Garden Transformation!

[vfem]

Yesterday I removed the last of my tomatoes... there were still 100's of green ones on there... however, I highly doubt with the cooler days and night they were going to ripen. So I collected all the ripe, and starting to turn one's and brought them in. I grabbed the few large tomatoes that were green for fried green tomatoes and put them aside.

Then I cleared out the plants with bush sheers... it took about 2 hours to get them down enough to get the cages off! It took 2 wheel barrow runs to the burn pile and compost pile to get it all out. THEN I sectioned off my beds with my fall greens growing in them and let the chickens lose in the garden bed where the tomatoes were. There were a few small weeds coming in, and 100's of rotten cherry tomatoes on the ground for them. They did a good job actually!

Today little daughter and I finished hand picking the squished and green tomatoes out of the bed and out of the walking path. Put them in buckets, and dumped them in the coop's run. The chickens are going to be fat and happy after this week.

We turned in approximately 20 lbs of compost from my pile into the bed. When I turned my compost today, it was the most beautiful black... I'm so proud of my first season of composting. After we turned the soil we came in for a snack and I needed a fresh cup of coffee.

It is 74 and perfect today to get this garden stuff done.

We'll have lunch shortly, and then we'll go get the very last of the pole beans because those vines are done for too.

Did I mention I looked today and my carrots have FINALLY come up!!!??? HOORAY!!!!!!!!

I'll get some photos this afternoon when we go back out.

 

[Greensage45]

Wow,

That's some heavy work! I bet you slept like a baby!

I cannot wait to see pics.

I got a blister the other day! ..I guess I have been playing on the computer too long!

Ron

 

[vfem]

Wow,

That's some heavy work! I bet you slept like a baby!

I cannot wait to see pics.

I got a blister the other day! ..I guess I have been playing on the computer too long!

Ron

I have a sliver from my raised beds... I'm having a hell of a time getting it out, so I'm just leaving it and slapping on a bandaid for the time being.

I'm heading out now to work on the pole beans which have taken over my fence!

 

[lesa]

Good work! I don't love putting the garden to bed- the end of the season and all, but it feels good to get it done! Looking forward to pics and congrats on your compost success!

 

[vfem]

Thank you, I just finished collecting the last of the beans... and the vines have gone the way of the super full compost bin.

I now have another clear bed where the carrots are no popping up! I forget to take pictures... hard when you are juggling all this, a hyper dog and an in your face "I wanna do it" 2 1/2 year old!

 

[Greensage45]

I was only teasing about being on the computer too long. I too have been cleaning outside.

I cut the Virginia Creeper back that was encroaching on the field behind me. Then I turned my current compost pile, and I cut all my grass and trimmed the weeds back. I managed to start clearing out a bed with mini roses that were starting to fail. I am going to replace with daylilies mixed with Lillirope and Iris.

I repotted the mini's and I saved three out of five.

I also found a big branch blown down from my climbing rose called 'Joseph's Coat'. I am not too fond of this grower but this year was the prettiest. So I cut this section into two equal parts and reduced down to about 6 inches each. I sliced the bottoms and dipped them in root hormone. Next I covered these with Mason Jars like the Granny's of Old (the original way of propagating=Mason Jars). I then got inspired to do an entire selection of my roses that are having the hardest time. I included Angel Face, Double Delight, and Peace. I really want to save those; the Joseph's Coat will be an unsuspecting gift to someone!

I am nearing that time when the bug sets in and I have to get motivated and really go into double time out there. Soon the leaves will fall and everything will be covered and turning to mulch. I have to rake everything or lose it all. :tools

Anyways, let's see pics! LOL or else I will be forced to picture this post too LOL

Ron

 

[injunjoe]

Reading about all this work being done has made me tired.
You guys are making me feel like I'm lazy.

 

[vfem]

I am feeling kinda achy, but hubby went to the grocery store to pick up some whipping cream and drop off a movie I got yesterday we just finished watching. We're going to relax on the couch watching something and eating fresh strawberry shortcake from the strawberries I got out of the garden.

I sold a rooster to a man who ate one of my strawberries while he was here and he just contacted me about buy some of my runners off the plants. So now tomorrow I have to go out and pot some of the strawberries for him so he can come purchase them this weekend. Which is nice... I was just getting ready to hack the runners back tomorrow anyways.

I also have to replant spinach, certain ducks have managed to sqeeze their heads in my garden the other day and got all my started spinach... I didn't even think they could reach it!!! ARGH!

Anyways... Ron, I am hoping to get some cuttings of my neighbor's blueberries, raspberries and grapes. Do you have any advice? Do you think rooting hormone in a mason jar is the way to go? I was thinking them put them on a heat pad?! I'm hoping now is the time to get the clippings and that I should have them going well in the house in time enough to put them out in the spring!? Or do you think I could get them going enough now to get them out by the end of fall and still be ok!?

I love your joseph's coat by the way.... everytime I see one, I have to talk myself out of buying it because you said so! LOL Let me know when you are ready to trade seeds from your roses this winter... I think that would be fun to try.

Joe, I need a back rub!!!!!!

 

[injunjoe]

 

[Greensage45]

Hi Hi,

Winter is always the best time of the year to do rooted cuttings. While the stem is in a dormancy mode it can focus on developing roots.

You can do them indoors but then all the new growth would be tender and leggy, too risky.

You can do them in a coldframe. With woody cuttings like Buddleia (butterfly bush) I simply take a Fall cutting and stick it in a pot and keep it moist; most will root before Spring.

At any rate, If I do get these rose cuttings going I will send you a self-rooted Joseph's Coat. No fear of Copyright infringement on this one since it was originally developed in 1964. I think the rights infringements are those roses that are registered after 1970. I will have to look that up before the feds come get me.

Here is a very easy to read site on the mason jars technique
http://scvrs.homestead.com/Cuttings1.html

I will let you know by Spring so don't buy one yet!

Ron