What Did You Do In The Garden?

[Nyboy]

Maybe we could get ducks, what lucky kids to have you as a grandma

 

[digitS']

DD had lunch for us.

Then, it was digging out a bed to bury leaves used as insulation here in the yard. A very heavy few inches of wet soil to move off the bed and replace. Good thing it didn't take too long! It's been weeks since I had to lift anything in a shovel!

Of course, none of the things we planted have shown up in the little veggie garden. Maybe soon! It's supposed to be nice right through the weekend .

Steve

 

[Beekissed]

Planted 4 dwarf apple trees today. Checked on sweet onions seeds in the garden...saw tiny sprouts under the soil, won't be long until they are up. Garlic is up and doing well.

Peach trees still covered over in blossom, with a million different bees and even a butterfly working those blossoms. Apple trees putting out some buds now.

Hope to play catch up tomorrow and get some seeds into seed trays. I'm two weeks late, but I'm finally getting there. So much to do at this time of year.

 

[Beekissed]

Finally got my pepper seeds in the tray today and also a tray of maters, with more coming along tomorrow.

More taters up in the garden and the rhubarb is up bigger as well. Saw some radishes up.

 

[digitS']

I began prepping the soil in the dahlia garden and finished all of the ground that is in full sun. There is shadow on one bed and half another. These aren't the best places for dahlia but, oh well ... Yeah, the big problem is that the shade will be back in September, frost or no frost. In a couple weeks, the sun will be higher and the shade will be gone. That ground will catch as much sun as anywhere in the dahlia garden.

Some carrot seed went in the little veggie garden. The Oregon Grape still has not bloomed but afternoon highs in the mid-60's make me feel like we are good to go!

One way I could get in trouble -- we could have a couple weeks of rain. Not only would cold wet soil likely kill the seed we put in it but I might feel I have to go right back in the dahlia garden and re-do those beds. Still early!

I'm feeling good. There was a bed to dig out completely, yesterday. A lot of heavy soil to move ... it's brutal on the back. I was concerned that I might be in trouble today but - I'm okay! Trying to stay in reasonable shape thru the winter seems to be paying off.

Steve

 

[ninnymary]

Glad to hear that your back is ok. Definitely keeping it strong helps to prevent injuries or a lot of soreness. It's great to see the payoff.

Mary

 

[digitS']

From terrible weather Monday, to still a little windy but better yesterday, to a chance to break some high temperature records in a few more days ..!

Had already changed the oil and spark plug on the rototiller so ... out into the big veggie garden for the first time this year! I had driven by twice during the last 6 months .

It has also been 6 months since the tractor guy had been there and, other than so much organic matter already in the ground, one would hardly know it had ever happened.

The outside beds got the spading fork treatment. The tractor guy has special problems there.

Finished about 500 square feet with the rototiller and should go back, today. It's okay for soil prepping early crop beds but there is a possibility of getting the cart before the horse. March had near-record rain and if April turns around the same way, I might have that rototiller dragging me through those same beds, before the month is out. Would be okay.

Steve

 

[catjac1975]

From terrible weather Monday, to still a little windy but better yesterday, to a chance to break some high temperature records in a few more days ..!

Had already changed the oil and spark plug on the rototiller so ... out into the big veggie garden for the first time this year! I had driven by twice during the last 6 months .

It has also been 6 months since the tractor guy had been there and, other than so much organic matter already in the ground, one would hardly know it had ever happened.

The outside beds got the spading fork treatment. The tractor guy has special problems there.

Finished about 500 square feet with the rototiller and should go back, today. It's okay for soil prepping early crop beds but there is a possibility of getting the cart before the horse. March had near-record rain and if April turns around the same way, I might have that rototiller dragging me through those same beds, before the month is out. Would be okay.

Steve

I need a nap after reading all of this.....

 

[ducks4you]

I have two properties that I am planting this year, my own garden/flower beds, and my DD's weedy and muddy back yard.
At home I have one bed planted, ~4'x8'. It's been a struggle with this bed because I got the garlic in the corners, the red onion sets along the edge, then the strips of spinach, lettuce and radishes, all in the middle in thirds. Everything was growing great, then we had the first of THREE weeks with 50 mph winds! I couldn't keep my plastic covers on it, so the bed dried out and I had to replant the middle of it. Haven't had to replant a 2nd time, but with today's rain I'm looking for a good soaking, but then, we may have snow on Friday, SOOOO, the covers will go back on. I don't care about spring sprouts "tolerating" snow...I know that they don't LIKE it, or else these crops wouldn't do well started inside...where it's warm!
Speaking of starting inside, I did the "wet paper towel in the labelled plastic bag thing" with tomato seeds and sugar snap peas. My peas were several years old, but I got about 95% germination rate with the dwarf sugar snap peas, and about 75% with the normal sugar snap peas. DH transplanted the tomato seedlings, and they are growing in those small, plastic greenhouses on top of the refridgerator, and under the overhang, 65 watt inside flood light bulbs, and doing...ok. He decided to start ALL of his seeds, but I found one in the container not used, so I planted it in the cell where one seedling had not survived. The tomato seedlings are in 4" diameter starter pots and we are watering from below. Gotta NOT check them every few days, like the watched pot, and then I'll be pleased with their progress, because they don't look they're Not doing much. Thinking about putting a heat mat underneath them, hmmm...
Almost ALL of the sugar snap dwarf peas survived transplanting to containers and they are growing on the unheated east and south facing shelves by the windows on our enclosed front porch. I see them growing about 3/4" every day. Many of the sugar snap peas, both kinds, will be in the 10" wide bed on the east side of my DD's garage, and climbing the plastic trellis. (Still have to attach the two 4' x 8' trellises and dig out the crappy soil and replace with my aged compost from 2014-2015 horse stalls.)
I lost about 15 regular sugar snap peas which did NOT survive their transplanting, but then again, you are only supposed to leave the seeds for a week, and I had interruptions--DH health problem--so they stayed in the plastic bags for 3 weeks!
We have Preen to add to my DD's beds and back yard, so every plant has to be a hardy 3" or taller to survive the Preen!
I replanted in a "formerly chicken dinner" plastic container, turned "greenhouse", and, if I'm lucky, all 30 regular sugar snap peas will sprout.
Sunday DD's and I filled 7 large, paper, yard waste bags with sticks, limbs and twigs not cleaned up in at least 2 years. I have them in my tool shed and will be having some Very Nice fires in my fire pit with them, if we ever dry out again.

 

[Nyboy]

Let us know when your ready to receive plants for daughters garden