What have you done today in the Garden?

Today it's warmer and rainy. There was time for a dog walk and a little gardening.

I planted these in a large container in the veggie garden. I like the aroma while I'm doing chores. They don't grow if I plant them in the ground - probably moles and voles to blame.

They've gone through some shrinkflation - only two bulbs per package now.

I planted three rows of onion sets. I did them the Sjoerd way, fully covering the tops so jays don't pull them up. Might be too early, so I held back for the majority, just planting three rows. I remove every-other-one for scallions, but maybe I plant the remaining ones further apart.


The garlic is growing. It doesn't mind the cold. I loosened the leaves over some the rows.


I took a closer look in the duck house. One end is removable, but I usually just look through the screened end. I saw an egg through the screen, so removed the door. Out of view, against the door -



Oh wow! I had so misjudged Mrs Duck! I thought she wasn't laying any eggs. This is all since I changed the straw in late December, so she's laid about an egg a day ever since.

She seems kind of pleased with herself. She likes to hang out with Mr. Duck but doesn't sit on her eggs to keep them warm. So they are the cool outside temperature.


Actually, I don't usually like duck eggs, but I know someone who does. So I washed and dried them, and here they are - 3 dozen jumbo eggs! I have to let the lids just sit on the eggs, they are too large to snap the lids shut.



I used the water immersion test to make sure they are ok. They seem fine. So I fried one.



I still didn't like it. I fried it a little more and fed it to Rufus.

I decided to test a different method, and boiled (actually steamed) two, and made deviled eggs out of them.



Actually... not bad. The other ingredients seem to mask the strong duck flavor. I actually liked these.

In an age when good chicken eggs are $6 or $7 or $8 a dozen, and often the egg cabinets have few (sometimes, none), three dozen super jumbo, big yolk, organic free range home grown duck eggs is a treasure like gold! (Golden eggs are another story) Especially if I can eat them. Next - a black bean chocolate cake? (I don't think I would like them scrambled either).

So not a bad garden day.

 

Doghouse, you take great care of your little hedgehogs. They are lucky to have you.

 

Daniel— what a good duck report. A huge egg haul. I know what you mean about duck egg flavour. You had a great day today. Wow.

Today I pruned fruit trees and schoffeled the path borders.


You can see how wet the soil still is. The beds will have to wait.
When I went to the lottie today I picked up the seed order before going to my allotment.

 

@Daniel W i wonder if different breeds or families of ducks have different flavors? When we had kaki Campbell ducks I did not notice a difference in taste. (When we had milk goats we had a nanny that gave sweet milk that tasted about the same as cows milk. I was shocked when I later tried some other does milk that was quite “goaty”) Just wondering.

 

Jewell, maybe it's the taster's genetics and culture, sort of like some people love cilantro but others find it soap flavored.

But I bet you are right that breed affects flavor. Diet too. Mr. and Mrs.Duck get the same feed as the hens, but continuously forage for bugs and slugs and worms and who knows what.

I like goat cheese but not goat milk. That's kind of a moot point for me now, because cow's milk raises my blood sugar. So I have a machine that makes soy milk out of soy beans.

Sjoerd, your path is ready for the season. I can feel it coming!

This afternoon, I went out and spread crushed eggshells and coffee grounds between rows in the onion bed. Those will get lightly hoed in when the onions sprout, so I know where they are.

I also potted up some chives that have been sitting exposed for a month, but still look viable.

 

@Logan I hope you heal quickly too. I sometimes take falls, and it is no fun.

We had sun this morning, and cold and cloudy in the afternoon. If tomorrow is sunny I want to get out and see what I can get done. There is plenty that needs done.

I would like to start the seeds in my fridge if I can soon. I have the rhubarb, some hollyhocks and mullein and yarrow waiting to get planted. None of my yarrow seed grew last year, so I ordered two packages of 700+ seeds each of yarrow. SOME of them ought to grow. I have 50+ of rhubarb, and loads of mullein....

I need to pack up some of my zinnias and marigolds for friends because I have a large grocery sack of seeds, more than I can use.

 

Thank you Daniel.

 

It was a bit colder today than yesterday, but when you're busy, you don't notice it.

I got into the rockery and got a lot of small clumps of grass out of it. Then I tackled the moss. I don't mind it on the rocks, but it likes to spread into the phlox.
I then mixed up two and a half bags of topsoil with most of a bag of compost and spread it over the rockery, then watered it in.
We've a few snowdrops showing near the first Japanese lantern.
Watered into the lawn, some three-in-one ,

I gave the wood panels on the new hedgehog feeders another coat of Dulux woodstain. I'm running out of this now and I'll need some, as I'll be giving the pergolas and the tea-house a coat in the Spring.
All paint is expensive, it's over £70 in the local Dulux shop, I've ordered 2.5 ltrs of it, via eBay for £58 with free delivery.

I've always used it on our garden woodwork for nearly forty years. It keeps the rot away.

 

Today I will be doing my red & yellow onion seeds starts along with leeks

 

@Daniel I have stargazers they are quite fragrant as well as beautiful.

 

Today was in the 60s, and I was out most of the day hauling wood chips to my compost, and spreading some on my raised beds. I think I hauled about ten loads maybe. I put some in the compost heap, and spread it around 3 of my raised beds so far. I have about 13 raised beds, plus loads of containers. It was warm enough for short sleeves in the afternoon. I still have a good amount of wood chips to haul yet. When I get that done, I can work on that ash pile and raking more leaves...I tried to burn a brush pile, but it was too wet and did not really catch.

 

There was some sun, but the temps with wind sort of kept my attention. The tea breaks were fewer and shorter.

So then, cold or not…there was sun and jobs had to be done.

First, take a look at the bordering our allotment:


Then, on to the blueberry bush trimming:


A couple of examples of what needed to be done.


Most of the pruning done and the little piles by the finished bushes:


Then the patch all neat and tidy:


My camasias-are coming along, albeit slowly, slowly:


…and finally, this. Can you folks tell me the english word for this anomaly on the apple tree?


I am finally having some luck with the darned rats. It is about time. No pics.

 

Sjoerd, that smiling face on your greenhouse is the best!

Is it portrait of anyone we know?

The ground cover is lush and green. Nice to look at that.

The surrounding area in the background looks quite developed. Your allotment must be right in town.

 

Hiya Daniel— that smiling porum, I say is of my Bride. She has red curly hair and she winks a lot. I am not entirely sure she has given the seal of approval.

 

Burr knot

https://deepgreenpermaculture.com/2...e-growths-on-apple-trees-trunks-and-branches/

https://fruitscout.ca.uky.edu/burr-knots-apple