What have you done today in the Garden?

Carolyn,
You're right, my stomach turned when I read what you posted.
But, it is probably the best thing to do at this point.
I'm getting choked up.

 

I haven't done a darned thing today. We had 3.7" of rain yesterday evening/all night, so everything is muddy and I don't want to tromp through the garden. I did harvest some basil and oregano for freezing, but they are in containers.
I appreciate the rain, but do wish it would stretch itself out over several days instead of 12 hours!

 

Today I tried to cover the cauliflower, broccoli, brussel sprouts with sheer curtains to keep the Blackbirds away. In spite of placing a thin wire strip right against the stem, those pesky birds are snipping off leaves. Probably for nesting material?
So any ideas where I can get row covers cheap? With a rather large garden to cover, I would like to go cheap.

 

Been busy this weekend. Yesterday, mom and i mulched 4"-5" deep around all our tomato plants (about 90). Today was devoted to our container garden. we mixed soil/compost/manure/quail droppings into a fairly rich soil. filled 24 3-7 gallon pots and planted tomatoes (5 varieties) and peppers (5 varieties too). I got my first bhut jolokia ghost peppers in a six pack!! also bout 12 pak choi (bok choi?) for our last raised bed. mom bought 19 more tomato cages. 54" and round... a gardener's work is never done seemingly! I know i have been slacking off in regards to the pictures... i will try to do better.

 

I was only able to play in the garden for a couple of hours today. I got out my garden claw and loosened the soil in 2 of the beds and started weeding. There was so much grass in one of them that I had to pull out a bunch of plants and replant them! Divided a few plants and watered my seedlings. Tomorrow there will be more time!

 

Attacked some weeds with spray. Up-potted the last of the plants for the sale in August. Then watered the containers (which took most of the day). Picked blackberries.

 

Planted the Pak Choi and Tah Tsai in the ground and removed the last of the mulch from the beds.---It looks like a real garden plot now!

More flower garden cleaning.

Noted that the first beetroot leaves are up. They are so small that I had to water the bed in order to see them.

Noticed that the garlic is beginning to show signs of coming to an end. I wonder if I shall have to harvest them early based on this early spring that we had.

 

Tied up plants the wind and rain knocked down. Picked sugar snaps for dinner.

 

Worm farming

I also did the worm farming. Took a couple of hours. But it was worth it. Got 27 3/4 lbs. and 5 gallon of liquid fertilize.


4 Trays of worms ( photo / image / picture from Donna S's Garden )






Yield was 27 3/4 pounds. ( photo / image / picture from Donna S's Garden )

 

Today is Sunday...so, nothing much, but yesterday was my first Market of the year...was I ever busy! It was an all day event. I sold many of my hanging baskets and quite a few garden plants, but people are a little leery of getting anything for the garden yet. Last year we had a freeze at the end of May and most people lost their entire planting. So, We picked and sold the first of the strawberries, asparagus, rhubarb, hydroponic tomatoes from the neighbor who owns an experimental/research facility for equipment and I get his by product...tomatoes and lettuce, radiches and maybe a few more things I am not thinking of right this moment, but it was a very good day even though it was cold and wet and windy!

 

Potted on butternut squash plantlets and musk melon plantlets . Planted dwarf french beans and courgette 'tondo di Toscana ' in raised bed .Oh and potted on a few sweet pepper plants.

Finally got the fig tree into its lovely big pot in the sun along with a few calendula seeds for a bit of later colour.

Mark emptied one of the compost bins for some lovely dark addition to the raised beds and pots.Checked on the onion sets which have sprouted nicely.Keeping them covered for a while longer as foxes have damaged some in a neighbour's garden.

 

Weeded the corn again--it's tasseling and I do so want a good harvest!
Picked three more squash--that makes four Coosas, one Striato D'Italia, and one zuccini total.
Tied up the tomatoes that I hadn't tied before. We have several green tomatoes from golf-ball size up to tennis ball size. I can't wait for a real, juicy, tangy tomato. The poor thing may not make it to the house.
Oh, and I cut basil and made a wine bottle of red wine basil vinegar for salad dressings and marinades. That won't be ready to use for about six weeks.

 

Nothing,it will be a couple of weeks yet before we can put the tractor in there to till and make rows. I hope this rain don't last so the ground will dry up!

 

Mowed and did the weed eating. I'm done for the day. ... unless I get home early enough, then I'll pick some blackberries

 

Today I set out the two Grape tomato plants. I had no choice as they had reached to gro light and were getting leggy.
Also scattered quite a bit of hay around to dry out before I set out more plants.

We have lots to do, but one day at a time.
Oh, had our first taste of lettuce from the garden. :-D