Michigan

[swampducks]

Morning,

About strawberries; I did some reading a couple years ago. Here's a summary.

There are June berrers and everberring. I purchased 25 of each. Or 25 ever-- & 50 June Cant remember. ( So much for the reliability of this post Picked flowers off the June bearers and let the plants grow. Pinched the first batch of flowers and then harvested a few berries that came from second floweringof the everbearing type. Ozark is the variety name, GOOD ones.. TRIM ALL RUNNERS FROM EB TYPE to produce large berries and best crop. Tend to grow too thich and berries get moldy if that happens.

Second year, Harvested 70 quarts from the plants..... Wonderful large berries from the first picking. About half that size from the next group and smaller still from the final stages of the crop. Ozarks do not yield as much from early pickings, however the plants keep producing and have a second substantial crop in fall. Set lawn mower at two inches and mow the june berries when finished picking in July. Allow plants to re-grow but cut off runners to maintain size of patch.

Third year... same as second.................Fourth same unless you want to maintain berry size and quantity, Then you should plant new in spring of year three and till old plants under after harvest.

I have to assume you plant the new ones elsewhere to keep from tilling the new plants under as well? I haven't got that kind of space so I'd have to reuse the same bed. With the ebs could I just let the runners grown the third year and then pull out the originals?


This was my third year and the freezes did our harvest in. Tinney berries and only a few of them. Hens love em though.

Hope this helped.

Yes it did, thank you. I was planning a raised bed though so can't use the mower, do have a weed eater though for mowing down the June berries.

They don't need fertalizer and much in the way of pest control. Hens last fall seemed to keep the slug population down from last year. They do require about an inch of water a week to produce well.

 

[Dascountry]

Thanks for the infor Bobbiee on the berries....I know swampducks was wondering, but I learned as well. Mine have been very small this year also....and yes the hens love them!

It's gunna be another hot one today. I froze some oatmeal and berries for the chickens today. Never did it so I hope they like it. I think one of my girls is going to start laying soon. They are a little over four months...so anytime getting tired of waiting and watching though.

Already went out and started to weed some of the flower beds, but those darn biting flies are already out They hurt when they bite.

 

[Dascountry]

Got that first egg today from my only red star hen. Just had to share.

 

[Bobbiee]

Got that first egg today from my only red star hen. Just had to share.

That's such an exciting and, though I can't for the life of me figure out why, exciting event. Birds have been doing it for quite some time. ha ha.

 

[swampducks]

Wow, a fresh egg! Congrats! My birds are only 12 weeks old now, I still have to wait a while. But not as long as if I'd waited for my June chicks, they're only 3 weeks old. So glad I decided to order more for an April delivery. I'm hoping for fresh eggs by August.

Temp hit 96.8 here yesterday, already 76 now and rising but it's not supposed to be as hot today.

 

[Dascountry]

85 outside right now....but the breeze is wonderful! I need to weed the veggie garden again in spots. I spotted a little tomato and pepper on my plants this morning. And a zucchini too

 

[fair weather chicken]

rain was about 20 miles south, close but no rain. did cool off a little. today about 90. several summer squash. radishes are almost done for first batch. farmers market starts next sat. peas were pretty good, will plant again end of month. congrats on first egg. got to go check on wood pile, need to cut more. hope it cools off for tomorrow am so i can cut some more.

 

[swampducks]

There is a wonderful breeze but it's still 82, earlier it was in the 90s, and just too hot.

I did discover a tiny tomato on 2 of my plants. WOOT

 

[Dascountry]

Hot here today so we went fishing Didn't catch any keepers but sure did cool us down and enjoyed the catch and release of the gills and a couple bass.

My lettuce is starting to wilt bad and the bottom leaves of my beans are turning yellow....any ideas? I thought maybe because I was watering the beans to much but they're still turning

 

[Bobbiee]

Hi,

It's raining in Montague, Should say was raining here. Had a fwe clapps of thunder but just a sprinkle of water. Have had to use the chlorinated city stuff at home to hydrate the berries anf flowers. I hate that. Apparently not enough to repair the irrigation pump/well in the back yard. It's only 1.out 5.5 ft. deep. I was going to sink another point and got as far as sinking a 6 inch casing down about 5 feet more. Now I can see water about 3 feet down in that. I ran into a layer of clay HARD CLAY, that my rented hand powered auger would not touch. Naturally the rented sand sucker didn't either. Anyone have ideas about how to solve the probs? The problems are many. I'll be glad to share them if somebody has some suggestions.

Vegies out at Back Acres Garden growing well. That's the space I rent from Stew Scholl.

More later,, Gotta get to work. God seems to make our garden grow better when I pitch in some sweat equity . Jo can't do any of that stuff anymore. Never really did much.

Where did you fish?