That’s all well and good OND, but it seems you’ve never shied away from a day’s work in your life. Hope you garden survived the cold.
Thanks! So I walked over there this morning to everything everywhere being white and the grass and clover I walked over crunching. I checked strawberries and asparagus as I walked by. They didn't look too bad though asparagus tips were a bit wilty. Uncovered all brassica and so far so good. Spinach , lettuce,peas, and beets not looking bad at all. Even marigolds that were covered look good. Daughter who live 1 1/2hrs south of me didn't fare as well her, hosts, hydrangea, hibiscus looked pretty bad even all plantscshe put in Amish shed were looking a bit stressed.
I ask you for input I wish I had clovers growing in my plots as well as it is in the garden. This said, between two pea fences I had just tossed out a pack of radish so I could plant later crops. I expected weeds to come in and they did. The problem or not is it is nearly entirely clover. I hand weeded the weeds and left the clover. I know what I'm doing but would like your thoughts would you dig out spots in these tiny clover plants and plant seeds or actual plants to allow the clover to grow and block weeds ? Fabric over it to plant tomatoes or peppers into the fabric smothering the clover seedlings? It's still too cold to put the peppers and tomatoes in. We have another few days in the thirties at night this week.
Being planting time I'll just tell you what I'm doing in this garden clover. We are still getting cold nights so tomatoes and peppers just can't go in yet. I'm making planting circles and putting in summer squash. The space between the fences is perfect for their growth and the clovers will fix nitrogen for the heavy feeders and later provide a clean mat the fruit can rest on. Also with peas growing up the fence I will be planting cukes or peppers on one fence and tomatoes on the other taking advantage of the nitrogen. The clover is a deep rooter bringing up other nutrients to their leaves and will use cuttings from it as a natural mulch around the crop plants. This will also keeping it from flowering and causing issues I do not want to spray chems on in the garden. Finally got the cable and hubby fixed the tiller so today my corn plot gets a second tilling and planted before today's rains. Yellow and purple pole beans went in as well as two different cukes. Even though my garden is big I do a lot vertical growing. There will be mini cantaloupe planted to grow up fencing.
Garden all tilled again and weeds raked out. Just in now for lunch . Sun got to be too much for me, considering I'm not supposed to be out in it at all. Oh the chicken I thought was, than wasn't a rooster, I picked that chick just to get a rooster. He tried crowing this morning very pleased! Check one more thing off my list. Not having to find a rooster. The two Tom turkey are trying to strutting but haven't found their gobble yet.
Compost it's a good thing. Been working a pile for years and with the chickens many more to come I average 3-6 full wheel barrel a year in garden. Rows and planting holes. This is for the corn.
I have to admit, the garden is not nearly planted yet and killing me already. Seriously we went from a hard freeze last week to mid 80's and mid 50's at night. So hot out there trying to plant. The ground is so dry. I great looking peas, brassica, garlic, onions, carrots, beets, lettuces and spinach. Planted 24 eggplants, 6 mite bites musk melons to climb fences. So far 19 tomato and 6 sweet peppers, many many more of those to go in plus hots peppers. First cukes and beans haven't sprouted nor have the summer squash. 12 rows of corn are in. Need to get winter squash seed and rest of melon plants planted. More cukes and beans I fear from lack of rain in forecast watering will keep me busy. 2 barrels of compost has gone in with the plants so that should help. I'm also using cardboard boxes and landscape fabric retain moisture between rows.
My tomatoes are looking good, they always make me think of my Mom she loved fresh home grown tomatoes.
More tomatoes in, basil and some weeding ,watering done. Even with watering not seeing first cuke and beans sprouting. I made sure DE earth was in trenches and some seven dust on top of ground. Way too many cut worm and grabs seen and hand killed. Have lost 3 brassica, but that may have been from the freeze we had stressing them. Some peas are flowering.
I have a very long time before I get any flowers from mine. Same for the peppers . Though very soon I'll have peas and strawberries. My garlic is getting some nice thick stalks so the bulbs should be a nice size. Should be getting scapes soon. Seeds plant are just starting to pop. I ordered the blueberry, bird mesh the bushes are a solutly loaded. All fruiting trees and bushes are pack . Well not peaches but that's OK. Mulberry trees are loaded as usual. Concerned about lack of any rain it will be three weeks if we get rain next Friday. Great for the turkey. Hopefully they avoid preditors and raise huge clutches
Today is the last of the 90 degree heat. We drop to 80's then reasonable 70's next week. Though no rain until next week,maybe. I can't keep up with the watering even with the compost in all planting holes and seed trenches. My blueberry mesh arrived yesterday. The bushes are just loaded. Still in flower so I will wait to deploy. This is also a bug barrier. My last mesh was an open netting type that was a PINA , catching on braches, trapping birds and still allowing stealing. This is a see through row cover type.
I rarely endorse a product but this I am GARDEN TAILOR garden mesh. This is see through bug and bird netting. It is a well made window type screen material. Infact my first thought was how perfect for a homemade screen house to enjoy eating outdoors.or a homemade magnetic screen door for a house or garage. I ordered 10ft x45ft for 40. 00.
It's funny the turkey are so big now the chicks hide under them and the turkey are great watch dogs. Hubby pulled up on the quad and both toms came out fluffed up calling an alarm and gobbling at him it was funny to watch. I may buy heirloom turkey next year or geese. We had a harrier watching from the tree line but wouldn't come in.
Dang just finally had a chance to mow lower fields. I'll let it grow for a week and after the rains then do a spray down. I also got my potato towers done and planted. I have two types winter squash seed in and a 3rd area prepped. I picked first 3 strawberry ,so good. Corns finally coming pu and I covered it with the berry net to deter Robin's from pulling it out.. Need to re-till and finish planting musk and water melons. Then next week more cukes and pole beans go in
Things need to warm back up again, regardless of my complaints. It has been 40 degrees the last two nights and low 60's daytime. I have blk weed cloth and cardboard down everywhere so it keeps temps just a tad warmer in the garden. I got the watermelon injust as rain hit, will plant last musk melons later if rain stops. That will cover me for all grown plants I did. I have second round of seeds going in this week. Dang if beets aren't looking fantastic . I will plant more ....someplace need to plant last four rows of corn now first corn is finally coming up. They need different pollination times
