What did you do in your garden today?

[Silentrunning]

I am going to go against my best judgement and put another layer of horse manure and stable straw on my corn garden. Some core samples I took still showed the ground to not be draining adequately. So more organic material is going to get plowed in. I know this is going to cause more weeds come spring so I will apply Roundup as soon as they sprout and show adequate greenery. This will be a one time application since I hate that stuff. The area where my beans and tomatoes are going has drained beautifully and will just get a dose of compost in the spring.

 

[alp]

I hope your soil is not clay as clay is notorious for its poor drainage. Most of my lawn is now no-go area as it's so slippery!

 

[Silentrunning]

I hope your soil is not clay as clay is notorious for its poor drainage. Most of my lawn is now no-go area as it's so slippery!

I have clay. Fortunately the area my gardens are in was cow pasture for many years. This helped to build up a small layer of good top soil but not enough. It is going to take a long time to build up the area into good garden soil.

 

[alp]

You're very lucky to have cow depositing some goodies on your land. I have to go to horse stables to get them. Usually a whole car full and when we are home, I always ask myself I haven't got more!

Did nothing in the garden. So damp, dank and dull. But warmish.

 

[JBtheExplorer]

I went out and scattered my seeds today. Hopefully they'll turn into hundreds of new plants.

 

[CanadianLori]

I prepared 8 hanging pots and sowed ring of fire pepper seeds in them. I also made 20 soil blocks. Sowed Manzano seeds in four and the rest with asparagus seeds. I put the blocks on capillary matting with paper towel on top of it. Hope the seeds will germinate and then the seedlings' roots don't easily penetrate the paper towel.

 

[MaryMary]

I also made 20 soil blocks.

Lori, what is the process for making soil blocks? How do you get them in such neat squares?

They look a lot like brownies!! Mmm...brownies.

 

[alp]

Lori: Amazing! Here we are, not half as cold as Canada and yet worried about damping off and all that. And yet on the other side of the pond, you have all these going on! How do you manage to keep them warm? Must be costly.

Today, I raised 2 paths and will take some photos tomorrow, There is still one long one to do. After that, all my body parts seized up. Need to go on the bike again!

A terrible typo!

 

[CanadianLori]

Lori, what is the process for making soil blocks? How do you get them in such neat squares?

They look a lot like brownies!! Mmm...brownies.

Maybe I should put some on a plate with a dab of whipped cream... then see who falls for it... no that would be a dirty trick...

I use one of these

I don't need tiny pots. And if something doesn't germinate, I just throw the block in with the next batch I mix up and form. It only takes about 10 minutes to make a tray of blocks.

Speaking of that, I'm finished working for today and now have time to make some more blocks and will try starting some lavender seeds that I harvested last year. I already stuffed the seeds in the deep freeze the other day.

 

[JBtheExplorer]

I waited all winter to get a few inches of snow forecasted so I could scatter my seeds, and as I posted yesterday, I ended up scattering them. I couldn't wait for snow any longer. Well, funny as it is, now we're expecting 2"-4" of snow tomorrow night. I guess I took care of it at the perfect time.

 

[DirtMechanic]

I bought 4 grow lights and some seeding trays. I was disappointed I could not find pea or bean innoculate. Glad I have some left over.

 

[zigs]

What's innoculate @DirtMechanic ?

Made a load more cacti pots and took some more cuttings.

 

[DirtMechanic]

@zigs it is Rhizobium Leguminosarum, which is a nitrogen fixing bacteria. Especially when you are me, and are actively killing a lot of nematodes it is probable I hurt more good bio critters than bad this year. A small war is being fought in my garden.

Yesterday I bought varieties of lily, ferns and elephant ears. Maybe I can put them out when the rain goes by today.

Arborists come later this week, I I have an outdoor cast iron plant I need to dig up. any tips?

 

[marlingardener]

DirtMechanic, I don't know how much inoculant you need, but Shumway's has it in two sizes--1.5 oz. and 6 oz. and a granular form that you apply directly to the row as you plant. The smaller sizes are for treating the seed before planting.
www.rhshumway.com
I hope this information pays back a bit of the help you have given me on nematodes!

 

[MaryMary]

Made a load more cacti pots and took some more cuttings.

Wow, you have been busy!!

Are you intending to flog them?