2023 Gardening Thread

[TJC44]

I'm sure some of you have started already. The area I'm planning to use is still buried under snow, with another 8-12" coming tomorrow. But the rest of you better get going.

[Slippy]

Mulch and compost ready!

[bigwheel]

Im going for tomatoes and peppers once the weather warms up.

[Inor]

I just turned a big ol' pile of shit last week. The gardens still need quite a bit of work before we are ready to plant though.

[Chiefster23]

I called my local garden supplier and mushroom mulch will be available next week. I will start topping up all the raised beds then. I marked out my calendar with seed starting dates for everything I plan to grow. Monday I start my sweet pepper seeds. For years I have been trying to time it so my sweet peppers turn ripe (red) at the same time I’m canning my tomato sauces and salsa. So far, no luck. Hoping for better timing/results this year.

Also, I’m going to try a few Brussels sprouts and some other veggies I’ve never grown before. I’ll just buy these few starts from the greenhouse guy. Maybe gain some valuable knowledge since food security looks to become a bigger problem. I’m considering building a small greenhouse and maybe a few more raised beds. Time to buckle up for the coming shit storm.

[Broncosfan]

We cleaned up most of the garden last weekend and I burnt off 4 raised beds. Covered one with plastic to help keep it drier for onions planting in early April. Supposedly we can plant onions in March but I've never had any luck always too wet. We started 156 pepper plants last night. Starting extra for a couple of friend and I always like extras. You never know if you might lose a few here and there. Just too expensive to buy replacements from a big box store.

[Chiefster23]

156!!! Wow! Are you close to the train wreck area?

[Broncosfan]

I called my local garden supplier and mushroom mulch will be available next week. I will start topping up all the raised beds then. I marked out my calendar with seed starting dates for everything I plan to grow. Monday I start my sweet pepper seeds. For years I have been trying to time it so my sweet peppers turn ripe (red) at the same time I’m canning my tomato sauces and salsa. So far, no luck. Hoping for better timing/results this year.

Also, I’m going to try a few Brussels sprouts and some other veggies I’ve never grown before. I’ll just buy these few starts from the greenhouse guy. Maybe gain some valuable knowledge since food security looks to become a bigger problem. I’m considering building a small greenhouse and maybe a few more raised beds. Time to buckle up for the coming shit storm.

I've never had any luck timing it perfectly. My salsa tomatoes are always somewhat later to ripen so that help. I've had very good luck with a King of the North. They turn a nice red. For orange I had fantastic results with "Garfield" but the last couple of years I haven't been able to get the seed from my seed company.

[BucketBack]

I bought some Burpee Roma, pea, sweet pepper, and cuke seeds on Thirsty Thursday. The spare bedroom / office / storage / grow room is ready for starting. Snow is still on the ground.

I'm unsure about weather or knot to prepare for raised bed garden, or in ground garden. Or both.

I need plants for sure either way.

[Broncosfan]

156!!! Wow! Are you close to the train wreck area?

We also still need to start banana, paprika and Tabasco peppers yet. No I'm in southeastern Ohio probably close to 3 hours away.

[Mad Trapper]

I bought some seed packs a few weeks ago to have more fresh seeds I always plant.

I need to inventory what seeds I have leftover and how old. I keep a word file w/table on that I update yearly and during the growing season as things grow. I make notes as the season goes by: how things grow, weather, plants diseases, animal problems etc. See below for a screen shot

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Was in touch with my friend with large greenhouse I start most plants in. We will be making a run to the farm store that has bulk vegetable seeds as soon as they come in, they sell by the ounce/pound much cheaper than packet. He should fire the greenhouse wood furnace up soon.

I will be starting some early flats at home before the greenhouse gets going this week. Frost hardy like broccoli/cabbage/kale/lettuce, and a few early peppers/tomatoes/summer squash/cukes to get early crops of those as soon as frost free outside.

I have a good supply of soil mix for starting seeds/flats left over from last year. I mix it up with 1:1 topsoil from garden:rotted manure, dried blood (nitrogen), bone meal (phosphate) and green sand and/or wood ashes (potassium).

Last fall a commercial nursery was tearing down a few greenhouses and gave stuff away free on CL. My friend with the greenhouse and I took home 4 pickup trucks full of supplies. This included ~ 150lbs of Peters professional water soluble fertilizers, new fencing, HD garden carts (10 of these), many flats/pots/trays/seed starting trays, irrigation supplies, new rolls of HD plastic sheeting for greenhouses......we felt like Sanford and Son. We even got a free working small Woods backhoe attachment (no pics) that will work on a skid steer.

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free carts

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Will update when things get going/growing

[Slippy]

dupe

[Slippy]

My old compost bin has seen better days

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we also have a pile on the ground that consists of wood chips, lawn clippings and newspaper/cardboard and we'e about done with that pile.



Thinking of going with a 2 Bin compost tumbler system?

[Chiefster23]

I have a crude compost pile, but it is basically just to dispose of crap. I just buy mushroom mulch every spring and top up the raised beds. Less work and excellent results. The stuff that’s been in the raised beds is composting down into a rich black loose soil. At some point the beds will be completely full and I will either have to remove some soil to allow fresh mulch or just test and apply fertilizer as necessary. I’m thinking that point will probably be next spring. I already have a good supply of fertilizer on hand and should be fine for a few years. I do take my egg shells and coffee grounds and apply into the gardens, not the compost pile. Coffee grounds are supposed to attract worms.

[Slippy]

I could use a few carts like that, Fred! Good score.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WqazleR3FE


I bought some seed packs a few weeks ago to have more fresh seeds I always plant.

I need to inventory what seeds I have leftover and how old. I keep a word file w/table on that I update yearly and during the growing season as things grow. I make notes as the season goes by: how things grow, weather, plants diseases, animal problems etc. See below for a screen shot

21754

Was in touch with my friend with large greenhouse I start most plants in. We will be making a run to the farm store that has bulk vegetable seeds as soon as they come in, they sell by the ounce/pound much cheaper than packet. He should fire the greenhouse wood furnace up soon.

I will be starting some early flats at home before the greenhouse gets going this week. Frost hardy like broccoli/cabbage/kale/lettuce, and a few early peppers/tomatoes/summer squash/cukes to get early crops of those as soon as frost free outside.

I have a good supply of soil mix for starting seeds/flats left over from last year. I mix it up with 1:1 topsoil from garden:rotted manure, dried blood (nitrogen), bone meal (phosphate) and green sand and/or wood ashes (potassium).

Last fall a commercial nursery was tearing down a few greenhouses and gave stuff away free on CL. My friend with the greenhouse and I took home 4 pickup trucks full of supplies. This included ~ 150lbs of Peters professional water soluble fertilizers, new fencing, HD garden carts (10 of these), many flats/pots/trays/seed starting trays, irrigation supplies, new rolls of HD plastic sheeting for greenhouses......we felt like Sanford and Son. We even got a free working small Woods backhoe attachment (no pics) that will work on a skid steer.

21757

free carts

21756

Will update when things get going/growing

[Box of frogs]

I bought some seed packs a few weeks ago to have more fresh seeds I always plant.

I need to inventory what seeds I have leftover and how old. I keep a word file w/table on that I update yearly and during the growing season as things grow. I make notes as the season goes by: how things grow, weather, plants diseases, animal problems etc. See below for a screen shot

21754

Was in touch with my friend with large greenhouse I start most plants in. We will be making a run to the farm store that has bulk vegetable seeds as soon as they come in, they sell by the ounce/pound much cheaper than packet. He should fire the greenhouse wood furnace up soon.

I will be starting some early flats at home before the greenhouse gets going this week. Frost hardy like broccoli/cabbage/kale/lettuce, and a few early peppers/tomatoes/summer squash/cukes to get early crops of those as soon as frost free outside.

I have a good supply of soil mix for starting seeds/flats left over from last year. I mix it up with 1:1 topsoil from garden:rotted manure, dried blood (nitrogen), bone meal (phosphate) and green sand and/or wood ashes (potassium).

Last fall a commercial nursery was tearing down a few greenhouses and gave stuff away free on CL. My friend with the greenhouse and I took home 4 pickup trucks full of supplies. This included ~ 150lbs of Peters professional water soluble fertilizers, new fencing, HD garden carts (10 of these), many flats/pots/trays/seed starting trays, irrigation supplies, new rolls of HD plastic sheeting for greenhouses......we felt like Sanford and Son. We even got a free working small Woods backhoe attachment (no pics) that will work on a skid steer.

21757

free carts

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Will update when things get going/growing


Damn. What a score
I never get lucky deals like that.

[White Shadow]

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[BucketBack]

I have an old iron sighted, walnut stock Benjamin Sheridan .177 pump that puts holes in galvanized garbage cans. As the squirrel who tried hiding in my garbage can after HE tried to hide after knocking the lid off, but his tail betrayed his location. He would tell you if he could.

Dam City Tree Rats are competing with regular City Rats in Mt Ghetto, SE MI

Only problem is the garden is behind a garage and mostly out of sight. I fenced it all around, yet still had a groundhogs trying to sun themselves and set up home.

[Mad Trapper]

I have an old iron sighted, walnut stock Benjamin Sheridan .177 pump that puts holes in galvanized garbage cans. As the squirrel who tried hiding in my garbage can after HE tried to hide after knocking the lid off, but his tail betrayed his location. He would tell you if he could.

Dam City Tree Rats are competing with regular City Rats in Mt Ghetto, SE MI

Only problem is the garden is behind a garage and mostly out of sight. I fenced it all around, yet still had a groundhogs trying to sun themselves and set up home.

Those are great pellet guns.

I shoot every woodchuck I get a chance to if they are anywhere near the house/barn/garden. Fence helps until they dig under it. But if they happen to be fenced inside the garden, gives you time to get the gun/shoot them before they can get back to the tunnel they dug under the fence.

I've had them dig homes in the garden when I've been away a while. For those I make sure they are "home', put a potato fork across the tunnel entrance, then put a garden hose in it. When they get flooded and get to the potato fork, they get a digging bar coming down on them or or a pellet to the brain. For those they dug their own grave and get stuffed back into the hole.

[Michael_Js]

Been buying seeds. Started tomatoes, peppers (Bell, Cayenne, and Jalapeño), eggplants, basil, cilantro and a couple of others inside. Planned out the beds to this year - rotated crops. Next week I mix the garden beds, add fertilizer and compost and plant a couple crops. Each weekend will be more...

Some of the starts are already sprouting. Garlic in the beds, planted in Sept last year, is growing nicely. Lots of work that I am slowly being able to do after the surgery...

[MountainGirl]

Been buying seeds. Started tomatoes, peppers (Bell, Cayenne, and Jalapeño), eggplants, basil, cilantro and a couple of others inside. Planned out the beds to this year - rotated crops. Next week I mix the garden beds, add fertilizer and compost and plant a couple crops. Each weekend will be more...

Some of the starts are already sprouting. Garlic in the beds, planted in Sept last year, is growing nicely. Lots of work that I am slowly being able to do after the surgery...

I've been wondering how you're doing! Everything going okay?

[Michael_Js]

I've been wondering how you're doing! Everything going okay?

Yes, thank you. Just about back to "normal" - whatever that is! No more pain and just a small lump under the incision. I'm in San Diego visiting my daughter and her BF in their new home. Been helping them with some interior mods. Back home this evening and back to the grind tomorrow...Oh well.

Thank you for asking! :)

[Sasquatch]

It's been a day. Here is my garden this morning. This was after the neglect of winter.

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Here is my garden now...

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Got it all cleaned up and started planting. So far I've planted Jalapenos, broccoli, strawberries, tomatoes, carrots, onions and peas.

[Michael_Js]

Added all the drip lines to the 12 raised beds with help from the Mrs. Need to add soaker hoses to the corn rows next.
Uncovered the garlic bed which has been planted and covered since last Sept - looking good!

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My helper:
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On the 5th indoor seed planting today. Many doing well, the darn peppers aren't even starting and tomatoes doing poorly :(
Bought 100 ea. red / yellow onion starts also.

[Slippy]

Two thumbs up for your trusted Helper, that's a good dog! Something tells me bunny rabbits don't invade your garden!



Added all the drip lines to the 12 raised beds with help from the Mrs. Need to add soaker hoses to the corn rows next.
Uncovered the garlic bed which has been planted and covered since last Sept - looking good!

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My helper:
22215

On the 5th indoor seed planting today. Many doing well, the darn peppers aren't even starting and tomatoes doing poorly :(
Bought 100 ea. red / yellow onion starts also.

[T-Man 1066]

Unless it's a Squeeky Rabbit...

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[Prepared One]

It's been a day. Here is my garden this morning. This was after the neglect of winter.

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Here is my garden now...

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Got it all cleaned up and started planting. So far I've planted Jalapenos, broccoli, strawberries, tomatoes, carrots, onions and peas.

Broccoli!!! I shoot that shit on site. My Mother used to make us kids eat that crap when I was growing up. Might as well be eating weeds out of the back yard. :vomito:

[BucketBack]

Started some yellow bulb tomatoes low acid? The Mrs favorite, and some Roma's. Bell Pepper and Zucchini.

Found a good "Bank Billy" spot for chrome
So, we'll have fish fertilizer.

I rested last season, now I need to fish

[Sasquatch]

Broccoli!!! I shoot that shit on site. My Mother used to make us kids eat that crap when I was growing up. Might as well be eating weeds out of the back yard. :vomito:

It all depends on how it is prepared. Plus you can always smother it with cheese and bacon!

[Mad Trapper]

It all depends on how it is prepared. Plus you can always smother it with cheese and bacon!

Cheese on broccoli is good. Thanks for the bacon tip.

[Sasquatch]

Cheese on broccoli is good. Thanks for the bacon tip.

Bacon on anything is good.

[Mad Trapper]

Bacon on anything is good.

How is Denton? Get that SOB to post here!

[Sasquatch]

How is Denton? Get that SOB to post here!

Not sure what his issue is not posting here. He said something about losing his password but I thought he straightened that out with Hawg. So I dunno. I'll kick him in the balls and tell him to come say hi.

[Mad Trapper]

Not sure what his issue is not posting here. He said something about losing his password but I thought he straightened that out with Hawg. So I dunno. I'll kick him in the balls and tell him to come say hi.

Give him the best and tell him Happy Easter.

[Mad Trapper]

Back on topic......

Late start here.

4/1 started 4 kinds of broccoli, 4 kinds of cabbage, 6 heirloom tomatoes, bell peppers and 3 hots (cayenne cherry jalepeno), sage thyme rosemary basil, marigolds for bugs.

[Prepared One]

Well, MG has her blackberries going and they are doing nicely. We are going to get a couple of apple trees next week and I am going to get some peppers going. Can't have enough peppers. I can usually keep peppers alive, I kill everything else.

[Chiefster23]

Well, MG has her blackberries going and they are doing nicely. We are going to get a couple of apple trees next week and I am going to get some peppers going. Can't have enough peppers. I can usually keep peppers alive, I kill everything else.

Consider a crab apple tree as a pollinator. They work great.

[Mad Trapper]

Consider a crab apple tree as a pollinator. They work great.

^ that, and you can make good jelly too. Nice little trees to have, beautiful blossoms.

[Prepared One]

Consider a crab apple tree as a pollinator. They work great.

MG has been doing the research on what apple tree grows best here in the Texas heat. I'll mention this to her.

[Mad Trapper]

MG has been doing the research on what apple tree grows best here in the Texas heat. I'll mention this to her.


You NEED two apples to cross pollinate to get fruit. Two different apples work sometimes, crab apples work all the time.

Some other fruit trees are the same, check on that if "self pollinating"

[MountainGirl]

You NEED two apples to cross pollinate to get fruit. Two different apples work sometimes, crab apples work all the time.

Some other fruit trees are the same, check on that if "self pollinating"

Thanks :)

One thing about apples down here - is they have to have a low enough "chill hours" requirement. Most apple species wont grow this far south because there aren't enough cold winter nights to set the process. There are only a few varieties that will work here, and one that works as the best cross pollinator. I'll check into the crabs because I love the flowers (grew up with many at home up north) and crab apple jelly is really good too.

IF we're gonna do this it has to be soon - so they have enough time to settle in before the big heat hits in a month or two.

[Denton]

How is Denton? Get that SOB to post here!

I appreciate you.
A lot on my plate at the moment.

[White Shadow]

MG has been doing the research on what apple tree grows best here in the Texas heat. I'll mention this to her.


I'm guessing apples sculpted from solid stone would do best down there.

[Mad Trapper]

delete

[Mad Trapper]

I appreciate you.
A lot on my plate at the moment.


Sorry to hear shit had/has plied up. It is about to hit the fan here too.

You are a good Man and we we miss your stuff/banters.

Take care Brother.

And I forgot, Happy Easter!

[BucketBack]

I sowed seeds in another flat of veggies. My dock sections for raised container gardening may be repurposed to a shed floor support

[Mad Trapper]

I put in a flat of sauce tomatoes, 1/2 roma 1/2 san marzano.

I got first stuff in at green house 4/1, shelves a near full now.........

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[Chiefster23]

All my vegetable plant starts are up and doing nicely. I have an el-cheapo tiny plastic greenhouse on the back porch set up to hold the flats. I just started another flat for flower seeds, mostly marigolds. I got a 30 gallon plastic barrel and built a planter for 25 strawberry’s. The plants arrive tomorrow. This week I will top up all my raised beds with fresh mushroom compost. I had planned on doing this last week but a cold spell set me back one week. Lawn mowing will be starting this week. Unfortunately the fruit trees are blooming and it’s way too early. I’m sure a frost will kill off the blooms and we will have another year of no fruit. 10days ago I planted a new crab apple to act as pollinator for my apples. At 72, I’m getting too old to be starting new trees as I might not be around to see fruit. I wish I knew 10 or 20 years ago what I know now about fruit trees and pollinators.

[TJC44]

What every Squatch needs in their garden. A lookout Squatch.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Design-Toscano-15-in-H-Bigfoot-the-Bashful-Yeti-Tree-Sculpture-DB583078/309019208

[Michael_Js]

Planted red & yellow onion starts yesterday. Also planted potatoes...Laid down all the soaker tubes in the 4 corn rows. More to go. Many of the starts are doing well indoors. Just transplanted some of the Roma tomatoes into their own pots. Those damn peppers take so long, if they ever start! :(

[Mad Trapper]

First sign of mice/vermin yesterday in green house

They dug up some freshly planted squash/cukes of mine.


I put out a bucket trap, owner put out sonic plug in crap.

Does sonic stuff work at all? We will see if my buckets fill........

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[BucketBack]

Our seedlings are starting to come up.

[Chiefster23]

Well I knew it was gonna happen! All my fruit trees are in bloom and last nite we had a nasty frost. Tonite we are supposed to get down into the 20s. So I guess this will be another whole year of zero or near zero fruit on my trees.

[BucketBack]

The squash and peppers haven't sprouted yet, so I'm thinking of using a different pack of seeds.....

[Box of frogs]

Finally caught a break with the rain.
Got the small garden planted with corn, purple hull peas, Lima beans, and squash this weekend.

Got the big garden tilled and cross tilled Saturday. Will plant that in the next few weeks.

[Chiefster23]

My broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes, and sweet pepper seeds I started are all up, healthy, and ready to plant out in the garden. But realistically, we are still about 3 weeks away from our last frost date. My raised beds are all prepped. But I gotta hold off a while yet. Chomping at the bit here.

[BucketBack]

The clay soil here is too wet to plant. Ankle Muck boots or your feet get wet. I can go pick up sticks and rake out a flower bed.

Then I can go pick up my first pension letter in 20 years. I'll be:obamadance:rich on maybe $26 / month in the fall.

Mrs BB just brought in some Giant Cockscomb seed she wants me to plant.

[Slippy]

Weather sure has been nice down around our place BOF! We ain't too far from you, about 100 miles west of you as the crow flies.


Finally caught a break with the rain.
Got the small garden planted with corn, purple hull peas, Lima beans, and squash this weekend.

Got the big garden tilled and cross tilled Saturday. Will plant that in the next few weeks.

[Mad Trapper]

Well I knew it was gonna happen! All my fruit trees are in bloom and last nite we had a nasty frost. Tonite we are supposed to get down into the 20s. So I guess this will be another whole year of zero or near zero fruit on my trees.

That sucks.

I'm at ~1300' elv. I think previous dry weeks kept trees/plants from starting sooner. We had a few days in the mid 80s, 13-14th. This in the hills east of Albany NY (Vermont and mASShole)

We had rains yesterday, min temp in low 30s. My orchard trees not in bloom yet. Some trees starting to leaf out , maples. Horseraddish and rhubarb popping up, crocus and daffodils long up, irus azaleas and just starting. Asparagus just popping up.

Got lots of rain last few days ~2". Hope no more frosts. Last was the 11th, close on the 20th 34 oF. Last night cloudy weather saved me, low 30s. Same lows rest of week.

I've been derelict in getting early garden in. Should have plowed/harrowed garden before the rains, got new onions/garlic/spinach/chard/carrots/beets in.

I remember frosts and snows into end of May as a boy. Mom said never put the peppers and tomatoes out until end of month.

[Inor]

Well I knew it was gonna happen! All my fruit trees are in bloom and last nite we had a nasty frost. Tonite we are supposed to get down into the 20s. So I guess this will be another whole year of zero or near zero fruit on my trees.

That happened to us a couple weeks ago as well. It sucks, but such is life...

I did get the gardens spaded last week. But spring came all at once here this year - all last week. I got a real bad sunburn doing it; enough to draw blood. But at least it is done and I am pretty happy with how the soil is starting to look now. After 3 years of compost, animal shit and planting off season rye grass in them and turning it under, I think we might have enough nutrients in the soil now that we might start getting a decent haul from the gardens now.

[Box of frogs]

Weather sure has been nice down around our place BOF! We ain't too far from you, about 100 miles west of you as the crow flies.

Yup. You and I catch the same weather patterns. I needed a week of sun to dry out the field enough for tilling without making mud balls. Got rain in the forecast for the weekend. Should get the seeds germinated after that with a little warmer temperatures

[Broncosfan]

Last week we finally got the onions in. I'm not sure how they will do as I had them about 3 weeks longer than I like before planting. The tomato and pepper plants are getting big even by starting them later. We transplanted the tomatoes into peat containers over the weekend all 133 of them. Wife picked up the hazelnut seedlings and the white oak trees from the NRCS tree sale Friday. I dug holes yesterday so hopefully I will get the oaks in today. Got hit with 26 degrees overnight not sure how much damage the fruit trees got.

[Mad Trapper]

Dodged the bullet last night, 32 oF.

[TJC44]

I'm not sure if I can call it a garden, but I have strawberries started in a planter on the deck, and some blueberries in dirt in a planter, that will have to be replanted at some point. I've also put some seed potatoes in the ground where it looks like the previous owners were trying to do something, but no clue what. I have a south-facing hillside that needs to be cleared of brush and stumps, and then landscaped somehow. I am still getting freezes at night, so the berries need to be covered over. Pics to follow.

[TJC44]

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[StratBastard]

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[Mad Trapper]

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I've got 40 acres, neighbors I don't know (trespassers) ,call the cops if they see me out hunting. Too cold for nude gardening here.......

[White Shadow]

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[Mad Trapper]

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Never tried that with chucks .

[Michael_Js]

Bought some starts today since some of mine fizzled out and wouldn't grow at all. Planted peppers and some zucchini. Put all the tomatoes starts (my own) outside today to harden to be planted next weekend. Will be planting different starts over the next few weekends until the garden is ready.

Harvested a handful of asparagus yesterday, and we're still harvesting kale & cilantro from last years crop.

[Chiefster23]

According to my preferred planting guide, I should be planting potatoes now. But it’s been rainy and cold and will continue with rain for about another week. Just as soon as things dry out a bit, spuds, cauliflower, and broccoli will be going into the ground. We’ve got two batches of asparagus so far.

[Mad Trapper]

Never tried that with chucks .

Bombs in holes, or lead for them.

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[Box of frogs]

Got three inches of rain overnight. When it rains here it really comes down.
Checked the garden this afternoon and everything is up, except the purple hull peas.
The shoots are about an inch tall. I will give the peas another week and replant if they don’t come up.
BoF


Finally caught a break with the rain.
Got the small garden planted with corn, purple hull peas, Lima beans, and squash this weekend.

Got the big garden tilled and cross tilled Saturday. Will plant that in the next few weeks.

[Mad Trapper]

Hi just looked at national radar maps.

People in Michigan getting much snow?

[hawgrider]

Hi just looked at national radar maps.

People in Michigan getting much snow?

I think the U.P. up around Marquette is getting a couple feet. Nothing here in mid Meatchicken just rain.

[BucketBack]

I picked up the wayward planters at Mom's place and brought them here for some container gardening startup. Transplanted the roma's from 4/9 into 3" pots.

I finally have a CV woofer with no cone tear to install the foam on today, and I found my HP Folio Elite Book that hasn't been used since Halloween.

[BucketBack]

Hi just looked at national radar maps.

People in Michigan getting much snow?

The Trouser Trout opener was chilly for sure. Friends sent this pic

https://www.michigan-sportsman.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,onerror=redirect,width=1920,height=192 0,fit=scale-down/https://www.michigan-sportsman.com/attachments/1683029759856-png.896048/

[BucketBack]

Something like this happened yesterday , it was nuts.

Chopped cashews actually.

https://www.michigan-sportsman.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,onerror=redirect,width=1920,height=192 0,fit=scale-down/https://www.michigan-sportsman.com/attachments/1683239869078-png.896504/

Mrs BB picked up 20 Everbearing strawberry plants for $10, plus $8 in gas yesterday.

Next door was Imperial Gunworx , who had Winchester Large Pistol Primers for $120 @ 1000

[Michael_Js]

Just planted all my tomato starts, squash (Delicata, straight neck, Butternut, spaghetti), Sugar pie pumpkins, another artichoke, pickling & regular cucumbers, and some peppers...Need to buy some Black beauty eggplants as mine didn't start...It's getting there!

The onions are coming up strong! Multiple asparagus harvests already. Little strawberries starting to pop up. Potatoes from last year and newly planted ones are all coming up, as are the rows of carrots. Next week is corn...

[TJC44]

Something like this happened yesterday , it was nuts.

Chopped cashews actually.

https://www.michigan-sportsman.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,onerror=redirect,width=1920,height=192 0,fit=scale-down/https://www.michigan-sportsman.com/attachments/1683239869078-png.896504/

Mrs BB picked up 20 Everbearing strawberry plants for $10, plus $8 in gas yesterday.

Next door was Imperial Gunworx , who had Winchester Large Pistol Primers for $120 @ 1000

So what happenned? She plant your primers? Maybe she thought they were Freedom seeds?

[Chiefster23]

Potatoes, broccoli, and cauliflower went in the ground Friday. Our average last frost date is 5/15 so soon everything else will get planted. At Lowes yesterday, I saw potted tomato plants (big ones) for $22.95. $23 Bucks for a tomato!!!:biglaugh: These folks are crazy!

[BucketBack]

Planted chopped cashews as something? I left the primers there , $120 for 1K is a bit steep

I potted 26 strawberry plants Saturday, some with cashews .

[Mad Trapper]

Potatoes, broccoli, and cauliflower went in the ground Friday. Our average last frost date is 5/15 so soon everything else will get planted. At Lowes yesterday, I saw potted tomato plants (big ones) for $22.95. $23 Bucks for a tomato!!!:biglaugh: These folks are crazy!

I've had a had time last few years starting some stuff from seed in the garden, dam voles. Broccoli, I have to sprinkle the sprouts with dried blood, and keep at it until the plants get big.

I injured my foot last year and some of the potatoes did not get harvested. I'm going to see what comes up and if they look good will just till around them. I know they overwinter as I always find some volunteers each spring from ones I missed the fall before. Hopefully voles did not find those.

I remember one year was digging up potatoes, and one whole hill was hollow and inside was a big grassy vole nest. They were running and I was playing wack a vole with the potato fork and stomping them with my boots.

[Box of frogs]

22502

Rode the tractor and did some butt naked bush hogging last fall.
Just so I could say I had done it, no other reason than that.
40 plus acres and neighbors are 1/2-1/4 mile away and don’t cross the property line for anything.
So…… why the hell not.
BoF

[Box of frogs]

Got three inches of rain overnight. When it rains here it really comes down.
Checked the garden this afternoon and everything is up, except the purple hull peas.
The shoots are about an inch tall. I will give the peas another week and replant if they don’t come up.
BoF

No replanting this season.
Everything is up and growing. Saw some damn deer tracks at the edge of the garden yesterday.
Looking into the cost of an electric fence on T posts.
BoF

[Chiefster23]

I use black plastic deer fence (Lowes, HD, tractor supply). About $70 for 100 ft. X 7 ft high. 6 ft is good too if you can find it. I just string it on steel tee-posts or steel rebar hammered into the ground. Cheap and effective. I get 2 or 3 years out of it before it needs replaced.

[Box of frogs]

I use black plastic deer fence (Lowes, HD, tractor supply). About $70 for 100 ft. X 7 ft high. 6 ft is good too if you can find it. I just string it on steel tee-posts or steel rebar hammered into the ground. Cheap and effective. I get 2 or 3 years out of it before it needs replaced.

Found some 7x100 ft for 21.99
Are you adding dowels or rebar to your T posts to get the extra height or is it rigid enough to stand upright with just a 3 or 5 foot T ?
Thanks for your input

[Chiefster23]

Some of that cheap fence netting is bird netting. I’ve been using the heavier stuff. I use the longest t-post I can buy. 6 foot? Using t-posts the netting will be too wide and need some trimmed away. Rebar can be simply cut to any length you want so no trimming is necessary. I’ve been buying the 7 ft wide fence simply because here it is cheaper than the 6 ft width, go figure. Actually 5 ft would work but I haven’t found any.

[Chiefster23]

The 14 day forecast here says lows in 30s wed. nite. After that is clear sailing. So looks like I will be planting later this week. Fruit trees are surprisingly good. Looks like all those frosts were not cold enough to kill off the blossoms……… we shall see. I lost one of three blackberries to winter kill. And about 75% of one elderberry is dead. Got to cut away all the dead wood. I’m thinking that some of these recommended growing zones that the catalogs advertise are mostly hogwash. Maybe better to stick with local nursery’s for bushes and trees. Hah! I’m 72 years old! Too freakin late to plant any more trees or bushes!

[Mad Trapper]

Dodged a bullet last night.

It got just to 32 oF early morning. Some fog, no frost.

[Chiefster23]

I jumped in today. It’s early but I planted tomato and pepper starts today. The 14 day forecast says no frost so I took a chance. I’ll be planting all my seeds and everything else over the next few days. Fingers crossed.

[Mad Trapper]

We have a frost predicted for Wed. night. Only expected to get to 32 oF, but fruit trees are in blossom. Hopefully the flowers will be above the cold on the ground.

I hurt myself a couple weeks ago so veggies are still in greenhouse.

[Box of frogs]

We have a frost predicted for Wed. night.

I hurt myself a couple weeks ago so veggies are still in greenhouse.

It’s 89f here today
I fenced in the small garden yesterday. I had forgotten how much I enjoy driving in Tee posts. NOT !!!
Only had to do 22 of them suckers but that was enough.

Are you laid up? Hope you’re back on the go soon.
BoF

[Mad Trapper]

It’s 89f here today
I fenced in the small garden yesterday. I had forgotten how much I enjoy driving in Tee posts. NOT !!!
Only had to do 22 of them suckers but that was enough.

Are you laid up? Hope you’re back on the go soon.
BoF

I took a spill and broke one of my front teeth. Couldn't get a dentist to look at it for a week and had to have the tooth extracted. Pain was awful and I had a hard time eating.

Still sore but not so painful I had to stay drunk to be able to get some sleep.

[Slippy]

I took a spill and broke one of my front teeth. Couldn't get a dentist to look at it for a week and had to have the tooth extracted. Pain was awful and I had a hard time eating.

Still sore but not so painful I had to stay drunk to be able to get some sleep.

Been there and done that with my bone and joint crap!

[Inor]

I took a spill and broke one of my front teeth. Couldn't get a dentist to look at it for a week and had to have the tooth extracted. Pain was awful and I had a hard time eating.

Still sore but not so painful I had to stay drunk to be able to get some sleep.

Nothing hurts worse than a tooth! Fortunately, at least they seem to heal faster than other injuries. But damn! While it is going on, it is the most miserable pain there is!

Hope you get better fast. Also, cloves seem to work (sort of) as a topical, not as well as brandy. But they do sort of work.

[Box of frogs]

I took a spill and broke one of my front teeth. Couldn't get a dentist to look at it for a week and had to have the tooth extracted. Pain was awful and I had a hard time eating.

Still sore but not so painful I had to stay drunk to be able to get some sleep.

Damn I hate to hear that Trapper.
Nothing is more intense than a bad earache or a tooth.
Not much you can do for either one but tuff it out.
Like you said, bourbon helps you get to sleep but you usually wake up before the night is over.
Hang in the brother.
BoF

[T-Man 1066]

Teeth hurt like biting an electric fence! Ugg, sorry to hear. But with bidenflation, you should get about a hun-do if you put that tooth under the pillow. Plenty of "fairies" now-a-days, might leave you a Bud Light!!!

[StratBastard]

I jumped in today. It’s early but I planted tomato and pepper starts today. The 14 day forecast says no frost so I took a chance. I’ll be planting all my seeds and everything else over the next few days. Fingers crossed.

It's 92 today in Coburg Oregon. I was using the pellet stove a week ago LOL.

[Mad Trapper]

Not from the garden but a friend found these this weekend. Nature's garden.

22735

[Sasquatch]

The other day I was in the garden with the little one and we were looking at our veggies. She was asking about them. We looked at the tomatoes and she said "those are for Mommy". to which I answered yes. She asked what each plant was and I would explain it to her. She went over to the grapes and asked what they were. I told her it was grapes I planted for her (because she LOVES grapes) but I explained that I only planted the new bush at the end of last season and we would probably not get grapes until next year. She then pointed and said "what's that?". I'll be damned if they haven't already started to grow. Hope they make it all the way to the end.

22739

[Box of frogs]

Not from the garden but a friend found these this weekend. Nature's garden.

22735

What kind of mushroom is that?
I’ve never seen them before that I can remember ?

[Slippy]

Not from the garden but a friend found these this weekend. Nature's garden.

22735

Nice haul and cool looking too!

[BucketBack]

Freeze warning this morning, so I brought the young plants in. Low went down to 45. Gonna lime the gardens and rototill it in.

[Mad Trapper]

What kind of mushroom is that?
I’ve never seen them before that I can remember ?

Morels. Morchella Esculenta. One of the best edible spring mushrooms

[StratBastard]

2274222743

[Chiefster23]

Weather here is getting pretty nice. 40s at nite, but 60s and 70s daytime. All my starts are in. Tomorrow all my seeds will get planted. I put the pump in the cistern and filled my water barrels. We’re up and running here. I even have one blossom on one of my strawberry plants I just put in a few weeks ago.

[Mad Trapper]

The other day I was in the garden with the little one and we were looking at our veggies. She was asking about them. We looked at the tomatoes and she said "those are for Mommy". to which I answered yes. She asked what each plant was and I would explain it to her. She went over to the grapes and asked what they were. I told her it was grapes I planted for her (because she LOVES grapes) but I explained that I only planted the new bush at the end of last season and we would probably not get grapes until next year. She then pointed and said "what's that?". I'll be damned if they haven't already started to grow. Hope they make it all the way to the end.

22739

Sas, when the grape gets big enough to prune, save some of the 1-year old/last years growth prunings. (Do when still dormant, buds just starting to swell)

Cut pieces with about 4-5 buds/nodes each. On the bottom, cut it so the cut was just above a node from the pruning you took it from. Put some rooting compound on the bottom if you want, but works without it too. Stand the pieces up in a container of water ~6-8" deep, and place in a shady spot.

In a few weeks you'll have leaves and roots and can pot them. Loose soil with some peat.

[Sasquatch]

Sas, when the grape gets big enough to prune, save some of the 1-year old/last years growth prunings. (Do when still dormant, buds just starting to swell)

Cut pieces with about 4-5 buds/nodes each. On the bottom, cut it so the cut was just above a node from the pruning you took it from. Put some rooting compound on the bottom if you want, but works without it too. Stand the pieces up in a container of water ~6-8" deep, and place in a shady spot.

In a few weeks you'll have leaves and roots and can pot them. Loose soil with some peat.

Appreciato on the tip!

[Mad Trapper]

7 hours below freezing this morning, bottomed out at 27 oF. No more frosts in 10 day forecast, early stuff starts will go in soon.

[Chiefster23]

Well of course , since I already planted everything, we had a frost last nite. I got everything in the garden covered and all my plants made it. Some of the wife’s flowers died and she is reordering.

[Mad Trapper]

Apple and blueberries are in blossom here. Was below freezing for 6 hours last nite. The blossoms look O.K., will check them out better tomorrow, check peaches too. Asparagus, rhubarb and horseradish look fine. Onions and garlic too.

Hadn't been to check my plants at the greenhouse for a few weeks since I hurt myself. My friend was looking after them, most everything survived but were very dry. And needed some weeding. Have some stuff still in flats that need transplanting to garden or into pots (cabbages broccoli), and tomatoes into pots (don't trust that it won't frost again) . Have a bunch of everything in pots already. My peppers got transplanted by somebody,but I couldn't locate where they ended up?, greenhouse is filling up.

Two things didn't germinate, sage and rosemary. Might be because of dryness or the fact they take a long time? I kept those pots/flats and watered them heavy in hopes something will come up.

Pleasant surprise was asparagus I started from seed (first time for me). All 16 pots had several small 3-5" ferns coming up. This was 2 year old seed I'd saved from an heirloom patch that is older than me. Puts out stalks thicker than my thumb. I should have enough to establish another patch.

I'll try remember to get some pictures of those next time.

[Sasquatch]

Question for someone. My apricot tree is bursting with fruit. So much so that some are dropping off. There is still a ton on it though. I need to thin it out but how much do I thin the fruit?

[Mad Trapper]

Question for someone. My apricot tree is bursting with fruit. So much so that some are dropping off. There is still a ton on it though. I need to thin it out but how much do I thin the fruit?

Sometimes trees will drop fruit if they are infected with insects. We have the plumb cuccullio here that goes after apples peaches plumbs etc.......you see a crescent shaped scar on the fruit where the insect has deposited eggs.

I checked and those are only east of rockies.

Have a close look at the dropped fruits. Not sure what bugs you have in Cali?

Not sure about thinning? Hope the crop is bountiful.

[Mad Trapper]

Asparagus from seed. 16 pots, hard to see the ferns on the row on the right.

22854

[Chiefster23]

Question for someone. My apricot tree is bursting with fruit. So much so that some are dropping off. There is still a ton on it though. I need to thin it out but how much do I thin the fruit?

Don’t know about apricots, but I do have peaches. Yes, I thin the hell out of em. I try to thin them so that there is at least several inches between each peach. Some years that means that I remove more than 50% of the fruit. Otherwise the tree gets overstressed and the weight of the fruit will break limbs. But even with thinning, I still frequently have to brace some limbs.

If a tree over produces one year, it will under produce the next. The trick is to try to get even production every year. Here I frequently have trouble with late frost. Last year I got 1 peach off of 3 trees. So this year the trees will go nuts and I will be thinning like crazy.

Also, if your tree over produces, it should naturally drop some immature fruit. But in my experience it still requires me to discard a ton of small immature peaches to insure a decent harvest and no damage to the tree.

This is just my experience but I am no professional . YMMV

[Prepared One]

Sometimes trees will drop fruit if they are infected with insects. We have the plumb cuccullio here that goes after apples peaches plumbs etc.......you see a crescent shaped scar on the fruit where the insect has deposited eggs.

I checked and those are only east of rockies.

Have a close look at the dropped fruits. Not sure what bugs you have in Cali?

Not sure about thinning? Hope the crop is bountiful.

They have a lot of liberal bugs.

[Mad Trapper]

They have a lot of liberal bugs.

And vermin.

[Michael_Js]

And vermin.

The difference being?? :p

[Michael_Js]

Some of the corn I planted is just starting to come up - not all, and the rats & moles are in there again :(

This year, I skipped planting them in the greenhouse as starts, and went straight into the ground. We'll see...need to add more rat traps out there...

Everything else is doing fairly well. Eating asparagus, cilantro, spinach, kale, onion tops, and arugula at this point...strawberries are coming in nicely as well - a ways off for those.

[TJC44]

I thought I was going to have trouble with the potatoes I had in the ground when I had a late freeze, but they may have survived it. I got dumped with 3,4 inches of rain last night (judging by how full the wheelbarrow was today). My tomatoes didn't start for some reason, so I picked a few up at a local garden place today.
Corn did start (8 of 9) so I moved them to the garden area. My concern there is that the kernals are still intact. I've had problems in the past where squirrels dig them up, but there are alot fewer squirrels here. (more predators?). We shall see. Bluberry bushes are still alive. Strawberries lost a couple of plants, not sure if those will produce.

[Sasquatch]

Don’t know about apricots, but I do have peaches. Yes, I thin the hell out of em. I try to thin them so that there is at least several inches between each peach. Some years that means that I remove more than 50% of the fruit. Otherwise the tree gets overstressed and the weight of the fruit will break limbs. But even with thinning, I still frequently have to brace some limbs.

If a tree over produces one year, it will under produce the next. The trick is to try to get even production every year. Here I frequently have trouble with late frost. Last year I got 1 peach off of 3 trees. So this year the trees will go nuts and I will be thinning like crazy.

Also, if your tree over produces, it should naturally drop some immature fruit. But in my experience it still requires me to discard a ton of small immature peaches to insure a decent harvest and no damage to the tree.

This is just my experience but I am no professional . YMMV

Appreciate the feed back. My apricots are bunched together almost like grapes. Giving them each several inches will mean removing a lot of fruit. I have heard that one bad year means the next year will be big but last year I had a ton of them too. In the 4-5 years I've lived here that tree has produced like crazy every year.

[BucketBack]

I put in 7 romas, 2 packages of bean, 1/2 package of peas on Thursday.

The yellow pear cherry tomato's are only 2 " so far and still in pots

[Slippy]

I put in 7 romas, 2 packages of bean, 1/2 package of peas on Thursday.

The yellow pear cherry tomato's are only 2 " so far and still in pots

My Man!

[Michael_Js]

Besides continuous asparagus - which I keep in water in the fridge - I got my first Globe artichoke today! I'm especially proud because after years of trying, this is the first time I was able to over-winter the 2 plants from last year! There's another almost ready to pick. I piled up leaves around them and put up some hoops and covers...I did think they were dead, so started another one this spring, but the 2 are doing well!

Also planted from fennel, Romaine, and mixed lettuce today. Everything is doing well. Planted more corn on Saturday as the damn critters are doing their share of destroying them, and quite a few did not come up at all.

So far, so good...

23047

[Chiefster23]

Our average last frost date here is 5/15. Damn! We had 2 frosts after that date. One forecast and one surprise. But thru some miracle my stuff survived and is doing pretty well. Very very dry here. Our dry spell arrived early this year so I’m watering daily. Peach trees, pears, and apples are loaded. For some reason my plum trees never fruit???

[Sasquatch]

I'm stoked. My okra is coming in!

[Slippy]

Sugar Snap Peas have been producing daily
First cucumbers ready to pick yesterday
Yellow Squash looking good
Radishes also less than a week ready

So far looking good, weather has been cool for this time of year and we got plenty of rain up until a week ago. Been watering daily or should I say, Mrs S has been watering daily.

Killed one little thieving rabbit and "winged" another as the little mother-hacker hippity hopped and juked his ass away from my .410 at about 70 yards. He'll die in the woods but won't steal from my garden again!

[Chiefster23]

https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/06/elmer-fudd-gun-1.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=1236&h=820&crop=1


Slippy rabbit hunting!

[Modfan]

Can anyone tell me what this is and what i need to do to get rid of it? I would love to get some good apples off of my trees.
23131

[Mad Trapper]

Can anyone tell me what this is and what i need to do to get rid of it? I would love to get some good apples off of my trees.
23131

Cedar apple rust. A fungus. Requires apples and cedars near each other. Spores from apples travel to cedars in the summer/fall, the cedars germinate new fungal growth in spring (looks like gelationous globs) and those spores reinfect the apples in spring.

One solution is to remove any cedars on property. Might not work if any neighbors have cedars. Spores travel with wind.

Usually does not decimate fruit. On bad rain years may cause defoliation and affect the fruit output.

https://ecommons.cornell.edu/bitstream/handle/1813/67/Cornell_Guide_to_Growing_Fruit.pdf?sequence=2&isAllowed=y

[MountainGirl]

Yep. ^^^

[Modfan]

Thanks

[Box of frogs]

Daconil is a good fungicide. Here is a link to some options

https://www.overtopinfo.com/best-fungicide-for-cedar-apple-rust/

[Mad Trapper]

Sorry the scan I posted about the cedar rust came out small/blurry. Don't know how to resize scans, and the PDFs was too big to post an attachment. It was from Cornell/NYS Coop Extension. The link posted is a general guide to growing fruits in general, also from Cornell, worth downloading. They have a shitload of stuff concerning agriculture that is downloadable.

Thanks @Box of frogs for your link. The Serenade product that uses a bacteria was interesting, I'll have to research that and price it.

For fungicides I've been buying large bags of copper sulfate and sulfur powders. I can make Bordeaux mixture for grapes, use the copper sulfate/sulfur with a sticker (insecticidal soap) on: fruit trees, blights on tomatoes/potatoes, and other things like mildews. It's the most bang for the buck and stores indefinitely. Problem with copper/sulfur is it does wash off do have to keep up with rains.

[Box of frogs]

I used Daconil on Bermuda grass lawns for dollar spot back in the days when I had a lawn care business.
It works really fast. Bermuda grass is the most popular turf grass in the south and they shove it in yards on subdivisions every where.
Customers would get dollar spot and see that expensive turf dying and would freak out. I would keep some in the truck for spot jobs on the route. $$$$$$

[BucketBack]

I hoed and pulled weeds, raked out the garden Saturday morning and put in 4 Golden Cal Wonders, and 3 sweet yellow banana peppers Saturday afternoon.
That makes 44 plants and the row of peas and beans

The rain came along at 3 am as I was on watch for the dam coon on the restroom break.

The coon broke free from a double spring trap leaving behind 3 toes and some claws on Thursday, or so the neighbor says.

A mid size one has messed up the bird feeders, and a bear was 2 doors down.

I have a pillow set up on the back of the couch to support my neck, the window views the garden 60 ' away. MDNR says shoot the S.O.B.'s on sight with malice.:thinking:

All I had last night was the G19.5 with SGDJHP 124 gr +P in my BUG. I hope that would have worked if the bear came knocking....

[Slippy]

I hoed and pulled weeds, raked out the garden Saturday morning and put in 4 Golden Cal Wonders, and 3 sweet yellow banana peppers Saturday afternoon.
That makes 44 plants and the row of peas and beans

The rain came along at 3 am as I was on watch for the dam coon on the restroom break.

The coon broke free from a double spring trap leaving behind 3 toes and some claws on Thursday, or so the neighbor says.

A mid size one has messed up the bird feeders, and a bear was 2 doors down.

I have a pillow set up on the back of the couch to support my neck, the window views the garden 60 ' away. MDNR says shoot the S.O.B.'s on sight with malice.:thinking:

All I had last night was the G19.5 with SGDJHP 124 gr +P in my BUG. I hope that would have worked if the bear came knocking....

I'm betting on 9mm against black bear right now as I sit in my camper by the lake. 10mm in the truck...brace may still be attached and 10.25" barrel may still be on the 10mm. EFF THE ATF...:soapbox:

[MountainGirl]

Here's my current garden :

23231

:biglaugh:

[Box of frogs]

First rain in 3 weeks. It’s a blessing.
I have found over my years of gardening that God can do more with rain in 30 minutes than I can with a water hose all week.
BoF

[Mad Trapper]

I'm betting on 9mm against black bear right now as I sit in my camper by the lake. 10mm in the truck...brace may still be attached and 10.25" barrel may still be on the 10mm. EFF THE ATF...:soapbox:

Slippy you need that M1 or M1A.......

[hawgrider]

Garlic scapes cut. That's it for me no grow anything else this year. I need to grow a house and move in the sum bitch.

[Prepared One]

Garlic scapes cut. That's it for me no grow anything else this year. I need to grow a house and move in the sum bitch.

What are the home prices looking like up your way?

[hawgrider]

What are the home prices looking like up your way?

Thats part of the problem besides lack of inventory is I'm looking for a couple three acres with a ranch and a barn in the 200k to 250k range. I prefer to stay under 200k as I do not want to be house broke in fixed income retirement.

The prices for a turn key are now 250k to 350k I hate Michigan!

[Prepared One]

Thats part of the problem besides lack of inventory is I'm looking for a couple three acres with a ranch and a barn in the 200k to 250k range. I prefer to stay under 200k as I do not want to be house broke in fixed income retirement.

The prices for a turn key are now 250k to 350k I hate Michigan!

But it comes with loads of ice and snow in the winter, right?

[MountainGirl]

Thats part of the problem besides lack of inventory is I'm looking for a couple three acres with a ranch and a barn in the 200k to 250k range. I prefer to stay under 200k as I do not want to be house broke in fixed income retirement.

The prices for a turn key are now 250k to 350k I hate Michigan!

You're gonna hate it more if MI passes that "offensive speech is a criminal offense" bill working it's way through the legislature.

[Box of frogs]

Thats part of the problem besides lack of inventory is I'm looking for a couple three acres with a ranch and a barn in the 200k to 250k range. I prefer to stay under 200k as I do not want to be house broke in fixed income retirement.

The prices for a turn key are now 250k to 350k I hate Michigan!

Come south brother. We are accepting like minded, red neck wannabe Yankees at the moment
Winters are milder, hunting is better, land is cheaper, and the women can cook. What’s not to love about living in Dixie.
BoF

[hawgrider]

You're gonna hate it more if MI passes that "offensive speech is a criminal offense" bill working it's way through the legislature.Yup the 3 bitches in charge are wreaking havoc on the state.


Come south brother. We are accepting like minded, red neck wannabe Yankees at the moment
Winters are milder, hunting is better, land is cheaper, and the women can cook. What’s not to love about living in Dixie.
BoF
I would head to my roots in Kentucky in a heartbeat but I have a wife and grandchildren so my odds of that are as good as hitting the lottery.

[Box of frogs]

I would head to my roots in Kentucky in a heartbeat but I have a wife and grandchildren so my odds of that are as good as hitting the lottery.

You have roots in Kentucky ? Why didn’t you say so !
Welcome cousin Hawgrider. We need to start convincing that women of yours how much better it would be for the whole family to move.
BoF

23236

[T-Man 1066]

I would head to my roots in Kentucky in a heartbeat but I have a wife and grandchildren so my odds of that are as good as hitting the lottery.

Completely understand. T-Woman doesn't want to move away from her folks, and she doesn't think T-Son will move with us if we do go south. I figure in 5-10 years her folks probably won't be around anymore, and T-Son better be moved out on his own long before that.

I have one more move left in my life and it will be south, out of this shithole state. Find land, build my own house, and that is where I will die.

For the record, moving sucks!!!

[hawgrider]

You have roots in Kentucky ? Why didn’t you say so !
Welcome cousin Hawgrider. We need to start convincing that women of yours how much better it would be for the whole family to move.
BoF

23236

Yup Grandpa was the Duke of Paducah and have some blood in Arlington area.

[Box of frogs]

First rain in 3 weeks. It’s a blessing.
I have found over my years of gardening that God can do more with rain in 30 minutes than I can with a water hose all week.
BoF

Pick the first squash after the rain passed.
Squash and onions with dinner tonight !

The corn smells so good after it rains.

[Inor]

I have one more move left in my life and it will be south, out of this shithole state. Find land, build my own house, and that is where I will die.

For the record, moving sucks!!!

:potd:

EXACTLY THAT ^^^ was the smartest thing we ever did!

[Prepared One]

Completely understand. T-Woman doesn't want to move away from her folks, and she doesn't think T-Son will move with us if we do go south. I figure in 5-10 years her folks probably won't be around anymore, and T-Son better be moved out on his own long before that.

I have one more move left in my life and it will be south, out of this shithole state. Find land, build my own house, and that is where I will die.

For the record, moving sucks!!!

I have not regretted a day. I was worried I was doing it to soon. I have a good woman, some paid for acreage, and money in the bank. But, mostly it's about the good woman. :eyebrows:

[T-Man 1066]

I have not regretted a day. I was worried I was doing it to soon. I have a good woman, some paid for acreage, and money in the bank. But, mostly it's about the good woman. :eyebrows:

Sounds like you got a good thing going. If you don't mind me asking, are you guys married or shacked up?

[BucketBack]

You have roots in Kentucky ? Why didn’t you say so !
Welcome cousin Hawgrider. We need to start convincing that women of yours how much better it would be for the whole family to move.
BoF

23236

My Uncle Tom McDonald had a pond in his lawn motel and stable / farm / still in Kentucky.

Ole McDonald had a farm, eieieio.

[Slippy]

Mrs S has a "fear" of using the Pressure Canner. She likes to Water Bath can but not pressure can.

I told her she needs to get over that fear and put up some more of our veggies and some meat this year. Stay tuned!

[hawgrider]

Mrs S has a "fear" of using the Pressure Canner. She likes to Water Bath can but not pressure can.

I told her she needs to get over that fear and put up some more of our veggies and some meat this year. Stay tuned!

Modern pressure canners are safer than grandma's pressure canner that blows up and leaves beans all over the ceiling.

[Prepared One]

Sounds like you got a good thing going. If you don't mind me asking, are you guys married or shacked up?

Both, we did the courthouse thing so it's legal and she hasn't thrown my shit out on the front lawn yet. So, shacking up and married.

[T-Man 1066]

Both, we did the courthouse thing so it's legal and she hasn't thrown my shit out on the front lawn yet. So, shacking up and married.

You are 2 for 2 then, nice job! Haha

[Chiefster23]

Mrs S has a "fear" of using the Pressure Canner. She likes to Water Bath can but not pressure can.

I told her she needs to get over that fear and put up some more of our veggies and some meat this year. Stay tuned!

I do both,but I would much rather pressure can than water bath. Pressure canning is faster and uses less fuel because you are not heating up big quantities of water to boiling temps. It uses way less propane. In fact, I have found instructions on pressure canning foods that are traditionally done in a water bath canner.

[Chiefster23]

Did my rounds this morning and garden is doing good. Already ate my fill of asparagus and harvested 4 cauliflowers already. Found one green tomato the size of a golf ball! Two ripe strawberries! I have some green peppers too but I always like to let them ripen to red before using. I trimmed up all the low hanging branches on the tomatoes and mulched em with straw. The peach trees survived the late frosts and are loaded with fruit. I need to get out there and start thinning. Oh yeah, canned 4 pints of pickled cauliflower.

[Mad Trapper]

Modern pressure canners are safer than grandma's pressure canner that blows up and leaves beans all over the ceiling.

I'm still using my Mom's made in USA Mirrormatic caners that are older than me.

Not much can go wrong with the ones regulated with a jiggler, as long as the vent is not plugged or gasket don't leak. They still have a safety burst valve to prevent explosions.

[hawgrider]

I'm still using my Mom's made in USA Mirrormatic caners that are older than me.

Not much can go wrong with the ones regulated with a jiggler, as long as the vent is not plugged or gasket don't leak. They still have a safety burst valve to prevent explosions.

The vent plugging is the issue with the real old ones. Newer have a rubber vent plug that blows if the vent plugs up.

[Mad Trapper]

The vent plugging is the issue with the real old ones. Newer have a rubber vent plug that blows if the vent plugs up.

Never had the vent plug on mine, but I check I can see through it. You need to vent the air starting out and if you don't see that you know of a problem. Once up to pressure the jigglers lets you know about the venting.

My old Mirrormatics have aluminum safety plugs. They are also built with an overpressure window that allow the gasket to blow out rather than exploding.

Another canning tip, have two canners. When one is cooling down you can start the other one boiling. If you don't let things cool on their own the jar seals will get compromised.

[hawgrider]

Never had the vent plug on mine, but I check I can see through it. You need to vent the air starting out and if you don't see that you know of a problem. Once up to pressure the jigglers lets you know about the venting.

My old Mirrormatics have aluminum safety plugs. They are also built with an overpressure window that allow the gasket to blow out rather than exploding.

Another canning tip, have two canners. When one is cooling down you can start the other one boiling. If you don't let things cool on their own the jar seals will get compromised.

People had the most mishaps doing beans. They would plug the vent then blow up and land on the kitchen ceiling and everywhere else.

[Mad Trapper]

People had the most mishaps doing beans. They would plug the vent then blow up and land on the kitchen ceiling and everywhere else.

Was that from contents of jars getting out? Only time I've had jars puke is when I try to cool down too fast. That was when I was young, had just started out canning. Those got eaten, or recanned with new lids.

I've canned beans with no issues. I also make dilled/pickeled beans that you can water bath can, but I pressure can anyway. I really like the dilled beans with some garlic cayenne pepper corns and mustard seed.

Dilled Beans 2016

Used recepies in Back to Basics and Keeping the harvest as models.

Almost ½ bushel Blue lake bush beans (had some/few with spots of rot that were culled or carved not too many)
White vinegar
Canning Salt
Pepper corns
Mustard seed
Dried cayenne pepper (hot old stock)
Cloves
Allspice
Fresh Dill
Fresh Garlic

Recepies calls for 5 cups water 5 cups vinegar and 1 cup salt for 7 pints (back to basics) I doubled this for 8 26 oz canning jars (cleaned and packed from bushel w/spices) and was about ¼-1/3 too much brine. Saved excess brine

Check this ^ one recipe UGA calls for 4 cups water 4 cups vinegar and ½ cup salt, would be 5/8 cup of salt with 5 cups of each

Beans soaked /rinsed in water a few hours then soaked rinsed in fresh water before cutting ends. This was just enough for 8 26 oz jars.

To jars were added ½ of large dill head (stalks too) and ½ FAT clove of garlic followed by a tight pack of beans cleaned beans. Near top added ~ 20 peppercorns 1 tsp mustard seed remaining dill/garlic head/clove and 1 large dried crushed cayenne pepper . To 4 were also added 3 allspice and 1 clove, then all topped with beans.

The jars were filled to ¾” with hot pickling solution and added to warm/hot 22-L canner (full). Took ~ 10 min to steam and 5 more to clear steam. Jiggler set at 10psi and 17 min to jiggle (may need new canner gasket?) then cooked 10 min and allowed to cool ( long time/hour).

All sealed well. Will see how they taste and spiced vs non-spiced (allspice/cloves)

2nd batch but added horseradish ~ 1tsp each jar

[hawgrider]

Was that from contents of jars getting out? Only time I've had jars puke is when I try to cool down too fast. That was when I was young, had just started out canning. Those got eaten, or recanned with new lids.

I've canned beans with no issues. I also make dilled/pickeled beans that you can water bath can, but I pressure can anyway. I really like the dilled beans with some garlic cayenne pepper corns and mustard seed.

Dilled Beans 2016

Used recepies in Back to Basics and Keeping the harvest as models.

Almost ½ bushel Blue lake bush beans (had some/few with spots of rot that were culled or carved not too many)
White vinegar
Canning Salt
Pepper corns
Mustard seed
Dried cayenne pepper (hot old stock)
Cloves
Allspice
Fresh Dill
Fresh Garlic

Recepies calls for 5 cups water 5 cups vinegar and 1 cup salt for 7 pints (back to basics) I doubled this for 8 26 oz canning jars (cleaned and packed from bushel w/spices) and was about ¼-1/3 too much brine. Saved excess brine

Check this ^ one recipe UGA calls for 4 cups water 4 cups vinegar and ½ cup salt, would be 5/8 cup of salt with 5 cups of each

Beans soaked /rinsed in water a few hours then soaked rinsed in fresh water before cutting ends. This was just enough for 8 26 oz jars.

To jars were added ½ of large dill head (stalks too) and ½ FAT clove of garlic followed by a tight pack of beans cleaned beans. Near top added ~ 20 peppercorns 1 tsp mustard seed remaining dill/garlic head/clove and 1 large dried crushed cayenne pepper . To 4 were also added 3 allspice and 1 clove, then all topped with beans.

The jars were filled to ¾” with hot pickling solution and added to warm/hot 22-L canner (full). Took ~ 10 min to steam and 5 more to clear steam. Jiggler set at 10psi and 17 min to jiggle (may need new canner gasket?) then cooked 10 min and allowed to cool ( long time/hour).

All sealed well. Will see how they taste and spiced vs non-spiced (allspice/cloves)

2nd batch but added horseradish ~ 1tsp each jar

No from pressure cooking dry beans

[Mad Trapper]

No from pressure cooking dry beans

Never tried that. I've put dry beans oatmeal or rice in a warm oven with loose lids ~warm < 200 oF. Then when heated take then out and tighten lids. Lids seal and beans/rice/oatmeal keep well. I also do that with well dried spices/cayennes/dried fruits but don't heat as much.

[KnuteFartne]

I think my I have a couple peaches.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20230617/0e2c937d7a01781509c4247c59cb6c06.jpg

Sent from my SM-S906U using Tapatalk

[Chiefster23]

You need to thin those peaches out!

[Chiefster23]

Yesterday I harvested and froze the rest of my first planting of cauliflower. A second planting is in the ground and a 3rd planting of seeds have germinated in pots. Peaches are doing good. I had a full crop of pears on my tree but for some reason most withered and died on the tree. Few remaining and I don’t know why. Apple trees looking good. Broccoli will be ready for first cutting soon. Green tomatoes and green sweet peppers are on the vines!

[KnuteFartne]

Anyone want some apricots?

This isn't even half.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20230617/a214d9d136ab1905860f713f20f3d2ae.jpg

Sent from my SM-S906U using Tapatalk

[Slippy]

Anyone want some apricots?

This isn't even half.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20230617/a214d9d136ab1905860f713f20f3d2ae.jpg

Sent from my SM-S906U using Tapatalk

Apricot jelly & jam time!

[Prepared One]

Apricot jelly & jam time!


Apricot Wine

:bounce:

[Slippy]

Apricot Wine

:bounce:

That sounds pretty good!

Also maybe an apricot, vinegar and sugar glaze for smoking ribs?

[Sasquatch]

Apricot jelly & jam time!

For our wedding Hot Nursey made apricot and jalapeno jam and put it in little jars as a thank you to all our guests.

[Chiefster23]

Grrrr! Second year in a row where my carrot and beet seeds have had dismal failures. Only about 10% (maybe less) have sprouted.
I planted blackberry plants 3 years ago. Another failure! I checked yesterday and only 3 berries on 3 plants. Today I’m ripping out that whole patch and just returning it to lawn. No more buying mail order fruit trees and berry bushes. Local growers understand and sell plants appropriate to this area. I’m strongly suspecting that a lot of the descriptions in mail order catalogs are full of shit.
But at 72 years old, planting more trees and bushes probably is a waste. Too old to see the fruit.

On a positive note, 3 hazelnuts I planted 3 or 4 years ago are finally loaded with their first crop of nuts!

[Mad Trapper]

Was dry deep down in the soil here.

I just got most of my last transplants in before the mosoon started. Last 3 days have gotten 3" of rain. It's raining like a bitch now, and no clear weather predicted for a week.

I was planning on starting some beds of basil dill and parsley. If I had the seeds would have been washed away

Hope this does not start up fungal diseases.... and the slugs will be loving it!

[Mad Trapper]

We had two days break from rain. Got more seeds in for late crops, and remaing potted starts.

My asparagus from seed is ~ 8-10" now. Still too fragile or critter liable to put in ground. This fall, the roots will get planted. I'll do asparagus seed again, larger scale. PM me if you want, I might have free seeds in the fall.

23482

Not garden, but < 75yds away , "chickens"

23483

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Put some in frying pan, some in dehydrator, and rest in freezer. Two coolers full of shrooms. Left ~1/2 for spores

[Slippy]

A friend of Mrs Slippy's came over yesterday and they cut up cucumbers (Boston Picklers IIR) and put up a bunch of jars of pickles of different flavors.

The kitchen smelled of vinegar, pickling spices, jalapeños and garlic all day! Nice aroma and glad we got rid of the kazillion of cucumbers that have been piling up! :)

[hawgrider]

:worthless:




A friend of Mrs Slippy's came over yesterday and they cut up cucumbers (Boston Picklers IIR) and put up a bunch of jars of pickles of different flavors.

The kitchen smelled of vinegar, pickling spices, jalapeños and garlic all day! Nice aroma and glad we got rid of the kazillion of cucumbers that have been piling up! :)

[Chiefster23]

23511

My garden is turning into a jungle

[Chiefster23]

23513

Jungle continued

[Slippy]

23511

My garden is turning into a jungle

And an AWESOME "jungle" it is!

[Slippy]

:worthless:

Sorry no "pickle pics" for you! :behindsofa:

But some "meat" pics that you might like better; this morning's breakfast, a Slippy hand cut prime well marbled steak cooked perfectly rare-medium rare...

23521

Properly "rested" of course!

[Chiefster23]

Sorry no "pickle pics" for you! :behindsofa:

But some "meat" pics that you might like better; this morning's breakfast, a Slippy hand cut prime well marbled steak cooked perfectly rare-medium rare...

23521

Properly "rested" of course!

Where can I buy seeds for a “steak plant”?

[hawgrider]

23511

My garden is turning into a jungle

Fantastic looking garden Chief.

[Slippy]

Where can I buy seeds for a “steak plant”?

From an owner of a Bull. And you'll need a Cow and some sort of long handled turkey baster. :bullseye:

But please, spare us the details as to how the bull's owner "extracted" the seeds to sell...;)

[Michael_Js]

Started harvesting the garlic - it's mostly ready, but I'm doing it slowly.
We have bushes of cilantro - mostly volunteers...basil is once again growing slowly, so took enough to dry
Onions are doing very poorly for some reason, not sure why...
There's SO much purslane that I've tossed out pounds of it. Can't keep up with it.
Once again, the corn is doing poorly - no knee high by the 4th of July here :( Even redid the watering for the 4 corn rows. This makes me sad...

Snap peas are coming in by the pound! Giving that, purslane, arugula, and kale away...Spinach is going to see, but we're still getting some good leaves.

No major complaints...our garlic from last year is just about done - what's left is drying up and each bulb is only about 20% usable. Can't wait to eat the new stuff! :)

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[Chiefster23]

My raised beds are starting to look a little shabby. The 2x6 boards are warping and the raised bed blocks are starting to settle and tilt. Some of my beds were made from commercial packing crates and these are nearing the end of their useful life. A friend replaced all his raised beds this year with galvanized Steel beds from Amazon (China). The metal isn’t that thick, but they do appear to be well made. So thinking of replacing my wood beds with galvanized steel. I have 5 rows of beds in two different garden areas. I’m thinking of replacing one row prior to next years planting as a test run before replacing everything. But then I think maybe I should do everything now while materials are available and before everything turns to shit. Gardening is a hobby now. It will probably become a necessity in the near future. Decisions decisions.

[Mad Trapper]

Soggy wet humid here since beginning of June. 8.2" of rain since end of May.

We had near drought just before. I was putting in greenhouse starts and soil was dry shovel deep. Now it's mud.

Have to be careful when to seed in new plants, rain washes seeds away.

[MountainGirl]

My raised beds are starting to look a little shabby. The 2x6 boards are warping and the raised bed blocks are starting to settle and tilt. Some of my beds were made from commercial packing crates and these are nearing the end of their useful life. A friend replaced all his raised beds this year with galvanized Steel beds from Amazon (China). The metal isn’t that thick, but they do appear to be well made. So thinking of replacing my wood beds with galvanized steel. I have 5 rows of beds in two different garden areas. I’m thinking of replacing one row prior to next years planting as a test run before replacing everything. But then I think maybe I should do everything now while materials are available and before everything turns to shit. Gardening is a hobby now. It will probably become a necessity in the near future. Decisions decisions.

Not having unlimited $$$, we rely on our priority list; first things first. Maybe you could just stock up a little galvanized, to be used for anything later, if needed. Seems I recall a pic of your beds, wood frame but lined with gal. ? I might be remembering wrong or those of someone else.

[Slippy]

My raised beds are starting to look a little shabby. The 2x6 boards are warping and the raised bed blocks are starting to settle and tilt. Some of my beds were made from commercial packing crates and these are nearing the end of their useful life. A friend replaced all his raised beds this year with galvanized Steel beds from Amazon (China). The metal isn’t that thick, but they do appear to be well made. So thinking of replacing my wood beds with galvanized steel. I have 5 rows of beds in two different garden areas. I’m thinking of replacing one row prior to next years planting as a test run before replacing everything. But then I think maybe I should do everything now while materials are available and before everything turns to shit. Gardening is a hobby now. It will probably become a necessity in the near future. Decisions decisions.

Our stock tank raised beds are a life safer! No bending over.

I would look into the galvanized metal and you can probably find some made in USA.

Our raised beds made of 6x6 treated have held up now going on 12 years. Mrs Slippy tends those, I just sit on the nearby rocking chair, tip a glass of tequila and hold the hose!

[Slippy]

I forget when I built our compost bin, but remember I used mostly scrap wood from my "boneyard". Some was treated, some was not. As expected it began to rot in some areas. It was a nuisance anyway, being a 1 bin compost system and trying to turn the pile was not working and hence it was not composting efficiently.

23589

So we picked up a nice 2 bin composter (Mantis Compost-Twin).

25 cubic foot per bin capacity, damn thing weighs 145 lbs! Biggest issue was assembling the sumbitch, it shipped in 3 boxes and thank God for Youtube assembly video!

Its a nifty system made up of 2 drums on gears/wheels with a solid turning handle, sturdy doors with latches and well engineered air holes.

Also, being 32" off the ground, no bending over and you can "drive" a wheelbarrow right below the door and dump the compost in no mess no stressing out my body!

Started filling up the right side with browns, greens and plenty of chicken shit this week. Easy to turn. Excited to see the results in a month or so.

23590

https://mantis.com/products/composters/4000-00-03-composter/

[Chiefster23]

Not having unlimited $$$, we rely on our priority list; first things first. Maybe you could just stock up a little galvanized, to be used for anything later, if needed. Seems I recall a pic of your beds, wood frame but lined with gal. ? I might be remembering wrong or those of someone else.

Just 2 x 6 treated wood and concrete corner blocks. No galvanized. My home made beds are just warped and shifting. No rot yet. The packing crate beds are a different story. Those are only 3/4 inch thick and nearing the end of their usefulness. So the 3/4 inch ones will definitely get replaced. The 2 x 6 ones may just get rebuilt and braced up where warped. Slippy’s stock tank idea is great, but way above my price range.

[Box of frogs]

23592

I made 3 of these using PT wood and galvanized roofing panels.
Be sure to use lag bolts in the corners.

[Slippy]

23592

I made 3 of these using PT wood and galvanized roofing panels.
Be sure to use lag bolts in the corners.

Very nice BoF! (straightened pic below)

23594

[Inor]

About 4-5 years ago, I made a bunch of concrete panels for making small garden beds.

23598

23599

The upside is, once they are in place and filled with dirt, they are really strong and hold up great. They look as good today as when I made them about 4-5 years ago.

The downside is they are fragile as hell before they are filled with dirt. When putting them in, I broke about 20% of them. The ground has to be perfectly flat between the panels or they will crack when driving the rebar stakes into the ground.

Eventually, I will probably make some more of them because they do a good job. But they are not fun to make. If I had to redesign them today, I would make them 4" thick instead of 3". But once they are installed and filled with dirt, we have not had one break or fail yet.

[Mad Trapper]

About 4-5 years ago, I made a bunch of concrete panels for making small garden beds.

23598

23599

The upside is, once they are in place and filled with dirt, they are really strong and hold up great. They look as good today as when I made them about 4-5 years ago.

The downside is they are fragile as hell before they are filled with dirt. When putting them in, I broke about 20% of them. The ground has to be perfectly flat between the panels or they will crack when driving the rebar stakes into the ground.

Eventually, I will probably make some more of them because they do a good job. But they are not fun to make. If I had to redesign them today, I would make them 4" thick instead of 3". But once they are installed and filled with dirt, we have not had one break or fail yet.

Pour them with rebar

[MountainGirl]

23592

I made 3 of these using PT wood and galvanized roofing panels.
Be sure to use lag bolts in the corners.

Yes! Those are the ones I remember seeing. Color me weird - but I think a small pile of those gal roofing panels would be good to keep stored somewhere; with a bag or two of 'attachers'. Many eventual uses for who knows what.

[Mad Trapper]

I forget when I built our compost bin, but remember I used mostly scrap wood from my "boneyard". Some was treated, some was not. As expected it began to rot in some areas. It was a nuisance anyway, being a 1 bin compost system and trying to turn the pile was not working and hence it was not composting efficiently.

23589

So we picked up a nice 2 bin composter (Mantis Compost-Twin).

25 cubic foot per bin capacity, damn thing weighs 145 lbs! Biggest issue was assembling the sumbitch, it shipped in 3 boxes and thank God for Youtube assembly video!

Its a nifty system made up of 2 drums on gears/wheels with a solid turning handle, sturdy doors with latches and well engineered air holes.

Also, being 32" off the ground, no bending over and you can "drive" a wheelbarrow right below the door and dump the compost in no mess no stressing out my body!

Started filling up the right side with browns, greens and plenty of chicken shit this week. Easy to turn. Excited to see the results in a month or so.

23590

https://mantis.com/products/composters/4000-00-03-composter/

I just get my cousins who raise beef to drop off a dump truck load of cow shit every 3-4 years. After heavy rains cover it with free lumber tarps. It rots and all the weed seeds die too.

[Slippy]

I just get my cousins who raise beef to drop off a dump truck load of cow shit every 3-4 years. After heavy rains cover it with free lumber tarps. It rots and all the weed seeds die too.

Cow shit + Wood Chips=good compost!

We used to get pick up truck loads of wood chips from a local sawmill. I wish we had chickens back then to add some "hot" fertilizer!

[Mad Trapper]

Cow shit + Wood Chips=good compost!

We used to get pick up truck loads of wood chips from a local sawmill. I wish we had chickens back then to add some "hot" fertilizer!

Neighbor had three big sugar maples removed. Tree service chipped a lot up except big stuff. I got three dump truck loads for free. It's rotted now (3 years) and good mulch. But not great on nitrogen. Good for keeping weeds down. If I need quick fix of nitrogen I use urea, 46% N. Get 50lb bags at feed store cheap.

[Mad Trapper]

Weather channel cheated us, said 3-6" rain last two days, only got 2.8"

That get us >10" since end of May. Flood warnings just ended.

[Mad Trapper]

Weather channel cheated us, said 3-6" rain last two days, only got 2.8"

That get us >10" since end of May. Flood warnings just ended.

They mad up for it


e23635

[Mad Trapper]

Weather channel cheated us, said 3-6" rain last two days, only got 2.8"

That get us >10" since end of May. Flood warnings just ended.

They made up for it


e23635

[Jester-ND]

only put in potatoes this year. After several years of crappy results, we had the high-clay soil tested. Spending this year fixing the soil and making dirt, tilled in mulch and wood chips, several rounds of bloodmeal... need good dirt!

[Slippy]

Our garden production is slowing down, too much heat and rain.

Cucumbers, squash, zucchini, beans are almost done, okra growing slow for some reason, radishes and peas been done for a month or so. Tomatoes and peppers are still producing huge.

Our 2nd crop of potatoes are getting close. Gave away all of our first crop potatoes earlier this year.

Once August hits, everything but peppers and okra are generally done. So, overall, another good year for raised bed vegetable gardens at Slippy Lodge!

[Michael_Js]

OK, not my best harvest, and I'll mention why, but 244 bulbs of garlic just harvested. Now they need to dry, then the tops & bottoms are cut off, then I select the best ones for planting in Sept, and the rest are stored - shared, eaten and enjoyed!

23674
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Now, we rotate 10 1/2 of the 12 raised beds each year - strawberries and asparagus cannot be rotated, and 1/2 a bed for carrots are also never rotated. Last year, the current garlic bed was potatoes. Well, it was NOT cleaned out very well and the entire bed sprouted potatoes which put a damper on the garlic. I will do a much better job clearing out that bed for next year's planting...

I'm happy though :)

[hawgrider]

Nice garlic haul.

Ours is about ready to pull so maybe next week sometime.

[Box of frogs]

Picked corn, squash and pea’s tonight
23684

[Broncosfan]

I made 41 pints of bread and butter pickles yesterday. Cucumbers got the wilt from not spraying early enough. I got busy and didn't tend the garden when the daughter and granddaughter were visiting. We had one nice ripe tomato but a coon got it before I got it picked.

[Inor]

We had 3 'mater plants die this year. I have no idea why since the rest of them are doing great. We just got our first monsoon of the year this evening, so no 'maters on them yet. But I expect they will start coming fast and furious now.

Mrs Inor planted a bunch of sweet peppers and they started bearing fruit this week. One problem however, they all turned out to not be sweet peppers. They are all jalapenos. With the others we planted, which we were expecting jalapenos, we have more jalapenos than we know what to do with! We had to go to the garden store yesterday and buy some sweet peppers, already started, or we would have had none. (We really need to do a better job of labeling the seeds when we collect them in the fall.)

We also got the turkeys moved into the pasture today. That is a huge win. We intended to move them 2 weeks ago, but the feed store was out of stock on feeders. So Mrs Inor ordered a feeder from Amazon. It came last week, but it was minus all of the hardware to put it together. So we finally got the replacement yesterday and got it put together and hung this morning. So no more turkeys running around the yard and shitting all over the back porch! WOO HOO!

[Chiefster23]

First ripe tomato yesterday! A yellow ‘lemon boy’.

[Chiefster23]

Just completed my morning garden recon. First cukes are ready and 2 zucchini are ready for the chief cook to start making zucchini breads! She usually bakes up a dozen or so and we vac and freeze for use all year. Many have blueberries from our bushes in the recipe. Peaches are just starting to get ripe. Canning season is now just around the corner.

I used to net my blueberries but that’s getting pretty hard for me so this year the birds have robbed me blind. Getting estimates for constructing some type of permanent framework around the blueberries that I can easily hang temporary bird netting on in season. I’m thinking of installing permanent chicken wire over the tops of the bushes but leaving the sides open for EZ mowing. Then just hang netting over the sides as necessary when the berries start to get ripe.

Also did more research into galvanized raised beds. Everything on Amazon is Chinese junk. Looked into galvanized steel roof panels from the big box stores and they are all paper thin now days. Those panels used to be heavy, now, not so much. So looks like I’m back to treated wood again. Maybe just a couple of Slippy’s stock tanks too. Still deciding. I have till next spring to make up my mind.

[MountainGirl]

Just completed my morning garden recon. First cukes are ready and 2 zucchini are ready for the chief cook to start making zucchini breads! She usually bakes up a dozen or so and we vac and freeze for use all year. Many have blueberries from our bushes in the recipe. Peaches are just starting to get ripe. Canning season is now just around the corner.

I used to net my blueberries but that’s getting pretty hard for me so this year the birds have robbed me blind. Getting estimates for constructing some type of permanent framework around the blueberries that I can easily hang temporary bird netting on in season. I’m thinking of installing permanent chicken wire over the tops of the bushes but leaving the sides open for EZ mowing. Then just hang netting over the sides as necessary when the berries start to get ripe.

Also did more research into galvanized raised beds. Everything on Amazon is Chinese junk. Looked into galvanized steel roof panels from the big box stores and they are all paper thin now days. Those panels used to be heavy, now, not so much. So looks like I’m back to treated wood again. Maybe just a couple of Slippy’s stock tanks too. Still deciding. I have till next spring to make up my mind.

Re covering your blueberries - ever consider using pvc hoops? They're cool in a raised bed but can be staked to the ground also -
Chickenwire would attach easily across the tops with hoops spaced right.

23726

[Michael_Js]

Harvested our first zucchinis today. Also plenty of arugula, spinach, snap peas, purslane, more artichokes, pickling cucumbers, Swiss chard, and more asparagus.

We usually put an almost 50' long hoop cover/tent over the blueberries and grapes to keep the birds off. Cover it with this stuff: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B011BFQSLC?ref=nb_sb_ss_w_as-reorder-t1_k0_1_8&amp=&amp=

Haven't done it in a couple of years and letting the birds eat most of them. We still have several gallon bags in the freezer from years before that...

I'm making Bred & Butter refrigerator pickles now ;)

[hawgrider]

Pulled my 10 rows of garlic this morning. Now to bundle and hang for a few weeks.

https://i.imgur.com/6MJDWkw.jpg

[Prepared One]

Pulled my 10 rows of garlic this morning. Now to bundle and hang for a few weeks.

https://i.imgur.com/6MJDWkw.jpg

What's the deal with hanging them?

[Mad Trapper]

What's the deal with hanging them?

You dry them in a well ventilated dark place so the skins will set and the heads will keep.

When the stalks are still moist I braid mine together and hang bunches of 3 that way. A barn/shed will do nicely. Hang until stalks are dried out.

Hawg may have his own variation.

[BucketBack]

I've harvested maybe 100 pea pods for stir fry and a couple banana peppers'

I've spotted a ground hog 4 times under the deck / ramp in the last hour. I couldn't get a shot with my LCP and chased him under my Trailblazer.

Picked up a gnat in the eye under the safety sunglasses

All my 22 lr's are in need of TLC, so I loaded up Dad's Winchester model 61 22 lr with Aquila Super Extra Standard Velocity that I learned to shoot with.

So no excuses

[BucketBack]

I guess paper effing wasps don't like the lawnmower noise next to a nest. It's too hot and humid for the beekeeper top.

Got me under the mechanic glove on my wrist and got my attention a couple times.

[hawgrider]

You dry them in a well ventilated dark place so the skins will set and the heads will keep.

When the stalks are still moist I braid mine together and hang bunches of 3 that way. A barn/shed will do nicely. Hang until stalks are dried out.

Hawg may have his own variation. Yup garage, barn or a porch so it's shaded with air flow.


What's the deal with hanging them?

Cure the bulbs for over the winter storage. It takes 2 to 3 weeks.

[Mad Trapper]

I've harvested maybe 100 pea pods for stir fry and a couple banana peppers'

I've spotted a ground hog 4 times under the deck / ramp in the last hour. I couldn't get a shot with my LCP and chased him under my Trailblazer.

Picked up a gnat in the eye under the safety sunglasses

All my 22 lr's are in need of TLC, so I loaded up Dad's Winchester model 61 22 lr with Aquila Super Extra Standard Velocity that I learned to shoot with.

So no excuses

I hate fucking woodchucks. I've not seen one this year nearby. Guns are always handy.

Get that basturd or he'll dig a new home under your deck. Good luck hunting.

[Mad Trapper]

I guess paper effing wasps don't like the lawnmower noise next to a nest. It's too hot and humid for the beekeeper top.

Got me under the mechanic glove on my wrist and got my attention a couple times.

I'm allergic to some type of bee/wasp, went into shock as a kid (only time), so I wipe the nests out if they are around where I frequent.

Is it one of those big hanging nests? I mix up a batch of permethrin in one of my hand pump sprayers and wait until after dark. Dress well and hose the entrance down well, I stick the sprayer tip right inside the entrance, the spray knocks down any that try to come out. Next day all will be dead after they come out.

[Slippy]

Moved a rat snake from the chicken coop where he was feasting on eggs. Relocated him in the woods, still wore gloves and the little bastard gave me the normal "scare" when he "rattled" his tail and puffed up his head trying to look like a rattler.

Non-poisonous, I know, but dang king and rat sneks still give me the newbie-jeebies since we have so many Timber Rattlers around! I don't want to make that mistake! HA!

[hawgrider]

You dry them in a well ventilated dark place so the skins will set and the heads will keep.

When the stalks are still moist I braid mine together and hang bunches of 3 that way. A barn/shed will do nicely. Hang until stalks are dried out.

Hawg may have his own variation.


Moved a rat snake from the chicken coop where he was feasting on eggs. Relocated him in the woods, still wore gloves and the little bastard gave me the normal "scare" when he "rattled" his tail and puffed up his head trying to look like a rattler.

Non-poisonous, I know, but dang king and rat sneks still give me the newbie-jeebies since we have so many Timber Rattlers around! I don't want to make that mistake! HA!
All snakes must die.:rip:

[Prepared One]

Yup garage, barn or a porch so it's shaded with air flow.



Cure the bulbs for over the winter storage. It takes 2 to 3 weeks.

Didn't know that, thanks.

[T-Man 1066]

I'm allergic to some type of bee/wasp, went into shock as a kid (only time), so I wipe the nests out if they are around where I frequent.

Is it one of those big hanging nests? I mix up a batch of permethrin in one of my hand pump sprayers and wait until after dark. Dress well and hose the entrance down well, I stick the sprayer tip right inside the entrance, the spray knocks down any that try to come out. Next day all will be dead after they come out.

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I got your wasp nest if you need one...

Damn sideways pic!!!!!! :tommygun:

[Mad Trapper]

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I got your wasp nest if you need one...

Damn sideways pic!!!!!! :tommygun:

I've got a hand sprayer that could hit that one too. But up there I'd leave them BEE!

[BucketBack]

I need some of that permithin stuff. We were living in farm country, with mostly flies and a bee or two. I forgot that I lived next to the National Forest and the bugs are vicious here. Horseflies big enough to target practice with a pistol on.

[Chiefster23]

First batch of green beans is in the pressure canner now. And one fresh bag of garden peas in the freezer this morning.

[Mad Trapper]

I need some of that permithin stuff. We were living in farm country, with mostly flies and a bee or two. I forgot that I lived next to the National Forest and the bugs are vicious here. Horseflies big enough to target practice with a pistol on.

Go to TSC for the concentrate. Make sure it is just permethrin and you can do your clothes too for ticks/skeeters/biting flies/chiggers etc....For clothes saturate fabric then hang to dry a day or two.

TSC has good small sprayer bottles too $4, they are graduated so makes mixing easy. Those are great for doing clothes with mist, but nozzle adjust to a stream if you need to hit a nest. A 2-3 gal pump sprayer if you need to spray alot or need to get distance.

Get distilled water for dilution mix 20:1. Can use tap water but mix lasts better in distilled.

Warning!!! keep it away from cats Once dried it is not too harmful but wet solution is bad news.

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[Slippy]

I need some of that permithin stuff. We were living in farm country, with mostly flies and a bee or two. I forgot that I lived next to the National Forest and the bugs are vicious here. Horseflies big enough to target practice with a pistol on.

We have the smaller version of a Horse Fly called a Deer Fly. Bloodsucking little bitches they are!

[Mad Trapper]

We have the smaller version of a Horse Fly called a Deer Fly. Bloodsucking little bitches they are!

It seems like a tornado around you when those deer fly basturds are bad. Only thing worse might be black flies in North Woods (Vt NH ME and New Brunswick). Even need to wear gloves for them.

I have a GI head net, and netted tops/bottoms for when it's hot outside. Tight weave breathable pants/shirts.

Try picaridin for bug stuff. Works as well as DEET, not as bad for you, and won't melt your fishing lures if it spills in the tackle box like DEET (had that happen).

[Michael_Js]

Finally harvesting green beans! Been getting carrots, artichokes, broccoli, Swiss Chard, asparagus, zucchini, snap peas and more. Also recently a few summer squash!
2 different kinds of cucumbers: "regular" and pickling (on top).

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I'm so sad that there will be no more for me in/with this garden. I will work on a new one after I settle in, wherever that might be...SO much work in this place! I know, it's only material things...I know...

[Chiefster23]

I’ve been on the search for a true “stringless” green bean. Lots of catalogs advertise stringless, but they really aren’t. At least, I haven’t found one yet.

[BucketBack]

We have deer flies, horse flies, green flies, black flies and some just plain huge ones. I have 2 pump up sprayers available now. I was just AWOL for 1 1/2 years, and missed 2 summers of spraying.

On a side note - Should lit candles be left going on a table next to papers and clothing?

I'll go with Fuk No. I was running an O2 line for the Mrs. and the candle caught fire on the table with the papers and bra.

I put it out and my index finger has a burn.

[T-Man 1066]

We have deer flies, horse flies, green flies, black flies and some just plain huge ones. I have 2 pump up sprayers available now. I was just AWOL for 1 1/2 years, and missed 2 summers of spraying.

On a side note - Should lit candles be left going on a table next to papers and clothing?

I'll go with Fuk No. I was running an O2 line for the Mrs. and the candle caught fire on the table with the papers and bra.

I put it out and my index finger has a burn.

Pis, or it didn't happen !!!!!

[Inor]

Pis, or it didn't happen !!!!!

Pis?!?!?!

[T-Man 1066]

Pis?!?!?!

May have spilled my beer on the "C" key... ?? :thinking:

[MountainGirl]

Pis?!?!?!

:biglaugh: :biglaugh: :biglaugh: :beerchug:

[Michael_Js]

Cherry tomatoes are starting to come in. The Roma's are a ways off. Beautiful head of cauliflower, with another in the garden for later. Will be making a rustic tomato galette for dinner tomorrow with these tomatoes!
Made sauteed string beans for dinner last night with the haul yesterday, last year's garlic, and bought onions.

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[StratBastard]

Cherry tomatoes are starting to come in. The Roma's are a ways off. Beautiful head of cauliflower, with another in the garden for later. Will be making a rustic tomato galette for dinner tomorrow with these tomatoes!
Made sauteed string beans for dinner last night with the haul yesterday, last year's garlic, and bought onions.

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My cherry tomatoes are starting to produce as well... been getting a good bowlful every few days.

[BucketBack]

Pis?!?!?!

Golden Showers, Bring No Flowers. Over fertilizes them

[Slippy]

Yesterday's Sweet Potato harvest! The chickens don't mind the leaves after the harvest.

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[Michael_Js]

Another good harvest - cherry tomatoes, some random garlic bulbs, lettuces, Swiss chard, cucumber, zucchini, broad & string beans, artichokes, some broccoli and a couple of onions. :)

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[Chiefster23]

Another 7 quarts of peaches canned today. Tomorrow will be my first batch of salsa for this year. Also pick another bag of blueberries for the freezer.

[Michael_Js]

OK, tried something different: OK, it's hard to tell what this is, so, it's honey zucchini bread cooked and sealed in Mason jars. They are supposed to last a long time - years. We'll see. There were 3, however, someone had to test it! Very yummy!!

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