What did you do in your garden today?

flowerbug

Sustainability Master
Joined
Oct 24, 2019
Messages
6,962
Reaction score
13,712
Points
307
Location
mid-Michigan, USoA
Except when the tangerine cake is so bad, even chickens won't eat it

i haven't had breakfast yet and that sounds really good to me. :) i'm sure the worms would eventually sort it out if you buried it in a garden. i know that the worm composting recommendations are to not use citrus peels in the worm bins, but the way i've been doing it they don't seem to mind. i just put a few in here or there as i'm feeding them other things and they do eventually break it all down. i also read a tiny book some years ago where this guy worked on breeding worms that would be happy eating almost all citrus peels so he could use them in his orchard. i think he did get some that would do that for him, but it took a few years. based upon what i'm seeing i think it's possible. life can adapt given enough time.
 

flowerbug

Sustainability Master
Joined
Oct 24, 2019
Messages
6,962
Reaction score
13,712
Points
307
Location
mid-Michigan, USoA
My Oma had beans climb up rough poles... piles set up like a teepee.

Bush beans and shorter stuff... you use 2 poles... strings are tied to the pole every maybe 3 inches... put one pole on the end of the rows... so a fence.

BUT, since it is a homemade string fence... End of season, untie strings from one pole. Go to second pole, roll it so the strings get wrapped around the pole. Thin strings pull relatively easily out of the pile of vines and bushes. Some snags... but not too bad. a few hours of that in the early spring is plenty enough for a day's work for me. as the next few weeks go along i'll add more time to each day as my body gets used to this routine again.

i have a lot of short rows in many gardens. i let the plants do what they want, i'm going to try some new things this year to see if i can do more of a double row where the plants are closer together but not a space in between as much and then put the row where i walk, pick and weed between the blocks. i might be able to get a few more rows in a garden this way and the plants can sort of support each other but also they should get enough air flow and drainage and i think the bigger top of the raised area will be a better soil temperature and regulator of moisture than the single rows are. we'll see. trying to teach an old dog new tricks isn't always easy. :)

yesterday i finished weeding the large newer garden that has ditch grass growing in there that can take a few years to fight back. crusty and dry mostly clay soil so almost all of it was just skimming the surface without even breaking through the crust (that takes a lot more work and i do that for where the ditch-grass is trying to regrow but not everywhere unless i really have to). as the spring goes on and i get more used to it i'll add more time each session. i'm doing ok so far. :)
 

Trying2keepitReal

Almost Self-Reliant
Joined
Oct 14, 2021
Messages
2,011
Reaction score
5,077
Points
195
Location
USDA growing zone 4a/4b
Added supports to the bottoms of my raised beds yesterday when I found one board down Sat! Don't worry, no dirt was lost! Lol

Gusty here today and 80! Slight, slight chance of a storm. 80s and 90s all week. SO unheard of this time a year, this is July weather. I will be watering this week.

Not putting in anything new in ground until Friday but I might plants some pots of beans. Youngest is home all week as she tested positive for Covid so we will see how much work I actually get done ;(

Carrots, onions, radishes, lettuce, some peas and spinach are all up! Sounds like an amazing salad to me. Does anyone else eat the pea leaves? Ever steam them? Only eaten fresh here but looking for new recipes this year.
 

flowerbug

Sustainability Master
Joined
Oct 24, 2019
Messages
6,962
Reaction score
13,712
Points
307
Location
mid-Michigan, USoA
...
Gusty here today and 80! Slight, slight chance of a storm. 80s and 90s all week. SO unheard of this time a year, this is July weather. I will be watering this week.

if i plant anything this week i'll need to water too. the next chance of rain is forcast for this coming Saturday after a week of temperatures going into the mid-80s.


Not putting in anything new in ground until Friday but I might plants some pots of beans. Youngest is home all week as she tested positive for Covid so we will see how much work I actually get done ;(

Carrots, onions, radishes, lettuce, some peas and spinach are all up! Sounds like an amazing salad to me. Does anyone else eat the pea leaves? Ever steam them? Only eaten fresh here but looking for new recipes this year.

last year was the first time i tried pea leaves and shoots. i think the flavor was better to me than spinach and i love spinach. have not cooked any of them up though. i usually like my greens fresh more than cooked.
 

CrealCritter

Sustainability Master
Joined
Jul 16, 2017
Messages
11,199
Reaction score
21,919
Points
387
Location
Zone 6B or 7 can't decide
I'm telling you, hilling up rows for sweet potato slips is young man's work. I did learn a lesson though. Till it in the morning, rake it in the late afternoon/early evening. This give time for the soil to dry out some, which makes it lighter and easier to rake.

Jesus is Lord and Christ 🙏❤️🇺🇸
 
Last edited:
Top