GARDEN 2023

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Today turned out pretty good, I got to work in the garden and finished up the irrigation system, the old pump still works and I only missed a couple leaks. I transplanted some plants that were in the greenhouse, Brussels sprouts and egg plants. I have lettuce and spinach that I can harvest. My taters and onions are now a foot high. I got a set of those Mr. Stacky containers and I plan to replant some strawberries in on set and my indoor tomatoes in another.

I am trying to shut down my indoor growing station for the summer, I will keep some herbs but only 1 shelf of them.

The shocker for the squirrels worked well and they seem to remember so it's turned into a one and done type of thing. I am now using the push button remote switch to control my water pump, I can open one valve, turn on the pump and then turn it off while I an at the bed making repairs...
 
Planning on getting some veggies in the ground this weekend. tomatoes, green beans, peas, zucchini and cucumbers. Not a big garden this year as I will be out of town for the better part of the next couple of years and the mrs. doesn't want to get overloaded.

The bigger project will be to fix the raised boxes. I wasn't sure if I'd enjoy/want/could keep a garden going. So I built my boxes with pine boards that I put a thick coat of stain on. I figured, if I didn't like it or couldn't grow anything, I wasn't out much money. But I enjoyed it and I still have canned goods from 3 years ago. So I now have to fix the boards before they go rotten. Thinking of wrapping each box with metal then going around the top/bottom with 2 x 6 treated lumber. I think that'll hold for the next couple of decades, at which time I'll determine if I'm any good at this gardening thing.
 
Bacpacker said:
I'm planting my onions tonight. Tomatos, peppers, cantaloup tomorrow.
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Here is a calendar for the month as to best times to plant, transplant or harvest various plants. Pretty easy to figure out.
 
Bacpacker said:
I use Blum's farmers almanac. Today and tomorrow are shown to be good planting days. Tomorrow better than today. But today is good for root crops, so onions it is.
Is your pic an App? I'd like to check it out
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It is an app - just called Moon & Garden. Each almanac and this map - all show different planting days. Kinda annoying, but I figure something is better than nothing. I know there are different signs that are better for planting or harvesting, but trying to figure out what sign the moon is in, is not my forte (again conflicting depending upon source). Sometimes I just plant and pray.
 
LadyLocust said:
It is an app - just called Moon & Garden. Each almanac and this map - all show different planting days. Kinda annoying, but I figure something is better than nothing. I know there are different signs that are better for planting or harvesting, but trying to figure out what sign the moon is in, is not my forte (again conflicting depending upon source). Sometimes I just plant and pray.
Click to expand...
Ill check that out and compare to my booklet. It has a decent description of the moon phases and signs. Ill try and get some pics to post here

Got my onions in finally. Got 2 4x12 beds filled, they also have a row of garlic and 6 rows on onions.. Also got 2 rows in another bed. I planted Highlander, Blush, and Pattersons.
 
Backyard garden is in full operation mode as of this afternoon. Our last frost date is 13 May and the low temps are moving up through the 11th. Provided no frost on the 12 and 13th we should be good to go.

Aside from small gaps in two boxes, all of the boxes now planted. Those gaps are for continual salads, carrots, and beans.

Feels good to have it all done.

Ben
 
Cabbages, beets and carrots are planted. Potatoes are growing up and most of the grow bags got their first hilling of soil. Onions are looking good too.

My grafted apple tree had so many blossoms on it this year. If an eighth of them come to maturity, it'll be an outstanding harvest. If the *(#$)%*# squirrels don't do a number on them first.
 
I have been a little lax at posting, I have been moving all of my indoor plants out into the garden space. The wife has a sewing/quilting project that requires my assistance in the afternoon so that has put me behind because she doesn't want gardener's hands on her fabric! My potato plants are about 2' tall now, I need to figure out when to harvest, same with the over wintered onions! We are now into the rotational harvesting/planting cycles for the lettuce, onions, radishes, and spinach. I have fallen behind on my canning tomatoes but I want to clean and cover all my indoor growing shelves before starting any new seeds.

Oh! I almost forgot... I have heard that there is some kind of holiday this Sunday that all the men folk need to be aware of.......
 
I’m having trouble being motivated to garden this year which is really weird for me. I think I figured it out today. We’ve had a sitting area with a canopy that has been mangled 2 years in a row. I asked if we could sink posts (at our own expense) for a trellis/shade. The owners said no. I am tired of renting. That said, got a couple things in the ground today. I know I need to 🥴.
Before & after.
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1E6FE736-BED8-4CA2-B20D-D429D3D94F5B.jpeg

The canopy is now gone 😕. The bean wall is on the right in the photo.
Struggling but keepin’ on keepin’ on.
 
Last night I was able to work at my potting table a little. I cleaned about 25 starter trays before the wife called me in to help her. I need to get all my starter cups cleaned so I can start some mid-season plants. It's raining today and the wife had some important things for me to do....
 
Got peppers in the ground last night. Had to write down a little plot map so I can keep track of which kind are where. We have quite the little pepper experiment going this year: Ghost, Trinidad Scorpion, Purple Reaper, Jumbo Jalapeno, Jalapeno, Ancho, Cow Horn, Early Flame, Anaheim, Big Red, Cayenne, & Super Pepper 😲 Mind you I don't eat them - I think bell peppers are hot. 😂
Hoping to get Brussels Sprouts and Tomatoes in the ground this evening. Then I need to get the medicinal herbs outta the cells. Supposed to be 96 Saturday then back down to the 70's next week so I might hold off on the herbs until later???
 
I was able to clear off all the shelves at my indoor growing station. Every shelf has now been covered with clear plastic that can be easily cleaned. I have moved everything except my laurel plants, a rosemary bush, a new basil, and a young parsley plant out of the house. I cleaned the laurel plants and added new soil to completely fill the containers, then I put cling wrap over the top so just the plant stock was sticking up, taped it all down good and the wiped down the outside of the container and the top of the plastic wrap with a paper towel moistened with insecticide then they were returned to a tray in the growing station. I am now able to start a couple of trays of seeds, I set out 6 items to go in this evening (tomatoes, 2 lettuce, and 3 herbs).
 
LadyLocust said:
Got peppers in the ground last night. Had to write down a little plot map so I can keep track of which kind are where. We have quite the little pepper experiment going this year: Ghost, Trinidad Scorpion, Purple Reaper, Jumbo Jalapeno, Jalapeno, Ancho, Cow Horn, Early Flame, Anaheim, Big Red, Cayenne, & Super Pepper 😲 Mind you I don't eat them - I think bell peppers are hot. 😂
Hoping to get Brussels Sprouts and Tomatoes in the ground this evening. Then I need to get the medicinal herbs outta the cells. Supposed to be 96 Saturday then back down to the 70's next week so I might hold off on the herbs until later???
Click to expand...
You send my hot weather down here missy!! 😃😉
 
It feels really good to have the growing station all cleared off. I am now using 2 out of 8 shelves.

My laurel plants (Bay Leaves) have already started putting on new leaves after I removed any damaged or suspect leaves; I have 4 plants, I bought 2 but after the first year when I completely re-potted them I discovered that each plant was actually 2 in 1 container. They are now about 3 years old and each is about a foot tall, I prune them back each year to keep them as indoor plants.

I trimmed back my thyme, kinda gave it a military hair cut, and then added fresh soil to the container, it is now putting on fresh growth. I only have 1 thyme plant indoors, but I have 3 outside now. The rosemary was cut back to about 6" and has started greening up and is growing quickly.

Mowing the lawn last evening I noticed that my onions and other plants on the south side of the house look parched. I have to work downtown today so I will not get home before dark. I will be off tomorrow (I hope) and will spend some time watering and weeding the garden.

I have to harvest a bunch of spinach now, from the looks of it we will need to blanch, shock, and freeze 5 or 10 gallons of it, but it cooks down a bunch! Well need to hit the road, have a great day!

Oh, almost forgot, I have been using a large concrete tub to clean my 10X20 starting trays, I am using vinegar and water to scrub each tray and then air dry before storing above the growing station. I now have 3 stacks of 8 up there and another bunch on the drying rack. Right now all my used starter cups are soaking and I hope to scrub and rinse them tomorrow too... Last year I bought the heavy duty starter cups and they are holding up well, as long as I don't step on them......
 
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