Gardening 2021

[Kevin 336]

Went to check the Straw bales while on break and they are still at 110⁰ in the middle and have now developed mushrooms.  The book said mushrooms are a good thing, it means the inside is breaking down. With the cold day, I should be able to plant this weekend. 

[Kevin 336]

Just checked it when I got off work and the cold rain and temperatures did its job. It is now down to 90⁰, so I will be planting on Sunday.  

[Chris 2,165]

No worries about it heating back up? Or is it a thing where once it’s broken down in there you’re set?

[Kevin 336]

When your conditioning them you are feeding a ton of nitrogen rich fertilizer (29-0-4)once the 10 days is up you feed a balanced (10-10-10) fertilizer.  I just checked toad and it is still in the mid 70s. 

Since it is no longer getting the high nitrogen food it may heat up back to the 90s, but that is okay.  It won't go back in the dangerous high temps. 

[Chris 2,165]

I got Garden 2021 in today for the most part. I left a couple spots empty so I can add beans a couple weeks apart for constant supply. Of course forgetting I haven't been out in the sun since last Summer, I'm pretty sure my face and neck are burnt pretty good. But it's finally done, pics to follow. 

[Chris 2,165]

I made a poke bean trellis out of some fencing and part of chain link fence pipe I’ve had laying around for 10+ years. 

The pinwheels are, as P. Allen Smith would call them, “a touch of whimsy.” ☺️

[Chris 2,165]

Holy crap I need to put some supports under the limbs of our peach trees. Even with me culling some of them, the branches are drooping under the weight of the young fruit. 

[Hal 341]

23 hours ago, Chris said:

Holy crap I need to put some supports under the limbs of our peach trees. Even with me culling some of them, the branches are drooping under the weight of the young fruit. 

Always a terrible thing to have an over abundance of nice juicy , dripping down the chin , peak flavored , tree ripened peaches ! 😂 

Trees in the old orchard are the same , chuck full of apples 🍎! We will be propping up branches as well and not to jinx things but we need to get the cider press out and ready to go … 

[Chris 2,165]

24 minutes ago, Hal said:

Trees in the old orchard are the same , chuck full of apples 🍎!

Yeah I just looked at the apple trees here and they’re loaded. No caterpillar issues that I can see so either you sprayed and I forgot or having the chickens under them almost daily helped.

[Hal 341]

Give the chickens their due … i didn't spray ! 

[Chris 2,165]

At this point I haven’t done any real work in the garden in weeks. So I can’t take any credit for how it’s growing completely better than any garden I’ve ever had.

Although I did add a lot of fresh compost this year before planting.

 

The pumpkins are just doing whatever they want.

 

Over across the road the peach and apple trees are loaded. I’ve been culling some of the not so good peaches… hell, some of the good ones too. And the trees are still feeling the strain. I have to put a support stake for that second tree tomorrow or the next day.

 

The apple trees are looking to give a record amount of apples this year as well.

At this rate we’re looking at one hell of a harvest!!

[Hal 341]

Nice ! Get some old appropriate length boards cut a v notch in one end and voila ! 

[Chris 2,165]

With the price of lumber these days?!?

[Hal 341]

1 hour ago, Chris said:

With the price of lumber these days?!?

No , no … junk lumber , stuff you have laing around the ranch ! Or just go get some of those saplings off the hill . Cut them off so that you have a fork for the limb . Lift the limb gently and set it back dow into the fork , the weight will hold it just fine . I’m just a couple days away from having to prop mine .. or at least just the ones that need propping. 

[Chris 2,165]

I know, I was being funny. 😇

[Hal 341]

2 hours ago, Chris said:

I know, I was being funny. 😇

And I fell right into it wise guy 😆 !  

[Chris 2,165]

Truth is, I was thinking of ways to lash them to the branches. Your idea was far better.

[Chris 2,165]

I think the weather has been so wet and warm that we completely missed the first crop of green beans. I went to see how they were coming along and they were too big to eat. So I yanked the plants and now waiting on the next row. I also yanked a zucchini plant because really, how much zucchini do ya need?

The compost bin system I bought is working well. That sucker was steaming a week or so ago, so you know it's cooking good. I just flipped all of one bin into the next and it should be ready to use soon.

Still waiting on the peaches to get bigger and ripen. Probably a couple more weeks still. 

I have been cutting, drying and jarring herbs for later use. You can never have to much, unless of course we're talking about mint. Gonna have a LOT of that. 

[Chris 2,165]

It was a good year for spuds:

[Chris 2,165]

I had to cut 4 more saplings to prop up the peach trees today:

[Kevin 336]

That is a good problem to have

[Chris 2,165]

Sure is! I have to read up on freezing them again. 

[Hal 341]

Nice haul on the taters ! All set for storage ? 

[Chris 2,165]

3 hours ago, Hal said:

Nice haul on the taters ! All set for storage ? 

Gonna have to be, the floors gonna get mighty wet the next few days.

[Kevin 336]

My stray bale garden didn't do to well this year. I got some bad bales. I have more grass growing in my straw this year than I had in hay bales last year, plus I had ants that I could not get rid of. The pepper plants are producing,  but not like I had hoped. 

I also have some pumpkins growing, I only planted 1 plant, but somehow have 3.

I already harvested the 75 cloves of garlic.

I had 4-5 weeks of harvesting cucumbers before the plant died.

My watermelon plants aren't doing to bad, I have a couplethat are a little bigger than a softball..

The attached photo show how good my loofahs are doing.  Ironically,  they are doing the best if all the plants.  

Edited August 22, 2021 by Kevin