GARDENING

[The WE2's]

Love your garden. It just goes to show you don't need acres and acres to feed yourself with fruit and veggies. You really are an inspiration...especially to some of us older folks.

 

Mr. & Mrs. Hoot are a ... well, hoot.

 

"us older folks"??? I'm half way to 70 ya know?

[The WE2's]

Very nice! I have live owls here but that one of yours is a real looker!

The water catchment is really great.

 

My potatoes are blooming, onions are growing bulbs, and the first lettuce should be ready soon.

 

Very nice! I have live owls here but that one of yours is a real looker!

The water catchment is really great.

 

My potatoes are blooming, onions are growing bulbs, and the first lettuce should be ready soon.

 

We actually have two, that's why I call them "Mr & Mrs Hoot"...LOL One sits on a t-post looking one way into the garden area and the other sits on a piece of metal pipe that I drove into the ground. With the VCR tape swinging and flashing around and now the owls, the critters just don't know what to do! LOL MrWE2 stopped at the Homestead this morning and said a rabbit was in the side yard but far away from the garden area :-) We'll probably do some BB target practice if it tries to invade our garden beds.

[Jeepers]

 

Love your garden. It just goes to show you don't need acres and acres to feed yourself with fruit and veggies. You really are an inspiration...especially to some of us older folks.

 

Mr. & Mrs. Hoot are a ... well, hoot.

"us older folks"??? I'm half way to 70 ya know?

 

 

Uh-Huh. Me too.

 

[Homesteader]

Me three.

 

I chased out a baby rabbit from the garden yesterday. Mama (or one of her learned younger generations) keeps coming back each year and sneaks through the garden fence to have babies. Because of so many perennials in there, it gets difficult to find everyone this time of year. So .... I plant enough for all of us and cover up those plants that are off limits to them.

[Jeepers]

Wish I could get my camera to work. I'd take a picture of my neighbor’s garden. They are a young-ish couple and he built it himself.

He has something like 2x4 about every 4 feet with wire all the way around it and a door on one end. So it's all enclosed except for the top. We have a huge deer population here and the back half of all our properties is wooded. Bambi heaven. If you want a garden you have to have fencing here. Some shrubs and flowers won’t even last long.

Anyway, this weekend, he put those square solar lights on top of all of the posts. I don’t know if his fit over the post or if he put them on with screws. Really looks nice though. I’m not sure how effective night lights are but last year he had the kind on a stake you push in the ground all around the inside of his garden. He also enlarged the garden to twice the size it was the last 2 years.

They are from one of the European Eastern Bloc countries. I’m thinking Ukraine but I’m not sure. I only mention that because they might know or have seen things that we haven’t. Or won’t. They garden, chop wood and have water barrels. You do the math.

 

I've seen them for about $5.00 each at Home Depot. Post Cap, that's what they are called. Some of the fancier ones are motion sensitive. I'd want mine on all the time since the sun has powered them. Not paying for electricity anyway.

 

[Mt_Rider]

But a motion sensitive light suddenly flashing on MIGHT scare away the nibblers.

 

 

MtRider ....MIGHT.... deer and other things are pretty persistent and it would probably only work the first few times.

[Jeepers]

Maybe he has a combination of both. Don't know. His is totally fenced in so deer isn't a problem for him any more. Just the garden is fenced in, not his whole yard so they can't jump the fence. I'm thinking rabbits and raccoons etc.

[The WE2's]

So far the swinging VCR tapes and Mr & Mrs Hoot seem to be doing a good job. Haven't found anything missing since they went up. Went over this evening and emptied 8 bags of the leaves we collected last fall, and spread them out in "walkways" to go ahead and compost down. We still have about 15 more bags that we can use for the other parts of the gardening area. When I dug into the wood chip pile (while re-mulching) it was like black gold...and it's only been there a few months. I'm thinking the B2E area is probably VERY rich since it has the mulch plus leaves down on it. The leaves are about a foot deep so I'm confident the wormies are loving it! I dumped the 5 gallon buckets that I had setting in the yard collecting rain earlier this week and they each had about 3" in them...just watered the "water hungry" stuff like tomatoes and okra and a bit here and there. It's supposed to rain tonight :-)

[Annarchy]

Wow, it's soooooo green there. (Says the person who lives in the desert, lol)

 

We got our first zucchini the other day. Most of the fruit was getting blossom rot before it had time to mature. After picking off most the little ones with damage, a few seem to be growing now. I am excited.

 

The beets are still doing good. The new batch is up and, if I can keep the starlings from eating the sprouts, we will have a second harvest. The first batch of radishes are bolting and I intend to collect the seeds for next year.

 

The garlic is past due to be pulled. Too hot for it now. Black eyed peas, jalapeño and Paquin peppers are growing rather well.

 

The tomato seeds I planted in January are about 2 foot tall and just beginning to flower. Hopefully, we will get something out of them before the heat fries them.

[Annarchy]

Here's the 16' x 8' garden.

 

Tomatoes get morning sun and afternoon shade. (That's not a weed in the gravel, its a purslane plant.)

 

Today's harvest of beats & radishes for dinner tonight.

[Homesteader]

Very nice Annarchy - We used to grow tomatoes and peppers under a palm tree down by the equator in the west Pacific Ocean. The plan worked great until a coconut fell out of the tree and bonked the plants on the head.

[Mt_Rider]

BEAUTIFUL, Annarchy. You're really working with the seasons!

 

MtRider

[The WE2's]

Lookin' good Ann!

[The WE2's]

Got a tad of rain today but don't know how much, didn't go over to the garden after MrWE2 got home. We're still in line for some rain but if it doesn't we go over tomorrow evening when he gets home and take a look at the beds to see if they need some rain water from our barrels...love it that they get rain water and not city water!

[Mt_Rider]

Here is an article on heat-tolerant garden plants. .....course, not saying they'd be heat-tolerant in AZ in August....

one thing listed is Lamb's quarters...

 

http://thegrownetwork.com/survival-gardening-in-the-heat-with-marjory-wildcraft/

 

 

MtRider

Edited May 25, 2016 by Mt_Rider

[The WE2's]

Still waiting for the rain :-) It's supposed to get here...the map in motion shows it's supposed to get here...if it don't, tomorrow night we water from our barrels for sure!

[The WE2's]

The rain came in...quick! Lot's of storms all around us but so far we've only gotten some rain, nothing severe. BUT...we did make a quick dash to the garden (just in case) and spread the opaque plastic over the "hoops". Because we were lax in getting the kind of piping we wanted to secure the plastic to the hoops, we cut some of thos "pool noodles" in 3" lengths, sliced them lengthwise and then clamped them over the pvc hoops and prayed :-) Just didn't want any hail pounding down all our work :-) A couple of my tomato plants aren't in beds so I just tied WalMart bags over the tops of the cages. We'll go get what we need tomorrow and have it ready if we need it. Only takes a few minutes to spread the plastic and clamp them down then. Because we don't cover the beds all the way to the ground we don't have to worry about them getting too warm under neath. Got a plan for MrWE2 to take a look at about making "boxes" of the plastic that we can just sit over each bed. Boy the VCR tapes are truly keeping the birds out of our garden area so far. Also, watched a video from Patera (Appalachian Homestead) and she's using plastic forks stuck (handle down) in the ground to keep cats etc., out of her flower garden. Hmmmmm...quite interesting!

[Mt_Rider]

Good thing you covered, WE2. My friend in central MO got two and a half inch HAIL today. She's assuming it will mean a new roof.

 

The last place we lived before climbing up the mountains was prone to hail. Spent half the summer running out to SAVE THE GARDEN! One time I had a bucket on my head for protection.....not having motorcycle helmets handy! The big stuff can get dangerous!

 

MtRider ....course it was coming down in snow-drops today here. Nothing stuck but have heard of areas that DID get snow today. 28 degrees right now.

[Homesteader]

We purchased 30 bags of shredded bark at Lowes last night. It was on-sale at 5/$10 for 2 cu ft bags. After adding on my 10% veterans discount, I did the dance. Normally, I'd have shredded bark delivered but I don't have the time, back muscles, or energy to haul the stuff from the pile to the perennial gardens. We're on the downhill race to get this place on the market and sold before the end of summer.

 

I figured I could stay out of trouble spreading the tons of composted leaves and bags of shredded bark around the veggie gardens and perennial gardens while DH continues to tear down the walls and ceiling in the lower level bedroom and adds the double egress window. Then we upgrade the electrical, insulation, add a closet, and carpet and we're DONE with the remodeling. Whoever buys this place will be walking into a no-work, all ready-to-pick veggie and flower, homestead. Add some chickens and they will be in paradise.

 

The honey bees go to Wisconsin with us. We haven't told the little girls yet. :wink (2):

[The WE2's]

Worked most of the day at the garden. Yes...we're glad we covered them for last night! It got pretty wild in our neck of the woods :-( But the garden did fine. I even stole my first radish :-) We went ahead and replaced the old hoops with larger ones, and then used some pex to cut 3" "clamps" to hold the 4mil. It's supposed to storm again tonight so we went ahead and put the 4mil back over the long bed. Ran out of time for the rest :-( We'll uncover the long bed tomorrow morning.

[Annarchy]

Today I harvested 4 dozen radishes, some beats and the zucchini that had grown too big, 3" in diameter. Gave a bunch to the neighbors.

 

[The WE2's]

Today I harvested 4 dozen radishes, some beats and the zucchini that had grown too big, 3" in diameter. Gave a bunch to the neighbors.

 

image.jpeg

 

Mighty yummy looking!

[The WE2's]

Watched a youtube video a day or two agao (Patera...Appalatia Homestead?) about starving. She had some pretty good points, stating that so many people can't grow enough food to feed themselves etc. My comment? That's why you can what you can when you can. We know that if our world turns upside down, we've got our hands full trying to grow enough food to eat from one season to another. It's also why we're trying to get used to planting, growing, eating and saving seeds for produce that will feed us from one season to another, and can up what we can...in case of crop failure. We know we can't support a cow, goat or sheep. So...we can up our meats and plan to get some rabbits and ducks or chickens. We're really leaning toward Muscovy ducks and letting them have access to the garden area. Chickens we'd be dealing with tearing up our garden so they'd have to be in a tractor etc., and having a rooster would require a crow collar (we live in town). We'll be going to the Jacobs Cave Swap & Shop this weekend so may come home with some ducks. They may not be muscovy, but ??? We're willing to give ducks a try first. Not ready for a rabbitry yet because we'll need to build cages and get watering and feeding needs taken care of. When we're living there it will be easier, and if we do travel a bit we'll trade off some food or ??? for someone we trust to come feed and water etc.

[Mt_Rider]

YUM Annarchy!

 

Muscovy ducks are gorgeous. They can have iridescent black/green feathers. Also a lot of white feathers. They have a turkey neck wattle thing...which isn't that attractive. LOL They are a large bird and ours didn't fly. Females, much smaller, were supposed to be able to fly to escape predators. I will tell you also that the only ducks/geese we ever had trouble raising from day-old was the Muscovies. Lost nearly all of the first batch....yet the second batch had no problems. We were experienced so that wasn't an issue.

 

I can't remember getting any eggs from them... Obviously that breed lays eggs too but I don't think they are a long layer like Indian Runners or Cambell breeds. Muscovies are also not as much of a water bird as all the other breeds. Can be an advantage. But they certainly ARE the premiere MEAT bird. Big! That's why we got them but....the wildlife had "lunch" before we could. Can't remember what kind of 'voice' they have. Don't remember them being loud. Our Campbell female ducks can be loud....like a "laughtrack"....quack, quack, quaaaaack! Males have no voice...they hiss. Oh, males also can also croon as they rise up out of the water...saw a weird and lovely chorus frequently when we had a lot of males [one should never had a lot of males...always 3-4 hens to 1 male duck!!!!!]

 

And as you note, ducks are a lot easier on the garden. The doodle around in mud with their blunt beaks, searching for bugs, small amphibians, etc. but I've never had any garden damage with them free-ranging. I'll be eager to hear how this goes for you.

 

MtRider ....DH is having his spring-planting-habit. Trying the taters and onions. I'm not holding my breath or wasting my energy.

Edited June 2, 2016 by Mt_Rider

[The WE2's]

Yes MtR, we'll let you know "IF" we buy any. We're also very interested in the Indian Runners...but we're seriously doubting that we'll find either of them at the swap & shop. Got some friends who have an Indian Runner and have just acquired a batch of little ones. We may just buy some from them...IF they're willing to part with any :-(