What did you do in the garden today?

[WthrLady]

i’ve been considering trying to raise butterflies in my aviary for over 2 years now!!! like i don’t raise enough critters already!

It's milking, branding and herding them that's the tricky part.

 

[Sooner Magnolia]

I'm sitting on the porch catching up on posts. It is a good thing since Olive really wants to lay an egg in my azaleas. She's very persistent! I just keep telling the dog to shoo her sway, and she enjoys the job. Nice sprinkling rain out today.

I planted some more beans and peas a couple of days ago. I might try again for some summer squash since the packages say 55-60 days or so. I didn't realize the winter squash matured so much more slowly. School starts here on Wed. I'm sure my garden will suffer LOL.

 

[Acre4Me]

School starts here on Wed

Wow! Thats early! One district here won't start until Sept 7. My kid's school starts in 2 weeks, which is more typical of this area. .

 

[BullChick]

NY/NJ is the first Wednesday after Labor Day. I hated starting in August the two years in Ohio.

 

[Acre4Me]

Bunnies!

These four are about 5 weeks old. Not sexed (or so I was told). May have to take them back to auction if all boys, or might try our first meal of rabbit.

female New Zealand.

The female bought as a pet. This is a poorly colored Harlequin, but kid liked the color!

Volunteer watermelon. It looks waaaay better than any of my watermelons this season. The vines go about 6' in both directions away from the center stem. Also, note the volunteer butternut just next to the compost bin. It is producing a butternut. It was not hit by vine borer, so I am definitely letting it grow - might get another couple squash.

A storm blew through yesterday and swept the gourds off the roof of the run. next year we will try to provide an elevated structure on the roof to assist the gourds to grow and stay where they grow. That side of the run is still shaded. When growing, the gourds are very heavy, so it pulls down the vines despite the many connections the tendrils have made.

 

[Sooner Magnolia]

My corn is sprouting! Yay!

Oh, forgot to share the results of my potato experiment. I saw this online and thought I'd try it. Instead of planting in a normal raised grow bag, I made a tall basket from plastic chicken wire. Then I used dead leaves and a handful of compost. I added more dead leaves as the plants sprouted and grew. Added about a cup of compost after a month or so.

Anyway, everything grew REALLY WELL They actually grew BETTER than all of the grow bags I've planted... However, I made one miscalculation.... The ANTS pretty much ate the potatoes.... I was left with empty shells.

My experiment was to put some potatoes from the store that were squishy and sprouted like crazy into grow bags with just loose straw that I collected from the senior prank where they spread hay every where in front of the school. They seem to be growing well.

 

[Katanahamon]

Water bath is when you fill a pot (with something on the bottom to keep the jars from touching) with enough water to cover the jars by at least an inch. Add a lid, and away you go. It is okay for acidy food like tomatoes.

Technically, tomatoes now need an added acid..lots of modern tomatoes lack the acidity to safely water bath can..I’ve done all kinds of canning, it’s best to follow the USDA, FDA and your local Agricultural Extension sites etc for official recommendations as to how to can individual things..but yes, generally things that are vinegar based are water bath canning safe..

 

[NewBoots]

These four are about 5 weeks old. Not sexed (or so I was told). May have to take them back to auction if all boys, or might try our first meal of rabbit.

They are sweet little hoppers. I've tried several different recipes and the one I like best so far is German style, marinated in red wine and vinegar overnight then slow cooked in a Dutch oven the next day. Next I want to try precooked in moisture then finished on the grill.

My experiment was to put some potatoes from the store that were squishy and sprouted like crazy into grow bags with just loose straw that I collected from the senior prank where they spread hay every where in front of the school. They seem to be growing well.

Just straw and no soil at all? Please do keep us updated. Not that I'd be able to copy that, the slugs and snails here would take it as an open invitation to make it a commune.

Not much going on in the garden now other than watering, trimming, and tying back rampant growth.

 

[Katanahamon]

I think these guys are gaining size and weight even faster now..

 

[pennyJo1960]

Morning Gardeners I have potato sprouting all over the place including the compost ..