What did you do in the garden today?

[vall]

I've always blamed slugs and snails, is it earwigs? Glad to hear I'm not the only one who gets bugs in my peppers.

I don't have many slugs in the summer, too dry. I've found earwigs inside the peppers

 

[chickengr]

I would love to do that but my garden is purposely far away from the normal range of the chickens. I would have to catch a chicken or two and physically carry them down to the hoop house. I've tried getting them to eat squash bugs before but they never seemed interested....

I catch squash bugs and give them to the chickens. some of them are not interested till at least 1 grabs it. then the rest start to fight.

I also carry chickens to the garden but I have a small plot.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Went in the brooder room with the Son. He took all the photos.

 

[oldhen2345]

Gonna mow when the dew dries, then weed eat. May carry a load of branches to the dump. I need to work on the front flower beds- they are a mess.

 

[jerryse]

Yesterday I prepared saved seed for storage . Sunflower , tomato and black eyed Susan's .

 

[Swiss]

Apples need constant spraying and fertilization schedule. It.Is ...ENDLESS

Yeah, like @WthrLady said, if you want worm-free apples you pretty much have to spray them. We don't care since we have one normal apple tree and several crabapples, one of which has 2" fruit and I use the fruit for cooking so I have no problem cutting around worms. In fact, I'm happy when I hit an apple with no worm-holes.

I agree on this. I fertilize at least once a year, put down gypsum and try to spray with neem oil. Spraying didn't get done this year as my honey bees are in the orchard and they were struggling and I didn't want to set them back.
Also I planted white clover all over under the trees, not only does it attract pollinators but each time you mow it it gives a boost of nitrogen into the soil.
@Swiss

Thank you for the info! I'll have to do more research into how to take care of them. I've never had apple trees before.

When we moved in, they were loaded with dead branches, so we bought a pole saw and trimmed what we could reach from the ground or the back of Rudy (my truck). They look way better after that.

We also have some sort of pear tree. I really wish I knew what kind. It's possibly a wild pear tree. But I'm not really sure.

 

[WthrLady]

Just an idea, your schedule may vary, although you're my zone too, I think.

I prune in the last week of January, while it's still well below freezing.
I spray before 1st buds appear-bonide fruit tree spray
I fertilize with 10/10/10 on the first of every month, but stop in July.
I spray right before blooms open-bonide fruit tree spray
I spray after every hard rain, or once a week for fungus-copper fungicide-and cedar rust
I spray 3 weeks before harvest - bonide fruit tree spray.
And water water water water.
Emergency pruning as needed.
Swear daily.
Cry when a gorgeous tree, just goes spotty and up and dies.
Bawl when a young tree full of fruit is snapped off the trunk and the apples are half eaten by deer.

You're supposed to be able to JUST use bonide fruit tree spray, but we are in a high cedar rust area and it needs the extra treatment.
Neem oil I only used one season for one spraying and I couldn't stand the smell or the rash I got, Your results may vary.

I have 40 trees, and yes, it's a total pain in the arse.

All the spraying has to be done when there is no wind, which usually means the crack of dawn, but after the dew...LOL...and even if there is no wind, somehow Mother Nature sees me with the pump sprayer and turns just enough on that I should never have cedar rust disease or moths.

 

[TJAnonymous]

I catch squash bugs and give them to the chickens. some of them are not interested till at least 1 grabs it. then the rest start to fight.

I also carry chickens to the garden but I have a small plot.

I took your advice and took 6 Silkies down to the hoop house. It is the first time they've ever been out of their pen so they are quite confused.... So far they don't seem remotely interested in the squash bugs.... Even the nymphs. I'm going to leave them in there most of the day and we'll see how they do.

 

[TJAnonymous]

Thank you for the info! I'll have to do more research into how to take care of them. I've never had apple trees before.

When we moved in, they were loaded with dead branches, so we bought a pole saw and trimmed what we could reach from the ground or the back of Rudy (my truck). They look way better after that.

We also have some sort of pear tree. I really wish I knew what kind. It's possibly a wild pear tree. But I'm not really sure.

I feel your pain. I have two 6' - 8' apple trees that I planted last fall. They were doing well until I got sick. Now the Granny Smith looks dead. I'm so bummed.... I was spraying it with Captan every 2 weeks. I missed a month of spraying and that's all it took.

Conversely my peach trees are looking better. They were touch and go all summer. They are another high maintenance tree....

 

[NewBoots]

Walked the yard, fed and watered critters. Cleaned the poop boards and gathered eggs. I've got a peach bread pudding in the oven. We're watching a show about 9/11/01 as we do every year.