What have you done today in the Garden?

@Daniel W , I do not have a way to raise peeps here. I have no electricity to my chicken coop. Also, it is not snake proof (my old cage for them was snake proof, and one year I did have a 120 ft extension cord to my old coop and a heat lamp for some peeps.). I had to build a new coop a few years ago, and I have no snake proof or heated way to keep peeps warm. A friend was raising peeps for himself, and raised 2 for me. My extension cord is in use someplace else. The advantage to getting hens a bit older is that you KNOW they are hens and not roosters. I have a rooster, just do not want more at this time. Snakes are not usually out this time of year, but if we have a few warm days they show up.

Yesterday, I planted potatoes and have 8 short rows of potatoes. I planted some horseradish and rhubarb roots also.

Today, I planted 5 rows of Detroit Dark red beets. I scattered some celery seed in a few containers. I did get some more flower bed clean up done also, and a bit or raking, and worked on my ditch a bit more. I could not make up my mind on what else to plant, so I called it a day.

Awhile back, I found some giant popsicle type sticks (or medical tongue depressors if you prefer) in the craft section at Walmart, and got them for marking my plant rows. They look pretty good.

 

I found the saw attachment supplied with my Fiskars telescopic pruner. I'd never used it. I even took the bracket for it, off the business end of the pruner as it got in the way when I was using it. Anyway, I taped it to a long pole and using a ladder to get to them, cut off some more quite thick branches off the silver birches.
Only a couple of the very top ones hang over our garden a bit.




The blade was surprisingly sharp. There's three full bins of branches, ready for collection tomorrow.
Still a lot more to clear, including some quite thick branches, which will need the chainsaw, (when it gets a new blade).
I think another two weeks of bin collections should see the job done and we can leave the garden nice and tidy.

We're not sure if the owner will ever comer home from hospital, due to his disability. As he has no family, he might end up in a care home.

 

I did get to work on the ditch this afternoon, and planted my onion sets this afternoon. It got over 80F today....

 

Today I put some hay as mulch in my raised beds. We got 4" of rain total over the weekend so the beds are very well watered and with temps rising I want to keep the moisture in. I also cut down two brussel sprouts plants. I have had enough of those, then chopped it all up and added it to my compost bin. Then I planted out some miniature zinnias, a couple full sized zinnias, and three tithonias in my flower beds. That's enough. Now I'm tired !!

 

Today, I have been mostly sowing seeds Cherry Tomatoes, Outdoor Girl Tomatoes and Manx Marvel Tomatoes. The Manx ones are not available in the shops, you might find them on the odd heritage seed website though. They were bred to grow outside on the Isle of Man so are a stocky tough little plant. You have to leave them on the plant to ripen properly though otherwise Tetters doesn't like them

 

....and whilst tidying up the kitchen/diner, I made room for seedlings on the windowsills there. It's not warmed up much in the UK yet.
I do have some celery seeds just germinating though.
If anyone here grows celery, I'd be glad of a few tips as this is my first proper effort. I did have in mind trying this method I found on Youtube -

 

Yesterday I bought a 3 1/2' tall Anna apple whip. I didn't buy it as a name sake !! It's a very low chill apple that will produce in my area. I planted that out and mulched it. Next fall I need to get a Dorsett, that's the pollinator for the Anna. Then I prepared a raised bed for Bush Baby watermelon and planted out 4 seeds, which I'll reduce down to two. After that I weeded around my three paw paw trees and around a rose and my Major Wheeler honeysuckle. Then picked up all the deadfall from the storms we had earlier in the week.

We had a hurricane here last year that went right through my town. The house shook for 6 hours 10:30pm - 4:30 am but no damage. Thing it did was destroy two trees, an oak and a Pecan and brought me weed seeds from all over the county. I've never had so many weeds. I'd gotten rid of the dandylions and now, they are back in places they've never been before !! Darn hurricane.

 

It was sunny for part of the day which made it warmer, but it was cold when it went in.
Presently only +6c.

So I did nothing other than 5 loads of washing. Not that there was much to do in the garden.

I've ordered a new pedestal mixer tap for the kitchen sink. The present one has gone rather stiff. It should arrive tomorrow or Friday.
"Just another of many jobs."

 

It's dry but still cold, so I won't be doing anything in the garden today.
My new tap isn't coming until tomorrow. So I've not much to do. I'll be watching some of the golf on Sky from Sawgrass in America from time to time, it'll be continuous coverage until 11.00 pm tonight.
When I turned it on half an hour ago, I thought at first it must have been a recording from last night.
It was sunny, but there were long shadows and thousands of spectators lining the fairways. Then I realised that it was 7.30 am over there.
That's how addictive is this sport.

 

So far today I've prepared a raised bed to plant baby bush winter squash, planted 4 seeds, mulched and watered them Then I sterilized and washed over two dozen small starter pots and 16 deep root starter pots, left them to dry. After that I cleared the weeds from the red spider lilies that have self-seeded all over the back yard. After I finish with clearing the weeds I will dig them all up, or as many as I can today, while they are still in the green, and try to get them all transplanted. Knowing me, I'll probably get it half done before I poop out !!

 

Well I think you do a champion job there, and have seen quite a few of your results. Just the fact that you have such difficult soil where you are, and have had to make all the raised beds !!
I think you need a nice comfy chair in a spot by your flower beds to have a rest, put your feet up, and read a good book (on gardens maybe) ...

 

Thanks!! I want to do just that @Tetters !! I have a big cedar tree by the fence and want to plant something evergreen along there to hide myself from passersby. Nothing will grow close to that tree so, perfect spot in shade for a bench !!

 

Don't forget to let us know which evergreen you choose. I suggest something without thorns, but with plenty of perfume! Just right for a sneaky nap
'ow about an 'ammock

 

Planted the 3 new redcurrant bushes and put a lot of compost in the soil and on top, it's very grey clay soil in the back garden.

 

I am the Carbon they want to reduce

Zigs, you are too funny