the clouds broke enough to see the mountains where the ranch is located all covered in new snow. After lunch I decided to finish the pig feeder and a build a wooden deck for their water trough. Around 4.00 it quit snowing and the sun came out. Got the feeder and deck installed in the pig pen. Even though I was cold and wet, and the bog where the tractor is filled with water, I still got something accomplished today. Speaking of oil changes, I have two generators that need their oil changed. That will be on the top of my list tomorrow.
 
Arcticdude said:
Today started out kind of crappy for me, cold and raining. So I decided to go to town and get fuel for the generators. On my way home the clouds broke enough to see the mountains where the ranch is located all covered in new snow. After lunch I decided to finish the pig feeder and a build a wooden deck for their water trough. Around 4.00 it quit snowing and the sun came out. Got the feeder and deck installed in the pig pen. Even though I was cold and wet, and the bog where the tractor is filled with water, I still got something accomplished today. Speaking of oil changes, I have two generators that need their oil changed. That will be on the top of my list tomorrow.
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I normally do all the oil changes over winter, but didn't get to it this time. I still have two generators, two lawn mowers, and now the tractor I just got which needs a thorough 'everything' serviced. Just keep getting younger.....
 
Brent S said:
I normally do all the oil changes over winter, but didn't get to it this time. I still have two generators, two lawn mowers, and now the tractor I just got which needs a thorough 'everything' serviced. Just keep getting younger.....
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Heehee, they say you reach your second childhood as you age, now we know how!
 
grayghost668 said:
I had a lot of rain last night,I may be able to put out the last of my potatoes if the rain will just stop
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We are getting loads of rain here too. It's getting so hot allready that at least it helps cool it down some. The grass is loving it, as it allready need to be mowed again after a week! One note on potatoes, they need consistent watering, but not too much. Mine are on a hill so most of the water runs off and they do really well. If I planted them on the level area at the bottom they would stay too wet and the potatoes rot.
 
I had a rough night waking at 12:30 with a headache. . . wasn't sure how much I was going to get accomplished but knew it needed done and yesterday I wasn't home too do much cause, I I so needed my Nana time!! Was able to pick sweet peas, green beans, hilled up rows and planted a little over 300 corn, harvested some more dill seeds and added some sand and tilled up a couple more rows. I did plant some bush cucumber s. Not sure how they will produce. Tried them last year, but not much other than beans grew last year. So far its been a good year, just hope it holds out. Did have to seven dust my newer beans today. When I walked this morning I noticed a cut worm had gotten a few. I normally don't like to use the stuff, but I'm getting to old to stay up half the night looking for the turkey to come out. Some days I really wish I could just stay in bed, but if I don't do it, it won't get done. I got responsibilities just like hunny has his to do.
 
Danil54grl said:
I had a rough night waking at 12:30 with a headache. . . wasn't sure how much I was going to get accomplished but knew it needed done and yesterday I wasn't home too do much cause, I I so needed my Nana time!! Was able to pick sweet peas, green beans, hilled up rows and planted a little over 300 corn, harvested some more dill seeds and added some sand and tilled up a couple more rows. I did plant some bush cucumber s. Not sure how they will produce. Tried them last year, but not much other than beans grew last year. So far its been a good year, just hope it holds out. Did have to seven dust my newer beans today. When I walked this morning I noticed a cut worm had gotten a few. I normally don't like to use the stuff, but I'm getting to old to stay up half the night looking for the turkey to come out. Some days I really wish I could just stay in bed, but if I don't do it, it won't get done. I got responsibilities just like hunny has his to do.
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One way I look at it is the world will keep spinning with or without us. Most of my life I would have been guilt ridden for taking a day off and being a total bum. Now, at 54, I figure I've earned a rest occasionally. :)
 
As well as the allotment, I have a little experiment going on at the house. hile we're in rented accommodation we can't really dig up the garden and plant fruit and veg, so I got some planters made out of tarp fabric and sowed some spinach, mangetout peas and a salad selection in them. Will update with some pics once there's something to see.:)
 
I had a really unproductive weekend, but got some much needed rest. I made up for some of it today. I transplanted some tomato plants and cucumbers from the greenhouse, hilled some potatoes, weeded most of the gardens, tilled a new area and planted more peanuts, fertilized most of the gardens, weedeated a bunch of areas and watered the greenhouse. It felt pretty good to get dirty and get stuff done, even if my arms are still vibrating from the tiller. One thing I learned today, is when to transplant things. On a hot sunny day most transplants wilt and get shocked when setting them out initially. Today was overcast and cool, and the plants didn't seem to suffer at all. One of these days I hope to consider myself a gardner, but right now I'm still just a novice. :)
 
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