What have you done today in the Garden?

I started sifting and loading compost into the garden cart, but then it started to rain. I made a dash to the barn (not easy hauling a half-full cart!) so I let that go for the day. Damp compost is heavy--who knew? If tomorrow is drier, I'll unload compost on the raised beds and get ready to plant the fall garden.

 

We've had rain all week. The good news is I don't have to water! It's supposed to rain tomorrow as well. I have tons of zucchini that I have frozen. I gave my son a watermelon/cantaloupe today. They look like watermelon on the outside, and the little plant ID thing said heirloom watermelon. But when they're cut open they look like cantaloupe and taste like cantaloupe with a hint of watermelon. I'm going to split my worm box this weekend so I'll have 2 going in the basement this winter. I think I'll walk to the garden shop on Sunday, if the rain holds off, and get some garlic. If it gets much cooler I may need to bring my lemon grass inside for the season. That's pretty much my week in the garden. I did get to sit watching the rain all week during my lessons and office hours. I don't really see us going back in person anytime soon. Other districts opened, then closed days later, because of outbreaks. Mine went virtual from the beginning.

 

I am glad you and the kids are safe.

 

The weather was decent for a few hours, so it was on the bike to the lottie.
Today the purple sprouting broccoli came out...one of the patches, that is.


You can see some of the broccoli plants on the mulched bed over to the right as well as back over by the compost dalek. . We also took out one courgette plant...between the covered apple tree and the big, green ball of a grass plant.
Here is another angle of this large plot.


I am not entirely happy with that strawberry bed back there, the other one is looking good though. These two courgette plants are reaching their end, the old leaves are starting to go...but at the end of the "vine" there is still life. I call that phenomenon "Courgette Janeism".

I shall leave that bed exposed for two days and then do a light covering of some green manure and then cover that with some of last year's mulch which I saved in large plastic bags. That strawb bed will need cleaning one more time before it goes to sleep for the winter.

I also did some more strimming. Tomorrow I will hit the bricks again and do more work in the lottie.

 

Thank you Cayuga, yes. I'm glad my district decided to go virtual from the beginning. My worm box is split up, now. Hopefully the worms I moved will be happy in their new home.

 

I'm puzzled as to why I don't get e-mails from gardenstew.com?
I have been a member for years and used to get my e-mails.

I see Sjoerd is taking out the lottie garden. I'm also doing some just about every day. The green tomatoes will ripen inside and I won't be outside working when snow begins to fall. I will be planting garlic in October.

 

I planted 23 ginseng roots. I also repotted my banana plants and sugar cane, as they all were outpacing their one-gallon containers.

 

Spector, do you grow Ginseng? I wasn't aware that it could be grown
in a garden or sun room. My daddy used to procure it in the woods of
South Carolina. It sold for a good price back then.

 

You can grow it under shade cloth or on a shady hill, if you have one. This is my first year growing it, though, so it will be about four years before these rootlets are ready to harvest. I live in the foothills, so I have a lot of pines, oaks, etc. growing naturally on the property. My intent is to plant 20-30 rootlets per year until they naturalize (hopefully). It is definitely not native to this area and I will have to supplement water in the summer.

Wild-harvested still commands a much higher price than farmed (like salmon, I guess), but wild patches are being decimated by poachers and people who take the smaller roots, don't leave seed, or who take too much. But even domestically grown is selling for about $150/lb right now (fresh, not dried).

 

Interesting Spector. I don't know anything about growing Ginseng. Is it used in medicines?

 

Spector, I'm reminded of the time an uncle showed me how Ginseng is
supposed to be harvested, the replanting of the berries/seeds. The men I knew would naturally think to the future and replenish the supply. They were mountain men and had lived by their wits at times.
Cayuga, I believe Ginseng is used in some medications. At least it was
years ago.

 

Just a bit of "building maintenance,"

I noticed that there was a slight dip towards the back right-hand corner of our tea house.
I became aware this because the top of the jukebox in that corner which is about 4ft long, didn't look quite level.



When I checked with a spirit level the left-hand corner was about half an inch lower than the right-hand one.

But the front of the building was straight and level.

I've two jukeboxes in here and they more or less fill the back wall. Their total weight is about 600lb.

It may be that when "our fox Fiona" built her den under it three years ago she may have done a bit of excavation and this was the result of it and maybe that I'd not noticed it until now.

So I found I needed to raise that corner up, a bit over an inch and a half. (Well... I didn't have to.. It's not going anywhere...but I like things to be "right").
This might seem a bit of a job, but it's easy enough. It's just the access that's awkward. I was having to lay full-length on the ground to get the work done. Not easy when you're 80!



There's not a lot of room between the back of the building and the back fence and I had to take off the wood and mesh screen that stops foxes using the underneath for a den again.

It was just a question of using my car's jack to raise it up a bit at a time by placing it under the back beam until my spirit level said it was OK. Then putting some packing on top of the corner and two middle supports along the back. Then lower it down and check again. Then re-fix the screen. The building just sits on short loose-laid brick piers on top of bits of paving slabs so these sort of adjustments are possible. It took about an hour, but I'm glad I did it.

 

Sounds great Dog. Glad you were able to level it again.
BTW, I would have had no idea you were 80 with all the stuff you do. I've been picturing a hyperactive 40 year old. And 40 only because of the age of your shrubs and trees that you have planted!

 

I harvested my last watermelon/cantaloupe yesterday. My beets and pakchoy are doing well. Something keeps digging up my garlic and just leaving them. Stupid squirrels/chipmunks/whatever. I'm still getting zucchini off my plants. I keep checking on my pumpkins, two are almost ready. I did harvest my October/horticulture beans. They're drying now. The anasazi beans are loaded! I planted some carrots, I've run out of greens for George, the bearded dragon. He loves carrot greens! I make sure there's water on them to give him drinks at the same time. And I'm getting quite a few tomatoes.

 

Doghouse Riley. I'm claustrophobic just looking at that narrow space.
You have my total admiration. You're amazing for 80 years. I'm 84 and still trying to stay healthy, but I have succumbed to giving up some of the gardens we used to grow. We still have plenty, but I feel my limits are obvious.
You're doing great. Your yard is beautiful.