What did you do to prep today?

[LordThor]

It finally got here! I can't wait to try it out!

[BrudderT]

Checked the new batch of bees yesterday. It's been cold and wet ever since I put them in on Tuesday afternoon. I'd seen ZERO activitity at the hive and was getting a bit concerned. Opened it up and found that they are doing well. Queen has been released and I found her on the first frame I lifted, how lucky is that! Did'nt have to take the whole thing appart to find her.

Yesterday I went to get chicks but came home empty handed. Got everything else though. Today I went to another place and got my chicks. 2 Buff Orpington's and 2 Black Australorp's. They are soooo darn cute! They're all snuggled up in a corner of the box under the lamp. Napping from their big adventure.

BrudderT

[Seditious]

Craigslist score. Got myself a pump setup that appears to have come from an old newspaper printing press. A brass sealed vain type pump with a 1/2 horsepower motor and a spare pump for $20. Less than the scrap price for the total weight of brass, copper and steel. Purchase price for new equivalent would be $1k or more.

[ChristieAcres]

Craigslist score. Got myself a pump setup that appears to have come from an old newspaper printing press. A brass sealed vain type pump with a 1/2 horsepower motor and a spare pump for $20. Less than the scrap price for the total weight of brass, copper and steel. Purchase price for new equivalent would be $1k or more.

What a SCORE!

BrudderT- Congratulatoins on the chickens & bees! I'll be heading out to get our chickens on Tuesday. My Blue Masons are working hard, soon it will be time to release the Osmia Californica's (the late Masons who pick up the pollination slack). I realized I would need to label the houses (make sure I release each type at the right time). By storing some of the houses in our extra fridge, we can release the Masons at the time the Fruit Trees start blooming, to insure higher pollination rates.

Today, I weeded another 5' X 20' bed, getting it ready for planting. I also started a lot more Comfrey plants (54 isn't enough), took care of hundreds of seedlings, checked the progress of many emerging ones, was thrilled to see my cuttings are rooting (Italian Oregano, Greek Oregano, Lavendar, and Trailing Rosemary). I hand-watered some emerging seedlings out in our garden beds. Then, I made some decisions on where I would be putting some of those hundreds of seedlings growing in my greenhouse & inside my germination room, currently under lights. Now, my gardening plans are set!

[Lenno]

I was lucky, no snow for 3 days, but heavy frost as usual, 16 years and not a decent garden yet, I wonder if the cold weather might be a factor,,,I will have to concider that

[gardengal]

A week or so ago I started having problems with the tennis shoes I'm wearing. A pair of $50 New Balance. I'd get a sharp pain at my little toe, thought it was the seam on my sock twisted. Felt the inside of my shoe and the lining is ripping. I need to get out and get another pair or two of shoes, but wanted to keep this pair for working in the garden. So I got some mole skin, cut pieces and fitted them inside the shoes where the lining is going bad. Works great! So I think mole skin should be something in our preps to help extend our shoes. Might be a good thing to have in the BOB for if you have to do a lot of walking and start getting a sore spot on your foot.

I also got DH to get me another pocket knife. It's a tiny Swiss Army. Not much, but it has 1 blade, a screwdriver and scissors. It's going in my BOB. My other pocket knife is just a regular knife with 3 blades. I use it mostly when I'm working in the garden.

gardengal

[dylanM]

Planted 8 more apple trees, 3 more peach trees, 2 plum trees, 2 van cherry trees, 6 more blueberry bushes, 8 more blackberry & 3 red raspberry bushes.


Picked up a 15 ft x 15 xft 36 inch pool. Holds 2822 gallons at 80 % full.Its about 3/4 of the way full of water for pumping out of to water the gardens & fruit trees.

[PaulC]

I was lucky, no snow for 3 days, but heavy frost as usual, 16 years and not a decent garden yet, I wonder if the cold weather might be a factor,,,I will have to concider that

Lenno, I don't know what part of the country you live, so I will speak in general terms. I live in East Texas.
Obviously, nothing grows in frozen ground, that I know of.
Cool round, cool weather, you can start potatoes, onions, carrots, beets, cabbage, broccali, cauliflower, and peas.
moerate weather and ground temp above 60 degrees, plant tomatoes, peppers, squash, beans, cucumbers, watermelon, cantaloupe.
I hope this helps. One other reccomendation, build some raised beds, & give it a try.

[PaulC]

I was lucky, no snow for 3 days, but heavy frost as usual, 16 years and not a decent garden yet, I wonder if the cold weather might be a factor,,,I will have to concider that

Lenno, I don't know what part of the country you live, so I will speak in general terms. I live in East Texas.
Obviously, nothing grows in frozen ground, that I know of.
Cool round, cool weather, you can start potatoes, onions, carrots, beets, cabbage, broccali, cauliflower, and peas.
moderate weather and ground temp above 60 degrees, plant tomatoes, peppers, squash, beans, cucumbers, watermelon, cantaloupe.
I hope this helps. One other recomendation, build some raised beds, & give it a try.

[therosery]

I was lucky, no snow for 3 days, but heavy frost as usual, 16 years and not a decent garden yet, I wonder if the cold weather might be a factor,,,I will have to concider that

Lenno, I live in the pnw and we've had horrible summer weather the last few year so I went to the recyling center and bought old window and built a small greenhouse. I should have done this years ago. I went out there and it was 92 degrees and I even have watermelon coming up. Get yourself a greenhouse, Lenno. I swear it will be the best thing you can do. I can now start my seeds MUCH earlier and put some outside, while leaving the cukes, tomatoes, watermelon, etc, INSIDE to grow. good luck