What Did You Do In The Garden?

[Beekissed]

After watching many, many, many YT vids on gardening, I've come to realize the descriptions of the size of one's harvest of this or that veggie is extremely relative. I've clicked on vids describing a "MASSIVE" harvest of this or that, only to find someone displaying a tiny amount of tiny spuds or a bushel basket of beans or a handful of sweet onions, etc.

And most of those veggies have been grown in mushroom mulch, raised beds, irrigated, chemically fertilized or with a lot of composted manures, and much fussing and money spent on growing the stuff. That's a lot of money, time and effort spent for such a small yield, but those folks seemed as happy as a mule eating briars over it.

It's kind of sad. I've been having a few crappy garden years myself of late, but at least I knew they were crappy yields and I didn't spend a lot of money, apply loads of fancy mulches, nor irrigated a single thing...I think I'd be MUCH more disappointed about a crappy yield if I'd went that far and spent that much.

I end the video feeling pretty bad for those folks, but I don't know why...they seem happy enough.

 

[flowerbug]

@Beekissed so much of gardening for me is the exercise. like you i try to avoid putting a lot of $ into it because i don't think it should be fancy or expensive either. when i think about putting up a new fence i have to talk myself out of it. we already have a fence and that area is really enough room for growing what we need. if i can get old used fencing for free/not much then it becomes worth it.

i'm happy for them in that they've gotten outdoors and gotten some exercise, fresh air and had a chance to figure out things to do with nature. not that they may really understand it, but at least there's a chance they are listening...

 

[bobm]

@Beekissed so much of gardening for me is the exercise. like you i try to avoid putting a lot of $ into it because i don't think it should be fancy or expensive either. when i think about putting up a new fence i have to talk myself out of it. we already have a fence and that area is really enough room for growing what we need. if i can get old used fencing for free/not much then it becomes worth it.

i'm happy for them in that they've gotten outdoors and gotten some exercise, fresh air and had a chance to figure out things to do with nature. not that they may really understand it, but at least there's a chance they are listening...

If you lived in heavy smog areas and have to wear face masks to go ouside ... staying inside is much healthier than the great outdoors. Just saying !

 

[digitS']

i'm happy for them in that they've gotten outdoors and gotten some exercise, fresh air and had a chance to figure out things to do with nature.

it's a living system, some days it breathes a bit different...

Here are some things that I have been reading about "breath" and FlowerBug gives me a reason to share, even if he himself may see this as quite a swerve . At least, I started this thread ... and have tried to leave it on auto-pilot, up to now.

"Hello" - yes, Bell made use of it with his telephone but the word is much older and along with "hail," it has to do with "exhaling."

There is another "hale," hale and hardy. "Healthy" and ... "whole." Full of breath.

Just as you might throw a "w" on the front, you can leave the "h" off, in some dialects and words. This may not look quite that simple but - "animate." It is also from the idea of breath. "Anima" is not used as often but it has to do with the spirit, mind and inner self. Breath

I can go back to exhale and inhale and "inspire." If breath relates to spirit, there might be a connection and the etymologists tell us, "there is!"

Steve ""

 

[flowerbug]

@digitS' everything i write here for the next few months is likely to be OT because the gardens are sleeping and i am just daydreaming and looking out the winder...

back in the older days (early 80s) i recall driving from the mountains of Colorado down into the valley around Denver and seeing the brown cloud hovering over it. kinda made me rethink living there. like many areas they have improved somewhat in recent years.

 

[valley ranch]

I kept reading about moving my (now I know that they are) juniper trees (5-6 ft. tall now and in the wrong spot) in November. Now, not sure if it's too late. I will have my boy putting up the rest of my hay, soon, a 1 hour job, and I want to hire them to also move the trees, etc. same day.
Should I try moving them now, or wait until next Spring? Not sure...

Well~ not sure if you've moved them yet ~ Haven't read all the posts~ but ~ they can be moved~ Daddy told me how~ and I've done it```

You have to be generous~ start out from the trees~ 5 to 6' are not too big to move```

Start out from your trees~ 1 1/2'~ the ball may get smaller before you're through~ dig down~ you have previously moisten the ground~ began wrapping the ball at about foot and 1/2 or 2'~ wrap with old clothing or burlap and band or tie as you go```

You have to dig~ your call~ on a 5' juniper~ you'll have to wrap a good 3'~ this is not as heavy or as large as it sounds~

dig the side of the circle out so you can later lay the plant down~ as you dig and soften round the tap root as deep as you can with a sharp shooter~ a narrow shovel~ digging around the root as well as you can keep the cloth damp```
Soon you lay the tree down~ with the ground softened and wet around the tap~ you're going to pull the tree up and over to one side~ you may have to dig down a bit so as to reach in and cut the tap``` It~ the tree~ can be pulled out by hand if you're feeling good~ with a (come along) a car~ garden tractor~ once it's free you're just sliding it~ with muscles or mechine~ you can do it~ I've done it~ Papa's done it~ You can do it```

The Ball may be as tight as~ less than 2' across~ when you're through~ if you keep the ball damp the root that the dirt has fallen away from don't have to be cut off~ just keep them in the wrap```Keep as much dirt in the wrap as you can~ all is not necessary```

Good luck~

Richard

 

[ducks4you]

Richard, thanks for the advice! I just don't think I can do this next Fall, it's just TOOOOOOO busy, and I didn't do it yet. I am going to gamble on a spring move. It will cost me some time, and I will probably pay my hay guys to help, but the trees were free and I even have a volunteer of the same growing on the other side of the fence, so they are super hearty and make a great wind block...for a day like today.

 

[valley ranch]

The sun is out here in the mountains~ like spring~ no sigh of big snows yet~ maybe a dusting in a couple days```

 

[ducks4you]

Only after being in the deep freeze and having a thaw--60 degrees F yesterday, after -15 degrees F a week ago--I rolled up and stored my 3 soaker horses and rolled up and stored my other hoses.
I am starting to take pictures for a future thread bc I am still fighting burdock and I picked up loads of free cardboard boxes from new office furniture at our new office complex.

 

[flowerbug]

@ducks4you burdock, hmm, some parts are supposedly edible, but i've not tried any of them. luckily these are not a common weed/pest species here. there's a few in the north hedge, but i leave them alone.

i hope the smothering with cardboard approach helps.