Phaedra's Garden 2022

[Rhodie Ranch]

Mine stay outside in that pot. Facing east. Zone 8b.

 

[digitS']

I don't think that bleeding hearts would have a chance, overwintered in a pot here. Not much of anything would.

There was a bleeding heart doing just fine on the northside of the house for years until the lady fern and the dang cornflower centaurea squeezed it out! The fern and bleeding heart were always too close together.

I have since taken a much harder attitude as to where the cornflower grows. It isn't gonna squeeze out the heuchera.

Steve

 

[Phaedra]

Weeding is one thing, and foraging for chickens is another.

I started to "hunt" safe weeds for chicken last week, one or two or three buckets daily.

At this moment, below weeds are very active in our garden, and they are all safe for chickens.

Cleaver (Galium aparine)
Clover (Trifolium repens)
Couch grass(Elymus repens)
Chickweed (Stellaria media)
Dandelion (Taraxacum)
Goutweed (Aegopodium podagraria)
Purple deadnettle (Lamium purpureum)

Although I can't free-range them, they still can enjoy juicy, fresh, nutritious spring greens.

I am learning how to edit videos - it's the first trial.

 

[Phaedra]

The hoop tunnel is almost done, and seedlings gradually move in.

The space inside is sufficient - besides tomatoes, I can undoubtedly plant some other vegetables.

After repotting zucchini and pumpkins, I used a deep tray to carry all pots. They will now stay in the hoop tunnel unless there is a frost warning.

Salat greens, parsley, and onions also moved in today.

Someone on BYC said it looks like a watermelon. Well, I agree, so its name is watermelon tunnel from now on.

So far, I have put a lot of Gladiolus bulbs, potato tubers, and peony roots in the bigger pots. They can be removed anywhere when it is necessary.

As long as there is no frost warning, those plants will stay here, kind of hardening off. When there is a frost warning, they will be sent back to the greenhouse.

A bling-bling watermelon tunnel in the evening

After these works, I would start sowing the next batch of flower seeds and pre-sprouting more dahlia tubers.

 

[Phaedra]

Flower time!

Next week, this small area will be beautiful.

It's the 4th year, still a long way to go. I am learning every day and also enjoy it so much.

 

[baymule]

Chickeeed is high in vitamin C and makes a good salad green.

What are You Eating from the Garden?

The sweet corn and plum jam sounds amazing! Was it corn on the cob or bottled sweet corn? The kim chi radish sounds wonderful too! I always buy kim chi at Trader Joe's. I do make my own cortido and sauerkraut though. Would love to try kim chi next! Fresh from the garden. I like to steam...

www.theeasygarden.com

 

[digitS']

Weeding is one thing, and foraging for chickens is another

Phaedra, when I had chickens I gave them dandelions from the lawn.

Wanting them to make the best use of them, I pulled the plants out with a weeding tool, rinsed them off, and put them in a plastic bag.

With just a moment in the microwave, the weeds were tender. The backyard hens ate everything - including the roots.

Steve

 

[Phaedra]

Phaedra, when I had chickens I gave them dandelions from the lawn.

Wanting them to make the best use of them, I pulled the plants out with a weeding tool, rinsed them off, and put them in a plastic bag.

With just a moment in the microwave, the weeds were tender. The backyard hens ate everything - including the roots.

Steve

I also gave them the entire plant, including the root, and they finished everything except the flowers. During these two years, I realized that chickens love so many greens, and some are out of my imagination, like the willow leaves. It's almost funny to see them trying to get any falling leaves from the willow tree. So, I bought another young willow last week for planting in one of the runs.

Another surprise is the leave from Dahlias. It's nice that both are safe for them.

This year I have found so many chickweeds and plantain - the chickens will have nutritious and delicious spring greens throughout the season.

 

[Phaedra]

Next Wednesday, this small area will become the first outdoor coffee corner, with the full bloom of tulips.

I also repotted four young grape plants into doubled-sized bags. Last year, I didn't have sufficient time to take good care of them.

Hopefully, they will do better this year.

This year, the sowing is so far quite successful.

 

[baymule]

Love the red tulips! So pretty!