Michigan

[Jared77]

Got some Early Red Bell peppers that set fruit so I'm pretty excited. Have a number of Early Girl tomatoes set too. My Jet Setters have fruit too. The Jet Setters are supposed to be an early beef steak so I figured Id try a couple to see how they do. My Black Krims have had blossoms but have yet to see any setting fruit. First year with them and I finally got some to see what the fuss was all about. Found a volunteer slicer cucumber and what appears to be a volunteer pumpkin that I went ahead and fed. Its either a Jack-o-lantern, or a Jack-o-lantern x Atlantic Giant cross. Either way if I get anything off it Ill be happy. If not no big deal either.

Good luck with the coyotes

 

[swampducks]

Glad no birds were lost the other night.

Had a good time at Chickenstock in Lansing yesterday but it was exhausting! Was the drive that was probably the worst of it though I was only a passenger. 3.5 hours one way is long but I'll do it again next year if I can.

A friend and I have been having an awful time finding a place to pick strawberries up here. they're either done for the season or have weird hours. The big place over ner Hillman on M-32 seems to be closed on Sundays? My friend works at the PO so she can only go on Sundays.

SO I talked to DH about building me a raised bed, maybe about 12 x 4 feet using cedar poles he can cut himself, filling it with the sand from around here and some composted manure from his dad's cattle. I figure I'll put some 18" chicken wire around it to keep out the bunnies and get some of that plastic netting to throw over the top when I'm not weeding.

Any of you guys grow strawberries? Any tips? When would I plant them?

 

[Dascountry]

I have strawberries but didn't do well this year, several things.....weird weather, a mole made its tunnel under them. I should say tunnels! And they need to be separated into rows again,plus the birds are having a blast pecking them...not my chickens the wild birds. Last year I ended up with well over 30qts! This year so far 5 qts. But really small strawberries. I'm thinking of redoing the whole kit and cabutle of them this fall. But I think most plant them in the spring....but I've heard you shouldn't pick that first year if planted in the spring. Who wants to see a nice juicy strawberry and not pick it???? Not me couldn't do it, so I'm better off replanting this fall.

Jared sounds like your garden is doing wonderful....you getting any rain down your way? Oh I have one watermelon plant that has come up. Hope it gets fruit

 

[swampducks]

I've got 2 watermelon plants. One I grew inside and one I planted next to it when the others I stated inside failed. I seeded another hill but so far nothing. I'm thinking it's too late now, so I hope I get at least one ripe fruit. I have never ever gotten a ripe watermelon. Got close once and then the frost hit. That would have been a sugar baby I think, many, many years ago. I gave up a long time ago but thought I'd give it another whirl. What the heck, you only live once!

 

[Dascountry]

Picked about two qts of strawberries from my patch today. Looks like a couple more days and they'll be done No rain this way until Sunday. We've been having enough hit lately that I haven't had to water the gardens.....I knew it wouldn't last long.

 

[swampducks]

Looks like we're also back in the slim to none chance for rain scenario as well. I fertilized all my veggies yesterday. Still only have flowers on my 2 tumbling toms. The cukes, zukes and pumpkins are doing pretty well though, got more than one leaf now on most of them. The 2 watermelon plants are alive, that's about it. Just a waiting game now I guess. If it wasn't for the snow peas I'd be bored. I would have thought I'd have gotten more peas from them before the vines started turning yellow and dying off. Must have been the heat. We just haven't had decent enough springs, too cold then jumping smack into the 80s. Maybe next year.

 

[Dascountry]

Possible rain Thursday night.... if we don't get it, it'll be awhile according to channel 7 news

I found another watermelon plant, it was under one of the milk jugs that I cover my plants with until they get to big for them....works like a mini green house. I thought it was a cantalope ...Good to be wrong sometimes.

I'm starting to get blossoms on pumkins, squash, peppers, tomatoes and my taters have the flowers on top, oh and my beans do too. Chards are doing great.

Its like our springs aren't really a spring anymore...winter to summer just about, with maybe two weeks of spring weather. To cold to plant then wammo! Right into the heat!

Seems like all my flowers have blossomed over night. Yellows and purples everywhere :rainbow-sun

 

[fair weather chicken]

weather tonight said that this weekend should be wet, yeah. 30-40% chance of rain. sure get tired of running the pump,but otherwise no goodies. flowers on tomatoes, peppers are looking ok, corn will be knee high. everything has been weeded and hoed. looking really nice this year. lawn is a little yellow in spots. took the green house down for this year, just a 6x8, but did great for starting seedlings. did i say everything was weeded forgot second onion patch, i'll get that tonight after dinner, home grown chicken and radishes from garden. :watering :tools

 

[swampducks]

Another tomato finally has flowers, this one Glacier. Two others have buds. I set up the sprinkler for the tomato cucumber garden today, gave them a good drink. Glad I have a good well.

Temp hit 91.5 today.

 

[Bobbiee]

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.


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.

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.