Weekly Gardening Thread
Weekly Gardening Thread
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Last evening, I had the pleasure of driving through a mix of rain and heavy wet snow! We didn't get any accumulation where we live, but when I drove down the turnpike through south Nashua, it looked like close to 1-2 inches of accumulation on the median. A foretaste of the feast to come, I guess.
Not much to say about the garden, except I still need to till it and empty the compost bin and till that in. We are getting two chicken eggs (medium sized) and two-three large duck eggs per day. I need to threaten the rest of the ladies to start producing.
Our Marans pullets are getting used to being held and also getting out of their cage in the dining room to check out the rest of the house. Chickens as housepets isn't going to work out, I am thinking.
It’s a cool and breezy 50º here this morning. Rain bypassed us again. I’ve noticed a lot of trees that are really stressed from lack of moisture.
There are even a lot of cedar trees dying. One community - Horseshoe Bay - is thinking about cutting down all cedar trees due to their water intake.
For all I care, Texas can hire every Hydro mulcher in the country, start at IH, and head south to the Rio Grande and shred every juniper / cedar they encounter.
Could you recommend a place to start educating myself (books, web sites, etc.) about vegetable gardening? I have never done this, and do not necessarily have a green thumb, but with empty nest coming soon, I would like to get into this more. Any suggestions? Thanks.
Since 3-6” of snow is predicted for my little part of Connecticut tomorrow I have a question for the experts.
Can I leave collard greens, tuscany kale, and Brussels sprouts out in the garden to harvest later this Fall, or should I pick it all prior to the snowfall??
I’ve heard that frost enhances kale, but I don’t know about snow.
Last pics for the year!
 Collection of various beets: orange, yellow, sugar, red |
 Misato Rose radish cut open to the red inside |
 Some fall asters and goldenrod in the pasture |
 Fuseau Jerusalem artichokes in full bloom |
 Rox Orange cane sorghum and Mammoth Russian sunflowers behind |
 Fall greens and roots with lots of volunteers from my seed saving efforts |
 Hoop tunnel rows trenched and filled with compost |
 Hoop tunnel rows mounded and planted |
Anybody know anything about vegetable gardening in the snow (in a coldframe). I heard it can be done. Somebody posted a link to a website:
http://www.humeseeds.com/falwint.htm
Has anybody here tried it? It sounds like something I’d like to try!
How best to prepare my many houseplants for the siege?? New potting soil? Bigger pots? Fertilizer? Lighting? Water with tap vs. distilled water?
Any and all suggestions would help....
The new front door is proceding. THey shoudl finish today, and the cement and brick contractor will come back next week. It looks marvelous from the inside. The outdoor look is still under consideeration. It’s very red. A lot redder than I had anticipated. But, since the white surround is not installed yet, that look will chnge. But, I am so sorry that I did not order the door in white.
They leaned the door against the house yesterday with the white side out. It was breathtaking. I never even considered ordering the door in white because I thought it would be boring. Not so, but I guess I could paint it if I hate it too much. Hate to do that since it has a factory finish.
I’ll have to plan lots of red flowers and containers next year to make this work.
I am about ready to harvest my last broccoli thanks to Mrs. Don-o and her generous offer of seeds.
I built a greenhouse on the back of my house - pvc and plastic sheeting. I already have lettuce and spinach seedlings - I hope I at least get enough to feed the chickens this winter.
My plan at night is to take a metal bucket of coals from my wood stove and see if it keeps it above freezing - I’m zone 6.
Of course since I worry about fire I will be checking on it all night long - I take naps during the day and my daughter tends the fire. :) My wood stove has a small capacity and tends to smoke at random times.
I’ll let you know how it turns out.
While some areas in Missouri have had a frost, we are still frost free. So I am leaving the tomatoes in the garden and using row covers. The tomatoes are gradually ripening. Once they have a little blush, then I bring them in, and wrap them in paper to finish ripening. We had BLT’s several times this week, and lots of salad with tomatoes.
I just put up some wild rose hips to dry. Harvested some persimmons and am going to try to make some persimmon candy later today. Hubby still has some corn left to harvest. I will be planting some more garlic and lettuce this weekend for the winter garden.
If I have time this weekend, I will prepare 2 raised beds for winter wheat, and the others will probably get some red clover down the road.
Even though the harvest wasn't as good this year for some of our favorites, we still got plenty of beans, berries, corn,lettuce, onions, and finally some tomatoes. Life is good! Have a great weekend every one. God Bless.
It is ski season up here in the Colorado Rockies. About a foot of snow on the garden today.
Mustard greens and broccoli
The cucumber vine is still chugging along. We harvest 4-5 cukes every 3 days.
New cabbage heads. Now if I could get the Mrs to make kimchi!
Pole beans are budding.
This guy is supposed to be a pumpkin
We've been enjoying fresh lettuce for the past two weeks.
We may get some fruit off of the crazy papaya in the greenhouse if the temperature cooperates!
We had a nice dusting of snow friday morning but we still have not had a killing frost! Rather late for us here in the Catskill Mountains, We are expecting lots of snow today but still no frost...that should make the carrots and chard VERY good!
A little Saturday humor:
The Wisconsin Department of Employment, Division of Labor Standards claimed a small farmer was not paying proper wages to his help and sent an agent out to investigate him.
GOV’T AGENT: “I need a list of your employees and how much you pay them.”
FARMER: “Well, there’s my hired hand who’s been with me for 3 years. I pay him $200 a week plus free room and board.
Then there’s the mentally challenged guy. He works about 18 hours every day and does about 90% of all the work around here. He makes about $10 per week, pays his own room and board, and I buy him a bottle of bourbon every Saturday night so he can cope with life. He also sleeps with my wife occasionally.”
GOV’T AGENT: “That’s the guy I want to talk to - the mentally challenged one.”
FARMER: “That would be me.”
Had to cover up the remaining basil and the tender lettuce plants. Temperatures going into the upper 30’s overnight. At least there is no snow to deal with.
SOUTH FL GARDEN SEASON! PICTURES
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