What have you done in your garden today?

[MaryPoppinsIAin't]

I haven't done anything but put our kitchen scraps in the compost for a good three weeks, it's been too darned hot. Yesterday I was out in the afternoon & it was a little cooler than it's been, but not cool enough to dig sod. Maybe I'll give it a try during JJ's morning nap tomorrow.

[Macky]

I'm just watering and trying to make time to weed the thistles. During the day when it's hot, the horseflies take big hunks of skin out of you. When it cools off in the evening, the mosquitoes eat you alive.

[ncsweetpea]

I harvested tomatoes and peppers in the rain.
Tomato worms are getting to a couple cultivars. How do we get rid of them?

[blondie]

My DH weeded last night. Our garden is doing okay. The cilantro got sizzled off in the heat. I need to remember to water more.

Our compost bin smells like....................... Horse poop. It's quite pungent.

[Macky]

Ncsweetpea, as far as I know pick-and-squish is the preferred method for getting rid of tomato hornworms.

Kat, compost smells like that when there are too many greens. It's rotting, not composting. Layer in some more browns and the smell should go away.

[Lady TS]

I have moved the sprinkler around and watered almost all day long. Those weeds were cemented into the ground the other night!

Last night I went out and pulled huge weeds from maybe 1/6 of our large garden.

I also picked chard and dh and I had some last night.
And I picked a couple banana peppers the other night.
And I plan on having green beans tonite or tomorrow night, if I get out there and pick them!

I need to weed tonite. Hopefully the flies will leave me alone. We have horseflies too, but not as bad as Macky, I don't think. The ones I have are tiny, numerous, and annoying when they land on me. They are trying to drink my sweat or something! Ick!

[Macky]

Do you know what kind of flies they are, Tanya? We used to have sandflies at the ranch I worked at as a kid; they were tiny. They'd fly up the horses' noses and the horses would toss their heads the whole time you were trying to ride. We'd put spray on a cloth and rub it all over the insides of their nostrils and ears. They'd bite the poor horses' ears so much that they'd be covered in scabs if we didn't keep up with the spray. It was awful. They didn't bug people as much, though. We have blackflies out here, too, but they're not as plentiful as the horseflies. Horseflies are HUGE and when they bite you it hurts immediately and quite often bleeds. We have no-see-ums, too, but again, they're not as plentiful as the horseflies and mosquitoes. I hate biting bugs!

[Lady TS]

Originally Posted by Macky

Do you know what kind of flies they are, Tanya? We used to have sandflies at the ranch I worked at as a kid; they were tiny. They'd fly up the horses' noses and the horses would toss their heads the whole time you were trying to ride. We'd put spray on a cloth and rub it all over the insides of their nostrils and ears. They'd bite the poor horses' ears so much that they'd be covered in scabs if we didn't keep up with the spray. It was awful. They didn't bug people as much, though. We have blackflies out here, too, but they're not as plentiful as the horseflies. Horseflies are HUGE and when they bite you it hurts immediately and quite often bleeds. We have no-see-ums, too, but again, they're not as plentiful as the horseflies and mosquitoes. I hate biting bugs!

No idea what kind they are. Just tiny and really annoying.




Today I spent maybe 4 hours pulling the gigantic weeds and grass in the garden. I laid them down on the mulch with roots exposed to the hot sun to kill them. Jury is out as to whether I haul them to a pile on the property or leave them in the garden to turn into mulch/soil.

I can actually see over half of my garden plants again. I have fallen sorrowfully behind in harvesting squash, and have enormous yellow zucchini and my other zucchini is dead. No matter, I will be picking at SIL's within a week and I'm sure she will have a ton of summer squash for me (she is in town and doesn't have the squash bug problem we have in the country).

I picked enough green beans for hubby and I for supper. And some beet greens.

I picked one large cucumber. Need to go out and pick in the next day or two and make freezer pickles.

How long will cukes last in the fridge? I hate when they get all rubbery...

[Macky]

They'll last a few days if you wrap them in plastic to prevent moisure loss (that's why they're always wrapped or waxed when you buy them in the store).

Today I picked saskatoon berries... in someone elses garden (aka. the u-pick place). does that still count?

[canadiyank]

I read a thing recently that said cucumbers last longer on the counter than in that fridge! I haven't tried it yet but it's worth a shot.

http://www.rootsimple.com/2012/06/do...in-fridge.html

[charla]

Picked heirloom tomates and green beans

[Rea T]

Went down to the farm garden today. I think my tomatoes have tripled in size over the last 2 weeks, I was quite shocked. They've really taken off and some of them have tomatoes on that are already pretty good size. I was prepared to not even see blossoms.

So, got all of those pruned and clipped to the trellis and they are really looking pretty good. Weeded the corn a bit, it didn't need much. Picked a few of MIL's beans, but they were pretty limp.

All this in 100 degree temps, but it was really the only time I could get down there this week. Next week shouldn't be as bad because I won't have to take as much time on the tomatoes.

[Lady TS]

Yesterday I picked an ice cream bucket of cukes and made a batch of dill refrigerator pickles and a batch of cucumbers and onions. The overgrown ones (already!) are going to the chickens, cut up, over the next couple of days.

Today I let the hose run in the bean row while I fed/watered the chickens and cleaned up a bit.

I also thought about taking a pic of the garden and posting it....that's something, right?

I need to get out and weed the other half. Seriously. But I'm a wimp. My high mountain blood can't take high heat and humidity. I'm hiding indoors.

[canadiyank]

We got back from being gone for 2.5 wks so everything's pretty nuts. I pruned a lot of the perennial flowers since many were spent, actually that's mostly what I've done. Some weeding. Dh and the kids are going out right now to harvest some things for dinner - cabbage, jalapenos, herbs, fennel, and onion. And we have a quail nesting in our raspberries - I'll try to get a pic later!

[Macky]

Finally got to pick our first head of broccoli today!