I am enjoying everyone's posts. Like the longer thread.
Posted on 03/02/2024 6:26:35 AM PST by Diana in Wisconsin
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Wow! That looks great.😀
I think Spring will be very close to the calendar date this year, and I’m grateful for that. The daffodils are in full bloom, so I snipped a few from the woods in my backyard, and put them in a vase. Looks like a St. Patrick’s Day arrangement!
The bluebirds are making a nest in one of our four bluebird houses. There’s one that they pick first every season. All of the birds look like they are choosing mates. Can’t wait to see all the babies later in the season!
We had one or two days this week above 70 so I pulled out my short sleeved tops, and it felt good to wear them! It will drop back down to freezing for a few days this week, but I am encouraged.
Today is a travel day. We will be seeing our son who lives a few hours away. It’s good to see his face in person. It will be a quick visit, as we will be back home tonight. That means tomorrow will be a day full of Spring cleanup.
Wow! That looks sooo good!
I used to love v-8 juice, and my mom used to make her own version which I loved. Sadly the stomach can’t take the acid anymore, though I still have about 3 toasted tomatoe sandwiches each summer, and suffer the consequences beczuse I love them so much. Had one this winter fro. Grocery store tomatoe, but wasn’t newrly as good as homegrown, but still enjoyed it.
Things that are happening at ‘Abandon All Hope’ Farm these days:
Beau took Chuck (beef steer) to ‘the spa’ on Thursday. The only problem he had was getting the four puppies OUT of the trailer so they could hit the road. He’ll be ready for pickup by the end of the month. All Gave Some, Some Gave All. Thank you, Chuck!
Pepper seedlings are UP! Moving the grow light rack to a warmer room made a HUGE difference in speed of germination. I didn’t even need the bottom heat, so that was nice.
I started a flat of lettuces, spinach and kale two weeks ago. Those have been moved to the greenhouse, but since our overnight lows are still just above freezing, they are covered with the plastic domes, and then a blanket overnight. It’s overcast this morning and windy, so they don’t need to be uncovered for a while. My monitor says it’s currently 57 in there. Yesterday, before I opened it up, it was 114 degrees! (It dropped to 78 when I opened the doors and the roof vents). Careful monitoring is always important with a greenhouse; mine is unheated with a full southern exposure.
Today I am starting tomatoes, so Spring is OFFICIALLY right around the corner. Roma VF, Bush Blue Ribbon, Celebrity Plus, Yaqui, Valentine (cherry), Bella Rosa, Chef’s Choice Orange, Chef’s Choice Black (Cherokee Purple hybrid), Grandma’s Pick, Sabre (shared from MomWithHope) and La Roma III. Cutting back to about 20 tomato plants this season. 36 just about KILLED me two seasons ago, and even 24 last year was more than enough. What can I say? Tomatoes are the most useful veggie on the planet. Right up there with Chickens, as far as usefulness goes. ;) More V-8 Juice and a little less Salsa is the ‘Canning Plan’ for this season. A bit more Tomato Jam - everyone seems to be loving that.
Been saving eggshells for the past few months, so I have a good supply crushed up. I put the shells in planting holes for Tomatoes, Peppers, Zukes and Cukes all get some in their planting holes to prevent Blossom End Rot (Calcium deficiency). I also add about a cup of Bone Meal. Works like a charm.
Work on the chicken coop/barn re-model proceeds. I’m hoping to have chicks by early April - as soon as they have them at Farm & Fleet. Cannot WAIT to have laying hens again. No meat chickens this time around, but in the future.
Weather has been insanely warm - I’ll be mowing by April instead of May if this keeps up. We are easily 20” behind on snowfall for the season, but it has been raining, so we’re OK moisture-wise. Tulips and Daffs are up and Lilacs are budded, as is my Magnolia. It’s all wanting to happen early! Little action on the fruit trees though, so that’s good - no killing frost when they’re in flower - though between you and me, a season with less fruit wouldn’t be such a BAD thing. I was swamped last season with apples and peaches.
The four current ‘Puppies in Training’ are growing fast. The male is having a hard time with the ‘DOWN!’ command for some reason. He’s VERY enthusiastic, but I can’t have all four jumping on me at once. They’ve been having a grand time dragging things out of the woods and into the house yard and stealing tools if Beau forgets to put them up and out of reach. (Three Plott Hounds and one Treeing Walker Coonhound). These are puppies numbered 22 through 25 that I’ve raised for Beau. Once they hit 6 months or so, he takes over additional training for future hunting of Black Bear and Raccoon.
With the help of MomWithHope, I’ve brought my Orchid back from the brink (she needed more water!) and her first bloom opened this morning! My goofy Thanksgiving Cactus continues to put out blooms - I’ve not moved her, but we’ve had such a combo of sunny then overcast days that I think she’s off her normal cycle. However, more blooms is always a good thing!
Thanks, had some thin slices chopped fine mixed in with hash browns this morning. Small pizza tonight. Bacon?? Forgettaboutit.
My Christmas cactus didn’t bloom quite at Christmas, but just after the new year for several weeks. I noticed that it has had blooms every now and again since then, like yours. I’ll take anything that blooms at whatever time of year it decides.
I know that was amazing. You have me drooling. Wait till Mr. FF sees your photo. He might want to move in! ;)
I am enjoying everyone's posts. Like the longer thread.
Beautiful amaryllis!
Yea! Spring is almost here.
Mr. mm and I are fixing up my raised beds and clearing out the garden. it’s wonderful to be able to do that so early. Usually at this point in March, we’re barely getting past it snowing and waiting for it to melt. This gives us a good head start on the spring work.
From the seeds I started, I have tomatoes just starting to show. Basil and thyme is coming up from seeds. Lavender, rosemary, and columbine is coming up, too.
I started onions and lettuce from seed, too, and they are doing great. What’s nice is that the weather during the day and for some nights, is nice enough that I can leave the seed trays on our porch where they get full sun all day and yet are somewhere sheltered from the wind. It’s like adding a climate zone or two and the plants start off hardened off.
And if we have a freeze at night, no problem to bring them inside.
Good Afternoon!
(((HUGS)))
I just came in from mowing the yard (flatland house - drove in this morning from mtn house). The spot where I park the trailer was growing up & once I cut that, I kept going until the mower is about on “E”. I feel like I just mowed for the last time & here it is .... mowing time again. The fresh grass smell is wonderful & it’s a gorgeous day.
I may have to take a nap before going for gas - I was having a hard time keeping my eyes open on the mower. The last couple of days have been exhausting.
Somehow, I have to manage to have at least one raised bed this year....garden withdrawal is hitting hard.
5 of 7
Ggod job!
She is a BEAUTY! So glad you found her. :)
My Orchid opened her first (re) bloom today! Thanks again for your help in keeping her healthy.
“And if we have a freeze at night, no problem to bring them inside.”
Before we built the greenhouse, I used shelving on the porch to harden things off. There were MANY Spring over-nights when the temps took a turn DOWNWARDS that the Dining Room table was filled to the brim with tomato and pepper plants. :)
“...garden withdrawal is hitting hard.”
My sympathies. Being ‘between gardens’ is where no one in this crowd wants to be!
Looking forward to your new discoveries and solutions (which you are SO very good at!) to future ‘situations’ as they arise. :)
I think you need to add chickens and maybe a passel of puppies to your plate, LOL!
I am an orchid moron. I cannot keep them alive, much less re-bloom. My poor brother-in-law grows many varieties, and I have killed the 3 he has gifted me. I don’t know what I do wrong. The light? The water? I don’t know. They’re beautiful, but this is one plant where I do not have a green thumb.
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