Author Topic: Today in the garden I...Part 2 (Read 11407 times)

duh · « **Reply #50 on:** Sep 11, 2007, 09:24:16 AM »

Well the move isn't happening until January or later. And right now it's up in the air as far as where.

Tamara · « **Reply #51 on:** Sep 15, 2007, 05:51:16 PM »

It won't stop raining... I am going to go crazy.

I need to spread a load of topsoil out there.

Patty S · « **Reply #52 on:** Sep 17, 2007, 02:11:07 AM »

Harvesting my Devil's Claw pods before they started shedding the thick covering on their "claw" pods, has been on my list for a couple weeks now, & I finally got outside today & gathered them all up from the plants that have been in our deer barrier & the iris row.

I just love this plant, cuz it flowers all season. The down-side is that all those flowers turn into seed pods, which can attach themselves to critters & injure them, if they're not harvested. It's something that I have to be loyal about if I'm going to have the plant around.

Some of the plants don't get very big, & I'm beginning to think that it's not so much about the quality of the soil, as it is about the amount of water they get. This one (in the iris row) had 14 pods on it....

...and this one (in the deer barrier) had 52!

I have a bucket with about 100 seed pods in it now, & we'll wait for them to dry & maybe try doing some crafts with them this year, after we get a few seeds out of them. (Some of the pods hold about 2 dozen seeds!)

They come in all sizes, from about 2" to 10½". The pods actually turn into wood, & they open up from the tip & spread out.

We still have a couple dozen pods from last year, but haven't worked with them yet. I would suppose that a little paint & glitter might turn them into rather unique Christmas ornaments.

Now THAT'S off my list... One thing down, about 37 things to go!

I'm soooo not ready for summer to be over!

patches · « **Reply #53 on:** Sep 17, 2007, 03:04:25 AM »

Hey, Patty, that's one interesting and scary looking dried pod.

Actually, to me, it looks like a bug with two eyes, two large pinchers claws on either side and a stinger on it.

duh · « **Reply #54 on:** Sep 17, 2007, 07:27:45 AM »

if you turn it upside down it looks like a heart. I wonder if you could dip it in that resin stuff and make like a stained glass heart. That would be cool. With glitter and stuff added to the pod part.

barleychown · « **Reply #55 on:** Sep 26, 2007, 09:09:14 PM »

Today in the gardens I tore out most of my squash vines. They are done for the year. I still have a zuchinni bush or two, and one lemon cucumber hanging in there, but that's it. My tomatoes are still going strong, as are my peppers.

I still have not managed to work on my front porch...maybe tomorrow.

Triss · « **Reply #56 on:** Sep 26, 2007, 09:12:11 PM »

I managed to just do the front porch Sarah and put a couple of strawberry plants into the back bed. I had big plans but that was as far as I got today.

Patty S · « **Reply #57 on:** Sep 26, 2007, 10:47:29 PM »

Well, I'm sure glad that somebody is getting things done outdoors! I've been a bit under the weather (probably just worn out), so I haven't done a single thing in the yard or gardens for the past 2 days except look out the window!

Sarah, do you compost your squash & pumpkin vines?

I don't do anything on the front porch, cuz I'm the last house on a dead end street, so nobody sees it.

Good idea, about the Devil's Claw pods, Duh!

I was thinking along the same lines... that turned the other way, it looks like a heart. I can take the stems off some of them (the "stinger") & dip or spray them with blue paint (depends on what shade of blue I can find, as my Christmas tree will be blue & silver this year), put pretty blue bows on & a splash of glitter, for tree ornaments. BG & Diane (Peggy's daughter) will be here off & on this weekend, so that might be a great project for them to work on!

89 days, 4 hrs, 13 minutes till Christmas.
... but who's counting?

ME!

Tonya · « **Reply #58 on:** Sep 27, 2007, 04:01:30 PM »

Patty!!

WHY did you have to say the "C" word....

I don't even want to think about it yet.

Today- I moved a few things around in the garden. Not sure if they are gonna be able to do anything this year, but I had to put something in there this year. I have cucumbers and onions and a gifted cantaloupe plant in there. I am hoping to get my collards in there before the weekend is over.

Triss · « **Reply #59 on:** Sep 27, 2007, 05:03:13 PM »

I am soooo not ready for the holidays though I technically have some things ready for gifts. A lot of my canning will be going into baskets for my family.

Patty S · « **Reply #60 on:** Sep 28, 2007, 02:18:34 AM »

Ouch, Tonya!

I said the "C" word, NOT the "S" word, for the love of Mike!! (I sure hope somebody else mentions it first, when the white stuff starts fallin' outta the sky... I must be allergic to that stick of yours, cuz it gives me welts!)

I finally felt good enough to go out & finish mixing up the dirt for my new planter boxes today. I'd passed on Keith's offer to help with that project last Sunday, cuz I didn't feel very well, so it took me 2 hours to fill six 5-gallon buckets by myself! It was too hot to work out in the sun, & takes a lot of arm strength to mix it in the wheelbarrow by the bag full, so I mixed smaller amounts & dumped it into buckets, then Keith carried the buckets to the deck for me when he got home from work. Tomorrow I'll get the planters filled & try to start digging up bulbs to put in them.

First thing in the morning though, I need to get Devil's Claw pods painted, so BG & Diane can make some "C" ornaments out of them, when they get here. (Stop, Tonya! ...I didn't say the whole word!) BG will be here after her school gets out at noon, then Peggy will bring Diane later, when hers dismisses for the day... I'm NOT letting those girls have the spray paint! No way!!

I've only picked up a few stocking stuffer type things so far this year, but I'm usually ahead of the game by this time, having picked things up that go on sale over the months. I have no idea how this year went by so fast... guess I was too busy playing in the dirt, to pay attention to the sales!

duh · « **Reply #61 on:** Sep 30, 2007, 08:21:21 AM »

I have to join the boy not feeling well club. Hopefully it will inprove with the cooler temperatures. But I've got blah down to a science.

My ornamental grass is struggling to survive there are so many weeds I've got to get out there even if I crawl. But I haven't even been watering and it sure shows especially on the peppers.

Tonya · « **Reply #62 on:** Oct 01, 2007, 08:06:02 AM »

Well, Saturday- I got my collards, broccoli, and cabbage in the garden.

I still have Mustards, turnips, and lettuce to plant, but I was so sick- I gave up after the plants got in. I didn't feel up to doing seeds.

Hopefully I can get out there today and get it all finished up!

Oh, and Patty- I am sorry about the whacking...I guess I don't know my own strength.

MassMama · « **Reply #63 on:** Oct 01, 2007, 08:32:13 AM »

Great job Tonya!! You have been busy.. I have to get out there and clean up my garden area and get it ready for the spring time!

Tonya · « **Reply #64 on:** Oct 01, 2007, 10:03:01 AM »

I have pics of me working in there, thanks to DOug....here ya go!

Penny · « **Reply #65 on:** Oct 01, 2007, 10:56:06 AM »

Wow.....thats a big garden, is that where you planted everything Tonya??

Tonya · « **Reply #66 on:** Oct 01, 2007, 12:10:29 PM »

Yeah, Penny- I am only using a little under half of the actual garden space. Right now I have 4 rows going. One with plants that I am not sure will produce, and the stuff I know are colder weather crops are in the other 3 rows. All total, there is between a quarter and a third of an acre to be used as my garden come spring. I better start stocking up on jars and canning supplies now!

Penny · « **Reply #67 on:** Oct 01, 2007, 12:59:45 PM »

Yep.......look for them everywhere!!!

Thats gonna be a big garden though~~!!!!

Patty S · « **Reply #68 on:** Oct 08, 2007, 01:45:32 AM »

Not just today, but all weekend, we had mostly sunshine & decent temps (mid-high 70's), so BG & I got lots done!

We dug up & potted the 2 Hibiscus plants so we could bring them inside... (last year my Manihot didn't bloom until I brought it in, in Oct)

& we also brought in the short Lisianthus & the whatevers that I thought were purple Four O'clocks... but I've decided they must be something else.

That done, we marked some envelopes & set out to harvest seeds from the gardens, pulling up plants that were done for the year, as we went.

Then we remembered the Ice Plant that Sarah sent home with me on Tuesday, so we got busy on the hill above the Iris... I scruffed up soil & BG put the plants in place. After a popsicle break, (that works great, for motivating 8 year olds & keeping Gramas moving!)

we planted the Daffodil bulbs that have been waiting in the wagon all week while it rained, & added a few fall plants. (Will get some winter Pansies when I can get to the store.)

Then we got the step ladder out & put a tarp on the garden shed roof, cuz the temporary roofing (linoleum) has weathered to the max over the past 3 years, & moisture has started to wick through to the plywood. (We have the roofing material for it, but Keith just hasn't had time to put it on yet, but it's on his "before winter" list.)

We had done enough for one day, so it was decided that Grampa would take his gardeners out to dinner... the Sizzler salad bar hit the spot!

Today after church, we sprinkled slug & snail bait in the gardens, cut back the Lavender, pulled out some kind of ground cover plant that was growing in the wrong place on the hill (see Mystery Plants), & moved some "Basket Of Gold" (AuriniaSaxatilis), to make room for the ground cover that we went & dug from a lady's yard, cuz she wanted to get rid of it.

We also dug up about 15 square feet of Blue Star Creeper that I'll be putting in a heavy traffic area at the end a front flower bed, so I'll be plenty busy this week... as long as I can stay ahead of the next 4-day rain cloud!

Triss · « **Reply #69 on:** Oct 08, 2007, 01:48:59 AM »

My goodness Patty, you got a ton accomplished. It rained here pretty much all weekend so I spent it here with the laptop and sewing machine!

Tonya · « **Reply #70 on:** Oct 08, 2007, 08:34:12 AM »

Didn't get a lot done this weekend, but did get the outline dug for the new flower bed. I am hoping to finish that today. I can't wait!! On Friday- I did get my garden hoed out and hilled up my collards and all. Either today or tomorrow I have to thin out the mustards and turnips. I put a "few" seeds in each hill and ALL of them sprouted!

Patty- you sure did get a TON accomplished! You could send me some of BG's energy and maybe I could get all my stuff done, too!!

Patty S · « **Reply #71 on:** Oct 08, 2007, 10:16:01 AM »

Tonya, if I knew how to bottle up BG's energy, I wouldn't hafta go broke buying all those popsicles!

Tonya · « **Reply #72 on:** Oct 11, 2007, 03:18:02 PM »

Ok, I have updated pics. I went out and hoed and weeded(a little) today. I am getting the part for my tiller this weekend- I don't care WHAT Doug says!!

The whole area I have planted-

Cucumbers(not sure if they will fruit or not, but I had extra seeds, so...)

Collards

Broccoli

Cabbage

More in next post so as to not load down dial uppers too badly.

Tonya · « **Reply #73 on:** Oct 11, 2007, 03:21:38 PM »

Red cabbage

Lettuce(fire ants got most of the seeds I planted, but I have more and am gonna re-do some of the missing ones)

Mustards

Turnips(need to thin those a bit

)

I broke my hoe after the first row and had to use the little pitchfork hoe thingy to finish. At first it was quite annoying, but I got used to it and it breaks up the ground a lot better, just doesn't weed as well....

Jim · « **Reply #74 on:** Oct 11, 2007, 09:20:06 PM »

Holy mackerel Tonya, you have a good sized fall garden going there. Everything is looking good. Hope the real cold weather holds off long enough for you to get something out of it. Seems like I read that cucumbers take about 55 days as we were thinking of planting again but didn't ever get around to doing it.

Too much mowing I guess.

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Author Topic: Today in the garden I...Part 2 (Read 11407 times)

Tamara

MassMama