Good Afternoon friends,
I hope that all are enjoying some type of spring activity, whether gardening, or cleaning something up around the home.
I have been out and I am finding some green around the place coming up, I'm shocked that some things have survived the cold as I didn't do a good job of mulching but everything seems to be doing its thing and starting to show some glorious green color, but it is not enough to get decent photos of for you.
I just wanted to let everyone know that I was having some big problems with my blog and gmail account. A few weeks ago, I ran some items on Craigslist to get rid of in my area, and then all of the sudden, I started getting email from Craigslist that someone outside the US was accessing my Craigslist account and posting all sorts of crap all over. I was getting very vulgar email from people I didn't know chewing on me about posting on their account, and soon it got out of control, so I deleted my gmail account, but somehow, it deleted my blog account also. I spent most of Friday and Saturday, on and off, trying to find my blog, and recover it. I would stop a bit as I would get frustrated, and po'd and then start over. Finally after supper, I was able, I think to recover everything.
So If you notice something off with the blog, please let me know. I show my ignorance with blogging and computers and technical stuff, and get somewhat very frustrated with things when I do not understand. I was worried that with some idiot getting my craigslist account, that they would be doing some illegal, demented stuff, and then I would have the NSA and the CIA and what ever else government entity on my door because of some jerks posting off in some foreign land. So I stopped it as I could do it, and hopefully not have anymore problems, second, I will never use Craigslist every again, that is final.
So, other than that, I am going to try to get outside this afternoon to see what I can do, maybe try to move some stuff if it still isn't encased in ice yet, I will try to start some new seeds, some of the seeds I started were no good from my old stash, so I will chuck those. I started seeds from some of my blogging friends and they are doing very well. I don't want to get too much ahead of the weather, even though its getting warm, we still get cold, wet, snowy weather and just one of those will take out your garden and all of your work out in an instant, so I'm trying not to get too excited.
I will also try to find something interesting to take photos of, I do not have much coming up at the moment, but I am sure very soon, I will.
Well, everyone, I will take leave of you and I think that I will head out for a little bit, and enjoy the warmth, I have the windows open in the house, and the cats are running around and bouncing off of the walls at the moment. I wish I had their energy.
Have a great weekend and upcoming week.
.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Just checking in with the world
Good Evening everyone, I hope that all of my blogging friends, and visitors are doing well and having a great week.
I am sure that all of you have been watching and are aware of the so very tragic happenings going on in Japan, I personally do not have the words to even comment on this apocalyptic event. My heart grieves for all and to everyone who has someone there who is in the fight of their lives. And it isn't over yet, with the nuclear reactors in critical status, I fear another Chernobyl. It is one of my fears as I battled Papillary thyroid cancer, which is from radiation exposure and poisoning. So this is something that I take to heart and urge others to please keep an ear on the news and maybe to their doctors. I carry Iodine tablets on hand, just in case for others, it would not do me any good as I do not have a thyroid anymore, but for family and neighbors, just in case.
This should also be an eye opener for all, as to how quickly things can go "south". And you need to be prepared somehow for things, though we can only prepare so much and as we can afford things. There are web sites that are around that give ideas as to what to look for and purchase. But the thing is, you do not know what "exactly" in coming down the pike, and as humans, we don't have a crystal ball or future sight, BUT, we can do some things that may help and then, as my granddad would say, "Plan for the worst, hope for the best".
I keep things on hand like extra water, and foods and my canning and dehydrating. I also keep a little extra gasoline on hand, and then if I don't use it, I put it in the car. We live in tornado alley here, and we have storms that have literally scared the pants off of me, and a few years ago, I had a small funnel touch down about 2 blocks away from me, and as I and the dog was trying to make for the ditch by my house, I got smacked in the head by flying stuff and hail and I saw some stars and made my way back up the stairs dragging the dog, and all I could do was bail into the bathroom still dragging the dog and covering us with a large comforter and praying. In just a few minutes, (it seemed over an hour), it was over and just raining and thundering and lightening and then in about 30 minutes, it was over and the sun came out. We do not have a storm shelter here, so we are on our own.
Anyway, I urge others to please take heed, please plan a little as you can afford it. I came across this blog site from another blog site, it is http://www.survivalblog.com/ and contains stable info, take it as you can. I don't go overboard on things but I do carry things that I can use, and extras like tarps, greenhouse plastic, bungee cords, Gorilla tape, and good ol duck tape, and things like screws, nails, glues, and things that you just use around the house for repairs. I carry lathes, and some 1x4's and 2x4's. I am armed, and can if I have to, I can hunt,and fish, though I haven't done so in a number of years, as my physical health has gone down some, I also didn't have anyone to fish or hunt with, since it really isn't safe to go out on your own, even here in my lowly part of the country, as we are in a corridor of migrations of the railroad bums that wander around, and I have lots of them where I live as I only live 1 block from the Union Pacific railroad yards, and I have had encounters with bums and gypsies, and had to hold my own with them stealing from the gardens and making threats, seems they change their minds when you show them a 9mm...... The cops here do not do anything about the bum problem but just pick them up and move them to the outskirts of town, problem is, they have legs and move right back where they find food or can steal food, so again, you are somewhat on your own.
Isn't much going on in the garden bucket brigade. We didn't get too much last weekend from the storm that was predicted, a few inches and chilly, but I was glad it didn't do too much. It was more pesky than a threat. Today, we got about a inch of wet snow/rain mix, and chilly and then starting Monday, in the 60's and by Wednesday, 70's, woohoo.... I will be out for sure.
I planted some asparagus in a bucket, to see if I have any luck with that coming up. I had some a few years ago, and I had a mole problem and they liked the beds with the bulbs and the asparagus, so I'll try this as my on going experiment to see if it can grow in buckets or barrels. I covered the asparagus with greenhouse plastic to help it along until it starts coming up, and I guess the rest is up to nature and our Lord.
I started some tomatoes and some squash, and cucumbers. I have got to get them out in the sun, I have a light on them during the day, and then place them on my water heater and they keep warm until the next day, also keeps them out of the cat's curiosity, I have had a few pots on the floor and dirt scattered all over. They find great fun playing in the potting soil and making messes with the dirt.
Other than that, my little world really doesn't have too much going on in it. Until the weather starts cooperating, I can't do much, so if it starts breaking loose, I can get to my beds and change these around so I can start a mushroom bed, I would like to start some Wine Caps and some Morels. I hope the weather starts breaking so I can get a load of wood chips, and a load or two of compost from the city lot. These are free so I will make use of these things for my gardens. I also am going to order a tabletop farm for Shiitake and some Portabellos. I grew Shiitake last year and they did great, so I will try this again. I am getting interested in mushrooming more and more, they are interesting to watch and fun to grow.
Well, I think that I will take leave of all, I hate the time change, it makes me feel like I have a hang over without the party. I personally wish they would leave it alone. It takes me several weeks to get used to the change, but I just have to work through it, I can't stop. I may take a little power nap and then I am ready to go for the second half. I think that if we got some sun, it would help. Hopefully that will be tomorrow.
Well, I wish everyone a productive week, have great things growing in your gardens and maybe things will look better for the week for the whole planet, I do hope and pray for this.
Take care all.
I am sure that all of you have been watching and are aware of the so very tragic happenings going on in Japan, I personally do not have the words to even comment on this apocalyptic event. My heart grieves for all and to everyone who has someone there who is in the fight of their lives. And it isn't over yet, with the nuclear reactors in critical status, I fear another Chernobyl. It is one of my fears as I battled Papillary thyroid cancer, which is from radiation exposure and poisoning. So this is something that I take to heart and urge others to please keep an ear on the news and maybe to their doctors. I carry Iodine tablets on hand, just in case for others, it would not do me any good as I do not have a thyroid anymore, but for family and neighbors, just in case.
This should also be an eye opener for all, as to how quickly things can go "south". And you need to be prepared somehow for things, though we can only prepare so much and as we can afford things. There are web sites that are around that give ideas as to what to look for and purchase. But the thing is, you do not know what "exactly" in coming down the pike, and as humans, we don't have a crystal ball or future sight, BUT, we can do some things that may help and then, as my granddad would say, "Plan for the worst, hope for the best".
I keep things on hand like extra water, and foods and my canning and dehydrating. I also keep a little extra gasoline on hand, and then if I don't use it, I put it in the car. We live in tornado alley here, and we have storms that have literally scared the pants off of me, and a few years ago, I had a small funnel touch down about 2 blocks away from me, and as I and the dog was trying to make for the ditch by my house, I got smacked in the head by flying stuff and hail and I saw some stars and made my way back up the stairs dragging the dog, and all I could do was bail into the bathroom still dragging the dog and covering us with a large comforter and praying. In just a few minutes, (it seemed over an hour), it was over and just raining and thundering and lightening and then in about 30 minutes, it was over and the sun came out. We do not have a storm shelter here, so we are on our own.
Anyway, I urge others to please take heed, please plan a little as you can afford it. I came across this blog site from another blog site, it is http://www.survivalblog.com/ and contains stable info, take it as you can. I don't go overboard on things but I do carry things that I can use, and extras like tarps, greenhouse plastic, bungee cords, Gorilla tape, and good ol duck tape, and things like screws, nails, glues, and things that you just use around the house for repairs. I carry lathes, and some 1x4's and 2x4's. I am armed, and can if I have to, I can hunt,and fish, though I haven't done so in a number of years, as my physical health has gone down some, I also didn't have anyone to fish or hunt with, since it really isn't safe to go out on your own, even here in my lowly part of the country, as we are in a corridor of migrations of the railroad bums that wander around, and I have lots of them where I live as I only live 1 block from the Union Pacific railroad yards, and I have had encounters with bums and gypsies, and had to hold my own with them stealing from the gardens and making threats, seems they change their minds when you show them a 9mm...... The cops here do not do anything about the bum problem but just pick them up and move them to the outskirts of town, problem is, they have legs and move right back where they find food or can steal food, so again, you are somewhat on your own.
Isn't much going on in the garden bucket brigade. We didn't get too much last weekend from the storm that was predicted, a few inches and chilly, but I was glad it didn't do too much. It was more pesky than a threat. Today, we got about a inch of wet snow/rain mix, and chilly and then starting Monday, in the 60's and by Wednesday, 70's, woohoo.... I will be out for sure.
I planted some asparagus in a bucket, to see if I have any luck with that coming up. I had some a few years ago, and I had a mole problem and they liked the beds with the bulbs and the asparagus, so I'll try this as my on going experiment to see if it can grow in buckets or barrels. I covered the asparagus with greenhouse plastic to help it along until it starts coming up, and I guess the rest is up to nature and our Lord.
I started some tomatoes and some squash, and cucumbers. I have got to get them out in the sun, I have a light on them during the day, and then place them on my water heater and they keep warm until the next day, also keeps them out of the cat's curiosity, I have had a few pots on the floor and dirt scattered all over. They find great fun playing in the potting soil and making messes with the dirt.
Other than that, my little world really doesn't have too much going on in it. Until the weather starts cooperating, I can't do much, so if it starts breaking loose, I can get to my beds and change these around so I can start a mushroom bed, I would like to start some Wine Caps and some Morels. I hope the weather starts breaking so I can get a load of wood chips, and a load or two of compost from the city lot. These are free so I will make use of these things for my gardens. I also am going to order a tabletop farm for Shiitake and some Portabellos. I grew Shiitake last year and they did great, so I will try this again. I am getting interested in mushrooming more and more, they are interesting to watch and fun to grow.
Well, I think that I will take leave of all, I hate the time change, it makes me feel like I have a hang over without the party. I personally wish they would leave it alone. It takes me several weeks to get used to the change, but I just have to work through it, I can't stop. I may take a little power nap and then I am ready to go for the second half. I think that if we got some sun, it would help. Hopefully that will be tomorrow.
Well, I wish everyone a productive week, have great things growing in your gardens and maybe things will look better for the week for the whole planet, I do hope and pray for this.
Take care all.
Saturday, March 5, 2011
We have a bull's eye on us
Good Morning everyone. I hope that all of you have productive weekends and warmth to work in your gardens, and enjoy the coming spring.
I just wanted to thank everyone who emailed me or posted to see if I was feeling ok from the sinus junk I was fighting, I am fine, it would help if we would just have better weather. Cold then warm then back to cold. Again, thank you for all of your thoughts.
Speaking of Spring, I don't think that it is in the cards here. The weather wizards around here posted winter storm watches, and advisories as of Thursday afternoon, for Monday through Wed. Generally when that is done, we have a bull's eye on us and blizzards in the make'in.
Personally I am tired of the cold and snow. I know, I know, it is moisture for the plants, and gardens, BUT, Pleeeeeease.......
I am tired of it. We are starting our general Spring season of a few days of nice then, BAM, snow, cold, blizzards, ice, thunderstorms, hail, a mixed bag of everything. One time, we had thunderstorns and tornadoes then by the next morning, a blizzard with a foot of snow. I seem to recall the blizzard of 49' which my folks said that it was the worst time they had ever endured or seen. I have only seen photos of this from grandparents and my parents, it is mind boggling to say the least.
I put one of the Butterball turkey's I bought on sale in the oven to roast. I also put a small beef roast on for a elderly couple for the week, I'm not supposed to do this, but they did not need anything else, so I've got my turkey and roast going on convection and it should be done soon, and I will drop this off while I am running errands. If we are going to get snow and can't get out, I thought I'd better do a turkey for my folks and I to make dinners and sandwiches out of. If I can't get out for a few days, my folks will have several days of dinners till I can get out and about. So after lunch, I will run errands and drop of a plate of turkey to the folks, and make sure they have some grocery items to tie them over for a few days, and run my roast by for my cute little elderly couple, and I should be good to go. I generally run errands either on Friday or Saturday, but I had to run yesterday and now today, so I am making my list and putting a little gas in the car, which I don't like to do, we are the highest price for gas in the state, which has always been like this since I can remember, it was like this when my folks were small here also. Go figure. I will be doing my in home cooking for my elderly folks as we see how the weather will behave. I checked with all of them and they told me they would be fine, as most have extras that I make for them, so I think everyone is set and ready to go.
Really not too much in my little neck of the woods going on. I am waiting for my berry bush canes to come. I hope by then the weather will start to straighten up so I can finish freshening up the soil and checking the pH for my blueberries. I hope that I did not bite off more than I can chew with this berry bucket grove project. I am sorry that I do not have too much to show off in the garden area worth talking about. Best laid plans of mice and men.......
Well, I'd better get off my butt and get ready to run soon and get everything done so I don't have to worry about anything, and it can dump what ever on us and get it out of its system, Sheeeh.......
I wish everyone a productive and wonderful project filled weekend, or just enjoy your space and your garden, just think of me and send me warm thoughts as I wade through snow, lol
I just wanted to thank everyone who emailed me or posted to see if I was feeling ok from the sinus junk I was fighting, I am fine, it would help if we would just have better weather. Cold then warm then back to cold. Again, thank you for all of your thoughts.
Speaking of Spring, I don't think that it is in the cards here. The weather wizards around here posted winter storm watches, and advisories as of Thursday afternoon, for Monday through Wed. Generally when that is done, we have a bull's eye on us and blizzards in the make'in.
Personally I am tired of the cold and snow. I know, I know, it is moisture for the plants, and gardens, BUT, Pleeeeeease.......
I am tired of it. We are starting our general Spring season of a few days of nice then, BAM, snow, cold, blizzards, ice, thunderstorms, hail, a mixed bag of everything. One time, we had thunderstorns and tornadoes then by the next morning, a blizzard with a foot of snow. I seem to recall the blizzard of 49' which my folks said that it was the worst time they had ever endured or seen. I have only seen photos of this from grandparents and my parents, it is mind boggling to say the least.
I put one of the Butterball turkey's I bought on sale in the oven to roast. I also put a small beef roast on for a elderly couple for the week, I'm not supposed to do this, but they did not need anything else, so I've got my turkey and roast going on convection and it should be done soon, and I will drop this off while I am running errands. If we are going to get snow and can't get out, I thought I'd better do a turkey for my folks and I to make dinners and sandwiches out of. If I can't get out for a few days, my folks will have several days of dinners till I can get out and about. So after lunch, I will run errands and drop of a plate of turkey to the folks, and make sure they have some grocery items to tie them over for a few days, and run my roast by for my cute little elderly couple, and I should be good to go. I generally run errands either on Friday or Saturday, but I had to run yesterday and now today, so I am making my list and putting a little gas in the car, which I don't like to do, we are the highest price for gas in the state, which has always been like this since I can remember, it was like this when my folks were small here also. Go figure. I will be doing my in home cooking for my elderly folks as we see how the weather will behave. I checked with all of them and they told me they would be fine, as most have extras that I make for them, so I think everyone is set and ready to go.
Really not too much in my little neck of the woods going on. I am waiting for my berry bush canes to come. I hope by then the weather will start to straighten up so I can finish freshening up the soil and checking the pH for my blueberries. I hope that I did not bite off more than I can chew with this berry bucket grove project. I am sorry that I do not have too much to show off in the garden area worth talking about. Best laid plans of mice and men.......
Well, I'd better get off my butt and get ready to run soon and get everything done so I don't have to worry about anything, and it can dump what ever on us and get it out of its system, Sheeeh.......
I wish everyone a productive and wonderful project filled weekend, or just enjoy your space and your garden, just think of me and send me warm thoughts as I wade through snow, lol
Saturday, February 26, 2011
MIA
I have been kinda under the weather for the last few days. I have had a bout with sinus infection and just general blahs.
The weather we are having does not help with the sinus, when it gets like this, I can pretty much take it to the bank that I will have a sinus problem and it generally lasts about 4-5 days. And if I do not take steps to get it under control, it turns into a migraine and you might as well count me out for about a week.
I have been sand bagging around some of the other blogs I read, and leaving comments, just to keep my mind off of the intense pain in my facial bones, it is just plain intense. And it doesn't matter what you do, or what you take, it has to ride out so I just stay quiet, try to do some things, just because there is no one to do it anyway, and keep the vaporizers going to help with the intensely dry air we are having, along with the change in the weather from warm to cold, and air pressure, which I am some what sensitive to.
I am anxiously waiting for my blackberry, rasberry, and blueberry canes to arrive in the mail. This is going to be one of the experiments I will attempt to try around my tiny lot, an attempt to grow berry bushes in the large blue containers I have around the lot. The blueberry bushes are dwarf bushes and I am hoping I can control the soil acidity that they need to do well in. The Blackberry and Raspberries, I am attempt to do a form of training the canes like the medieval way of growing fruit trees, I think that they call it "espariel"( I cannot even spell this, please understand) training the canes to climb a trellis and keeping them controlled. So I am hoping to be over this sinus crap before they get here, so I can get them in some small pots in the house, and then when it gets a little warmer, get them in their containers later.
I ordered these from Gurneys nursery catalog. Here in town, we have a nursery, but their prices on trees and fruit bushes are out of this world, like $25.00 to $35.00 for a blackberry bush! And these are small canes, not large older bushes. No way, it seems where I live here, our town is beyond prices charged, so I am trying my hand at Gurneys and see if I have any luck. I have Ft Laramie strawberry plants from them years ago, and they are still producing and doing well. I am going to thin out some of these strawberry plants from my parents bed and start these in some blue containers also, see if I have any luck with that.
Other than laying around not being able to function too well or think, not much is going on. Until the weather starts straightening out, there isn't much I can do at the moment.
So I wish everyone a wonderful weekend, and hopefully I will have better things to talk about, and photos to show from the bushes I am getting.
The weather we are having does not help with the sinus, when it gets like this, I can pretty much take it to the bank that I will have a sinus problem and it generally lasts about 4-5 days. And if I do not take steps to get it under control, it turns into a migraine and you might as well count me out for about a week.
I have been sand bagging around some of the other blogs I read, and leaving comments, just to keep my mind off of the intense pain in my facial bones, it is just plain intense. And it doesn't matter what you do, or what you take, it has to ride out so I just stay quiet, try to do some things, just because there is no one to do it anyway, and keep the vaporizers going to help with the intensely dry air we are having, along with the change in the weather from warm to cold, and air pressure, which I am some what sensitive to.
I am anxiously waiting for my blackberry, rasberry, and blueberry canes to arrive in the mail. This is going to be one of the experiments I will attempt to try around my tiny lot, an attempt to grow berry bushes in the large blue containers I have around the lot. The blueberry bushes are dwarf bushes and I am hoping I can control the soil acidity that they need to do well in. The Blackberry and Raspberries, I am attempt to do a form of training the canes like the medieval way of growing fruit trees, I think that they call it "espariel"( I cannot even spell this, please understand) training the canes to climb a trellis and keeping them controlled. So I am hoping to be over this sinus crap before they get here, so I can get them in some small pots in the house, and then when it gets a little warmer, get them in their containers later.
I ordered these from Gurneys nursery catalog. Here in town, we have a nursery, but their prices on trees and fruit bushes are out of this world, like $25.00 to $35.00 for a blackberry bush! And these are small canes, not large older bushes. No way, it seems where I live here, our town is beyond prices charged, so I am trying my hand at Gurneys and see if I have any luck. I have Ft Laramie strawberry plants from them years ago, and they are still producing and doing well. I am going to thin out some of these strawberry plants from my parents bed and start these in some blue containers also, see if I have any luck with that.
Other than laying around not being able to function too well or think, not much is going on. Until the weather starts straightening out, there isn't much I can do at the moment.
So I wish everyone a wonderful weekend, and hopefully I will have better things to talk about, and photos to show from the bushes I am getting.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
icy day
Good Evening everyone,
Boy, we had a wierd night with the weather. First we had a some what nasty thunderstorm, complete with lightning, thunder, electricity goes off for a little bit, then rain, THEN, ice. You could hear the rain change over to ice pellets, as they hit the side of the house. By this morning, it was a solid sheet of ice, about a quarter of an inch thick. And it coated everything, trees, the roads, the walks, I let the dog out, and I was not quick enough to catch her before she went off the porch and she took a nose dive on to the concrete walk I have. I have about 3 steps down, so it wasn't a long ways, but enough, she is fine, but it caught her off guard, I am stiff in the morning, and I knew it would be slick, but I just wasn;t quick to catch Belle's collar. Any way everyone is ok. I did salt the steps, by the way so I don't take a nose dive.
Not too much to talk about today, but I posted some icy photos I got this morning. Just a little bit before sundown, the sun came out just for a peek, and lit up my neighbor's yard and trees across the street, the trees and grass look like crystal and diamonds. I went out to quickly get a taco and I hurried from the car, into the house to get my camera, but just as fast as I could run in and out, the sun was gone and so was my beautiful photo of the icy jewels.
Anyway, just cold here now, more artic air and Siberia, maybe it will get tired of cold and straighten out.
Have a great week everyone.
Boy, we had a wierd night with the weather. First we had a some what nasty thunderstorm, complete with lightning, thunder, electricity goes off for a little bit, then rain, THEN, ice. You could hear the rain change over to ice pellets, as they hit the side of the house. By this morning, it was a solid sheet of ice, about a quarter of an inch thick. And it coated everything, trees, the roads, the walks, I let the dog out, and I was not quick enough to catch her before she went off the porch and she took a nose dive on to the concrete walk I have. I have about 3 steps down, so it wasn't a long ways, but enough, she is fine, but it caught her off guard, I am stiff in the morning, and I knew it would be slick, but I just wasn;t quick to catch Belle's collar. Any way everyone is ok. I did salt the steps, by the way so I don't take a nose dive.
Not too much to talk about today, but I posted some icy photos I got this morning. Just a little bit before sundown, the sun came out just for a peek, and lit up my neighbor's yard and trees across the street, the trees and grass look like crystal and diamonds. I went out to quickly get a taco and I hurried from the car, into the house to get my camera, but just as fast as I could run in and out, the sun was gone and so was my beautiful photo of the icy jewels.
Anyway, just cold here now, more artic air and Siberia, maybe it will get tired of cold and straighten out.
Have a great week everyone.
Friday, February 18, 2011
Addition to Dirt, Glorious Dirt
Good Morning Everyone,
I hope that everyone is getting ready for the weekend, I hope some of you can get into your gardens. I am afraid that I am doomed for about a week or so with winter coming back, making an appearance to let us know that its not going to throw in the towel just yet.
I want to thank all of you who sent wonderful comments about the containers I use. I didn't think something so simple could make statements, but again, I am an old fart who is new to the blogging world and something that I think is crappy and very poorly thought of, could make a statement in the gardening world. I unfortunately have to use what I have or find in the garbage bins or in someones alley, which I sometimes am pretty lucky at finding things that people throw away. I am a true die hard dumpster diver and general pack rat.
I had several email from newbies about the garlic scapes. Now, please understand that I am not a college educated gardener, just someone who observes and experiments with organic matter and seeds. I go where angels fear to tread, I do not read the instructions or follow the rules, which sometimes, get me into trouble, literally.
Several years ago, when I was trying to figure out this lot that I am currently living on, figuring out how to make the best of the area, and do what I could possibly do with it. Please realize that I didn't have internet access, so I could not look up information, all I had was a few books and good old Mother Earth News magazines. The soil here is very heavy and stinky river bottom clay, and I am surrounded by utility cables, gas line pipes and other assorted things that you do not want to slam a shovel in or a pick ax into, lest bring about the apocalypse, for which they would surely throw you into a federal prison and toss the key away. I have been here now into the start of my seventh year here. And let me tell you, it changes yearly. I have had for the most of my time here, a hoard of tenants who have destroyed what beds I did have, especially up toward the front of my trailer, on the south side, where I had anti-freeze, motor oil, and a variety of herbicides poured on to my herbs, for which is one of the reason I went to the containers, one, to be able to pull them around and protect them from hail and storms and two, to get them to another part of the tiny yard to protect them from the hoards. I also installed a make shift fence with snow fencing to create a buffer zone and this stopped the theiving and the stealing and malicious acts. This for me was the start of the container brigade, as I call it.
Anyway, I accidentally threw some garlic scapes I cut off from the garlic, and threw them into my herb bed, and come spring, I was starting to clean the bed out and was greeted by very lovely, garlic-y shoots like chives, and they were very aromatic and I trimmed some and put them on a baked potato and yum. I also tried the following year, the actual garlic scapes, which were sprouting in a jar, and cooked them in a tomato sauce for a spaghetti pie, and they were just delicious. Then, I was talking to a neighbor, and he told me that they were poisonous to eat. So I ended up talking to UNL (University of Nebraska @ Lincoln) at the home economics dept and a UNL extension dept at our State Farm that we have outside of town, and they told me they were perfectly ok to cook and eat with. They were just milder and really punch up flavor in a dish. The scapes you can also grow garlic from, except that they will take several years to mature to use. So if you are not in a hurry to get garlic, do it, I have a few in the herb bed and will see how they have done through the winter.
This year, I was going to try the scapes in one of the blue containers on the east side and cover them and see if they give me a chive like shoot that I can cut and use. I will keep you posted on this as it hopefully comes about.
Also, I had several emails asking about the blue containers. Well, I am not sure if I will get into trouble mentioning where I got them, but.... I got them from our Dollar General stores we have here. I have also been told that WalMart carries them. They are used for storage for toys and such, the college kids use them for what ever, I been told they use them for beer and ice buckets. They ran me $5 bucks a piece, and when I get them home, I use a small hand punch and a small hand saw you use on dry wall, and about 5 inches from the bottom, I trim a small triangle for drainage, I usually put 3 drains in. Now, when I fill these buggers up, it takes (2) 1 cu. ft of topsoil or potting soil to fill 1 bucket. And when you do this, they are heavy. I try to mix my soil mix with what ever I have on hand here. I used to use soil bags to grow my gardens in, just cut the bags with a small triangle and plant directly into the bag, as I just didn't have money to even buy a container. But as I could afford it, I would buy a few containers and add to my lot of containers. I usually go get a few loads of compost from the city and wood chips for paths, and I am going to try this year a bed on the north side of my trailer for mushrooms, like Winecaps. So, we'll see how far I get with that. Last year, I tried Shiitake, and they did very well for me. I splurged on a tabletop Shiitake block and put them in a large container you use for storage of stuff with a lid, and put them under my carport on a table and they really sprouted up. I dried these for my kitchen use. They are also medicinal. The place where I purchased the tabletop farm is from http://www.fieldforest.net/
The company is called Field and Forest Products and they are located in Wisconsin. They have a wonderful catalog. I am sure there are other companies who have mushrooming supplies. But this is where I got mine at.
Another thing I do with the buckets for my soil is I just mix compost and the garden soil together and fill. I do not dump the soil out. Just the next year, I mix fresh compost and leftovers from potting soil and refresh the buckets. I also try to move the buckets close for winter because of snow and freezing. Sometimes they will break, and I am careful how I pull them, as they are brittle when its cold. I generally cover them with tarp for winter, but this fall/winter, I did not get around to covering them. But they seems to take the weather pretty good.
If you do not like the color, you can get spray paint, particularly from the Rustoleum company, that makes a plastic spray you can use on these buckets. I have never tried it, but I think that I am, for the front and use a terra cotta color. There is also a spray that looks like granite and I bought some spray and I am going to try this to see if I can make a container look like a large granite container. I will post on this when it gets warmer to spray.
Anyway, I thought I would comment on these funny containers I use. I will attest that they do grow good, and I find I have a somewhat less bug problem. And I didn't have squash bugs like I did a few years ago, so it may be because they are up off the ground and better protected. I had some squash bugs but I was able to squish them and get them under control where I didn't loose any squash plants.
Well, I hope that I answered some questions about the buckets and the garlic scapes. Again, this is my experiences and successes and what has worked for me. Again, living where I don't have access to a normal ground area, I've had to make something work for me. Now, maybe this year, something I plant will not work, which I have had happened. It just depends on the weather, what I do like about these is I can move them, and I can cover them if I get a freak change in the weather here, which will be coming during March and April and May. Last year, it did not warm up until the first week in July, I had to keep my cucumbers and tomatoes covered with plastic and it worked and I only lost a couple of tomatoes and cucumbers, so they are handy for unexpected weather changes. I also like the fact that if we have a bad hail storm, I can drag some of my containers I use for my herbs, under the car port to protect them. I am working on an idea for a simple frame cover, with hardware cloth to place over pots for hail protection. This is one of my goals this year.
Well, I think that I talked enough. I need to get a few things done in the house, and run a few errands and then who know what else. Never know in this house.
Anyway, take care all, have a great weekend in what ever you are doing, or just relax and enjoy the days.
Bye.....
I hope that everyone is getting ready for the weekend, I hope some of you can get into your gardens. I am afraid that I am doomed for about a week or so with winter coming back, making an appearance to let us know that its not going to throw in the towel just yet.
I want to thank all of you who sent wonderful comments about the containers I use. I didn't think something so simple could make statements, but again, I am an old fart who is new to the blogging world and something that I think is crappy and very poorly thought of, could make a statement in the gardening world. I unfortunately have to use what I have or find in the garbage bins or in someones alley, which I sometimes am pretty lucky at finding things that people throw away. I am a true die hard dumpster diver and general pack rat.
I had several email from newbies about the garlic scapes. Now, please understand that I am not a college educated gardener, just someone who observes and experiments with organic matter and seeds. I go where angels fear to tread, I do not read the instructions or follow the rules, which sometimes, get me into trouble, literally.
Several years ago, when I was trying to figure out this lot that I am currently living on, figuring out how to make the best of the area, and do what I could possibly do with it. Please realize that I didn't have internet access, so I could not look up information, all I had was a few books and good old Mother Earth News magazines. The soil here is very heavy and stinky river bottom clay, and I am surrounded by utility cables, gas line pipes and other assorted things that you do not want to slam a shovel in or a pick ax into, lest bring about the apocalypse, for which they would surely throw you into a federal prison and toss the key away. I have been here now into the start of my seventh year here. And let me tell you, it changes yearly. I have had for the most of my time here, a hoard of tenants who have destroyed what beds I did have, especially up toward the front of my trailer, on the south side, where I had anti-freeze, motor oil, and a variety of herbicides poured on to my herbs, for which is one of the reason I went to the containers, one, to be able to pull them around and protect them from hail and storms and two, to get them to another part of the tiny yard to protect them from the hoards. I also installed a make shift fence with snow fencing to create a buffer zone and this stopped the theiving and the stealing and malicious acts. This for me was the start of the container brigade, as I call it.
Anyway, I accidentally threw some garlic scapes I cut off from the garlic, and threw them into my herb bed, and come spring, I was starting to clean the bed out and was greeted by very lovely, garlic-y shoots like chives, and they were very aromatic and I trimmed some and put them on a baked potato and yum. I also tried the following year, the actual garlic scapes, which were sprouting in a jar, and cooked them in a tomato sauce for a spaghetti pie, and they were just delicious. Then, I was talking to a neighbor, and he told me that they were poisonous to eat. So I ended up talking to UNL (University of Nebraska @ Lincoln) at the home economics dept and a UNL extension dept at our State Farm that we have outside of town, and they told me they were perfectly ok to cook and eat with. They were just milder and really punch up flavor in a dish. The scapes you can also grow garlic from, except that they will take several years to mature to use. So if you are not in a hurry to get garlic, do it, I have a few in the herb bed and will see how they have done through the winter.
This year, I was going to try the scapes in one of the blue containers on the east side and cover them and see if they give me a chive like shoot that I can cut and use. I will keep you posted on this as it hopefully comes about.
Also, I had several emails asking about the blue containers. Well, I am not sure if I will get into trouble mentioning where I got them, but.... I got them from our Dollar General stores we have here. I have also been told that WalMart carries them. They are used for storage for toys and such, the college kids use them for what ever, I been told they use them for beer and ice buckets. They ran me $5 bucks a piece, and when I get them home, I use a small hand punch and a small hand saw you use on dry wall, and about 5 inches from the bottom, I trim a small triangle for drainage, I usually put 3 drains in. Now, when I fill these buggers up, it takes (2) 1 cu. ft of topsoil or potting soil to fill 1 bucket. And when you do this, they are heavy. I try to mix my soil mix with what ever I have on hand here. I used to use soil bags to grow my gardens in, just cut the bags with a small triangle and plant directly into the bag, as I just didn't have money to even buy a container. But as I could afford it, I would buy a few containers and add to my lot of containers. I usually go get a few loads of compost from the city and wood chips for paths, and I am going to try this year a bed on the north side of my trailer for mushrooms, like Winecaps. So, we'll see how far I get with that. Last year, I tried Shiitake, and they did very well for me. I splurged on a tabletop Shiitake block and put them in a large container you use for storage of stuff with a lid, and put them under my carport on a table and they really sprouted up. I dried these for my kitchen use. They are also medicinal. The place where I purchased the tabletop farm is from http://www.fieldforest.net/
The company is called Field and Forest Products and they are located in Wisconsin. They have a wonderful catalog. I am sure there are other companies who have mushrooming supplies. But this is where I got mine at.
Another thing I do with the buckets for my soil is I just mix compost and the garden soil together and fill. I do not dump the soil out. Just the next year, I mix fresh compost and leftovers from potting soil and refresh the buckets. I also try to move the buckets close for winter because of snow and freezing. Sometimes they will break, and I am careful how I pull them, as they are brittle when its cold. I generally cover them with tarp for winter, but this fall/winter, I did not get around to covering them. But they seems to take the weather pretty good.
If you do not like the color, you can get spray paint, particularly from the Rustoleum company, that makes a plastic spray you can use on these buckets. I have never tried it, but I think that I am, for the front and use a terra cotta color. There is also a spray that looks like granite and I bought some spray and I am going to try this to see if I can make a container look like a large granite container. I will post on this when it gets warmer to spray.
Anyway, I thought I would comment on these funny containers I use. I will attest that they do grow good, and I find I have a somewhat less bug problem. And I didn't have squash bugs like I did a few years ago, so it may be because they are up off the ground and better protected. I had some squash bugs but I was able to squish them and get them under control where I didn't loose any squash plants.
Well, I hope that I answered some questions about the buckets and the garlic scapes. Again, this is my experiences and successes and what has worked for me. Again, living where I don't have access to a normal ground area, I've had to make something work for me. Now, maybe this year, something I plant will not work, which I have had happened. It just depends on the weather, what I do like about these is I can move them, and I can cover them if I get a freak change in the weather here, which will be coming during March and April and May. Last year, it did not warm up until the first week in July, I had to keep my cucumbers and tomatoes covered with plastic and it worked and I only lost a couple of tomatoes and cucumbers, so they are handy for unexpected weather changes. I also like the fact that if we have a bad hail storm, I can drag some of my containers I use for my herbs, under the car port to protect them. I am working on an idea for a simple frame cover, with hardware cloth to place over pots for hail protection. This is one of my goals this year.
Well, I think that I talked enough. I need to get a few things done in the house, and run a few errands and then who know what else. Never know in this house.
Anyway, take care all, have a great weekend in what ever you are doing, or just relax and enjoy the days.
Bye.....
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Dirt, glorious dirt
Hello Everyone,
Well, I got outside today and got my greenhouse plastic up and covered my containers. It took several days of getting them ready, and laying in compost, and worm castings, and a little leftover chicken compost someone gave me, did not want to waste it.
I planted some of my mesclun, and some left over lettuces and a mixture of butterheads, I hope that they germinate as some of the seeds I had were several years old, but what the hey, if it does, it does, if it doesn't then I will start new. I will hopefully have my seed order in the end of this year.
This year, I planted some garlic scapes I cut last year. I totally forgot about them in my garden cupboard under the car port. I opened up the cabinet and caught the whiff of garlic, and I immediately remembered the scapes I had. Several years ago, I cut some off and tossed them in my herb bed I had on the south side of the house, and then in the spring, they came up and gave me wonderful little chive- like greens that were wonderful in mashed potatoes and dips. So this year, I put them in the end pot on the east side of the trailer and covered all the pots with plastic. Now, we'll see if they come up.
Other than that, not too much going on. Just busy with my chef clients, and the always going on's of house work. Its never done.
We are supposed to have a "change" in the weather the end of this week. The weather geeks aren't sure what its going to do so I got my old covers and blankets in case it gets cold again. We are starting into the pattern of when we get bad spring snow storms, which is usually in March, and April, so best to be ready at the helm.
I will keep all posted as to how the container garden does. Each year is different, and some things do well, while others flop. I am not a good person when it comes to logging and posting journal things. But with my blog, I will try to keep better track of plants and conditions.
I know that what I use for garden containers looks, well like what trailer park trash uses. But unfortunately, being pretty short on cash to buy fancy pots or buy expensive lumber to make beds, its all I have to use. I ran an ad on Craig's list to see if I could find someone who was getting rid of old galvanized feed bunks or tanks. I had someone email me that he had feed bunks that were plastic, and were 16" deep, 30" wide, and 12 ft long, they would be perfect BUT, he wanted $65 a piece and at this time, it is a no can do. I am coming up on my cancer anniversary and I have blood work and some tests that I have to do yearly and so I can't do it at the moment. I guess my health is more important so I can blog and make everyone life miserable. lol
Anyway, I had better go, I am physically beat, just the little bit I did today, wore me out. My back is screaming, and I think a warm shower and jammies are in order with some cocoa.
So I wish everyone a wonderful rest of the week, and a great weekend, hopefully getting in some planting and gardening.
Well, I got outside today and got my greenhouse plastic up and covered my containers. It took several days of getting them ready, and laying in compost, and worm castings, and a little leftover chicken compost someone gave me, did not want to waste it.
I planted some of my mesclun, and some left over lettuces and a mixture of butterheads, I hope that they germinate as some of the seeds I had were several years old, but what the hey, if it does, it does, if it doesn't then I will start new. I will hopefully have my seed order in the end of this year.
This year, I planted some garlic scapes I cut last year. I totally forgot about them in my garden cupboard under the car port. I opened up the cabinet and caught the whiff of garlic, and I immediately remembered the scapes I had. Several years ago, I cut some off and tossed them in my herb bed I had on the south side of the house, and then in the spring, they came up and gave me wonderful little chive- like greens that were wonderful in mashed potatoes and dips. So this year, I put them in the end pot on the east side of the trailer and covered all the pots with plastic. Now, we'll see if they come up.
Other than that, not too much going on. Just busy with my chef clients, and the always going on's of house work. Its never done.
We are supposed to have a "change" in the weather the end of this week. The weather geeks aren't sure what its going to do so I got my old covers and blankets in case it gets cold again. We are starting into the pattern of when we get bad spring snow storms, which is usually in March, and April, so best to be ready at the helm.
I will keep all posted as to how the container garden does. Each year is different, and some things do well, while others flop. I am not a good person when it comes to logging and posting journal things. But with my blog, I will try to keep better track of plants and conditions.
I know that what I use for garden containers looks, well like what trailer park trash uses. But unfortunately, being pretty short on cash to buy fancy pots or buy expensive lumber to make beds, its all I have to use. I ran an ad on Craig's list to see if I could find someone who was getting rid of old galvanized feed bunks or tanks. I had someone email me that he had feed bunks that were plastic, and were 16" deep, 30" wide, and 12 ft long, they would be perfect BUT, he wanted $65 a piece and at this time, it is a no can do. I am coming up on my cancer anniversary and I have blood work and some tests that I have to do yearly and so I can't do it at the moment. I guess my health is more important so I can blog and make everyone life miserable. lol
Anyway, I had better go, I am physically beat, just the little bit I did today, wore me out. My back is screaming, and I think a warm shower and jammies are in order with some cocoa.
So I wish everyone a wonderful rest of the week, and a great weekend, hopefully getting in some planting and gardening.
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