What did you do in your garden today?

[big rockpile]

One of those days. Greenhouse is full because it is supposed to freeze.

Dug Potatoes, Fertilized.

Got Canna and a Elephant Ear Bulbs. Got my Worm Cups need to get Stickers for them.

big rockpile

 

[Sean Regan]

It's a shopping day today and wet, so won't do much in the garden.
But yesterday I dug out this old hedgehog feeder from the shed. The previous night I'd left some water in a plastic saucer for it. It had one drink, then put its front feet on the rim of the saucer and tipped it over itself.
It obviously prefers this one.

 

[Sean Regan]

Just had a check around. It's reasonably warm with occasional sunny spells.

Our acer palmatums are coming into leaf.
This one we've had for nearly forty years. There will as usual, be some gaps in the canopy and some foliage which is not conforming to the "dome shape" I like. I'll wait until the leaves are fully out, then I'll do a bit of wiring to get it more intro shape.

This one is less of a problem. I'm hoping the grass will have grown before the canopy blocks out the light.

No problems with this one. It just needs a regular trim.

The wisterias are progressing well. There's a lot of strong garden wire attached to many branches on this one, to keep it tight to the fence.

The blooms should be out in a couple of weeks.

With the three on this pergola, that I've trained to cascade, I'm never sure if the trailing branches are going to produce new side shoots or blooms.

Fortunately it's blooms.

The roses are putting on more growth. No sign of black spot, of which we had a lot last year. I'll give them another spray of Sulphur Rose and repeat it every two weeks from now on. I need to repaint the pot movers.

The hollow tining tool I've ordered for the lawn has yet to arrive. It needs to be a very dry day to use it, as the earth it removes will need to be collected.

I've only one problem doing it, in that the speed-fit pipe that supplies my two pop-up lawn sprinklers are buried under the lawn. But fortunately, I took a photo when I was installing them, so I know where it is.

 

[Black_Thumb]

Borrowed my neighbor's 5-gallon backpack sprayer because I STILL haven't bought the tow-behind sprayer for my tractor. I had emergency surgery some weeks ago, and we don't have health insurance, so I've been doling out thousands to pay off the surgery, which means the sprayer will have to wait another month. In the meantime, I'll use the backpack and so what I can. I received my 2,4-D and Triclopyr the other day, and I already have my Tenacity ready to go as well, so I'll be laying down the weed killer when it stops raining.

I spent some time on my hands and knees in the yard pulling out the remaining dandelions that dared spite me by making an appearance in my yard. The yard is looking pretty good aside from the massive influx of wild violets, clover, crabgrass, Bermuda grass, and some creeping Charlie. My witch's brew should take care of ALL of them. After that, I'll be laying down a seed mixture of Kentucky Bluegrass and Perennial Ryegrass. I hope to have a beautiful lawn one day before I die.

Have a super week!

 

[Sean Regan]

The hedgehog is now coming every night. He's a messy eater as he tips the food bowl over.
Other frequent visitors are this pesky cat at any time of the day or night.

and the occasional "flying squirrel."

 

[Sean Regan]

I'm hoping my tining tool will arrive today. I'm just curious to see if it will work. I'll just test it in a suitable area, but it's too wet to do more than that.

I've found the photograph of the "dry run," well actually a "wet run," of my two pop up sprinklers, I did before burying the pipework. They've only been needed occasionally in the last twelve years. So when I actually get round to tining I'll know which area to avoid, although the pipe is well buried.
To get an equal amount of water out of both sprinkler heads, it was necessary to have the feed join the supply pipe exactly in the middle. That's why there's two pipes at the top end.

It's all nice and tidy where the control valve is situated. You wouldn't know they were there.

 

[Sean Regan]

My lawn tiner arrived and I tried it out.

It took a bit of effort to go in as the soil is quite wet and compacted under the grass. What I'm going to do is sharpen the ends of the tines to make it easier for them to go in. I won't be doing any tining for a bit. But I'm pleased that it will work.

 

[NewLeafTX]

Just a quick question.
Ive got 2 plumb trees and the ground by the them is being over taken by this green stuff..
I ripped all this stuff up about 2 months ago.
And its growing back like a carpet.
Is there a proper way of getting rid of this weed or just keep ripping it up please .if anyone knows.View attachment 102437View attachment 102438

Some orchards allow a green carpet of whatever comes up naturally, to grow beneath the fruit trees. This is said to be beneficial to the fruit trees, compared with not having any plants underneath the fruit trees. It acts like a living mulch.

Sorry about the accidental misquote. I said "Some orchards allow...living mulch." It wasn't Dereklad's quote, so no idea how it got in there as if it were his.
This film centers around one such farm:
wikipedia search on The Biggest Little Farm

 

[NewLeafTX]

Had a busy few days away from the garden, due to Mom in law turning 82, combined with some health problems of mine.

While the gardener was away, mice/voles sure did play! I didn't even know we had rodents in that area until now. They ate up nearly all my Brassica seedlings and left tunnels and entrance holes as evidence.

I may lay out some sticky traps to try and catch them. We already have 3 cats trying to catch them, but apparently it's a Tom & Jerry cartoon around here: our mice are very smart & fast.

Going to Plant more of the following Rodent resistant crops:

Sweet potatoes (already have some growing)
Leeks (Plan to grow these in Fall/Winter)
Onions (sowed some, considering buying onion sets for Fall planting)
Garlic - May try planting some cloves from the grocer
Shallots (Plan to grow these in Fall/Winter)
Peppermint & spearmint - Will try rooting some from the grocer
Holy Basil/ African Cinnamon Basil
Lavender (sowed some. Too early to tell if they are growing,
or if that row is now populated by wildflowers)
Alyssum
Cleome
English pot marigold- Sowed some; waiting to see how they do
Four o Clock- Going to sow these today
Globe thistle
Lemongrass or Citronella Geranium
Tagetes Marigold: Considering Mexican Mint Marigold
Milkweed
Nasturtium (have several of them growing)
Poppy (sowed some California poppy seeds; they seem to be sprouting)
Salvia farinacea
Snapdragon (I have seeds, but they are best sown in Fall/Winter here.)

Also going to try these tips:
essential oils, such as eucalyptus, citronella, and lavender, can repel
rodents. Ammonia-soaked cotton balls can also be used as a deterrent.
Rodents dislike the smell of ammonia and will avoid areas where it is present.

Place, or plant, an onion or a mint plant where you suspect the mice are eating.

Sprinkle Instant Potatoes

Instant potatoes are cheap, and they are surprisingly effective at eliminating rodents.
Simply sprinkle a few tablespoons of the powder wherever you suspect a mouse infestation.
The mice will eat them (obviously), and after they do, the flakes will expand in their stomachs.
Since their stomachs are so small, the mice will die before the potatoes can be digested.

 

[big rockpile]

Today was playing in the dirt day.

Planted Lilacs, Banana Trees, Blueberries, Bagonas, Cannabis.

Moved bunch of stuff out of the Greenhouse.

Got tags for Egg Cartons. Mixed some Soil.

big rockpile

 

[Donatello]

It's nice to see everyone out in the garden s in preparations for summer.
I got out and made a 10" x 3' x 7' raised bed frame . Laid cardboard under it. Added 8 bags of garden soil, 3 bags of cow manure and compost,. Then topped that of with 2 bags of potting soil.
I laid out 4 bags of red mulch over the existing cardboard in the tomato area. I still have 4 bags left that i will spread outside of the raised bed, but tomorrow for that.
I'm not old, I'm ancient ! Can't do as much as I used to do. I get played out and have to go rest. Then I catch my breath and energy and get back at it. Think I'll go get me a ice cold Corona.

 

[Donatello]

Had a busy few days away from the garden, due to Mom in law turning 82, combined with some health problems of mine.

While the gardener was away, mice/voles sure did play! I didn't even know we had rodents in that area until now. They ate up nearly all my Brassica seedlings and left tunnels and entrance holes as evidence.

I may lay out some sticky traps to try and catch them. We already have 3 cats trying to catch them, but apparently it's a Tom & Jerry cartoon around here: our mice are very smart & fast.

Going to Plant more of the following Rodent resistant crops:

Sweet potatoes (already have some growing)
Leeks (Plan to grow these in Fall/Winter)
Onions (sowed some, considering buying onion sets for Fall planting)
Garlic - May try planting some cloves from the grocer
Shallots (Plan to grow these in Fall/Winter)
Peppermint & spearmint - Will try rooting some from the grocer
Holy Basil/ African Cinnamon Basil
Lavender (sowed some. Too early to tell if they are growing,
or if that row is now populated by wildflowers)
Alyssum
Cleome
English pot marigold- Sowed some; waiting to see how they do
Four o Clock- Going to sow these today
Globe thistle
Lemongrass or Citronella Geranium
Tagetes Marigold: Considering Mexican Mint Marigold
Milkweed
Nasturtium (have several of them growing)
Poppy (sowed some California poppy seeds; they seem to be sprouting)
Salvia farinacea
Snapdragon (I have seeds, but they are best sown in Fall/Winter here.)

Also going to try these tips:
essential oils, such as eucalyptus, citronella, and lavender, can repel
rodents. Ammonia-soaked cotton balls can also be used as a deterrent.
Rodents dislike the smell of ammonia and will avoid areas where it is present.

Place, or plant, an onion or a mint plant where you suspect the mice are eating.

Sprinkle Instant Potatoes

Instant potatoes are cheap, and they are surprisingly effective at eliminating rodents.
Simply sprinkle a few tablespoons of the powder wherever you suspect a mouse infestation.
The mice will eat them (obviously), and after they do, the flakes will expand in their stomachs.
Since their stomachs are so small, the mice will die before the potatoes can be digested.

I have a hint about the garlic. If the garlic bulb has no roots showing they are from China and probably wont grow. American garlic will have at least some roots. Soak your garlic in about a quarter inch of water two days before breaking the bulb. This gives it a chance to activate . I had good luck with starting them in starting medium last year, but my dogs dug them up as soon as they started to show growth. going to try again this year inside a fenced area. Moles and voles don't seem to like the garlic

 

[Sean Regan]

Only did a bit today as it looks like rain. Pruned off more of next door's trees, with my Fiskars UPX 86. telescopic pruner I bought last last year. These are now ridiculously expensive, but "needs must."
Ties up more of the Amber clematis on the fence by the kitchen window, this is growing really fast and needs tying up every few days.

Conversely, the five I dug up from the narrow bed next to the garage and put in pots on the garage window sill, are a different story two are doing nothing, three are showing some signs of life, but at the rate they are growing, it'll be Christmas before they are ready for potting out.

The lilac on the patio is going from strength to strength. I might move it to the centre bed, where we have the sambucas at the moment, for a change in view from the French windows.
The "azalea forest" in the side bed behind it, is showing a lot of new growth and flower buds.

Decided to sharpen the tines on my new tiner.
A file made no impression on it.
So I dug out my forty year-old Black & Decker belt sander. That worked a treat, all done in minutes.
That was enough for the day, came in to watch City playing Palace on the TV.

 

[Donatello]

I planted today.6 tomato, 6 bell peppers,2 straight neck squash , and 2 eggplant. I watered everything well.
We are having winds free in Oklahoma. I sure hope the plants can stand it.
I left the gate open and when I came back out my sister-in-laws dog was in the garden digging up every onion in my one row!.
Why does she do that?
Tomorrow I’ll run the cultivator, till up the unusable areas to hold down the weeds .

 

[big rockpile]

Busy Busy Busy!

Repotted Coleus that were getting too big. Put 3 or 4 to a big pot.

Cat I think decided to roll in some of my Cabbage outside.

I was surprised how the soil was doing. It is loose but holds water well.

big rockpile