What did you do in your garden today?
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Meadowlark
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Today I prepped for rotation and bean production the bed that was used this past winter for kale, carrots, brussels, cabbage, broc, etc. . The prepped bed will have 12 rows of soybeans that won't be harvested (better nitrogen fixing) interspersed with one row of Navy beans, three rows of pintos, one row of cannellini, and three rows of phenomenal peas all for shelling. Later in early summer, the bed will be planted in Sunn Hemp followed by alfalfa for fall/winter cover and then be ready for next spring's garden... My version of sustainable gardening.
On the right side of the picture below next to the onions and potatoes you can see this year's spring garden area currently in alfalfa following a similar regimen of sustainability preparation last year. Note the deep green of the alfalfa.
On the right side of the picture below next to the onions and potatoes you can see this year's spring garden area currently in alfalfa following a similar regimen of sustainability preparation last year. Note the deep green of the alfalfa.
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I went to Parker's garden centre this morning, its about ten minutes away by car. I bought a couple of azaleas for the centre bed in the lawn. I also bought another green ceramic Apta pot.
I like these pots, we've a lot, as they have a ten year guarantee. I'd decided to "promote" a rose currently in a plastic pot in the "alley of shame" (along the fence to the side of our drive), which is reserved, apart from a couple of Mayleen clematis, for roses "out of favour" with my wife. This one is Macmillan Nurse, which we've had for years and always liked, but suffered badly from black spot last year. Hopefully, regular treatments of Rose Sulphur for them all, will reduce this.
I like the roses on the patios to be in these ceramic pots on pot movers.
Prices in garden centres have escalated this year.
I can remember two or three years ago I was paying £24 for these pots, even "two for forty," but now they're £36.99. So with that, the azaleas, a couple of bags of ericaceous compost and four big green saucers, there was a only couple of pound's change out of eighty quid.
I'll get on with getting stuff done this afternoon.
I like these pots, we've a lot, as they have a ten year guarantee. I'd decided to "promote" a rose currently in a plastic pot in the "alley of shame" (along the fence to the side of our drive), which is reserved, apart from a couple of Mayleen clematis, for roses "out of favour" with my wife. This one is Macmillan Nurse, which we've had for years and always liked, but suffered badly from black spot last year. Hopefully, regular treatments of Rose Sulphur for them all, will reduce this.
I like the roses on the patios to be in these ceramic pots on pot movers.
Prices in garden centres have escalated this year.
I can remember two or three years ago I was paying £24 for these pots, even "two for forty," but now they're £36.99. So with that, the azaleas, a couple of bags of ericaceous compost and four big green saucers, there was a only couple of pound's change out of eighty quid.
I'll get on with getting stuff done this afternoon.
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Got everything done.
Macmillan Nurse in its new pot.
New azaleas in position
The azalea that they replaced which wasn't doing well, I repotted with some fresh compost and added it to other plants on the patio steps.
As it's been dry for a few days, I took the opportunity to scarify the back lawn, got a hell of a lot of moss out of it, then spread a bit grass sead and watered it in.
Macmillan Nurse in its new pot.
New azaleas in position
The azalea that they replaced which wasn't doing well, I repotted with some fresh compost and added it to other plants on the patio steps.
As it's been dry for a few days, I took the opportunity to scarify the back lawn, got a hell of a lot of moss out of it, then spread a bit grass sead and watered it in.
Meadowlark
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Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder and this beholder sees beauty in alfalfa. So beautiful that you almost hate to till it under.
However, corn, tomatoes, okra and peppers all are waiting on this space so in just a few moments, the alfalfa is turned under to enrich the soil for those plants to follow.
A little more discing and it will be ready.
However, corn, tomatoes, okra and peppers all are waiting on this space so in just a few moments, the alfalfa is turned under to enrich the soil for those plants to follow.
A little more discing and it will be ready.
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I usually grow Moneymaker, it is an old variety and nothing very special, but reliable for a main crop. Last year I tried Outdoor Girl, they did very well for an outdoor tomato in an English climate. I usually grow on one or two of the seedlings that pop up from kitchen compost, they are nearly always small, sometimes very small, but I like them as something to simply pop in the mouth as I am passing.
Reading about saving seed from tomatoes I discovered they have to be allowed to ferment before you separate them from the slushy bit and dry them out. I remember one old boy, years ago, who used to keep his best tomato until it was over ripe, then tread on it by the greenhouse door and prick out the seedlings next Spring.
I started well early this Spring, aiming at a spread crop, but lost my seedlings in a cold snap while I was in hospital. I have started again and am telling myself it is probably for the best, those very early plants often have trouble catching up.
Reading about saving seed from tomatoes I discovered they have to be allowed to ferment before you separate them from the slushy bit and dry them out. I remember one old boy, years ago, who used to keep his best tomato until it was over ripe, then tread on it by the greenhouse door and prick out the seedlings next Spring.
I started well early this Spring, aiming at a spread crop, but lost my seedlings in a cold snap while I was in hospital. I have started again and am telling myself it is probably for the best, those very early plants often have trouble catching up.
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Didn't do much today, just scarified the front lawn.
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Made a couple of seed beds for Broccoli and Purple Sprouting Broccoli. Broccoli had 20 seeds in the pack, PSB had 500, same company, same price. Why? Are they that different in what they produce?
What are the cultivar names of these broccoli (Brassica oleracea Italica Group)? Perhaps the seed crop for the first broccoli is new or came in low, relative to demand.
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You might have something there. When I look the Summer broccoli is called 'Inspiration' and is an F1, I hadn't noticed that before. It still seems a big difference, 25 times as many seeds. Also I was wrong about the price, the 20 seeds were £3.05p as opposed to £2.40 for the 500, so an even bigger difference. Still, six or seven of each will be plenty for the two of us 
Finally got outside
Got the outdoor audio system set up, mulched leftover leaves, worked on the compost pile and worked with my daughter
getting the seed starts setup and some going GREAT DAY.
And the dog chased rabbits and squirrels all day, she's all worn out and was snoozing at 7:30
Got the outdoor audio system set up, mulched leftover leaves, worked on the compost pile and worked with my daughter
getting the seed starts setup and some going GREAT DAY.
And the dog chased rabbits and squirrels all day, she's all worn out and was snoozing at 7:30
We just moved into a new house in northeastern Tennessee and it came with five raised beds. So, we started weeding them as they were left in a horrible condition by the previous owners. The soil here is filled with a LOT of clay so I have to do something about that. In two of the raised beds, as I dug down to get out weeds, I found some soil underneath the clay that seemed to have a lot of Perlite in it and it was rich and dark so I'm not sure what the deal was there. Seems like it should be the other way around. I wonder if I could just add some new planting soil over the top of the old stuff and add new Perlite and then perhaps add some bone meal for phosphorus and then maybe top it off with a light sprinkling of Epsom Salt for magnesium. What do you think? We are very new to this and so we aren't real sure about how to amend this clay other than to maybe cover it with good soil.
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I'm up to date at the moment, but I did put down some more grass seed.
I subscribe to the old English farmers' adage, when it comes to sowing seed.
"One for the rook,
One for the crow,
One to rot,
And one to grow."
I subscribe to the old English farmers' adage, when it comes to sowing seed.
"One for the rook,
One for the crow,
One to rot,
And one to grow."
wow! great pile!Today, I ave been mostly sieving compost
LOL!!!Finished sieving the compost and turned over last years heap
View attachment 18854
Found more socks in the compost
View attachment 18855
Had enough for one day so now drinkin, smokin and lobbin bottles