What Did You Do In The Garden?

[Ridgerunner]

Does anyone know if the garlic will continue to grow?

It should. Mine did in Arkansas when it got that cold.

 

[Artichoke Lover]

I got my onions planted over the weekend. I also trimmed up the dead leaves on my elephant garlic that died from the -6 degrees we had during our winter snow storm. Does anyone know if the garlic will continue to grow?

Garlic is supposed to be hardy to -30 it should come back from the bulb.

 

[Rhodie Ranch]

I've been sitting on my behind for the last three days, outside on a towel. (you should see me try to get up - its like a giraffe). Anyhoo, I'm out there scratching up with a curved pick like thingy, and a wide flat screwdriver, trying to remove the dead Non-grasses I killed last fall with the product called "Tenacity". I'm scratching it all away and the tough under mat of the dead growth.

I was also manually removing the overgrowth of moss. I'm about a month away from applying Moss Out, so since I'm sitting there, might as well get some of that dang stuff too.

 

[Trish Stretton]

I got the mowing strip in front of the Greengage bed mortared in place.

Then the rain came and hasnt stopped. Seems like as soon as its officially Fall, the weather changes, not that thats a bad thing cos its been so hot and dry til now.

I weeded the bed where I had planted the rows of lettuce, onions and beetroot, to find.....I have self sown carrots! yay, but I dont think the onions are going to like it. So today, while the soil is nice and soft, I'm moving them.
Its funny, after all these years of not being able to get carrots to grow, they just do it themselves.

 

[Dirtmechanic]

I sprayed systemic antifungal on some lelands and roses and such. One of the lelands had gotten shot hole borers last year and I sprayed it with systemic insecticide and fungicide and it seems to have survived -but- the fusarium fungus the shot hole beetle cultivates for food is tenacious as you know.

I am still fighting it in one tree I believe, and it can get into the other trees without the now missing beetles. I had an arborist attempt imoclaprid(sp? nicotine) injections on a Golden Raintree, which was dying and continued to do so, and I was not impressed with trying to control an insect when the fusarium was to my mind the vile death dealer to all plant life.

In fact, I would say that the way the beetle bores into bark could not be better if one did not want to hurt a tree. Just a little round hole. But that dirty beetle has that antlike habit of cultivating its dinner from fusarium, and I have had success by attacking its lunch. Cleary's 3336f liquid btw, I originally bought it for black spot on the roses. Amazingly effective on black spot imo.

 

[ducks4you]

Just what is that "stuff" that accumulates in the bottom of a bird bath? They are clean now but a wire brush and armstrong cleaner was barely enough. I re-planted a bunch of lillies. You know the giant ones where there is a kid in the picture looking up at the flower but when you grow them they are 2 feet tall? Those ones.

That "stuff" is rich growing medium. It need only contact with earthworms.
Still, it is yucky!

 

[ducks4you]

@Trish Stretton , Your mowing strip is magnificent! You are a mower after my own heart.
I Cannot abide weed wackers to get close to a house, a garage, whatEVER. That is why I have some many extra beds around my foundations.

 

[flowerbug]

Had a helper when I was out planting my beans this morning.

View attachment 39362

This is not the same Garter Snake I had around last summer, that one was about 4" longer. Not sure if this one was a full foot long. Beautiful isn't it.

certainly is!

 

[flowerbug]

Aw, you took the character out of that bird bath. What will the birds think. Mother Nature abhors a vacuum, how long do you think it will take her to create life in that sterile environment? What is that stuff? Sediment, stain, and microbial life. A world of its own. Don't worry, it won't be that long before Mother Nature reclaims it.

A cleaner? I usually just use a brush though that reminds me, I need to clean some algae off of a few walls and a shed door. I usually use a bleach solution and elbow grease.

we just call it gunk.

blow it clean as you can with the hose, then use a little bit of bleach and scrub brush, then let it sit for 5-10 minutes (stand there to keep the birdies away, take a moment to enjoy the gardens ) then rinse it off and fill it back up.

Mom must have things cleaned up. we rinse the birdbaths out every day or so. rarely do we let them get too bad but it may be three weeks or so between times we scrub 'em. i'd like to just blow them out with the hose and then let the sun and air bleach them again for a few days before filling them back up again.

i think the best approach would be to us enough similar basins so you could replace one with another and then you could let the ones that were kinda grungy sit in the sun and air until they were ready or needed to be used again. the sun's UV rays and the oxygen's capabilities to clean up most gunk is pretty acceptable to me and much better IMO than having to bleach something. wish i could talk Mom out of using so much bleach. that's a whole 'nother thing... :/

 

[Trish Stretton]

Today was another busy day. The rain stopped and it was time to sow the broad beans-the whole packet...I should have bought another one, but ne' mind.
The Cardiff leeks were ready to go in-36 plants put in where the rock melons used to be. I did plant them closer together than recommended cos I just know that I will be 'thinning' them for the kitchen as they grow.
Planted out 4 more lettuces, this time drunken ladies. The label said lollo rosso, but they most definitely werent that type, Purple sprouting brocolli x 6, a couple of Cone head cabbages, 4 chinese cabbage/Napa... hope that is enough for the kim chi but the other two didnt make the grade.

Harvested 4 more beetroot. These are sitting in the kitchen minus their leaves a la my nana. She always said to leave them for at least two days to set the color and flavor. I'm all good with that right now. The two big ones are going to be used for my Beet Kvass experiment and the smaller ones are getting roasted for dinner. I think I have enough pickled beets for now.

Its still warm enough to direct sow, so a row of mini carrots, Tokyo long.....something spring onions and another of the Jin Mat radishes.

Harvested another 8lb of beefsteak toms. Some arent quite ripe, but with all the rain we have had over the last few days, they looked like they were in the process of splitting.

Harvested another big bowl of San Marzanos as well, but didnt weigh them. These are going to have to wait til Sunday afternoon at least cos I have to go to work. I might get to sort them out tomorrow afternoon, just have to see how I feel when I get home.

I did mean to sow some Utrilla(sp?) peas but wound up spending too much time watching bees and bugs and forgot about them.