DUCKS for THEE in 2023

[ducks4you]

Still buying seeds. SeedsNow had some good specials and I bought "Munchers" from them $1.99/10 seeds, so a little bit pricy, but there is SO much competition that reputations are on the line here for germination rates.
Dunno HOW many cucumber seeds I sprouted this Fall, but it was far more than 10.
Hey!
I was depressed and buying more seeds made me happy!
FYI; SeedsNow gives you "beetcoins", credits when you buy, BUT, you can only use one of them at a time.

 

[heirloomgal]

Still buying seeds. SeedsNow had some good specials and I bought "Munchers" from them $1.99/10 seeds, so a little bit pricy, but there is SO much competition that reputations are on the line here for germination rates.
Dunno HOW many cucumber seeds I sprouted this Fall, but it was far more than 10.
Hey!
I was depressed and buying more seeds made me happy!
FYI; SeedsNow gives you "beetcoins", credits when you buy, BUT, you can only use one of them at a time.

'Beetcoins'! I love that! What a clever idea. I have a friend who put out 11,000 this week on the real beetcoin.

I virtually never grown long, big slicers @ducks but I have grown the Sweet Success that was mentioned in your cuke thread, and I remember it being really good. But you can't save their seeds, so I haven't grown it again. My grampa used to grow the English cucumbers and they were really long and super good too. Seeds stay nice and small.

Buying seeds makes me happy too! I bought a whole bunch of peppers for 2024 last week, about a hundred dollars worth. Atlantic Pepper Seeds is having a 30% off all seeds sale so I went a little bonkers. I might be good for a few years now. I'm already excited for them to arrive! A seed induced jubilation.

 

[Dahlia]

'Beetcoins'! I love that! What a clever idea. I have a friend who put out 11,000 this week on the real beetcoin.

I virtually never grown long, big slicers @ducks but I have grown the Sweet Success that was mentioned in your cuke thread, and I remember it being really good. But you can't save their seeds, so I haven't grown it again. My grampa used to grow the English cucumbers and they were really long and super good too. Seeds stay nice and small.

Buying seeds makes me happy too! I bought a whole bunch of peppers for 2024 last week, about a hundred dollars worth. Atlantic Pepper Seeds is having a 30% off all seeds sale so I went a little bonkers. I might be good for a few years now. I'm already excited for them to arrive! A seed induced jubilation.

Buying seeds makes me happy too! I go to bed with a smile on my face if I get a new plant or more seeds!

 

[ducks4you]

Here are photos of my wildflower patch that I am establishing. It is a work in progress, with some perennials and some annuals. And, Yes, there is a pumpkin vine growing through the patch, too.

 

[ducks4you]

Just ordered Sweet Success cucumbers from Burpee online.
Cucumber, Sweet Success Hybrid, Pack Size 20 Seeds
The coupon code changed the total cost from $6.95 to $7.89
Better than Nuthin...

 

[heirloomgal]

Here are photos of my wildflower patch that I am establishing. It is a work in progress, with some perennials and some annuals. And, Yes, there is a pumpkin vine growing through the patch, too.

I've always loved the look of flowers and vegetables growing together. Maybe because it harkens back to that beloved Old World European 'kitchen garden potager'. If I had unlimited space, (and a dog who didn't get major seizures from bee stings) I'd have perennials growing in with the vegetables, along with the annuals. A small staff would help too.

 

[ducks4you]

hire @Phaedra

 

[ducks4you]

The idea with wildflowers is to take a patch of land, small, medium or large, that has become bothersome and without a job, rake it up and plant wildflowers there.
They look great, smell great, have great "curb appeal", and quickly are no care. Even the annuals drop their seeds and fill in space.
I am learning that in order to make a patch you:
1) pick an area with clay OR rake away compost from it
2) plan to water it in for a good month
3) clean out your seed bin of old vegetables, flowers and herb seeds and plant THEM, too
Several seed companies offer packages specific to your growing area and zone so that you can be successful.
My favorite is Eden Brothers.
Plan to spend about $15 (+ S&H) and try to plant right before a heavy rain is expected.
MY wildflower patch just wouldn't grow anything but weeds. I spent several days this year hand pulling all weed grasses, and violets. I didn't bother pulling up dandelions bc I didn't want to dig the roots out.
It borders on my house sidewalk and I Did use a spade to lift our weed grasses that were growing underneath the cement.
I am quite pleased with my efforts and I plan to give it attention next year, although I don't think I will need to packet of wildflower seeds.
I kept a record of the particular seeds IN the packet, so if I see cheap seed packets of, say, shasta daisies, I can plant those in the area since there are already some growing this year.

 

[ducks4you]

I keep learning as a gardener. My latest bed to be amended is about 4 ft wide,, about 20 ft long, south of the garage, full sun.
Although I transplanted my sweet peppers there very late this year, and caged them--sneaky devils Might run off!-- I am still waiting until the day before the first Real frost to harvest them.
2 of the peppers up and died, so I threw in about 6 bean seeds in the cages JUST to grow something that can turn into 2024 fertilizer, since I am still working on this bed. I had turnips go to seed in the big garden, and I shook the seeds in between the peppers and late planted okra, and suddenly I have massive leaves and an instant cover crop, so I am letting them be, for now.
(Can YOU write a rambling run on sentence?!?)
The turnips have overgrown the peppers, but they are keeping them warm, along with late planted okras that may/may not flower and produce BUT are Also protecting the peppers.
I had a small pepper harvest for my Salsa Party chili, October 7th.
I have had turnips overwinter before in my big garden, then go to seed, and I'm fine with it. Free seed is free seed and so many vegetables smother weeds with their leaves.

 

[ducks4you]

Ducks is on Frost Watch!! Here are the next 10 days--
Sat 21
Partly Cloudy/Wind
70°/41°

Sun 22
Sunny
61°/42°

Mon 23
Mostly Cloudy
68°/54°

Tue 24
Partly Cloudy
78°/60°

Wed 25
Showers
71°/58°

Thu 26
Showers
64°/56°

Fri 27
Showers
62°/45°

Sat 28
Partly Cloudy
55°/44°

Sun 29
Partly Cloudy
54°/40°

Mon 30
Showers
52°/37°

Tue 31
Partly Cloudy
52°/35°

Wed 01
Partly Cloudy
50°/35°

Thu 02
Partly Cloudy
53°/37°

Fri 03
Partly Cloudy
56°/38