Gardening on the Cheap-Free Grapevine!

Every year we try to add a new food producer/source to our land. Most of the time we can find what we want or need by trading or, best of all free.ie.”Gardening on the Cheap!

We had the offer of domestic Concord grape vine from family.  It was an established 15yr old vine they were planning to pull out & change in landscaping   The vine is/was a super heavy producer ….even totally ignored the past 10 years. I nearly cried at the thought of destroying it and asked if we could dig it up. The thought of just ripping it out was heartbreaking to us.  We planned to add grapes in the near future so it was a no brainer to at least try.  Being Texas transplants and used to 0 yard maintenance they were happy to let us have it.   We dug and dug…then dug some more attempting to get the entire root ball. Mercy this thing was big! We left a mini crater in the ground.   I’m not sure if it will survive our efforts but it was sure worth the try.  We trimmed about 15 ft. of vine from the fence & planted a bunch of the cuttings along the new trellis. I know we way over planted the cuttings but I figure only a few will survive. I’ve been keeping it watered & 1-2 of the cuttings have bits of green showing so I have hopes some may live & our cooler weather is really helping cut down on the plant stress.

Hard to tell but the main stalk is nearly as large as my wrist.

The kitchen garden has done well.  I’ve added bits here and there through the season.  Mostly herbs & nearly all were transplants or cuttings I was given. Carrots seem to love this soil.  The area originally had a sand base under the pool (which I have amended) so the soil is loose and loamy. Beets have done well as have lettuces.

The 1 cherry tomato plant I put in here just took off like gang busters and is still producing heavily.

Lettuce is coming up faster than we can eat it.

There are various mints, sage, lavender, chives, oregano, thyme, bee balm planted willy nilly in and around veggies as I was given the starts. I’ll say one thing, this area has been virtually bug free, although next year may be a different story I’m enjoying it now.  I need to get out there and do a bit of rearranging/spacing  & separating. I think I want to ring the entire area with lavender. The blooms I want to harvest & dry to use to protect  the wool stash from potential moth problems.

Well, The dust bunnies in my house are scheduling a party tonight their friends all come and don’t leave so I need to go break it up now

Have a wonderful day

Katie

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Plop, splat, plop…plop….splat

That was the sound of our wet clothes as they hit the laundry room floor at 9:30 Tuesday evening.  

It’s been so blasted hot we’re outside early morning and again after supper till dark.

Monday night we lost light at 9:30 along with all our energy…..it was still 85 degrees with 65% humidity. My hair was so wet I looked like I’d just stepped out of the shower. 

Last night wasn’t much different other than it was still 88 at 11 pm UGH!  But, It’s so worth it as Mr.Fixit is totally on board now with composting.

Don’t get me wrong, he was before but didn’t understand the amount we really needed for the garden. We do have a compost bin…but it is 1 bin & we keep adding to it….so its never done. I’ve tried shifting some to the side but it ends up mixed back in.

  So far this summer I’ve bought 4 yards of compost and could use 4 more .  1yard = a front end loader scoop.  Granted 1 yard was only $5.00 but, it was the time/gas/quality and yes money I had a problem with when, with better resource management we could do it ourselves.  So, after much discussion, I’m getting 3 large compost bins.  At the shop he receives shipments weekly on pallets & will be bringing them home to reuse.  I’m hoping we have enough to get 1-2 built this coming week and will add other sections as he receives more pallets. 

The other change is to put the plans for a pool on hold till next year.

Our pool became Fred and Ethel. 

Yes, that’s right I named them

A friend of ours retired & moved from a large land holding into a smaller home in town.  He sold us Fred and Ethel for less than 1/3 the cost of a new mower and trailer. Its half the size of the tractor and cuts the same width making it much easier for me to use.  Less than 3 years old and has just over 100 hours on the motor….to good of a deal to pass up!

Mr. Fix-It on Fred….

.Ethel was off to the side half loaded with grass clippings

With over 5 acres there is a LOT of grass to mow.  A lot of grass to mow = a wonderful base for compost~! Monday evening he mowed the 2 acres in front of the house blowing the clippings in deep rake easy rows.  When I finished yesterday afternoon (with help from my SIL Jessie and the kids), I ended up with 8 (1 yard) trailer loads of clippings!  That’s not counting all the clippings I used to mulch the pathways in the garden (1-2 more loads)    Talk about a work out LOL! 

We’ve plenty of carbon to blend in with the grass clippings & intend to do this again 2-3 more times this summer.  A neighbor on the other end of the field has horses and cattle and are more than happy to let me fill a few buckets of manure to mix in the piles. WOOT! So excited I was doing a happy dance.

10 years ago If you told me I’d be dancing over compost I would have asked what time you were due for your meds!

The garden is going crazy, beans are nearly ready, squash and pumpkin are growing like gang busters…updates later I think I’ve rambled enough for now

Ah, I’m a happy girl!

Katie

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Playing Catch up

We are home from our trip and playing catch-up big time.  Apparently it rained like crazy while we were gone because the garden has taken off like crazy! The beans are heavy in bloom and the squash has just gone crazy! When we left, this plant was knee high on me…keep in mind I’m 5’9 and have a 33 inseam.  Right now it’s hip high!

Glad I spaced these further than normal because it’s just huge. Now, we’ll see if these blooms fruit.  Last year I needed to hand pollinate them all…realllly hoping that’s not needed this time around.

The raised beds needed some serious work. Most of the lettuce has bolted & I’m letting it go to harvest seed.  The asparagus transplants appear to be a success.  There were about 6 new shoots popping up….which I munched on while weeding.  

My tomato’s are slugging along…very slow growing this year.  At this rate I’ll still have green tomato’s come the first frost

The potato’s are doing pretty well. I’ve needed to hill them twice this week. I added a layer of straw to help retain the moisture in this 90 degree heat streak.  I’m really hoping they do well this year.  The second potato bed is starting to show signs of growth as well. It’s my first year with them in the ground & both beds went in late…but it’s looking good so far …really hoping for some spuds this year after the last 2 yrs. fiascos!

Hmm, my rows don’t look to straight! I’ll have to run lines next year…lets hope those taters don’t mind LOL!

 

The strawberry bed…after all the rain & week of absence is a hot mess. Before I left it was weed free.

Nice,

Pretty blooms showing through all those green leaves.

What we came home to?

Looks like I have a few hours of work with the hand trowel in front of me.  We went through the bed picking what we could salvage and tossed over a gallon of soggy/rotting berries.  I’m so thankful the bed it tiered or it would be a rotting mess rather than just needing a serious weeding.  Think once I have it cleaned up I’ll add a bit of straw to those bare spots to  help slow those weeds down.

The heat is up this afternoon so we caved and came inside till it drops under 90.  Looks like the laundry and dust are calling my name.

Maybe I’ll sew a bit or knit instead!

Katie

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Busy Day Ahead.

 I have PT again this morning….not sure if it will be my last?

I still struggle with rear rotation i.e.reaching behind scratching my back. Other than that I’ve had very few issues with my arm. The strength & stamina is coming back quickly.  Working in the garden has been great PT!  Insurance has FINALLY started to pay us back all the out of pocket expense for DR.’s visits. They sent a partial check to the DR’s..who will refund us. Then, checking the mail yesterday there was another check directly to us for another 9 visits.    You can bet I did a little happy dance walking all the way up the drive way!

Yesterday I ended up with both girls so I was not able to work in the garden much.  After PT I’ll get the trailer and head to Earth First for some compost for the new kitchen garden and maybe an extra scoop for the main garden.  Not having animals or chickens is sure a drawback in the compost department! We just don’t produce enough ourselves to do all the jobs that need done. On top of that I wasn’t a very good composter this winter. I want to pick up a few pallets from the shop and make a new compost bin anyway……one with 2 sections rather than the one big pile we have now.  It never gets “done” as I keep adding to it.

Last week when I decided to let the tomato garden rest for the season I raked up all the grass rows in the field and piled it in…trying to cut back the weeds. Luckily the grass was tall but had no seed heads so I mowed all the cuttings in 4 rows. I think there is about 8 inches of grass piled and compacted in there now.  Next time I think raking nearly 2 acres of cut grass at once is good idea, smack me upside the head…PLEASE!  I think I’ll focus on sections rather than all of it next time but, it was cheaper than purchasing straw = Free!

Erika, the girls & I picked strawberries last night after it cooled off. The spinner (knock on wood) seems to be working.

 

We’ve not seen any further rabbit or bird invasions or nibble marks  We came in with 2 full gallons! There would have been about another quart but we heard Evie say eww a few times and realized if the berry was not “perfect” she was tossing it in the field. Probably a couple of courts truth be told….

I’m just so excited to see something producing! Right now all the berries are going in the freezer & I’ll make jam when I see what we get.

Well, just notified by the DR.s that my appt has been cancelled as he is sick.  So it looks like I’ll be able to get an early start on the kitchen garden and digging post holes before the heat gets to bad.

Have a good one!

Katie

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Expanding Our Growing Space

 

Each year we’ve attempted to expand our growing space at a semi controlled pace.  I say semi controlled a bit tongue in cheek because I tend to dive into things 500% head first & ask questions later.  I nearly did myself in the first year gardening.  To much, to fast without knowing what I was doing.  Mr. Fix-It (bless his weary heart) always bailed me out.  A few years ago unspoken agreement was made to grow slowly,  do our research first and plan the steps needed.  Last year we expanded the garden about 10 feet in overall length, and also added 3 raised beds.

This year? I’m taking over the old pool area. It’s a nice large space  about 20 X 20 with no use other than more grass to mow.  We considered moving the play gear here but we cant see it from the house to keep an eye on the kids.  So what to do, what to do, but grow stuff!

The “plan” is to keep the circle and shift the salad greens from the raised bed to the circle along with herbs & create a kitchen garden of sorts.  I’m not sure if I’ll create a wheel or just wedges.  The wheels look great but generally are shown when newly planted. I can just see thyme and oregano trying to take over by summers end.  This was to be a summer project, transplanting when the time was right for various herbs.  But, what’s the saying… “Make Plans and God Laughs?” As it turns out I need to do this now. My sister in law called and said their drive way is being redone.The new layout will take out half of her asparagus bed. Although out of season, if I wanted them I had to get them now. So I have a bucket of asparagus….I think there are close to a dozen crowns in there with a few of them gone to seed to transplant today into the raised bed. Fingers crossed they survive!

Also in the bucket is a bunch of raspberry canes.  Their bushes had these (and many more) shoots popping up about 3 feet from the main berry area.  They were slated to be mowed over.  Again, not the best time to transplant but we were able to get quite a bit of the roots so I’m hopeful they will survive with some extra TLC.

Free = gardening on the cheap and that makes me verrrrry happy!

Katie

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Canners At The Ready!

A month or so a Cabella’s opened up in Louisville. I think My brother in law refers to it as the Holy Land.  He’s there about once a week and trolls through the bargain cave looking for deals. Yes, we are a family of tightwads and always on the look out for frugal finds.

  A few weeks ago he showed up at my house with this….

Retail nearly $100.00 he picked up for less than $20.00!  It has a small surface scratch on the back and tiny ding dent on the edge…..I can live with that!     Then the week after that a co-worker of Mr.Fix-It sent him home with a pressure canner. Much nicer than the one I currently use. Using 2 at a time will save me hours of canning time.  He and his wife are moving to a smaller home in town & will no longer be gardening. This is the same couple who have sent him home with literally hundreds of canning jars & rings. I think they will be the recipients of the “firsts”of many jams this summer as a thank you.  Makes me want to fire them all up right now. I wonder if I step out to the gardens and shout “GROW” if it would help any ?  Nah only the weeds would listen.

Ahh, the blessings of friends & family!

Wishing you a fun family Sunday!

Katie

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Pesky Wabbits!

Loved my maters!

Yes loved, past tense.

They had shot up over a foot tall and were leafing out really well, nice thick tasty stalks *Sigh*  A dozen roma’s, 3 Amish heritage & 2 chocolate cherry.  More than they could say no to I guess because they ate them all down to little nubs  I’d considered letting that small garden section rest this year but planted them anyway.  You could say they changed my mind for me LOL!  The past few years my tomato’s have been wonderful & undisturbed by 4 legged pests.  My BIL happens to raise domestic rabbits & I was lucky enough to be the recipient of the poop & bedding.  Mulched straight into the garden it was the best wild rabbit deterrent I’d found.  This past fall he bought a house about 30 miles away & cut the amount of rabbits they have drastically.  so NO POOP FOR ME (very often)

I thought I’d just let the tomato’s go this year, there are plenty still put up from last year…then my oldest daughter Danielle brought me a dozen more heritage plants! What a sweet heart she is but, now I need to figure out where to put them. 

I still can’t pull my bow so yesterday, I took a couple of bales of straw I’d used as backer for target practice and mulched them in the tomato garden.  No sense letting them rot when I could put them to good use. Trying to get ahead & help smother the weeds and wire grass that would attempt a take over, I was spreading the straw my legs and arms started itching bad..well, I wasn’t looking at what was in my hands I was looking where I needed to spread more.  Turns out there was an ant hill started in that straw!  My arms and legs were covered with ants!  I brushed off as many as I could and finished spreading pretty darn quick.  Thankfully Mr. Fix-It had the hose on & I got them rinsed off ricky tic!. that cold water felt so good. Those suckers bite!  I have more than a few polka dot legs and arms this morning.

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Last night we used big red and dropped 4 bucket loads of dirt in the front of the little house.  Some It he dug near the creek.  Its nice and rich soil full of worms but some has bits of clay. Believe it or not this has been tilled ..more to break up the wet chunks so we could move it around some. I’ve nowhere near the compost needed so I’m going to price loads from earth first tomorrow

We left it to dry out for a few days and our 90 degree temps today sure gave it a good start.

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Mr. Fix-It ended up needing another MRI on his arm & had it done today.  It started to improve and then went down hill again.  Basically he’s at the point he can’t use it at all. Dr’s are pretty sure something was missed in the last MRI.  Either it didn’t show or, was not properly read….either way, something is really wrong.  I (with my limited medical knowledge you could fit in a tea cup)  think there is/was a small tear and as the strained muscles healed and he started building strength caused the muscle to tear more & create the *take you to your knees* pain.  It’s the only thing that makes sense. It’s not that we want there to be a tear but it’s the only thing left other than nerve damage.

We get the results tomorrow so your positive thoughts and prayers would be appreciated.

Hope you had a wonderful day

Katie

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Free Finds…The traveling boarders

Have found a home. 

One of Mr.Fix-It’s sisters had these brick boarders along her flower beds.  When she changed her garden plans, they no longer worked for her and she passed them on to her neighbor. 

As it turns out, the neighbor decided not to use them and unless she found a home for them, they were on their way to the curb free for the taking.  My SIL called & offered them to us. When the weather clears a bit we will use a few here around the tree to retain the rock but other than that…they are perfect for the new little house we bought!

Score!  She said there were 25 or so & I thought great…they will at least go across the front of the house……um, there were over 75! Thank goodness we took the truck (and gloves) to pick them up! 

The house needs some serious help in the landscaping department. Can you say blah!? Other than the huge out of control bushes, there is nothing planted nor has there been in the last 20 years.. 

The budget for landscaping is basically “0” so, we’ve been brainstorming what can be separated and thinned out from my flowerbeds to perk it up.  I’ve hosta, mums, lily, iris, stonecrop…It’s in sore need of color and personality but we will need to do it on the cheap using what we have or can find free from friends..  We’ve no  idea what the soil is like but, I’m sure it will needing to be amended, along with painted shutters, installing gutters…the list is getting longer but we’ll take it one step at a time.

R I g h t…who am I kidding, Erika & I will dive in full steam LOL! 

First things first, we need to get them moved and settled in

15 days to closing…we’re not excited at all can you tell? LOL!

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Puttering Over The Weekend

This weekend went by so fast!

Saturday morning we had another estimate for replacing the windows in the main part of the original house. And, here’s a “Mark it on the Calendar Day” …..Way below what we had estimated/budgeted…installed!

Not only a winner for the funds but for Mr.Fix-It’s time to put them in!! We were also planning on redoing the exterior window trim (30 yrs old I think it’s time) so there were additional discounts for the time and labor which we will do. Hey, I can swing a mean paint brush and hammer by now!

Hubster was able to go to the races Sunday morning so to save time he drove up Saturday night & stayed with friends for an early start of the day. He so rarely gets time off for things he enjoys it was great he was able to go. I missed him like crazy but he had some guy time and what sounds like a lot of fun.

I had a lazy Sunday morning and had the coffee pot to myself! I was able to try my hand at making watermelon jelly with one of my mutant watermelons .

Gosh, It was so quick and easy I kept checking the directions thinking I’d missed a step. Looks so pretty in the jars. I keep thinking I’d like shelves upstairs for all the home canned food in the kitchen. Wouldn’t all those colorful jars look wonderful? Eh, we live less than a mile from a rock quarry and the constant dusting would drive me batty (er).  I think it’s one of those things that is better in theory than reality for me.

Mr. Fix-It got home early afternoon and we puttered around doing yard work.  We’d drained the pool a week or so ago but it needed to lay and dry…then it rained so, yesterday we were able to fold and roll it up nice and tidy for its new owners.  We’re passing it on to my “sister-in-law” and her family.  They have 2 young guys Isaiah’s age that will love it & we’ve gotten more than our moneys worth out of it.  Well maintained she’ll have a couple of more years of fun in her.

We (he) got the yard mowed & weed eating, I worked in the garden and got the flower beds tidied  so, the place it looking pretty good if do say so myself.  Not a lot but a few things off the fall “Gotta Do” list.

Glad we got that finished as we’ve rain coming tomorrow.  Sounds like a nice day to knit and sew to me!

Katie

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Watch your gardens folks…it’s starting already

The weather is changing Fast!

In some areas of the county we had our first frost last night. I was worried this morning because I have Isaiah’s planting of green beans in the garden yet (which are taking off like gang busters again) but, checking them this morning they are fine.   I picked a few gallons & they are processing in the canner now. I’ve put up plenty for the next year but I don’t want them to go to waste and you can always use extra.  I had to run to the store for more jars & lucked out.  Cases of jars were on sale buy 2 get 1 free…same for lids.  I left with 6 cases and 6 packs of lids.  SCORE!

7 more pints of green beans cooling on the counter

But, while I was in the produce section I overheard a conversation…one guy was talking to another about beans, he commented they had a bunch “fresh home grown”  put up in the freezer.  The other guy made comment he hadn’t realized he gardened…to which he responded, “I don’t, I go pick from my neighbors garden at night” & that he’s picked “lots-a stuff from there all summer”.  I wish I knew who he was or better yet, who his neighbor was!  I had to walk away before I hit the slug up side the head with a bag of oranges.  GAH!!

Watch your gardens folks…it’s starting already.

 

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Fall Thoughts

What a beautiful morning!

It’s nice and cool with bit of misty fog.  The kind of morning that leaves you no doubt fall has arrived & creates that since of urgency to hurry and finish outside tasks.  All summer I’ve had this strong feeling we will have a long hard winter.  No specific reason, just that stuck in your gut worry. 

That’s what’s weird, it has me worried for reasons I can’t explain…..  We are more prepared for cold weather now than ever before. Maybe it’s the lack of harvest from the garden?  I know I just have this nearly frantic feeling nearly a panic,,, to stock up, batten down the hatches and be ready for anything.  Tell me I’m being crazy, please!

Ugh, It was a near paralyzing fear for a few days but I’m trying to get through it by working on the fall “gotta-do” list.

• Finish pruning the neighbors shrubs, yes still half done
• prune or remove our ugly shrubs (still deciding)
• Plant the last of the strawberry babies (I forgot about them) & mulch the bed. 
• Finish the garden clean up when the pumpkins are done.
• Build the new compost bins-using pallets. I need to clear the space backed up to the woods

We also have a few trees who were victim of the draught that will need to be removed & another on the slope by the pond to Isaac.  The storm took out a main branch so we need to determine if it will even survive.  We’ve lost about a dozen trees the past 5 years to storms & would like to keep all we can.  They make nice windbreaks & protect the house.

Add a few repairs to the outside we’ve waited to do in cooler weather.  I know there are a million other things to add to the but these are the most pressing.

So,  am I being neurotic about winter?

Katie

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Raised Beds

Ok, I drank the Kool-aid,

we’re moving the garden to raised beds. At least part of it for now.  

The stinkin crabgrass that would make a jungle vine proud has won this battle…. but not the war.  After Mr. Fix-It came home and ate supper we went and picked up lumber for 3- 4x8 beds to start with & I plan on adding more as the budget allows this fall. So, raised beds will be built in the next few days.  We want them in & ready to go for spring.

I know in my heart a lot of the gardening failure this year was out of my control & the raised beds are not certain guarantee of a successful harvest but, I think they will help the weed issues. I hate just spending the cash on the lumber but but spending the money seems like the right move.

I’ve been researching as much as I can about growing in raised beds and its funny (frustrating) how so many sources are conflicting in the information provided. 

“The Plan” as it stands now is to build the beds, (scrape the top spoil back) lay about 3 double layers of cardboard down first to block weeds, and load it with about 6 inches of my good top soil. Let it set for about a week so it will sprout any weeds that may be lurking and clean those out…then add another 6 inches or so and repeat the weed watch.   By then I should have another good sized load of rabbit poo in wood shaving to add. I’ll top it off with another layer or 2 of cardboard for winter.   The topsoil I’m using is compost rich so it should be fine but, if you see anything else I should/could do please let me know. 

I’ve also contacted a few tree trimmers we know & they will gladly dump their shreds here. (Tornado season is starting soon and well, downed trees are a given)  I plan to use it for mulching the pathways between the raised beds & some to the (new/gonna be) compost bin…which is another project that will be rebuilt bigggggger.

I had no where near enough compost ready this summer…..but then I’m not convinced you ever can have enough compost!

Katie

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Productive Day & Lessons Learned

Whew, I don’t know about you but, I’m ready for a latte and a snack tonight

I started about 10 this morning working with the peaches (after coffee of course)  I started slipping peaches and fired up the canner outside.  By the time the water was ready I had pints ready to load.  I cranked the radio up and was able to have jars filled and ready to load almost as soon as a batch needed to be removed.

The last load,  I had 5 quart jars and 2 pints..realized after I’d loaded the jars I need more water and……grabbed the hose & slowly filled the canner.  (We had a storm front moving in and I needed to finish) But, apparently not slow enough as I ended up with 2 broken quart jars. Lessons learned the hard way seem to stick with me most.

I ended early afternoon with 26 pints and 5 quarts of peaches. 

We did get about a 10th of an inch of rain.  Not a lot but the storm that went around us was pretty nasty.  It was just enough for all the pumpkin to stand up pretty & they are calling for more rain tonight.  I can only hope!

After supper Larry came out with me tonight and we got the bean picked, We ended up filling a 5 gallon bucket.   Surprisingly enough,  they were “just” ready to be picked. There are a few I think are past eating but not as bad as I’d feared.  So, tomorrow will be another day canning the beans.  I’m wondering how well the pressure cooker will work on the outside burner. 

  My bushes are 3 years old and in sad pathetic shape.  They should be huge, lush and heavy producers by now. Between the squash and blackberries?  Yes those brown twigs are 3 of the 5 blueberry bushes.

They should be huge, lush and heavy producers by now. Between the squash and blackberries? Yes those brown twigs are 3 of the 5 blueberry bushes.

They are to close to the blackberries to amend the soil as much as they need and I know they wont survive the winter if left here.

So we’re moving them on the other side of the tomato’s into their own raised bed, where I

 

can prep and amend the soil as needed before we transplant them.

They may not survive the move but at least the soil will be prepped and ready for new bushes in the spring if they don’t.

Last night we built an 8X8 space set up and just starting to put the end board on and I realized we have 5 bushes not 4. Mild brain burp!  So tonight Larry added 4ft to making it 12 X 8.  We have great top soil & bales of peat moss ready to blend in.  A friend of mine has a bunch of pine trees & will happily let me offer some relief with her pine needle problem for mulching.  8-D

This is our 6th year gardening, and I start each season thinking “I’ve got this”!

And each successive year I find how just how much I’ve yet to learn

Katie

 

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Gardening Journaling

I’ve been reading quite a few blogs that mention gardening journals…but none really say what they write or, take note of.  Specific seeds used & germination rate?

Planting dates?

Do you do this?

Do you maintain a journal? 

Do they really help?  and what the heck do you keep track of?  I would honestly love some feedback on a way to organize a journal and what has been helpful to you…as there are  times this gardening novice rack her brain trying to remember when I amended this or that, when to do it again. 

I think it would be helpful for planning next springs garden, and I’d have the winter to set one up.

What works for you?

Katie

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Finally something to can!

 

Yesterday morning I popped out of bed as soon as my eyes opened.  I had to go and look at the steps, just to make sure they were really there & it wasn’t a dream. Generally I don’t make it past the kitchen without coffee in the morning so… I know I was a stumbling mess going outside, still in my night shirt doing a odd hop step. We have a sisal door mat and the odd hop step was because my foot landed on a “gift”…a furry full sized dead mole. 

A gift from a feral cat who has decided it owns us.

She’s put on weight and really filled out since she’s been hanging around.  She was a scrawny matted mess when she first showed up

Now,  I don’t really want it to own us, I want it to move on. but it’s earning it’s keep & we’ve worked out a system. I feed him bits Monday, Wednesday & Friday & the days in between he hunts and brings me gifts…..Like Moles, mice,  baby rabbits & baby moles, frogs and parts of frogs.   My caffeine deficient brain was just not ready for that!

What a way to start the morning ugh!

The day did get better, Isaiah & I ran to the grocery for canning lids & scored a few great deals in the produce department.  I’ve found Mondays are the “new stock day”…anything left from a prior shipment has to be marked down..even if it’s still good!  Apparently after the episode of bad spinach a few years ago, they can no longer mix shipments in the produce department.  I picked up a bag with 4 huge heads of perfectly fine broccoli for .59 cents, a bag with 5 lbs. of rhubarb for $1.59 , a bag with 3 of celery for .59...and 45 LBS of peaches for $15.00.  All organic,  all perfectly fine!  Score! 

So my afternoon turned out pretty busy.

  The celery all went in the dehydrator, I’ve 6 pints of rhubarb sauce cooling on the table,

7 quarts & 9 pints of peaches.  These peaches I’d had, the others from today need to ripen a few more days. I went ahead and set the canner up outside and it was wonderful keeping the heat out of the house.  I’d prep & load the jars inside and use a roaster pan to carry the hot jars outside.

What a blessing!

My garden (the parts that survived) like so many is just now really starting to produce… If all those blooms actually turn into pumpkin I’ll have enough to supply the entire county!

After reading how many have lost everything I’m not complaining!

 

The beans need picked today /tomorrow, I’ve some tomato’s harvested with more to come

,

Cherry tomato’s are taking off this year

a few herbs, peppers and some beets.  Although I know the weather is out of my control, I’ve been feeling like I’m letting the household down with very little canned to date.  Like so many others, the garden & it’s production is my contribution to the finances.

 

These watermelon have all grown like gourds..I think inconsistent watering?

It’s how I’m able to stay home.  So when there is nothing to put by, it makes me feel like I’m not pulling my weight. 

It also reaffirms my thoughts of canning enough for 2 years every other year.

Yet sweet deals like today sure do help my attitude and the pantry!

Katie

Technorati Tags: Katidids,state of the garden,sweet deals,food storage,dehydrating,preserving,sustainable living

 

 

 

Catching up and keeping busy

Just a quick catch up here.  We’ve had RAIN!! 3 evenings of a good pouring.  The rain barrel is full again and the moisture is really showing in the garden. 

Beans are finally starting to come on.  They aren’t really ready to pick but I had to munch on a few I was so excited.

Miss Evie was pretty excited to see the tomato’s and peppers turning color.  She can’t’ see them from above so she squats and looks up in each plant.

An I was thrilled to find pumpkin taking off…if you can call 2 pumpkins taking off & at this point I am.

Right now I think I’m growing more weeds than I am vegies. The humidity is down and It’s a good morning to get out there and take care of that. In fact it’s nice enough I turned the AC off and opened up the house for a few hours.  LOVE the fresh breeze blowing through.

The strawberries are doing well with the transplanting.  Those I transferred to individual pots have nearly doubled what they were and look really healthy

Those that we transferred to the bed have set and established well.  No droopers or poopers.

No poopers makes me happy.

To date peaches in the area have been so high I’ve not bought any but, I found/heard of a sale for .69lb. so I’m off to check that out this morning to pick up a few bushels.  Other than peppers, a few quarts of berries & the carrots & the corn there has been nothing put up this year. Looking through the past years posts it was marathon canning by now.  Just a tad bit worrysome!  

I’ve Thyme and oregano to share if anyone would like some…shoot me an e mail.

Katie

Technorati Tags: Katidids,gardening,weather

Time to move the babies

They are wanting to have babies of their own (but I said no) you need to be a bit older, grow a bit more and become firmly established in your new home first.  Plants or kids, some things never change.  They grow up so fast.

so I know its past time.  I’ve been hoping for cooler temps before I transplanted but I don’t think that’s going to happen.  They need time to establish in the new bed before winter comes

Those I transplanted to single pots are doing really well, & the tiny starts are just getting there.  I may transplant from those tiny containers to the single pots for a while, as I’m not sure they would survive the heat out in the main bed.

The main bed we are picking blooms to let the shoots develop.

As soon as the starts get about 4 inches I’m moving them around in the bed & so far all but 1 has taken the move well. 

More shoots will need to be moved around once a bit larger

Last year when we put this bed in we planted 25-30 plants, and were left with less than 10 this spring.  Those that survived were great producers.

 

Looks like most of the mulch washed away in last weeks rain & needs replaced.

In a way I’m kinda glad the others did not survive because I’ve learned a lot re-establishing the bed this summer.  It’s simple strawberries I know but,  there’s a stronger sense of ownership/pride (whatever you want to call it) tending to the babies and watching them grow knowing what juicy goodness they will provide next spring.

I hope we never loose that feeling and sense of wonder. 

Just remind me I said that when I’m moaning next summer about the heat and needing to pick berries ok?

Technorati Tags: Katidids,Gardening on the cheap,gardening,strawberries

Tuesday Tip Gardening on the cheap

Tying up tomato’s

By now you know I try and repurpose everything.

OK, I’ll admit it, I’m cheap & just hate spending money on things that will be tossed out like paper towels (don’t get me started)

When we first started gardening & tying up my maters I used the “tomato” tape similar to florists tape sold in garden shops, It snapped under the weight of the fruit.  So next I used string and then twine (unsuccessfully)…both of which cut into the stems as they grew and developed fruit.  I finally settled and have been success full with 1-2 inch strips of old t shirts.

I think every home has a few “oh, your not going out in public in that are you” t-shirts.  You know what I mean, they have built in air conditioning in inappropriate locations or would fit your child better than the hubster. 

I cut the shirt fabric in strips long as possible and cut off after I have the plant tied.  1 shirt will generally tie 20-25 plants.  There is enough stretch to allow for stem growth, wide enough for support fruit weight and by the end of the season they till right in the garden.

Martha Stewart would tell you to use a shirt that would color coordinate to be visually pleasing…but we all know…. I’m not Martha

Have a great day

Katie

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In the garden, fighting the weed war!

The green beans are coming along beautifully.  I didn’t put as many in this season as I have in years past.  We still have plenty put up down stairs but, I like to can in 2 yr. cycles.  In other words, every other year I can enough for 2 years in case there is a tough growing season…we still have enough to get us through.

While I was in Calif with my son this spring, Mr. Fix-it added a few front loader scoops to the garden to help level it out.  Drainage and watering is much more effective.  But the added dirt also means new soil that hasn’t been “de weeded”  To help slow/smother the weeds growth (cause admit I’m a lazy gardener)  I covered the pathways with sheets of cardboard and then layered cut drying grass on top of the cardboard.  The same thing could be done using 3-4 sheets of newspaper.  It’s a bit of a win win as the cardboard/or newspaper will breakdown and easily till into the garden in the fall.  Cardboard layered with grass takes about 3 months and news paper 1-2 to breakdown and is an effective weed barrier

Pathways mulched with cardboard covered with cut grass

If you choose to mulch your pathways in this manner, it’s important to use untreated grass clippings. We cut our field as a lawn at least once a week so I rarely have clippings to “harvest” luckily our neighbor bush-hogs his field only 1-2 times a month and provides plenty to rake up. 

This photo shows about 1/3rd of what he mows.  His field starts just past the shade of the tree & you can see a fresh cut line of sorts.

This morning he’s mowing for the first time in 3 weeks WOOHOO The mother load! 

I’ve found it works best if I let it set a day on the ground before raking.

As you can see in the far left of the photo, my onions are over run with weeds.  The new soil added is denser and apparently loaded with weeds.  It’s so dry when I try and pull the weeds I’m pulling onions.  I’ve been trying to pull 1-2 around each plant and let it be for a day or so, then go back for more.   I probably should have mulched here first but I wanted the areas that are weed free now to stay that way & will work my way over to the onions mulching.

Squash, cukes and pumpkins are all coming along in flower and looking good. 

The weeds in the tomato’s and peppers are out of control!

I need to tie up the tomato’s today & prune a bunch of suckers.

Time to get off here and get busy…what are your plans for the day?

Katie

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