Weekly Garden Thread - October 28-November 3, 2023 [First Frost Edition]

October 28, 2023 | Diana in WI/Greeneyes in Memoriam

[Pollard]

As long as your lettuce/spinach doesn't suddenly think it's warmer and bolt on you, I would think they'd come right back.

I got two last black cherry maters yesterday. There were two Chadwick Cherries but they were mega split from the rain and I'm sick of those anyway.

Did not get the lettuce/mustard/arugala covered up with plastic because it was cold and raining. It's 30 degrees right now but was 32 at 5am. They should be fine and I'll get them covered today for the next couple of 20 degree nights.

I've got Bok Choy(cabbage) and other Asian greens I still want to plant. All were chosen for being cold hardy. I'm not growing a lot. A couple of each variety and in a few weeks, another couple of each for a succession. I work tomorrow and Wed and Thurs will be back in the high 50s with lows in the mid to high 40s so I'll get them planted then.

Never know around here. We might not see another frost for a month or even more.

Mid to high 60s for highs this coming weekend. It's my Sat/Sun/Mon work schedule but I might take a PTO day Monday if sunny in the 60s and work like a banshee on those tunnel frames.

---

Speaking of which(you knew it was coming)

I decided to go with the linear actuators over the gearmotors/drums/cable/pulleys/springs/bearings/shafts. The cable on drum way is a lot more work and would be something I'd have to do a lot of tweaking to get right and then watch over it forever. That and the DC gearmotor is a surplus item that would probably not be available in several years when/if I need to replace one.

I had thought about getting four $150 actuators with four of their $100 controllers which would be $1,000 which is why I started thinking about gearmotors/drums/cable/pulleys/springs/bearings/shafts.

After reading tidbits in a few different pdf files(from two different websites) on the actuators, I figured out I can run them to any position with a $330 expansion module for the automation controller.

I had looked at this

Along with this three button - three position controller

The controller can be programmed to extend/retract the actuator to three different set positions. With the bits and pieces of info from three different pdf files, they give you enough info to control it with something other than their controllers and have as many preset positions as you want.

This was one bit of info I needed

0-600 ohms fully retracted and 8k - 10k fully extended. Half way between, would be 4-5k or so.

Another tidbit from a different pdf. The expansion module has a 5vdc reference voltage output which would be the "5vdc Excitation" below.

Install two brackets and they mount with two pins.

Aside from the cost of 4 actuators plus 4 controllers, the actuator only has a 12" stroke and I couldn't figure out a way to open/close a 36" drop down side with them but I went back to the drawing board and added a triangular framework to the bottom frame of the bi-fold drop down assembly.

The red thing on the left is the actuator. The top of the top bi-fold frame rides in tracks

The actuators push/pull with 110 lbs of force but in the bottom pic, if they tried to extend, it would push the top of the top frame with more inwards force than upwards force. I'll have to have a cable running from the top of the top bi-fold frame, over a pulley with a weight on it like the old wooden sash windows. Tried and true and cable will last longer than the old cotton rope.(I still remember that clunk when the rope broke)

The counterweight can run up and down inside a piece of PVC pipe. I'm sure I can get some round steel stock from work for weights. The amount of weight will be about the same as whatever force it would take to stand up the top frame if it was laying on the ground.

With the counterweights on there, if an actuator locked up, I could remove it and work the drop down manually. Pretty sure I'll be able to go with full length sides as opposed to halving the length and having two drop downs per side like I had planned. Two actuators for $300 plus the $330 expansion module to run them and this will be way slicker and probably cheaper than all the bits and pieces added up.

I'll probably be the only person with gull wing doors on their tunnel.

[Qiviut]

I'm pulling leaf 'burritos', trying to beat the weather!

[Augie]

The weather was lovely here in Central Missouri this past week... until the weekend arrived and it turned to crap. Saturday night was Mrs. Augie’s annual holloweeny party and hayride... I guess Mother Nature was upset at not receiving an invitation so she threw a tantrum. It started raining not long after I’d finished setting up the hayride trailer so I put that in the barn to stay dry and we moved the party indoors. It rained all night Saturday, all day Sunday and most of the night. Woke up this morning to 28° and a bit of ice on the cars.

No complaints from me on the rainfall though. We got right at 2” for the weekend. If it did that every weekend for a month it might be enough to get us out of the drought we’ve been in.

This little cold snap will finish off the sweet bell peppers and the few tomatoes that came out of the blight when the weather cooled in September. I picked several nice Purple Cherokee tomatoes on Friday, and as things turned out, I should have picked the other half dozen that were about ready.

I’ll get back to the lawn and garden cleanup work this week. Most of the hoses have been drained and piled and are ready to move inside. Aeration diffuser in the pond needs to be moved from deep to shallow water for the winter. Tree bags need to be removed, cleaned/dried, and packed away. Need to mow the grass one more time and probably some other stuff I haven’t thought of.

[gloryblaze]

Looks like you have some wild strawberry weeds.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Is there anywhere that you leave fallen leaves on the ground on your property? Leaf matter is good overwintering shelter for a lot of Good Bugs and small critters and such.

Just curious. I rake sparingly because it’s always windy here and they mostly blow away, anyhow. I save some for the compost bins and some to use as insulation against the north side of the house that seems to help with keeping the kitchen tap from freezing up as much if we have a really cold, snow-less winter season.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

It’s only 35 degrees here today but sunny. It’s 80 degrees in the greenhouse. I spent some time before lunch cleaning it up and moving the things I still have growing to the south side so they get all the sun they possibly can. Doors are open, but I left the vents closed.

Heading back out now to dump some pots of things that are truly done for this season.

Time to start thinking about my winter Porch Pots that I build from materials on hand around the Manse. ;)

Snow predicted for tomorrow; not too unusual for snow on Halloween. The local kids did all the tricks-n-treats and costume parties this past weekend.

[Qiviut]

There’s plenty of spots that have leaf matter. I fill up my compost bin & the rest just gets chopped more and more as I mow - eventually disappears into the grass. I collect the maple leaves around our circular driveway - we also have elm, crape myrtle, gumball & eastern redbud to name a few of the trees whose leaves I do not collect.

There was not a single cloud in the sky today until 2:30 - 3:00. It was really warm in the sunshine. By the time I got to the last 2 loads (I think I did 8), I was dragging myself, not just the ‘burito’. Hauling those leaves is a total body workout - quads for sure, back/arms. My knees did ok so that was a pleasant surprise.

We’re currently at 84 (at 4:30) & the wind has really picked up - I was fighting the tarp a bit on the leaves under the last tree. The clouds are starting to come in ... not solid yet so still some sunshine. I am picking up all the tools I used constructing the bin and putting things away. Clyde has been cleaned off and is back on the battery charger. I have a couple of gorgeous spaghetti squash, will run a couple next door to my SIL - I’ll take a picture. I’m also picking Bell & Giant Marconis off the bushes ... Bells are sort of small this late in the season, but usable. The Marconis are huge!

A few dahlia blooms left, maybe a half dozen - saw a butterfly on one today. There are flocks of birds, mostly finches, in the remnants of the tithonia & zinnias, getting the last of those seeds. They’re hanging around the garden as well. We won’t be below freezing (I don’t think), but cold rain/wind will be a significant change.

I have a very small bird bath (in addition to two large ones) and the robins really like it. The water has been disappearing - have to fill it every day. Could they really be THAT thirsty? Then I saw a robin in the bath splashing around & having a great time - most of the water is getting splashed out. The crows use the big bath for bathing - they have been around all day, carrying on about something. A Great Horned Owl was hooting the other night - that might have them unsettled.

[Qiviut]

Spaghetti squash was a garden success the year- first time I've grown it.

[cherry]

we're having temps in the low 20's so the garden is pretty much done....I don't have a greenhouse, its technically just a hot house ....I had some green tomatoes on the vine ripening in there but even they froze....

we've taken all our winter squash into the garage for now....also my rosemary plant....

I've been busy harvesting my leeks, parsley and even some celery which btw grew beautifully....

with the leeks,I dehydrated some, and froze some, after blanching...same with celery...parsley I simply dried...dtr...who btw way after 15 yrs of marriage and being told she can never have children is PREGNANT at age 38....we are so happy...but she says parsley makes great tea so that's what I'll use it for....

other than that I am very proud I was able to save some zucchini seeds, some paste tomato seeds and some pole bean seeds for next year....also some red holly hock seeds...

I scored some free straw in a large bag from the display at the local grocery store....used it to cover some garden beds...

[daniel1212]

Looks like you have some wild strawberry weeds.

They are wild/untamed for sure. Taking over. We only get small strawberries, and which is in early summer. Needs fertilizer

[MomwithHope]

I have been cutting off the tops of lettuce plants for years they are almost always good to regrow leaves almost as full as the first ones. I do that once, then pull the roots, and then plant new seeds nearby for the second crop. Third crop just came inside in pots.

[MomwithHope]

I did leaves in a tarp today too. They are falling like. Crazy from the pawpaws and I am adding them to the compost bin this year.

[MomwithHope]

Very nice and clean looking!

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Progress! :)

2” of SNOW predicted starting about 7am tomorrow.

Take good care of ‘my’ Robins this winter. :)

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Spaghetti Squash is amazing stuff. You’re going to love it!

[Diana in Wisconsin]

I’m excited to see what I can accomplish by doing just that!

I’m working on ideas for the ‘Gardening Short Cuts’ book I’m hopping to write some day. :)

[Diana in Wisconsin]

HOPING! While I’m ‘hopping to it,’ LOL!

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

Pollard, good luck with your experiment!

[Qiviut]

Re: spaghetti squash .... I love the stuff, gives me a low carb alternative to spaghetti & lasagna noodles. I am glad I tried growing it - bumper crop. Next year, it will be outside the fence (space limited ‘inside’) because the deer won’t eat it (prickly) & the crows won’t bother it either. I have my homemade heavy-duty trellis & will try to get it going ‘vertical’. I had squash growing up the fencing and hanging off in a couple of places ... the rest of it sprawled all over the raised bed, came through the fencing & was a mess. Maybe next year, I can train the vines up.

This morning, I see we have a “freeze warning” for tomorrow night - going down possibly to 28. My brothers are very happy they winterized the lake cabin this past weekend, when it was 80+ degrees. They also got the dock stained - most of the boards were replaced early summer, so getting the stain on before winter was a goal. The boards are really beautiful with the stain - the old ones had peeling paint & were rotten in places.

Today/tomorrow, I will have to clean off the pepper plants before they freeze. The Giant Marconi plant is loaded. Small peppers on the Bell pepper plant. I harvested all the spaghetti squash last night. Bye bye to my gorgeous African Blue Basil ... I will be sorry to see it go. The thyme, oregano & sage will survive, maybe the rosemary. I may ‘help’ the rosemary & put up a wind screen, & maybe stuff that with leaves/pine needles to give it some protection. The fig bush is dropping leaves - it will be bare after the freeze.

So yesterday, hauling all those leaves, I was pullling the tarp with my arms behind me. I did this once before, hauling my Gorilla cart with bricks in it - waaaay too many/heavy. I pulled a muscle (latissimus dorsi, I think) below my shoulder blade & around under my arm somewhat. It appears I have done this again. Trying to change positions in bed is not fun & a really deep breath is uncomfortable - not awful, but I feel it. If I remember correctly, it takes a while to resolve. Bummer!! The golf cart that I haul things with is not running - I suspect one of the battery terminal wires has rusted off, but not sure (too busy to look the last couple of days). That’s another project near the top of the list for a ‘rainy’ day. I ordered a set of new wires for my mom’s golf cart so if there is a problem with the battery wires, I can fix it. Once I get the golf cart running again, I can use it to pull my ‘leaf burritos’ and won’t have to worry about pulling muscles!

[MomwithHope]

To go along with your other book, “Developing a post apocalyptic skill set. “