What did you do in the garden today?

[CluckNDoodle]

Question: How do you preserve seeds?
I had a Pumpkin and an Acorn Squash that I wanted to preserve the seeds, but they got all moldy and I had to throw them away.
Advice please. Sometimes I get a spectacular specimen and I want to get more like it.

If you want a completely failproof method, then fermenting the seeds for about a week (probably less for squash seeds) and then drying them in a container for another week with silica is certain to prevent any mold.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

View attachment 3186990
Clifford Thief of biscuits

Oh my gosh I want to squash that face!!!! It's so droopy and adorable! He can have all my biscuits!

 

[TJAnonymous]

That is AWESOME! Do you split up the bulb and plant in the individual cloves then?

Have I told yall lately how much I appreciate ALLLL YAAAALLLLLLLLL!!!

You got the idea.... I split it into individual cloves and voila! You have around 8 plants per head for a buck (ish).

 

[Sueby]

Beware that if you save squash seeds they may be a hybrid if you are growing more than one type. If they cross pollinate the following year you may end up with some interesting hybrids. & not that there is anything wrong with it, just be aware you may or may not have the same squash that you wanted to save.

With that said, I save bean seeds for next year too, but beans don't cross pollinate as easily. I have had the same blue lake green beans for 6 years because I save them in the fall.

 

[esturtz27]

Oh my gosh I want to squash that face!!!! It's so droopy and adorable! He can have all my biscuits!

He has that effect... and loves getting all the face squishes. The vets love him when he has to visit because he's a cuddler who doesn't get as many cuddles as before baby

 

[TJAnonymous]

Question on watering...I usually water in the mornings but it seems like i get a later start each day!
Do yall just have preference as to if ya water at night or morning...or is there a reason u do one or the other for the benefit of the garden?
I also threw out a few seeds in the raised bed yesterday for another round of tomatoes and basil.
Should I water those seeds each day til they germinate?
We are in high 90s-100s and seldom getting rain.

Watering at night is fine as long as you try not to get foliage wet. Water + heat + dark = great environment for diseases. Most people will tell you to water around dawn. That gives foliage time to dry before the sun is fully up and the sun is likely to kill off or slow down disease.

I completely understand where you are coming from though... It takes me nearly 2 hours to water everything. This morning I went outside at 5:30 AM. I didn't finish watering until close to 7:30... Then I had animals to care for... I didn't finish that until 9:30! That's FOUR FREAKING HOURS! Insane! I'm taking a few minutes to catch my breath and then I have work to do....

 

[Gammas Bearded Babies]

I love that! (aaand would love a pic of Clifford Thief of Biscuits!)

I got a couple new chippy traps - three dead in 2 days! These traps were well worth the money as they had figured out all our other traps. We'll see how long it takes them to figure out these, but in the mean time it seems our house/siding destroying chippys are dead as the dog hasn't spotted them today & they do love to torment him.

U got a link for the trap? Mine came up empty this morning the neighbor set yesterday.

 

[Gammas Bearded Babies]

You got the idea.... I split it into individual cloves and voila! You have around 8 plants per head for a buck (ish).

Oh I may do that since ones i found online were 10 for $36!!!

 

[TJAnonymous]

I stopped using Seed Savers Exchange years ago because I had a bad experience one year. It was like 2014 or 2016? So long ago that I was considering trying them again, lol. Their prices are very high for them to have such low germination though. I'll keep in mind to never buy garlic from there.

I will occasionally buy from Seed Savers. I got that book from them this year on saving seeds.... However I mostly buy from Baker Creek or Johnny's Seeds. SSE has some unique and heirloom things that I might try as a novelty. I don't buy anything from them that's part of my routine/traditional garden that I expect to feed my family with...

 

[Gammas Bearded Babies]

Watering at night is fine as long as you try not to get foliage wet. Water + heat + dark = great environment for diseases. Most people will tell you to water around dawn. That gives foliage time to dry before the sun is fully up and the sun is likely to kill off or slow down disease.

I completely understand where you are coming from though... It takes me nearly 2 hours to water everything. This morning I went outside at 5:30 AM. I didn't finish watering until close to 7:30... Then I had animals to care for... I didn't finish that until 9:30! That's FOUR FREAKING HOURS! Insane! I'm taking a few minutes to catch my breath and then I have work to do....

Not sure if heat, covid or my usual health crud but I've been getting up later and later then it takes an hour or so to get my meds in me so I can even get put there!
So I've selectively watered past 2 days just what I knew desperately needed it!