What did you do in the garden today?

[jerryse]

 

[TJAnonymous]

I'm struggling this morning... .

While we were gone on vacation, I asked our kids to ensure they were collecting eggs every day because I had 2 broodies. They didn't... And sure enough, we had 7 eggs that were developed enough that I didn't want to murder the developing chicks inside. Nature and naughty hens intervened and I'm now down to TWO eggs which are nearly ready to hatch. Probably TODAY, in fact, because I could hear one chirping.

However, one of the 2 hens gave up her broodiness. The remaining hen was sitting in a nesting box in our goat house. This is problematic for several reasons... So today I opted to move her and the eggs into a nesting box inside our main coop. It's safer, warmer, and easier to transition chicks in there. Too bad my broody doesn't agree. She is not happy I moved her so she is pacing the "cage door" and trying to get out. She isn't showing any interest in sitting on her 2 eggs that are in there with her.

I put "cage door" in quotes because I currently have something temporary rigged up to keep her in the box. Hoping she doesn't figure out how to knock it down.

Why do hens have to be such a PITA sometime?!?!

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

Nothing in the garden other than looking at it yesterday and today. Rain started early yesterday and it’s been raining and drizzling since. We even had a thunderstorm in the middle of last night. Low temperatures in mid 40’s for about a week now and dipping into mid 30’s for a few nights then back into the 70’s. I brought my rosemary plant indoor for the winter. I’ll be moving the hanging strawberry plants onto the front porch in a week or two. The fall garden is loving this weather.

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

I'm struggling this morning... .

While we were gone on vacation, I asked our kids to ensure they were collecting eggs every day because I had 2 broodies. They didn't... And sure enough, we had 7 eggs that were developed enough that I didn't want to murder the developing chicks inside. Nature and naughty hens intervened and I'm now down to TWO eggs which are nearly ready to hatch. Probably TODAY, in fact, because I could hear one chirping.

However, one of the 2 hens gave up her broodiness. The remaining hen was sitting in a nesting box in our goat house. This is problematic for several reasons... So today I opted to move her and the eggs into a nesting box inside our main coop. It's safer, warmer, and easier to transition chicks in there. Too bad my broody doesn't agree. She is not happy I moved her so she is pacing the "cage door" and trying to get out. She isn't showing any interest in sitting on her 2 eggs that are in there with her.

I put "cage door" in quotes because I currently have something temporary rigged up to keep her in the box. Hoping she doesn't figure out how to knock it down.

Why do hens have to be such a PITA sometime?!?!

I've put eggs that are ready to hatch in the brooder under a heat lamp. Mine have hatched out just fine in a pinch. If you want another option.

 

[Smokerbill]

I worked on this raised bed for a couple hours this morning. Yesterday I removed a 3 or 4 inch layer of organic matter from the surface... fine particles of partially composted bark, wood, leaves and grass.



I shoveled out the remaining dirt, down about 10 inches, and put that organic matter down. Then I put the dirt back in. I think the plants will do better, especially the seedlings.

I was planning to plant my potatoes this morning too, my experiment. Volunteer potatoes do well and produce spuds after being in the ground all winter, so planting potatoes in the fall for the next year's crop should work just fine. And that'll be one less thing for me to do next spring.

These are a few volunteer potatoes I dug out a couple days ago that were hidden in my patch of zinnias. I'm going to plant the two smaller ones.

 

[akroberts1085]

My husband brought home some pallets that he didn't know were left in his trailer. I'm still trying to figure out if I have enough brain power to make it into some raised beds. . Hopefully it won't turn into

 

[TJAnonymous]

I've put eggs that are ready to hatch in the brooder under a heat lamp. Mine have hatched out just fine in a pinch. If you want another option.

I might have to do that... I'm about to go check on her again. The last time I checked a few hours ago, she was still pacing the door

 

[TJAnonymous]

I worked on this raised bed for a couple hours this morning. Yesterday I removed a 3 or 4 inch layer of organic matter from the surface... fine particles of partially composted bark, wood, leaves and grass.

View attachment 3965161

I shoveled out the remaining dirt, down about 10 inches, and put that organic matter down. Then I put the dirt back in. I think the plants will do better, especially the seedlings.

I was planning to plant my potatoes this morning too, my experiment. Volunteer potatoes do well and produce spuds after being in the ground all winter, so planting potatoes in the fall for the next year's crop should work just fine. And that'll be one less thing for me to do next spring.

These are a few volunteer potatoes I dug out a couple days ago that were hidden in my patch of zinnias. I'm going to plant the two smaller ones.

View attachment 3965166

I planted seed potatoes in the spring which sent out a ton of foliage. However, most of it was killed off by aphids and thrips. I cleaned out the dead foliage but left the potatoes in the dirt. They sent out regrowth of new foliage about a month or two ago. Everything is still green right now but hasn't flowered... I'm going to leave it until it gets killed off by the cold. Wondering if I should harvest afterwards or just leave them until next spring.... Decisions decisions.

 

[Molpet]

best tool if you only have a couple trees. I gave up when I was spending 4 hrs a day, every day, for a couple months. The squirrels must get the good ones in my yard. The ones I checked floated and nothing good inside. But the ones I find buried in the garden are good ones. I have over 3 dz mature trees.

I'm struggling this morning... .

While we were gone on vacation, I asked our kids to ensure they were collecting eggs every day because I had 2 broodies. They didn't... And sure enough, we had 7 eggs that were developed enough that I didn't want to murder the developing chicks inside. Nature and naughty hens intervened and I'm now down to TWO eggs which are nearly ready to hatch. Probably TODAY, in fact, because I could hear one chirping.

However, one of the 2 hens gave up her broodiness. The remaining hen was sitting in a nesting box in our goat house. This is problematic for several reasons... So today I opted to move her and the eggs into a nesting box inside our main coop. It's safer, warmer, and easier to transition chicks in there. Too bad my broody doesn't agree. She is not happy I moved her so she is pacing the "cage door" and trying to get out. She isn't showing any interest in sitting on her 2 eggs that are in there with her.

I put "cage door" in quotes because I currently have something temporary rigged up to keep her in the box. Hoping she doesn't figure out how to knock it down.

Why do hens have to be such a PITA sometime?!?!

The only times I have been successful moving a broody was to move the whole nest. I have put the eggs in a dog crate over the nest and then move her a couple days later.

 

[Smokerbill]

I'm done for the day. First thing was sift fertilizer out of the coop. I got the hot stuff from underneath the roost. It'll mellow out over the winter.


Then I planted the potatoes, topped the bed off with some chicken fertilizer and put down a layer of new fallen maple leaves for mulch.


I topped the big raised bed with fertilizer and raked it in, and then a layer of leaves. I soaked the leaves with the hose to keep them in place until the rain starts tonight. This bed is prepped and ready for next year. Yeah!


I really like using leaves as mulch. They break down and compress over the winter and turn into a weed barrier. And probably provide some nutrients/microbes too.