Duck's New Ragtag garden, Version 2020

[ducks4you]

now i see why you wanted me to come out.... after reading your project list's

OK, Smartypants!! Game on!!
MY house is closer than Lake Tahoe!

 

[majorcatfish]

OK, Smartypants!! Game on!!
MY house is closer than Lake Tahoe!

lookie there at least one of you northern knuckle draggers payed attention in geography class....

yes next time i'm out that way would love to visit more than a quick chit chat over dinner..

 

[ducks4you]

THAT would be lovely!!!
We'll have to talk about your favorite meals, so we can feed y'all good!!
(Isn't that southern drawl talk? Dunno...my original paternal great, great-something grandfather came over to Raleigh in 1685, but he didn't leave ME anything in his will, so I am clueless about life in the South, and must be schooled.)

 

[ducks4you]

We are getting a LOT of rain! Deluge yesterday, but I still managed to till up 3 beds.
The potatoes that didn't make it into my south of the garage bed of 50, got planted yesterday in the bed that I planted some corn last year AND had some success there with Bright Lights Swiss Chard.
I planted 20 potatoes there yesterday before it poured, including a volunteer that was sprouting in my little 3 x 6' isolated bed east of the "Inner Sanctum" in front of the barn.
I have 2 potatoes in my kitchen bin begging to grow, and I will find someplace to put them soon.
I will try and find someplace to stick them into the ground, just to see if they will grow. They look a Lot better than most of the potatoes that I planted yesterday. Overflow can be like that. I thought about 1/2 of the 50 I planted south of the garage were up, but I didn't count.
The rest of the cut potatoes don't look so hot. I will find someplace to put them in the ground, just to see.

 

[ducks4you]

Meanwhile, DH have been putting in our 15 minute cleanup in the basement pantry. I found a bin with DD's stuff in it, a package of dental floss, and a couple of very nice storage containers.
Bought 10 pounds of sugar, $3.99, good deal and I used one of these storage containers for the overflow. Ya know, when you clean you find either money or items you don't have to buy.
Failure canning job! After 4 days they are less runny, but my grape jelly just didn't turn out. Still DH is eating a pbj and says that the jelly tastes amazing. DH thinks he may have a fix. I will Let him fix them, bc I have lost interest. I still am cleaning stalls, 1 hr/day and trying to get some gardening done.

 

[ducks4you]

I rewatched a Growing a Greener World program on tomatoes:

Episode 803 - Epic Tomatoes With Craig LeHoullier - Growing A Greener World®

This television episode features tomato expert Craig LeHoullier in his garden, author of Epic Tomatoes; How to Select & Grow the Best Varieties of All Time

www.growingagreenerworld.com

He said that he harvests 2 tons tomatoes/season, and he starts with 50 seeds in each cell, then transplants, and transplants and transplants. He also puts his seeds in front of a window. THAT is impossible with my orphaned, now 2yo kittens!! They get into everything, and will rifle through pots just for the fun of it.
I think I put 30 seeds in a used potato salad container today. I used Dirt this time--the tomatoes I started in straight coffee grounds committed suicide--cut holes on the bottom and watered, put back the lid and put them on a heat mat under my refridgerator gro light. I think they will do ok, there.
I am starting slicing tomatoes this week, then, the Romas.
Still need to transplant the 3 inch high red cabbage on the porch in the 10 gal (leaky, if you forgot) fish tank (that has a glass lid), so I can move the 6 tomato survivors out there to a properly lit greenhouse.
I also bought a package of rainbow blend tomatoes. DH doesn't like them as much, but they have grown really big for me, in the past, and will can nicely.
I transplanted my basil and moved it to the porch ledge. They won't like the lack of heat, but we should be getting enough temperature change this week to make them happy.
I have gobs of oregano that have taken over my herb bed.
Gotta move them and make room for some OTHER herbs this year!
I keep reading how people plant basil outdoors and they drop seeds end of season and reseed basil. Sure hope I can do that.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Failure canning job! After 4 days they are less runny, but my grape jelly just didn't turn out.

Try it as syrup on pancakes or waffles.

 

[ducks4you]

Weather has been cold, cold, cold! Should moderate, though.
TODAY: 62°38°
Mon, APR 27
Partly Cloudy
65°53°

Tue, APR 28
PM Thunderstorms
76°53°

Wed, APR 29
Showers/Wind
58°44°

Thu, APR 30
Partly Cloudy
64°43°

Fri, MAY 1
Partly Cloudy
66°51°

Sat, MAY 2
Partly Cloudy
78°58°

Sun, MAY 3
Scattered Thunderstorms
72°49°

Mon, "MAY (the) 4(th be with you!!--DD's birthday!!)"
Partly Cloudy
69°47°

Tue, MAY 5
Scattered Thunderstorms
65°47°

Wed, MAY 6
AM Showers
64°45°

Thu, MAY 7
PM Showers
65°48°

Fri, MAY 8
PM Showers
67°49°

Sat, MAY 9
Partly Cloudy
69°51°

Sun, MAY 10
Scattered Thunderstorms
69°53°

 

[ducks4you]

Failure canning job! After 4 days they are less runny, but my grape jelly just didn't turn out.

Try it as syrup on pancakes or waffles.

Thanks! Gonna Have to, if we can't fix it. FORTUNATELY, I have more juice from 2019 canned, so we could try again.
I think the old pectin didn't help.

 

[ducks4you]

I told you how the new mower on the tractor works, here's a picture. (Btw, you can SEE why I wanted to fix the fence and plant south of us. Neighbor has had the non running van AND the dumpster AND the broken windows there for a year.) It postively Manicures the grass! AND...in no time.
WHAT a time saver this tractor is turning out to be!!