March 15, 2018

I want to start the gardening season early.  This is a reminder to start getting the henbit (purple flowers) and creeping charlie (blue flowers) out early so they don't reseed.

April 17, 2017

These sound like they would do well is our sticky clay soil, but would they spread too quickly?

February 1, 2017

Plant pepper seeds in toilet paper rolls.  Cut slits into the bottom and fold in to made bottoms.  Place in a plastic tray.  Unfold the bottom before planting.

June 21, 2016

And...we have our first beet.  

Blueberries are on sale and I'm putting them in the freezer.  They are my favorite fruit on my morning cereal.

I wash my fruit in 1 part vinegar, 10 parts water, per something I found on pinterest a while back.  It really does make a difference in how long they keep.  I have apples here draining after a wash.  

May 12, 2012

It was chilly and cloudy today. The high temperature was in the low 60's, but in spite of that, Jim tilled the whole garden, weeding the potatoes and peas, and finished planting the garden except the winter squash, which we will wait on for a bit, to reduce the bug damage.
So, we now have beans, three more rows of sweet corn, for a total of 8, okra, cucumbers (the ones we started from seed and transplanted didn't make it), summer squash, and a yellow tomato added to the earlier planting.
I think if we try the cucumbers from seed again, we need to cover the seedlings when we put them in the garden.
A few days ago we had frost.  Not a killing frost, but enough to burn my coffee trees in my mini garden.  They aren't supposed to see 40 degrees.  That was disappointing, it spoils the looks of the garden, and it was so nice before.  I'll wait awhile to see how they grow before I attempt any pruning.

Swimming Pool

The best time to set up the swimming pool is when it is still cool.  Algae can grow in an hour in hot weather, before the shock treatment starts to work.  Jim cleans it out with the pressure washer and the vacuum excavator.
Pool day this year was May 5th, 2012
I bought enough shock treatment for the season from Menards at 3.98 a gallon, buy one, get one free.

October 22, 2011

I think I will be adding more things to this blog.  I was reading the paper this morning and realizing this is a good place to keep tips.

Next year I want to plant spinach and lettuce to harvest in the fall.  Our freeze date is Oct. 5, so I need to count backwards from the maturity date on the seed packet to know when to plant.  Water deeply, mulch, and cover on freezing nights.  Harvest early and often.

For best fall blooming mums.  At 4-6 inches tall, prune back, leaving two to three leaves, every 3-4 weeks until July 15.  They should be divided every 3 to 5 years.