What did you do in the garden today?

[Mini Horses]

I covet your barn and tractor

Same here, LG....love me a barn and a tractor, but I'd switch the goats to sheeples for the berries.

The barn is sooo under utilized now that it's shameful. I hope to use it for kidding stalls again this year and set up a better milking area later so that "we" can be more comfy for winter milking, that I hope to do in 2019 -- didn't do 2018, from prior year experience. Only one old stallion using one stall, when he feels inclined. It's set for free access from his paddock. He's 36.

The basics are there but, I need to clean, reassign some inside. It's a summer project. Current milking area ok but need more closure for the winter.

You can BOTH buy a tractor! Trust me, it's been one of the best $20K+ I've spent but, I have 15 acres to work. Payments are a commitment but, soon will be over. I have a couple pieces of attachments I want to add to the collection. Then, done!!

There are a LOT of pieces you can get now to work with a riding mower or ATV. Wish they had been available 10 years ago, could have really used them.

I want to till so bad and it's so wet you can't. Farmers in my area are generally working their fields about now...but, currently it's way too wet and more rain coming all week

 

[NH Homesteader]

36?? Wow! How long do minis usually live?

 

[frustratedearthmother]

How long do minis usually live?

A long time apparently, lol! I've heard of them topping 40...

 

[Lazy Gardener]

I only have 4 acres to manage, but oh, a tractor would be an incredible piece of equipment to own. What I could do with a tractor with a bucket, and a few other attachments! At my age, I'd possibly not get it paid for before I could no longer use it!

A barn: 2 bays would suffice. 1 for equipment and storage, the other for animals.

And a real green house, attached to the front of the house (south side) set up so the greenhouse could be vented into our living room and basement for heat gain... and a few solar panels, even home made for heating water.

@sumi , these are the Hibiscus I bought. Hoping that I'll be able to keep them alive and even winter some over, either in pots, or banked with leaves or styrofoam.

https://www.fedcoseeds.com/seeds/?item=5120

 

[sumi]

@sumi , these are the Hibiscus I bought. Hoping that I'll be able to keep them alive and even winter some over, either in pots, or banked with leaves or styrofoam.

https://www.fedcoseeds.com/seeds/?item=5120

Thanks! I'll have a look. I found some at one or two bigger plant retailers here, but they look nothing like the plants I'm used to. And apparently they are greenhouse plants here, except for a few weeks in summer, when you can let them have some outside time I guess Ireland is a lot cooler than S.A...

 

[Lazy Gardener]

These plants are zoned for as cold as zone 5. I'm guessing that you may be zone 5B, perhaps even 6. Here's a hardiness zone chart:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:USDAHardiness_2012-2015_Scale.jpg

 

[Lazy Gardener]

Looks like you are downright tropical compared to me in Maine! I'm rated at 4B.

 

[sumi]

These plants are zoned for as cold as zone 5. I'm guessing that you may be zone 5B, perhaps even 6. Here's a hardiness zone chart:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:USDAHardiness_2012-2015_Scale.jpg

Thanks! I think I'm going to give them a shot and I always loved hibiscus. From when I was a baby until I was 3 or 4 I had one growing outside my bedroom window and when we moved to our next house my parents had about 7 or 8 different coloured ones in our garden. We stayed in that house until I was 19.

 

[Hinotori]

And hibiscus flower tea is great!

 

[Beekissed]

Planting sugar snap peas, lettuce, pak choi, chard, spinach and green onions in the garden today. Hope to get spuds in later this week. Also hope to get something into seed trays today~maters, peppers, broccoli, flowers of various kinds~zinnias, nasturtiums, marigold, sunflowers, etc.