What have you done today in the Garden?

Growingpains, You can plant garlic as long as the soil is still thawed. Don't give the frost any thought. I still haven't gotten mine in yet either, but tonight was the last of my weekday markets so next week begins garden cleanup in earnest. and then I will get the garlic in.
Today we picked the new bean patch... 4 bushels so far and I need to pick the next 5 rows tomorrow.

 

Carolyn, I checked my garden journal for 2012, 2013 and 2014.
I planted garlic in September all three years. I ran right out and
planted 4 rows and I feel accomplished.
If I lived near you, I would help you pick beans.

 

I live close enough, come on down... it is only a small drive...I am sure. but today I did pick more beans. The next two rows and picked about 4 more bushels. Then it got cloudy and cold again, so I quit to go do other things. The wind just didn't quit today... oy vey! I picked 4 pints of raspberries, 1/2 bushel of peppers and a flat (10 #s) of tomatoes. I have a market tomorrow and I finished up my last thursday market this week. Now I will start cleaning up the garden in earnest and I still need to can a bushel of the beans I picked today. Maybe I can get that done tomorrow afternoon. Monday isn't maybe the best day since the remodeler is coming to work on my kitchen.

 

Carolyn, if the hurricane allows, I'll be flying to South Carolina this afternoon.
My folks live near Greenville and it's in the path of heavy rain and flooding.

 

Carolyn, the remodeler is coming to work on your kitchen? Whoopee!!!! After all your hard work and going to markets and saving up money, you are getting your kitchen redone! I'm so very, very happy for you!
(We'd like photos, hint, hint)

 

Yes, Jane the project is started. Maybe really slow going, but it is started. I am hoping to have it done by Thanksgiving, but whatever... when it is done it is done. The cabinets will probably take 3 weeks to order and arrive.
The markets were very good this year, but I worked hard and am tired. We did 4 markets week again this year and I said I wasn't going to because it was too much work and here I did it again. oyvey! I thing the markets were good for me because no one had gardens this year and I do mean that for real. We had a dry May and 90f for a good portion of it, June came with 10" of rain and fairly cool, July came and it dried out and stayed dry.. no rain for about 60 days. Everyone's gardens were either drowned out or dried out. I can irrigate so I kept planting and picking like mad. The only thing we couldn't water was the acre of corn. It wasn't quite a disaster, but it could have been better, but I won't complain. I am still plucking and pulling and picking the garden, though. I am still doing a market on Saturday and I have about enough to fill the table every week with my produce.
Today I picked broccoli. that was the only thing I harvested before the market. I stood in the cold and blowing rain for about 5 hours... yuck!, but I had the produce and it wasn't going to be fresher for next week if I stayed home.

Growingpains, I sincerely hope your parents are safe and stay dry. You be careful, too.

 

Well, just back and I've come down with a nasty cold....wouldn't ya just know it. Nice weather and a darned cold. BAH!
Well, virus or no virus...it was out to the lottie to have a looksy....urmmmm and perhaps to do a thing 'r two.

Of course the flower garden is a complete overgrown mess.


And then this from another angle:


I am going to have to do some extensive and INtensive work here, but first the veggie plots need a bit of attention.


...and this:


Hot peppers were harvested, Swiss chard was harvested as well as toms and blueberries.
I made a feeble beginning on the flower garden by removing Crocosmia 'Lucifer' stalks and leaves.

The green manure is growing well and so I shall leave that for a while longer as the bees and butterflies are really enjoying the blooms on the Phacelia and borage.

Speaking of the bees, I had a look and they are flying out of all the boxes.. They have been cared for and so the straps went on and I am hoping that they make it through the winter fine.


Gosh, it is good to be back!

 

Your flower garden may look messy and over grown to you but it still looks good to me with all the flowers that are blooming. Did you have some one to water and care for your lottie while you were gone? I ask because it looks well watered and no weeds. Where I live the weeds would have taken over and the vegetables would be dead from lack of water.

 

Hiya 2OF-- There were a couple of the girls that watered the things in the greenhouse for us, but outside there was rain enough.

The strawberry beds were weeded today and the last of the comfry leaves were placed around them. We gave them the last bit of the comfrey tea as well.

 

Yesterday I decided to plant some bulbs (mixed daffodils, Daydream tulips and crocus ). Since Im still working on the larger bed out front, I put them in the 'mum' bed (its got a huge yellow mum in it). Its one of those beds that is surrounded by garage, house and sidewalk. I wound up weeding it and then putting black plastic edging around the edge. It looks much better now I dont have any pics right now cause my phone was dead this morning when I left for work.

 

I'm moving all the bits and pieces (dishes, decorative items) from the living and dining rooms, getting ready to move the furniture out. We are replacing the putrid purple carpeting with a lovely laminate floor! Y'all know how "frugal" I am, so if we are popping for laminate, you KNOW how ugly the carpet is! With luck, by this time next week I'll be able to post photos of our new flooring with furniture and bits and pieces back in place. Without luck, I'll be begging for sympathy . . . .

 

Oh good for you Jane, There is nothing worse than ugly floor covering to keep clean.
Today I picked 1/2 bushel of lovely 1# tomatoes out of the high tunnel and 2 1/2 bushels of greenbeans.

Sjoerd... for overgrown that looks pretty good. The garden didn't even seem to notice you were gone.

 

Picked the last of the cantaloupe today... Had a great dinner of home grown kale, tomatoes, & winter squash (with chicken). The cover crop is growing well on the vegie garden. It will be soon time to put it to bed.