What did you do in the garden today?

[Sammster]

I picked 3-4 dozen Army worms yesterday, and again today, though probably not quite as many. I fed the worms to the flock and was pleased at how gently they took them from my fingers. The Littles (younger Dominique pullets) are losing their fear of me but are still not comfortable taking treats from my hands. However, the Sussex were gobbling worms as fast as I could offer them!

The "Littles"
View attachment 3555690
I found one large tomato branch covered with worms. I pruned it and placed it in the run...the chickens went spaz! I suspect that they found every single worm on it. None of them ate the tomato leaves, smart birds!

The worms were all over the heirloom indeterminate tomato plants, not a one on the plum tomatoes though they're right next to each other. Interesting.

And I pruned and tied my Summer squash to their stakes again. Lots of baby squash all over the plants, but have only harvested one fruit so far.

Pretty birds

 

[pennyJo1960]

I brought salad in for tonight. Fixed the handle on the shovel part of the poop scoop
had rotted. took the handle knocked out the dead spot fed more handle up reset the screw.

 

[Sally PB]

The JBs ignore my roses, believe it or not. Instead they are BRUTAL on my Catawba grapes. Don't really bother the Concords though... Bizarre.

I find most of the JBs on grapevines, either wild vines, or in the garden.

 

[Sally PB]

I saw some baby spaghetti squash on my one of my plants! They're about an inch long.

 

[WthrLady]

My three foot tall patch of wildflowers did not appreciate the howling 50 mph winds today, even with all the supports through the bed. Is what it is.
Sewed all day I just need to buy buttons, and do the button holes, and topstitch the collar stand.
The ants are gone.
The garden has been watered and walked.
Another week in the 90s with no rain.
Guy across the valley cut and baled his massive field of hay this week.
He only got 20% yield of a normal year, which is what I expect for here, or worse. We shall see.

 

[Smokerbill]

I went out and and piled mulch around my tomatoes, peppers, basil and some of the squash plants this afternoon. I'm turning into a total wimp, because 80 degrees feels hot. Used to be I could handle 100 degrees no problem. I guess joints aren't the only thing that goes as you approach and pass 65 years old.

I got a good start on my trellis for the first row of rattlesnake beans I planted. Snipped a section of cattle panel to size, dropped the t-posts and post driver into the garden, and that was enough for the day. I'll finish it in the morning coolness tomorrow.

I think I'll bring up some of the dried hardwood leaves up from the composting area tomorrow and mulch my beans. It should give them a boost because the chickens have been scratching through them for a couple weeks, and I am guessing that there's poop in them thar leaves.

 

[Swiss]

Today, I collected asparagus beetle grubs and gave them to the chickens. I think they ate them, but they weren't excited about it. This was the first time, so maybe they'll be more appreciative next time.

We'll be getting the Japanese Beetles soon. Free chickie snack! Hey, I gotta put a positive spin on those bugs.

PSA: I found a couple on the daylilies today. I squished them because I don't have chickens, still. Last year, they stayed in the wild raspberry and wild blackberry patch.

We are also not getting bees this year. Hopefully, we get to get chickens next year.

We've been using pvc lattice for years and years. It takes a tiny bit more effort to weave the vine back and forth through the holes as it grows but it works great and is also easy to clean off when the plant is dead.

Do you have a picture?

Q on planting beans after garlic.

So, most resources say do not plant beans after harvesting garlic. But, this is my only option right now. The resources mostly indicate certain “illnesses” that can be a problem. But, anyone with first hand knowledge? I just want to plant green beans and carrots. The carrots are fine with or after garlic -great companions. But, what about the green beans?

If it's your only option, I say go for it and see what happens. But I don't have any actual experience or input, hopefully someone else can help!

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We got 0.9" of rain today in a little over an hour, or maybe close to two hours. It came down really hard for a while, so the really dry ground couldn't soak it up and it flowed downhill. When it slowed down, the ground absorbed it like a sponge. I am not sure how well the garden beds absorbed it. A mole tunnel collapsed in one, and when I filled it in using some soil from other beds, the soil under the first 1/4" was dry. Mulch would probably help with that (keeping moisture in and helping to keep it from running off), so I'll have to see if I can get enough pine needles from our property to cover them all.

I found a squash bug, squash bug eggs, potato beetles, and either whitefly eggs or aphids. Not many, so I'm going to do pest checks as often as I can to try to keep ahead of them.

First calendula flower:

Collapsed mole tunnel:

My husband and I set up the tomato trellis last weekend:

I went in the offensive against the mole because it is so dry and they tend to stay deep, unless they're in my garden beds. I watered this area, reset the trap, laid down cardboard, and weighted down the cardboard. Less than 24 hours later, the trap was triggered, BUT the turd tunneled in PERPENDICULAR to the trap and the tunnel the trap was set in. So, it didn't catch the dumb thing... I reset it, and nothing. I might need to put a small rock under the trigger so that the sand doesn't just get pushed around the trigger. Or maybe he'll come up tonight and get what's coming to him...

My dog ate my first two ripe strawberries while I wasn't looking, and pests have gotten some others. I've gotten to eat 2 or 3, and they are delicious! They taste almost like a strawberry that has sugar on it. Variety is Earliglow. I think I want to get some everbearing plants so I can have strawberries to snack on all season long.

That's all of the updates I can think of for now.

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

I have to pick black raspberries every day, if I don't then they die back. I got almost a quart today.
However, picking them in 30mph wind was not fun.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Do you have a picture?

I can take one tomorrow when there's light again.

 

[chickengr]

we had some rain. plants are stunted. a 6 in watermelon plant had a blossom. of course I cut it. I do not expect summer crops. thinking of not planting anything till the end of july.