What did you do in the garden today?

[Hinotori]

I've been planning and working towards a new garden this year. I'm putting raised beds in the courtyard of the new silkie palace. It's fully fenced and silkies are pretty good as far as chickens go about destructive tendencies. They'll eventually kill all the grass and I plan on putting down bark.

I've kept pots of plants in with them for years and all they did was rest in the pots for the most part. They will eat some of the lower leaves on some plants, but the pea experiment went over fine and I got a few peas on the couple seeds I planted. Just taller varieties work best.

 

[flowerbug]

I'm glad I'm not the only one with the seed fantasies:

I need that. I want that.

I don't have room for that.

I can make room for that.

Who am I trying to kid?

In my fantasies: My garden is perfectly manicured. There are no bugs. There are no diseases, either mystery or well known.

The plants maintain a diminutive form, each one only taking as much room as their description on the seed packet states. All plants are thinned or planted according to precise measurements to match their size as stated on the seed packets. No plant wanders into territory that belongs to an other plant. Walking paths are magically kept clear of weeds and sprawling plants throughout the growing season. (because my fantasy plants are too well behaved to sprawl)

And, I have time to lovingly tend every plant, every row, every bed. Destroy every weed.

And... I have time and ENERGY to harvest and process every vegetable and herb at it's peak of flavor and maturity. And, all of my canning jars are sparkling clean, and ready. The kitchen counters look like the Better Homes and Garden's displays. All the necessary pots, pans, bowls, colanders, and other equipment are ready, but not in the way, because I have miles of pristine counters. And there are never any conflicts between family activities and processing needs or energy levels.

Who am I trying to kid?

LG we're not in Kansas any more!

 

[mischief]

I've been planning and working towards a new garden this year. I'm putting raised beds in the courtyard of the new silkie palace. It's fully fenced and silkies are pretty good as far as chickens go about destructive tendencies. They'll eventually kill all the grass and I plan on putting down bark.

I've kept pots of plants in with them for years and all they did was rest in the pots for the most part. They will eat some of the lower leaves on some plants, but the pea experiment went over fine and I got a few peas on the couple seeds I planted. Just taller varieties work best.

I had Silkies once what great little birds they are, unless thy are trying to follow the kids to school.
Mine were 'borrowed' from my brother and by the time i got them, most of them were at least 5 years old but still laid every day in summer.
At eight years old, they got to go live with my neighbours who moved into the country and were used as broody hens for pheasants and quails.

I'm not quite ready to get more 'chooks' yet I like the Silkies but also like the idea of the larger non flying types like Orphingtons.

 

[Hinotori]

I have wheaten ameraucana and easter eggers for my large fowl eggs. I breed partridge silkies. Last year was just bad health wise so no hatches, but this year will be much better.

 

[Mini Horses]

In my fantasies: My garden is perfectly manicured. There are no bugs. There are no diseases, either mystery or well known.

Alas -- every gardeners dream! At this point, I'm just happy to maintain "reasonable" walkways and access to plants. Some weeds can be there....just don't take over. Plants I plant need to produce.

Two years ago I had some butternut vines that grew over into a grassy pasture area. The rooted ends were apparently well fed as I got HUGE squash and yield.

Warmer than normal weather here and I am SO ready to have a producing garden! In fact, I'd like to borrow one.

 

[Britesea]

I purposely allow some weeds to grow in my beds, like purslane. We love it for salad, and the low growing habit chokes other weeds out. I just pull out the ones that are growing too close to the On-Purpose plants.

 

[Lazy Gardener]

Lambs quarters makes a great salad green. Last year, I made great progress in controlling the dill weed. So proud of that! Actually, last year was THE. BEST. weed control year EVER!!! Lots of cardboard laid down, as well as wood chips, stable litter and grass clippings.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

On-Purpose plants.

Love it, lol!

 

[Mini Horses]

purposely allow some weeds to grow in my beds, like purslane.

I have a good amount of that here, it's nice and low growing.
I'm going to throw some clovers around this year. Attract pollinators with a cover crop that sets nitrogen.

Plan to do that with some taller varieties, where I am putting some pumpkins & sunflowers (BOSS) It can stay when the "crops" mature. Mostly the 2 crops are for animal feed and will be sections not entire field, so it all goes together.

Walking pastures I see a LOT of vetch doing well. It's a good graze and some of this is from self seeding. I do buy the seed for areas that need it. Early up in Spring. This year I want to cut and bale a little patch, to see how it holds up. It's in mixed hay often, excellent proteins.

 

[flowerbug]

I purposely allow some weeds to grow in my beds, like purslane. We love it for salad, and the low growing habit chokes other weeds out. I just pull out the ones that are growing too close to the On-Purpose plants.

i do too if i can get away with it. Mom is raze to the ground type gardener. i figure that if a weed is growing someplace that isn't otherwise covered then it is harvesting energy from the sun for free and feeding the soil community and eventually it gets cut off and dried out and becomes worm food which feeds the vegetable plants. i also grow green manure and harvest it (alfalfa and birdsfoot trefoil) for use as fertilizer but also as some food for the worm farm.

the only thing is that i'm very selective about which weeds i want to let go here. a few have been introduced via wild-flower blends and they've really become pests so i won't use any of those any more without some very careful testing.

having learned from those mistakes... they cost me many hours a season keeping them under control or trying to remove them (mouse-eared chickweed and some speedwells).

still if i can get some diversity in weed species i'll aim for that as i do like how plant communities can work together and provide flowers all season.